Ah, the second of my "controversial" reviews - i.e. authors
who I'm not completely cockahoop over.


'Take Off Your Clothes"
"Junk"
"Sour Milk Sea"
"Child of Nature"
"What's the New Mary Jane?"
"Lolita"

all by Jeff Rutsch

and

"Revolution"
"Revolution #9"
"The Three Sisters Trilogy"

all by "McKinley Morganfield"


Ah, Jeff.  What to say.  Not a lot, so let's move on.

Oh, yeah.  Tales of Ranma and Nabiki isn't here because it's in
a completely different style.  It will be reviewed later.  The
Star Trek: TNG story isn't here because Stephen Ratliff has sucked
out my desire to read anything regarding ST.  If you need an 
explanation, go to rtt.colorado.edu/~barklage/.

"Take Off Your Clothes" series

I think I'm missing one of these, as Jeff mentions five parts.  
But I'll review it anyway.  The first two of these are excellent in
establishing a creepy blaseness about Akane's mind control, and the
atmosphere is top notch. (Actually, that's the major selling point
for all of Jeff's stories).  Then we have the proposal/death of
Happosai episode, which was a little too gruesome to have the same
effect.  As for the "I just snapped Akane's neck" story...strike
one.

"Junk"

Actually probably the most accurate portrayal of Kasumi out there,
until the last line.  Akane and Ranma into B&D is something that
I'm amazed hasn't been picked up for a lemon.

"Sour Milk Sea"

After reading this one, I went to have a wash.  Very well written,
as always, but perhaps *the* darkest Ranma story ever.  The heroin
addiction is very well handled, and Nabiki is at her most evil.  I
know I once said I'd forgive any story if the couple got together
at the end, but this isn't what I had in mind.

"Child of Nature"

One of two stories that make you realize that Jeff isn't all weird
and sick.  A very short, very sweet AU, which has inspired one of
the more irritatingly-uncompleted-because-it's-really-good fics.

"What's the New Mary Jane?"

My favorite, a fact that will surprise *no* one, least of all Jeff.
Nabiki's wordplay is a delight, and the end is wonderfully romantic.
If you don't read Rutsch because of the weirdness, catch this one.
(By the way, Jeff, do you know if this will be on Anthology 3?)

"Lolita"

What do you do if a story is very well done, but wrenches at every
conception of AMG I have?  Makes you think, but I really did not want
to think anything in that direction.  Skuld is cute, yes.  Desirable,
no.  Strike two.

And now on to Jeff's alter ego, messr. Morganfield.

"Revolution"

Short and cute, but impossible to review without its complement.

"Revolution #9"

Rivals "Sour Milk Sea" for sheer disturbingness.  The Nabiki scene
is nasty, the Kasumi scene is hilariously sick, and the Genma scene
is extremely repulsive.  Akane's cheery normalcy is all the more
interesting by the twistedness of the rest of the cast.  Recommended,
but not while you're eating.

"Three Sisters Trilogy"

I hate this.  Usually, Jeff's (or McKinley's) stories make up for
their sick characterization by being well written, but this isn't.
The three scenes are icky and repulsive.  I really hate this.  Up there
with Keiichi's Bloody Sunday in my "NOOOOO!!!!!!" list.  Definitely
strike three.

There you go.  And I bet you thought I'd hate them all.  Beedah.


Next:  Darren Demaine's "Ranma .05" lemon series

--Sean Gaffney
--"You git!  I thought you were dead!  Git git git!" - Benny, No Future