Chapter 3 of The Heart's Landscape is up.

[tocryabout]

"Legal Age Life at Dépanneur" is up. It's a long one, at 8,500 words, but it has an explosion in it.

[Read from the beginning.]

I should mention (somewhere, anyway) that I'm using the Ultimate version of Jean-Paul's backstory, more or less -- I find it more believable than the Alpha Flight version, especially since we really don't have violent separatistes anymore. Jeanne-Marie and Jean-Paul have been separated since the death of their parents, but Jean-Paul was adopted by the Martins while Jeanne-Marie was sent to Madame DuPont's.

Comments

And an increadible explosion it was, too

[youngest-one.livejournal.com]

You really did a good job describing the four mutants' hectic night, and Jean-Paul's discovery of his powers. His prickly, obsessive compulsive nature shone through, and I look forward to reading more about him in the future.

Paul trying to psyche Joel up while Joel's worrying about money was humorous and touching, and the three mutants at the house recieved some interesting development. The government's response to mutants is sad, but very realistic and well done.

Really he should talk to Jeanne-Marie, even though she couldn't seem to talk to him for more than ten minutes without looking like she wanted to pepper spray him.

*snicker* That says a lot about Jeanne Marie, in just one sentance.

[brownbetty]

Brilliant.

Joel's distress at the beginning was so plain it was difficult for me to read.

I don't think I realized how mutants were treated under the law until the police arrived, and then I felt sick. My god, it's different to see your own country's name attached to that sort of thing, I hadn't realized the effect it would have.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

Yay, glad you enjoy. I like having the opportunity to put more humour into the story, which I couldn't really do as much of in Aphanes. Paul is especially fond of getting the good lines.

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

That's how I always felt about Weapon X in the comics, actually. It is different when it's your own country, and I wanted to hit a good balance between traditional Marvel "OMG THEY HATE MUTANTS" and the way I think Canada would deal with something like that: massive bureaucracy. I don't think the hatred would be as visceral here as Marvel portrays it in the States, but I think there would be a lot of enthusiasm for order, at any price.

Re: And an increadible explosion it was, too

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

Ah, the Beaubiers. The Quiet Revolution summed up in two half-elven mutants. (Not that I'm touching the elf thing. Oy.)

This thing is probably going to have the largest cast of anything I've written, actually. I like to keep that stuff minimal, but this story already has shown a tendency to sprawl.

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

*giggles at title*

Also: *boysquee*! I can't wait to read this tonight!

Re: And an increadible explosion it was, too

[youngest-one.livejournal.com]

The Quiet Revolution?

You're doing fine with a large cast.

Re: And an increadible explosion it was, too

[waterstrider.livejournal.com]

The Quiet Revolution refers to the 60s in Quebec, when Premier Maurice Duplessis was voted out and Jean Lesage came in. Duplessis's corruption had been propped up by the Catholic Church, so in the 60s and 70s the Church took a big hit. There was a conflict between sexuality (and liberal values in general) and religious social conservatism, which Jeanne-Marie/Aurora sums up nicely, and a rising desire to be "masters in our own house" -- to have independence and self-government, which I think is symbolised by Jean-Paul's Quebecois nationalism and perceived arrogance.

I don't know if Byrne intended this kind of social commentary or not. My guess is he just absorbed it through the stereotypes, since he doesn't show much sign of being familiar with Quebec culture. Still, it's interesting.

The Quiet Revolution, more in depth (http://www2.marianopolis.edu/quebechistory/events/quiet.htm).

[to-cry-about.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since I put a Rheos reference in, so I had to do it.

There's also a more meta Rheos reference in the story itself for those who are stalkerishly familiar with Martin Tielli's biography -- Martin worked at a self-serve gas station as a teenager and was apparently fired for letting a homeless kid sleep in the kiosk on night shifts. (Martin sometimes spins it otherwise, claiming that the boss thought he and Dave were gay, but I think the homeless kid is a more likely cause for his getting the axe.)

[talktooloose.livejournal.com]

I'm so, so sorry I haven't commented earlier. This series is turning into one of the best fan novels I've ever read. Its tone is so utterly unique and its characters so convincing that I find myself rereading almost immediately. Your vision of mutant registration and the holding centres is chilling and understated.

Brava! I only hope my fic-arc is half as compelling.