Discussion thread -- seventy-five word challenge September 2013

[ratsy]

An interesting month. Of course there were some I didn't recognize but I am no history buff.

My top three were

Alchemist - Searching
Paranoid Marvin - Can't Help Falling in Love (with blues)
Mr Orange - Tick, Tock

and with my one vote, I chose Alchemist for the sad, haunting tale

 

[Mith]

Oh it's voting time!

I must say before my list, thank you to Hex I enjoyed the theme. Maybe I should have waited before posting though, as I've had a few better ideas in the few weeks since.

My shortlist is:

Victoria Silverwolf ~ Rocking the Globe
Saved By The Bell ~ mosaix
The Negative Hertz Bridge ~ I Voyager
Mutatis mutandis ~ pyan
FLAMES OF PASSION ~ Tisiphone
The Listening Post ~ Culhwch
50 Years Ago... ~ Perpetual Man

But my vote has to go to alchemist, a story that just kept getting better with every rereading

 

[Pyan]

Thanks for the shortlisting, Mith!


An interesting subject/genre, and some good ideas, but for me, four stood out:

...and it was good ~ The Dusty Zebra
50 years ago ~ Perpetual Man
On the Field ~ reiver33
A Night No One Needs To Remember ~ The Judge

And in the end, my vote goes to reiver33, for his telling of a story that should have only been SF/F if the outcome had been reversed...

 

[nixie]

wow a stealth vote thank you Mirannan. Now to read the rest.

 

[TheDustyZebra]

Thanks to Juliana and pyan for the shortlistings!

I had a story written, and then realized it was very near to mosaix's story, so I had to write a different one. I see that pyan hit a similar theme, as well, so I was surrounded by good company!

It definitely appears to be a runaway already in the voting, and I can do no more than add to that, but here are the lists for the rest:

Victoria -- Rocking the Globe
Starbeast -- Advanced History Class of 2062
mosaix -- Saved by the Bell
Luiglin -- The Last Ride of Paul Revere
ratsy -- Crossing Paths
*alchemist -- Searching*
pyan -- Mutatis Mutandis
DEO -- Beware Who Listens to Your Prayer
paranoid marvin -- Can't Help Faling in Love (with blues)
Mr Orange -- Tick, Tock
Perp -- 50 Years Ago...
Lenny -- Thus Facepalmed Apollo

 

[Bowler1]

I'd like to be the first to congratulate Alchemist, I think you've got it mate.

 

[Starbeast]

Thanks for the comment Starbeast, greatly appreciated

You're very welcome Perpetual Man.

Many thanks for the review Starbeast

You're welcome Mith.

Thanks for the review, Starbeast. I think this month has been the most challenging for me so far, presenting both a theme and a genre that just gave me nothing from the get-go. Usually even if one or the other is a bit left field for me, I can still twist any ideas I have into shape, but for whatever reason this time around I just struggled. Glad to get something in and keep the streak going!

You're welcome. And I glad you were able to join us Culhwch. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the “marvelous” review Starbeast

My pick of the bunch were:


Victoria Silverwolf - Springs - reiver33 - Starbeast - Sound_barber - chrispenycate - alchemist - bedlamite - Perpetual Man

You're welcome Glen. And thanks for the mention, you made my day.

Listening/Alternate History
(part six)​

Phyrebrat - Another excellent entry in the most memorable conflict, World War 2. And this time, the rocket technology genius, Wernher Von Braun is the main character in this interesting alternate history offering.​

Boneman - Whoa! I am stunned to see what thou, I mean, what you have chosen for your submission. Talk about starting at the beginning of human history! Very cool, with awesome dialogue.​

Ursa Major - Now here is an idea that resonates with classical ambience. The great composer Beethoven, can hear! When I first read this, my eyebrows popped upward and I smiled at this orchestrated tale. Well done.​

The Judge - What a wonderful story about the voyage of the Titanic, told in a new way where no one is hurt. That would mean that director James Cameron would have worked on some other big blockbuster movie. Unsinkably super idea!​

Lenny - Oh my goodness, you killed Archimedes. I, I just couldn't help, but to laugh at the thought of his demise in an absurd way. Pardon me while I get it out of my system. MU-HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

I have to walk this off. Ah-ha ha haa ha ha hah ha hee hee ha ha ha ha ha....​

 

[TheDustyZebra]

I'd like to be the first to congratulate Alchemist, I think you've got it mate.

Good job, Bowler! Way to get right in there.

 

[ratsy]

I'd like to be the first to congratulate Alchemist, I think you've got it mate.

Is that a quick plug for a Raygun theme next month?

Thanks TDZ for the shortlist!

 

[David Evil Overlord]

Thanks for the shortlisting, TDZ.

 

[Hex]

Thank you very much for the vote, DEO

You guys are brilliant. I really thought I was setting a difficult challenge but the stories were all fantastic.

Some particular favourites:

reiver (how can you write like this?! HOW?!)

stormcrow (lovely use of the theme)

alchemist (heartbreaking)

Glen (neat and sexy)

TDZ (fabulous. You made me laugh and laugh)

Pyan (see, if only men listened to their wives...)

DEO (wonderfully written, and a really clever story)

Abernovo (aww... very sweet. Clever too, and again, I thought this was a neat use of the theme).

Aun Doorback (nicely done!)

And I voted for Aun Dorback's alternative fate for Joan of Arc. Such a neat, nicely written story. Perfect in 75 words.

 

[David Evil Overlord]

And thank you, Hex.

 

[stormcrow]

Karn - Thank You very much for your quiet vote; I genuinely appreciate it!

...and Hex, thank you too for shortlisting & comment.

 

[Tywin]

As always a lot of good work out there. Was interesting to see what bits of history interested everybody. My shortlist:

Starbeast – Advanced History Class of 2062
Stormcrow – A Star Man Saved the School, Yesterday
Luiglin – The Last Ride of Paul Revere
Alchemist – Searching
Bowler – All Quiet on the Western Front
TDZ – … and it was good.
Aun Doorback – A Pub in Domremy

I dropped my vote for Bowler. The alternate history was interesting, like many of the others, but what really did it for me was the descriptions. The cold, the wet, the night-time silence... really brought it to life for me and made it feel real.

 

[Aun Doorback]

Hey guys many thanks for the mentions and especially the vote Hex! I'll be sitting down tonight with a glass of something and read through all the entries.

 

[Bowler1]

Is that a quick plug for a Raygun theme next month?

I'm saving the RAY GUNS for me, all I need do now is win a month, so far with no luck.

Tywyn, thank you very much.

 

[Ursa major]

Thanks for the mini-review, Starbeast.

 

[Boneman]

Starbeast, many thanks for your excellent review. I was stuck for ages, trying to pick a point in history and did think about the big bang fuse burning, but not the 'bang', but couldn't make it work, so chose the next bit of history...

 

[Aun Doorback]

Mentions, Karn, Bigj, Aun and Lenny.
]

Karn, Bigj, Aun and lenny sounds like a group of hardened NPC mercenaries. I think we should join up to form a special 'inklings' group!

 

[jastius]

top five in order .. lenny, Victoria, ratsy, dusty and perpetual man.