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Reviews for For Tomorrow We May Die

EllieK 2004.11.27 - 02:56AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Signed
Uhm...I am a very non-confrontational sort of gal, but...I was reading over your reviews and I just couldn't keep my mouth shut (Well, more like my fingers from typing.)

There is no way the Autumn is a Mary Sue. Mary Sue:An obscenely perfect female character, like a female Lockhart, only with more magical and generally physical abilities, and with twice the ability to irritate. They're to be beautiful, charming, and mysterious, often with a tortured past. She is perfect in every way - beautiful, smart, athletic, and everyone loves her. She is often given a tragic "imperfection" (such as suffering from SI) to make her character seem more romantic.

THAT is NOT Autumn. She is a Muggle! You have not painted her as perfect. If anyone is guilty of writing a Mary Sue, it is me, EllieK. I know that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but I feel that a claim like that needs a bit of evidence, or at least some sort of example. I will stop typing now, Razzberry. Sorry, I just needed to get that out.

Author's Response: *hugs Ellie*

Thanks for the comments. I really do appreciate them, but I'm still hoping my anonymous reviewer responds with why s/he thinks Autumn is Marry Sue. I try to avoid that pitfall, so I'd love to find out if I've inadvertantly included things in her personality that put her into MS-dom.

~Jen


Anrell 2004.11.26 - 03:06AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Anonymous
What a nice Thanksgiving gift this chapter is at the end of my VERY busy day! This chapter, like the holiday in mid-week interupts the normal flow of the story to hit certain points in sound bites. Well done. It gives great insight to Severus' depth of awarness about the war. I love history and see this "war" within the wizard world so akin to our own struggles with age old issues on religion/race/culture/land ect.. As I have often said, mankind has not really changed over the thousands of years we have been here. We have just invented more sophisticated toys! From the sounds of Severus' last letter to Autumn he must be taking the risk Lucius has offered. If so, he will be getting in so deep (and for the sake of the Order no doubt) that he will be misjudged all over again. What a ride you have us going on!! keep up the wonderful work!

Author's Response: Thank you!

Regarding the war and the like-- yes, that's rather where I was going with this, This war is not so different from any other war in history, really, and it's never quite so simple as good and evil.

You think he's involved with the Death Eaters again for the sake of the Order? Hrmm...

Interesting.

;)

Jen


anon 2004.11.26 - 12:36AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Anonymous
Great story. It's really heating up with the Malfoy visit---he is wonderfully evil, isn't he? just sounds so reasonable, if only you didn't know what he does. I must confess, though, to wishing that Autumn would have just taken the advice and headed back to the states. I have not really cared for either her or willow---never really been able to think of either of them as actual people---more like stock Mary Sue. Sorry, but they seem like such a drag on an otherwise great story.

Author's Response: I'm glad you're enjoying parts of the story. I'd be very interested in hearing what it is that you think is so Mary Sue-ish about Autumn, though, because I was rather under the impression that I've avoided most of the stereotypes with her. Willow I will give you is extremely contrived. She was created for a plot device.

I respect that you don't like either of them, but I would like to know what it is about Autumn that makes her a Mary Sue in your eyes.

~Jen


Gina Potter 2004.11.25 - 04:26PM 24: Chapter 24: Missing Scenes Anonymous
Just writing to say that I couldn't agree less with you about Dumbledore. If you don't like him, that's ok; I don't believe he is a loving grandfather either. But to say that he is as bad as Voldemort is just so *wrong* (sorry, I don't know a better word for what I felt). Dumbledore is not fighting to gain more power, he is fighting against a monster who wants to rid the world of people he thinks is impure, a man who wants to dominate the world. He is like a nazi and I'm sure JK Rowling was inpired by Hitler when she wrote him. And I don't believe the members of the Order are being used. They understand what they're fighting for, they know what they have to do. They need a leader and Dumbledore is the natural choice. But it's not like he isn't suffering for that: he was called senil by the press, he had to hide and almost went to Azkaban. I'm not saying he is perfect: he made a terrible mistake when he tried to protect Harry by hiding things from him, for example. I'm off to read the new chapter now.

Author's Response: I'm sure JKR was inspired by Hitler too. But then, Stalin opposed Hitler, and he was hardly a lovable guy.

~Jen who is arguing for the sake of argument.


LariLee 2004.11.25 - 09:19AM 1: Prologue: Renascence Signed
Razzberry:You ask if it would stop at the borders of the UK, I'll turn the question around. Do you think it will stop when Voldemort is gone? It is, in my mind, the same war that the world has been fighting for roughly 700 years. It is simultaneously very simple and extremely complicated. On a very simple level, the conflicts in the Middle East are about culture-- two cultures both laying claim to the same bit of land. World Wars I and II smacked of cultural conflicts. The Napoleonic Wars did, the French Revolution, the Boxer Rebellion... All the many conflicts to throw out imperialist rule, in fact. The Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, conflicts between Russia and the former parts of the Communist Bloc... Joan of Arc and the hundred years' war is usually considered the beginning of the rise of nationalism. That's all that this is-- who has the right to control this society? Lisa answers: It is more than who controls society. The winner of one group wishes to annihilate another or else subject them to slavery. From what I've read in the HP books, Muggle-baiting has only recently been given fines by the MoM (and I'll bet Davis is just itching to have them removed). The problem also deals with technology (which you pointed out) and ideology. Also, I hate to bring up the Marriage Law Challenges which are so popular on Ashwinder, but a totally closed society will breed in problems over generations. Also, there is a small problem of what to do when the stray Muggle-born witch or warlock is born... does Voldy propose (if the snake-thing should win) having them tested and killed? After all, they cannot corrupt the Pureblood line. Or should these children grow up with power they possibly cannot control and never be taught? And if they are killed, that would require regular ventures into the Muggle world to track and destroy them... which ends the closed society. That vision rather reminds me of "Watership Down" where the farmer leaves the rabbits in the glen alone until he wants rabbit stew. But I'll be the first to admit that all the Purebloods following a Half-blood for "racial purity" makes as much sense to me as all the Aryans following a short, brown-haired, brown-eyed man who preached the same thing. Congratulations, this is the longest comment I've ever left. :-D I'm sorry it's so rambling and disjointed. I can't wait to see where this ends. And I can't believe you got bored writing Autumn and Severus. Even a poor Potions Master should be allowed some happiness! :-D Excellent, as always and I can't wait to see where you take this. ~Lisa (unless you kill Severus... I can wait a long time for that. I hate for Severus to die).

Author's Response: Ah, but you see, you're assuming that there are only two sides to this. There are those who follow Voldemort and the rest of the world. This isn't the case.

In any conflict, there are at least three sides-- those who believe in a cause, those who disagree with it and those who don't care so long as their lives aren't interrupted. As long as that third group remains the most prominent and powerful, then the conflict remains a fringe element.

In this particular case, I think there are at least five sides-- Voldemort on one extreme, then what I suspect is a large number of Pureblood Witches and Wizards who believe they are superior but wouldn't go so far as an annhilation (sp) campaign, then the status quo contingency which still seems to represent the majority of the wizarding world, and then the Order of the Phoenix which fights for the rights of Mudbloods and Halfbloods, and then the actual Halfbloods and Mudbloods who are affected. And then the sixth 'unspoken' side-- the Muggles who don't realize there is a war going on.

And I'll refer back to your Hitler/Nazi example. Did defeating Hitler destroy the war? No. That war (the rights of ethnic groups vs the rights of politically stronger conquerors to have control of a land) is at the heart of half a dozen specific conflicts I can think of off-hand. Removing Hitler did not stop the problem, it stopped the Nazis. Removing the Death Eaters would not stop the Pureblood question, it would just clear the path for someone else to take it over.

And, I do think that for the majority of the wizarding world, it's a question of culture. There are those who bait Muggles, yes, and I'll liken them to extremist groups in America who harass minorities for no good reason-- these groups spring up when laws are passed to protect the marginalized groups. For the average Witch or Wizard, though (and assuming that this does not mean a Malfoy or Avery or whatnot), I believe it is a question of culture. A matter of "You can live here provided you obey our laws and make an effort to fit into our world. Leave your world behind you." I could draw the parallel to any number of contemporary issues, but it does come down to who has the right to set these standards.

As for Autumn and Severus-- I didn't get bored writing them so much as I got bored with the romance novel aspects. I like a good issue. Can you tell?

~Jen


K~Marie 2004.11.25 - 01:59AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Anonymous
well, everyone is posting long intense reviews, but, seeing as i have trouble stringing simple words together i'll describe it in one word. -marvelous-

Author's Response: Thank you!

EllieK 2004.11.25 - 12:45AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Anonymous
I loved the way this chapter was written. The use of Letters and articles conveyed an amazing amount of information in ways that simple dialogue could not. I am disturbed (more than usual *wink*) about what will happen next. This story is going places that I never imagined. How could he be faithful to the Dark Lord and be in love with a Muggle? That could cause serious problems, no?

As for the strained and possibly beyond repair friendship of Lupin and Severus, I hope they get throught this. Lupin let his Gryffindor heart outweigh his mind. I am beginning to think that Slytherins really have something in the ways of deductive reasoning. Maybe it is because I adore the greasy git, but damn, really see where Severus is coming from. Wow! I never expected a fan fic to make me think! LOL!!!

P.S. By the way, I want more!!!!

Author's Response: Thinking! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! *runs around screaming*

And to think that this was my pathetic attempt at a romance.. *rolls eyes* I got bored with Severus and Autumn. I really did. So I had to spice it up.

And I'm with you abou Lupin and Severus. I hope they become friends again, but I must admit that so far, I haven't figured out how that's going to happen without something contrived.

I'm glad the letters and such went over well. I was hoping they would. I really think I'll use that format again in another chapter or two because it was much better than narrative (IMO) to convey the events.

Thanks for reading and reviewing! Updates should come soonishly :)


LariLee 2004.11.25 - 12:37AM 25: Chapter 24: Owl Post Anonymous
Well, Davis began talking like all those little trains were going to start running on time... then he sounded so much like an American pResident I will not name. Does Severus really think this is totally about culture? If it were, then Muggles (who are ignorant of the Wizarding World) would not be baited and targeted. Does he really think it will stop at the borders of the United Kingdom? After all, DEs are at Durmstrang. And the current crop of witches and wizards did not build this society... their ancestors did. It is no more exclusively theirs by birth than it is (or should be) those of Muggle heritage. Give me five minutes with him, come on, just five minutes! I'll talk him around. Of course, why doesn't he remember the prophecy? It's going to be between Harry and Voldemort... he still should remember that. Great use of letters and newspaper articles for this chapter. ~Lisa

Author's Response: hehe. Yeah, I've decided Davis is my new favorite character. He's just a little full of himself, and don't worry-- give me long enough and you'll lose track of how many politicians I parody. ;) But the Dubyesque bit just seemed so.... natural right there.

As for the war-- I think Severus sees more to it than most do. You ask if it would stop at the borders of the UK, I'll turn the question around. Do you think it will stop when Voldemort is gone? It is, in my mind, the same war that the world has been fighting for roughly 700 years. It is simultaneously very simple and extremely complicated. On a very simple level, the conflicts in the Middle East are about culture-- two cultures both laying claim to the same bit of land. World Wars I and II smacked of cultural conflicts. The Napoleonic Wars did, the French Revolution, the Boxer Rebellion... All the many conflicts to throw out imperialist rule, in fact. The Cold War, Korea, Vietnam, conflicts between Russia and the former parts of the Communist Bloc... Joan of Arc and the hundred years' war is usually considered the beginning of the rise of nationalism. That's all that this is-- who has the right to control this society?

I think Severus has an excellent grasp on the overall political situation (surprise, since he agrees with me ;) ). That said, THIS battle has a name and that name is Voldemort. I don't think anyone (including Severus) believes that anything Voldemort is doing can be excused.

This is something I dislike about fantasy literature in general-- there is this sense that conflicts should be black and white, cut and dry. There's an enemy and there's a hero. The problem, in my eyes, is that most fantasy writers take on far too complex questions to hang on such a simple frame.

As an historian and a political history buff, I can promise that more of this question is going to come out in the coming chapters. In fact, I think I'll put that as a warning to my next update-- there is going to be very little clear cut right and wrong in this.

Separate the ideas from the actions. Everyone is looking out for their own interests, in the end.

As for why Severus doesn't remember the prophesy... maybe he doesn't know about it? It's popular fanon that Severus was the one who delivered it to Dumbledore, and I think that's a valid possibility, but that isn't the direction I've taken with this fic. To my knowledge, there are two people who are cognizantly aware of the entire prophesy-- Dumbledore and Harry. Sybil was in a trance when she spoke it, so she doesn't remember it. The whole point of the Dept of Mysteries battle was that Voldemort needs to get his hands on it because he only heard part of it. I'm rather under the impression that Harry and DD are the only two who have heard the prophesy in its entirety, so that's the direction I take with this fic.

~Jen


Floris 2004.11.24 - 05:23PM 24: Chapter 24: Missing Scenes Anonymous
"Author's Response: You trust him? How touching :)" Well he has Autumn now. (So far. Who knows how she'll deal with what she's learned.) I thought the fact that he wrote to her at all was a good sign. I feel like the old Severus would have thought that if he left the Order he would have to leave her too; because everyone would have "poisoned" her against him, she was one of the goody-goods sitting in judgement of him, etc. The old Sev could have found a million excuses not to do it. "But the realy question is how well do you trust me? *evil cackling laughter*" Well now I'm afraid to! "And I love that so many people took my 'bait' at the beginning of the chapter." Well I know I did. But now I'll be more cautious... "So... what do you think Severus should do?" Whatever you think he should do. But the reason I'm guessing he'll think outside the box is because his whole poison maneuver (alone thay won't kill you, but in combination they will) was brilliant.

EllieK 2004.11.23 - 11:16PM 24: Chapter 24: Missing Scenes Anonymous
Now that, my dear Razzberry, was an EVIL CLIFFIE!!! Your words are as seductive as those of Lucius Malfoy. Please give me more!!!

Author's Response: And THAT, my dear EllieK, was a marvelous complement! Thank you!

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