Happy New Year! 2010
Thanks to everyone who gave me those fic prompts--even if I can't jump start my muse lately. Definitely on my Resolution list: write (and finish book of shadows).
I have been reading a lot instead--trying to plump up the non-SSHG recs for Know-it-Alls by making my way through crack_broom. I find I really am sadly OTP and close to burn out reading in other ships. What KIA really needs are more reccers for the other major ships with the same enthusiasm for reccing and knowledge of their ships that I have for Snape/Hermione (and who are good writers in their own right, or at least have a history of lots of good, good recs). It's nevertheless been rewarding going through crack_broom this past month, but after an endless round of it I'm ready for a break I think from Harry Potter fan fiction. But hey, since my muse isn't (yet) up to a story about Christmas (or New Years) in New York City or painted quail, here below is my top ten list of the stories that really impressed me on my recent Harry Potter crack_broom reading binge (no SSHG--sorry).
1) Gen: Sea Change by tangleofthorns (Sparkgirls) (PG-13) 2,645 words Narcissa
If I had to pick one story on this list to make you read, it would be this one. Just an amazing Narcissa story, and story of the changes motherhood can bring. I loved her in this.
2) Crossover: Riddles of the Dead by maeglinyedi (NC-17) 17,659 words Tom Riddle/Indiana Jones
There are very few stories where Riddle is more than a caricature (and I'd include Rowling in that). Not only is this the best Riddle story I've encountered, but the Indiana Jones voice is absolutely dead on. A terrific merger of the two worlds.
3) Ron/Hermione: Ron the Builder by stmargarets (PG-13) 4,478 words
I probably have read more in Ron/Hermione than any pairing other than SSHG--deliberately as an OTP corrective at first, then keeping up more or less because of KIA. I recently caught up winnowing through the crack_broom recs for this pairing and this was my favorite among those I read this month. After I rec'd this fic on KIA, lulabelle72 even rec'd this on her LJ. A lot of Ron/Hermione I think glosses over Ron and Hermione's faults and the problems they might have making things work. This one doesn't, yet manages to both make Ron appealing and sexy and show how they could compliment each other as a couple.
4) Snape/Lupin: Snape and Son by tales_of_josan (Josan) (PG-13) 23,973 words
Josan is one author who can take me anywhere (she writes in many ships, including a couple of SSHG). What stands out in this (now) very AU fic for me is Snape's son. Lovely characterization of him, of Snape as a father, interesting magic and look into the werewolf culture. And this is by no means a ship that ordinarily appeals to me (particularly since I'm no Remus fan). Snupin is the ship with the most recs on crack_broom btw, and not one with a lot of recs on KIA since our major slash reccer doesn't read in it the way she does in Snarry and Drarry.
5) Snarry: The Care of Infants by perfica (Stella Hobbit) (NC-17) 14,297 words
I love both Snape and Harry and the dynamic between them, albeit I prefer them in a mentor relationship than slash. Back when I devoured OWL in my early fan days I fell in love with fics by E.M. Snape, Jocelyn, greengecko--I wish SSHG more often incorporated a strong relationship between Snape and Harry. But since I like both characters so much this comes closest to my favorite HP slash pairing--and so I found it hard to pick one. This story I rather rolled my eyes at the premise, and thought there was no way this would work or not be squicky. I was surprised to love it, but love it I did.
6) Harry/Draco: A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki (Duinn Fionn) (R) 108,033 words
Canon-shafted--but still a great story and character study of Draco and I like how this story fleshed out Dean and Seamus, whose friendship is important in this story. This is the most popular slash pairing in HP, arguably the most popular ship. I rarely find Drarry appealing--but this is one of those stories that I think transcends their ship.
7) Remus/Sirius: Mapmakers by casira (R) 9,803 words
This is one category where it's surprisingly hard to pick a favorite. Surprising because I really can't stand Sirius and don't much like Remus. Not surprising in a Snape fan. Otoh, this is the one m/m slash pairing in Harry Potter that really feels natural to me. Maybe because I imprinted on it since that was a secondary pairing in my first and favorite SSHG, Falling Further In, or maybe because I simply don't see that anyone mattered as much to these two as each other. (Yes, for me that includes Tonks) And Casira is another one of those authors who I'd follow anywhere and in this story I've found a Marauder's Map origins tale that became part of my personal canon.
8) Harry/Ron: Damn Tornados by wideworldsend (Mad Maudlin) (PG-13) 38,502 words
This was just a delight--a cross of Harry Potter with Damn Yankees (with Pansy in the Lola role, so I got to enjoy a side of Ron/Pansy--sorta). The demonic Draco was a hoot and played off Ron wonderfully (The author writes quite a bit of Ron/Draco, so no surprise). This was just so much fun--lots of humor and written with a lot of obvious affection for the characters.
9) Femmeslash: Imperius by snegurochka_lee (R) ~8,700 words Narcissa/Rosmerta
Warnings for dubious consent and I'd call this darkfic. Oh, just not my thing, but I knew the author was good, and I think of all the femmeslash I've read off crack_broom so far, this is the one that absolutely pulled me in and wouldn't let go. (So far btw, I have yet to see a crack_broom femmeslash rec for anything longer than a short story. Do they just tend to run to short? And given the crack_broom recs, there doesn't seem to be any one popular femmeslash pairing--all rather scattered)
10) Threesomes: Belong by copperbadge (Sam Vimes) (NC-17) 4,079 words Remus/James/Lily
Threesomes really, really aren't my thing. They're not my kink, and I can't see them as very viable in real life--they're certainly a lot rarer than same sex relationships. Two is hard enough. And in fanfic they tend toward pure PWP fantasy/wish fulfillment--just not what I read for. And anything James/Lily? With Remus? er...no. Not my favorite characters by a long shot. But I found copperbadge is just one of those rare, rare authors that can take me anywhere and I'd follow. Great character study of all three--with a dynamic I can believe in. And it captures something that I do find potentially appealing about threesomes--sometimes if you see a really strong dynamic among three, and you hate seeing someone left out... (why I am looking forward to wonderfulwrite's Kirk/Spock/Uhura Reboot fics...).
I think one really interesting aspect of my reading this month is my impressions from this of m/m slash, which I haven't read so much of since my Trek days. I'm a Kirk girl, and there just wasn't much to read with him back when I discovered fanfic that wasn't Kirk/Spock. In a way, I'd love to discuss the issue of what makes m/m slash different, in another, I don't know how to frame it w/o touching off wank. And to be fair, I've found lots of misogyny and romance trope drek in SSHG too--and plenty of bashing of canon rivals--but I do find I do prefer Het greatly over Slash (and fanon over canon pairings). At the same time, I've found there are some authors that when they pop up on my radar, I sit back knowing I'm about to read a good story--even if it is slash--and that's what matters most.
I have been reading a lot instead--trying to plump up the non-SSHG recs for Know-it-Alls by making my way through crack_broom. I find I really am sadly OTP and close to burn out reading in other ships. What KIA really needs are more reccers for the other major ships with the same enthusiasm for reccing and knowledge of their ships that I have for Snape/Hermione (and who are good writers in their own right, or at least have a history of lots of good, good recs). It's nevertheless been rewarding going through crack_broom this past month, but after an endless round of it I'm ready for a break I think from Harry Potter fan fiction. But hey, since my muse isn't (yet) up to a story about Christmas (or New Years) in New York City or painted quail, here below is my top ten list of the stories that really impressed me on my recent Harry Potter crack_broom reading binge (no SSHG--sorry).
1) Gen: Sea Change by tangleofthorns (Sparkgirls) (PG-13) 2,645 words Narcissa
If I had to pick one story on this list to make you read, it would be this one. Just an amazing Narcissa story, and story of the changes motherhood can bring. I loved her in this.
2) Crossover: Riddles of the Dead by maeglinyedi (NC-17) 17,659 words Tom Riddle/Indiana Jones
There are very few stories where Riddle is more than a caricature (and I'd include Rowling in that). Not only is this the best Riddle story I've encountered, but the Indiana Jones voice is absolutely dead on. A terrific merger of the two worlds.
3) Ron/Hermione: Ron the Builder by stmargarets (PG-13) 4,478 words
I probably have read more in Ron/Hermione than any pairing other than SSHG--deliberately as an OTP corrective at first, then keeping up more or less because of KIA. I recently caught up winnowing through the crack_broom recs for this pairing and this was my favorite among those I read this month. After I rec'd this fic on KIA, lulabelle72 even rec'd this on her LJ. A lot of Ron/Hermione I think glosses over Ron and Hermione's faults and the problems they might have making things work. This one doesn't, yet manages to both make Ron appealing and sexy and show how they could compliment each other as a couple.
4) Snape/Lupin: Snape and Son by tales_of_josan (Josan) (PG-13) 23,973 words
Josan is one author who can take me anywhere (she writes in many ships, including a couple of SSHG). What stands out in this (now) very AU fic for me is Snape's son. Lovely characterization of him, of Snape as a father, interesting magic and look into the werewolf culture. And this is by no means a ship that ordinarily appeals to me (particularly since I'm no Remus fan). Snupin is the ship with the most recs on crack_broom btw, and not one with a lot of recs on KIA since our major slash reccer doesn't read in it the way she does in Snarry and Drarry.
5) Snarry: The Care of Infants by perfica (Stella Hobbit) (NC-17) 14,297 words
I love both Snape and Harry and the dynamic between them, albeit I prefer them in a mentor relationship than slash. Back when I devoured OWL in my early fan days I fell in love with fics by E.M. Snape, Jocelyn, greengecko--I wish SSHG more often incorporated a strong relationship between Snape and Harry. But since I like both characters so much this comes closest to my favorite HP slash pairing--and so I found it hard to pick one. This story I rather rolled my eyes at the premise, and thought there was no way this would work or not be squicky. I was surprised to love it, but love it I did.
6) Harry/Draco: A Thousand Beautiful Things by geoviki (Duinn Fionn) (R) 108,033 words
Canon-shafted--but still a great story and character study of Draco and I like how this story fleshed out Dean and Seamus, whose friendship is important in this story. This is the most popular slash pairing in HP, arguably the most popular ship. I rarely find Drarry appealing--but this is one of those stories that I think transcends their ship.
7) Remus/Sirius: Mapmakers by casira (R) 9,803 words
This is one category where it's surprisingly hard to pick a favorite. Surprising because I really can't stand Sirius and don't much like Remus. Not surprising in a Snape fan. Otoh, this is the one m/m slash pairing in Harry Potter that really feels natural to me. Maybe because I imprinted on it since that was a secondary pairing in my first and favorite SSHG, Falling Further In, or maybe because I simply don't see that anyone mattered as much to these two as each other. (Yes, for me that includes Tonks) And Casira is another one of those authors who I'd follow anywhere and in this story I've found a Marauder's Map origins tale that became part of my personal canon.
8) Harry/Ron: Damn Tornados by wideworldsend (Mad Maudlin) (PG-13) 38,502 words
This was just a delight--a cross of Harry Potter with Damn Yankees (with Pansy in the Lola role, so I got to enjoy a side of Ron/Pansy--sorta). The demonic Draco was a hoot and played off Ron wonderfully (The author writes quite a bit of Ron/Draco, so no surprise). This was just so much fun--lots of humor and written with a lot of obvious affection for the characters.
9) Femmeslash: Imperius by snegurochka_lee (R) ~8,700 words Narcissa/Rosmerta
Warnings for dubious consent and I'd call this darkfic. Oh, just not my thing, but I knew the author was good, and I think of all the femmeslash I've read off crack_broom so far, this is the one that absolutely pulled me in and wouldn't let go. (So far btw, I have yet to see a crack_broom femmeslash rec for anything longer than a short story. Do they just tend to run to short? And given the crack_broom recs, there doesn't seem to be any one popular femmeslash pairing--all rather scattered)
10) Threesomes: Belong by copperbadge (Sam Vimes) (NC-17) 4,079 words Remus/James/Lily
Threesomes really, really aren't my thing. They're not my kink, and I can't see them as very viable in real life--they're certainly a lot rarer than same sex relationships. Two is hard enough. And in fanfic they tend toward pure PWP fantasy/wish fulfillment--just not what I read for. And anything James/Lily? With Remus? er...no. Not my favorite characters by a long shot. But I found copperbadge is just one of those rare, rare authors that can take me anywhere and I'd follow. Great character study of all three--with a dynamic I can believe in. And it captures something that I do find potentially appealing about threesomes--sometimes if you see a really strong dynamic among three, and you hate seeing someone left out... (why I am looking forward to wonderfulwrite's Kirk/Spock/Uhura Reboot fics...).
I think one really interesting aspect of my reading this month is my impressions from this of m/m slash, which I haven't read so much of since my Trek days. I'm a Kirk girl, and there just wasn't much to read with him back when I discovered fanfic that wasn't Kirk/Spock. In a way, I'd love to discuss the issue of what makes m/m slash different, in another, I don't know how to frame it w/o touching off wank. And to be fair, I've found lots of misogyny and romance trope drek in SSHG too--and plenty of bashing of canon rivals--but I do find I do prefer Het greatly over Slash (and fanon over canon pairings). At the same time, I've found there are some authors that when they pop up on my radar, I sit back knowing I'm about to read a good story--even if it is slash--and that's what matters most.