Yuletide 2016 Recs (Part I)
I didn't have as much chance to read the Collection while away this year, but it is just as full of lovely things as ever, and you can find it all here. Dive in!
However, I did manage to read some short things, so here they are, just nipping in before reveals - my two wonderful gifts, plus a rather random selection of my first pick at the chocolate box, as it were, chosen in exactly that sort of manner! I hope to have a more leisurely go-through in the coming week or two, though.
A Lady of Means (3045 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Arabella - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Robert Beaumaris/Arabella Tallant
Characters: Arabella Tallant, Robert Beaumaris
Additional Tags: Wakes & Funerals, Dysfunctional Family, Stolen Moments
Summary: The famous heiress, Arabella, several years into her happy marriage, shares some lessons on property and propriety.
Great little sequel for Arabella. The Dowager's will is definitely a highlight.
awful is as awful does (1599 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Archer's Goon - Diana Wynne Jones
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Awful Sykes, Howard Sykes, Erskine (Archer's Goon), Torquil (Archer's Goon)
Additional Tags: future professions, Post-Canon
Summary: Keeping a world running is difficult, and boring, and full of paperwork. Getting back at people who are doing it wrong...
I've seen a few 'what happened when they grew up?' fics for Archer's Goon, but this has just about the best idea for what Awful would do about the option of farming the world, together with some great glimpses of everyone else, with perfect DWJ tone.
To Bee or Not To Bee - Blandings (G, 6942 words.)
(This one didn't have a share button, but it's a lovely Wodehouse-esque missing episode of typical Blandings confusions.)
Gytha and Esme's Ill-Advised Adventure (3708 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, The Tiffany Aching Series - Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gytha "Nanny" Ogg, Esmerelda "Granny" Weatherwax
Summary: 80's movies don't happen in the Ramptops, but if they did they would probably look like this.
A wonderful look at a young Gytha and Esme.
Wrap The Cloak Of Night Around His Shoulders (58042 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dracula (TV 1968)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mina Harker/John Seward, Count Dracula/Jonathan Harker
Characters: John Seward, Mina Harker, Jonathan Harker, Lucy Weston, Count Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing
Additional Tags: When Vampires Attack, Exorcisms, Hypnotism, Possession, Bats, Temptation, Friendship, Mind Control, Jonathan runs away with Dracula, Van Helsing is clever, Mina protects Lucy, Seward needs a blood transfusion and blanket right about now, There's something in the basement, Vampire Bites, Hurt/Comfort, Character Turned Into Vampire, Elements of Lucy/Mina, staking, Vampirism Causes Irreconcilable Differences, Suspense, Nightmares, Fog, Journey to the Castle, Happy Ending, Blood Drinking, Adventure, Alternate Universe
Summary: What if Seward and Van Helsing told Mina about the danger Lucy was in sooner? What if Lucy wasn’t bitten a final time that night, because Mina was in the house? This gives them a reprieve. Everything changes for the better and for the worse. Each takes a more active role in their fate as they fight to keep Dracula away from Lucy, and the darkness closes in around them.
It's not every Yuletide you get written a short novel, crafted to fit your own particular likes! But this is great anyway - a full length (canon divergence) AU of what might have happened had Van Helsing had the sense to tell Mina what was going on in the 1968 TV adaptation of Dracula. As you may gather from the tags, it comes with full bonus Dr Seward faintyness.
Back Again... Different than Before (2845 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dungeons and Dragons (Cartoon)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Diana "the Acrobat", Hank "the Ranger"
Additional Tags: Comfort/Angst, Post-Canon, Male-Female Friendship
Summary: The Young Ones have come home, but Diana and Hank are discovering that life can’t go back to the way it was.
As it says, post-canon, with a thoughtful and very true-feeling look at Hank & Diana and what it might be like, getting home at last.
Gaudeamus Igitur (3299 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Fire and Hemlock - Diana Wynne Jones
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Polly Whittacker, Fiona Perks, Seb Leroy
Summary: Polly and Fiona at Oxford from Fiona's point of view.
Pitch-perfect fic that fills in some gaps in the book's timeline. Excellent.
An Inexorable Tide (1564 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Flood (2007)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rob Morrison/Sam
Characters: Rob Morrison, Sam (Flood)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon
Summary: Sam, after.
I watched this via the Yuletide Fandom pimping post and really enjoyed it, and this is a lovely coda to the film.
Nothing More Unexpected (4541 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Malory Towers - Enid Blyton
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: June Johns, Moira Linton
Summary: Moira. June. Three moments, three conversations, all unexpected.
Really thoughtful and well-done MT fic (which isn't always easy to pull off).
Lost Souls (6455 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Jack Halford & Sandra Pullman, Gerry Standing/Robert Strickland (implied)
Characters: Jack Halford, Sandra Pullman, Brian Lane, Gerry Standing, Robert Strickland
Additional Tags: Case Fic, Murder Mystery, Historical Murder Mystery, Father-Daughter Relationship, Yuletide, Yuletide Treat
Summary: An anonymous tip-off leads to the discovery of a body. A young woman hangs her hopes on a mysterious charity. And Sandra and Jack experience revelations of their own as they attempt to discover the truth.
Will the Lost Souls find some peace with the UCOS team on the case?
New Tricks casefic, note perfect! Do I really need to say more? It's like getting an extra episode with the original team. I loved it.
Brian's War (2493 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Brian Lane/ Esther Lane
Characters: Brian Lane, Esther Lane, Sandra Pullman, Jack Halford, Gerry Standing
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - World War II
Summary: In WWII, all the able-bodied young men were called to the front. With the police forces severely undermanned, female officers were promoted, and pensioners were called back into service. AU
Wonderful, clever and fitting AU for the series.
The Last Man That Got Away (2030 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sandra Pullman & Gerry Standing
Characters: Gerry Standing, Sandra Pullman, Robert Strickland, Steve McAndrew
Additional Tags: Voicemail, Post-Series, Reunions, post-Episode: Last Man Standing, post-episode: The One That Got Away, Pre-Relationship, yet somehow also post-relationship
Summary: Even though Sandra Pullman had left UCOS, news of Gerry Standing's death (and surprise resurrection) still made its way to her.
Excellent post-canon look at Gerry and Sandra, tying up some loose ends. The answer-machine messages at the start are particularly good.
Fine Feathers (5140 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Quiet Gentleman - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Gervase Frant/Drusilla Morville
Characters: Drusilla Morville, Gervase Frant
Additional Tags: Romance, Engagement, Epilogue, Marianne and Lord Ulverston are also in this, but not enough I felt it was fair to include them in the tags, Martin even smiles!, Fluff
Summary: Six weeks is not so long to wait. (Even if it seems like an interminable engagement.) Drusilla's transition from Miss Morville to Lady St Erth.
Gorgeous and satisfying epilogue for one of my favourite Heyers (and Heyer couples). Beautifully done.
Needs Must (1296 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Red Dwarf
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Arnold Rimmer, Dave Lister, Kryten (Red Dwarf), The Cat (Red Dwarf)
Additional Tags: Season/Series 06, Injury, Friendship
Summary: Sometimes it takes an emergency to show what you're truly capable of.
Very funny and very Red Dwarf (it even has a wibbly thing in space) but also manages to err on the heart-warming side, too. Very nicely done.
How Far Away You Roam (3893 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mary Callaghan, Ox Callaghan, Midge Callaghan, Saul Tuttle, Elsie, Jack Callaghan, Lucy Moderatz
Additional Tags: Family Fluff, Off-screen Relationship(s)
Summary:The drive home was much shorter than Mary would have liked.
Lovely look at a more grown-up Mary (if only just), with the rest of the family captured exactly enough to make me grin a lot while reading.
Universally Challenged (1842 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Yes Minister
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Jim Hacker, Humphrey Appleby, Bernard Woolley
Additional Tags: Missing Scene, Canon Era, Oxford
Summary: Jim Hacker has a marvellous idea to save the British University from technological obsolescence. Sir Humphrey has a marvellous idea to save Ballie College, Oxford, from insupportable cuts to the wine cellar.
Excellent, funny piece that reads like a missing episode.
Crossposted from Dreamwidth -- Comments there:
However, I did manage to read some short things, so here they are, just nipping in before reveals - my two wonderful gifts, plus a rather random selection of my first pick at the chocolate box, as it were, chosen in exactly that sort of manner! I hope to have a more leisurely go-through in the coming week or two, though.
A Lady of Means (3045 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Arabella - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Robert Beaumaris/Arabella Tallant
Characters: Arabella Tallant, Robert Beaumaris
Additional Tags: Wakes & Funerals, Dysfunctional Family, Stolen Moments
Summary: The famous heiress, Arabella, several years into her happy marriage, shares some lessons on property and propriety.
Great little sequel for Arabella. The Dowager's will is definitely a highlight.
awful is as awful does (1599 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Archer's Goon - Diana Wynne Jones
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Awful Sykes, Howard Sykes, Erskine (Archer's Goon), Torquil (Archer's Goon)
Additional Tags: future professions, Post-Canon
Summary: Keeping a world running is difficult, and boring, and full of paperwork. Getting back at people who are doing it wrong...
I've seen a few 'what happened when they grew up?' fics for Archer's Goon, but this has just about the best idea for what Awful would do about the option of farming the world, together with some great glimpses of everyone else, with perfect DWJ tone.
To Bee or Not To Bee - Blandings (G, 6942 words.)
(This one didn't have a share button, but it's a lovely Wodehouse-esque missing episode of typical Blandings confusions.)
Gytha and Esme's Ill-Advised Adventure (3708 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Discworld - Terry Pratchett, The Tiffany Aching Series - Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Gytha "Nanny" Ogg, Esmerelda "Granny" Weatherwax
Summary: 80's movies don't happen in the Ramptops, but if they did they would probably look like this.
A wonderful look at a young Gytha and Esme.
Wrap The Cloak Of Night Around His Shoulders (58042 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dracula (TV 1968)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Mina Harker/John Seward, Count Dracula/Jonathan Harker
Characters: John Seward, Mina Harker, Jonathan Harker, Lucy Weston, Count Dracula, Abraham Van Helsing
Additional Tags: When Vampires Attack, Exorcisms, Hypnotism, Possession, Bats, Temptation, Friendship, Mind Control, Jonathan runs away with Dracula, Van Helsing is clever, Mina protects Lucy, Seward needs a blood transfusion and blanket right about now, There's something in the basement, Vampire Bites, Hurt/Comfort, Character Turned Into Vampire, Elements of Lucy/Mina, staking, Vampirism Causes Irreconcilable Differences, Suspense, Nightmares, Fog, Journey to the Castle, Happy Ending, Blood Drinking, Adventure, Alternate Universe
Summary: What if Seward and Van Helsing told Mina about the danger Lucy was in sooner? What if Lucy wasn’t bitten a final time that night, because Mina was in the house? This gives them a reprieve. Everything changes for the better and for the worse. Each takes a more active role in their fate as they fight to keep Dracula away from Lucy, and the darkness closes in around them.
It's not every Yuletide you get written a short novel, crafted to fit your own particular likes! But this is great anyway - a full length (canon divergence) AU of what might have happened had Van Helsing had the sense to tell Mina what was going on in the 1968 TV adaptation of Dracula. As you may gather from the tags, it comes with full bonus Dr Seward faintyness.
Back Again... Different than Before (2845 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Dungeons and Dragons (Cartoon)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Diana "the Acrobat", Hank "the Ranger"
Additional Tags: Comfort/Angst, Post-Canon, Male-Female Friendship
Summary: The Young Ones have come home, but Diana and Hank are discovering that life can’t go back to the way it was.
As it says, post-canon, with a thoughtful and very true-feeling look at Hank & Diana and what it might be like, getting home at last.
Gaudeamus Igitur (3299 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Fire and Hemlock - Diana Wynne Jones
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Polly Whittacker, Fiona Perks, Seb Leroy
Summary: Polly and Fiona at Oxford from Fiona's point of view.
Pitch-perfect fic that fills in some gaps in the book's timeline. Excellent.
An Inexorable Tide (1564 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Flood (2007)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Rob Morrison/Sam
Characters: Rob Morrison, Sam (Flood)
Additional Tags: Post-Canon
Summary: Sam, after.
I watched this via the Yuletide Fandom pimping post and really enjoyed it, and this is a lovely coda to the film.
Nothing More Unexpected (4541 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Malory Towers - Enid Blyton
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: June Johns, Moira Linton
Summary: Moira. June. Three moments, three conversations, all unexpected.
Really thoughtful and well-done MT fic (which isn't always easy to pull off).
Lost Souls (6455 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 3/3
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Jack Halford & Sandra Pullman, Gerry Standing/Robert Strickland (implied)
Characters: Jack Halford, Sandra Pullman, Brian Lane, Gerry Standing, Robert Strickland
Additional Tags: Case Fic, Murder Mystery, Historical Murder Mystery, Father-Daughter Relationship, Yuletide, Yuletide Treat
Summary: An anonymous tip-off leads to the discovery of a body. A young woman hangs her hopes on a mysterious charity. And Sandra and Jack experience revelations of their own as they attempt to discover the truth.
Will the Lost Souls find some peace with the UCOS team on the case?
New Tricks casefic, note perfect! Do I really need to say more? It's like getting an extra episode with the original team. I loved it.
Brian's War (2493 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Brian Lane/ Esther Lane
Characters: Brian Lane, Esther Lane, Sandra Pullman, Jack Halford, Gerry Standing
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - World War II
Summary: In WWII, all the able-bodied young men were called to the front. With the police forces severely undermanned, female officers were promoted, and pensioners were called back into service. AU
Wonderful, clever and fitting AU for the series.
The Last Man That Got Away (2030 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: New Tricks
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sandra Pullman & Gerry Standing
Characters: Gerry Standing, Sandra Pullman, Robert Strickland, Steve McAndrew
Additional Tags: Voicemail, Post-Series, Reunions, post-Episode: Last Man Standing, post-episode: The One That Got Away, Pre-Relationship, yet somehow also post-relationship
Summary: Even though Sandra Pullman had left UCOS, news of Gerry Standing's death (and surprise resurrection) still made its way to her.
Excellent post-canon look at Gerry and Sandra, tying up some loose ends. The answer-machine messages at the start are particularly good.
Fine Feathers (5140 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Quiet Gentleman - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Gervase Frant/Drusilla Morville
Characters: Drusilla Morville, Gervase Frant
Additional Tags: Romance, Engagement, Epilogue, Marianne and Lord Ulverston are also in this, but not enough I felt it was fair to include them in the tags, Martin even smiles!, Fluff
Summary: Six weeks is not so long to wait. (Even if it seems like an interminable engagement.) Drusilla's transition from Miss Morville to Lady St Erth.
Gorgeous and satisfying epilogue for one of my favourite Heyers (and Heyer couples). Beautifully done.
Needs Must (1296 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Red Dwarf
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Arnold Rimmer, Dave Lister, Kryten (Red Dwarf), The Cat (Red Dwarf)
Additional Tags: Season/Series 06, Injury, Friendship
Summary: Sometimes it takes an emergency to show what you're truly capable of.
Very funny and very Red Dwarf (it even has a wibbly thing in space) but also manages to err on the heart-warming side, too. Very nicely done.
How Far Away You Roam (3893 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Mary Callaghan, Ox Callaghan, Midge Callaghan, Saul Tuttle, Elsie, Jack Callaghan, Lucy Moderatz
Additional Tags: Family Fluff, Off-screen Relationship(s)
Summary:The drive home was much shorter than Mary would have liked.
Lovely look at a more grown-up Mary (if only just), with the rest of the family captured exactly enough to make me grin a lot while reading.
Universally Challenged (1842 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Yes Minister
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Jim Hacker, Humphrey Appleby, Bernard Woolley
Additional Tags: Missing Scene, Canon Era, Oxford
Summary: Jim Hacker has a marvellous idea to save the British University from technological obsolescence. Sir Humphrey has a marvellous idea to save Ballie College, Oxford, from insupportable cuts to the wine cellar.
Excellent, funny piece that reads like a missing episode.
Crossposted from Dreamwidth -- Comments there: