Very belated Yuletide recs: I: film & television
I got a bit put off by the immense size of last year's Yuletide archive, and never got around to putting together a recs set. Signing up got me reading again, so here's the first installment of some superbelated recs for your reading pleasure while you eagerly await Christmas...
Batman Begins
The Kid from the Narrows, by Ro
'You're too old for teddybears but you cling to something nonetheless. ...You fall asleep clutching the metal casing and wake with his symbol pressed deep into your palm.' Excellent use of a minor character to illuminate Batman and especially the city he patrols. The second-person narration works very nicely here
Lodestone, by Eyebrow of Doom
'At the corner, a section of veneer the size of a silver dollar was missing, revealing chipboard beneath. Like Gordon's failings as a provider, this had a certain humble charm, but would become less charming over time.' Gritty portrait of Jim Gordon, full of well-chosen details
Blake's 7
After Long Silence, by Taz
'As the ship slid across the spoke, it was possible to see squatters' hives, those strings of habitat cubes cobbled out of scavenged transalplex and nusteel, scattering into space like a cheap bead fringe coming unraveled.' Taz's vision is closer to sf than much B7 fiction. It's a bit rough around the edges, perhaps, but worth a try for the unusual premise, strong description & memorable details
Brokeback Mountain
A Man's God-Given Right, by Trascendenza
'Their roots gave them stability and comfort, helped them weather the inevitable trouble, made the nights when one of them had to sit on the porch with the shotgun easier to bear.' I don't usually recommend fix-it AUs, but this feels absolutely right, with spot-on character voices and a decided lack of saccharine
Remington Steele
And Still More Tomorrow, by Medie
'Murphy...tells himself he's a detective, some days he even believes it. Most days he punches the clock and waits for the weekend.' Bittersweet backstory for a character that canon short-changed & most fanfiction overlooks
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, by Merlin Missy
Someone's deleting toons, and this time it's Jessica who's the prime suspect. This inventive murder mystery works on several different levels, and never fails to amuse
Wire in the Blood
Erotophonophilia, by Loz
'Sex. It has to be sex. It's always sex in cases like this. Repression. Expression. Shut it in, let it out. Murder is always about lust, isn't it.' An intense vignette that nails the character voices, particularly Tony's (ADULT)
Batman Begins
The Kid from the Narrows, by Ro
'You're too old for teddybears but you cling to something nonetheless. ...You fall asleep clutching the metal casing and wake with his symbol pressed deep into your palm.' Excellent use of a minor character to illuminate Batman and especially the city he patrols. The second-person narration works very nicely here
Lodestone, by Eyebrow of Doom
'At the corner, a section of veneer the size of a silver dollar was missing, revealing chipboard beneath. Like Gordon's failings as a provider, this had a certain humble charm, but would become less charming over time.' Gritty portrait of Jim Gordon, full of well-chosen details
Blake's 7
After Long Silence, by Taz
'As the ship slid across the spoke, it was possible to see squatters' hives, those strings of habitat cubes cobbled out of scavenged transalplex and nusteel, scattering into space like a cheap bead fringe coming unraveled.' Taz's vision is closer to sf than much B7 fiction. It's a bit rough around the edges, perhaps, but worth a try for the unusual premise, strong description & memorable details
Brokeback Mountain
A Man's God-Given Right, by Trascendenza
'Their roots gave them stability and comfort, helped them weather the inevitable trouble, made the nights when one of them had to sit on the porch with the shotgun easier to bear.' I don't usually recommend fix-it AUs, but this feels absolutely right, with spot-on character voices and a decided lack of saccharine
Remington Steele
And Still More Tomorrow, by Medie
'Murphy...tells himself he's a detective, some days he even believes it. Most days he punches the clock and waits for the weekend.' Bittersweet backstory for a character that canon short-changed & most fanfiction overlooks
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down, by Merlin Missy
Someone's deleting toons, and this time it's Jessica who's the prime suspect. This inventive murder mystery works on several different levels, and never fails to amuse
Wire in the Blood
Erotophonophilia, by Loz
'Sex. It has to be sex. It's always sex in cases like this. Repression. Expression. Shut it in, let it out. Murder is always about lust, isn't it.' An intense vignette that nails the character voices, particularly Tony's (ADULT)