2005 Author Reviews for
Werecat

Werecat's stories are scattered across so many categories, I can't find a way to group them terribly effectively to review her as an author within even a few genres. However, if there are two common motifs running through Werecat's writing I would name the following: reveresal of expectation and unusual viewpoints. Werecat excels at finding space for points of view one normally wouldn't consider or use: her frequent use of animal narrators, or animal characters to bring out some aspect of Middle-earth's denizens and themes. She gravitates towards such figures as the obscure Tevildo, Lord of Cats; Radagast; and Ber?thiel. If there's a cat to be found anywhere in Middle-earth, Werecat will find it and integrate it into a story. If she writes horses, it has to be horses who aren't those normally written about (the warhorses); if she writes mounts, she will go for the fell beasts rather than the more usual and attractive steeds. And in terms of reversing expectations, her Orcs are always more complicated than they are in canon and bring out morally frightening points: the extinction of the Orcs as a form of genocide, for example. Her fell beasts desire to be loved, in their own way; and her Ber?thiel is a genuinely sympathetic character, in contrast to what one would expect. Werecat is unquestionably one of the more unique voices in the fandom.

Werecat, you never cease to amaze me! While so many authors are rehashing old scenes or inventing increasingly bizarre new scenes with familiar characters (I confess to being one of those), you continually delight us with unique, offbeat characters in unusual situations that always, always, ring perfectly true. The cleverly wrought parallels between Radagast and Saint Francis of Assisi,and the imaginative setting in an Irish abbey lift this tale far, far above what we are accustomed to seeing in fanfic.

Werecat, you never cease to amaze me! While so many authors are rehashing old scenes or inventing increasingly bizarre new scenes with familiar characters (I confess to being one of those), you continually delight us with unique, offbeat characters in unusual situations that always, always, ring perfectly true. Here in "Full Circle" you once again struck the perfect balance between pathos and realism. Your last orc is courageous, strangely noble, seeking to write the last pages of his people's history with his own blood. I've never come across any treatment of Tolkien's villians quite like this. Brava!

Werecat's writing has always struck me as a bit...quirky. That's meant as a compliment, because it's the quirkiness that really draws me in. Werecat's stories never fall into any kind of formulated pattern or rhythm. Instead, she forges her own trails, exploring new places and coming up with fantastic new ideas. Such as the one here. Who else but Werecat would envision a discussion between Morgoth and Voldemort in the Void? Great tale, and told as only Werecat can tell it. I look forward to more quirkiness!

Werecat's stories are scattered across so many categories, I can't find a way to group them terribly effectively to review her as an author within even a few genres. However, if there are two common motifs running through Werecat's writing I would name the following: reveresal of expectation and unusual viewpoints. Werecat excels at finding space for points of view one normally wouldn't consider or use: her frequent use of animal narrators, or animal characters to bring out some aspect of Middle-earth's denizens and themes. She gravitates towards such figures as the obscure Tevildo, Lord of Cats; Radagast; and Ber?thiel. If there's a cat to be found anywhere in Middle-earth, Werecat will find it and integrate it into a story. If she writes horses, it has to be horses who aren't those normally written about (the warhorses); if she writes mounts, she will go for the fell beasts rather than the more usual and attractive steeds. And in terms of reversing expectations, her Orcs are always more complicated than they are in canon and bring out morally frightening points: the extinction of the Orcs as a form of genocide, for example. Her fell beasts desire to be loved, in their own way; and her Ber?thiel is a genuinely sympathetic character, in contrast to what one would expect. Werecat is unquestionably one of the more unique voices in the fandom.

Werecat, you never cease to amaze me! While so many authors are rehashing old scenes or inventing increasingly bizarre new scenes with familiar characters (I confess to being one of those), you continually delight us with unique, offbeat characters in unusual situations that always, always, ring perfectly true. In this piece, you've captured Gimli and his yearning for beauty, as personified by Galadriel, just exquisitely. Gimli is a creature of few words, so how very insightful of you to imagine that he would find haiku the perfect means by which to express his feelings!

Werecat, you never cease to amaze me! While so many authors are rehashing old scenes or inventing increasingly bizarre new scenes with familiar characters (I confess to being one of those), you continually delight us with unique, offbeat characters in unusual situations that always, always, ring perfectly true. In ?Death, I Call Thee?, I?m amazed at the way in which you use colorful, energetic prose to emphasize each creature?s unique reason to be at that place and time, each one facing their doom. You've given each race a distinct personality, and shown the nobility of each, even if their nobility is not something we would normally accept or understand.

Werecat, you never cease to amaze me! While so many authors are rehashing old scenes or inventing increasingly bizarre new scenes with familiar characters (I confess to being one of those), you continually delight us with unique, offbeat characters in unusual situations that always, always, ring perfectly true. It started with the orc bard, the first of your stories that I ever read, which amazed me, not only with its stunning originality, but also its poignancy. Now here is the "angsty teenage orc" and his fateful and lucky encounter with the wishful Mary-Sue -- how many wishes did you make come true with that tale! I stll giggle at the perfection of it, both in characterization and the clever way in which you turned a fanfic convention upside down. You are absolutely unique in originality, color, and style; and I look forward to read all your tales, in whatever fandom or genre, for years to come.