March Bookclub
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poi_fanworks
Welcome to the Person of Interest Book Club! Your mods are
st_aurafina and livenudebigfoot and this year we're hoping to read all of the 2018 Big Bang fics. This is the reading and discussion post for March(How is it March already?!)
Remember, the discussion post will be here. I'll link back here on the 21st. You don't have to wait till the 21st to comment, though. Have at, if you're done early.
All fics are linked by permission of the authors, and the same goes for the art. (Thank you, creators!)
Our fic for March is Mr. Finch's Home for Wayward Assassins by
Mr. Finch's Home for Wayward Assassins (14609 words) by Kakushigo
Chapters: 7/7
Fandom: Person of Interest (TV), JAG
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Harold Finch/John Reese, Clayton Webb/Harmon Rabb Jr./Sarah MacKenzie
Characters: Harold Finch, John Reese, Clayton Webb, Harmon Rabb Jr., Sameen Shaw (mentioned), Michael Cole (mentioned), Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie
Additional Tags: no working knowledge of JAG needed, but you should definitely be familiar with POI, because I do kinda jump around, in which Harold Finch should Stop Adopting Stray ex-Assassins
Summary:
When a number lands Reese in the middle of a CIA "retirement" party, he makes a quick decision to save the other CIA agent and bring him along on his next assignment. Of course, as is the way with intelligence operatives, Webb knows something is up and offers to help with the next situation. Though initially wary of this other agent, both Finch and Reese find the additional help invaluable and read him in completely. And so begins Harold Finch's Home for Reformed Assassins, dog license pending.
Go forth and read! Here are some questions to bear in mind while you read:
1. What was your initial reaction to the fic? Were you immediately hooked, or did it take you a while to get into it?
2. What themes or style choices did you notice as you were reading the fic?
3. In what ways does the fic feel like canon? In what ways does it differ?
4. What was your favourite scene?
5. Which character did you relate to most and what was it about them that you connected to?
6. Did the fic change your perspective on an aspect of canon or a character?
7. Share a favourite quote or excerpt.
8. What did you think of the ending?
9. How did the art affect or enhance your reading of the fic?
10. What are some questions you have for the author?
Here's a handy-dandy box where you can cut and paste the questions. And don't forget to comment on the fic itself to let the author know you enjoyed it.
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-22 06:54 am (UTC)Immediately hooked. Spies are interesting to me, fictional or no, and there was enough detail in the opening chapter to make Reese and Smithfield chasing each other very intriguing indeed.
2. What themes or style choices did you notice as you were reading the fic?
It's in present tense! Which made me happy, I like present tense.
3. In what ways does the fic feel like canon? In what ways does it differ?
It feels very canon, because of the way numbers are introduced. Plus it takes certain canon events from PoI and tweaks them slightly to add new characters. I don't know how many scenes are referenced from the other show, but it all felt very seamless to me.
4. What was your favourite scene?
The first scene in Chapter 4, Webb in the library. Asking about John's suit.
5. Which character did you relate to most and what was it about them that you connected to?
Maybe Reese? I really liked the author's voice for him, so it felt good to be reading his PoV.
6. Did the fic change your perspective on an aspect of canon or a character?
It's been a while since I watched the Donnelly episodes? I think I forgot how nervewracking those interrogations were. This fic reminded me. I didn't know what was going to happen when Rabb showed up.
7. Share a favourite quote or excerpt.
He thinks of the bullet John gave him not that long ago. The one that had John’s name on it. The one that he had melted down and now wears as cufflinks. They can’t be used to hurt John anymore.
8. What did you think of the ending?
It's very comforting. They've got a competent team together, and it's about to grow because Root and Shaw will join.
9. How did the art affect or enhance your reading of the fic?
The art is amaaazing. As well as being very pretty, the scene dividers helped me notice chapter structure more easily, and the cover gave me a handy visual on what Webb looks like.
10. What are some questions you have for the author?
Why did you decide to crossover these two shows? Are there any similarities you didn't get to explore in the fic?
(no subject)
Date: 2021-03-22 02:30 pm (UTC)The idea of an ex-CIA agent who was just waiting for the Company to “retire” him was rather intriguing. And white-haired, white-suited Alden Smithfield had me envisioning a modern-day Mark Twain.
2. What themes or style choices did you notice as you were reading the fic?
The story is about Reese choosing to make a new friend when he runs into someone of a similar background, which is an interesting process to observe. While he did become friends with several characters in the show, this friendship is much more intentional, which is an interesting variation.
3. In what ways does the fic feel like canon? In what ways does it differ?
It hewed relatively closely to events we saw in several episodes, though reworked to involve Webb, sometimes in place of regular characters.
One difference that stood out to me was a different interpretation of what happens in “Contingency;” in this story, John figures out right away that the Machine is giving him the next number, rather than helping him find Harold.
4. What was your favourite scene?
It was interesting to see Finch and Webb try to settle on terms when Webb signed on to the mission. Finch clearly has strong ideas about what is proper for him to supply as the employer, but Webb has no need or desire for any of that, which throws Finch for a loop.
5. Which character did you relate to most and what was it about them that you connected to?
Like Webb, I sure feel ready to just stop trying and retire! (Though perhaps not so completely.)
6. Did the fic change your perspective on an aspect of canon or a character?
Not so much for the POI characters, but this was a side of Harm that I wasn’t expecting. (I say that as someone who has only been a casual and infrequent viewer of JAG.)
7. Share a favourite quote or excerpt.
“Vegetable stir fry and quinoa. A friend’s favorite, I think you’ll like it.” Shockingly vegetarian,and Reese adds a mental note to find out if Webb was actually vegetarian or not later. It might be important if they have to work together again, though Reese thought it might make being a spy rather difficult if one has limited food options.
That idea gave me a laugh, but it makes sense!
8. What did you think of the ending?
It left me with a strong sense of “to be continued.” And I see that the original idea for the story would have included Shaw and Root as well. I find myself wondering how the presence of Webb as part of Team Machine would affect the personal dynamics of those two joining the team.
9. How did the art affect or enhance your reading of the fic?
It’s nicely done, with every character looking just as they should. Definitely works as a movie poster for me.
10. What are some questions you have for the author?
How old is Webb supposed to be? His actual age in this story was a bit confusing to me. The descriptions indicated the character was someone significantly past middle age, but the cover page shows him as the much younger person that he was when he appeared on JAG.
I see that in your universe Harm and Mac actually married, which makes them more intelligent than the versions of these characters that recently turned up again on NCIS: LA.