"Residence" by Quincunx

[Wyvern]

I think that this is a fantastic story so far, Quincunx, and found this initial post an excellent read. It amazes me how well you can establish such a unique and distinguishable set characters in such a short span of writing... Czalfemme, Odeafemme, and Zacariah all struck me as very well-developed and interesting characters, with numerous original details and character traits that brought them to life. The Parthene cuture that you manage to establish through this piece is also very original and intriguing, and only added to the gripping details and interesting plot that kept this story moving forward for me. The premise of both Tzimfemme seeking out her sperm donor and Tzimfemme tracking down Yrfemme were fascinating in their own right, and each part of the story grabbed me from the get-go. Your signature voice and style are omnipresent, of course, and your bold and novel approach is always a pleasure to read. :-)

 

Nitpicking: for some reason, "cootie-hysteria" makes me pause every time I read through this segment, since it doesn't seem to fit the tone of the rest of the story. Then again, having learnt the origins of the Parthene culture from you on IRC, it does make more sense. Minor detail anyhow. On a side note, I'm definitely interested in learning more about this Dauphin character at some point... probably because I have an affinity towards immoral people. ;-p

 

I can't wait to read the continuation of this! Really refreshing stuff Quin, thank you for posting it.

[Wyvern]

I read through this story for the third time this evening, and think that it's excellent Quincunx. :-) The events of Tzim's death and ritualistic ressurection were all very intriguing, as was the way that Tzimfemme reacted in front of Rydia and Minta upon remembering the details. It took me a solid minute to realize that Tzimfemme had sunk her fingernails into her skull, even after seeing it written so clearly in the text... like Minta pointed out in the story, I think it's easy to forget that she's undead at times! There was more dialogue in this story than I'm usually accustomed to from Quincunx tales, but the exchanges were all very thought-provoking and witty. All of the characters were vivid, as usual... If "In the City" hinted at Ludmilla's despicable nature, then the backstory here definitely cemented it. Outcasting your daughter to the streets is one thing, but writing off Tzimfemme's death as a suicide was just plain cold. Once again, this story had a highly personal feel to it in the way that the fantasy seemed to reflect a certain reality. When Tzimfemme posed the questions about conceiving children to Rydia, for example, I could see you posing those questions to yourself. I think that that intimacy really bumps the writing up to another level, though naturally some details end up being lost on the reader due to their highly personal nature.

 

On another note, this story leaves me feeling slightly worried about the union of the Quincunx... I realize they always quarrel amongst themselves, but something about Rydia and Minta's general anger towards Tzimfemme spelled "imminent change" to me, even though the anger was merited given Tzim's snide remarks. I'll be on the lookout for a followup examination of those boulder symbols on the Pen grounds... here's hoping that Tzim can find some way to break Minta's contract of the soul! If one of the beloved Quincunx were at stake, I'm sure that Wyvern would even be willing to part with that photo he stole from Satan in support of the cause...