[Special Forces]

Absolutely love this story. The rape/sadism stuff can get a bit weird at times, but everything else just makes up for it. Especially Chapter 15 (Enemy Mine). One of the best pieces of writing I have ever read. Ever. Ever. Ever.

[Doors of Love by DesDownUnder]

To be honest, I've never eaten stroopvet. It is the same with 'zure zult' (that has something to do with boiled brains and vinager); I just don't like it.

But you surely can recognise the Dutch by dubbel zoute drop of zwart/wit. If somebody eats it without spitting it immediately out of the mouth again, he's Dutch.

Here in the Netherlands we all lauged very hard about the scene in Pulp Fiction where John Travolta is amazed and disgusted by the fact the Dutch eat their French fries with mayonaise.

We do. A lot. Belgians too.

I'm not Dutch or Belgian. But I eat my French fries with mayonnaise. They taste so much better than with ketchup. Ketchup is overrated.

[Don't Let Me Down By Simon Jimenez]

No, please don't. Please don't make this into a serial story. It's perfect just the way it is.

[spoilerS]

I was resigned to Harbor dying. It was a very good resigned, for the lead up to his imminent death was very, very, very well done. However, when Brody comes up with the gun and threatens to shoot Bethany, the first thought through my head was, "WTF?" I was so incredibly disappointed that the author was going to cop out and introduce a fantasy element just to save Harbor.

But then Simon Jimenez just turns it all around and leaves the fantasy element behind, and instead focuses on the relationship between Brody and Harbor. I absolutely LOVED the little flashbacks of the two. The interactions between Brody and Harbor were so well-crafted...Just unbelievable.

I really hope the author doesn't continue this story. The ending of 'Chapter One', as it's called on his page, is a perfect ending for a short story. Sure, there are questions left unanswered, like that of why Brody was able to see the Bethany, but that doesn't matter. Lots of stories end up with questions left unanswered, and while that usually doesn't work (it almost never does), if it's done well (like this particular case) then it works. It absolutely works.

My favorite part of the entire story:

?So, did you mean it?? He asked once more.

?Can elephants fly?? I asked, with a stupid grin plastered on my face.

?Oh god, please say yes,? was all he was able to breathe out before I pulled him back in and kissed him more urgently, savoring everything he was offering me.

Simon Jimenez, when it comes to my list of favorite authors, I can be very, very, very picky. I can say with certainty, that based on this one chapter/short story, you are definitely on my list.

[His Dark Materials - Trilogy by Phillip Pullman]

They certainly are misogynistic, but I see no racism in them. They're not life-hating but they do express a strong intolerance of those who are not believers of Aslan (Christian God).

Yeah, so I know. A really late reply, but there is a racist element to the Narnia books. While I loved them as a child, I didn't realize all the many...undesirables in his stories. The racism is present in the book A Horse and His Boy. It's been a while since I read it, but the frequent derogatory mentions of Middle Eastern people is a clear indication of the racist tendencies of C.S. Lewis.

[Duck Duck Goose]

I'm generally amused by the entire story. By both Matt and Kevin. I'm hoping that their relationship doesn't develop further than what it is now because I think it's gonna ruin their whole dynamic. I'm on Chapter 6 right now, but I'm assuming the relationship will go further and I don't know how I feel about that.

But, all in all, an excellent story by Cole Parker. I didn't really like Prom, but I definitely like this one :)