Comments on Runnin' with the Devil by Charlie Fish
- Thank you for sharing such a wonderful story. It had everything and it did get me interested to keep on reading and oh! to keep me guessing what was in the next line and chapter. That is good. A nice and brilliant plot all the way. A mastery of the right words to convey your ideas. Thanks for sharing. Peter Addo
- One of the most entertaining and delightful stories I have read (and I have read quite a few!!) You have a flair for mythical and the names - Cain and Lucifer were a good touch. Hope you write some more soon so I can visit and read them again
- Hi Charles. Had a good read of 'Runnin' with the Devil' and really enjoyed it. I think it was written very tightly, so it moved along at the right speed and definitely kept me intrigued. The ending about 'breaking the laws' was a great twist, though I admit it got better the more I tossed it around in my head after having read the story and 'digested' it. The devil got beat at his own game. As I said, the twist ending is my favourite, so I like to be kept guessing. By the way, what do you think of M. Night Shyamalan's films? It seems he's love or hate. Have a great Christmas, Alex
- That was a great story, the incest thing might have worked, but then would they have stopped drugs being legalised?
- It's a splendid story, especially the mythic element, and Spanish Train fits perfectly, as an evocation of a worldview where unfair rules can damn even repentant souls - but in what alternate universe does a brother & sister end up in solitary confinement together? They may not consider incest as a possibility - but I can't see them ending up in the same prison, never mind the same cell. Sorry - I know it's dull, but back in the real world, men get locked up 10 miles from their families, and women are locked up for lesser crimes 100s of miles from their families because there just aren't that many women's prisons. Speaking of unjust rules...
- Hi Charlie. What an impact this new story of yours had on me. Juliet
- Enjoyed the story and agree with Ed's comments, however I found it a bit depressing as it brought home my own shortcomings as a story writer! Re- the mythical story in the introduction, according to Christian beliefs the sister's repentance on the 40th day would earn God's forgiveness and so defeat the devil! However I appreciate that this solution for James and Sarah would have seemed an anti-climax to most readers. Tom.
- I envy the writer's imaginative strength. Although quite a long story, my attention didn't flag. The plot is well-crafted and the action well paced, including a car chase sequence which is breathtaking. There's a red herring in there, followed by a cunning twist to the plot and a satisfying ending. A masterful work. Thanks for the read. Ed.
- Author's comment: This is the second story I've ever written, and the longest, with which I've been 100% happy. My little brother loved it, but thought the ending was too out of the blue. I've edited it slightly since he read it, adding a few more clues as to the nature of the twist. It's hard for me to assess if I've got the right balance now, so I'm eager to hear any opinions. By the way, the lack of direct reference to the possibility of incest at the end was a conscious decision of mine. James and Sarah just wouldn't have considered it! Finally, my inspiration for this story was hearing Jeremy Paxman read out half a question on University Challenge while I was channel flicking. It was something along the lines of, "--in which a man is compelled to commit a crime each day for fear of an evil curse--".
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