eve11: (chance)
eve11 ([personal profile] eve11) wrote in [community profile] calufrax2010-02-18 09:38 am

rec: Alex

Story: Alex
Author: schrodinger
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 9142
Author's Summary: She's nineteen years old. She likes -- in no particular order -- high-heeled shoes, fingernail polish and energy weapons. And the first chance she gets, she's going to kill a Time Lord.
Characters/Pairings: Author-created post-Tenth Doctor, Original Companion
Warnings: mild swearing

Recced because: It's a fantastic story with world-building and cool new characters. The Doctor is somewhat like Ten but more boyish in some ways and more mercurial and detached in others. Alex is from a parallel world where she is the right-hand assassin to a mysterious Time Lord boss, which may sound Mary-Sue-ish at first glance but she is in reality a very intriguing character, torn abruptly from almost a Faith-and-the-Mayor kind of relationship with her employer when her Time Ring malfunctions. It's told in first person which can be awful when done wrong but can be quite brilliant when done right (and it's done right here, of course!). Alex and the Doctor are thrown together by chance, and she's none too happy about it and more overt than Turlough in her motives ;)

And if you like it, you're in for a treat because it's just part 1 of a series that soon moves to a novel set on a desert world with a full cast of original characters plus a feisty aging Bernice Summerfield, murder, historical mysteries, aliens, conspiracy and a homebrew called "Bitter Bastard" (Among Mad People, slightly odd in that it switches between Alex's first person POV and some other limited third person POVs, but though it might seem strange at first, the story supports it well and wow, there are some amazing scenes in there), and a coda that turns the page in the volatile relationship between Alex and the Doctor, (Two-Body Problem) and does it absolutely beautifully. Seriously, read part 1, and save some space in your weekend for the rest. You won't be disappointed.




Stars glittered overhead, so many it was like fairy dust spread across the sky. I edged along the wall toward the corner, careful to keep in the shadows. The wind moaned, a low heartbroken sound, but under that I could hear the noise. It sounded like something being dragged.

I was about to sneak a look around the corner when that feeling came over me again, the same one as in my dream. Like I was being drained, a little at a time.

Behind me, something hissed.

Turn and fire. That's what I wanted to do. So why the hell couldn't I move?

A slow dragging noise, this time coming from behind me. I stood there with a cold sweat on my brow, with Murphy in both hands, paralyzed. Just like in my dream.

"Straight ahead through town," someone said in my ear, softly, "fast and far as you can. Don't stop for anything."

My limbs were stone. For the first time in a long time I was really afraid. "I can't."

"You can. Concentrate on moving your feet. And when I say run, run."

I can't, I thought, and then I heard an explosion like a grenade going off right behind me and one word, shouted over it: "Run!"

I gave an almighty jerk and my left foot suddenly came free, like I had been standing ankle-deep in mud. The right followed and I stumbled forward a few steps, then broke into a run.

[identity profile] syzygy-lj.livejournal.com 2010-02-18 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I second this rec. I've read this story over and over. Alex is a great character, and this version of the Doctor is wonderful! They play off each other very well.

[identity profile] whenisayrun.livejournal.com 2010-02-19 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
After a hellish workday I trudged home and opened my email, suspecting the usual gift of spam concerning "enlargement strategies". And what do I find instead but somebody saying lovely things said about my writing! PLUS A RECC ON CALUFRAX! I'm sure it's just coincidence, but it came on my birthday, too!

Thank you!!

whenisayrun (aka schrodinger)