'The Ghost in the Machine'

[RhapsodyAngel8]

I know that it has been quite a few years since ‘The Ghost in the Machine’ – by Marion Woods - (http://www.spectrum-headquarters.com/fanfic/ghost_in_the_machine.htm) was first posted, but I am so pleased that I have now read it, and I wanted to say something about it. As the original forum thread for it has disappeared, I thought I would start a new thread to bring it to the attention of those of you out there who may not yet have had the chance to read it. It was through discussion on the ‘Cloning’ thread that reference to the story was made (Marion – thank you so much for the link) – serendipity indeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the story, so much so that I was hard-pressed to put it down! Marion’s portrayal of Blue is quite compelling and (without wishing to give away too much) reveals a side of him that is most unexpected and interesting – a very clever idea! The story itself flows with such momentum, leading one to a very satisfying ending with a nice twist.

If you have not yet had the chance to read ‘The Ghost in the Machine’, make sure you do so soon – you certainly won’t be disappointed .

[Skybase Girl]

May I say that I totally endorse RhapsodyAngel8's comments.

I first read "Gost in the Machine" and its sequel, "Valediction", a long time ago, but I still love them, so much so that I printed off both to take on holiday with me recently, thereby completely depleting my printer of black ink. It was worth it !

"Ghost in the Machine" is beautifully written and extremely well thought out. I am always impressed ( and envious ) at Marion's ability to write complex scenarios without ever apparently needing a get-out of trouble clause. Everything slots into place and the subtlety of her characterisations is a thing of beauty.

If you have read this, then I heartily recommend "Valediction". Of the the two, it's the one I prefer. A word of warning, though - you WILL need the tissues to hand! No matter how often I read it, I still cry, although not always in the same place in the story.

[RhapsodyAngel8]

I am always impressed ( and envious ) at Marion's ability to write complex scenarios without ever apparently needing a get-out of trouble clause. Everything slots into place and the subtlety of her characterisations is a thing of beauty.

I couldn't agree more, Skybase Girl. Marion's stories are always a pleasure to read for that very reason (along with excellent plot-lines).

If you have read this, then I heartily recommend "Valediction". Of the the two, it's the one I prefer. A word of warning, though - you WILL need the tissues to hand!

Ah, thank you for the tip – I will make sure that my stock of ‘Kleenex’ is sufficient. ‘Valediction’ is next on my list to read – all printed out and just awaiting some quality time in which I can read it without fear of untimely interruption.

[Carrie]

Oh, yes, I can definitely concur, for Valediction, you will most definitely need several boxes of Kleenex!

Both of the above aforementioned stories stand tall in Marion's glorious repetoire, and her portrayal of Captain Blue is nothing short of masterly, as well as in http://www.spectrum-headquarters.com/fanfic/that_is_what_friends_are_for.htm,
yet another wonderful read.
For giving her characters depth, solidity, and a three-dimensional veracity, Marion is hard to beat.

[Marion]

Oh my goodness! I don't know what to say - except thank you all very much.
It is nice to know that the 'old' stories are still being read and enjoyed; there is so much good stuff on the website - from so many writers - it would be a shame if people didn't explore the archives.
'Ghost in the Machine' was one of the first stories I wrote for the site, but 'Valediction' took a long time to come to fruition and I wasn't sure how it would be received. At the time, I thought I'd exhausted the Muse of CS possibilities when I completed it, but then, I think that after every story .
Thank you again for the wonderful feedback. I shall have a warm glow inside for many days to come on the strength of it.

[Shades]

Oh, yes, I can definitely concur, for Valediction, you will most definitely need several boxes of Kleenex!

Both of the above aforementioned stories stand tall in Marion's glorious repetoire, and her portrayal of Captain Blue is nothing short of masterly, as well as in http://www.spectrum-headquarters.com/fanfic/that_is_what_friends_are_for.htm,
yet another wonderful read.
For giving her characters depth, solidity, and a three-dimensional veracity, Marion is hard to beat.

Ditto here too. There's a certain knack to getting inside the head of not just the focus character, but the heads of every character around them, and Marion has it nailed down.

[MMK]

I recall staying up late... until about 1am (:oops:)... so that I could read the story.... because I just couldn't 'put it down'
It was time well spent though..... plus I wasn't a college week (so I didn't have to worry about getting up early the next day!)


its a very good story, Marion