Comment on The Drum Beats Out of Time

  1. freneticfloetry on Chapter 4 Sat 12 Apr 2025 11:05PM UTC

    Hi. You’re TK, I’m Carlos, and we’re soulmates.

    I meant to leave a comment on every chapter of this, I really did. It certainly deserves it. I just got so wrapped up in the read, the beautiful narrative and flow of it, that I lost myself until I arrived here at the end.

    This is absolutely astounding. Initially I was taken by the almost Time Traveler's Wife of it all (a longtime, all-time fave), but this quickly became its own beautiful entity. I don't think I could find a comparison for it if I tried. I love how Henry started here almost as much as where we knew he'd end up -- he's so lost and then so found, and the middle is full of such false bravado and uncertainty and then, after Alex (his Alex), such hope. I love that Alex got to see him grow this way, all the facets Henry hadn't shown him, until he understood exactly why Henry had left directly from Henry himself. And I love love love that Alex Claremont-Diaz, with all that fire under his ass for no reason, found the best reason to be steady and sure -- to be the stone where Henry whittled away all his raw, sharp edges and let all the possibility inside him take shape. This epilogue is such a wide open happy ending, it couldn't be more perfect.

    This is going to be one I come back to, time after time. Brava, both of you.

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    1. sparklepocalypse on Chapter 4 Mon 14 Apr 2025 04:17PM UTC

      I need you to know that I immediately took a screenshot of your comment, sent it to Cora, and shouted at her about how beautifully you've phrased everything and how choked up I'd become when reading it. Thank you so much for all your kind words -- they truly mean so much to both of us.

      Initially I was taken by the almost Time Traveler's Wife of it all
      Yes! I felt a lot of Time Traveler's Wife and Lake House vibes while writing this, mixed in with a little Doctor Who -- the Pandorica plot line is one of my absolute favorites, and Rory as the Centurion has a similar feel to the heartbroken, protective, stalwart sentry that is Alex in this.

      I love how Henry started here almost as much as where we knew he'd end up -- he's so lost and then so found, and the middle is full of such false bravado and uncertainty and then, after Alex (his Alex), such hope.
      Because the book (and to at least some extent, the movie) is presented from Alex's POV, it feels like a lot of Henry is lost in translation. You know he's sad about his father, and from CMQ that he had an "Oxford Slut Phase," and that he's anxious about his public persona, but there's so much room to explore the depth of his character, and I'm certain I speak for Cora and myself when I say we deeply enjoyed that exploration.

      I love that Alex got to see him grow this way, all the facets Henry hadn't shown him, until he understood exactly why Henry had left directly from Henry himself.
      And whether it was absently making a wish on a ley line, or Kensington ghosts, or some sort of brujeria that led him down the rabbit hole, he came out of it knowing Henry and himself better for it. 💗

      And I love love love that Alex Claremont-Diaz, with all that fire under his ass for no reason, found the best reason to be steady and sure -- to be the stone where Henry whittled away all his raw, sharp edges and let all the possibility inside him take shape.
      This sentence is a fucking poem -- you phrased it so beautifully!

      I'm so happy you enjoyed -- thank you again for such kind words. This is easily one of my favorite comments I've ever received.

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    2. OrchidScript on Chapter 4 Fri 18 Apr 2025 01:58PM UTC

      I'm very behind on answering things, but this comment. This comment got me through the rest of the week. This was just so lovely to read and made my heart so happy, so thank you. Thank you so, so, so much for reading and for commenting ♥️ ♥️ ♥️ thank you thank you thank you

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