sholio: sun on winter trees (Default)
Sholio ([personal profile] sholio) wrote2006-10-01 06:49 pm
Entry tags:

"The Killing Frost" is completed

It's done!

Title: The Killing Frost
Words: ~102,000
Characters: Everybody, and I do mean everybody. McKay, Sheppard and (surprise!) Caldwell get the biggest roles.
Rating: Gen; T for language and violence
Season/spoilers/warnings: Late Season 2 or Season 3; takes place sometime after "The Long Goodbye". Spoilers for Season 2 and one very, very mild one for "McKay & Mrs Miller" in a flashback to Rodney's childhood. (Edited in after-the-fact, because I wrote the scene before the episode aired.)
Summary: When a scientific mission goes wrong, the Daedalus crashes on an ice planet along with most of Atlantis's scientists and a ruthless saboteur. Can rescue come before injuries and the elements take their toll?

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3060760/1/

[identity profile] iamrighthere.livejournal.com 2006-10-06 09:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I am printing this out right now! Some 200 pages. Can't wait to start reading it. Now I have something to keep my occupied during our long winter's sleep with no new episodes.
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell smile)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-10-07 07:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Cool! I hope you enjoy it; let me know what you think. :)

And you have a new WIP too, don't you? I noticed that Tazmy rec'd it. So much good fic to read, so little time ...

[identity profile] iamrighthere.livejournal.com 2006-10-07 07:41 pm (UTC)(link)
So little time, 'specially when some fiction writers make their stories BOOK LENGTH! Not that I'm complaining at all! I start yours tomorrow night and, frankly, the fall rains couldn't have come at a better time.
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell smile)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-10-07 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
*snerk* Believe me, I had NO idea it was going to be that huge. I was expecting about 50-60K words, tops. Instead it turned into a friggin' *monster*. I enjoyed writing it, but boy, am I glad it's over.

[identity profile] joolz01.livejournal.com 2006-10-10 10:40 pm (UTC)(link)
It took me several days worth of spare time to read this story, but was well worth it! It has great whump and H/C, intrigue, relationship moments, wonderful angsty John/Rodney buddy bits, good OC's that hit just the right balance with the familiar characters. Thumbs up in all ways!

And many thanks for a *long* story, my favorite kind, and for posting it in one file rather than twenty chapters.

It goes directly into my 'save to nominate for awards' folder!
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-10-11 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you ever so much! *smile* You know what's funny is I also got a complaint about having it all on one page (she said that it made it hard to remember her place when she stopped reading, whereas chapters are more convenient), but I MUCH prefer one page, myself ... it makes it ever so much easier to bookmark, save to hard drive or print out files.

And you know, I never thought of making a "to nominate for awards" list. That would make it so much easier next year than having to just go through all my bookmarks and saved files ... (And I'm terribly flattered that I'm on your list, with my usual inadequacy at expressing it.)

(Anonymous) 2006-10-11 01:05 pm (UTC)(link)
it makes it ever so much easier to bookmark, save to hard drive or print out files.

Exactly! I might bookmark a multi-chapter story to the 'to read' folder, but am much less likely to get around to reading it.

[identity profile] untiemybinds.livejournal.com 2006-11-13 03:25 pm (UTC)(link)
Okay, I just stayed up all night (it's 10 am!) reading this and I just have to say it was brilliant. I suck at reviewing, but I'd been looking for a long gen story for days and this was the perfect story for me.

Everyone was perfect in this, exactly how I imagine they would react to something like this happening in canon. And you know, I never knew I wanted to see Caldwell in a larger role until I actually got it.

Thanks for the story! :)
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-12-17 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
*major* apologies for taking so long to reply to your feedback! (like ...a month...) Thank you so much for this! I'm delighted that you liked it that much! Fanfic ... a leading cause of lost sleep for me as well. *grin*

Thank you very much for letting me know!

[identity profile] cupidsbow.livejournal.com 2006-11-30 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
I really love your friendship-romances. And this is a new favourite. Thank you.
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-12-17 04:45 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! And so sorry it's taken me so long to reply. I really appreciate this. Thanks. :)

[identity profile] cardalia.livejournal.com 2006-11-30 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I just finished reading this after [livejournal.com profile] cupidsbow's rec and I loved it! I don't usually care for action plots because they're rarely done well but this was brilliant. I was at the edge of my seat and I really loved your characterisation. Thank you for sharing this!
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2006-12-17 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
*smile* Thanks ever so much! I'm so glad you liked it, especially if this type of story isn't normally your thing. :)

[identity profile] saffronhouse.livejournal.com 2007-01-08 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
An amazing, satisfying journey. Thank you!
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you! :) Glad you liked it!

[identity profile] amitee.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, wow, this was a fantastic read. And my favorite kind of Sheppard and McKay relationship. Yay!
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 08:07 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! ^^ Glad you liked it!

[identity profile] ladyholder.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, very nice. I like this. And it is so cool to see Dr. McKay from the view of folks who do not know him. And see Caldwell as being something other than a enemy of Atlantis. Thanks!

Alexi
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-01-12 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you very much! :)

I admit that I find Caldwell's POV enjoyable to write, because the way that he's portrayed on the show is sort of ambiguous ... he definitely goes out of his way to help them at times, even when he doesn't have to (like in Trinity), but he's not part of the main "group" and has his own set of loyalties. Fanfic generally draws him as a one-dimensional baddie when he's so much more than that. So I'm glad that you liked the way I wrote him here!

I'm also fascinated by the outsiders' POV on Rodney, because he's such an abrasive guy that it's interesting to think of how he must look to people who haven't gotten to know him well enough to have seen his soft marshmallow center yet...

[identity profile] ladyholder.livejournal.com 2007-01-12 10:56 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah. Caldwell is not one dimensional at all. And he is caught between a rock & a hard place at time. Aka the Air Force & the realities of Pegasus.... So he always has tough decisions to make.

As for Rodney? There was a fic on Wraithbait that had a line in it that described Rodney perfectly. Ti went something like "A core of steel, surrounded by bitter marshmellow..." He is a softy, but to get to his sweet spot, you need to work at it. And he is still not the nicest guy around. If all you go by is his nouth, not his actions.

Ladyholder
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-01-12 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Ha! Bitter marshmallow -- that's a great way to describe him.

[identity profile] ladyholder.livejournal.com 2007-01-12 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Don't forget his core of steel. Without it, he would be like Kavanaugh... A backstabbing asshole, only out for his own good. He was never really that. Not even when he was with the SGC. He was just arrogant & uninformed. Once he got the right information, he was cool... Kinda.

Ladyholder
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-01-12 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Actually, that *is* one of the neat things about the way Rodney's character has been developed -- as negative a character as he was in "48 Hours", nothing about the way he was characterized in that episode has ever been contradicted. Even if his development wasn't originally intended to go in this direction, they've managed to make him sympathetic while still keeping the same traits that he had in his first appearance. It's just that back then, that was all we saw of him. But it's interesting to notice what negative traits he *doesn't* have in "48 Hours". He's not a toadie, a bootlicker or a backstabber. He's just incredibly arrogant and obviously thinks of people in the same way that he thinks about abstract concepts on paper. Modern Rodney has had his viewpoint expanded quite a bit, but you can still see the same person in him.

[identity profile] ladyholder.livejournal.com 2007-01-13 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. You can. And he does slip up occasionally, so he is not pefect. I am guessing that for him, the "real world" takes a distant second to the world in his head. And the world in his head is the math & physics he loves so well. That, and who needs manners when dealing with a math problem?

Ladyholder

P.S. I really have to wonder what his parents were like. Because Jeannie is also on the abrupt side of normal....

[identity profile] vegetariansushi.livejournal.com 2007-02-20 10:24 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, my god. I was just reading sga_flashfic entries and stumbled across your Caldwell piece, and then saw the author's note about the Doctor Ling, and freaked out. I read this ages ago offline, having saved it with a note about the URL at the top, thinking that I'd go back and give feedback -- I don't know, probably after Thanksgiving. Then my computer crashed (and I mean crashed) and I lost literally everything that I hadn't backed up recently, and the fic was among them. I drove myself crazy looking for it, but because my memory is not the greatest, I couldn't remember the title, and it will probably not shock you to know that searching for 'sga fic sheppard caldwell crash snow planet' gets -- well, all right, I just checked, and now this comes up as the third hit, but at the time, it did not, and I was sort of half-convinced that I'd just imagined the whole thing.

Very, very belated feedback, but oh god, this was fantastic. Your characterisation was wonderful -- Rodney was spot-on, and I found both Sheppard and Caldwell (neither of whom I'm usually terribly keen on) to be both sympathetic and in-character, which is something of a miracle, in my world. The Sheppard and Caldwell in this are the Sheppard and Caldwell that I wish that they'd be on the show, with the depth and background that makes their somewhat abrasive (in my opinion, anyhow) exteriors more understandable and less intimidating. Your original characters were really well-written, too, and added to the universe in a way that a more established character wouldn't have been able to do, and they were very organically integrated into the world.

The plot was amazing -- this sort of an action plot is really hard to sustain, especially over such a long piece, and you did it perfectly. I've just reread the fic tonight and even on a second read didn't notice any of the plot-holes or deus ex machina that sometimes plague both fanfic and the actual show.

Um, I realise that this is sort of odd feedback, but honestly, I'm just so impressed by this story. I love gen fic, and finding anything gen is hard, sometimes, but to find something that's long and this good is like reaching the end of the rainbow and finding out that omg, there is a pot of gold there! Thank you so much for writing this.
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-02-22 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
*grin* this is lovely, lovely feedback; thank you so much for taking the time to write out something so long and detailed! I really, really appreciate the praise! *glow* Thanks so much for taking the time. I'm especially glad to hear that the fic actually worked for you even though it featured characters that you're not all that keen about on the actual show -- there is no higher praise!

Thank you!

[identity profile] carolyn-claire.livejournal.com 2007-04-20 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Just finished this--finally! :) This was a great action story, and you managed to keep it the action level consistently high all the way through, even though it was looooong. *g* Seriously, it took me about a week to read, grabbing moments when I could, here and there, and it kept my interest all the way through, was something I really looked forward to getting more time to read as I could. I even woke up a few days thinking about how I could read it while I drank my coffee! (And I finished it by printing off the last dozen or so pages and reading them at the mechanics.) I liked your characters, I liked the warmth between them, I liked the story and the pace of your plotting--really just a very enjoyable read, all around. Great job! :)
ext_1981: (Avatar-angstosaurus)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-05-01 09:05 am (UTC)(link)
*squee* Thank you for the feedback! I am so glad that you enjoyed it! I loved writing it, and I had so much fun working in the many characters and character relationships. Thank you for reading, and for letting me know!

[identity profile] julesoh.livejournal.com 2007-05-10 08:42 am (UTC)(link)
Hey, I just wandered over here from your main site to say: I love your fics! I'm slowly discovering the fandom and your stories are really great action-adventure fics, the kind of stuff I'd love them to film! I'm literally working my way through all of them right now, but thought The Killing Frost was brilliant - the perfect amount of whump without being sappy, and just well-written and good. If my essay today gets handed in late, it'll be your fault - but it'll also be totally worth it!
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell George hospital)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-05-11 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
*smile* Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're liking them! And welcome to the fandom! *hee* Another one bites the dust...

I don't know if you've read these yet, but if you like action-adventure, I highly recommend Tipper's (http://megtipper.tripod.com/fanfiction6.htm) and NotTasha's (http://www.nottasha.com/atlantis.htm) stories too.
naye: A cartoon of a woman with red hair and glasses in front of a progressive pride flag. (atlantis - united we stand)

[personal profile] naye 2007-07-30 11:09 pm (UTC)(link)
I finisheeeeeeeed!! And it's 1 AM and I'm tired, but - OH, this was SO MUCH FUN! And I'm so glad I had it to read the past couple of days, because reading it has been the highlight of my day. ♥

Things I loved, in no particular order:

*HYPOTHERMIA SNUGGLING ♥
*John and Rodney's "let's never mention this again" reaction to hypothermia snuggling.
*Caldwell's "what, of course your're hypothermia-snuggling" reaction.
*Screeching mega-wolves!
*Rodney protecting his scientists
*Radek wanting Rodney to know he did good
*The plot!
*Doctor Ling!
*Hermiod in a parka
*Keisha Seavey
*Rodney worrying about everyone else
*Everyone worrying about Rodney
*Ronon finding Armstrong, and what he felt about what happened
*Rodney hallucinating Jeannie ♥
*Caldwell! ♥
*All the "exterior" POV characters and their reflections on Rodney & team
*The epilogue (muffins!)
*Novak's POV on Hermiod, and their bonding
*John's reaction when he thought Rodney was dead
*Sheppard finding presumed-dead Rodney in the middle of a blizzard
*The goodie box ♥
*Rodney being awesome above and beyond the call of duty
*Ronon carrying John
*Cadman doing her stuff, and doing it well
*All the vivid descriptions of the ice planet, and its deadly beauty
*How John flew through the storm
*Keisha being terrified of Ronon, poor thing
*Rodney's break-down on Dr Ling

...I could go on, I really could, but in lieu of in-depth squee about the particulars, this is... there's just so much I loved in the story! And I haven't even mentioned the characterization and dialogue and general action, because those you always do so very brilliantly, but - yes, brilliant.

In conclusion - thank you~! ♥
ext_1981: (Lucky - WTF?)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-08-01 07:31 am (UTC)(link)
*loves your feedback*
*hugs it*
*pets it*

♥ ♥ ♥

Thank you from the bottom of my inadequate thanks! I had to write a hypothermia story for them, I just HAD to. And then it got really, really, really long...
ext_3572: (Default)

[identity profile] xparrot.livejournal.com 2007-10-31 09:13 am (UTC)(link)
The last line of this is just gold. As is the rest of the story, of course - you know that if it's hypothermia, I'm there with bells on, but this is an exceptional piece of the genre. Loved it from start to finish - McKay on the Daedalus, taking care of Zelenka (I am a huge sucker for Radek h/c, I have discovered) and making enemies and friends as only he can (I can't tell you how much I enjoyed Dr. Ling's complete 180 on him once she sees him break down), and Caldwell being his hard-ass self, but still likable all the same (I mean, Mitch Pileggi, can't help but love!) and then, oh, Sheppard...love your take on Sheppard, it's so very him. I adored how he had to leave Teyla behind, partly because she is the logical choice with the rest of the command staff gone, but mostly because he needs to be sure at least one of his family is safe, to be able to function.

And the Sheppard gets to the planet and there's presumed dead and hypothermia and they end up cuddling in a sleeping bag together - IC-ly, no less! - even if they will never ever ever ever in a thousand years admit it (but ooooooh)...and here I am reduced to helpless squeals, but, yeah, loved it, rest assured. And like I said, that last line...awwww. Too wonderful!
ext_1981: (Default)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-10-31 06:05 pm (UTC)(link)
Heeee~! I figured you'd probably like this one, because, hypothermia! And it's the first time I've ever done a hypothermia story, though I have a long-standing love for yours. The half-naked cuddling scene was, in fact, one of the first pieces I wrote for the story; the whole thing was basically leading up to for that. *g*

And this fandom needs a lot more Radek h/c! I was a lot more wild for it in fic before we got pretty nice doses of it in seasons 3 and 4, but there is still a definite lack.

[identity profile] aebhel.livejournal.com 2007-11-20 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
So much love for this story. I've read it about twenty times, and it just occurred to me that I never did review.

I love the annoyingly, stubbornly, fucked up, heroic Rodney that you write. So many people write Sheppard as the one with all the dramatic personal issues, when I think that (no matter how much I love on Sheppard) Rodney has a considerably more complex history and personality. Loved him hallucinating Jeannie, and that moment when he came up behind Armstrong with the gun - I got shivers.
ext_1981: (ROUS)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2007-11-21 07:32 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much!

I really appreciate the comments on Rodney, too. I love writing Rodney; he's a writer's dream, with all his personal issues and his reluctant heroics! I love Sheppard too, and I love writing him, but Rodney's just got such neat depths to explore, and I'm glad you're enjoying it.

[identity profile] ezazahaz.livejournal.com 2008-01-19 06:06 am (UTC)(link)
I've been working my way through your fics, and because it's COLD out, I just read this one... And it was great. And I accomplished NOTHING in the past few days because of it, thank you very much. :) I did pause in reading at one point, however, to make this (I'm not as good at photoshop as you are, so I had to fall back on good old pencil-and-paper instead):
http://atlantis.fanonfodder.com/hermiod_parka.JPG

Anyway, thank you for writing awesome fic!
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell George hospital)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2008-01-20 01:06 am (UTC)(link)
OMG, that's completely awesome! I *love* it and I'm insanely flattered that you drew it! Do you mind if I post it on my website? Wow ... I just can't believe you drew fanart for meeeee! *squeaks*

And thank you so much for the comment! I'm so glad you like my stories.

[identity profile] ezazahaz.livejournal.com 2008-01-21 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
I'm so glad you like my picture! Sure, I'd be equally honored to have you post it. :) Could you credit it to ReySolo, my pen name?

BTW, still working my way through your stories, still loving them. :)

[identity profile] monnasakura.livejournal.com 2008-04-21 11:05 am (UTC)(link)
Holy frostbitten tree toads, Batman. That is one hell of an epic. -is exaughsted- It was definitely one of those "cannotputitdowncannotputitdown" types of reads.

Magnificently done, I think it would do marvelously in an actual published format. You might consider it. The characterization was PERFECT for everyone, and consistant to boot. There was no really slow points, and only one point -Sheppards dream funeral- that gave me pause for a minute.

That said, for the love of all that is good and holy, I'm going to SLEEP! (So she says at 6 in the morning. Good grief.)
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell smile)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2008-04-21 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Oops! Sorry to contribute to your delinquency! *g* But I'm absolutely thrilled that you liked it so much. I really enjoyed writing it (being from Alaska, I have a certain amount of experience with cold *g* and it was fun to be able to draw on that in writing fanfic!) and I'm delighted that it came out well.

[identity profile] rinsbane.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
This is fantastic. I actually found myself, repeatedly, reading faster and faster, almost skimming because I was so caught up in the tension and fast-pacing of it. Then I had to make myself slow down so that I wouldn't miss stuff. I love the interaction between Hermiod and Novak, between Ronon and Ling, between Caldwell and McKay. I love the way the military reacts to Rodney and the scientists, and the bond of team, even when they're not together, among the team. It's really sharp writing to pull off something so long and have every moment be utterly engaging.
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell ep5 sexy)

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2008-04-24 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
Wow -- that's really wonderful. Thank you so much for the fantastic comment; I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it so. One of the things I really liked about this one was pairing off characters in unusual combinations (e.g. Caldwell and McKay) and I'm so glad that it worked!

Wooah.

[identity profile] taramonk.livejournal.com 2008-05-01 01:58 am (UTC)(link)
Seriously, *wooah*.

I've read this lovely morsel twice now, and I know I'll read it again in the future. Excellent characterization, (love your Rodney with his offensive/compassionate self!) and a gripping story that developed well as the days went on, and the conspiracy is revealed. I loved that I was so tensed up with concern about the Wraith attacking the whole way through!

Brilliantly written, something I'm learning is expected of you. I plan to spend quite some time with your collection in the near future. Thank you!
ext_1981: (BH-Mitchell smile)

Re: Wooah.

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2008-05-02 08:55 am (UTC)(link)
*blushes*

*blushes some more*

I really got a chance to put poor Rodney through his paces in this one, both from inside his head and from the perspective of a number of different observers. I'm delighted that you liked it, and I hope you find more that you like. :)

Review

[identity profile] agdrgn.livejournal.com 2008-05-10 12:33 am (UTC)(link)
I like the way this story has so many people and plot and the single thread connecting them all never frays.

you are an exceptionally good author.

--Silverthreads
ext_1981: (Default)

Re: Review

[identity profile] friendshipper.livejournal.com 2008-05-11 09:30 am (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! It was a very complicated story to write, with all the multiple plotlines; I'm so glad it came together in the end.

[identity profile] tringasolitaria.livejournal.com 2008-10-04 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
Wow - I guess I've never actually left feedback for this one. I read it back when I was first getting into SGA fic and loved it. It was one of the fics that helped shape my whole love of the Sheppard and McKay friendship. I just saw that it was posted for discussion on sga_talk and decided to reread it. Just as good if not better than the first time. Even now the characterizations ring totally true. Except maybe for Sheppard, but only slightly - I'm not quite so convinced now that he would have left Armstrong alive, because we've seen a little bit of a darker side to him this last couple of seasons.

I was thinking all the way through rereading this how cool it would be made into a movie. I can just see it all in my head. I love it! :)