Rec: The Deathless, by stellar_dust
Mar. 23rd, 2010 09:12 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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best_enemiesTitle: The Deathless
Author: stellar_dust
Pairings/Characters: Jack, Delgado, Five, pairings=variations on those with a slash between them
Warnings: Character death - sort of
Length 3445
Author's summary: It's 1895, and Jack meets someone who just might have the answers he's been seeking.
Why this must be read: the first line is "The summer of 1895, Jack's main (in point of fact, only) competition on the unkillables circuit went by the imposing name of Koshey the Deathless", which is, I would argue, a fantastic first line that demands you read onwards, surely. An excellent and vivid setting (borrowed from a not very good episode of Torchwood) that works very well as the stage for a meeting between a man who can't die and a man who wants to live forever: both of whom are searching in vain for the Doctor. Obviously, the subject of death is dealt with and well, but there are still light touches and the fic isn't free of hope, because we know how this scenario ends for both the Master and Jack. I'm not entirely certain why the Master does what he does at the end, but I think that's all right, because we're in Jack's POV and he doesn't quite understand - though he understands enough, and it's not annoyingly unresolved, merely thought provoking. I'd welcome personal theories about it.
The next evening, Koshey the Deathless accosted Jack outside the tent after his performance, ramrod straight with arms crossed and trying very obviously to look intimidating. Jack tried to brush past, but something in the man's eyes made him stay.
"Hey, nice beard," Jack said, mentally vowing never to grow one like it for as long as he lived, no matter how long that turned out to be.
"How do you do it?" Koshey asked. Jack couldn't help shivering as he raked him up and down with his gaze. "Every night, so many times, so easily .. 'The Man Who Couldn't Die.' How?"
Clicky
Author: stellar_dust
Pairings/Characters: Jack, Delgado, Five, pairings=variations on those with a slash between them
Warnings: Character death - sort of
Length 3445
Author's summary: It's 1895, and Jack meets someone who just might have the answers he's been seeking.
Why this must be read: the first line is "The summer of 1895, Jack's main (in point of fact, only) competition on the unkillables circuit went by the imposing name of Koshey the Deathless", which is, I would argue, a fantastic first line that demands you read onwards, surely. An excellent and vivid setting (borrowed from a not very good episode of Torchwood) that works very well as the stage for a meeting between a man who can't die and a man who wants to live forever: both of whom are searching in vain for the Doctor. Obviously, the subject of death is dealt with and well, but there are still light touches and the fic isn't free of hope, because we know how this scenario ends for both the Master and Jack. I'm not entirely certain why the Master does what he does at the end, but I think that's all right, because we're in Jack's POV and he doesn't quite understand - though he understands enough, and it's not annoyingly unresolved, merely thought provoking. I'd welcome personal theories about it.
The next evening, Koshey the Deathless accosted Jack outside the tent after his performance, ramrod straight with arms crossed and trying very obviously to look intimidating. Jack tried to brush past, but something in the man's eyes made him stay.
"Hey, nice beard," Jack said, mentally vowing never to grow one like it for as long as he lived, no matter how long that turned out to be.
"How do you do it?" Koshey asked. Jack couldn't help shivering as he raked him up and down with his gaze. "Every night, so many times, so easily .. 'The Man Who Couldn't Die.' How?"
Clicky
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