Zine Review - Oblaquer (Oblaque II)

By Predatrix

It's gone all quiet in here again - might as well give a 'zine review for anyone who wants one. Another old 'zine.

The Truth Will Out (A/B) - M. Fae Glasgow

Blake is upset about the memory wipe. All that remains to him is politics & practical details. When Avon says he was Blake's friend before, Blake pesters him to tell him about his lover - and is rather surprised to find out the truth. Some splendid rows and Avon-snarling. Watch out for one of *those* endings - well, it is by M.Fae...

Through a Glass Darkly (A/V) - Adrian Alexander.

Vila, after a bang on the head, has a delusion that he is Avon and Avon is him. The first problem for Avon is being treated as an idiot by Vila. The second problem is the relationship Vila fantasises they had.

Terms of Surrender (A/B) - Sean Charles

Avon has been raped under interrogation, and Blake had to let it happen otherwise he knew they would use his feelings for Avon to break him. Can he convince Avon to trust him again?

Needs Must (A/V) - M. Fae Glasgow

In other 'zines a PGP story is a moment of optimism. In _Oblaque_, of course, it is much more likely to be full of very dark implications.

Coverup () - Grennen Barrett

Yes, that's right, an _Oblaque_ story with no sex scene. No wonder it's very short! The crew are speculating on why Avon wears all that black leather...

Black Leather and Stud (Tarrant/Avon's glove) - Grennen Barrett

Tarrant has a few quiet moments alone w/ a fantasy and Avon's glove. Unfortunately, some stains really are hell to get out of black leather...

Domestic Bliss (A/V) - M. Fae Glasgow

A "cosy" story from M.Fae? Avon & Vila are wondering how their relationship became so comfortable & so long-lasting. Another of *those* endings.

Bucolic Bliss (A/B) - M.Fae Glasgow

PWP in which Blake first shares a rural idyll with Avon and then discovers that when you have to watch your back with Avon is not at the time but afterwards. Contains a splendid "ouch!" piece of dialogue, but that's M.Fae for you.

Bathtub (A/V) - Adrian Alexander

PWP. Gossip, giggles and sex in the unlikely setting of a radiation-struck planet.

Once More Into The Breeches (A/V) - Cally Donia

PWP. Vila convinces a fourth-series (i.e. borderline-nutter) Avon that what he really needs is gratuitous sex.

The Emperor's New Clothes (A/V) - A.L. Hughes

Very, very silly PWP. Why is somebody willing to bet unfeasibly large sums of money to witness Vila giving Avon a blow job? Yes, well, told you it was silly! Fun, though.

Leitmotif (A/T) - Leigh Graham

I can't figure this one out at all (doesn't help that it's the second section of a three-parter). Doesn't feel like an _Oblaque_ story at all: heavy on Big Plot, but no relish in describing the intricacies of sex or murky psychology. Somebody else who likes that sort of thing can review this one...

Hidden in Plain Sight () - Cally Donia

Another exploration of just why the man wears so much damn leather... The two following stories both follow this in order.

The Gauntlet (A/T) - Gael X. Ile

(PWP, but, confusingly, this is *not* the story w/ Tarrant & the glove...). Avon is a fairly harsh topman and Tarrant loves every moment of it.

Exeunt (A/V) - Emma Scot

Can Vila act as therapist for Avon and get him out of his obsession with cruelty before it's too late...

Coming Home (A/V) - Sean Charles

Comfortable A/V PWP - not much to say about that.

Against the Wall (A/B - sort of) - Edi N. Burgh

Avon & Blake share casual, anonymous sex with a stranger, because they're too chicken to cope w/ their feelings for each other.

Appetite (A/B/V) - Caroline K. Carbis

Blake is prowling around looking for a midnight snack (quite the little subgenre, this is...) when he happens to see Avon & Vila snogging passionately. This leads to Avon developing some interest in the puzzle of Blake's lost libido, which he of course manages to solve. IMO Vila is treated as a bit of a plot device, though: Vila fans are likely to feel a little short-changed by this one.

The Way of It (Dome Cycle) - M. Fae Glasgow

Avon struggles to adjust to the horrors of life among the Deltas, where Vila is far better equipped to deal with things.

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