March recs

Apr. 26th, 2023 05:08 pm
spatz: Cyril Raffaelli leaping for a overhang (parkour leap)

Much delayed by travel and post-travel virus that turned into laryngitis (yayyy), but please enjoy!

DCU

All gen unless marked otherwise.

Say Uncle by Megaerakles

Tim is prepared to take the steps necessary to ensure that Bruce will not feel obligated to adopt Tim when a comatose Jack Drake inevitably dies. But what could be better than preventing Bruce from ending up with a son he doesn't want? Bringing back the one he does.

Jason agrees to the Replacement's stupid, stupid plan to invite some strange adult man he's never met to come live with him, if only to keep the idiot alive long enough for him to serve his purpose in the Great Red Hood Revenge Scheme.

Might this new roommate situation have an impact on either of their worldviews? Surely not...

Tim, why are you LIKE this.... *facepalm* I really didn't think the Fake Uncle Scheme TM could get any more insane but this fic does it with style. (thanks to @smilebackwards for the rec!)

The Seven-Layer-Dip From Hell by Oberon Bronze

Jason enlists Tim to help him through the stages of a 48-hour fear toxin trip in exchange for a favour, on one condition -- Tim can't call any of the bats for help, no matter what happens. Tim, thankfully, will do quite literally anything to get his family all under one roof again.

Emotionally messy delicious h/c, and the sequel doubles down on the goodness.

Prince of Foxes by poisonivory/ @pluckyredhead​ (Roy/Jason)

Once upon a time, Roy Harper almost had a mate.

Years later, he's kidnapped for a deadly game where shifters are forced to fight to the death for the entertainment of the humans who despise them. All he wants to do is escape—that is, until he recognizes one of the other shifters: a feral wolf who, a lifetime ago, was his best friend's little brother. Until he died. Until Roy lost him.

But no force on earth is taking Jason from him again.

Well-written shifter AU with a great look at their relationship over the years (and Jason's death), culminating in a tensely-written period of captivity in a shifter fighting ring (which also has some amazing pit fights).

GAME OF THRONES

So apparently four years is finally enough time for me to read GOT fic again without being swamped by annoyance at the series finale - at least, as long as the fics are VASTLY AU. Which both of these stories are!

The Right Question by Aviss (Jaime/Brienne)

In which Ned asks the right questions at the right time, and Jaime keeps most of his vows. The important ones at least.

aka the one where Jaime hides Elia Martell and her children on Tarth. Very satisfying!

Our Scars Make Us Golden by K_R_Closson (Jaime/Oberyn)

Jaime Lannister drives her sword through Aerys's back to save a kingdom. When her father's armies sack the city and kill those she was sworn to protect, she flees King's Landing, unsure what to do. On her way to Dorne, she runs into Ned Stark who hands her a baby and a purpose, protect the Targaryen heir.

Interesting genderswap AU with a badass Jaime.

MISC

A Light in the Dark by @glimmerglanger​ (Star Wars, Cody/Obi-Wan)

Sometimes, it seemed Obi-Wan only saw other people across the field of battle.

The only reliable source of contact he had with other living beings - for the past year - had been during a fight. And he had not been able to enjoy such contact, had not been able to sink into the Force and refill his reserves, because all of the men he fought were trying so desperately to kill him and all the people he was trying so hard to protect.

OR, the one where Obi-Wan serves the Republic, Cody serves the Separatists, and they find a way forward anyway.

Loved this! The army-swap AU premise, the captivity h/c, and the hope of the resolution.

The Emperor Gregor Vorbarra special exhibit of the Vorbarr Sultana Fibrecraft Institute by rattyjol (Vorkosigan Saga, gen)

NARRATOR: No record survives of precisely when or how Emperor Gregor first picked up knitting. The first public acknowledgement of the Imperial Hobby was in the thirty-eighth year of his reign, when the Emperor was forty-three. However, it is abundantly clear that the Emperor had been knitting for some years before this. Throughout this audio tour, alongside clips and reenactments, you’ll be hearing reminisces from Princess Olivia herself. Here’s one now:

P. OLIVIA: My father knit almost constantly inside the private Residence. I remember him reading me and my brothers to sleep as children: he would balance the handreader on his knee or the arm of his chair, and go on knitting over top of it. Never dropped a stitch, never skipped a line. And his character voices were legendary.

This is SO sweet, and a great use of fake-documentary style.

spatz: darkfield photograph of a nematode, caption "Unleash the nematodes of war!" (nematodes of war)

Fandoms are all over the place this month since I finished my Yuletide trawl, so lots of small fandoms + Star Trek + Star Wars, sorted into thematic clusters for your reading pleasure.

ALTERNATE UNIVERSE ADVENTURES

Another Life by @LullabyKnell (Star Trek AOS, gen)

In one moment, James T. Kirk is the acting captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise, on his way home to Earth after stopping the Narada. In the next moment, without explanation, James T. Kirk is an Academy cadet on academic probation again, barely a day before Nero will destroy Vulcan.

He dares himself to do better. And with a planet on the line and no proof but his own memories, he knows that "better" means he'll need some help.

Classic time-travel fix-it elevated by a mid-story TOS-flavored twist! A wonderful adventure.

Commander Fox's Ultimate Bucket List by blackkat/ @blackkatmagic​ (Star Wars, Fox/Mace)

Fox has a second chance, a to-do list, a stolen lightsaber, and a complete willingness to give everyone around him grey hairs. Plus a Jedi Master to seduce. It's going to be a ride.

*cackles* Fox deserved this SO MUCH! Hilarious and satisfying.

Magic Casements by @edwardianspinsteraunt​ (A Little Princess, gen)

Becky is the one who rescues Mr Carrisford's monkey, and so the one whom the Magic happens to instead.

Captures the sweet magic and friendship of the original while making some sharp points about its class issues.

INVESTIGATIONS

The Striped Leg by wildwestwind (A Study in Emerald, gen)

The Adventure of The Speckled Band, set in the world of A Study In Emerald.

This author really knows their Lovecraft, which brings a rich and creepy new dimension to this very classic case. Mmm, pastiche perfection.

A Country Mile by @bropunzeling​ (Think of England, Fen/Pat)

“You want us to go to a house party? Really?”

“I hate to ask it of you,” Daniel said, voice muffled in that queer way one got with the telephone. "But I need someone I can trust to look after things there until then. Would you?”

Fen and Pat attend a house party and encounter: poison (pen letters); poison (literal); perilous dinner conversation; potential friendship; and physics.

Danger, espionage, female friendship, a lady scientist, general competence in the face of misogyny, Fen's self-esteem issues vs Pat's unswerving support, and a damn good read: what more could you want?

What It All Comes Down To by phnelt/ @phneltwrites​ (Think of England, canon pairings)

“Those blighters—” strong language from Fen there. Pat has been working on her in regards to fruity language but Fen hasn’t much taken to it. “ —won’t let women shoot at these newfangled Olympics games, despite England boasting some of the best women shooters in the world. Present company very much included.” Fen gets so heated when she advocates. It brings up a healthy colour to her cheeks. Pat smiles at her, helplessly. “So we simply must show them how good women can be by having Pat train you up from nothing so you can trounce them in the name of her club and in front of the eyes of God and the Olympic Committee.” If this wasn’t obviously one of Fen’s schemes it would be clear after her speech.

Charming friendship-centric story, with some light intrigue on the civilian side of things for once.

UNEXPECTED MEETINGS

Poiesis (Making) by ama (Queen's Thief, gen + Costis/Kamet)

Kamet is bewildered by a summons he receives to meet with the King of Sounis. After all, what could they possibly have to discuss?

Post-canon interlude where Kamet and Sophos bond over poetry, with great character writing.

Scene on a Balcony by Mary_West (Lord Peter, gen + Sylvia/Eiluned)

8th October 1935 and it's the wedding of the year - Lord Peter Wimsey and Miss Harriet Vane have finally tied the knot. But the wedding breakfast (served at the Dowager Duchess' London house) is getting a little heated. So the balcony is an excellent place to which to escape.

If anyone ever needed a sensible lesbian auntie, it's Jerry - but also this is sweet and funny and well-observed, from the wedding details to the practicalities of being queer at the time.

The Nuclear Option by Tangerine/ @atangeriner​ (From Eroica with Love, Klaus/Dorian)

When Klaus needs help with a family affair, Dorian is more than happy to offer his services.

Superb, satisfying, full of banter and yearning, and I love the slow reveal of wtf is going on with Klaus.

Time Enough by fresne/ @fresne999​ (Ethan of Athos, Ethan/Terrence)

Terrence Cee had spent most of his life feeling like a jumpship caught in the gravity well of a blackhole. Engines on full bore. Only able to keep out of the crushing center, but never able to escape. Now in his new life on Athos, he found himself unsure of how to find a new pace.

Ethan wondered if there was a way to get his love life gestating again. Not frozen like zygotes stored in a bio-freezer against some eventual future.

Sweet get-together for the boys that addresses Terrence's trauma and socially deficient upbringing, plus meet-the-family shenanigans and rich worldbuilding for Athos in all its problematic glory. I am retroactively very pleased with myself for nominating this fandom for Yuletide (even if it took me a few months to get around to this one)!

and remains quiet by marycrawford/ @mcvices​ (Nirvana in Fire, gen)

She picks up her cup and sips delicately of the chrysanthemum tea she brought. It is cooling and calming. She doesn’t need calming, but Mei Changsu might. She is about to administer a medicine that the patient will find disagreeable.

The patient looks fevered, at the moment. “What is wrong with Jingyan?”

The AU divergence point is a little oblique - if I'm reading correctly, the Emperor dies early during the war and Consort Jing takes advantage of her Dowager status to go north to see MCS - but honestly who cares about the premise, because holy SHIT this author writes Consort Jing to perfection, in all her ruthlessly compassionate (or compassionately ruthless?) complexity.

PORN WITH FEELINGS

No Pity, But a Little Love by beautifulduckweed (Will Darling Adventures, Will/Kim)

The author's summary is a mess so I'm leaving it out, but this is a great post-series look at their relationship that captures their banter and mutual delight, plus Will getting exposed to more queer spaces, all structured around Will attempting anal sex again under less fraught circumstances.

Privacy by Resonant (Due South, Fraser/RayK)

“Guess it’s a while since you had a door with a lock on it?”

“I’ve never had a door with a lock on it."

I don't know how long it's been since Resonant wrote new DS fic, but she always nails (heh) their weird and weird-about-each-other charm and this is no exception!

through the desert, repenting by beautifulduckweed (Think of England, Archie/Daniel)

Daniel da Silva comes face-to-face with the deadly consequences of making a mistake and turns to a bad childhood habit to cope—but it's not enough, and Archie Curtis doesn't know how to help.

AKA the one where Archie counters Daniel's self-harm with sex, or as the author's tags put it "In the absence of therapy banging it out will have to do".

spatz: frost covered red leaves on frozen grass (frost leaves)

MY GIFTS

An embarrassment of riches this year!

step by step (planet by planet) [Ethan of Athos] - a Yuletide Madness treat! Charming little bit of pining with Ethan being oblivious, set in the gap between Kline Station and returning to Athos. (Ethan/Terrence)

On the Threshold [Biggles] - delightful AU where an injured von Stalhein shows up on Biggles’s doorstep, and Biggles is very Biggles about it. I am extremely for the ‘bad guy goes to his honorable enemy for help (and is not disappointed)’ trope, and this one was executed perfectly. (Biggles/von Stalhein)

The Arrangement [Biggles] - in which von Stalhein ventures out into a storm to get Biggles medicine. Lovely h/c. (Biggles/von Stalhein)

RECS

I tend to go by fandoms when I binge Yuletide, and also I slept until 1 (I think I’m still run down from my horrible cold last week, and this was my first day with no work and no family obligations), so it’s just The Goblin Emperor/Witness for the Dead fic today.

it gets okay to praise the day - beautiful tag to The Grief of Stones, with some much-needed comfort and healing for Thara, and some clever resolution of a few plot threads, and a brief and lovely appearance by Maia. (Thara/Iana)

dear fellow traveler - nifty story that starts with an academic piece about a tradition of the emperor crossing the Wisdom Bridge, and then increasingly closer POVs peeling back to the truth of how it started. A great look at the future of Maia’s reign from several vantages. (mostly gen, background Csethiro/Maia)

Need To Know - in which Csethiro tracks down Maia after the assassination attempt, with all of her fierce cleverness at work. Great POV for her. (Csethiro/Maia)

COMMENTS

And finally, my comment total for @justleaveacommentfest​ was 11.

spatz: sparrow perched on a branch (Default)
This year I wrote À votre santé, 2K of food-related fluff for my favorite ridiculous action movie duology and perennial Yuletide fandom, Banlieue 13!

I was given The Trip to Beta Colony by fawatson, a charming Ethan of Athos story about Ethan and Terrence during those missing eight months of their roundtrip to Beta Colony. I was extra excited to get fic for this fandom, since I petitioned for it to be included this year (since the Vorkosigan Saga at large is long since past the limit), and pleased that the writer wrote so specifically to my prompt!

I also just posted Interference, a short B13 missing scene from my earlier story Phone Tag, in which Lola rescues a stray reporter. I'm hoping to finally finish the third story in the series sometime soon, a Leito/Damien porny post-movies coda that has been a WIP for an eternity, so it's now set up as a fic series on AO3. Yes, all the titles are phone terms I found browsing the Wikipedia category for phones. No, I will not be taking comments on that at this time. :P

Also, people may have noticed that I did not post my monthly recs for November last month - partly I was feeling uninspired by what little I had saved (November was a BUSY month), and partly I wanted to do a 12 Days of Christmas recset with themed recs for each day. I did in fact do that on Tumblr, though I got behind and it was a bit messy, but if anyone is belatedly interested:

On the twelfth day of Recsmas, my reccer gave to me:
spatz: Mr Tumnus and a probe at the lamp post, from <a href="http://xk3d.xkcd.com/665/">this XKCD comic</a> (winter lamppost)
Dear Yuletide Author,

Wow, I can't believe it's that time again: YULETIDE! Thank you for loving one of these fandoms enough to write me a story for it ♥ If you'd like some additional information to help you do that, read on!

General Likes & Dislikes )

Fandoms: B13, Ethan of Athos, Nirvana in Fire, Temeraire )

Thank you again, and good luck with your writing!
spatz: baby Temeraire cozied up in a hammock (Temeraire in hammock)
Just getting over a cold, so this is barely in under the wire, go team.

DCU

Favorite Strangers by SpiritsFlame (DCEU crossover, gen)

It’s been six months since Bruce’s actions led to the death of Superman. Six months, two weeks, four days. He could count it to the hour. He’s handling it as well as could be expected when he finds himself in a Batcave that is unfamiliar to him, a world that is unfamiliar to him. Superman is still alive, Dick is still talking to him. The Justice League has been around for years, not months. And there is another Batman, who wants more answers than Bruce is willing to give.

When Batman v Superman!Bruce ends up in the comics world, he’ll have to navigate another version of himself, his family and the man he tried to kill if he wants to get home.

Just the *concept* was already very satisfying, but it’s also well-executed.

Satisfaction Brought It Back by SpiritsFlame & slippin_into_darkness (gen or Clark/Bruce depending on how you squint)

Bruce always thought that Superman’s cute shtick of rescuing cats from trees was a bid for publicity—until a confrontation with a magic user leaves him stuck as a cat. He learns how mistaken he was when Superman not only rescues him, but takes him back to a small Metropolis apartment. The opportunity to learn more about the alien can’t be ignored, but is Bruce ready for everything he will learn about someone he has only ever regarded with distrust and dislike?

Extremely charming use of this trope.

all each riddles, when unknown (Clark/Bruce)

Post-MoS AU: Clark, struggling to deal with the events of Black Zero Day, is assigned a straightforward human-interest piece—on Wayne Enterprises. Then Batman catches Superman’s attention, Clark Kent starts investigating Batman, Bruce Wayne spends a lot of time arguing with hitting on Clark Kent, and Bruce’s best efforts to find a way to hurt Superman start to bear fruit.

And then things get complicated.

A smart fix-it of a dumbass canon.

Cor et Cerebrum by audreycritter (gen)

Bruce Wayne deals with a serious illness, one that threatens the most crucial part of himself. He and the family try to cope with their own fears and expectations about it and then the aftermath.

A long (VERY long) and wonderful series about family and healing from trauma of various kinds, featuring an amazing OC in Dev, the neurosurgeon who works of Bruce and then gets drawn into the Batfamily. Despite the medical stuff, the story leans towards emotional h/c more than physical, imo, but both sides are great.

If You’ll Have Me by Mithen (Clark/Bruce)

In the wake of Lois Lane’s death, Bruce finds himself Superman’s lifeline to humanity.

A delicate, sweet story about friendship, grief, and falling in love again, with a touch of Bruce being a badass even in his old age.

MISC

even if it hurts by @pollyrepeat (Star Wars, vid)

It’s darkest before the dawn.

I already reblogged this vid separately, but it’s SO GOOD, and really draws out the cost and bravery of the Rebellion and Resistance. Beautiful editing, and it makes me cry every time, especially the time I made @inmyriadbits watch it before going to TRoS and we both cried :)

Adrenalin Trap by @philomytha (Vorkosiga Saga, Simon/Aral)

Simon Illyan likes to live dangerously. It’s a bad habit for the Chief of ImpSec.

Only Philomytha could successfully turn a prompt about watching pornography together into a thriller about conspiracies and polyamory. <3

let none be content with me by @mizzy2k (Marvel 616, Steve/Tony)

After Detective Michael O'Brien learns Iron Man’s real identity, Tony invites him to stay in the Avengers’ mansion while he fixes the flaw in the Guardsman armor that led to Michael’s brother’s death, an incident that Tony still hasn’t properly dealt with.

The Avengers take to Michael, and they might like him more than Iron Man, which Tony… isn’t too surprised about. People should like Michael more than they like him. And when new threats and villains just start piling up, Tony has to seriously consider Iron Man’s future. Or lack thereof.

A wonderful, long, old-school Iron Man identity porn fic. Jeez, Tony’s self-esteem issues need a whole truckload of warning signs. I’m not at all familiar with this corner of 616 canon, but it was still perfectly comprehensible, and there’s a ton of great team content in addition to the Steve/Tony slow burn.
spatz: cartoon bunnies on stilts with caption "dramatic character-driven stories... or stilts?" (Bunnies stories or stilts?)
Day 2: Rec at least three fanworks that you didn’t create.

I just want to say that, as someone with almost 3500 bookmarks on Pinboard, asking me to freeform rec a small number, much less *three*, is just plain mean. :P

Let's go with the theme of "crossovers that should not work as well as they do, and yet are awesome" since I got [personal profile] tassosss talking about the subject the other day. Also, I love crossovers and have an enormous stash of them saved - uh, jesus, almost 10% of my bookmarks, now that I look at the numbers.

Five stories under 5K )

Three stories 5 to 20K )

Three stories 20 to 60K )

Two stories over 100K )
spatz: cartoon bunnies on stilts with caption "dramatic character-driven stories... or stilts?" (Bunnies stories or stilts?)
I neglected to do this last month, but in the wake of Delicious's fail!reboot, it seemed time to do some old-fashioned recs.

I often feel like everyone has read everything before me,but as I pointed out to a friend the other day: *I* love reading what others have to say about good stories, even if I've already read them. So hopefully you'll enjoy these!

Best long: Freeport (Gundam Wing)
Confession: I have never seen Gundam Wing. I scanned one primer and googled some images before reading this epic, and I could have even skipped that step, because this story is practically original scifi. AWESOME original scifi. The premise: several years after an interplanetary civil war, two men reluctantly team up to [fight crime] track down a threat to the fragile peace. The setting: a battered former-prison space station full of criminals and outcasts. The characters: two former teenage terrorists who spent most of the war struggling to do the right thing, and being hated and feared by both sides. Wufei is a stiff-necked martial arts expert and former scholar whose entire clan blew themselves up rather than surrender during the war; he now works as a specialized law enforcer and believes in Justice, though he lives thoroughly in shades of grey. Duo is an ex-street rat/thief with survivor's guilt who is cheerful, anti-authority, cocky...and oh yeah, nicknamed the God of Death. They have Major Issues, and are extremely competent.

Loved the casefile, loved the complex worldbuilding, loved the action and the investigation writing; loved the romance and the slow build of character arcs and revealed history and shared ground. The story is very accessible to a newbie, since only 2 of the 5 canon leads appear in 95% of the story and the characters don't know a lot about each other's past, despite having a powerful connection from the war. As in a lot of good scifi, the anarchic society of Freeport is a touch implausible, but Maldoror grounds it in humanity and everyday details that make it work. This fucker is LONG, too, and was polished up from the original version several years later. Take a long Saturday afternoon, and enjoy the read.

Best short: The Sincerest Form of Flattery (multifandom)
Clever five-things fic that points out the influence of Sherlock Holmes on modern procedurals by pairing quotes from the books with scenes from Due South, Numb3rs, House, Psych, and Castle. Fabulously true character voices, investigative shenanigans, and an inspired cameo of pineapples in the Psych bit, all suffused with fondness for the original canon and the inimitable Watson & Holmes.

I almost had a fit of but-I-beta'd--this ethics and recced A Week in the Life (Avengers, Coulson fic), but no. This was my favorite.

Best re-read: Crown of the Summer Court (Merlin)
I think I reread this at least once a year, and I still love it endlessly. Elves in Camelot! With that hilarious-yet-epic tone that is my favorite thing about Merlin! Happy ending that warps canon in lovely ways! Scorchingly hot sex! This story really does have everything.

Best crossover: Captain America's Art Crawl Adventure (Captain America/Middleman)
*keels over laughing* Best. Wake-up call. Ever. Lindsey literally came in and woke me up to read this, and I didn't even mind! The image of Wendy Watson and Steve Rogers fighting a glue monster at Art Crawl is the most genius idea. For added hilarity, the Middleman is totes a Cap fanboy, and the tone/POV is perfect. Art Crawl! \o!

Best gen kink-meme fill: Floor 37 (Suits)
Mike's last three days of indentured servitude to Louis (and whoever Louis farms him out to) are spent in the service of an elderly lawyer named Jack. You'll probably guess Jack's identity in about 3 seconds, but he's a charming OC, and the story does a lovely job opening up the world of the show and looking at mentoring. I really wish this was an episode.

Best slash kink-meme fill: Boden's Mate (XMFC/Inception)
Epic XMFC/Inception AU of Epic Awesomeness! If you have not read this yet, for the love of god WHY? The story has intrigue and clever, intense dreamsharing action sequences and pining and awesome universe-shifting of the characters and a sequel! (Possibly more than one someday!) I had this thing stalker-pinned and *still* couldn't stop myself from clicking over to the thread at least once a day in hopes of an update.

Best TV: Fringe
THIS SHOW. I wish I had something coherent to say about catching up (13 eps in 3 days! \o/), but I'm stuck on OLIVIA OMG and YAY.

Most ridiculous: Resident Evil
Lindsey and I have decided to start having "let's get drunk and marathon shitty movies!" nights every once in awhile. The Fast & the Furious series went down more smooothly with a case of Corona; we were going to drink Bloody Marys for Alice, but did not have any vodka. Alas. For such a DEEPLY ridic franchise, there are shocking numbers of awesome ladies - at least two in each movie, passing the Bechdel test and kicking ass and generally being the best survivors. They are wearing skin tight outfits most of the time, but, uh, my principles were muted by the booze.

Most fail: Delicious
And the fannish diaspora continues, as everyone runs to find an alternate bookmarking site that won't betray them. *sigh* I have started adding bookmarks again out of sheer perversity, which of course is harder than it used to be to find/remember tags, and I feel very alone because no one else I keep track of is doing so, but it works. I'm curious about Pinboard (that Pinboard/Fandom fic made my week), but I don't really have the money/time to explore.

And of course, I posted Open Secret, Simon/Alys UST fluff written for [personal profile] philomytha's birthday. ♥
spatz: elegant woman standing at a table (MVK dresses are weapons)
Open Secret
Summary: Simon and Alys share a moment after the Emperor's Birthday.
Pairing: Alys/Simon (UST)
Notes: For [personal profile] philomytha on her birthday! Loosely inspired by a commentfic written for me.

Read more... )

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