Late comment, sorry! (Might delve into the discussions too, if I have the brainspace)
It took up a lot of time that I probably should have been doing much more "productive" things with, but I regret absolutely nothing. Fantastic story, and the most utterly immersive fic-reading experience I've had in a long time. Same. I've not really touched any post-S2 fic, and what I've read has been... I hesitate to say 'unsubstantial', but has tended to be shorter and deal with one issue only.
I'm even more impressed with it, because it does a couple of things I normally hate. I mean, I could do a whole rant about why I think Crowley-was-Raphael is both illogical and unappealing Join the club! ^_^ Although I think it really REALLY helps to have an actual pre-Fall Crowley to work with. Not that the characterisation in this wasn't astonishing and incredible, but was building on something we *knew*, not the author's head canon. (I am partial to Aziraphale becoming Raphael though. That could work.)
I damned near came out of that thing thinking, "Well, S3 might be an anticlimax now." :) See I'm... on the fence. It was very very clever, but there was enough plot for three whole seasons. And (imho) it came at the expense of the characters. Not Raphael (of course), but we never saw Crowley deal with Raphael, and also the heart of the story, ship wise, was Chapter 43 (I have re-read that many many times). But a story which hinges on a relationship shouldn't have the biggest emotional moment 2/3 of the way through.
I realise this is judging the fic by... show standards, but it's the reason I only like it a lot, rather than love it. But. Best Raphael ever, hands down. <3
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It took up a lot of time that I probably should have been doing much more "productive" things with, but I regret absolutely nothing. Fantastic story, and the most utterly immersive fic-reading experience I've had in a long time.
Same. I've not really touched any post-S2 fic, and what I've read has been... I hesitate to say 'unsubstantial', but has tended to be shorter and deal with one issue only.
I'm even more impressed with it, because it does a couple of things I normally hate. I mean, I could do a whole rant about why I think Crowley-was-Raphael is both illogical and unappealing
Join the club! ^_^ Although I think it really REALLY helps to have an actual pre-Fall Crowley to work with. Not that the characterisation in this wasn't astonishing and incredible, but was building on something we *knew*, not the author's head canon. (I am partial to Aziraphale becoming Raphael though. That could work.)
I damned near came out of that thing thinking, "Well, S3 might be an anticlimax now." :)
See I'm... on the fence. It was very very clever, but there was enough plot for three whole seasons. And (imho) it came at the expense of the characters. Not Raphael (of course), but we never saw Crowley deal with Raphael, and also the heart of the story, ship wise, was Chapter 43 (I have re-read that many many times). But a story which hinges on a relationship shouldn't have the biggest emotional moment 2/3 of the way through.
I realise this is judging the fic by... show standards, but it's the reason I only like it a lot, rather than love it. But. Best Raphael ever, hands down. <3