Five Fics Which Surprise and Impress
This isn't a perfectly coherent group, but I think they all have something in common: taking a strong format/theme/gimmick and running with it successfully. Each one made me think 'I would never have done that - but I wish I could!' (Several are not rated, but nothing seriously over PG-13).
In no particular order:
Pentimento: 52 moments that never happened to Dawn (and one that probably will) by nwhepcat- an amazing run of drabbles inserting Dawn into seasons 1-4. Funny, sad and insanely clever - the best kind of fic.
The Burkle Seven by deird1 - one of many I could have rec'd by this very talented author (who is also rec'ing like a champion on this site!) This fic looks at her life through the seven deadly sins, bringing back the essence of Fred, defiant and fighting to the end. You’ll finish wishing she could have sinned much more.
Vampyr by librarian2003 - fabulous take on a fantas_magoria challenge, this is the definitive foreword to the great tome which we saw so many times in the credits. Truly, truly hilarious; perhaps only a librarian could have written it?
I Thrice Presented Him a Kingly Crown by quinara Spuffy time travel with Latin. A recipe for disaster? You would think so, but the author carries this off brilliantly. I bow in admiration.
Business as Usual by lilachigh (WIP but episodic - no need to wait for the end, which we hope may never come!) - hardly needs recommending as it appears to be a universal favourite, but this series fits my theme as a brilliantly sustained OC story weaving around canon and teasing our memories of the original with its startling perspective. Agnes Pringle, the least glamorous vampire in Sunnydale, brings out the best in Spike, Dawn and (I hope) Andrew. And she recently settled an old score with Dracula. A heroine for 2009, I commend her to you.
NB I didn't want to repeat a rec made so recently in shapinglight's list of fun formats, but can I second her recommendation of Clipping Service, by powerofthebook? It was originally on this list, and well deserves a read!
In no particular order:
Pentimento: 52 moments that never happened to Dawn (and one that probably will) by nwhepcat- an amazing run of drabbles inserting Dawn into seasons 1-4. Funny, sad and insanely clever - the best kind of fic.
The Burkle Seven by deird1 - one of many I could have rec'd by this very talented author (who is also rec'ing like a champion on this site!) This fic looks at her life through the seven deadly sins, bringing back the essence of Fred, defiant and fighting to the end. You’ll finish wishing she could have sinned much more.
Vampyr by librarian2003 - fabulous take on a fantas_magoria challenge, this is the definitive foreword to the great tome which we saw so many times in the credits. Truly, truly hilarious; perhaps only a librarian could have written it?
I Thrice Presented Him a Kingly Crown by quinara Spuffy time travel with Latin. A recipe for disaster? You would think so, but the author carries this off brilliantly. I bow in admiration.
Business as Usual by lilachigh (WIP but episodic - no need to wait for the end, which we hope may never come!) - hardly needs recommending as it appears to be a universal favourite, but this series fits my theme as a brilliantly sustained OC story weaving around canon and teasing our memories of the original with its startling perspective. Agnes Pringle, the least glamorous vampire in Sunnydale, brings out the best in Spike, Dawn and (I hope) Andrew. And she recently settled an old score with Dracula. A heroine for 2009, I commend her to you.
NB I didn't want to repeat a rec made so recently in shapinglight's list of fun formats, but can I second her recommendation of Clipping Service, by powerofthebook? It was originally on this list, and well deserves a read!