Review: Spike Bad

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hi,

Cilia here, well I better make good on my big words about honesty and lengthy reviews so here is my review of Spike Bad by Kris, this is my first timedoing this like this, so bare with if I tend to go from one thing to another the reason behind that is I wrote the while review based on parts 1-5 and then Kris had to go and post the rest, so I had to fix somethings. Also this is a sort of a mix of a review, feedback and C&C, so sometimes I try totake a cold and calculative approach, but also there are my own thoughts and opinions.

 

Review: Spike Bad, is Spike Average

 

Spike Bad by Kris has some of the hallmarks of a first time story. The story as a whole is average with nothing bad, but also with nothing outstandingly good. It never rises to great heights, but on the up part there are almost no low parts in it. It's just a plain and average story that will entertain those looking for a quick B/W fix.

 

The structure is good, the conversations are short and get the message across and the visual imagery is good and comes through in describing acts of violence, the action or the state somebody is in after the act, all of whichare done with great skill. Still the story is average and the only real fault I could find with it were the characters and how they were portrayed.

 

Given that this was a canon story, albeit the author's vision of season six, the author should have stayed on course and not gone of the deep end withsome of the characters.

 

Alright were to start? Well the Spike abusing Willow is just off. Spike, despite his many character flaws, has never shown the tendencies towards rape, he's more into messing with people's heads and perhaps torture, but rape doesn't seem to be in his character and there are many ways the scene couldhave been more tastefully done. Perhaps it evoked the wrong response in meas it came of as useless graphic imagery rather then something to evolve the story's plot. 

 

The rape of Willow could have been done on a more emotional level since there are many ways to break a person and the mental one would be more in tunewith Willow's character and it would make the story more believable. Spikecould have played upon Willow's insecurities, since through the stories the shame of what she had done and the fear of doing it seemed to keep her quiet, more so then Spike's beatings. 

 

On the upside the angst is nicely played out and the author does manage to make the reader feel somewhat for Willow and the dilemma she faces, but there is the possibility for more conflict in her. But that's just about the only thing you feel and that feeling is more of puzzlement over the why thenany concern for Willow. Further more I had a hard time swallowing the image of Willow the victim.

 

Buffy comes of as believable, her inner conflict is nicely played out, but it feels rushed and the constant confirmation that deep down in side she still loves Willow. Still we all love hearing Buffy confessing her love for Willow, mentally or vocally, in song or in poetry. So I can live with and inthe end it doesn't matter, but rather boils down to taste.

 

Dawn remains true to herself as the volatile teenager that cares for her sister and you like her for it, so she stands out as one of the good things about the story. The support cast in general is good and they play their roles out nicely from Anya to Mr. Smelly the landlord.

 

The story reads well, but with Spike just being mean, not bad as in the BigBad, but being down right satanic which is very much out of his character and I know I'm repeating myself here. It has the standard Willow and Buffy getting together despite hardships and end up admitting their love, although I wasn't overly shocked at the ending, I theorized about something similar on JABBW yesterday. Spike does get second wind in the last part of the story and they way he's written there is much more in tune with his usual character. Over all the story improves greatly in the last part and it does have some of the stories best and sweetest scenes, also it is where most of the dialogue seems to be focused.

 

All in all, nothing new, but rather a spin on the core theories behind B/W fan fiction, which the hardcore fans that are just looking for the B/W fix of the week will undoubtedly enjoy.

 

Kris has always been a good feedbacker since joining and will with time andeffort prove herself as a good writer. This story doesn't differ much frommany early works of mine and other authors, the potential is there, the imagination is there and the love for Buffy and Willow is there. So despite what I said in my review, I must also say: 

Good work and keep it coming. ^_^

 

Cilia

Remember great stories only come about ever so often, so all stories can't be great stories, only in the mind of the author is that achived.