Yuletide Recs
Like everyone else, I snatched time away from family during these last days to indulge in the fannish goodness that is yuletide, with its multitude of fanfic in rare fandoms. Here are my favourites so far, with the caveat that I've still a lot to read:
American Gothic:
Visiting Hours. Matt only gets one visitor. Short, and with perfect Dr. Crower and Lucas Buck voices.
Blade Runner:
Pride Goeth Before. Roy Batty, from the moment of his awakening. Blade Runner is probably my favourite Sci Fi movie, and this captures its noir, William Blakeish heart perfectly.
Carnivale:
Of Present Sorrows and Two-Sided Coins. Iris Crowe post season 2. This one is a crossover with Sandman, and the Endless Iris meets are perfectly chosen, but even if you've never read Sandman in your life and don't intend to, you should read this for its superb Iris characterisation and the evocation of Russia.
Dexter:
Use Your Illusion, too. Deb after the season finale, coping, or not. I was pleased as punch there were four Dexter stories at Yuletide, and this one is my favourite.
Brother's Keeper. This one tackles Harry the well-meaning and slightly chilling manipulator, with teenage Deb this time instead of Dexter. As with the Harry flashbacks on the show, you never can decide whether he's a brilliant or a ever so screwed up father, or both.
Indiana Jones:
Indiana Jones and the Chinatown Ghosts. This one does what Wrath of Khan does with Kirk: confront the icon with his aging and mortality and makes the guy emotionally real this way. Indy post -WWII meets up with some old aquaintances. Bonus points for the Young Indiana Jones tie-in (the lost eye which Old!Indy sports in the tv show).
Isaac Asimov
The Conscientious Objectors. Two of the great attractions of Asimov's robot stories, to me: no-nonsense, not-pretty, tough and intelligent robot psychologist Susan Calvin and robots which are never the man-killing clichés which drove Asimov to invent the Three Laws to begin with. (Insert mini rant about dreadful Will Smith movie here.) This story captures both perfectly, and manages to make a pointed comment on our present as well.
Hostage Negotiations. Why Susan Calvin likes robots better than humans. Another great take on Dr. Calvin.
American Gods:
The Goal is the Thing. Loki, before and during the novel. Great use of both mythology and Gaiman's interpretation.
Sandman:
An Awfully Deep Well. Portraits of all seven Endless, poetic and fitting.
Darkness and Beauty of Stars was on my Mouth. The Corinthian, both versions. How long before someone writes a Dexter/Sandman crossover featuring the Corinthian, I wonder? Meanwhile, read this awesome take on him.
Supreme Power
So Truly Parallel. Nighthawk and Hyperion. If you think Batman is fucked up and Superman could/should be, try the Marvelverse versions written by JMS. This story captures both wonderfully well. With a great punchline.
Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner
Wayfarer's Daughter. Brünnhild, specifically Wagner's interpretation of her, with a great and chilling twist on the salvation-through-love idea.
American Gothic:
Visiting Hours. Matt only gets one visitor. Short, and with perfect Dr. Crower and Lucas Buck voices.
Blade Runner:
Pride Goeth Before. Roy Batty, from the moment of his awakening. Blade Runner is probably my favourite Sci Fi movie, and this captures its noir, William Blakeish heart perfectly.
Carnivale:
Of Present Sorrows and Two-Sided Coins. Iris Crowe post season 2. This one is a crossover with Sandman, and the Endless Iris meets are perfectly chosen, but even if you've never read Sandman in your life and don't intend to, you should read this for its superb Iris characterisation and the evocation of Russia.
Dexter:
Use Your Illusion, too. Deb after the season finale, coping, or not. I was pleased as punch there were four Dexter stories at Yuletide, and this one is my favourite.
Brother's Keeper. This one tackles Harry the well-meaning and slightly chilling manipulator, with teenage Deb this time instead of Dexter. As with the Harry flashbacks on the show, you never can decide whether he's a brilliant or a ever so screwed up father, or both.
Indiana Jones:
Indiana Jones and the Chinatown Ghosts. This one does what Wrath of Khan does with Kirk: confront the icon with his aging and mortality and makes the guy emotionally real this way. Indy post -WWII meets up with some old aquaintances. Bonus points for the Young Indiana Jones tie-in (the lost eye which Old!Indy sports in the tv show).
Isaac Asimov
The Conscientious Objectors. Two of the great attractions of Asimov's robot stories, to me: no-nonsense, not-pretty, tough and intelligent robot psychologist Susan Calvin and robots which are never the man-killing clichés which drove Asimov to invent the Three Laws to begin with. (Insert mini rant about dreadful Will Smith movie here.) This story captures both perfectly, and manages to make a pointed comment on our present as well.
Hostage Negotiations. Why Susan Calvin likes robots better than humans. Another great take on Dr. Calvin.
American Gods:
The Goal is the Thing. Loki, before and during the novel. Great use of both mythology and Gaiman's interpretation.
Sandman:
An Awfully Deep Well. Portraits of all seven Endless, poetic and fitting.
Darkness and Beauty of Stars was on my Mouth. The Corinthian, both versions. How long before someone writes a Dexter/Sandman crossover featuring the Corinthian, I wonder? Meanwhile, read this awesome take on him.
Supreme Power
So Truly Parallel. Nighthawk and Hyperion. If you think Batman is fucked up and Superman could/should be, try the Marvelverse versions written by JMS. This story captures both wonderfully well. With a great punchline.
Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner
Wayfarer's Daughter. Brünnhild, specifically Wagner's interpretation of her, with a great and chilling twist on the salvation-through-love idea.