Dark Shadows and Beyond

[Amy Jennings Fan]

Have any of you read Charles Delaware Troll's amazing continuation of Dark Shadows? He wrote DS episodes summaries for a year of Dark Shadows that never existed and he wrote them in a way that they were in keeping with the show.

[Gothick]

I haven't read those, but, more years ago than I care to recall (has it really been THAT long?) I read the beginning of a wonderful series by fan writer M. F. Miozza that was his version of how 1971 might have transpired, had the original series not been axed.

Unfortunately he never finished it, adding to the list of fan projects we've yet to see completed (my own bio of Grayson Hall among them!)

Connie's unfinished novel Divine Awakening is a very different take--to me, fascinating--on what might have happened to the characters had Barnabas been cured and Julia instead hooked up with Quentin.  The emotional dynamics of this are beautifully described.  It's very much adult fiction (and I'm not using "adult" as a synonym for "sexual infantilism" as is popular in our culture).

G.

[Cassandra Blair]

Amy Jennings Fan - I've seen Charles Delaware Troll's continuation of Dark Shadows and have read the first few (though it's been awhile).  What I read was pretty good, it was definitely in the spirit of the original show.  You've piqued my curiousity - I'll have to go back and take a look at them again, if I can find the site on the net.  Do you have the link handy?

And to Gothick - do you know where I might find M. F. Miozza's version of the events of 1971?

Thanks,

Alix (CassandraBlair)

[Amy Jennings Fan]

Here's the link:

http://members.aol.com/chasdtroll/mainp.html

[PennyDreadful]

 Yes, I have read them and highly recommend them.  They are written in the style and spririt of the series (the style is like 'DS Concordance' episode summary format) and are highly addictive once you start reading them.  He makes an effort to wrap up many of the series' dangling plotlines and writes them in such a way that they are really in keeping with the show.  My favorite one is the present day Harrison Collins story.  That one is really well woven storyline-wise.  I've never been really big on fanfic (it's a mixed bag), but this goes beyond that.  It's a full one-year compilation of plot summaries for episodes that never existed!  If you like them, be sure to drop Troll and email and let him know.  I think he was toying with the idea of continuing plot summaries for the "Lost Prime-Time Series" version of DS (though he may have only been joking).

 ~Penny Dreadful~  

[Amy Jennings Fan]

I liked the present day Chris Jennings story. I liked the way it turned out for Chris. I also liked the way it turned out for Joe Haskell.

[PennyDreadful]

I liked the present day Chris Jennings story. I liked the way it turned out for Chris. I also liked the way it turned out for Joe Haskell.

 Yes, that one was very good!  I also like how he resolved the Maggie/Joe situation.  One thing I really emjoyed about that storyline was how he depicted the Parallel Time which played out as if DS had gone ahead with the original plan to bring in a male Dr. Hoffman and kill off Barnabas!  It was really pretty darn cool how he wrote that whole storyline up and brought back Mitch Ryan as Burke Devlin.

 My only real gripe with the final story was [spoiler]the happy ending with Barnabas & Julia (and Sarah).  That was a tad corny for my tastes, and I don't think it would have happened on the actual show.[/spoiler]  I would have liked a different ending, but the rest of it was really very well done and for the most part true to the sprit of the show.

   I emailed him after I read the whole thing and he wrote back and mentioned he had toyed with a few other ideas like a 1920's flashback featuring Jamison and a mummy storyline. He also considered the possible return of Adam at some point.  He just couldn't figure out where to work those things in, so he didn't include them.

   The whole thing was an amazing effort on CD Troll's part.

~Penny Dreadful~    

[Heather]

Connie's unfinished novel Divine Awakening is a very different take--to me, fascinating--on what might have happened to the characters had Barnabas been cured and Julia instead hooked up with Quentin. The emotional dynamics of this are beautifully described. It's very much adult fiction (and I'm not using "adult" as a synonym for "sexual infantilism" as is popular in our culture).

Here, here! I love that story too... and this coming from a hard-core B&J nut. LOL  Quite a page turner, that one.

[Amy Jennings Fan]

I also liked the present day Victoria Winters story. I liked the way he solved Vicki's parentage.

[Brian]

  I printed them out and read them all several years ago--Ive since tossed the print-outs.  But I thoroughly enjoyed the way he envisioned the stories and characters.  Well worth reading if you haven't seen them yet.  I emailed C.D.Troll a few times back then, and at one point asked him if he was Sam Hall writing as C.D.Troll.  Of course, he wasn't but that's the level of the storytelling.  The real author is still a mystery to me.  I hope he's doing well and on to other things.

Brian