Issue #15
Picks of the Month from eosrose
[art] Merlin's magic another epic fail by rnng | WS | 1 work
eosrose says: Merlin transforms himself into a girl and Arthur can't stop looking. So cute! I really love the gracefully inked comic style of this. In an ideal world, this would have a sequel and maybe some fic to accompany it.
Themes: era - camelot, genderswap, magical accident(s)
[fic] Journey into the Interior by bentley | NC-17 | ~10,000 words
Summary: Merlin has been waiting for Arthur so long that he's forgotten who he is- who they both are. Then one day Arthur walks into the seedy massage parlour Merlin works in.
eosrose says: This is one of those stories that takes you completely off guard. My feet were metaphorically swept out from beneath me. It's lovely, simply lovely.
Themes: amnesia, arthur knows, bottom!merlin, era - modern, experienced!arthur (girls only), experienced!merlin, first kiss, first time, immortal!merlin, reincarnation
[fic] Our Very Own by nyargles | PG-13 | ~1,400 words
Summary: Merlin comes home with a stray... baby? Arthur is confused.
eosrose says: Arthur and Merlin raising a child together fills me with absolute glee. This is utterly adorable fluff.
Themes: arthur knows, children, era - camelot, established relationship, king arthur
[fic] When the Leaves are in Full Bloom by kinkme_merlin | NC-17 |
Summary: Uther made a deal with the druids to gain the hand of Ygraine--and now the deal is coming due. Arthur must marry the prophesied Emrys.
eosrose says: Usually I wait until stories are de-anoned, edited, and reposted before recommending them, but this one kept me up until ungodly hour of the morning trying to finish it, so I can't wait. If you loved arranged marriage scenarios, this is an excellent one!
Themes: arthur knows, au - with magic, era - camelot, first kiss, first time, marriage, old religion/druids
[vid] To Kill the King by nuarity | WS | 3:26 running time
Summary: For 20 years the Great Dragon, incarcerated in vaults of Camelot, tried to murder King Uther Pendragon. But all his brilliant plans failed. Quite lose all hope for freedom and despaired... The Great Dragon ventured for the last try...
eosrose says: I think I nearly burst a lung laughing with this one. The cutting of the dialog and clips is really very cunning. The best vids are ones that tell a story and this certainly does that!
Themes: abuse, bondage, character death (major), coming out, era - camelot, marriage, slash dragon Picks of the Month from katerina_black
[fic] My love for you is deeper than the ocean (and I would know as I’ve been there!) by rose_walker22 | PG-13 | ~29,500 words
Summary: Merlin can’t keep hold of a relationship no matter what he tries and then Arthur pretty much lands in his lap. But there is something very fishy about the handsome blond.
katerina-black says: This was wonderfully cute adaptation of the prompt. Very enjoyable.
Themes: au - with magic, first time, first kiss, era - modern, magical creature(s), courtship, experienced!merlin, fusion
[fic] Under the Tuscan Sun by lisztful | NC-17 | ~18,500 words
Summary: When Arthur loses his home to his cheating husband, the last place he expects to find another is on a lesbian tour of Tuscany. That's not all he finds, either. Complete with lessons learned the hard way, well-adusted friends, gelato, true love, and maybe just a little bit of destiny.
katerina-black says: This is a lovely fic full of the warmth and sunny feelings that a romance set in the Tuscan countryside should be.
Themes: era - modern, fusion, first time, first kiss, experienced!merlin, experienced!arthur, oblivious!arthur
[fic] Making Apologies by marguerite_26 | R | ~5,000 words
Summary: When Arthur returns from a impromptu hunting trip to find the stocks empty, he’s surprised by Uther’s leniency. But Merlin doesn’t get away with making Arthur’s excuses so easily this time.
katerina-black says: This fic is really very beautiful, with a look into how harsh canon!Uther can be. I find him completely believable in this. I also find the reactions of Merlin and Arthur to be completely genuine.
Themes: era-camelot, first time, first kiss, hurt/comfort, flogging/whipping, injury, protective!arthur
[fic] Echoes of Yesterday by dreamdustmama | NC-17 | ~40,000 words
Summary: Three years ago Arthur Pendragon was part of a group that resisted the government's ban on magic, and the automatic death penalty for anyone who practiced it. Now, he is alone and in desperate need of the very last person he wants to see - Merlin.
katerina-black says: There's something really awesome about how kickass all the canon characters are in this fic. I've been eagerly awaiting the conclusion for months. Although the end felt a bit rushed and too easily wrapped up, I still loved this pretty much start to finish.
Themes: au - with magic, era - modern, arthur knows, established relationship, hurt/comfort, experienced!merlin, experienced!arthur, protective!merlin, protective!arthur, insecure!arthur, powerful!merlin Mutual Picks of the Month
[fic] Alliance by shadowglove88 | PG-13 | ~5,000 words
Summary: When Arthur finds out his father is making an alliance with the magical barbarians in the forest, he refuses to marry any of the daughters of Lord Balinor Emrys. But somehow he can't stay away from Balinor's only son, the ethereal Merlin.
eosrose says: Utterly adorable. <3
katerina-black says: A wonderfully done, short AU with the two of them just being so cute. ^_^
Themes: arthur knows, au - with magic, coming out, courtship, era - camelot, first kiss, marriage, powerful!merlin, marriage
[fic] Crash into Me by faeryqueen07 | NC-17 | ~25,000 words
Summary: Uther has been trying to get Arthur to settle down for quite some time, so when he mentions that they will be having dinner with another young woman, Vivian, Arthur decides that enough is enough. He asks Merlin to pose as his boyfriend and awkwardness ensues. But somewhere down the line, fiction becomes fact.
eosrose says: If you dislike soap opera cliches, such as Pretend Dating and Horrible Accident Makes Idiot Man Realize What He Could Have Lost, this probably isn't the story for you. Me? I adore those sort of dramatics, so I found this story positively delightful.
katerina-black says: Although at times I wanted to smack Arthur round the head, I loved the interactions between him and Merlin from start to finish. Morgana is also suitably badass, and Uther is stern, but not evil, as I feel generally fits the AU trope.
Themes: au - no magic, era - modern, experienced!arthur (girls only), experienced!merlin, first kiss, first time, hurt/comfort Classic of the Month
[fic] Assumptions (Next Entry goes to the next part) by wrtrs-blck | NC-17 | ~13,800 words
Summary: Everyone assumes Merlin knows what is going on. He really, really doesn't.
eos-rose says: This is truly a comedy of errors! The road to true love is filled with misunderstandings, but family is good for something. I've re-read this story more times than I can remember. And I'll probably read it again tomorrow
katerina-black says: Oblivious doesn't even begin to describe how these two boys act. This fic is alternately so funny it will have you crying, interspersed with moments of heartbreaking poignancy. Really, get out the tissues just in case. And Great Aunt Agatha is just so brilliant, I have no words. Plus, I don't think I will ever look at Arthur again, and not think, haha! Prince splitty-pants!
Themes: era - camelot, arthur finds out, first time, first kiss, oblivious!arthur, oblivious!merlin, jealous!merlin, experienced!arthur, virgin!merlin, courtship, knights
[art] Merlin's magic another epic fail by rnng | WS | 1 work
eosrose says: Merlin transforms himself into a girl and Arthur can't stop looking. So cute! I really love the gracefully inked comic style of this. In an ideal world, this would have a sequel and maybe some fic to accompany it.
Themes: era - camelot, genderswap, magical accident(s)
[fic] Journey into the Interior by bentley | NC-17 | ~10,000 words
Summary: Merlin has been waiting for Arthur so long that he's forgotten who he is- who they both are. Then one day Arthur walks into the seedy massage parlour Merlin works in.
eosrose says: This is one of those stories that takes you completely off guard. My feet were metaphorically swept out from beneath me. It's lovely, simply lovely.
Themes: amnesia, arthur knows, bottom!merlin, era - modern, experienced!arthur (girls only), experienced!merlin, first kiss, first time, immortal!merlin, reincarnation
[fic] Our Very Own by nyargles | PG-13 | ~1,400 words
Summary: Merlin comes home with a stray... baby? Arthur is confused.
eosrose says: Arthur and Merlin raising a child together fills me with absolute glee. This is utterly adorable fluff.
Themes: arthur knows, children, era - camelot, established relationship, king arthur
[fic] When the Leaves are in Full Bloom by kinkme_merlin | NC-17 |
Summary: Uther made a deal with the druids to gain the hand of Ygraine--and now the deal is coming due. Arthur must marry the prophesied Emrys.
eosrose says: Usually I wait until stories are de-anoned, edited, and reposted before recommending them, but this one kept me up until ungodly hour of the morning trying to finish it, so I can't wait. If you loved arranged marriage scenarios, this is an excellent one!
Themes: arthur knows, au - with magic, era - camelot, first kiss, first time, marriage, old religion/druids
[vid] To Kill the King by nuarity | WS | 3:26 running time
Summary: For 20 years the Great Dragon, incarcerated in vaults of Camelot, tried to murder King Uther Pendragon. But all his brilliant plans failed. Quite lose all hope for freedom and despaired... The Great Dragon ventured for the last try...
eosrose says: I think I nearly burst a lung laughing with this one. The cutting of the dialog and clips is really very cunning. The best vids are ones that tell a story and this certainly does that!
Themes: abuse, bondage, character death (major), coming out, era - camelot, marriage, slash dragon Picks of the Month from katerina_black
[fic] My love for you is deeper than the ocean (and I would know as I’ve been there!) by rose_walker22 | PG-13 | ~29,500 words
Summary: Merlin can’t keep hold of a relationship no matter what he tries and then Arthur pretty much lands in his lap. But there is something very fishy about the handsome blond.
katerina-black says: This was wonderfully cute adaptation of the prompt. Very enjoyable.
Themes: au - with magic, first time, first kiss, era - modern, magical creature(s), courtship, experienced!merlin, fusion
[fic] Under the Tuscan Sun by lisztful | NC-17 | ~18,500 words
Summary: When Arthur loses his home to his cheating husband, the last place he expects to find another is on a lesbian tour of Tuscany. That's not all he finds, either. Complete with lessons learned the hard way, well-adusted friends, gelato, true love, and maybe just a little bit of destiny.
katerina-black says: This is a lovely fic full of the warmth and sunny feelings that a romance set in the Tuscan countryside should be.
Themes: era - modern, fusion, first time, first kiss, experienced!merlin, experienced!arthur, oblivious!arthur
[fic] Making Apologies by marguerite_26 | R | ~5,000 words
Summary: When Arthur returns from a impromptu hunting trip to find the stocks empty, he’s surprised by Uther’s leniency. But Merlin doesn’t get away with making Arthur’s excuses so easily this time.
katerina-black says: This fic is really very beautiful, with a look into how harsh canon!Uther can be. I find him completely believable in this. I also find the reactions of Merlin and Arthur to be completely genuine.
Themes: era-camelot, first time, first kiss, hurt/comfort, flogging/whipping, injury, protective!arthur
[fic] Echoes of Yesterday by dreamdustmama | NC-17 | ~40,000 words
Summary: Three years ago Arthur Pendragon was part of a group that resisted the government's ban on magic, and the automatic death penalty for anyone who practiced it. Now, he is alone and in desperate need of the very last person he wants to see - Merlin.
katerina-black says: There's something really awesome about how kickass all the canon characters are in this fic. I've been eagerly awaiting the conclusion for months. Although the end felt a bit rushed and too easily wrapped up, I still loved this pretty much start to finish.
Themes: au - with magic, era - modern, arthur knows, established relationship, hurt/comfort, experienced!merlin, experienced!arthur, protective!merlin, protective!arthur, insecure!arthur, powerful!merlin Mutual Picks of the Month
[fic] Alliance by shadowglove88 | PG-13 | ~5,000 words
Summary: When Arthur finds out his father is making an alliance with the magical barbarians in the forest, he refuses to marry any of the daughters of Lord Balinor Emrys. But somehow he can't stay away from Balinor's only son, the ethereal Merlin.
eosrose says: Utterly adorable. <3
katerina-black says: A wonderfully done, short AU with the two of them just being so cute. ^_^
Themes: arthur knows, au - with magic, coming out, courtship, era - camelot, first kiss, marriage, powerful!merlin, marriage
[fic] Crash into Me by faeryqueen07 | NC-17 | ~25,000 words
Summary: Uther has been trying to get Arthur to settle down for quite some time, so when he mentions that they will be having dinner with another young woman, Vivian, Arthur decides that enough is enough. He asks Merlin to pose as his boyfriend and awkwardness ensues. But somewhere down the line, fiction becomes fact.
eosrose says: If you dislike soap opera cliches, such as Pretend Dating and Horrible Accident Makes Idiot Man Realize What He Could Have Lost, this probably isn't the story for you. Me? I adore those sort of dramatics, so I found this story positively delightful.
katerina-black says: Although at times I wanted to smack Arthur round the head, I loved the interactions between him and Merlin from start to finish. Morgana is also suitably badass, and Uther is stern, but not evil, as I feel generally fits the AU trope.
Themes: au - no magic, era - modern, experienced!arthur (girls only), experienced!merlin, first kiss, first time, hurt/comfort Classic of the Month
[fic] Assumptions (Next Entry goes to the next part) by wrtrs-blck | NC-17 | ~13,800 words
Summary: Everyone assumes Merlin knows what is going on. He really, really doesn't.
eos-rose says: This is truly a comedy of errors! The road to true love is filled with misunderstandings, but family is good for something. I've re-read this story more times than I can remember. And I'll probably read it again tomorrow
katerina-black says: Oblivious doesn't even begin to describe how these two boys act. This fic is alternately so funny it will have you crying, interspersed with moments of heartbreaking poignancy. Really, get out the tissues just in case. And Great Aunt Agatha is just so brilliant, I have no words. Plus, I don't think I will ever look at Arthur again, and not think, haha! Prince splitty-pants!
Themes: era - camelot, arthur finds out, first time, first kiss, oblivious!arthur, oblivious!merlin, jealous!merlin, experienced!arthur, virgin!merlin, courtship, knights