Space, Time, and the Incurable Romantic - WOW!
JBehling
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CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM the new issue of AMAZING STORIES
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End of spoiler space
Well, after scouring Manhattan all week, I FINALLY got my hands on "Space,
Time, and the Incurable Romantic" last night & must say I am blown away. I read
the first sentence, nearly passed out, called my mother (who loves B5 ALMOST as
much as I do) and said, "Marcus is alive."
The story was on my mind all night. As usual, B5 raised questions, provoked
thought and led to introspection and examination of my own life. The ethical
issues brought up by what Marcus did are fascinating. Was what he did "right?"
Can there be one answer to that question? Should he have told Susan the truth?
Was keeping it from her the only way that she could have found happiness
without her responsibilities to others coming first? Didn't her life as
Anla'shok na give her a sense of fulfillment and peace? Is this what Susan
wants or what Marcus wants for her? Is it his right to make that decision? What
if Marcus & Susan have children? Do they get to leave the planet? In many ways,
I have always seen myself reflected in Susan, I think that the character and I
have many of the same strengths and weaknesses. It makes me stop and think.
Should I be looking for my "inner Marcus?"
In my mind, both of Susan's "lives" had great meaning, I don't know if one can
be judged as "more important" or "more fulfilling" than the other. I cried
reading about the statues that had been built to commemorate her time as
Anla'shok na (the scene of her putting on her ranger robes at the end of
"Sleeping in Light" has always been inspirational to me) and I cried again as
she and Marcus walked off into the sunlight.
Mr. Straczynski, thanks again for entertaining me, making me think, and
helping me to slow down long enough to look at my own life.
-John
Pål Are Nordal
>
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> DANGER WILL ROBINSON
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> CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM the new issue of AMAZING STORIES
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> thought and led to introspection and examination of my own life. The ethical
> issues brought up by what Marcus did are fascinating. Was what he did "right?"
> Can there be one answer to that question? Should he have told Susan the truth?
> Was keeping it from her the only way that she could have found happiness
> without her responsibilities to others coming first?
And most importantly: Did Ivanova kill Marcus a week later after he'd
driven her mad with his endless banter?
--
Donate free food with a simple click: http://www.thehungersite.com/
Pål Are Nordal
a_b...@bigfoot.com
LK
wrote:
>JBehling wrote:
>>
>> Spoiler Space
>> ******************************************************
>> DANGER WILL ROBINSON
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> DANGER
>>
>> CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM the new issue of AMAZING STORIES
>> ******************************************************
>> End of spoiler space
>>
>> The story was on my mind all night. As usual, B5 raised questions, provoked
>> thought and led to introspection and examination of my own life. The ethical
>> issues brought up by what Marcus did are fascinating. Was what he did "right?"
>> Can there be one answer to that question? Should he have told Susan the truth?
>> Was keeping it from her the only way that she could have found happiness
>> without her responsibilities to others coming first?
>
>And most importantly: Did Ivanova kill Marcus a week later after he'd
>driven her mad with his endless banter?
Perhaps. And perhaps his banter was the equivilent of redirected
sexual energy that in another life has an outlet. So he would remain
Marcus and wisely, I hope, use the banter to humor, calm, seduce, and
support a strong woman. In a way I think he "needs" the sexual
completion to spur growth into more practical wisdom.
Gad and now I'm thinking of a _very bad_ pun/take on a USA beer
commerical. --I'll leave before it gets out.
LK
j...@gte.net
Come on! Post the pun! Take your punishment like a man! (Or woman
-- it's to dark to tell from in here.)
Jon
Maia Bernstein
Where in Manhattan did you find it???
JBehling
> without her responsibilities to others coming first?
>And most importantly: Did Ivanova kill Marcus a >week later after he'd
>driven her mad with his endless banter? >>
LOL!
Probably an even better question!
-John
JBehling
Where in Manhattan did you find it??? >>
In the past, I have found it at Tower Books or Barnes & Noble or local comic
stores. THIS TIME, I couldn't find it anywhere so I went to the Amazing Stories
website where they have a "How to find us" page at:
http://www.wizards.com/amazing/Find.asp
and ordered it from their online store. They have other options there as well.
Take care,
John
LK
>> Gad and now I'm thinking of a _very bad_ pun/take on a USA beer
>> commerical. --I'll leave before it gets out.
>>
>> LK
>
>Come on! Post the pun! Take your punishment like a man! (Or woman
>-- it's to dark to tell from in here.)
Everyone looks better in dim light ;-)
Took me a while of active thought to remember it.
"Less talk, more filling."
Well, you asked.
LK
(Commerical line was for a lite beer, "Less calories, more filling.")
Jms at B5
has been the bipolarity of it all.
On the one side you have those who think it's a very romantic story with a
happy ending. Which is totally the right response.
And then on the other side you've got those who think it's a morally dubious
story or even worse. Which is ALSO totally the right response.
It becomes a question of what you, the reader, thinks is appropriate, and where
the priorities are. Does Marcus, having laid down his life, and suffered, and
lost everything and everyone he holds dear, deserve a last shot at happiness
using a technology that is probably being used by other people for far worse
purposes?
On the other hand, the technology and the invasiveness of it raises very real
questions and concerns. One can say it's an invasion, but is it really? Is it
her, or is it a blank slate? What makes her, *her*?
If, in the end, he is happy at last, and she is happy, who are we to question?
But should we not question the *thrust* of the technology, and the uses it
might be put to in future?
I knew it'd drive a wedge right down the middle of the readers, and that's
exactly why it was written...to pose questions and raise issues for heated
discussion. Because what's right or wrong here is a matter of perspective, as
it should be.
jms
(jms...@aol.com)
B5 Official Fan Club at:
http://www.thestation.com
(all message content (c) 2000 by
synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
to reprint specifically denied to
SFX Magazine)
JBONETATI
happy ending. Which is totally the right response.>>
And then there's me who can't help wondering how long it'll be before they kill
each other. <g>
<<Is it her, or is it a blank slate? What makes her, *her*?>>
That's the part I found most interesting-that she was actually restored right
up to the point of her death. In doing so, she has both the heredity and the
experiences that all added up to make her Susan. It would be interesting to
peek in on them in a few years.....
Jan
Friar Chuck
>What's been kind of fun about the discussion of this episode here and elsewhere
>has been the bipolarity of it all.
>
>On the one side you have those who think it's a very romantic story with a
>happy ending. Which is totally the right response.
>
>And then on the other side you've got those who think it's a morally dubious
>story or even worse. Which is ALSO totally the right response.
>
>It becomes a question of what you, the reader, thinks is appropriate, and where
>the priorities are. Does Marcus, having laid down his life, and suffered, and
>lost everything and everyone he holds dear, deserve a last shot at happiness
>using a technology that is probably being used by other people for far worse
>purposes?
>
>On the other hand, the technology and the invasiveness of it raises very real
>questions and concerns. One can say it's an invasion, but is it really? Is it
>her, or is it a blank slate? What makes her, *her*?
>
>If, in the end, he is happy at last, and she is happy, who are we to question?
>
>But should we not question the *thrust* of the technology, and the uses it
>might be put to in future?
>
>I knew it'd drive a wedge right down the middle of the readers, and that's
>exactly why it was written...to pose questions and raise issues for heated
>discussion. Because what's right or wrong here is a matter of perspective, as
>it should be.
>
> jms
>
>(jms...@aol.com)
>B5 Official Fan Club at:
>http://www.thestation.com
>(all message content (c) 2000 by
>synthetic worlds, ltd., permission
>to reprint specifically denied to
>SFX Magazine)
>
>
>
Actually the way it turns out with Claudia taking off, and Marcus
having been killed off.....I think this whole episode fits the
definition of irony quite well.
FC
Joseph DeMartino
>
That the commercial featured two opposing sides, one saying, "Tastes great"
while the other replied, "Less filling." Which actually makes for an
interesting joke itself. <g>
Regards,
Joe
LK
<Joseph-D...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
I remember. My mind took a later or, more likely, a local beer
commerical on calories and merged the two. And mirco-breweries. Then
again maybe it was merged already because Rainer Beer did some strange
commericals. The Rainer Beer deer spotted many places and zoologists
attempt to tag them for study. The mounted beer-deer head that
consists of the neck, bottle cap, and antlers. The motorcylce doppler
effect that sounds like "R-r-r-r-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-i-n-e-e-e-e-e-e-r
Bah!-e-e-er."
The rain and grey skies and green and water scenery does things to
people.
Ah, Seattle-area days of pre-Microsoft innocence.
LK
Tammy Smith
I didn't think it was so bad that Marcus "re-created" Susan. He wanted
her to be happy, & this was a way for him to finally see her happy. I
thought it was a good story. So what if it was a romantic type of
story--it was great! :)
Also enjoyed Greg Keyes' story in the last B5 Magazine. I think he is
the best author of the B5 books--I hope he gets to write more!
Tammy
Shaz
"Tammy Smith" <gka...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:28115-39...@storefull-138.iap.bryant.webtv.net...
> Spoilers
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> I didn't think it was so bad that Marcus "re-created" Susan. He wanted
> her to be happy, & this was a way for him to finally see her happy. I
> thought it was a good story. So what if it was a romantic type of
> story--it was great! :)
So it's all right to resurrect someone, without their permission, using only
those memories you WANT them to have, spirit them away to your idea of
paradise, lie to them about how they got there and ensure they have no means
of escape if they can't stand the place, huh?
> Also enjoyed Greg Keyes' story in the last B5 Magazine. I think he is
> the best author of the B5 books--I hope he gets to write more!
Now THERE I agree with you.
Shaz
Tammy Smith
Yes, what Marcus did could really get him in trouble, that's true, but
Susan had never been truly happy in the end, & since Marcus let her
live, he felt guilty about it & wanted to make it up to her. His heart
was in the right place, even if the methods he used were morally
suspect.
Sometimes, you need to do anything you can to be happy, & damn the
consequences, I guess.
Tammy
lcou...@stetson.edu
I haven't read either of the stories - and yes, I know I am being
spoiled, but I never could resist. My husband, who has read the Marcus
one, agrees with Shaz and is fairly certain I will as well. However,
form what I can tell, that is one of jms's points - do we agree or
disagree with the ethics? What is right? So in that sense, it seems
like from everything I have heard, this is a very worthy addition to
the B5 cannon.
*Sniff* I won't see it for about 2 weeks - and I'm the one who ordered
it!
Lisa Coulter
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
TheOrig...@webtv.net
ordered it .... grr this thing's been out almost a month now and I still
don't have it ... but soon! :) Thanks again!
JBehling
ordered it .... grr this thing's been out almost a month now and I still
don't have it ... but soon! :) Thanks again! >>
Anything for the cause!
In Valen's Name,
JOHN