No Longer A Child - HPStrangelove - Prompt: Fireworks and Explosions

[hpstrangelove]

This story is dedicated to annephoenix , who introduced me to the Alex Rider universe. I can't thank you enough for sharing your love of abusing  Alex with me!

Title: No Longer a Child

Author: hpstrangelove

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Alex has lived a lifetime in the sixteen months since he started working for MI6. He’s no longer a child.

Word Count: 1228

Warning: Implies

Comments

[winoniel]

How powerfully evocative! This is an incredibly dark yet sensitive depiction of guilt and hopelessness. Alex has to be living through something like this after all of the trauma he’d experienced in such short span of time. I’m almost dreading reading the last book.

[hpstrangelove]

He's gone through quite a bit in the short time he worked for MI6. For us, the books have taken years to tell his story, but in 'his' time, it runs from March, 2001 thru June, 2002.

And this book is definitely the darkest one of them all - similar to the HP books, the tone has certainly changed from how the series started out.

[annephoenix]

but in 'his' time, it runs from March, 2001 thru June, 2002.

With some real world factoids right until 2010/early 2011 chucked right in there!

But I love that about AHorz. He manages to keep it so real.

[hpstrangelove]

It does get really weird reading about iphones and such when it's supposedly only 2002; on the other hand, AH has set the pattern for it in previous books, plus it's not like I haven't already suspended disbelief back when Alex went up in space ;-)

[jusmine984]

*wibble*

I couldn't believe that AH actually did that! I mean, I've done that, but... :(

This hits hard after SR. It seemed like the book was written a little older, what with the Incident and all.

I really can't properly review, since I just finished the book, and it's... I'm still a little in shock.

Though, highlight of the book: the flailworthy Smithers part, omigod! 0_0

[hpstrangelove]

I felt the same way - I was pretty shocked, then really depressed that the series ended up like this. This book seemed so serious - hardly any humour in it at all. I couldn't quit thinking on it so wrote this fic to get it out of my system.

Yeah, and that Smithers part was so over-the-top, close to the Alex-in-space thing.

[annephoenix]

Though, highlight of the book: the flailworthy Smithers part, omigod! 0_0

Epic!

[annephoenix]

Oooooh.
(HUGS)
Alex. Just. Alex. Destroyed. Like I always wanted.

[hpstrangelove]

I can't believe I felt so compelled to write this, but there was no way I could accept the end of the book as-is. I know how much you like Alex!death-fics, so I figured this would be perfect for you ;-) Glad you liked it.

What did you think of the book?

[annephoenix]

I really liked the book. It hit many kink buttons, both in a physical and emotional sense. That I came out of the book wanting to *hug* Alex (as opposed to hurt him!) says it all!
I thought it made clever political statements. It was unforgiving of current affairs (2010!) and pretty ruthless with regards to Alex's treatment. Raw and real!

[hpstrangelove]

Even though I suspected what was going to happen in several places, I liked the build up of tension towards his kidnapping, and that scene with him on his knees...yeah, it sure did hit the kink buttons! I've got several AU fics in mind (gives new meaning to the phrase 'go fuck yourself').

And AH kept up the tradition of Alex being undressed - this time he wasn't unconscious, but still, it was there. It really makes me wonder about the types of fantasies AH had when he was a teen.

And speaking of the f-word - was it printed in your version? They dashed it out in ours.

[lhune]

I've resisted to read this heartbreaking piece of fanfiction until I had finished the book. Tears were welling up in my eyes because this is what I consider to be a logical continuation of 'Scorpia Rising'

I had a tiny flicker of hope that Yassen somehow returned from the dead *state of denial still* but then this is what happens... I tried to broaden my state of denial and pass it as a trick.
Very traumatic indeed...

"He was no longer a child."
*sniff*

[hpstrangelove]

I'm sorry for taking so long to reply - LJ kept going down!

Thanks so much for reading. I was sad that Yassen didn't return, but I guess that's what fanfic is for. I will always keep him alive!

[kennahijja]

Oh, that was harsh!

But extremely much in keeping with the ending of Scorpia Rising (I only finished it yesterday). Very bleak, very intense, and it feels right in a way that Yassen would occupy Alex's mind at this point.

[hpstrangelove]

I was really, really depressed after I finished the book, so this just flowed. Now that some time has passed, I'm feeling better - but still sad to think that there won't be any more AR books.

What did you think of the book? Did you like it, or was it disappointing - or both? I loved parts and hated others, but the parts that I loved are in the majority, so overall, I thought it was good. Just wish it wasn't the last.

[kennahijja]

It *is* quite devastating, although I felt that AH tried to pull the brakes at the final moment, without convincing me terribly much...

The book itself... I'm not sure. But then I rarely am at first glimpse. I need to re-read it in a way that's not in bits and pieces over a month :).

It went a bit slow before the plot starts going, although there are absolutely amazing bits (including the one you took off from here!). I can't believe that really happened - that's darkfic fanfic stuff! Julius would've needed one teensy unimportant touch of human (like in Point Blank, when he hesitates to fire), but his escape was breath-taking, and omg, the 'I'm going to make Rider beg' bits... All of them!

Razim was a bit meh. Smithers was... gdffdkfjlsjff! But I need a re-read.