Our very first round-up!
Hello and welcome to holmesian_recs , a community to bring you old and new gems of the Holmes fandom that were winking at us in a most irresistible fashion. All under the cut, because our first round-up comes with quite a few recs!
Holmes/Watson:
The Rational Mind by sam_storyteller
(Holmes/Watson, PG, 1500 words)
It was not my intent to bring any strife into our agreeable bachelor lodgings, but unfortunately the strife followed me there.
torakowalski: Lovely character piece set in the book 'verse and exploring Watson's post-war PTSD and Holmes' way of helping him through it.
brushstrokes: The structured word count in this story was very powerful. I have a weakness for thoughtful exploration of Watson's PTSD, and the author handled it beautifully.
The Curse by toft_froggy
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 4600 words)
"I look different than I did half an hour ago, do I not? The fact is, Watson, that sometimes, I am a woman."
torakowalski: The author summarises this as genderfuck on a train. Which it is! It's delicious porn, but also a really great look at Holmes, what matters to him and what does not. (Another book 'verse fic.)
Twelfth Night by katieforsythe
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 6070 words)
{bookverse} As I walked very carefully, one foot in front of the next in the familiar back-and-forth progression, up our seventeen steps that evening, it was with a blackened eye, a box full of broken glass tucked beneath my arm, and a bottle of 1867 Chateau Lafite in my opposite hand.
paperclipbitch: The dialogue is sparkling and witty, the emotions run deep without ever becoming sappy, it's wonderfully sexy and also screamingly funny. Made my day.
Gods and Kings by candle_beck
(Holmes/Watson, PG-13, 5601, mild violence)
(Warnings: Drug abuse? Do we warn for that given this fandom?)
{movieverse} Wherein Watson is terribly distracting.
paperclipbitch: Beautifully brittle. The characters are wonderfully drawn, Holmes in particular, with a gorgeous building tension.
still I need your sway by scornandritz
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 6000 words)
where Watson is in a mood, Holmes gets himself nearly killed, and MYCROFT IS HERE!
inderpal: A lovely story about Holmes and Watson dealing with Watson's marriage and what this means for their budding relationship. I could rec this for the banter alone, but it also includes a great Mycroft voice, as well as a lovely dose of h/c. Warning: infidelity.
Strictly Method by thingswithwings
(Holmes/Watson, adult, 8600 words)
(Warnings: ageplay, D/s, painplay)
"When I agreed to share lodgings with you, I didn't realise that I would be sharing with twenty-odd others as well," I said. "Perhaps you should be paying additional rent."
kyuuketsukirui: You might look askance at the ageplay kink, but it is so well-written and better yet, so well-integrated. It really feels very organic to the story (and in-character), rather than just tacked on, as kink sometimes can. I think there's a real knack you have to have for writing kink in order to make it feel like it's about the characters, not the author, and this has definitely achieved that. Plus it has great dialogue, and flustered!Watson, and things that happen at night in the dark that are not acknowledged in the daytime and so many other things I love.
Infinite Variations Upon a Single Moment by lisztful
(Holmes/Watson, PG, 3400 words)
Transgender!Holmes fic. Holmes presents a case of a very personal nature for Watson to ponder.
kyuuketsukirui: Oh man, this is so awesome. I love the way Holmes lays everything out and I love that Watson is convinced (Holmes's logic is infallible!). And...it would be so easy for a scenario like this to be done badly. With a Watson who is going to marry Mary in order to try and hetify himself and get away from Holmes, some writers might have him think "oh, it's all right, Holmes is really a woman" (even if he was eventually convinced that Holmes was really a man). But there's none of that here. I also liked that it was made very clear that it wasn't just Holmes Watson was attracted to, that he'd always been gay. (I don't like WNGWJLEO (We're Not Gay, We Just Love Each Other) at the best of times and it takes on an even skeevier undertone when one of the characters is trans.) I liked how this dealt with Mary, too.
(you could be my) unintended and (unintended) desires by lastling
(Holmes/Watson, R, Part I: 1500 words & Part II: 2700 words)
(you could be my) unintended: in which holmes and watson watch each other from opposite sides of a fence // holmes is wounded // and conclusions are drawn.
(unintended) desires: in which a friendship is re-established // things change // and mary knows everything (because she's awesome.)
brushstrokes: Set after Watson marries Mary, this is a moving blend of fiction, fanmix and fanart. Well-paced snippets of narrative stretch over three years: snapshots of Holmes' and Watson's struggles and eventual reconciliation. I also particularly like Mary's characterization in this story.
Absurdly Simple by Irene Adler
(Holmes/Watson, R, in 3 parts off LJ.)
Summary "Holmes," I said, deliberately keeping my voice level, "because you are not well, because you have not slept to-night, and because you have occasionally, in the past, abused me in this manner without meaning anything by it, I will let this pass. I can only tell you that until you are willing to give me some further hint, I must remain as much in the dark as ever." He shook his head slightly with a sharp noise of contempt.
snarkaddict: This has an excellent mystery and great first-time revelations.
Change, or Lack Thereof by shockselectric
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 11'591 words, explicit)
Quote: From what sounds like a very long distance away, there’s a thump and someone lets out a grunt before another thump, though this one sounds more like a body hitting the ground; Holmes rather hopes it isn't Watson. After that, it all drifts away and his pounding skull doesn’t hurt much at all.
zarah5: This story is sizzlingly hot, but even more so, it's a beautiful portrayal of both Holmes and Watson. The fact that it comes with lovely imagery doesn't hurt, either.
Threesome:
5 Times John Watson Quite Unintentionally Saw Irene Adler Naked (And One Time It Wasn't So Unintentional) by flowrs4ophelia
(Watson/Irene/Holmes (Suggestive, Gen), PG13, ~15,000)
Even if the woman clearly has no shame, he still finds it a little uncomfortable himself whenever they encounter each other with these perpetual failings in decorum.
ab_hinc: I love '5 Times...' fics in general and this one exceeds most, with bonus diamond recovery! The characterizations of Irene and Watson are perfect, and, as always, Holmes offers as much comic relief as he does plot movement. Not simply just a brief glance into the characters, this tells a brilliant story as well.
Art!fic:
Sub Rosa: A Correspondence by Wire by prof_pangaea
(Holmes/Watson, G)
"One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. The truly beautiful and noble puts its lover, as it were, at an infinite distance, while it attends him more strongly than ever." -- Henry David Thoreau
brushstrokes: This series of telegraphs between Holmes and Mycroft reveals a deeper, emotional story that's as papable as any traditional narrative. I very much enjoyed Mycroft's characterization, and the art itself is wonderfully detailed.
Vid:
Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by misread_
(Holmes/Watson, 4 minutes and 3 seconds)
the setting : watson has married mary / holmes continues to live at baker street and takes on cases
zarah5: This is visually stunning, but most of all, I love how she took the song and rearranged movie scenes to give us a little glimpse at a (sad) future. Full of wistful longing.
Holmes/Watson:
The Rational Mind by sam_storyteller
(Holmes/Watson, PG, 1500 words)
It was not my intent to bring any strife into our agreeable bachelor lodgings, but unfortunately the strife followed me there.
torakowalski: Lovely character piece set in the book 'verse and exploring Watson's post-war PTSD and Holmes' way of helping him through it.
brushstrokes: The structured word count in this story was very powerful. I have a weakness for thoughtful exploration of Watson's PTSD, and the author handled it beautifully.
The Curse by toft_froggy
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 4600 words)
"I look different than I did half an hour ago, do I not? The fact is, Watson, that sometimes, I am a woman."
torakowalski: The author summarises this as genderfuck on a train. Which it is! It's delicious porn, but also a really great look at Holmes, what matters to him and what does not. (Another book 'verse fic.)
Twelfth Night by katieforsythe
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 6070 words)
{bookverse} As I walked very carefully, one foot in front of the next in the familiar back-and-forth progression, up our seventeen steps that evening, it was with a blackened eye, a box full of broken glass tucked beneath my arm, and a bottle of 1867 Chateau Lafite in my opposite hand.
paperclipbitch: The dialogue is sparkling and witty, the emotions run deep without ever becoming sappy, it's wonderfully sexy and also screamingly funny. Made my day.
Gods and Kings by candle_beck
(Holmes/Watson, PG-13, 5601, mild violence)
(Warnings: Drug abuse? Do we warn for that given this fandom?)
{movieverse} Wherein Watson is terribly distracting.
paperclipbitch: Beautifully brittle. The characters are wonderfully drawn, Holmes in particular, with a gorgeous building tension.
still I need your sway by scornandritz
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 6000 words)
where Watson is in a mood, Holmes gets himself nearly killed, and MYCROFT IS HERE!
inderpal: A lovely story about Holmes and Watson dealing with Watson's marriage and what this means for their budding relationship. I could rec this for the banter alone, but it also includes a great Mycroft voice, as well as a lovely dose of h/c. Warning: infidelity.
Strictly Method by thingswithwings
(Holmes/Watson, adult, 8600 words)
(Warnings: ageplay, D/s, painplay)
"When I agreed to share lodgings with you, I didn't realise that I would be sharing with twenty-odd others as well," I said. "Perhaps you should be paying additional rent."
kyuuketsukirui: You might look askance at the ageplay kink, but it is so well-written and better yet, so well-integrated. It really feels very organic to the story (and in-character), rather than just tacked on, as kink sometimes can. I think there's a real knack you have to have for writing kink in order to make it feel like it's about the characters, not the author, and this has definitely achieved that. Plus it has great dialogue, and flustered!Watson, and things that happen at night in the dark that are not acknowledged in the daytime and so many other things I love.
Infinite Variations Upon a Single Moment by lisztful
(Holmes/Watson, PG, 3400 words)
Transgender!Holmes fic. Holmes presents a case of a very personal nature for Watson to ponder.
kyuuketsukirui: Oh man, this is so awesome. I love the way Holmes lays everything out and I love that Watson is convinced (Holmes's logic is infallible!). And...it would be so easy for a scenario like this to be done badly. With a Watson who is going to marry Mary in order to try and hetify himself and get away from Holmes, some writers might have him think "oh, it's all right, Holmes is really a woman" (even if he was eventually convinced that Holmes was really a man). But there's none of that here. I also liked that it was made very clear that it wasn't just Holmes Watson was attracted to, that he'd always been gay. (I don't like WNGWJLEO (We're Not Gay, We Just Love Each Other) at the best of times and it takes on an even skeevier undertone when one of the characters is trans.) I liked how this dealt with Mary, too.
(you could be my) unintended and (unintended) desires by lastling
(Holmes/Watson, R, Part I: 1500 words & Part II: 2700 words)
(you could be my) unintended: in which holmes and watson watch each other from opposite sides of a fence // holmes is wounded // and conclusions are drawn.
(unintended) desires: in which a friendship is re-established // things change // and mary knows everything (because she's awesome.)
brushstrokes: Set after Watson marries Mary, this is a moving blend of fiction, fanmix and fanart. Well-paced snippets of narrative stretch over three years: snapshots of Holmes' and Watson's struggles and eventual reconciliation. I also particularly like Mary's characterization in this story.
Absurdly Simple by Irene Adler
(Holmes/Watson, R, in 3 parts off LJ.)
Summary "Holmes," I said, deliberately keeping my voice level, "because you are not well, because you have not slept to-night, and because you have occasionally, in the past, abused me in this manner without meaning anything by it, I will let this pass. I can only tell you that until you are willing to give me some further hint, I must remain as much in the dark as ever." He shook his head slightly with a sharp noise of contempt.
snarkaddict: This has an excellent mystery and great first-time revelations.
Change, or Lack Thereof by shockselectric
(Holmes/Watson, NC-17, 11'591 words, explicit)
Quote: From what sounds like a very long distance away, there’s a thump and someone lets out a grunt before another thump, though this one sounds more like a body hitting the ground; Holmes rather hopes it isn't Watson. After that, it all drifts away and his pounding skull doesn’t hurt much at all.
zarah5: This story is sizzlingly hot, but even more so, it's a beautiful portrayal of both Holmes and Watson. The fact that it comes with lovely imagery doesn't hurt, either.
Threesome:
5 Times John Watson Quite Unintentionally Saw Irene Adler Naked (And One Time It Wasn't So Unintentional) by flowrs4ophelia
(Watson/Irene/Holmes (Suggestive, Gen), PG13, ~15,000)
Even if the woman clearly has no shame, he still finds it a little uncomfortable himself whenever they encounter each other with these perpetual failings in decorum.
ab_hinc: I love '5 Times...' fics in general and this one exceeds most, with bonus diamond recovery! The characterizations of Irene and Watson are perfect, and, as always, Holmes offers as much comic relief as he does plot movement. Not simply just a brief glance into the characters, this tells a brilliant story as well.
Art!fic:
Sub Rosa: A Correspondence by Wire by prof_pangaea
(Holmes/Watson, G)
"One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. The truly beautiful and noble puts its lover, as it were, at an infinite distance, while it attends him more strongly than ever." -- Henry David Thoreau
brushstrokes: This series of telegraphs between Holmes and Mycroft reveals a deeper, emotional story that's as papable as any traditional narrative. I very much enjoyed Mycroft's characterization, and the art itself is wonderfully detailed.
Vid:
Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead by misread_
(Holmes/Watson, 4 minutes and 3 seconds)
the setting : watson has married mary / holmes continues to live at baker street and takes on cases
zarah5: This is visually stunning, but most of all, I love how she took the song and rearranged movie scenes to give us a little glimpse at a (sad) future. Full of wistful longing.