STORIES THAT KEPT ME FOR AGES - I.E. 100K+ FICS ;) #mymerlinrecs #14
First of all I have to say I am sooooooooo excited about merlin-holidays! I've never done them before for reasons I do not to share and I finally dared to do it this year and I'm both terryfied and awfully giddy ;)
Secondly, have you sign up for Merlin RPF minibang? DO IT - THERE'S SO LITTLE BROLIN THESE DAYS :(
And thirdly, I might have sold my soul to the X-Men fandom and it doesn't feel like I'm going to drop it, so expect Cherik reccs among the Merlin ones I guess? I wanted to start this long Charles/Erik fic and I was all wow 160K+? I am NOT going to make it... And that reminded me of Merlin fics that kept me for weeks and weeks and weeks. Here are some of my favorites! All of them are sort of Merlin classics so I tagged it as Merlin Classics overall!
***
Every fandom has an author that writes something epically long and Merlin fandom has Footloose (loaded-march) and The Loaded March Series. I have to be honest - I've read almost all parts of LM (it is an amazing read! ALL THE UST AND EVERYTHING!) but at some time I stopped reading it beacuse it is sooooooooooo long, (over 1mln words people!) and so I can't review it BUT instead I will rec you something truly beautiful written by the same authour i.e. Shadowlord and Pirate King.
Shadowlord and Pirate King by Footloose (loaded-march)
Merlin/Arthur | Words: 216,059 | Explicit| Space AU | written for Paperlegends 2013
Summary: A fast ship, a good crew, a treasure, a Clan to lead -- that's all Arthur Pendragon has ever wanted. He sits on the Council, he supports his father's kingship, and he keeps an eye on the Imperial Conglomerate when they come too close to Pirate space.
One day the Conglomerate infiltrates the Clans and poisons the King. Arthur must search for a cure to keep his father alive and the Clans from civil war.
An escape route, a sharp knife, a target, the shadows at his command -- that's all Merlin has ever needed. He fulfills his assignments, he uses the Sterling to sustain his once-royal House in their exile, and wages a private war against the Imperial Conglomerate.
When he learns of an elaborate plot to assassinate him, Merlin does the opposite of what's expected. He flees onto a Pirate ship.
There's a saying among the Pirates: that one's fate is written in the stars. Destiny will always set to rights what has been made wrong.
Arthur and Merlin know that they were meant for the other from the moment they meet. They can feel it from across the galaxies separating them. Nothing can stop them from being together or from fulfilling an ancient prophecy.
Why I rec: First of all, chapeau bas - this story is truly EPIC. On the level of universe-building, storytelling, imagery, idea - it's mindblowing. The shadow-magic is one of the most beautiful concepts I have ever read. Honestly - I could not get enough of descriptions of it, of the history of it, possibilities, the alive-features of the shadows, and the Shadowlord himself. I loved the history that was created here and how the events and customs and rules of the Houses were all tied up together.
Just a warning - it is a LONG story. Be prepared!
And 2 words about the ART to this story done by mushroomtale - I don't think there's another set in this fandom that is AS PERFECT AND PROFFESSIONAL and GAH SO BEAUTIFUL. Just go and look and once you've looked you won't be able to resist to read the story that goes along with such a piece of art.
Rheged by McShame
Merlin/Arthur | Words: 124383 | Explicit| Canon AU | written for Paperlegends 2012
Summary: Post S5 (speculative); canon to the end of S4. Gwen and Arthur have been married for several years, Merlin's magic has been revealed and Arthur has now reached a kind of cold peace with it. Then a delegation arrives from a kingdom based on magic, and suddenly Destiny is starkly and ruthlessly to the fore. The question is should - can - it be avoided?\
Why I rec: It's a truly amazing one - evoking so many opposing feelings and a constant cause for conversations among readers. I don't think there's another story that would go as deep in understanding the show and showing where the writers have failed. This here is what could have happened. This story isn't for not-mature readers, that's for sure, but if one can handle it it's an absolute gem. I wanted to hit and kick this Arthur so many times for hurting Merlin, for deciding to fulfill his destiny with such anger. There is so much rage in Arthur, coming from desperation. And I wanted to punch Merlin even as many times for being so stubborn in his misery. No threesome is easy, there's ALWAYS someone who is hurt and the hard relationship between Merlin, Arthur and Gwen (and Gwaine on the side) is a painful and very real read. So much angst, so many feels, so much awesomeness.
Read the warnings please.
The Student Prince by FayJay
Merlin/Arthur | Words: 145222 | Mature| Moderan AU
Summary: A Modern day Merlin AU set at the University of St Andrews, featuring teetotal kickboxers, secret wizards, magnificent bodyguards of various genders, irate fairies, imprisoned dragons, crumbling gothic architecture, arrogant princes, adorable engineering students, stolen gold, magical doorways, attempted assassination, drunken students, shaving foam fights, embarrassing mornings after, The Hammer Dance, duty, responsibility, friendship and true love...
This story was inspired by the thought of Prince William of Wales (and indeed the current Max von Hapsburg) studying at the University of St Andrews; it is also, as the title suggests, at least a little inspired by the operetta 'The Student Prince'.
Why I rec: (I'm using bits of my old review for PPSS blog)
For me it’s a full-blown novel. It’s so well planned, and the whole world, as well as the main and secondary characters, are well greatly developed that it stands out from all the other fics I’ve read. It is as much a fanfiction as the BBC Merlin series itself - it’s rather an interpretation of Arthurian legends. Expect some amusing references to popular culture, myths, real life events and people, as well as works of fiction, fanfiction included. The humor in this story is incredible! This fic has some of the best banters that’s out there. The secondary characters are perfectly portrayed - especially the totally brilliant Morgana! The main characters are just as perfect. Merlin is sensitive, intelligent, courageous, self-sacrificing and heartbreaking in his secret pining over his prince. Arthur is a prat, but a sweet, honorable and good-hearted one - a real future king to die for.
I adore everything about this story - the beautiful and intelligent use of powerful magic, the adventurous part of conspiracies, sabotages, and assassins, the incredibly postmodern Dragon who glues the whole magical world together, listens to an iPod, pilots a hijacked plane and craves a Twitter account (seriously - this is the best dragon ever!), the amazingly described University and fraternity customs which make you feel like you participate in Merlin’s student’s life, and finally - the touching love story.
The love and sex in this story is deeply moving and gorgeous, with a deep meaning and the heavy weight of fate (because it is in fact a reincarnation fic). I believe this is a story which can be read even by people who’ve never read M/M fiction before. Love is love in this story and this is it.
I will end this batch with something a little bit shorter than the stories mentioned above but ... the most perfect one. <3
Accidental Memory in the Case of Death by derryere
Merlin/Arthur | Words: 75,5K+ | Explicit| Moderan AU, reincarnation | written for Paperlegends 2009
Summary: Tony O does not befriend losers. Tony O is not gay, not crazy, he is not particularly nice and he is most definitely not royalty. Destiny disagrees.
Why I rec: I have no idea what to say. How am I supposed to talk about a fic that left me breathless for days and days? For many of us in the fandom it is THE FIC (for me it's Good News by the same author but I can see why AMiCoD might be your favorite!)
This story BROKE me in a thousand ways. I cannot, CANNOT cope with feels even YEARS after reading it. How Merlin and Arthur try to resist the pull and the destiny. The flashbacks of the past (OH DEAR LORD THE FLASHBACKS, I AM A MESS EVEN THINKING ABOUT THEM!), the hot hot hot humping. This story is some kind of a mind trap - you will read it and never forget it.
If I were to read only one Merlin fic in my life it could probably be this one. It hurts me, it makes me gasp, it mends my heart. Nothing can compare to this one (except maybe Good News but in a different way).
Here you have a beautiful fanvid made for the story, it's just as heartbreaking and perfect - look it up and then go read.
***
Okay. This is it for this week. I'll do my best to keep up with Merlin recs and for X-Men to not eat my brain ;)