Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/Dan pre-slash
Length: 1772 words
Author on LJ: hanarobi
Author's website: AO3

Why this must be read:

This is one of the many excellent character pieces on Duck. What I like about this one is that we see Duck's mind racing, and we see a different kind of vulnerability in him here.  Hanarobi has really tapped into the ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/Dan
Length: 3962
Author on LJ: exeterlinden
Author's website:  AO3

Why this must be read:

The character voice of Duck is brilliantly done, but what I especially love here is the way the tone of the story matches the movie.  Duck, like the rest of the movie's characters, spends his time letting life happen to him, until  he ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/Dan, Duck and Buddy friendship
Length: 9kb
author on LJ: grey853
Author's website: grey.ravenshadow.net

Why this must be read:

This is one of those stories that offers very natural characterizations and relationships.  Duck's struggles with alcoholism and Buddy's concern unfold gracefully and offer a realism that is as ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/Dan implied (pre-movie, Duck-centric)
Length: >300 words
author on LJ: eledhwenlin
Author website: dragonses.net and AO3

Why this must be read:

It's easy, and tempting, to idealize Duck and Dan, both together and separately.  I admire the way this author chose to explore Duck's frustrations about what he wants but can't have ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: past Duck/Dan
Length: 140 words
Author on LJ: akamine_chan
Author website: AO3

Why this must be read:

For one, you have time, since it's only 140 words.  Also, although I feel guilty about this, I take some comfort in the fact that Duck stoically bears more than his fair share of the world's sorrows, and this snippet captures some of ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Buddy/Carol, Duck/Dan
Length: 1740 words
Author on LJ: peoriapeoria
Author website: AO3

Why this must be read:

The tentative healing that we see at the end of the film, and Duck's unique role within it, are continued here.  While there are loads of excellent stories that go with the theme, the beautiful, haunting language makes this ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Buddy/Sandra, Duck/Dan, past Buddy/Duck
Length: 4332 words
Author on LJ: pir8fancier
Author website:AO3

Why this must be read:

A long-time favorite of mine, this story combines flashback narration with post-movie closure to create a bookend-like effect, one of the strongest types of story for this fandom, IMHO.  It's a happy piece ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful x Durham County
Pairing: Sadie Sweeney/Emily Anderson
Length: 992 words
Author on LJ: helens78
Author website: AO3

Why this must be read:

Again I turn to helens78, but when a writer offers the whole package (excellent writing, great character development, erotica) what is one to do?  This is simply a fascinating pairing, but I especially love ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Dan/Duck
Length: 1130 words
Author on LJ: helens78
Author website:AO3

Why this must be read:

Because Helen makes angst-free, non-sappy romance look easy.  Aside from admiring the author's technique (which is reason enough to read, trust me), this is one of those fics that can make you feel good at the end of a long day.  It takes ( Read more... )

Fandom: Wilby Wonderful
Pairing: Duck/OMC, Duck/Dan
Length: 2300 words
Author on LJ: isiscolo
Author Website: hieroglyfics.net

Why this must be read:

This is a lovely character study about Duck MacDonald.  It's one of the first Wilby fics I ever read, and even now, three years later, I'm stunned at how perfectly the author has managed to capture Duck and his ( Read more... )