AMAZING story!, seriously though, great.

So it's almost 2 am and I have school tomorrow but I just couldn't put this down! Your writing style is so unique and yet the voice you've given Jim is perfect. Amazing characterisation, and great job integrating your OCs and the time/setting into the story seamlessly. This was such a great read. Thank you.

Oh, wow. I love it. The characterization is just perfect. It's so believable, and you can totally imagine this Jim growing up to be the greatest criminal mastermind on the planet, but at the same time... He seems just like a normal kid, ya know? He's got some of the same problems as everybody else does, and it's so great. Is it bad that I just can't NOT love Jim right now? Because it's just that good. I absolutely adore your writing style; it's so fresh and unique, & it feels like he's right there talking to you. There's really nothing else like it.
I love all the little tie-ins with cannon; I can't get enough of this fic!

So, I finished.
I'm in love.

Thank you so much for this.

I usually never stop halfway though a reading to comment, except when i dino't like the story. This time though, I forced myself to stop reading to leave a review because, really, this more than deserves it. It's one of the most awesomest backstories I've ever read, kudos. Really, thanks so much for sharing it :)

So I guess now I've finished it I'll review this properly-ish? This is my favourite fic now, if not one of my favourite stories. You made some bold choices in terms of psychology, and I really enjoyed this interpretation. Although he does seem almost jarringly ordinary and easy to identify with at first to me, it works well and serves to make this even more bleak. From the first chapter to the last I've had a growing sense of sickening dread, and it's a sign of a good writer when their articulations of feelings and concepts you hadn't thought could be articulated make you grin stupidly. I'm trying to be a balanced critic, but I love this too much. Everything about it. I'm sad it's over, but you ended it at just the right point. Okay, I'm gushing, but wow.

Thank god for writers like you. Really. I have to review this now, even though I haven't finished it yet. Plausible and intriguing and not cliched at all, and you can tell you're Irish because you know your shit. This is an interesting and original perspective on Jim's past. Thanks for restoring my faith in the art of fanfic, and all that. Had to follow you.

Wow I love this. While I read I found that I really related to Jim and that sorta weird I guess since he's not exactly sane especially later on but that depends on how you look at it. Anyway, I really related to his way of thinking and not caring. I should probably be worried that I'm relating to a character like Jim but I can't really be arsed at the moment to get all introspective and pick apart my psyche, besides when I do all just end up talking myself in circles and end up right where I started.

Anyway, I loved this and your Jim and I now consider it canon and if I ever write a Moriarty story I while refer to your story as canon.

Just so good from start to finish. I agree that this feels completely canonical now- I mean, where else could Jim have possibly come from? I believe your take so implicitly. Seriously great job, many thanks for all the wonderful days of fresh chapters. I'm in withdrawal already!

Oh, now, I loved this. Thanks for this story. Really. As far as I'm concerned, it's canon. (And thanks for sparing Conor!)

Poor Conner. Though I'm glad something worse didn't happen to him. Was holding my breath a bit.
Another success! So much fun to read! You spoil us, you really do!

Another great story!

This is a tight, tautly written ending (beginning?) of the man we have come to hate/love? As always, the mistress of Moariarty. Word perfect- the internal dialogue, the backstory- perfectly interwoven into insightful entertainmant.

He doesn't even notice how fast he changes course, does he? It's all laid out in his head, plans and thoughts all nested in there, he barely even notices when he pulls out one instead of the other. Meanwhile, poor, ordinary Connor is gobsmacked. I wonder if Jim ever checked up on him, later, and what happens to Callahan. Because, somehow, those near to Jim always get happened to.

The suspense is killing me but it's ever worth it... To paraphrase the song, Will he stay or will he go now? I hope you realize that whichever way the coin flips, we (or at least I) will be desperately craving the next steps he takes down the road to being truly Jim? Keep it up, I eagerly await the zero hour...