penwiper26: Shadow Though It Be
penwiper26: Shadow Though It Be
Fandom: BtVS
To quote the rec that sent me reading this fantastically clever story (& with which I completely agree): In which one Elisabeth, itinerant academic and BtVS fan, stumbles into Sunnydale and can't figure out how to leave. Elisabeth is so fully realized a character, so rich in flaws and quirks, that I can't be bothered to care that according to the author this is technically a self-insert fic. The writing is intelligent and hilarious and wonderful, Elisabeth's frequent metafictional observations are great fun, and her gradual relationship with Giles totally worked for me. This is very much a fic that doesn't sound like it ought to work but really, really does.
To this I will add that it is NOT the usual kind of AU where an OC or some other deus ex machina produces profound changes in the Buffyverse story. Indeed, apart from isolated incidents the action of seasons 5 to 7 is merely a background to the story of Elisabeth and her interactions with Giles, with the Scoobies as mere walk-on bit parts appearing intermittently. It is refreshingly different.
Note: This is the first part of a large series of 14 stories. Although the writing continues to be incredibly good, the character of the series changes somewhat after the first in that it concentrates entirely on the relationship between Giles and Elisabeth and becomes an angst-fest. A superlative, inspiring, gripping angst-fest written by someone who, if they aren't already, should be a professional writer... but still, an angst-fest. :-)
Length: long (30 chapt), the whole series being ~500,000 words.
Rating: PG
Pairing: Giles/OC
Fandom: BtVS
To quote the rec that sent me reading this fantastically clever story (& with which I completely agree): In which one Elisabeth, itinerant academic and BtVS fan, stumbles into Sunnydale and can't figure out how to leave. Elisabeth is so fully realized a character, so rich in flaws and quirks, that I can't be bothered to care that according to the author this is technically a self-insert fic. The writing is intelligent and hilarious and wonderful, Elisabeth's frequent metafictional observations are great fun, and her gradual relationship with Giles totally worked for me. This is very much a fic that doesn't sound like it ought to work but really, really does.
To this I will add that it is NOT the usual kind of AU where an OC or some other deus ex machina produces profound changes in the Buffyverse story. Indeed, apart from isolated incidents the action of seasons 5 to 7 is merely a background to the story of Elisabeth and her interactions with Giles, with the Scoobies as mere walk-on bit parts appearing intermittently. It is refreshingly different.
Note: This is the first part of a large series of 14 stories. Although the writing continues to be incredibly good, the character of the series changes somewhat after the first in that it concentrates entirely on the relationship between Giles and Elisabeth and becomes an angst-fest. A superlative, inspiring, gripping angst-fest written by someone who, if they aren't already, should be a professional writer... but still, an angst-fest. :-)
Length: long (30 chapt), the whole series being ~500,000 words.
Rating: PG
Pairing: Giles/OC