Category: Mass Effect Fanworks

An Exercise in Self-Critique 3

This is the third post in the series where I critique the beginnings of my own stories, written long ago, and try to make them better. Here are the first and second posts. Today I’ll look at one of my favorite flawed creations, The Candidate.

Continue reading An Exercise in Self-Critique 3

Misfire Anon Story Collection at smehur.com

I am delighted to announce that you can now read Mass Effect fanfiction written by Misfire Anon, my dear friend and partner in crime, here on smehur.com.

Included is the complete collection of the titular Misfire Fills, the phenomenal slice-of-life ficlets that laid the foundations for our shared Saren/Nihlus verse and inspired many fans to take in interest in this rare pairing. If you’ve never read these, it’s a must! And if you have, this is a great opportunity to revisit them in a new and more reader-friendly environment.

I also wholeheartedly recommend reading (and rereading!) Misfire Anon’s longer works, among which The Other Beginning is my personal favorite, followed closely by Vertigo and Marked.

Misfire Anon has an account on FanFiction, where some of their stories are posted, and on Tumblr, where you can see some of their lovely art.

♥ ♥ ♥

Image: The Fight Never Ends, by Misfire Anon

[53]

“What do you mean,” Saren said, spitting out the syllables, “‘you can’t read it’?”

“I’ve never seen this radical before.” And Nihlus pointed to a symbol that resembled a backwards ‘orn’ with two extra strokes thrown in. “Does that say ‘lorn’?”

Evidently, it did not. Saren’s mandibles actually went slack for a second. Maybe in shock. But the subsequent tucking was fury. Definitely fury.

“You’re illiterate.”

“I think I handled that last report just fine, thank –“

“You can’t read the preface of Service without a translator?”

“I never had to read the preface of Service without a translator,” he hissed back.

Saren shook his head. “Fine. We’ll start with a translator.”

“Sorry, I didn’t load ‘ye olde bird-tongue’ on mine.”

Saren looked like he was about to pick up the substantial tome and break his spine with it.

[52]

Saren yawned. “Not likely. Go to sleep.”

Brushing aside the soft command like so much Armali silk, Nihlus propped himself up on his elbows. “But it’s possible.”

Saren didn’t answer.

“It is, isn’t it?” he muttered. “Let me guess. It’s going to take a miracle.”

The fold-out cot creaked when Saren finally turned to face him, catching his eyes. “Statistically speaking.”

“Oh yeah? What are those statistics telling you?”

Continue reading [52]