Fangirly Friday!
I'm very happy to be included in the fangirl_tour, and many thanks to scatteredlogic for organizing it! :)
Below is an even dozen of assorted fic and art recommendations, a little over half of them Labyrinth, the other half a smorgasbord of picks. Hope you like them!
Labyrinth was my first foray into fanfic, both reading and writing. This by no means covers the full extent of great fics, but I've tried to touch upon a few that not everyone might've heard about yet as well as some classics.
Labyrinth
Fanfic:
The Sharp Edge of Dreams, by sgcbearcub (Rated M, Jareth/Sarah, adventure/drama/romance) This is one of the most unusual and original Labyrinth fics I've ever read. Jareth is a half-blood Sidhe in need of a Champion to defend his claim to the Goblin Throne and Sarah Williams (now grown up and a firefighter!) is his chosen champion. I don't always enjoy Sidhe-court style fics, but with a strong heroine and a Goblin King in need of rescue, who could resist?
First Impressions, by lady_rhiyana (Rated K+, drama/adventure) Tackling the origins of the Labyrinth isn't often addressed in fics, and really, it's a shame because then maybe we'd see more creative stories like this one. Written as a prequel to her on-hiatus "The Catalyst", this is a story of how the Goblin Kingdom and its ruler came to be. This tale is about love, treachery, war and new beginnings. It feels epic, and I'm jealous as hell that it isn't mine!
The Enticement, by scatteredlogic. (Rating M, Jareth/Sarah, Romance/Angst) All her Labyrinth fics are classics, but this one is my favorite and has been since I first started reading fanfiction. (And in fact, if it hadn't been for scatteredlogic's work, I might've fled screaming from what I found on FFnet.) Jareth finds himself stranded in the mortal world, unable to return to the Labyrinth or use his magic because Sarah has struck a mysterious bargain with the Labyrinth. This is wonderful romance and smoking hot chemistry and... It gives me warm fuzzies. There, I said it, are you all happy now? ;)
Galatea, by klmorgan. (Rating: MA, Jareth/Sarah, Angst) "A Forfeit of Dreams" is well-known among Labyrinth fanficcers, so I thought I'd rec a slightly less well known one as it does not appear on FFnet. This is one of my absolute favorites in Labyrinth. It's dark and disturbing, yes, but it also shows the Goblin King making an utterly human mistake and dealing with the consequences. It's difficult to tell a story so well and so completely in a short amount of time, but this fic does it and more and it gives me shivers down my spine every time I read it.
Art:
And the World Falls Down, by FatalFrameFotography. (Sarah) I love the dark side to the Labyrinth, and this artwork is one of the most haunting images I've ever seen. It reminds me of those marble statues on tombs of weeping angels, and I love the contrast of light and dark.
Sir Didymus, by saniika. I may be biased since she drew this for one of my fics, but dammit, I love Sir Didymus. Look at his adorable coat, the eyepatch, the feather in his hat and that way he's got his head cocked to one side as if he's listening intently. AWWWW. Why should the Goblin King get all the fangirl attention? ;)
Hula, by torreadora. (Jareth) I can only imagine how difficult this was to draw, but it recalls so well that final scene and the Goblin King's defeat. I'd always loved that bit of movie magic with the collapsing figure with his cloak fluttering in the wind, and this captures it perfectly.
And because we cannot live on Labyrinth alone, here are some fics and an art rec from miscellaneous other fandoms.
Lord of the Rings
The Allure of the Dark Angel by whitemunin. (Rating M, Grima Wormtongue/OFC, Romance/Drama) Fans of Tolkien's books and the films will recognize the timeline of this fic, but the story itself is from a completely different point of view-- not of heroes, but healers, and of the women who had their own battles to fight far from the fields of Pellenor. This fic takes my breath away for so many reasons. Not only does she manage to make Grima Wormtongue in a sympathetic character while still remaining true to his role in the triolgy, she's also created one of the best original characters I've ever read. It's all here-- rich sensory detail, a feel for the intimate history of the Rohan people that does Tolkien proud, and believe it not, a great romance. Even if you couldn't possibly begin to conceive of any non-creepy pairing involving Wormtongue, you should read this.
Fairytale
Cat-Skin, by bluefooted. (Art, Brothers Grimm fairytale) This is an illustration to accompany a particular fairytale, although I've seen it under other titles as well. If I'm not mistaken, it is a somewhat odd story about a girl whose father wants to marry her, and one of the impossible tasks she gives him in order to put him off is to obtain for her a cloak made out of the fur of every cat/animal in the entire kingdom... Yeah, I know-- a bit icky, to say the least. But it's a gorgeous piece of art, and takes me back to happy days I spent poring through books of fairytales at the library, with their incredible Arthur Rackham illustrations.
Dr. House and Agent Pendergast crossover
Breakbone Fever, by FiendWithoutaFace. (House/Agent Pendergast crossover, general/adventure) This one requires some set-up. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child co-write a series of thriller/suspense novels, the first of which was Relic. Aloysius Pendergast is an FBI agent who is sort of a cross between David Bowie and Sherlock Holmes-- which goes a long way towards explaining my fascination. The plot would probably be crackfic if it weren't so reasonably written and pretty much in-character, because it involves Special Agent Pendergast, Dr. Gregory House, death by deer, and the Jersey Devil. No, really, it's great.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Maid of the Sea, by hereswith. (Rated T, Drama/Supernatural) hereswith has a gift for language that always puts me in awe, which is what makes it so hard to choose just one of her fics. This is about the crew of the Black Pearl and their encounter with a mermaid, but don't expect any cheerful Disney melodies or talking crab sidekicks! This mermaid is the kind who lures sailors to death without any regrets, and it's a fantastic oneshot glimpse into one original character who fits seamlessly into the PotC universe.
Criminal Minds
Knock on Coffins, by matociquala (Criminal Minds, General) Maybe it's cheating to include a fanfic written by a professional writer, but Elizabeth Bear is a prime example of how completely awesome fangirls can be. Not only is she an established speculative fiction author and Campbell award winner, she enthusiastically fangirls the TV show Criminal Minds and I never miss one of her postmortem sessions. :) For people who don't follow it, Criminal Minds is about the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit and a team whose responsibility is to create psychological profiles and track down serial killers and kidnappers. "Knock on Coffins" is, I believe, Bear's first CM fanfic (although she's written more) and she nails it right down to her choice of music.
Have a good weekend, fellow fangirls. I'm proud to know all of you. ;)
Below is an even dozen of assorted fic and art recommendations, a little over half of them Labyrinth, the other half a smorgasbord of picks. Hope you like them!
Labyrinth was my first foray into fanfic, both reading and writing. This by no means covers the full extent of great fics, but I've tried to touch upon a few that not everyone might've heard about yet as well as some classics.
Labyrinth
Fanfic:
The Sharp Edge of Dreams, by sgcbearcub (Rated M, Jareth/Sarah, adventure/drama/romance) This is one of the most unusual and original Labyrinth fics I've ever read. Jareth is a half-blood Sidhe in need of a Champion to defend his claim to the Goblin Throne and Sarah Williams (now grown up and a firefighter!) is his chosen champion. I don't always enjoy Sidhe-court style fics, but with a strong heroine and a Goblin King in need of rescue, who could resist?
First Impressions, by lady_rhiyana (Rated K+, drama/adventure) Tackling the origins of the Labyrinth isn't often addressed in fics, and really, it's a shame because then maybe we'd see more creative stories like this one. Written as a prequel to her on-hiatus "The Catalyst", this is a story of how the Goblin Kingdom and its ruler came to be. This tale is about love, treachery, war and new beginnings. It feels epic, and I'm jealous as hell that it isn't mine!
The Enticement, by scatteredlogic. (Rating M, Jareth/Sarah, Romance/Angst) All her Labyrinth fics are classics, but this one is my favorite and has been since I first started reading fanfiction. (And in fact, if it hadn't been for scatteredlogic's work, I might've fled screaming from what I found on FFnet.) Jareth finds himself stranded in the mortal world, unable to return to the Labyrinth or use his magic because Sarah has struck a mysterious bargain with the Labyrinth. This is wonderful romance and smoking hot chemistry and... It gives me warm fuzzies. There, I said it, are you all happy now? ;)
Galatea, by klmorgan. (Rating: MA, Jareth/Sarah, Angst) "A Forfeit of Dreams" is well-known among Labyrinth fanficcers, so I thought I'd rec a slightly less well known one as it does not appear on FFnet. This is one of my absolute favorites in Labyrinth. It's dark and disturbing, yes, but it also shows the Goblin King making an utterly human mistake and dealing with the consequences. It's difficult to tell a story so well and so completely in a short amount of time, but this fic does it and more and it gives me shivers down my spine every time I read it.
Art:
And the World Falls Down, by FatalFrameFotography. (Sarah) I love the dark side to the Labyrinth, and this artwork is one of the most haunting images I've ever seen. It reminds me of those marble statues on tombs of weeping angels, and I love the contrast of light and dark.
Sir Didymus, by saniika. I may be biased since she drew this for one of my fics, but dammit, I love Sir Didymus. Look at his adorable coat, the eyepatch, the feather in his hat and that way he's got his head cocked to one side as if he's listening intently. AWWWW. Why should the Goblin King get all the fangirl attention? ;)
Hula, by torreadora. (Jareth) I can only imagine how difficult this was to draw, but it recalls so well that final scene and the Goblin King's defeat. I'd always loved that bit of movie magic with the collapsing figure with his cloak fluttering in the wind, and this captures it perfectly.
And because we cannot live on Labyrinth alone, here are some fics and an art rec from miscellaneous other fandoms.
Lord of the Rings
The Allure of the Dark Angel by whitemunin. (Rating M, Grima Wormtongue/OFC, Romance/Drama) Fans of Tolkien's books and the films will recognize the timeline of this fic, but the story itself is from a completely different point of view-- not of heroes, but healers, and of the women who had their own battles to fight far from the fields of Pellenor. This fic takes my breath away for so many reasons. Not only does she manage to make Grima Wormtongue in a sympathetic character while still remaining true to his role in the triolgy, she's also created one of the best original characters I've ever read. It's all here-- rich sensory detail, a feel for the intimate history of the Rohan people that does Tolkien proud, and believe it not, a great romance. Even if you couldn't possibly begin to conceive of any non-creepy pairing involving Wormtongue, you should read this.
Fairytale
Cat-Skin, by bluefooted. (Art, Brothers Grimm fairytale) This is an illustration to accompany a particular fairytale, although I've seen it under other titles as well. If I'm not mistaken, it is a somewhat odd story about a girl whose father wants to marry her, and one of the impossible tasks she gives him in order to put him off is to obtain for her a cloak made out of the fur of every cat/animal in the entire kingdom... Yeah, I know-- a bit icky, to say the least. But it's a gorgeous piece of art, and takes me back to happy days I spent poring through books of fairytales at the library, with their incredible Arthur Rackham illustrations.
Dr. House and Agent Pendergast crossover
Breakbone Fever, by FiendWithoutaFace. (House/Agent Pendergast crossover, general/adventure) This one requires some set-up. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child co-write a series of thriller/suspense novels, the first of which was Relic. Aloysius Pendergast is an FBI agent who is sort of a cross between David Bowie and Sherlock Holmes-- which goes a long way towards explaining my fascination. The plot would probably be crackfic if it weren't so reasonably written and pretty much in-character, because it involves Special Agent Pendergast, Dr. Gregory House, death by deer, and the Jersey Devil. No, really, it's great.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Maid of the Sea, by hereswith. (Rated T, Drama/Supernatural) hereswith has a gift for language that always puts me in awe, which is what makes it so hard to choose just one of her fics. This is about the crew of the Black Pearl and their encounter with a mermaid, but don't expect any cheerful Disney melodies or talking crab sidekicks! This mermaid is the kind who lures sailors to death without any regrets, and it's a fantastic oneshot glimpse into one original character who fits seamlessly into the PotC universe.
Criminal Minds
Knock on Coffins, by matociquala (Criminal Minds, General) Maybe it's cheating to include a fanfic written by a professional writer, but Elizabeth Bear is a prime example of how completely awesome fangirls can be. Not only is she an established speculative fiction author and Campbell award winner, she enthusiastically fangirls the TV show Criminal Minds and I never miss one of her postmortem sessions. :) For people who don't follow it, Criminal Minds is about the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit and a team whose responsibility is to create psychological profiles and track down serial killers and kidnappers. "Knock on Coffins" is, I believe, Bear's first CM fanfic (although she's written more) and she nails it right down to her choice of music.
Have a good weekend, fellow fangirls. I'm proud to know all of you. ;)