Author Topic: PC141: The Bear In The Cable-Knit Sweater  (Read 15981 times)

Unblinking

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Reply #25 on: January 31, 2011, 06:24:37 PM
I like the cable-knit detail myself, if only because the title sounds better than 'The Bear in the Sweater' would.

You're right, "The Bear in the Sweater" would be no better.  Of the three major words in the title (excluding "The" and "in" as they are modifiers for the major words), only one really has a major impact:  "Bear", putting that word in the title makes lots of sense.  "Cable-Knit" and "Sweater" seem to have no real relevance whatsoever.

Just "The Bear" would at least be accurate, but rather unmemorable (and I think there's been a movie by the same name).  "The Bear in the Cable-Knit Sweater" is memorable in the sense that the title itself sticks in the mind, but is not evocative of the story it represents:  I remember the title easily, but 2/3 of the title has nothing to do with the story content.  As opposed to, say, "The Merchant and the Alchemist's Gate" which is both memorable and evocative to me.  The title sticks in my head, and the title makes me think of the story its related to.

(I consider titles to be a pretty important aspect of the story, so I think they're worth considering.  I was already writing an article about titling when this story comes out, which is partly why I've given it so much thought)
« Last Edit: January 31, 2011, 06:28:46 PM by Unblinking »



corvi42

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Reply #26 on: January 31, 2011, 10:25:13 PM
Not a big fan of this one. It just felt very shallow to me.
 
The symbolism is very obvious, which is not in itself a bad thing. But, there didn't seem to be anything else to the story. It feels like the author just had a very simple image in mind: "bears crush fairies". Everything else in the story just felt like a thin pretense to get to that image. The whole fantasy world, the Russian guy with the portal to fairy just felt like a hastily concocted cover-story.

I think what really kills this story is that there is no attempt at denouement. We get to the arena, and with some never-before hinted at supernatural charisma, the protagonist turns his enemies into allies with a few words. And then what? We don't know. We can imagine that bloody mayhem ensues... that many fairies are torn apart by bears, that the bears win and all is well.  But why are we left to imagine this stereotypical storyline?  Why aren't we told?  How does he come to grips with the death of his lover? What happens to the Russian dude?  What kind of new bear-world order do they establish in fairy?

Clearly the author doesn't even care to contemplate these aspects of his own story. All that seemed to be important to him was the bears vs. fairies metaphor. Once he gets us there, he just drops the whole thing. And in taking us there, he's left the rest of the story "bare". So if he doesn't care about it, why should we?  Ultimately it makes the whole thing feel very shallow and uninteresting. I can't bring myself to care about the lives and concerns of characters that the author doesn't even care about.

Its unfortunate really, because it has potential. Just a massive lack of follow-through.



kibitzer

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Reply #27 on: February 01, 2011, 01:52:04 AM
I dunno how folks come up with this stuff... what a mind trip!

Liked this one very much. And since Cheyenne Wright is about my favourite narrator, that made it all the better!

When I listened to the first bit with Angus holding the fairies in his fists, I heard "berries". So it was something like, "Angus held the berries aloft in his fists -- he felt them squirming in his hand." So I expected sentient berries. Which would have made the story no stranger.
« Last Edit: February 01, 2011, 01:54:29 AM by kibitzer »



Talia

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Reply #28 on: February 01, 2011, 03:28:58 AM
Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p



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Reply #29 on: February 02, 2011, 01:20:54 AM
Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p

Your wish etc.  It's short, but it's a story...



Talia

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Reply #30 on: February 02, 2011, 01:40:31 AM
Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p

Your wish etc.  It's short, but it's a story...


Haha, I love it. Poor berries. :P Thanks for indulging my whim :P



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Reply #31 on: February 02, 2011, 01:47:05 AM
I enjoyed it. It does not have to be Steinbeck, just entertaining and it was.

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kibitzer

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Reply #32 on: February 02, 2011, 01:54:08 AM
Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p

Your wish etc.  It's short, but it's a story...


Y'know, I was this close to saying, "I look forward to seeing this on Mirrorshards..."


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Reply #33 on: February 02, 2011, 03:24:54 AM
Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p

Your wish etc.  It's short, but it's a story...


Y'know, I was this close to saying, "I look forward to seeing this on Mirrorshards..."

"Stuff that normally doesn't talk talking" is practically the sub-heading for Mirrorshards, so it was kind of a natural fit...



iamafish

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Reply #34 on: February 03, 2011, 10:17:20 PM
Thanks Podcastle for making my fear of the Ursine Menace that much more real! I will never go near a portal into another dimension ever again.

Other than that I agree with the general theme of the comments; a fairly ordinary (in quality that it) story made fun by some superb narration.
« Last Edit: February 08, 2011, 07:22:30 AM by iamafish »



yicheng

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Reply #35 on: February 07, 2011, 04:49:16 PM
I had fun with this.  No, it didn't make much sense, but Cheyenne's reading made the story and plus, it's got fricking bears in it.  "RAAWWRRR!!!"




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Reply #36 on: February 07, 2011, 05:35:52 PM
I'm glad I'm not the only one who heard the line in the beginning as Angus having "berries" in his hands. Such confusion at the end! ::)

That said, the nonsense was a pretty enjoyable way to start off the work week. Also, wow! I've never heard any effects added in to any of the EA 'casts before but Radiolab got me used to it long ago and I felt that it really added something to the story. This was definitely one that benefited from a more performance-type reading. :) Now if only I could get the image of hairy palms to go away...



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Reply #37 on: February 09, 2011, 02:18:32 AM
As soon as I figured out the pub was a place that catered to bears in the homosexual sense, I had an "ohhh, that's why it's called that" moment. I was both amused and vaguely disappointed -- I'd thought that when Yuri barged in, he was going to be an actual bear, and no one would say anything about it (like Tim in The Cleveland Show).

I too heard "berries".

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kibitzer

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Reply #38 on: February 10, 2011, 01:48:46 AM
As soon as I figured out the pub was a place that catered to bears in the homosexual sense...

I had no idea of that connotation of "bear." Huh! How about that.


LaShawn

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Reply #39 on: March 10, 2011, 06:12:18 PM
Machismo homosexual bears. Now I heard everything.

So...uh...I don't get it. I understand the fairy part of it, but not the bear part. Unless...I just answered my own question with what I wrote above?

I think I like fairies more. ::pout::

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Reply #40 on: March 11, 2011, 02:28:51 PM
Machismo homosexual bears. Now I heard everything.

So...uh...I don't get it. I understand the fairy part of it, but not the bear part. Unless...I just answered my own question with what I wrote above?

I think I like fairies more. ::pout::

What don't you get?  What the double meaning of bear is?  If that's what you meant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_%28gay_culture%29




LaShawn

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Reply #41 on: March 14, 2011, 04:16:16 PM
What don't you get?  What the double meaning of bear is?  If that's what you meant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_%28gay_culture%29

Ahhhh....now I get it. I had absolutely no clue whatsoever.

::considers the nickname she calls her hubby and gets a slow, kinky smile on her face::

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Reply #42 on: March 14, 2011, 04:47:27 PM
What don't you get?  What the double meaning of bear is?  If that's what you meant:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_%28gay_culture%29

Ahhhh....now I get it. I had absolutely no clue whatsoever.

::considers the nickname she calls her hubby and gets a slow, kinky smile on her face::

I'm not sure what a slow, kinky smile looks like, but it sounds awesome!



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Reply #43 on: May 26, 2011, 03:39:32 AM
I was expecting something vaguely cute and Paddington-esque. This was not that story. I didn’t hate it but I liked the story in my head more. I also got a distinct vibe of sub-culture on sub-culture hate. Not fun. “Fireman’s Fairy” hit while this one and “And the Blood of Dead Gods Shall Mark the Score” missed the mark.

Now I want to read a story about sentient berries. Someone get on that. :p

Your wish etc.  It's short, but it's a story...


Y'know, I was this close to saying, "I look forward to seeing this on Mirrorshards..."

"Stuff that normally doesn't talk talking" is practically the sub-heading for Mirrorshards, so it was kind of a natural fit...

I liked your story more, Scattercat. :) Unfortunately, you will now be associated in my head forever more with "Holy shit a talking muffin."

All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


Scattercat

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Reply #44 on: May 26, 2011, 12:18:38 PM
I liked your story more, Scattercat. :)

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