On Thu, 23 Jan 1997, Jeanne Hedge wrote:

	What's so wrong with Bert's story?  

<sigh>  *Nothing* is wrong with Bert's series, I *like* BGZ.  But at the
time, BGZ1 came across to me as yet another in a very long line of not
particularly well written self-insertion fics.

Want to read something interesting?  Read Zone 1 back-to-back with Zone 9.
Zone 1 isn't even in the same league as Zone 9.  The entire BGZ series can
be read as an evolution in writing style if you want to nitpick.

Jeepers...You are so RIGHT.

 I actually mentioned this to Bert this summer over over doughnuts...

 I've been sitting at home with a case of pnemonia (which is not as much
fun as a case of Scotch let me tell you) and just re-read the whole thing
(as well as Mariel of Redwall and 3 quantum leap novels)
 The thing I find most interesting is the (okay two things) closeness that
developes between Bert and Priss and the way Bert (the character) seems to
go out of his way to avoid this particulair entanglement while he pursues
an anime fans drive for Nene. A state of denial which only makes things
more difficult in the ongoing chapters when he finally accepts that he
does not really see Priss as a "sister" figure after all....That and the
ongoing development of this berserking rage which can bee seen as
something deeply repressed seeping in little bits out of the
character and finally almost allowing Bert to destroy himself and his
humanity.
Characters usually are able to master this in some way or are
lost...Bert's Bert goes a little over the brink but manages to force
himself (with the aid of others) back....
  Also (I know I know I said TWO things) Sure, he manages to save the day
once and a while but how many of the groups problems reciently are
indirectly in some way caused by him???
  That's not your typical scenario in a wish-fufillment work...

                                             
                                       Sniffling in Castle Amber
                                               Robyn

 ___________________________________________________________________________
     Nene   Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene    Nene   
                    I met a Lady in the Meads,
                    Full beautiful, a faery's child,
                    Her hair was long, her foot was light
                    And her eyes were wild.
                                            J.Keats
  ________________________________________________________________________    
           Agent Of Chaos. Robyn, Duke of Amber. Unicorn Knight
 ****************************************************************************