by Nick (link)
Genre adventure, drama, comedy
Pairings Taylor/OFC
Status Completed (first in a series of three stories)
Zac Says Tay… is one of the most notable stories in all of hanfic, for several reasons. Not only is it not a romance, which makes it pretty rare, it was written by a male fan, and that’s even more rare. The title is from a silly quote Zac evidently said in an early interview, and the story definitely has some funny moments worthy of such a silly title. It also has a meaning of its own within the story, which I think adds a fun second layer to the whole thing.
I’ve noticed something of trend in stories written by men — or, at least, gen stories. These stories tend to rely on an omniscient narrator more than any other. It works, though, especially for a story with so much action and so many important perspectives. Nick does make a few grammatical errors, mostly with comma usage and tense, but it’s nothing too distracting. Overall, the writing is good, with a distinct and humorous voice. A little comedy is important for a story with so much action.
As for the plot, I can’t really criticize it at all. From my uniformed perspective, the military aspects of it make perfect sense and all the various details fit together perfectly. Nick leaves one annoying little thread dangling for several chapters, but once the full story is revealed, that too makes sense.
When I was younger, I knew the basic plot of this story and shied away from it. I had a low tolerance for nailbiters and angst, and Zac Says Tay… definitely falls into the former category. I’m glad a finally gave it a chance, though. What makes it, and so many gen stories, work is the relationship between the three brothers. That’s something anyone, whether they typically read het, slash, cest or nothing at all can appreciate and enjoy.
Review by Bethany (website)