Rutabaga

I find that I most prefer a single viewpoint, whether it's coming from a first-person narrator or from the story-teller using a single-viewpoint third-person approach. I think it's probably because of identification with the viewpoint characters experience of the story world. We, the readers, find things unfolding in the same manner that the viewpoint character does, and that seems more comfortable. Of course, there are enough exceptions to nearly swallow that rule. We may be marching along in a third-person limited world when the author tosses in a bit of information that the viewpoint character does NOT know (at least not yet). Now we are in suspense, wondering when and how that piece of information will have an effect. And then there are the anthology-type stories that were Arthur Hailey's specialty, where a number of different story lines move ahead in parallel and occasionally meet. Even then, however, as best I can remember there would be a principal viewpoint character in each setting. What disappoints me most with simultaneous multi-viewpoint narrative is that it takes away part of the reader experience that I value and replaces it with something I find less valuable. We don't have to guess or speculate what's going on in the characters' minds because we are told. Or the multi-viewpoint is used as a mechanism to dump blocks of exposition on the reader as each character introduces himself or reminisces. Unless something really surprising emerges from the viewpoint of one of the characters, I'm not sure what the benefit of it is. If there are two characters who are bashful and insecure young teenagers nervous about how they relate to each other, I'm not sure it adds much for each one to reveal this in the first person -- we already figured it out. A couple of decades ago the American television program "Columbo" illustrated an aspect of what I'm talking about. Unlike the typical murder mystery, this show followed a very predictable format where the first 15 or so minutes of the program showed the setup for the crime and then showed the perpetrator committing the crime, using clever means to disguise whodunit and perhaps throw suspicion on someone else. We see the whole thing in detail -- nothing is hidden. Then the crime is discovered and Columbo is called in. The entire remainder of the show is devoted to us trying to figure out whether Columbo will twig to the true facts and identify the actual murderer. In other words, will the clever steps the bad guy used to cover his tracks be sufficient to avoid discovery? This format kept Columbo on the air for a number of seasons, but it's noteworthy that the format has not really caught on elsewhere. I think audiences generally prefer not to be told everything up front and then wait to see whether the characters themselves figure out what the audience already knows. I think audiences like to be doing some of that figuring out themselves as the story progresses. So I guess I just prefer the non-Columbo experience. R

I still have reservations about the shifting POV, and I had to go back to the first group of chapters to keep straight who was who when the second batch started. But I note that not only does the character with the POV shift, but also the type of POV shifts. Neil's version is given in first person, whereas Tory's version is given in third person. Once I figured that out it made things a bit easier to follow. There is much charm in the story, and the reader also feels great sadness for these kids having to grow up in such a stifling and restrictive environment. It seems like they are going to muddle through. I found myself wondering whether kissing would have been the first thing I would have picked to try at that age . . . I'm almost certain I would have picked something less "dangerous." But it makes for a great story. Meanwhile, the story also illustrates the foolishness and ultimate ineffectiveness of trying to force religion down someone else's throat. Someone who is truly in Christ shares that by how they live and serve others, not by browbeating others with their doctrines. People like the fathers in this story are no better than the legalistic Pharisees that Jesus condemned. I don't blame the boys for rejecting that. R

I had lunch with the guy who writes under the name Hans Schreiber at Nifty two or three years ago -- very pleasant. He actually reviewed and commented on a (still unfinished) manuscript of mine. R

Maybe Sebastian can move to the Bay Area. R

The only high school teacher I remember being comparably bad was a French teacher who would not let me sit near the front even though my vision was impaired and I couldn't see the blackboard properly from the back row, where her mandatory alphabetical seating arrangement placed me. Luckily I was able to rearrange my schedule and get out of that class, although it meant giving up something else I was interested in. With today's emphasis on reasonable accommodation for disabilities, I'm confident no teacher could get away with that kind of BS today. And speaking of all this, I think it's time for Cole to share another Sebastian story. R

I'm running 33.1 with no issues other than its normal propensity to crash when scrolling. R

This has been one of my favorite stories for years, and I ran across it again tonight. It gets so many things right. Worth a read or a re-read. R

This is an intriguing story, where the onions turn out to have numerous and unexpected layers to unpeel. It is an interesting writing style that for me kind of calls to mind perhaps DomLuka with a dash of Kurt Vonnegut. I was startled by the ending, however. I won't say more. R

I should have figured out who the Skinwalker was but I didn't. Guess I'm just too credulous and naive. :) R

Great to see this story in the "Picks from the Past" collection for November. I enjoyed it back when it first appeared and liked re-reading it. R

Finally read this as the last of the Halloween offerings. Definitely an engaging story with some rather interesting twists. Wonder why Jack took an interest in Finn to start with? R

Don't forget the spots. R

Luckily there are very few (if any) spooky woods remaining here in Los Angeles. R

Ain't that the truth. R

Excellent story. So far they all are. This one certainly measures up. R

Very cute story. R

Many unanswered questions about the mysterious (but definitely evil) bad guys. R

I always like it when the good guys win. R

I'm sure there must have been discussion of this on the predecessor forum, but I just wanted to revive the story for newcomers. It is found at http://www.codeysworld.com/codey/from-the-heart/index.htm . It is amazing how one story can be so sad and so uplifting at the same time. I wonder how much of it was autobiographical. R

I'll take them without the gravy but with the vinegar. R

And so it concludes. I had to rewind back to Chapter 3 to reacquaint myself with the folks who reappeared in this last chapter, six weeks later, although from the context I at least had a clue or two. That's the one downside of reading these stories over such an extended length of time. I wonder if there's any chance resourceful Colt might end up as a successor to the narrator of the story someday, kind of like Will Smith coming in to relieve Tommy Lee Jones in "Men in Black." Thanks for sharing this. R

Maybe I misread the piece, but it appears to me that the attacks on these parents came from people who are angry about what these parents had done to their gay son, how they had driven him away from his family and his church and made him feel so worthless that he fell into the lifestyle that killed him. In other words, people aren't attacking these parents because they had a gay son; they are attacking them because of their inexcusable cruelty and rejection of their son's deepest essence. The idea that you can "love the sinner but hate the sin," as an appropriate response in this kind of situation, is fantastically dangerous nonsense. And it is a complete lie, an utter sham. At least the Westboro people are honest about their bigotry when they march around with "God hates fags" signs. Why should a parent who sends the exact same message to a child be surprised when bad things result? R

Time to get one of those personal VPN services. R

Just be careful not to attract the attention of some group that will start Pray the Comic Sans Away vigils in front of your dwelling . . . R

I have to admit that I cottoned on to what was likely to happen early on, from one offhand remark, but it was still a great story. Very resourceful main character. R