What I Read on Friday (5/30) - B/A, SV, TS, DS - mini-rant(s)
Got a couple mini-rants floating around here somewhere. They're inspired by the stories preceding them, but not necessarily a fault/criticism of that particular story. Just thought I'd warn you.
To those who've been writing feedback, thank you so very much. It's good to know you're enjoying your ridealong into my obsessive/addicted fanfic reading habits.
Still resisting the lure of Potter-fic and X-Men fic and several other insidiously alluring fandoms. Keep getting sidetracked from likely-looking Firefly fics, which makes me sad -- I have a lust-on for big bad Jayne. I figure I'll succumb eventually, like once I get myself motivated to go see XM2 and/or rent the HP movies. Which could happen before the next millennium. I'm hopeful. Or do I mean insane. I get them confused sometimes.... *wink*
Buffy-verse: Angel/Oz
Call Me Koufax
by Glossolalia (glossing)
Author notes: Oz turns up at the pier. Again. Immense thanks to the lovely & talented Dolores Labouchere for the marvelous beta and a whisper of longstanding gratitude to Rob McQuillan, who first took me to Northport & Gunther's. The setting is post-'Redefinition' (AtS 2x11), pre-'Epiphany' (AtS 2x16); i.e., super-broody loner Angel and the Oz who vanished after 'New Moon Rising' (BtVS 4x19).
Slow, achy, fragile with tension. Strange and off-center. The feeling of secrets passing under the surface, though without the squeezed feeling of secretiveness. Atmospheric, with an odd mix of languor and below-the-surface tension. The sense that things unspoken are going on between the two characters. (Or maybe I missed a previous installment...) I liked it. It kept me alert and paying attention, it was unusual and not an easy read, I had to work to follow what was going on. And the ending was surprisingly sweet. I would like to see what happens next, but I also hesitate at the thought because it's so open to possibilities as is. Oz, philosophy and physics, and Angel. *recommended*
Smallville: CLex
Drift
by Rose Ferguson
From dammitcarl @ butgeorge via celli. Ah, how the rec wheel turns.
This was just ... sweet and gently funny and mildly tension-wracked. No big traumas, except Clark's usual adolescent-issues-magnified-by-superpowers. An absolutely adorable Lana. Yes, I said adorable. Sweet, gentle, understanding, supportive, a good friend -- all the things that M&G *want* their Lana to be but push too hard at. I want more of this because I want more of this Lana. And Lex and Clark are woobies always. And poor Jonathan really needs something for stress reduction. *recommended*
The Sentinel: Jim/Blair (with cameos from JAG, X-Files and Stargate SG-1)
An Alternate Beginning
by kyanoswolf
Author's note: "Jim's abilities were noticed by The Powers That Be when he was rescued from Peru"
AU. A little over-the-top, but interesting premise, interesting details, interesting execution. The ideas of a hidden agenda on Jim's part, and a government conspiracy underlying various incidents and episodes, are intriguing and generally well-used. I'd like to see more of this, see how things progress. Will Jim be able to protect Blair from sinister government forces? -- that sorta thing. It's nice to see smart!Jim for once. However, Blair feels a little too young, more like an adolescent than a man in his late 20's -- except for the "seduction scene" (if you read the story, you'll know when you get there). And there's really not enough time spent on the relationship between Jim and Blair for my tastes, another reason I'd like to see more. *pleasantly surprised*
Mini-rant - Blair often/usually feels too young to me. He's almost 30 during the series, people! Yeah, he's youthful and enthusiastic, but he's also a horndog and responsible. He shouldn't feel like he's just entering puberty! Note that this is a separate -- though often related -- issue from either the "feminization" thing or the wee!Blair thing.
Smallville: CLex
Gotham, part 8 (the conclusion)
by shaggirl
Links to previous sections here.
When shaggirl said a while back that she only had two more installments left to write on this story, I really doubted she could wrap it all up that quickly in a satisfactory fashion. And when I read the penultimate installment, part 7, I doubted even more. And, boy, was I wrong. The ending *reallyreallyreally* kicked ass, wrapping up the immediate plot points wonderfully while leaving enough plot threads hanging to kick off the promised sequel in good order. The characterizations were wonderful throughout -- subjectively, I wasn't sure I liked Bruce at first, but he definitely won my heart over the course of the story. Objectively, the Bruce/Batman character and mythos were very well-realized. Alfred was a hoot, a tricky old guy, a great ally and an indulgent moral conscience for the "big kids" Bruce and Lex to keep them playing nice with the "little guy" Clark. *snicker* The Kents were more plot-device than anything else, but that wasn't a bad thing -- the story really didn't call for much character development for either of them. I feel confident that, if called for, insightful character development will appear in the sequel. Lionel was even *more* slimey than in canon, which I hadn't thought possible and was probably because there was no beauteous John Glover-shaped distraction. Clark and Lex -- adorable. In love, flirting, learning one another, protective.... Clark's so young but the potential in him shines forth strongly. And Lex, with his inner revelations and realizations, makes me worry for his future. I just hope Clark can be strong enough in this universe to keep Lex from that villainous Luthor destiny... **very recommended**
Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
Down Under
by snoopygirl
Author summary: "A road trip."
Don't try to figure out why/when/how for this one, just go with it. No context needed for enjoyment. Humor, banter, love. Animal conservation and issues of ecology. And they're so adorable and happy. This was a laugh-out-loud, mostly-dialog piece. Nothing deep, but lots of fun. Warning: Do not attempt to eat or drink *and* read this story at the same time. *recommended*
Due South: Fraser/RayK
Survival Skills
by Elizabeth
Warning: non-con/sexual assault. A bit melodramatic. An entry in the abused!Ray subgenre. The FBI come in and recruit Ray to go into the forest and check out a family of surivalists. Seems the head of the family writes crank letters to people in power and the Feds wanna be sure he's not escalating to actual violence. Why they have Ray go undercover instead of using their own people, I don't understand. Fraser comes back from a trip to find Ray on assignment just as the FBI calls to say they've found new evidence that makes Ray's assignment more dangerous. Meanwhile, Ray is being held captive and tortured/abused by the head of the family, who's a nutjob (albeit a provoked nutjob -- FBI wrong-doing involved). Fraser goes to rescue Ray, the family takes Ray into the woods to die of exposure, Fraser retrieves Ray, they hide, the family find them and bring them back to the cabin. It's all, like I say above, a bit melodramatic and overblown. There's some nice bits with Fraser doing his wilderness skills stuff, also some nice stuff with both Fray and Fraser feeling intensely protective of one another. And the author gets major points for treating Dief with respect and not forgetting about his existence, as too many DS writers do.
Mini-rant: I can't *count* how many times I've gotten drop-kicked out of a story in the middle of the action because the author has forgotten to account for Dief's whereabouts and/or well-being. Yeah, it's nice that Fraser and Ray are making out at Ray's apartment for the first time -- but I wanna know who's feeding and walking Dief, dammit?!?!?
Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Untitled Altville
by Corinna (corinna_5)
The story behind the story is that Livia's been promising some Julian/Alex smut but hasn't come through yet in the story. So Corinna couldn't wait and wrote it instead. The result? *guh* Just *guh*. Hot and sweet and sexy and salty-- Um, sorry, getting carried away there. Julian POV. Alex is sexier than he knows and Julian ... not as cynical as he thinks he is. Even in an AU, though, they're both danger!woobies. *definitely recommended*
To those who've been writing feedback, thank you so very much. It's good to know you're enjoying your ridealong into my obsessive/addicted fanfic reading habits.
Still resisting the lure of Potter-fic and X-Men fic and several other insidiously alluring fandoms. Keep getting sidetracked from likely-looking Firefly fics, which makes me sad -- I have a lust-on for big bad Jayne. I figure I'll succumb eventually, like once I get myself motivated to go see XM2 and/or rent the HP movies. Which could happen before the next millennium. I'm hopeful. Or do I mean insane. I get them confused sometimes.... *wink*
Buffy-verse: Angel/Oz
Call Me Koufax
by Glossolalia (glossing)
Author notes: Oz turns up at the pier. Again. Immense thanks to the lovely & talented Dolores Labouchere for the marvelous beta and a whisper of longstanding gratitude to Rob McQuillan, who first took me to Northport & Gunther's. The setting is post-'Redefinition' (AtS 2x11), pre-'Epiphany' (AtS 2x16); i.e., super-broody loner Angel and the Oz who vanished after 'New Moon Rising' (BtVS 4x19).
Slow, achy, fragile with tension. Strange and off-center. The feeling of secrets passing under the surface, though without the squeezed feeling of secretiveness. Atmospheric, with an odd mix of languor and below-the-surface tension. The sense that things unspoken are going on between the two characters. (Or maybe I missed a previous installment...) I liked it. It kept me alert and paying attention, it was unusual and not an easy read, I had to work to follow what was going on. And the ending was surprisingly sweet. I would like to see what happens next, but I also hesitate at the thought because it's so open to possibilities as is. Oz, philosophy and physics, and Angel. *recommended*
Smallville: CLex
Drift
by Rose Ferguson
From dammitcarl @ butgeorge via celli. Ah, how the rec wheel turns.
This was just ... sweet and gently funny and mildly tension-wracked. No big traumas, except Clark's usual adolescent-issues-magnified-by-superpowers. An absolutely adorable Lana. Yes, I said adorable. Sweet, gentle, understanding, supportive, a good friend -- all the things that M&G *want* their Lana to be but push too hard at. I want more of this because I want more of this Lana. And Lex and Clark are woobies always. And poor Jonathan really needs something for stress reduction. *recommended*
The Sentinel: Jim/Blair (with cameos from JAG, X-Files and Stargate SG-1)
An Alternate Beginning
by kyanoswolf
Author's note: "Jim's abilities were noticed by The Powers That Be when he was rescued from Peru"
AU. A little over-the-top, but interesting premise, interesting details, interesting execution. The ideas of a hidden agenda on Jim's part, and a government conspiracy underlying various incidents and episodes, are intriguing and generally well-used. I'd like to see more of this, see how things progress. Will Jim be able to protect Blair from sinister government forces? -- that sorta thing. It's nice to see smart!Jim for once. However, Blair feels a little too young, more like an adolescent than a man in his late 20's -- except for the "seduction scene" (if you read the story, you'll know when you get there). And there's really not enough time spent on the relationship between Jim and Blair for my tastes, another reason I'd like to see more. *pleasantly surprised*
Mini-rant - Blair often/usually feels too young to me. He's almost 30 during the series, people! Yeah, he's youthful and enthusiastic, but he's also a horndog and responsible. He shouldn't feel like he's just entering puberty! Note that this is a separate -- though often related -- issue from either the "feminization" thing or the wee!Blair thing.
Smallville: CLex
Gotham, part 8 (the conclusion)
by shaggirl
Links to previous sections here.
When shaggirl said a while back that she only had two more installments left to write on this story, I really doubted she could wrap it all up that quickly in a satisfactory fashion. And when I read the penultimate installment, part 7, I doubted even more. And, boy, was I wrong. The ending *reallyreallyreally* kicked ass, wrapping up the immediate plot points wonderfully while leaving enough plot threads hanging to kick off the promised sequel in good order. The characterizations were wonderful throughout -- subjectively, I wasn't sure I liked Bruce at first, but he definitely won my heart over the course of the story. Objectively, the Bruce/Batman character and mythos were very well-realized. Alfred was a hoot, a tricky old guy, a great ally and an indulgent moral conscience for the "big kids" Bruce and Lex to keep them playing nice with the "little guy" Clark. *snicker* The Kents were more plot-device than anything else, but that wasn't a bad thing -- the story really didn't call for much character development for either of them. I feel confident that, if called for, insightful character development will appear in the sequel. Lionel was even *more* slimey than in canon, which I hadn't thought possible and was probably because there was no beauteous John Glover-shaped distraction. Clark and Lex -- adorable. In love, flirting, learning one another, protective.... Clark's so young but the potential in him shines forth strongly. And Lex, with his inner revelations and realizations, makes me worry for his future. I just hope Clark can be strong enough in this universe to keep Lex from that villainous Luthor destiny... **very recommended**
Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
Down Under
by snoopygirl
Author summary: "A road trip."
Don't try to figure out why/when/how for this one, just go with it. No context needed for enjoyment. Humor, banter, love. Animal conservation and issues of ecology. And they're so adorable and happy. This was a laugh-out-loud, mostly-dialog piece. Nothing deep, but lots of fun. Warning: Do not attempt to eat or drink *and* read this story at the same time. *recommended*
Due South: Fraser/RayK
Survival Skills
by Elizabeth
Warning: non-con/sexual assault. A bit melodramatic. An entry in the abused!Ray subgenre. The FBI come in and recruit Ray to go into the forest and check out a family of surivalists. Seems the head of the family writes crank letters to people in power and the Feds wanna be sure he's not escalating to actual violence. Why they have Ray go undercover instead of using their own people, I don't understand. Fraser comes back from a trip to find Ray on assignment just as the FBI calls to say they've found new evidence that makes Ray's assignment more dangerous. Meanwhile, Ray is being held captive and tortured/abused by the head of the family, who's a nutjob (albeit a provoked nutjob -- FBI wrong-doing involved). Fraser goes to rescue Ray, the family takes Ray into the woods to die of exposure, Fraser retrieves Ray, they hide, the family find them and bring them back to the cabin. It's all, like I say above, a bit melodramatic and overblown. There's some nice bits with Fraser doing his wilderness skills stuff, also some nice stuff with both Fray and Fraser feeling intensely protective of one another. And the author gets major points for treating Dief with respect and not forgetting about his existence, as too many DS writers do.
Mini-rant: I can't *count* how many times I've gotten drop-kicked out of a story in the middle of the action because the author has forgotten to account for Dief's whereabouts and/or well-being. Yeah, it's nice that Fraser and Ray are making out at Ray's apartment for the first time -- but I wanna know who's feeding and walking Dief, dammit?!?!?
Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Untitled Altville
by Corinna (corinna_5)
The story behind the story is that Livia's been promising some Julian/Alex smut but hasn't come through yet in the story. So Corinna couldn't wait and wrote it instead. The result? *guh* Just *guh*. Hot and sweet and sexy and salty-- Um, sorry, getting carried away there. Julian POV. Alex is sexier than he knows and Julian ... not as cynical as he thinks he is. Even in an AU, though, they're both danger!woobies. *definitely recommended*