Brook Henson

"A Good Thing" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 28th October 2001 (2)

This author likes to put emphasis on Jim's army background, which is a refreshing change from many Sentinel authors, but in this story I found myself not being able to believe it. This is basically a short domestic story in which Jim is musing about himself, his life, and how lucky he is that Blair puts up with his combat-born neuroses, and I was mentally protesting that Jim had been out of the army for five years, and surely he wouldn't be that bad now? So this story didn't work for me. Read it if you want a change.

"Certain Things" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 18th September 2002 (1)
(27K)

This one wasn't really my cup of tea; it's basically a hurt/comfort snippet with a badly hurt Jim and a quietly comforting Blair -- what is there is good, yes, but it hits my nothing-but-h/c buttons due to the lack of supporting plot. No villain shows his face, no motivation is given for the abuse that Jim suffered, we just see the aftermath -- as I said, this is a snippet.

"Point Blank" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 13th April 2002 (2)
(19K)

I think I need to take my Brook Henson in small doses; I enjoy it better that way; strong and bitter and angsty, like coffee without sugar. This story was another good one; as expected, we have an Army-Jim, a protector Jim. This was a vivid incident, a close shave and the realistic but not over-the-top reactions in the aftermath. It makes your average Blair-in-danger-of-his-life story seem almost trite in comparison. This knife-edge was painted more sharply.

"The War" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 23rd October 2001 (5)

I read this story because Carolyn Claire had an "I like this author" link to Brook's Nook, and I thought, hey, I'll give it a go. I liked this story. If you don't like swearing, beware, because Army-Jim doesn't have a pretty mouth; and when an old army buddy gives Jim some bad news, well, Army-Jim comes to the fore; old memories, old habits. I liked this because we got some insight into Jim, and this Jim is tough without being an asshole, and this Blair sees through Jim and offers support without being soppy. I liked that.

"Wide Open" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 28th October 2001 (1)

The summary says "A crime scene, a bad dream and not much else in between" -- but unlike many pieces of Sentinel fan fiction, the bad dream is Jim's not Blair's. This is a short angsty piece with Jim having a nightmare from his army days and Blair is the one offering comfort. There's some coolly picturesque language here.

At the crime scene:
    Seeing my glare, he glares back and flips me the finger. He is drunk, weaving on his feet. There are whole continents of rusty blood-stains on his tee-shirt.

And later:
    And I fly awake with a convulsive gasp, shuddering and blinking up into the darkness of my bedroom. Darkness that isn't dark to me. All my senses are painfully jacked up. I feel wide open. I feel like an underground creature exposed to too much light and space and air. Then I see Sandburg's face hovering over mine and I feel his warm, solid hand on my chest. The scent of his breath is in my nose.

Besides a dreadful crime scene, there's bad language here, but if you can cope with that, read it!

"Yesterday's Eyes" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 15th September 2002 (1)
(19K)

The summary says: "Angst for Jim. Feverish Blair." And that's basically it, really. A little piece out of life, a touch of hurt and comfort, given and received on both sides; a moving picture.

Inverse

(1) "Inverse" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 8th September 2002 (5)
(22K)

This AU story opens with the intriguing "The night he found out that Jim Ellison was alive..." and carries on in a wonderfully angsty and friendshippy way, with a hopeful ending -- while leaving the central questions unanswered, though a very few answers are hinted at. But I still want to know why, not to mention how and what and where... and what happens next.

(2) "Function" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 9th September 2002 (1)
(22K)

Thanks to DebbieLD for telling me that the next installment of the AU story begun in "Inverse" was out. Again it's too small, but again we have wonderful angst and comfort, the tentative dance-and-retreat of the too-long-separated and emotionally wounded friends. We have a few more questions answered, but not much. This ain't a story, this is really a work-in-progress. So we want the next chapter, of course!

(3) "Relative Space" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 6th October 2002 (1)
(24K)

This is the third chapter in this story begun with "Inverse". It's worth going back and re-reading the other two before reading this one, they are so closely connected. Ah, at this rate we'll never find out what happened or who the bad guys were or are, because the focus is really on Jim and Jim's suffering of the aftermath of whatever it was that was done to him -- and Blair suffering from seeing Jim suffering, and trying to help without frightening the twitchy Jim away. Talk about angst! But considering how many stories there are which just gloss over aftermaths, (well, they don't actually gloss, they just assume that the only payback is nightmares) then this is worthily different, even though it does require one to be more patient -- almost as patient as Blair is required to be. He doesn't get any magic storytelling time-compression, and we're waiting right along with him.

(4) "Natural Force" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st January 2003 (1)
(28K)

Here's the next chapter. We learn a little more, with dark and delicate pictures painted, more tracks of blood from a wounded soul; more of the circumstances of Jim's "death". We still don't know why, but we know somewhat of how and what. More in the next chapter, I presume!

(5) "Entropy" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 1st January 2003 (2)
(24K)

This story is the (too brief) next chapter after "Natural Force". We find out a little more again, we see the angst and the tension and the love... Not to mention the picturesque words:
    Blair woke, opened his eyes to the fragile light of early morning, and thought instantly of Jim lying on his futon like a man shipwrecked; washed up on a beach, exhausted and battered, but finally on solid ground again. Home.

The supporting character of Leo is good too.

(6) "Convergence" (Sentinel)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 28th January 2003 (3)
(25K)

This is the sequel to "Entropy". I would not recommend people read this one until the next part is out, because this one is more like half a chapter than a chapter -- it opens with something intriguing, and doesn't close, not really. However, those of you who are like the happy torment of a work-in-progress, go ahead, because it still keeps up the tone and tension of the earlier parts.