Some Yuletide Recs!
That moment when you look in the mirror at the end of the day and you're like "oh my GOD that's what I've been going around looking like all day?!?!?!"... sigh. Hahah. Anyway, on to the main point! As promised, some Yuletide recs. Just Friday Night Lights and Tamora Pierce today; some more random fandoms in a few days. All these fics are pretty short (the joy of Yuletide! So many great short fics = so much immediate gratification!) unless otherwise noted. :)
Fandom: Circle of Magic
Title:How A Storm Is Formed, by malo_malo. General audiences, Tris-centric gen.
Summary: There are many things wrong in the city of Ninver, the weather for one, the Chandlers for another, but Tris grows up anyway.
Thoughts: I'm a sucker for backstory. I love knowing what things caused the characters we know and love to be the way they are when we see them in canon. This story delivered Tris's life from birth until Niko finds her in an absolutely realistic, believable, and compelling way. It is a hard task for a writer to make characters doing harm (in this case, Tris's family) sympathetic and engaging, and this author made it work. I also enjoyed slivers of what some of the other characters were up to worked in. Very well done!
Fandom: Circle of Magic
Title:Discovery, by Alianne. General audiences, Rosethorn/Lark, Rosethorn/Crane
Thoughts: Again with the backstory! :) This tells the story of Crane and Rosethorn studying together and competing against each other, and then how Lark came into Rosethorn's life. I loved seeing Crane and Rosethorn in their student days, and I loved watching Rosethorn and Lark's relationship begin. A very sweet story that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Fandom: Provost's Dog [[Note, some Mastiff spoilers in my review, although not the fic]]
Title:The Trouble with Breakfast, by Keerawa. General audiences, Beka/Rosto
Thoughts: One of my biggest disappointments with Mastiff (of several, unfortunately...)was a lack of more Rosto. This fic did an excellent job of explaining why that relationship would never work out, in a very satisfying way. The language was pitch-perfect; it felt like it might have come straight from the book. It was nice to get a look into Rosto's head as well, and there were some really great lines. I very much enjoyed this story!
Fandom: Song of the Lioness
Title:Past Tense, by mari4212. Teen, gen.
Summary: Three moments in the lives of Buri, Thayet, and Kalasin of Sarain.
Thoughts: This was an excellent look into what life was like for Buri and Thayet growing up, and for Kalasin as Queen of Sarain. It was nice to see their strong bond building as children, and provided a very powerful backdrop to their flight from Sarain. I liked that even though Buri is technically Thayet's protector and servant, we still got a couple moments of Thayet being the strong one, and got to see their friendship in a very genuine light. Sidenote, it warns for major character death but if you read the summary you can probs guess what it's referring too, so don't worry.
Fandom: Protector of the Small
Title:Travelling Towards Tomorrow, by Katyjo. General audiences, gen.
Summary: "With my mouth, I learnt to duck young." Or, Neal's first year as a squire.
Thoughts: I'm tempted to just leave this whole review as, Neal, how come you're so great?!? This was a charming look at Neal's time with Alanna as her squire. It's so great to see what characters you love are up to when they're not on screen, and this felt like a very realistic look at how Neal and Alanna's relationship would have worked! Very fun. :)
I gotta say guys, there was some kickass FNL fic this Yuletide! I spent a very happy couple of evenings rolling around in it. :)
Fandom: FNL
Title:Mother of the Bride, by elapses. PG, Matt/Julie, Eric/Tami, Tami-centric
Summary: note, not the author's summary, but an except I picked out: "Julie was still a baby when she got engaged - she looked tall enough and thought deep enough to fool anyone into thinking she was grown, except Tami. Tami was her mother. She'd seen her at her lowest, most immature. When Julie'd looked in the eyes, all, mom, don't you trust me, she had thought - baby, you just crashed a car to get out of college."
Thoughts: alskdfjalkdsf Tami is prob one of my favorite women in TV, and I loved this look into her head as Julie and Matt's wedding approaches. The writing was lovely and felt just like the show -- understated, with the small details telling bigger stories than words ever could. I just want to sit here and quote the whole thing to you, but instead I'll just say this was so sweet and so well done and go read!
Fandom: FNL
Title:Somewhere Different Now, by Mammothluv. Gen, Lyra-centric
Summary: Lyla Garrity remembers the town that shaped her while making a life for herself somewhere new.
Thoughts: I've been watching Season 1 of FNL over the past week or so, and one of the things that is really striking me is how much Lyla's character developed. She was so, so naive and just thought the world was going to work out the way she wanted it to because she had no reason to think otherwise. This is a really nice, thoughtful look at her five years down the road, and at how she has been so changed -- sadder and wiser, I guess one would say. This fic was also very beautifully written. I especially liked this line: "The Bible her mama gave her when she was five years old sits on her nightstand. Margins that were once pristine are now filled with notes and questions in Lyla's neat cursive. The Bible is no longer a map, but a lighthouse. It illuminates her path but does not guide it." but really the whole fic is great.
Fandom: FNL
Title:Climb a Mountain, Turn Around, by leobrat. General audiences, Matt/Julie, Tami/Eric
Summary: Time makes you bolder, children get older (I'm getting older, too).
Thoughts: I feel like I can write the same review for all of these fics: Taylors, how so great? Writing, how so great? and then flail around a lot. This is a ten-years-out look at Matt and Julie's relationship, and both of their relationships with the Taylors and it's just SO GOOD. Another quote, because it's the best way to rec these fics, I think: "Julie rubs her hand over her belly, and listens to her husband’s voice, low and scratchy, late on a Friday night. He catches her eye from across the room and smiles, crooked like he did when he was sixteen.
She’s getting drowsy but she smiles back."
Fandom: FNL
Title:You Just Don't Know It Yet, by fleurlb. PG-13 ish, Buddy Jr./Hastings
Summary: Hastings Ruckle has a simple plan for Dillon, Texas: no attachments, no drama. It's a foolproof and simple plan, until Buddy Junior shows up and ruins everything.
Thoughts: I'd seen this rec'd before, but I put off reading it because it's been a while since I watched season 5 and I couldn't quite remember who Hastings was, to be honest. (Hint, he's the New Kid, easy going Sunshiney guy. :) ) However, I am so glad that I did! This fic is a little longer than the others (around 10k), so it really took the time to get to know some characters we didn't see too much of in canon. Awkward teenage boys are maybe my favorite creatures on the earth, and this seemed so painfully and joyfully true to life: the worries about fitting in, and what-are-these-feelings, and needing to belong in a town where everyone else has something in common that you don't -- this was just really well done and I highly recommend it.
Fandom: FNL
Title:Lights Will Guide You Home, by Devilc. General audiences, gen (plus Tami/Eric), JD McCoy centric
Summary: JD McCoy smiled at him and said, "I want a real coach, Coach."
Thoughts: This is another longer one, but it was such a pleasure. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving things away, but the way the details slowly add up to a complete picture was SO well done, and so engrossing. One of my favorite things about the show is what Good People Tami and Eric are, and this showcased it so well. Again, I don't want to say too much but this was really, really good and you should go read it right now! :)
I'm sure I've messed up some coding somewhere, so let me know if you catch anything!
Originally posted at http://aidenfire.dreamwidth.org/281099.html.
Fandom: Circle of Magic
Title:How A Storm Is Formed, by malo_malo. General audiences, Tris-centric gen.
Summary: There are many things wrong in the city of Ninver, the weather for one, the Chandlers for another, but Tris grows up anyway.
Thoughts: I'm a sucker for backstory. I love knowing what things caused the characters we know and love to be the way they are when we see them in canon. This story delivered Tris's life from birth until Niko finds her in an absolutely realistic, believable, and compelling way. It is a hard task for a writer to make characters doing harm (in this case, Tris's family) sympathetic and engaging, and this author made it work. I also enjoyed slivers of what some of the other characters were up to worked in. Very well done!
Fandom: Circle of Magic
Title:Discovery, by Alianne. General audiences, Rosethorn/Lark, Rosethorn/Crane
Thoughts: Again with the backstory! :) This tells the story of Crane and Rosethorn studying together and competing against each other, and then how Lark came into Rosethorn's life. I loved seeing Crane and Rosethorn in their student days, and I loved watching Rosethorn and Lark's relationship begin. A very sweet story that will leave you with a smile on your face.
Fandom: Provost's Dog [[Note, some Mastiff spoilers in my review, although not the fic]]
Title:The Trouble with Breakfast, by Keerawa. General audiences, Beka/Rosto
Thoughts: One of my biggest disappointments with Mastiff (of several, unfortunately...)was a lack of more Rosto. This fic did an excellent job of explaining why that relationship would never work out, in a very satisfying way. The language was pitch-perfect; it felt like it might have come straight from the book. It was nice to get a look into Rosto's head as well, and there were some really great lines. I very much enjoyed this story!
Fandom: Song of the Lioness
Title:Past Tense, by mari4212. Teen, gen.
Summary: Three moments in the lives of Buri, Thayet, and Kalasin of Sarain.
Thoughts: This was an excellent look into what life was like for Buri and Thayet growing up, and for Kalasin as Queen of Sarain. It was nice to see their strong bond building as children, and provided a very powerful backdrop to their flight from Sarain. I liked that even though Buri is technically Thayet's protector and servant, we still got a couple moments of Thayet being the strong one, and got to see their friendship in a very genuine light. Sidenote, it warns for major character death but if you read the summary you can probs guess what it's referring too, so don't worry.
Fandom: Protector of the Small
Title:Travelling Towards Tomorrow, by Katyjo. General audiences, gen.
Summary: "With my mouth, I learnt to duck young." Or, Neal's first year as a squire.
Thoughts: I'm tempted to just leave this whole review as, Neal, how come you're so great?!? This was a charming look at Neal's time with Alanna as her squire. It's so great to see what characters you love are up to when they're not on screen, and this felt like a very realistic look at how Neal and Alanna's relationship would have worked! Very fun. :)
I gotta say guys, there was some kickass FNL fic this Yuletide! I spent a very happy couple of evenings rolling around in it. :)
Fandom: FNL
Title:Mother of the Bride, by elapses. PG, Matt/Julie, Eric/Tami, Tami-centric
Summary: note, not the author's summary, but an except I picked out: "Julie was still a baby when she got engaged - she looked tall enough and thought deep enough to fool anyone into thinking she was grown, except Tami. Tami was her mother. She'd seen her at her lowest, most immature. When Julie'd looked in the eyes, all, mom, don't you trust me, she had thought - baby, you just crashed a car to get out of college."
Thoughts: alskdfjalkdsf Tami is prob one of my favorite women in TV, and I loved this look into her head as Julie and Matt's wedding approaches. The writing was lovely and felt just like the show -- understated, with the small details telling bigger stories than words ever could. I just want to sit here and quote the whole thing to you, but instead I'll just say this was so sweet and so well done and go read!
Fandom: FNL
Title:Somewhere Different Now, by Mammothluv. Gen, Lyra-centric
Summary: Lyla Garrity remembers the town that shaped her while making a life for herself somewhere new.
Thoughts: I've been watching Season 1 of FNL over the past week or so, and one of the things that is really striking me is how much Lyla's character developed. She was so, so naive and just thought the world was going to work out the way she wanted it to because she had no reason to think otherwise. This is a really nice, thoughtful look at her five years down the road, and at how she has been so changed -- sadder and wiser, I guess one would say. This fic was also very beautifully written. I especially liked this line: "The Bible her mama gave her when she was five years old sits on her nightstand. Margins that were once pristine are now filled with notes and questions in Lyla's neat cursive. The Bible is no longer a map, but a lighthouse. It illuminates her path but does not guide it." but really the whole fic is great.
Fandom: FNL
Title:Climb a Mountain, Turn Around, by leobrat. General audiences, Matt/Julie, Tami/Eric
Summary: Time makes you bolder, children get older (I'm getting older, too).
Thoughts: I feel like I can write the same review for all of these fics: Taylors, how so great? Writing, how so great? and then flail around a lot. This is a ten-years-out look at Matt and Julie's relationship, and both of their relationships with the Taylors and it's just SO GOOD. Another quote, because it's the best way to rec these fics, I think: "Julie rubs her hand over her belly, and listens to her husband’s voice, low and scratchy, late on a Friday night. He catches her eye from across the room and smiles, crooked like he did when he was sixteen.
She’s getting drowsy but she smiles back."
Fandom: FNL
Title:You Just Don't Know It Yet, by fleurlb. PG-13 ish, Buddy Jr./Hastings
Summary: Hastings Ruckle has a simple plan for Dillon, Texas: no attachments, no drama. It's a foolproof and simple plan, until Buddy Junior shows up and ruins everything.
Thoughts: I'd seen this rec'd before, but I put off reading it because it's been a while since I watched season 5 and I couldn't quite remember who Hastings was, to be honest. (Hint, he's the New Kid, easy going Sunshiney guy. :) ) However, I am so glad that I did! This fic is a little longer than the others (around 10k), so it really took the time to get to know some characters we didn't see too much of in canon. Awkward teenage boys are maybe my favorite creatures on the earth, and this seemed so painfully and joyfully true to life: the worries about fitting in, and what-are-these-feelings, and needing to belong in a town where everyone else has something in common that you don't -- this was just really well done and I highly recommend it.
Fandom: FNL
Title:Lights Will Guide You Home, by Devilc. General audiences, gen (plus Tami/Eric), JD McCoy centric
Summary: JD McCoy smiled at him and said, "I want a real coach, Coach."
Thoughts: This is another longer one, but it was such a pleasure. I don't want to say too much for fear of giving things away, but the way the details slowly add up to a complete picture was SO well done, and so engrossing. One of my favorite things about the show is what Good People Tami and Eric are, and this showcased it so well. Again, I don't want to say too much but this was really, really good and you should go read it right now! :)
I'm sure I've messed up some coding somewhere, so let me know if you catch anything!
Originally posted at http://aidenfire.dreamwidth.org/281099.html.