Whew, meant to post something much earlier, but I didn't get around to reading much until today.
To start with, I'm sorry to hear about what you're going through, Merry. I hope all goes well!
Thanks once again to Simon for so graciously taking the time to fix the error I made with my story for this week. It is greatly appreciated.
And speaking of Antithesis, thanks to CerebusOne, Fumanchu, BethanyP, and of course 321 himself for the kind words about the short. Like I said at the end of the story, the idea came about as a joke, and grew into something I never intended to write, but couldn't resist. It was fun, and I hope people were able to catch the few references that I managed to put in. Despite how it ended, I haven't quite decided if the story will continue, but I'm certainly not closed off to the idea. Perhaps someday, should the inspiration strike.
And now onto the main event!
Seems only natural to talk about Hostel first. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but I love everything about 321's work. The characters, even the antagonists, are so wonderful (and wonderfully written!), the story is so engaging, and the hypnosis is just... flawless. I've never been disappointed, and this chapter is no exception to that. Well... I do have one complaint. It could have used more Jessica! I've heard some very intriguing theories about what might be happening... but I'll wait to see what unfolds first.
The Tickle War was a great piece, and I'm actually sad to see that it's already over. Very well written, and the scene near the beginning with her driving was pretty. dang. nice. I enjoyed the change of pace from the usual story, wherein everything is loving and friendly and lighthearted, and really reminds me of the story Crutch. Just a very sweet, lovely tale through and through.
I read The Spiral Girl as a result of a recommendation by a friend. Just fantastic descriptions of the induction and where things went with the girl. While I'm not a fan of Brandan, and the way he carries himself, I think the rest of the story more than made up for that. I did more or less predict what was going to happen with the character mentioned at the end (the tags hinted at it) but was actually surprised that the story pretty much confirmed it with the last sentence. Have to say, I am looking forward to seeing how things play out in the coming chapters.
Because of what CerebusOne said, I decided to check out Subscription Model. Admittedly I still have a lot of catch up to do, so I can't really say much about the story, certainly nothing about the recent chapter, but the premise seems interesting, and leaves me curious enough to continue. The quality of the writing certainly helps persuade me as well!
That's all I have to say for now! Hopefully I'll find time for more reading before the weekend. Gotta find something to keep me busy until there's more Hostel!
Thank you again to everyone that enjoyed Antithesis!!
PS. Regarding the TG ban. I believe that yes, it is strictly just for stories involving transformations between genders. From what I recall, it was partly because the MC was used as an excuse for the transformation and didn't really play into the story in any other way, and partly because of just how many such stories there were. At least that's what I recall reading. Could be off.