Fortune's End by Beverly McIntyre
Reviewed by Dannell Lites


Ah surprised myself with this story, Ah really did.  Ah didn't expect to, you
see.  There are some very stern warnings that preceed this tale concerning
the graphic violence therein.  Ya'll readers would be advised to take them
well to heart.  There's a *lot* of violence in this story.  But it couldn't
be told any other way, because, frankly, that's the way it happend:  very
violently.  To tell ya'll the absolute truth, Ah almost didn't read the
consarned thing because of those warnings and that would have been my loss.
In the main, Ah do not aprove of gratuituous violence.  But this is a good
story, cleanly and elegantly told and the violence is an utterly necessary
part of it.

The story is a retelling of the Fetterman Massacre of 1866 with various
X-Characters replacing the historical cast.  Now as an historical researcher
Ah found this intriguing on many levels.  Myself, Ah love pottering amongst
duty old tomes and unearthing the truth (such as it is) behind the history
books.  IMHO history is replete with exciting people and adventurous stories
abound.  But most folks feel differently.  So Ah was anxious to see how well
Ms. McIntyre had done her research:):)  After all, most people have never
even *heard* of the Fetterman Massacre.  Ms. MacIntyre has done her research
remarkably well, I found.  Her attention to historical detail is splendid and
the story is the richer for her efforts.  One of her goals here is to perhaps
restore the Fetterman Massacre to an appropriate place in history.  She
wisely points out that it was a military debacle along the same scale of the
much more famous Custer's Last Stand ort even the The Alamo.  Her lucid
writing style makes it quite easy to follow the progress of the chaotic
battle which Ah found a definite plus!

To my mind one of the best things about such "Elsewhen/What IF?" fiction as
"Fortune's End" is to see how well the author has blend the X-Men with the
historical/fantasy setting of the story.  And here Ms. McIntyre is at her
best!  Her use of Victor Creed (Sabretooth) is inspired.  I was also
particuarily fond of her use of Sean Cassidy (Banshee) and Logan
(Wolverine)!  Hee!  Tarnation, every Calvary Saga needs an Irish Sarge and a
grisseld old vet:):)  I was very pleased indeed with her use of Cain Marko
(Juggernaut) as the hot headed and viscious bigot who urges Captain Summers
(Alex, that is!) to pursue the enemy.  Nicely done and thought out!  As a
HUGE Magneto fan, I was gratefied by the presence of "Captain Lehnsherr" in a
very sympathetic role.  Lieutenent Scott Summers was a little lost and a tad
less forceful and leader-wise than I see him, but Hey!  *I* didn't write the
story ... more's the pity:):)

Recomeded!


Dannell!