Hope
9 - London
By Jeconais
Reviews
millercommamatt posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:29pm for 9 - London
Tim,
Don't get me wrong, I love your writing, but you can take your tea snobbery and go to hell. You can keep your hot English tea. I'll take mine sweet and iced and there isn’t a damned thing you can do about it. However, I will grudgingly accept your commentary on American sports.
We like our sports. We have a lot of them. And we have a virtual monopoly on overrated and over played athletes save perhaps Beckham. We have March Madness which, as an alumnus of an ACC university, I can say isn’t merely a basketball tournament, but a cultural event that empties offices and fills bars, taverns, pubs or any other location where you can order alcohol by the glass and bask in the warm glow of a television. However, for as much as we like all are various sports, professional and amature, there is no other force on this earth like the fanaticism behind European football. I had the privilege to travel across much of Western Europe and the British Isles in 2004 during the Euro Cup. I’ve never watched football. I don’t follow it. But even I found myself being swept up by the mass interest in football. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. I didn’t have to be near a TV or radio to know if a team had scored; the whole city around me would erupt with noise. With the possible exception of Boston Red Sox fans, there’s nothing live it in America. In case you were wondering, I did cheer for England. At least I knew what language their commentators were speaking. We won’t speak of the overtime shootout. Also, I will thank you for the comment about time outs. Watch a game of American football and you’ll see where timeouts, especially for television commercials, take the skill of clock management out of the game.
Anyway, let me get back to the story at hand. Once again, you’ve seemed to channel some of the brightness that made/makes "This Means War!" so much fun. Considering all the darker stuff that you have wrote with WK, GQ and a lot of the following short stories, I started to miss the brighter aspects of your writing. The subtle comedy cuts through the tension of the drama nicely and you seem to have a gift of using it in proper measure. Not that your other stories lack it, but it’s nice to see things venture towards the playful side. All the conflict in this chapter of Hope had the proper comedic tone and well illustrated the comic but troublesome nature of how the English ministry and Hogwarts are being managed. I don’t know how good your are at your day job, but you’re becoming a masterful writer. Though, judging by how well you keep ffa.net running, I expect that you’re good at your day job as well. I hope they pay you well for it.
To close, I would just like to say thank you. Thank you for writing. Thank you for sharing your craft and your muse. Thank you for being an imaginative storyteller. And thank you for sharing your efforts with all of us out here in fanfiction land.
-millercommamatt
rodrigo posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:26pm for 9 - London
Cool, Great, just finish it already!!!
Stop this modality of Cruxio!!!
Please don't take too long for the next update.
hedwig_edwiges posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:24pm for 9 - London
Lee Jordan rules! I loved his commentaries!
Nice game of Quidditch - old Gryffindor against the Hogwarts staff - and nice idea for a new team.
I never thought we would have to worry about Trelawney. That will teach me to never understimate a vindictive person.
kittykatluver posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:22pm for 9 - London
Finally! Oh my gosh, that was awesome! Definitely worth the wait! I just wanted you to know, your story is the most unique Harry pairing I've ever come across. (And believe me, I've come across alot) I'm so happy that you are back! Oh, and I have a question: Which chapter in 'This Means War' has Harry and Ginny meeting Dudley and his girlfriend? I can't seem to find it. Did you delete it? I hope not....Anyway, good job on the chapter, nice ending and semi-cliffhanger!
-Kittykatluver
taishi07 posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:20pm for 9 - London
Thank you for a wonderful chapter. Hope for more soon. Now I really need to get started on my Physiology lab report....
Robert Peeples posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:20pm for 9 - London
WONDERFUL! the jelly donut coment made me do a spit take and I had to clean my monitor LoL.
Great story as always and having Sybill as the "mastermind" is such a weird and original take that I find it fasinating.
DaBear
scott2 posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:14pm for 9 - London
I can't see this harry being unaware about his picture being taken, perhaps even having a spell up that distorts such things, other then that this chapter rocked and I hope to read more soon :)
PS Can't wait to read the riot act Gabby will give harry if/when she finds out the truth about the crucio she took
Terry Swain posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:13pm for 9 - London
That was a great chapter. :)
Manatheron posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:12pm for 9 - London
An Excellent chapter, Be certain to give your Beta 's extra praise from your fellow authors who know how hard it is to find a good beta out there.
Loved the duel, expecally the way Gabrelle taunted malfoy by blowing kisses to the crowd. The description of the way harry's bond diverted the curse was especally interesting, as well as the fact the by the time hermoine gets that spell worked out they probably won't want to use it anymore (I wouldn't in their position).
I also can't deny that the quidditch match between Durmstrang and hogwarts made me want to grind my teeth. What the HELL is wrong with Dumbledor? Grrr... makes me want to spit, (American Colloquialism)
Keep up the excellent work, Take all the time you need!
Eponin posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:09pm for 9 - London
Another wonderful chapter. :) Somehow, it never matters what pairing you write, Tim, I love all your fics. I can't wait to read the next part.
Only issue I had: There Chasers outplayed us, but they didn’t expect me to get the Snitch first, though." First word of that sentence should have been Their, rather than there. :)
Ginger posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:58pm for 9 - London
Almost simultaneously, he drew a dagger (from) a concealed sheath and threw it directly at her.
You missed the from. Wow... great chapter... Are you every going to write non fanfics... If you do let us know I would want to buy it.
hoser41 posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:56pm for 9 - London
Great chapter. The staff quidditch match was awesome.
wackey posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:52pm for 9 - London
I always love a good bit of Ferret bashing. Now we just need Snape humiliated and crushed like the bug he is.
Sean Dillon posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:50pm for 9 - London
I don't like the fruit flavored teas either.
Interesting use of the bond to divert the cruciatus.
nonjon posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:33pm for 9 - London
Brilliant. Lovely. You know you're the best and don't need to hear it every time. Though I'd like to think it's still pretty nice to hear. Very enjoyable.
Now I'm going to be a bit of a tosspot here (see my attempts at british colloquialisms), but I got a general feeling from this chapter that I don't often get from you. I know you write fairy tales, but this Harry, and this relationship, are occasionally leaning towards Mary Sue-ish to me. Not completely Harry Sue, but some fence-sitting that the punmaker in me is calling Fairy Sue. This chapter in particular it was sort of small challenge followed by easily overcome and perfect execution. Everything's worked out so well, and gone along to plan. I love the fairy tales, and I love a good super!Harry. I don't even mind that he's good at the typical things. But it's the fact that he's good at everything. I don't particularly want to see him falter or get beat at something. I guess I wouldn't mind him being perfect at the four big things in some fic, but in this one at times it feels like he's perfect at fifty all semi-big things.
Not really a major complaint though because the challenges and obstacles are sort of secondary to the story of Harry, and this quickly developing relationship.
I'm sure I'm overreacting and it's probably just a few bits in this chapter, but it's the first criticism that jumped out at me. I do hold you to a higher standard when it comes to my critical eye because you're the only one writing with the respect, skill, dedication, and style that all of your fics have acquired lately.
I'd probably say this is the best chapter of fanfic I've read in a month. And it was pretty standard fare for this fic.
Thanks for posting.
Vern posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:30pm for 9 - London
As usual, you set the standard for outstanding fanfic and surpass it with each new chapter. I really appreciate your wordsmithing skills. Look forward to the next chapter ;)
Finbar posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:27pm for 9 - London
Well, I honestly think this is the best chapter you have written bar none. There were subtle elements of Comedy that had me giggling maniacally. Elegant use of Drama and redirective pauses and most of all, the overall suspense. That Trelawney is the mastermind of evil, is so silly, it may as wlel be true. I am curious as to what is happening with Dumbledore. I'd guess the Imperius curse, after all, Dumbledore WANTS to believe in people, thus if done the right way, he wouldnt want to throw it off. Possible come kind of Compulsion potion or more likely, Dumbledore is just going senile in his old age and is being led around by Snape. Fed the right mixture of truth and manipulation and his fading mind laps it up.
Well done once more Tim. Truely excellent work.
Tanaxanth posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:27pm for 9 - London
Lee's reaction when he received the list of players was classic.
Also what will the team be called Potter's Pride?
Keep up the good work.
One question though oh mighty one, how many chapters are expected in this story?
ghanima posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 7:27pm for 9 - London
wow, excellent, I think i love you.
if there's only one chapter left, there are a lot of ends to tie up.
but so far this has been exemplary.
very much worth the wait.
ghani
Wolff posted a comment on Thursday 11th May 2006 8:41pm for 9 - London