Recs From RS Games, Part 2
I'm slowly catching up on rs_games, and I'm thoroughly enjoying myself while doing so. So many wonderful entries! I have still some entries to read and view (and listen to, yay), so I'll probably wrap up with one more rec post.
There's still a few days left to vote, and commenting will remain open ♥
Some of my favourites below the cut :)
Fic:
Mapmaker by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: R
Word Count: 8500
Summary: WW2 AU. Remus J Lupin is a geographer working for the RAF, stationed in Cairo, Egypt, under British control. He works in map intelligence, analyzing the precise positions of Nazi troops and airbases, updating geographic data from reconnaissance missions. Cairo teems with squadrons and platoons -- men from all parts of the Empire and beyond. Remus wanders its streets alone, until he meets a pilot by the name of Sirius Black.
Prompt: 25 - black & white photo of WWII RAF fighter planes
Why I loved this: This was so beautiful - every single word is carefully chosen, every single scene is crucial, and the story gives us powerful insight into war and love and longing. The little details put me right at the scene, I could feel the heat of Cairo, and the research is impressive. Gorgeous - and heartbreaking - story.
We Build Our Own Unfolding by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: R/NC-17
Warnings: language, sexual content, death of a minor character
Word Count: 18,243
Summary: A welcome overstayed, a funeral at the farmhouse, a diary, a welcome overstayed (again), and a long walk over the hills.
Prompt: 32 - Picture of the Milky Way, viewed from Earth.
Why I loved this: Oh, so very, very beautiful! The way the story is built, the mood and the atmosphere, all the little details and observations and gorgeous imagery that create this sense of something whole if that makes any sense at all, something that touches me as a reader and gives the characters life. I think what I adored the most, though, is the dialogue, I feel like everything they say is spot on through the entire story. Wonderful wonderful work.
Watching Stars Collide by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Smoking, quite a bit of swearing, drowning your feelings in tea or hard liquor, as well as the usual warnings for general first war misery, [canonical] character death & unjust imprisonment.
Word Count: 16,919
Summary: Remus and Sirius, a flat in the colder seasons of 1981, and how everything falls apart. Then, a cottage on the edge of a cliff in the early summer of 1995, as they put them together again.
Prompt: 53 - "It's coming like the tidal flood beneath the lunar sway,
Imperial, mysterious, in amorous array."
- from the song "Democracy" by Leonard Cohen
Why I loved this: This was wonderful! The story really got to me from the start, and I love the use of language and how the story is told. I got a bit emotional while reading, and it's both because of the story itself, with the canon events in the background, and it's because of the brilliant descriptions and how the author tells us just enough of what's going on. I love Remus' voice, how he saw himself, how he saw Sirius, and I love how they're both flawed, beautiful, real characters.
Canis Major, or the Babysitting Story by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: G
Word Count: 3792
Summary: Sirius talks about stars, war, and love, and none of it makes much sense. Good thing his only audience is a baby.
Prompt: 49 - "Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the drug store, but that's just peanuts to space." - Douglas Adams
Why I loved this: This is so very well done, I adored how the story crept under my skin, little by little, and how I could hear Sirius' voice in my ears and picture everything he said. Sirius' reflections on love and war felt very real, and when he talked about his hopes for Harry, it really pulled at my heartstrings. Quietly poignant and amazing storytelling.
Annual Honesty by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: canonical character death, swearing
Word Count: 17,652
Summary:"Are you sure?" Sirius says, slowly.
"Yeah," Remus says. "My parents loved you at the dinner party last summer. Thought you were a right little aristocrat."
Prompt: 60 - "Ad astra per aspera" (to the stars, through hardship) - Unknown (Latin saying)
Why I loved it: When I first started reading this, it felt like a soft blanket to sink into or wrap around myself. And then I continued, getting swept away by all the twists and turns - and it felt like gentle winds carrying me this way and that way, always knowing where they were going, always leading me through the landscape they were covering. This is a story to be read slowly, savouring every word.
Art:
Constellation Consternation by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some swearing and innuendo, a resolutely shirtless Sirius, excessive use of strategically placed sheets, and overall soppiness.
Medium: ART (pencil)
Summary: Moony wants a lie-in, Sirius is a menace, and Remus’ freckles give a whole new meaning to the term 'celestial body'.
Prompt: 22 - Image of a star chart.
Why I loved it: This is adorable and really precious! The dialogue, the great banter, the sense of ease and a romance that's just so natural to them, the humour, the gorgeous details throughout every panel - and that final drawing of them will always remain my favourite, it's so warm and beautiful and utterly heartwarming.
To Keep a Star by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: PG
Warnings: A completely lacking understanding of how space even works.
Page Count: 78
Summary: Daily life in the employ of the intergalactic postal service.
Prompt: 46 - "There is no way in which a man can earn a star or deserve a sunset." ~ G.K. Chesterton
Why I loved this: I love everything about this, from the idea and premise this is built on, to the humour and dialogue between Remus, James and Lily, and then the connection between Remus and Sirius, ah, so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, just gorgeous. Oh, and the artwork!! I adore this artist's style, it's so vivid and expressive, with so many wonderful details. This is astounding and so very impressive.
There's still a few days left to vote, and commenting will remain open ♥
Some of my favourites below the cut :)
Fic:
Mapmaker by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: R
Word Count: 8500
Summary: WW2 AU. Remus J Lupin is a geographer working for the RAF, stationed in Cairo, Egypt, under British control. He works in map intelligence, analyzing the precise positions of Nazi troops and airbases, updating geographic data from reconnaissance missions. Cairo teems with squadrons and platoons -- men from all parts of the Empire and beyond. Remus wanders its streets alone, until he meets a pilot by the name of Sirius Black.
Prompt: 25 - black & white photo of WWII RAF fighter planes
Why I loved this: This was so beautiful - every single word is carefully chosen, every single scene is crucial, and the story gives us powerful insight into war and love and longing. The little details put me right at the scene, I could feel the heat of Cairo, and the research is impressive. Gorgeous - and heartbreaking - story.
We Build Our Own Unfolding by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: R/NC-17
Warnings: language, sexual content, death of a minor character
Word Count: 18,243
Summary: A welcome overstayed, a funeral at the farmhouse, a diary, a welcome overstayed (again), and a long walk over the hills.
Prompt: 32 - Picture of the Milky Way, viewed from Earth.
Why I loved this: Oh, so very, very beautiful! The way the story is built, the mood and the atmosphere, all the little details and observations and gorgeous imagery that create this sense of something whole if that makes any sense at all, something that touches me as a reader and gives the characters life. I think what I adored the most, though, is the dialogue, I feel like everything they say is spot on through the entire story. Wonderful wonderful work.
Watching Stars Collide by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Smoking, quite a bit of swearing, drowning your feelings in tea or hard liquor, as well as the usual warnings for general first war misery, [canonical] character death & unjust imprisonment.
Word Count: 16,919
Summary: Remus and Sirius, a flat in the colder seasons of 1981, and how everything falls apart. Then, a cottage on the edge of a cliff in the early summer of 1995, as they put them together again.
Prompt: 53 - "It's coming like the tidal flood beneath the lunar sway,
Imperial, mysterious, in amorous array."
- from the song "Democracy" by Leonard Cohen
Why I loved this: This was wonderful! The story really got to me from the start, and I love the use of language and how the story is told. I got a bit emotional while reading, and it's both because of the story itself, with the canon events in the background, and it's because of the brilliant descriptions and how the author tells us just enough of what's going on. I love Remus' voice, how he saw himself, how he saw Sirius, and I love how they're both flawed, beautiful, real characters.
Canis Major, or the Babysitting Story by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: G
Word Count: 3792
Summary: Sirius talks about stars, war, and love, and none of it makes much sense. Good thing his only audience is a baby.
Prompt: 49 - "Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it's a long way down the road to the drug store, but that's just peanuts to space." - Douglas Adams
Why I loved this: This is so very well done, I adored how the story crept under my skin, little by little, and how I could hear Sirius' voice in my ears and picture everything he said. Sirius' reflections on love and war felt very real, and when he talked about his hopes for Harry, it really pulled at my heartstrings. Quietly poignant and amazing storytelling.
Annual Honesty by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: pg-13
Warnings: canonical character death, swearing
Word Count: 17,652
Summary:"Are you sure?" Sirius says, slowly.
"Yeah," Remus says. "My parents loved you at the dinner party last summer. Thought you were a right little aristocrat."
Prompt: 60 - "Ad astra per aspera" (to the stars, through hardship) - Unknown (Latin saying)
Why I loved it: When I first started reading this, it felt like a soft blanket to sink into or wrap around myself. And then I continued, getting swept away by all the twists and turns - and it felt like gentle winds carrying me this way and that way, always knowing where they were going, always leading me through the landscape they were covering. This is a story to be read slowly, savouring every word.
Art:
Constellation Consternation by currently anonymous
Team: Star
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Some swearing and innuendo, a resolutely shirtless Sirius, excessive use of strategically placed sheets, and overall soppiness.
Medium: ART (pencil)
Summary: Moony wants a lie-in, Sirius is a menace, and Remus’ freckles give a whole new meaning to the term 'celestial body'.
Prompt: 22 - Image of a star chart.
Why I loved it: This is adorable and really precious! The dialogue, the great banter, the sense of ease and a romance that's just so natural to them, the humour, the gorgeous details throughout every panel - and that final drawing of them will always remain my favourite, it's so warm and beautiful and utterly heartwarming.
To Keep a Star by currently anonymous
Team: Moon
Rating: PG
Warnings: A completely lacking understanding of how space even works.
Page Count: 78
Summary: Daily life in the employ of the intergalactic postal service.
Prompt: 46 - "There is no way in which a man can earn a star or deserve a sunset." ~ G.K. Chesterton
Why I loved this: I love everything about this, from the idea and premise this is built on, to the humour and dialogue between Remus, James and Lily, and then the connection between Remus and Sirius, ah, so heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time, just gorgeous. Oh, and the artwork!! I adore this artist's style, it's so vivid and expressive, with so many wonderful details. This is astounding and so very impressive.