scrape_r_rational/data/cache/2cfnqu.md

Just finished The last Christmas

Post:

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/9915682/1/The-Last-Christmas Had this on backlog for a while, boy was I wrong to do that. Anywho, here's a link for more of his writing:

https://www.fanfiction.net/u/4976703/alexanderwales

Please note that if you have anything of his on backlog, go read it ASAP, its all goody, shorty non-regret inducing stories.

Comments:

• u/alexeyr:

  > if you have anything of his on backlog
  
  I don't, I've read it all :(
  

• u/_brightwing:

  I admit I was skeptical about reading something Christmas-ish initially, but then Eliezer Yudkowsky recommended it - it's worth a look.  And then I was like.. wow, just wow. To take deconstruction of a concept to such a ridiculously badass level.  My thought pattern regressed as the story continued, to something like holy shit, Holy Shit! Suddenly days have waltz by and I found myself despairing, frantically searching around for the next of his work.
  
   I am ashamed to admit though, I haven't read a Bluer Shade of White yet. Took a great feat of willpower not to.  As much as I hate leaving it like this, it's just that I never seem to be getting around to watching Frozen first.  It's amazing to see how a writer can take a world, and make something extraordinary out of it. I don't want to miss out on that.
  
  I wish Metropolitan Man didn't have to end :/
  

  • u/alexanderwales:

    I would definitely suggest watching *Frozen* before reading *A Bluer Shade of White*. It's not strictly necessary, but I think will enhance your enjoyment of the fic. Besides that, it's also one of my favorite Disney movies, and does its own deconstructions/subversions of the standard Disney tropes in a way that's pretty pleasing.
    

• u/JackStargazer:

  Y'know, he's actually on here. Paging /u/alexanderwales !
  

  • u/alexanderwales:

    Oh hey, that's me!
    
    I'm glad that people like *The Last Christmas*, but I keep looking at it as a very flawed piece - complete in the sense that the story is over, but not complete in the sense that there are a lot of things that I want to eventually change about it. I wrote the whole thing fairly quickly after getting done with National Novel Writing Month 2013\*, and had set Christmas as my deadline.
    
    I haven't gone back to edit it since then, though I just did a quick reread and there are half a hundred things that need polish. The ending also needs to be about twice as long, but it's sort of a tricky thing because the opening sections are almost all talk and exposition of these impossible things, and it needs to transition into this war planning session type of thing if that's still something that I want to go with (which I probably do). Also, more foreshadowing. I'm planning to do all of the corrections in November and have the fixes in place by next Christmas season (when I figure people are more likely to read Christmas-themed stories).
    
    \* *The Timewise Tales* is a story about people hopping backward and forward through time in pursuit of their goals. It's sort of about fate, destiny, and what to do when you know you can't change the future. I did a reread of it with some edits a few days ago to figure out which parts need to be shuffled around, which need to be rewritten, and which need to be scrapped. Depending on which of my current projects I decide to pick up and finish, it might be the next thing you see from me.
    

    • u/Nepene:

      Your flawed pieces are better than the majority of finished pieces so thank you for the awesome reads.
      
      Making it even better will of course make next Christmas even more fun.
      

• u/None:

  A incredible read ! Thanks again alexanderwales, big fan.
  That's what the movie Her should have been about, actually :)
  

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