You got Thunderbird 5 /exploding/ from 'one of the boys sees flashing lights'?! How?

Awesome. Couldn’t stop reading, excellent build up of tension and story

Wow... I couldn't stop reading despite being tired. This is definitely the most well written fanfiction I can remember ever reading. The way you wrote the story was so engaging and realistic. I was so impressed by the amount of jargon you used too haha~ You really know your materials! Thanks for sharing this wonderful read!

So this review is a bit late, but I've been a lurker on this website for far too long and in all that time I've been stuck with a question that I had to find an answer for.

But first, my thoughts. This is by far one of my favourite fanfics. I've read and reread this story so many times, every time finding something new! (Probably because I get so excited that I start skipping words)

I love how you write John. He is the main reason why I got into Thunderbirds in the first place. His character is someone I'm fascinated with. I can relate to him and I feel like I know him better that the rest of our boys in blue. And you somehow manage to capture him perfectly! I hope that one day I can write him half as good a you.

And now, on to the question. Every time I read this fanfic, I feel like I'm still waiting for an explanation as to, why Gordon? I would love to know why Jeff chose him instead of Virgil?

Thank you so much for this wonderful story. Brilliantly written!

Wow, I LOVE this story!

Okay, so first things first - I love your style of writing. It's very smooth and flows easily, without much thought (on my part). Everything is just seamless and just... connects.

There's one thing that really gets me with fan fiction - is the delivery of details. I like when the writing explains the story by actions and details, versus the writing from the narrative telling us exactly what's going on. You've mastered that, and I could read your stuff all day! (I have been, actually, but I'm reviewing from my phone, and that's hard).

I love how you've written John. I see quite a few interpretations of him, and he seems to be one of the more difficult characters to write - maybe it's because he's more reserved/quiet than his brothers, and also SO intelligent, but I love how you wrote him. I can't even really explain why I like it, but if you wrote more John fics, I'd so be in love. He's just the right amount of reserved, I think. You just wrote out his thought processes very well. And it was all in the smaller details.

The details is my other thing. It's so easy to over-indulge, but you gave just enough detail to set up the framework for us, but let our imaginations fill in the rest.

I was so worried that John had died when Gordon set the missile on Five. I was so excited that I'd read too fast, and missed the detail that he'd gotten out.

All in all, everything about this was just right!

I do hope you'll write more John fics. He's not the easiest character to write, but you do such a fantastic job, and we could always use more John fics!

Fantastic, brilliant story! I couldn't take my eyes off the page. Looking forward to seeing what else you've written. :)

Seeing flashes... for me as an oncology nurse that means a brain tumor or metastases in the brain.

So I was very glad to see that these flashes came from somewhere else. (And the story is about my favorite Tracy too.)

Every paragraph sort of ends with a cliffhanger and I couldn't stop reading.

Loved to see the interaction between Brains and John. Loved to see the spot on characterization of all IR members. The frustations of waiting, of helplessness were all portrayed with a few words. The decisions and orders, even one no parent ought to have to make and give.

John Theydon, move over!

Lee, I knew this was going to win from the second I started reading it during the challenge. This is professional level fiction and it should be gracing the shelves of a bookstore. Vivid imagery, nerveracking tension, everyone spot on in character...you had me by the throat from the very start and I was up close and personal with those characters, breathless until the very end. Amazing, amazing job.

A gripping story that well exceeded the original request and kept racking up the tension right to the end.

Brilliant. You kept the tension right up until the end. Beautifully written. Thanks

Lee,

This story was amazing and it thoroughly deserved the tied first place in the challenge. It is a well written, nail biting ride and I really enjoyed it.

The dialogue between the characters is absolutely spot on and as I have said in another review recently, it is just so refreshing to read the characters portrayed as real men for a change. You balanced each section of the story perfectly and escalated the sections with the exact same speed as Thunderbird Five made its "re-entry".

The pinnacle (for me, anyway) were Jeff's words "you go," when Thunderbird Five had to be taken out. That would have been the most gut wrenching thing for a father to say and a younger brother to told to do, especially when they weren't sure John was OK. My heart sank to my feet as I read it. Very rarely does a piece of writing make me feel like that. Well done. We well remember Virgil and Brains in Ricochet when they thought Olsen was still on board K13. Imagine the same thng if it was one of their own!

My final comment is regarding your portrayal of Scott's frustration when he could not control the situation. The comparison to earth, air and fire was brilliant. I can well imagine Scott feeling as he did and whilst the comparison was made in such few words - it was all that was needed to be said.

Loved it.

Congratulations

mcj

Right from the start, right from the first sentence, 'the first time caught him daydreaming', you can tell this story is going to be a good one.

Plus, it's a John fic, and my God, my love for the spacebound Tracy hasn't diminished :)

Your description of JT's eyes- 'The pupils constricted as he moved into the light, the irises blue and grey and streaked with pale strands of amber.' Beautiful and compelling. There's something so very attractive about that one lovely man stuck all alone up there, where anything can happen (in the next half hour), and knowing you, probably will. And I hope you don't mind me saying this, at risk of sounding like I just have a one-track mind, there's always a tense underlying sexiness to the way you write these men, and the way they interact with their environments.

Shit, that solar flare is a biggie. Sorry for the non-techno talk, but oh my God, John, get your ass out of there now!

Scott's uncertainty in the face of things he can't control is very believable. He's a man used to being in charge. Here, it makes him snappy.

I love this line concerning JT and Thunderbird 5. 'His girl was being ravaged and he was helpless to stop it.'

And then all hell breaks loose, and all I can say is this is one cracking read with just the right balance of technical detail and all-out action to keep the reader hooked.

Good work, Lee, as always.

Tx

ok this was really good but what happen to john lol. this is really good hope they is more to this update soon xxxxxx

Um... wow.

My heart was in my throat throughout this story. You built the suspense and tension perfectly until the very end. I loved the way you got into each of the boys' heads in turn, but especially John's as he experienced the rapid decay of his 'Bird.

"Deep inside the darkness of 43581 a spark flared. Like a live thing it fluttered, blinked, opened a baleful red eye and stared out at the universe. A tongue of flame curled across the surface of the Sun, uncoiled, spat itself millions of kilometres into space."

Marvelous, descriptive, visual imagery here.

I wondered what Jeff was going to do when all those calls started flooding in from the various space stations... but there was nothing he could do: he was as helpless as everyone else.

Excellent story, and one that far outstripped the prompt you were given. I hope it garnered lots of votes. Thanks for sharing with us.