Waah! How inattentive am I? Didn't even know you updated...
Don't let another massive amount of time go by before you update! This is a really good phic! Such a wonderful, original, creative concept... Even if the name Julian irks me for some inexplicable reason. (Nothing against you or the phic, of course... Just know some obnoxious people with that name.) He's a good munchkin and I like the original twist on the old archetype of Erik ending up with a grubling. I feel so sorry for Erik, though... Blaiming himself like that... I was overcome by the most irrational need to huggle him at the end of this chapter. You must update soon! Please? If need of a beta is all that is preventing more updates, I know a few people who are excellent...

Oh! This is too good to stop now! The plot is just beginning to unfold. I love seeing Erik being a parent; and poor, little Julian. *sniffle* Please update! I can't wait to see more...

I love this story. I've never seen an interpetation quite like this. I hope you continue it.

LOVED IT! Your style is amazing and I love well described pieces. As for the character julian maybe he has somthing wrong with him that eriks music can fix or his music soothes him in someway?I definatly think some sort of female needs to be a mother replacement and or wife?Heehee some sort of strong woman to balance eriks motherside?:)

Please please email me if you decide to do anymore chapters as i am engrossed!

Yours lovingly amelia

My dear, dear friend;

I still like it as much as ever, though I am somewhat disgusted that you made me wait so long.

Who do you think I am? Why do you let me do this to myself, a slave to the words you inscribe on page, a slave to the beauty of the prose? Is there a reason, you think, for the fact that I speak in complete sentences, unlike most of your unfeeling reviewers?

I may be a slave to the story, but it is only the words that hold me. Only the words... people underestimate the power of their stories. People in general, you in particular. Perfectionism is a curse, but one that I am willing to carry in exchange for the susequent reward of good writing. Are you a perfectionist?

I know it is hardly likely you will reply; after all, I am nothing but a reviewer, one who you do not know, will never see. This age- an age he would love for its very facelessness... But why did you write the story?

Be perfectly honest; talk to me. I will listen, I promise. It's the least I can do.

You know where to find me, if you ever want to talk.

angelinhell

Perhaps another reason for Raoul to give up the child would be that it would grow to be deformed (he did plan to give it up before seeing it) or criminally insane (Raoul had a bad experience in that cellar.

Please do continue this fic. I think I have an inkling where you're going with it, and I'd like to read more.

Very very very good as before! Thanks so much for updating this! Glad I added it to faves, otherwise I'd never have discovered it updated after so long! And yes, everyone has their long... long... long... times in which they don't write a chapter to one (or more) of their stories *cough* Love Grows *cough* so no as long as you finish it before we die, right? :P

Oh you must update soon! I feel so bad for Erik! This is so well-written and original.. ahh so good! Write quickly!

I still like this story. A lot. It hurts to read it, it's so true to character, and that's one of the highest compliments I can give. Trust me.

Anyway:

DON'T SPEED IT UP! I know it seems too slow to you, but these scenes really develop the characters and foreshadow a lot of what's to come. They're really good. Of course you can't have nothing ever happen- that would be too boring. But by no means does it have to be all action.

I still like it a lot and I like where you're going with it. Keep up the good work!

My friend;

The few typos I have noticed make no difference whatsoever in the overall story. I totally agree with you about the character of Raoul (though I think he does deserve bashing, if only in return for making MY favorite character miserable) and WOW! Not even ALW captured the character of Erik so well. I think most of the people who write him really don't understand him, but you seem to get inside his soul and you're really telling me *I am Erik, I have power! I could rule all your pathetic lives if I wanted to, but that would be so incredibly boring.* But we know that there's more to him than that, so much more. I tend to portray him in a slightly more tender and sympathetic way, but he's a kid still in my story, so I guess I have an excuse.

If you want, you should check out my story, Erik's Epik (no, that is not a typo repeat NOT a typo [I was feeling sentimental and fairly insane]), which is a complete revision of Erik's life story (with some basis on Susan Kay, but not much), including six female characters (counting Christine), two of whom die, three of whom leave, and one of whom goes insane, and a daughter. Beware: It might get somewhat PG-13 for implied at later times. But I think it's a sweet story mostly. Or at least it will be.

Anyway, enough about me: the criticism. I really don't think there's a lot of storyline that I would change. Your only realy problem is that you try to fit too many words into a sentence and you occasionally switch styles (older to modern). My best friend does that also, and while I like it, it makes certain moments somewhat awkward. It's entirely up to you whether to change it: I suggest it only for the purpose of clarification.

I really like the slightly humorous (though tragic, which make them ironic), definitely cynical thoughts that cross Erik's mind. They lift a little of the tension without murdering the drama. Good job!

This is the longest review I've written in my life, but you definitely deserve it. I LOVE THIS STORY! I would read up to the fourth chapter but my brother's trying to kick me off the computer, so I can't. But I will read them and I will review them. I think that reviews are the most wonderful thing I can do for a writer: an honest review is much more welcome than exorbitant praise.

Look me up if you've got the time and the desire: angelinhell. I stole that straight from the musical...

angelinhell (or, if you're feeling humorous, angle-in-hell) teehee

WOW... you updated this a long time ago and never noticed... 0_0

Anyway, good fourth chapter that I never figured out was here! Continue very soon! This is a wonderful story! :D :D :D :D :D

Wow!What a fic.I'm really into this have more up soon.

Waitasec... does this mean that Erik's *not* a virgin? Geez, from the way he spazzed out when Christine *kissed* him, I never woulda guessed... And yeah, Raoul's looking just a little demonic in Ch. 1, but it's good to know he didn't *actually* kill the kid. Even to escape from the past, I *don't* think Erik would be the first person he'd turn to, though, but then again-if that were so, we wouldn't have a story, now would we? Keep writing; you're doing a good job and you're consciencious about keeping people in character.

Well, I'm back. I figured I'd better find out what happened next before I went crazy.

I like the idea of Erik raising a child-and spoiling him, it's adorable.

I was thinking last night about your portrayal of Raoul, after I reviewed. I still disagree with it, because I don't think that Raoul has that level of guile or duplicity. In Leroux's novel, he's straightforward to a fault, saying whatever he thinks with little regard for the consequences. The same goes for his actions, for the most part. However, if I were Raoul I wouldn't want anything to do with Erik's child either, so on that I can understand your perspective.

Please, please don't fall into the trap of making Raoul the bad guy. You have an intriguing storyline, and I'd hate to see it bogged down by Phan fiction's most annoying cliche.

After reading the first chapter, I was ready to give up. I'm so sick of Raoul-bashing, it's not even funny. And I'm sorry, but I don't agree that Raoul would EVER do anything like that. Ever. He is still a gentleman and a compassionate human being at that, no matter what other Phans might say.

However, I will say that your Raoul is more complex and darker than most, which also makes him interesting. I don't like Raoul portrayed as a demon, but a saint is pretty hard to take, too. Done right, you may just achieve a balance.