Classics?: Archive of Our Own edition
One would assume that a true classic would be a fanwork that gets lots of views, and Archive of Our Own is a great source for finding those very works that have been viewed the most; an intriguing exercise, as one has to wonder what a high hit count means. Popularity? Themes with a large audience? Cross-over appeal? In any case, here are the twenty AO3 LoM posts with the highest hit count. Are they classics? Some of them surprised me.
Ease my worried mind by petronelle. I'd argue that this definitely falls into the category of Modern Classic.
The bishop of the Northern Marches by AJHall. This one intrigues me, although I haven't read it. It's huge, it's a massive multi-AU crossover, and it seems to be based more in the Bronte Juvenalia than in LoM.
What have I become, my sweetest friend by lozenger8. Clearly a modern classic, appealing to the fans of the Alpha/Omega verse dynamics.
Tied up in Gordian knots by petronelle. Another brilliant fic with a D/s audience.
Till touchdown brings me round again by halotolerant. The first of the LoM Big Bang fics on the list, this is an astounding work that takes the canon material and turns it on its head in the most heartbreaking way.
5 people who adopted Loki and 1 person who didn't have to by madwriter223. A multi-universe crossover, and although I haven't read it I think it's safe to say that the hit count is due to the popularity of the Loki phenomenon. Probably not a classic of the LoM ouvre.
There's a land of begin again by chamekke. The second of the LoM Big Bang fics, and most definitely a modern classic. Cham did amazing things with this one.
Oh you pretty things by Aria. A genderswap fic in which Sam wakes up a woman... and damn my eyes, if this isn't a modern classic! It does it all right.
Method In't by lozenger8. Loz's Big Bang fic, and the most funny and delightful AU ever.
Beyond the pale by rubberbutton. Regretfully, I haven't read it yet!
Life on earth by aria. A Sam Tyler and the Master fic, apparently, and I haven't read it.
The fools on the hill by dorky (dorcas gustine). I discovered this author via AO3 before I read anything by her on lj. Really good stuff.
Make the best of the situation by petronelle. The sequel to Ease my worried mind. Equally brilliant.
Shot by thirdbird_fic. Thirdbird didn't write a lot in the LoM fandom, but her contributions are killer.
Always crashing in the same car by glim. A Merlin crossover. I haven't read it.
Digging in the dirt by basaltgrrl. Yes, it's my Big Bang fic. I'm too modest to claim that it's a classic.
Midsomer mars by thesmallhobbit. And I'm very pleased to announce hobbit's Big Bang fic! So charming and perfectly crossover-ly!
Madman across the water by severinne. Yes, it's sev's Big Bang fic! Amazing and angsty and dark!
No Avenging please, we're British by netla. A multi-fandom crossover.
Paterfamilias by severinne. Gene, Sam, daddy issues.
And there we have the twenty highest hit counts on AO3! Were I to do this again I might ban crossovers, as several fics appear on this list that are probably not very LoM-y.
Ease my worried mind by petronelle. I'd argue that this definitely falls into the category of Modern Classic.
The bishop of the Northern Marches by AJHall. This one intrigues me, although I haven't read it. It's huge, it's a massive multi-AU crossover, and it seems to be based more in the Bronte Juvenalia than in LoM.
What have I become, my sweetest friend by lozenger8. Clearly a modern classic, appealing to the fans of the Alpha/Omega verse dynamics.
Tied up in Gordian knots by petronelle. Another brilliant fic with a D/s audience.
Till touchdown brings me round again by halotolerant. The first of the LoM Big Bang fics on the list, this is an astounding work that takes the canon material and turns it on its head in the most heartbreaking way.
5 people who adopted Loki and 1 person who didn't have to by madwriter223. A multi-universe crossover, and although I haven't read it I think it's safe to say that the hit count is due to the popularity of the Loki phenomenon. Probably not a classic of the LoM ouvre.
There's a land of begin again by chamekke. The second of the LoM Big Bang fics, and most definitely a modern classic. Cham did amazing things with this one.
Oh you pretty things by Aria. A genderswap fic in which Sam wakes up a woman... and damn my eyes, if this isn't a modern classic! It does it all right.
Method In't by lozenger8. Loz's Big Bang fic, and the most funny and delightful AU ever.
Beyond the pale by rubberbutton. Regretfully, I haven't read it yet!
Life on earth by aria. A Sam Tyler and the Master fic, apparently, and I haven't read it.
The fools on the hill by dorky (dorcas gustine). I discovered this author via AO3 before I read anything by her on lj. Really good stuff.
Make the best of the situation by petronelle. The sequel to Ease my worried mind. Equally brilliant.
Shot by thirdbird_fic. Thirdbird didn't write a lot in the LoM fandom, but her contributions are killer.
Always crashing in the same car by glim. A Merlin crossover. I haven't read it.
Digging in the dirt by basaltgrrl. Yes, it's my Big Bang fic. I'm too modest to claim that it's a classic.
Midsomer mars by thesmallhobbit. And I'm very pleased to announce hobbit's Big Bang fic! So charming and perfectly crossover-ly!
Madman across the water by severinne. Yes, it's sev's Big Bang fic! Amazing and angsty and dark!
No Avenging please, we're British by netla. A multi-fandom crossover.
Paterfamilias by severinne. Gene, Sam, daddy issues.
And there we have the twenty highest hit counts on AO3! Were I to do this again I might ban crossovers, as several fics appear on this list that are probably not very LoM-y.