"H4x" by Zadown

[Wyvern]

I read through "H4x" this evening and enjoyed it, Zadown. :-) I was surprised by the modernity of the planar setting that you used in the story, as it was an interesting twist to the usual fantasy orientation that the Dreamer stories have taken. The "Matrix" influence was definitely apparent throughout, from the Dreamer's overcoat and shades attire to the city-scale battle with Guardian (heck, ya even refered to a "living matrix" feeding Guardian, heehee!), but the scenes were all very well-written and bad-ass in a way that only your Dreamer stories could evoke. The "lawful vessel" state of the people in the city was unsettling, and having the "insane" people be the ones who still try to use magic was a nice touch. I wasn't expecting the Dreamer to escape from the battle with Guardian, and the spot you leave him off at is interesting... I just hope it won't be a few years before the next Dreamer story shows up!

 

On a side note, this story could probably use a more attractive title and subtitle to draw more people into reading it. ;-p I also hope that Fish Messiah has some decent backstory behind that name of his, 'cus it doesn't seem to be in line with the nick fashions of modern planes!

 

Good stuff, Z. :-)

[Zadown]

Yes, I've seen my Matrix movies, all three of them. To be honest, I wasn't and still aren't happy with this particular story, and the ending does not leave the Dreamer chillin' out at a remote corner of the multiversum by chance - I feel that I've used up whatever creativity I have and doubt there'll be more stories soon. This is better solution than when I tried to kill him off ages ago, in "Quest for Chaos" if I remember right, by leaving him staring at the Grail in the Dreaming, for I'm pretty sure he'll wander off again at some point, just not quite yet.

 

"Fish Messiah" is a simple crude pun on scales, there's no deeper meaning to it.

 

Thanks for reading through my works, Wyv, too bad that's it for now.