Yuletide recs 1
Okay, first go through the archive, taking a breather. Have not yet even got to the two major fandoms I'm excited for however (Man from Uncle and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries). I have a feeling I will lose days once I start. oh, plus I have just started reading The Martian (got it for xmas, not seen movie yet, will afterwards) and there are heaps of fic for both movie and book, so that to look forward to too.
I was going do my recs so far yesterday but family inexplicably wanted me to spend NYE with them, and then when I tried to stay up after midnight Bunny complained bitterly about the light from the computer screen (we're staying in the same room and she's lost her eye mask).
So, how I do Yuletide is I avoid looking at rec posts before the reveal, I like to find fics myself and the deluge of rec posts skews people's reading towards the most popular ones with a snowball effect that's unfair on everyone else. IMO. Having said that, I don't read all fics in a fandom, I look at the synopses and the tags and choose whatever appeals. I'm not consistent, either.
This year, with all the time in the world and a no-longer-nearly-dead lj, instead of just posting list I have amused myself adding stuff about why I like the fandoms. I am having FUN.
Killjoys
Killjoys is a show I really wanted to love more than I did. I really like that the main character is a poc woman, Dutch is great. I really like her bounty hunter partner Johnny (I like the actor from W13), and I love, love, love their platonic partnership. What put me off was the introduction of Johnny's brother D'Avin to provide some dramatic tension or whatever. The character was a dick anyway but I think that i mostly didn't like him (totally unfairly on my part) because something about the actor just put me off. I don't like watching him.
I think fandom probably agrees me as there is hardly anything in the Yuletide fics with D'Avin - but there are some great Dutch & Johnny fics, lots with similar first meeting theme, this is my fave -
Johnny Jaqobis and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day (That Just Might Be Okay in the End) Gen.
List of bad things that have happened to Johnny today:
-Shot by woman in bloody wedding dress
-Failed to steal beautiful spaceship
-Nearly electrocuted
-Pursued by ruthless bounty hunters
-Duped into indentured servitude
But somehow, if he’s lucky, he just might finish the day with a new partner and maybe even a friend.
Sense8
Yay, my fandom obsession!!!! I've only read about two thirds of the fics so far, am savouring them :) Lots of lovely ones I've bookmarked, yay!
My fave fic isn't one of the most popular, possibly cos it's on page 2 (edit - has just jumped to the top, author appears to have broken unwritten rule of Yuletide and reposted with today's date wtf), or possibly because the minimal synopsis doesn't inspire you to click on it, but this fic has great Kala, Wolfgang and Felix characterisation, a believable progression to a threesome, lovely sensate visits, AWESOME possible progression of the actual plot after season 1 and an interesting ending -
A Beautiful Mess
Nothing is inevitable.
Eeee, this 1k Yuletide Treat is ADORABLE and should totally be expanded into a 50k epic adventure - snapshot of Kala running into Alec Hardison on a job. Now I want an AU where the Leverage team are also a cluster! -
Good Old-Fashioned Criminals
Kala's not a criminal. She just needs to break into her company's server room to investigate its possible dealings with BPO. This man who's also breaking into the server room, though...
Nomi and Amanita go visit Lito and meet Hernando, yayayay -
Lie Low At Lito's
In which Nomi and Amanita make like outlaws in a Western.
Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers
I read all the books as a teenager and loved the 1990's tv series (ooh, look, you can watch it on youtube, yay. How could I resist the premise of a brilliant nobleman detective horribly shellshocked with devoted manservant who holds him through his nightmares, who turns up to the trial of an unmarried detective novel writer on trial for the murder of her lover and falls instantly in love with her, proves her innocence and goes on to solve crimes with her all the while trying to persuade her to marry him. I mean, right?
I really enjoyed this fic for all the little Peter/Harriet moments -
Christmas at Duke's Denver
Contrary to her own expectations, Harriet found the various huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’ types remarkably easy to talk to. She asked after the huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’, they asked after the murder-writing business, and everyone agreed that the weather was very fine for this time of year and wasn’t the salmon good, what?
Temeraire - Naomi Novik
I love the Temeraire series. I love most Laurence and Temeraire's unbreakable, all consuming bond (it's what I'm here for, hello Sense8). I love Laurence and Granby's friendship, and slashed them early on before Roland came on the scene (there was a brief window where mardia wrote me a Yuletide slash fic, yay) and I love Laurence and Tharkay's unlikely, slashy friendship. Loved that Granby turned out to be gay and Laurence's awkwardness with his lover, Little.
Of course, Granby's relationship is blip in Laurence's story arc, so I've really enjoyed this story of the events of the books (or rather Granby's relationship with him and Laurence) through Little's eyes.
Wait For It (wait for it)
Maintaining a clandestine relationship with Granby is hard enough for Little without the war, a plague, multiple trips around the world and gossipy dragons in the mix, never mind Granby's ambiguously close friendship with William Laurence. Little does his best not to be jealous or uncertain as the years and continents separate him from his lover, but when Laurence returns from a shipwreck with his memories missing and old prejudices intact, Little finds he has something new to worry about.
iZombie
Bunny adores this show so it's a priority in our house. I very much enjoy Liv and Ravi's banter, Ravi is adorable and I was surprised and impressed when Major turned out to have a dark and angsty plotline of his own. I also ship Ravi/Major enough that I volunteered to write the characters for yuletide, which is a lot *g*. I always feel guilty for not liking Clive more, the actor doesn't particularly appeal and honestly, he's a terrible detective (I blame the writers), because how he hasn't put together that Liv takes on the actual personality of the victims is just highly improbable *sigh*
I've enjoyed reading lots of gen Liv & Ravi fics, a cool Ravi/Major and even a threesome, but my surprise fave is this one about Clive finding out and dealing with the truth -
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Zombie Gen.
“So, you’re a zombie,” Clive says.
Nice little Ravi/Major get together fic -
A Lock of Your Hair, For Science
Ravi is the Big Spoon. Obviously
Whitechapel
One of my fave shows ever. Despite the problematic casting. Seriously, the people in charge of casting should be not allowed to work in the industry. They set a show in an area where a significant proportion of the population are Bangladeshis, and made it almost entirely with white actors. The entire series. Even the extras in the background. Everyone in the hospital scene. Dude, even I've been treated by an East Asian doctor here in Perth, fresh from a London hospital!
Apart from this, however, this show is mindblowingly awesome, up in my top shows ever. In fact, now I feel like have to do a proper pimp post (and also watch the entire show again).
Briefly, posh DI Chandler is assigned an easy 'domestic' murder to tick the box so he can be promoted. His team, not surprisingly, have no respect for him. He earns their trust and loyalty, especially his working class DS, Miles, and then at the end of the first series chooses to stay with them despite the impact on his career. Miles and Chandler start out disliking each other and then develop this intensely loyal, inseparable bond of friendship, supporting each other through horrible crises, because this show has DARK themes. Chandler has OCD, which gets worse the more stressed and traumatised he is, Miles has some issues too. I am ALL about their bond.
But wait, there's more! Chandler's sexuality is...undefined (possibly aromantic). And young Kent has a crush on Chandler. No really. He spends the entire four seasons trying to win Chandler's respect and approval and being jealous of any women that seem interested in Chandler and in the final episode actually asks him out. Of course, then they cancelled the show, boo. Here are clips of actual canonically slash clips of Kent adoring Chandler
Oh, here is cute short Chandler/Kent vid.
Okay now I'm really happy because I have found a nice Chandler & Miles vid and I have *feels* Can I just say again, intense loyalty and unconditional support. *cough*
Wow, I'm easily derailed, aren't I? FANDOM LOVE FTW.
Whispers
I like this fic, could be canon, Chandler trusting Kent.
Kent didn't tell anyone about the voices because they weren't real. They weren't real.
Rope
I haven't seen this Hitchcock movie about a teacher (Jimmy Stewart) who visits the home of two of his ex-students (strongly implied to be lovers) who have murdered someone in many years but i remember it being intense and chilling and this pre-canon story of the students' relationship seems to subtly convey the psychopathic edge to the dominant of the two lovers.
Thus With All Guilt
Phillip wasn't sure that Brandon Shaw could breathe without being up to no good some days. He definitely couldn't be kneeling halfway through the door of the dormitory foyer with a handkerchief over his face without being up to no good. His ass looked too proud.
Most people don't start out with killing a man. Brandon and Phillip were no exception.
Various Georgette Heyer
I read and reread Georgette Heyer voraciously as a teenager and recently lent Bunny's BFF (also a voracious reader) some of my faves cos she had nothing to read during the school holidays. I still periodically read the occasional one - in fact one of the Yuledtide prompts appealed so I've read one in the last couple of months, but sadly did not have time, may still do it for a NYR fic.
I was really charmed and thrilled to see some interesting and different sorts of stories in the archive this year.
Devil's Cub
I wouldn't normally read a modern retelling of an historical story but what can I say, I'm a sucker for Vidal/Mary. In fact, the only thing that makes me sad is that she doesn't refer to him as Vidal in the modern day, because it's all first names now :(
a thing with feathers
It’s 8am on a Sunday morning and Mary Challoner is desperately afraid her sister is going to make a fool of herself.
Meanwhile, Dominic Alastair doesn’t believe that the social hierarchy defines anyone, which is why he’s always careful to smile and say thanks whenever someone does anything for him.
The Convenient Marriage
This one kind of floored me. Lethbridge's actions make so much sense if he'd previously been Rule's lover -
Inconvenience
“I need not wonder long,” he said, viciously low, “what sin has barred me from your sister’s hand; but ’pon my soul, Marcus, I had never imagined you to be quite so extraordinary a hypocrite.”
The Earl’s face did not change even now. He answered gently, “No, dear Robert; you only seem to have imagined me a fool.”
Venetia, Frederica
Venetia and Frederica discuss orgies *falls over*
Lady Damarel's Orgy
You shall have a splendid orgy, my dear delight, and you will enjoy it very much indeed.
Lady Damarel has been launched firmly into Society but Venetia hasn't forgotten the promise her husband made at their engagement.
Weekend Update (SNL)
I am not a fan of SNL humour mostly, but my BFF introduced me to Sethon one time i was visiting (possibly alcohol was involved) and they are ADORABLE and also a slash pairing that not only went CANON, but that the actors clearly have a lot of love for because they continue to reference it as though this fiction relationship is still a thing.
I did a fairly comprehensive pimp post in Oct 2014 - http://sarren.livejournal.com/691773.html
I have so much nostalgic love for these guys, it was one of my requests again this year, and this fic wasn't written for me, but might as well have been.
ain't it strange how love put things together
Seth suggests a calm, relaxing weekend vacation.
Somehow, things don't quite follow that plan.
Stargate Universe
SGU was my fave Stargate incarnation - it was dark, and desperate and the people were very human and flawed. Oh, and it had Will from Sense8 in it *beams* It was also cancelled too soon, with the crew in stasis, all except Eli, who had shit to do to keep the ship going and with very little chance of survival.
I love this fic because it gives them a future and also because Rush has to share personal memories with people. *cough* Young *cough*
Manifest Destiny Gen.
"I think I've worked out the bad news on my own,” Rush says as crisply as he can, like that will keep the tremble out of his voice, and now he's the one who can't quite look at Eli. “What's the good news?”
“Um. Nobody will wonder if you're lying about anything anymore?” Eli offers weakly.
Rush sighs and rubs the heel of his hand against his forehead right where the ache is worst. “I don't think 'good news' means what you think it means.”
I was going do my recs so far yesterday but family inexplicably wanted me to spend NYE with them, and then when I tried to stay up after midnight Bunny complained bitterly about the light from the computer screen (we're staying in the same room and she's lost her eye mask).
So, how I do Yuletide is I avoid looking at rec posts before the reveal, I like to find fics myself and the deluge of rec posts skews people's reading towards the most popular ones with a snowball effect that's unfair on everyone else. IMO. Having said that, I don't read all fics in a fandom, I look at the synopses and the tags and choose whatever appeals. I'm not consistent, either.
This year, with all the time in the world and a no-longer-nearly-dead lj, instead of just posting list I have amused myself adding stuff about why I like the fandoms. I am having FUN.
Killjoys
Killjoys is a show I really wanted to love more than I did. I really like that the main character is a poc woman, Dutch is great. I really like her bounty hunter partner Johnny (I like the actor from W13), and I love, love, love their platonic partnership. What put me off was the introduction of Johnny's brother D'Avin to provide some dramatic tension or whatever. The character was a dick anyway but I think that i mostly didn't like him (totally unfairly on my part) because something about the actor just put me off. I don't like watching him.
I think fandom probably agrees me as there is hardly anything in the Yuletide fics with D'Avin - but there are some great Dutch & Johnny fics, lots with similar first meeting theme, this is my fave -
Johnny Jaqobis and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day (That Just Might Be Okay in the End) Gen.
List of bad things that have happened to Johnny today:
-Shot by woman in bloody wedding dress
-Failed to steal beautiful spaceship
-Nearly electrocuted
-Pursued by ruthless bounty hunters
-Duped into indentured servitude
But somehow, if he’s lucky, he just might finish the day with a new partner and maybe even a friend.
Sense8
Yay, my fandom obsession!!!! I've only read about two thirds of the fics so far, am savouring them :) Lots of lovely ones I've bookmarked, yay!
My fave fic isn't one of the most popular, possibly cos it's on page 2 (edit - has just jumped to the top, author appears to have broken unwritten rule of Yuletide and reposted with today's date wtf), or possibly because the minimal synopsis doesn't inspire you to click on it, but this fic has great Kala, Wolfgang and Felix characterisation, a believable progression to a threesome, lovely sensate visits, AWESOME possible progression of the actual plot after season 1 and an interesting ending -
A Beautiful Mess
Nothing is inevitable.
Eeee, this 1k Yuletide Treat is ADORABLE and should totally be expanded into a 50k epic adventure - snapshot of Kala running into Alec Hardison on a job. Now I want an AU where the Leverage team are also a cluster! -
Good Old-Fashioned Criminals
Kala's not a criminal. She just needs to break into her company's server room to investigate its possible dealings with BPO. This man who's also breaking into the server room, though...
Nomi and Amanita go visit Lito and meet Hernando, yayayay -
Lie Low At Lito's
In which Nomi and Amanita make like outlaws in a Western.
Lord Peter Wimsey - Dorothy L. Sayers
I read all the books as a teenager and loved the 1990's tv series (ooh, look, you can watch it on youtube, yay. How could I resist the premise of a brilliant nobleman detective horribly shellshocked with devoted manservant who holds him through his nightmares, who turns up to the trial of an unmarried detective novel writer on trial for the murder of her lover and falls instantly in love with her, proves her innocence and goes on to solve crimes with her all the while trying to persuade her to marry him. I mean, right?
I really enjoyed this fic for all the little Peter/Harriet moments -
Christmas at Duke's Denver
Contrary to her own expectations, Harriet found the various huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’ types remarkably easy to talk to. She asked after the huntin’, shootin’, and fishin’, they asked after the murder-writing business, and everyone agreed that the weather was very fine for this time of year and wasn’t the salmon good, what?
Temeraire - Naomi Novik
I love the Temeraire series. I love most Laurence and Temeraire's unbreakable, all consuming bond (it's what I'm here for, hello Sense8). I love Laurence and Granby's friendship, and slashed them early on before Roland came on the scene (there was a brief window where mardia wrote me a Yuletide slash fic, yay) and I love Laurence and Tharkay's unlikely, slashy friendship. Loved that Granby turned out to be gay and Laurence's awkwardness with his lover, Little.
Of course, Granby's relationship is blip in Laurence's story arc, so I've really enjoyed this story of the events of the books (or rather Granby's relationship with him and Laurence) through Little's eyes.
Wait For It (wait for it)
Maintaining a clandestine relationship with Granby is hard enough for Little without the war, a plague, multiple trips around the world and gossipy dragons in the mix, never mind Granby's ambiguously close friendship with William Laurence. Little does his best not to be jealous or uncertain as the years and continents separate him from his lover, but when Laurence returns from a shipwreck with his memories missing and old prejudices intact, Little finds he has something new to worry about.
iZombie
Bunny adores this show so it's a priority in our house. I very much enjoy Liv and Ravi's banter, Ravi is adorable and I was surprised and impressed when Major turned out to have a dark and angsty plotline of his own. I also ship Ravi/Major enough that I volunteered to write the characters for yuletide, which is a lot *g*. I always feel guilty for not liking Clive more, the actor doesn't particularly appeal and honestly, he's a terrible detective (I blame the writers), because how he hasn't put together that Liv takes on the actual personality of the victims is just highly improbable *sigh*
I've enjoyed reading lots of gen Liv & Ravi fics, a cool Ravi/Major and even a threesome, but my surprise fave is this one about Clive finding out and dealing with the truth -
How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Zombie Gen.
“So, you’re a zombie,” Clive says.
Nice little Ravi/Major get together fic -
A Lock of Your Hair, For Science
Ravi is the Big Spoon. Obviously
Whitechapel
One of my fave shows ever. Despite the problematic casting. Seriously, the people in charge of casting should be not allowed to work in the industry. They set a show in an area where a significant proportion of the population are Bangladeshis, and made it almost entirely with white actors. The entire series. Even the extras in the background. Everyone in the hospital scene. Dude, even I've been treated by an East Asian doctor here in Perth, fresh from a London hospital!
Apart from this, however, this show is mindblowingly awesome, up in my top shows ever. In fact, now I feel like have to do a proper pimp post (and also watch the entire show again).
Briefly, posh DI Chandler is assigned an easy 'domestic' murder to tick the box so he can be promoted. His team, not surprisingly, have no respect for him. He earns their trust and loyalty, especially his working class DS, Miles, and then at the end of the first series chooses to stay with them despite the impact on his career. Miles and Chandler start out disliking each other and then develop this intensely loyal, inseparable bond of friendship, supporting each other through horrible crises, because this show has DARK themes. Chandler has OCD, which gets worse the more stressed and traumatised he is, Miles has some issues too. I am ALL about their bond.
But wait, there's more! Chandler's sexuality is...undefined (possibly aromantic). And young Kent has a crush on Chandler. No really. He spends the entire four seasons trying to win Chandler's respect and approval and being jealous of any women that seem interested in Chandler and in the final episode actually asks him out. Of course, then they cancelled the show, boo. Here are clips of actual canonically slash clips of Kent adoring Chandler
Oh, here is cute short Chandler/Kent vid.
Okay now I'm really happy because I have found a nice Chandler & Miles vid and I have *feels* Can I just say again, intense loyalty and unconditional support. *cough*
Wow, I'm easily derailed, aren't I? FANDOM LOVE FTW.
Whispers
I like this fic, could be canon, Chandler trusting Kent.
Kent didn't tell anyone about the voices because they weren't real. They weren't real.
Rope
I haven't seen this Hitchcock movie about a teacher (Jimmy Stewart) who visits the home of two of his ex-students (strongly implied to be lovers) who have murdered someone in many years but i remember it being intense and chilling and this pre-canon story of the students' relationship seems to subtly convey the psychopathic edge to the dominant of the two lovers.
Thus With All Guilt
Phillip wasn't sure that Brandon Shaw could breathe without being up to no good some days. He definitely couldn't be kneeling halfway through the door of the dormitory foyer with a handkerchief over his face without being up to no good. His ass looked too proud.
Most people don't start out with killing a man. Brandon and Phillip were no exception.
Various Georgette Heyer
I read and reread Georgette Heyer voraciously as a teenager and recently lent Bunny's BFF (also a voracious reader) some of my faves cos she had nothing to read during the school holidays. I still periodically read the occasional one - in fact one of the Yuledtide prompts appealed so I've read one in the last couple of months, but sadly did not have time, may still do it for a NYR fic.
I was really charmed and thrilled to see some interesting and different sorts of stories in the archive this year.
Devil's Cub
I wouldn't normally read a modern retelling of an historical story but what can I say, I'm a sucker for Vidal/Mary. In fact, the only thing that makes me sad is that she doesn't refer to him as Vidal in the modern day, because it's all first names now :(
a thing with feathers
It’s 8am on a Sunday morning and Mary Challoner is desperately afraid her sister is going to make a fool of herself.
Meanwhile, Dominic Alastair doesn’t believe that the social hierarchy defines anyone, which is why he’s always careful to smile and say thanks whenever someone does anything for him.
The Convenient Marriage
This one kind of floored me. Lethbridge's actions make so much sense if he'd previously been Rule's lover -
Inconvenience
“I need not wonder long,” he said, viciously low, “what sin has barred me from your sister’s hand; but ’pon my soul, Marcus, I had never imagined you to be quite so extraordinary a hypocrite.”
The Earl’s face did not change even now. He answered gently, “No, dear Robert; you only seem to have imagined me a fool.”
Venetia, Frederica
Venetia and Frederica discuss orgies *falls over*
Lady Damarel's Orgy
You shall have a splendid orgy, my dear delight, and you will enjoy it very much indeed.
Lady Damarel has been launched firmly into Society but Venetia hasn't forgotten the promise her husband made at their engagement.
Weekend Update (SNL)
I am not a fan of SNL humour mostly, but my BFF introduced me to Sethon one time i was visiting (possibly alcohol was involved) and they are ADORABLE and also a slash pairing that not only went CANON, but that the actors clearly have a lot of love for because they continue to reference it as though this fiction relationship is still a thing.
I did a fairly comprehensive pimp post in Oct 2014 - http://sarren.livejournal.com/691773.html
I have so much nostalgic love for these guys, it was one of my requests again this year, and this fic wasn't written for me, but might as well have been.
ain't it strange how love put things together
Seth suggests a calm, relaxing weekend vacation.
Somehow, things don't quite follow that plan.
Stargate Universe
SGU was my fave Stargate incarnation - it was dark, and desperate and the people were very human and flawed. Oh, and it had Will from Sense8 in it *beams* It was also cancelled too soon, with the crew in stasis, all except Eli, who had shit to do to keep the ship going and with very little chance of survival.
I love this fic because it gives them a future and also because Rush has to share personal memories with people. *cough* Young *cough*
Manifest Destiny Gen.
"I think I've worked out the bad news on my own,” Rush says as crisply as he can, like that will keep the tremble out of his voice, and now he's the one who can't quite look at Eli. “What's the good news?”
“Um. Nobody will wonder if you're lying about anything anymore?” Eli offers weakly.
Rush sighs and rubs the heel of his hand against his forehead right where the ache is worst. “I don't think 'good news' means what you think it means.”