(Not) Friday Fanfic Recs
Sadly, no new Transformers recs this week--I've read a few promising new stories, but they're all incomplete, so I've mostly been rereading old favorites and sharing a few different fandoms this week ... though as a side note, Vaeru is actively updating her sequel to Juxtaposition, the next story in her Sparkbearer saga--I've recommended Juxtaposition before as one of the seminal Transformers fics I've ever read. In a very real sense, it was my (re)introduction to the fandom, even when I barely remembered who half the characters were, and I'm so happy to see this story hasn't been abandoned! :D
Aion:
The Lay of a Broken Winged Sparrow, by Bladesworn
Fic Quote: They brought me before them, dripping with chain, on my knees and reduced to less than nothing. My head bowed and back stiff, I prayed in a way thought unbecoming for my people, not for vengeance, but for merciful release.
There was no heart left in me to wish for revenge.
Worksafe. Ok, so I'm so breaking my cardinal rule, and reccing an incomplete fic, because this fic? This fic is WORTH IT. And worth so many more readers than it gets. I knew absolutely nothing about Aion before reading this--I found it only because the author, Bladesworn, had written some equally stellar Dragon Age fic, and once I find a new author I love, I stalk them unmercifully. ^__^;; But this fic--it reads like a fantasy epic of the best kind. It is gorgeous and deep and unfolds before the reader like a wonderful tapestry; after the first few paragraphs, I couldn't stop reading. It follows the journey of Jaya, a condemned and grieving mortal Asmodean who is kidnapped by immortal winged Elyos Daevas, who seem to want her for purposes of their own. But being a fragile mortal embroiled in the games of immortals can be very dangerous indeed ....
Avengers:
Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 Of New York City, by Hetrez
Fic Quote: Tony has never really known how to feel about Scabby the Union Rat. When he was younger it scared the bejeesus out of him, with its huge and nasty sharp-fanged scowl and the way it teetered in the wind. As a businessman, he doesn't like anyone telling him what to do. But, as an asshole, he firmly believes that anyone should be able to hassle anyone at any time, and he loves the wackiness of the whole thing. He supposes that makes him solidly neutral. Steve is staring at the giant blow-up rat like he's never fought crime before.
Worksafe. This is a very fun and interesting look at Tony and Steve's relationship, all centered around Steve's discovery of modern union tactics, and his decision to get political about them, regardless of what Fury wants. Tony's not too sure about all this, but he's along for the ride regardless!
Star Trek (movie reboot):
Not All Who Wander, by The dead parrot
Author Summary: Spock Prime has found ways to keep himself occupied; the universe doesn't know what hit it.
Worksafe. I just love the premise of the story, just because it's such a Spock things to do--original flavor Spock decides to pull a Quantum Leap-esque trip around the galaxy, and put right what once went wrong, punctuated by hilarious letters from new!Kirk all along the way.
Determining the Equant, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: Chris Pike was under no illusion that getting Jim Kirk on to a shuttle headed for the Academy was going to end up being the easy part.
Worksafe. Part of a great trilogy of stories, showing what happens behind the scenes in the opening of the new Trek movie, when Pike puts his reputation and career on the line, all to recruit one punk-ass delinquent from Iowa ...
Common Knowledge, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: The common-knowledge version goes like this:
Christopher Pike has always been going places. He's ambitious, he's smart, he talks a good game, and he consistently makes the most of every chance he gets. He is a bright light others are attracted to, want to orbit, or at least want to follow through the sky.
(He's got an ego the size of a galaxy, he's a fucking know-it-all, he kisses so much ass all he can taste is shit, and he's been the recipient of some of the most uncanny good luck known to Starfleet. He's a shark you have to keep your eye on constantly lest he bite off your leg or steal your prize.)
Worksafe. A very unique look at Christopher Pike. Sometimes having a reputation is a good thing--and sometimes it isn't.
Shooting the Moon, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: Rajit is a Cadet Second Class on the Science track and looks resigned rather than eager to have a Fourthie as his minion. His previous roommate bilged out at the end of the previous semester and he'd clearly been hoping to be assigned someone from his own peer group.
"Okay, listen,"; Rajit sighs once Jim has dumped all of his newly acquired belongings and paperwork on to the bed on the unoccupied side of the room. "I don't have either the energy or the interest required to spend time making your life miserable as you learn your proper place in the Academy food chain. Also, I am quite sure that you will have sufficient other sources of abject humiliation and despair to develop the necessary soul-crushing self-doubt. Therefore, these are the rules. Memorize them, obey them, and we shall get on quite fine. Flaunt them at any point and I will rent you out to someone who will enjoy making you whimper like a baby."
Worksafe. I love this fic, if only because this is the only author I've ever seen tackle the question of just how a delinquent punk would handle jumping into a military academy in the middle of the year, even if said punk is the (in)famous James T. Kirk. The writing is dry, lethally accurate (as far as I can tell) at depicting academy bureaucracy/life, and utterly hilarious! A fun read, all the way through. :)
Aion:
The Lay of a Broken Winged Sparrow, by Bladesworn
Fic Quote: They brought me before them, dripping with chain, on my knees and reduced to less than nothing. My head bowed and back stiff, I prayed in a way thought unbecoming for my people, not for vengeance, but for merciful release.
There was no heart left in me to wish for revenge.
Worksafe. Ok, so I'm so breaking my cardinal rule, and reccing an incomplete fic, because this fic? This fic is WORTH IT. And worth so many more readers than it gets. I knew absolutely nothing about Aion before reading this--I found it only because the author, Bladesworn, had written some equally stellar Dragon Age fic, and once I find a new author I love, I stalk them unmercifully. ^__^;; But this fic--it reads like a fantasy epic of the best kind. It is gorgeous and deep and unfolds before the reader like a wonderful tapestry; after the first few paragraphs, I couldn't stop reading. It follows the journey of Jaya, a condemned and grieving mortal Asmodean who is kidnapped by immortal winged Elyos Daevas, who seem to want her for purposes of their own. But being a fragile mortal embroiled in the games of immortals can be very dangerous indeed ....
Avengers:
Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 Of New York City, by Hetrez
Fic Quote: Tony has never really known how to feel about Scabby the Union Rat. When he was younger it scared the bejeesus out of him, with its huge and nasty sharp-fanged scowl and the way it teetered in the wind. As a businessman, he doesn't like anyone telling him what to do. But, as an asshole, he firmly believes that anyone should be able to hassle anyone at any time, and he loves the wackiness of the whole thing. He supposes that makes him solidly neutral. Steve is staring at the giant blow-up rat like he's never fought crime before.
Worksafe. This is a very fun and interesting look at Tony and Steve's relationship, all centered around Steve's discovery of modern union tactics, and his decision to get political about them, regardless of what Fury wants. Tony's not too sure about all this, but he's along for the ride regardless!
Star Trek (movie reboot):
Not All Who Wander, by The dead parrot
Author Summary: Spock Prime has found ways to keep himself occupied; the universe doesn't know what hit it.
Worksafe. I just love the premise of the story, just because it's such a Spock things to do--original flavor Spock decides to pull a Quantum Leap-esque trip around the galaxy, and put right what once went wrong, punctuated by hilarious letters from new!Kirk all along the way.
Determining the Equant, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: Chris Pike was under no illusion that getting Jim Kirk on to a shuttle headed for the Academy was going to end up being the easy part.
Worksafe. Part of a great trilogy of stories, showing what happens behind the scenes in the opening of the new Trek movie, when Pike puts his reputation and career on the line, all to recruit one punk-ass delinquent from Iowa ...
Common Knowledge, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: The common-knowledge version goes like this:
Christopher Pike has always been going places. He's ambitious, he's smart, he talks a good game, and he consistently makes the most of every chance he gets. He is a bright light others are attracted to, want to orbit, or at least want to follow through the sky.
(He's got an ego the size of a galaxy, he's a fucking know-it-all, he kisses so much ass all he can taste is shit, and he's been the recipient of some of the most uncanny good luck known to Starfleet. He's a shark you have to keep your eye on constantly lest he bite off your leg or steal your prize.)
Worksafe. A very unique look at Christopher Pike. Sometimes having a reputation is a good thing--and sometimes it isn't.
Shooting the Moon, by Miss Porcupine
Fic Quote: Rajit is a Cadet Second Class on the Science track and looks resigned rather than eager to have a Fourthie as his minion. His previous roommate bilged out at the end of the previous semester and he'd clearly been hoping to be assigned someone from his own peer group.
"Okay, listen,"; Rajit sighs once Jim has dumped all of his newly acquired belongings and paperwork on to the bed on the unoccupied side of the room. "I don't have either the energy or the interest required to spend time making your life miserable as you learn your proper place in the Academy food chain. Also, I am quite sure that you will have sufficient other sources of abject humiliation and despair to develop the necessary soul-crushing self-doubt. Therefore, these are the rules. Memorize them, obey them, and we shall get on quite fine. Flaunt them at any point and I will rent you out to someone who will enjoy making you whimper like a baby."
Worksafe. I love this fic, if only because this is the only author I've ever seen tackle the question of just how a delinquent punk would handle jumping into a military academy in the middle of the year, even if said punk is the (in)famous James T. Kirk. The writing is dry, lethally accurate (as far as I can tell) at depicting academy bureaucracy/life, and utterly hilarious! A fun read, all the way through. :)