Yuletide recs
Before the reveal this time! Go me.
My gift was an absolutely wonderful Make It or Break It fic (♥_♥), Team Drama. I asked for Payson gen, and this is the Payson gen of my HEART. Emily and Kaylie are wrapped up in their own dramas, Kelly Parker is playing head games, Lauren's trying to be a friend in her screwed-up, sort of evil way, and Ellen Beals is just plain nasty, but Payson isn't going to let any of that stop her being awesome. Also, there are pranks.
The Opposite of Swarb - Connie Willis, Bellwether. Sandra investigates fandom. Brilliant! I wish some of those fandom fads had existed so I could have been around for them. Fits seamlessly with canon, and Flip's replacement is hilarious.
Circuit Court - Wen Spencer, A Brother's Price. Absolutely enthralling (and funny) casefic embedded in the details of canon worldbuilding, with great dialogue, a fantastic viewpoint character and a lovely, understated romance.
Pompeianae - Cambridge Latin Course. This is basically the most amazing thing ever. Porn! In Latin! With characterisation and tension and an actual involving story behind it! I love the way it starts off simple and builds up to a more complex, elegant grammar, and omg the WORD LISTS. Which totally cracked me up by being full of the words I know and not the ones I actually wanted to look up, JUST LIKE IN THIRD FORM. Except, you know, with slash.
Those voices that will not be drowned - Mary Renault, The Charioteer. Beautifully written, melancholy and atmospheric, and the characters ring very true.
God-Faces - Emberverse, S. M. Stirling. Astrid and Eilir being adorable. The voices are just right. ♥!
We Climbed the Matterhorn - Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons. Five episodes in Molly Blackett's life. I love the way it moves backwards from future-fic to a different angle on canon, and finally to an expansion on the hints in canon of Molly's earlier life. It's all absolutely believable and right.
The Redemption of Sam McGee - Robert Service/literary RPF. An awesome Service-like tall tale, with great sense of period and location.
as birds of a feather should be - Dorothy L Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey. Jerry and Hilary Thorpe being adorable in the snow. I love the character voices.
Peter and the Power of Suggestion - Dorothy L Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey. Utterly delightful, with impeccable character voices and Miss Climpson being made of epic win.
Templeton, Iowa - Max Brooks, World War Z. One of those 'of course!' stories that makes you realise that something you'd never thought of before must have happened that way. Chilling and horribly believable. Reading it right before bed was not my best ever decision.
His Mother's Son - Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga. Incredibly clever - I love the way it inhabits Ethan's worldview, and Elli is fantastic in it.
Thorns - Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga. Beautiful and heartbreaking - it really brings Princess-and-Countess Olivia to life.
A Knight Like No Other - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. Jon/Alanna-as-Squire-Alan. I love the way their respective roles are woven into the fabric of their relationship.
Finds but riddling shrift - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. The George voice in this one is really fantastic.
Twist in the Road - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. An insightful look at SotL-era Buri - strong, loyal, clear-sighted, and still young enough to want to go on adventures.
Under the Willow Tree - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. Moonlight + Faithful = ♥! I love Faithful being unconsciously arrogant, and Moonlight being dubious, and Alanna just having no idea what is going on under her nose.
Hard to Find - Echo Bazaar. Mysterious and creepy, and sheds an entirely new light on the Comtessa storyline. It's like seeing Fallen London through the eyes of its denizens rather than as a visitor.
Better the Devil of Your Mysterious and Somewhat Questionable Acquaintance - Echo Bazaar. Uncannily EBZ-esque language, and I love how it weaves in the Recurring Dreams.
The Language of Hell - Echo Bazaar. This feels exactly like a missing Storylet, or maybe a meta-Storylet, given how seamlessly it combines a bunch of areas.
How Horses Came to the Desert - Diana Wynne Jones, The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Uses the jokes in canon to build a delightful (and hilarious) day-in-the-life-cum-origin story. I especially love the children giggling at the idea of camels.
Seeking Dragons - Diana Wynne Jones, The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Another fun take on using the jokes as the parameters of world-building. I love how Lilla's practicality wins through and lets her use the rules to her own advantage.
Huge Gods - Huge/Discworld. Alistair! And Becca! This is absolutely perfect for both canons.
Now, in the meanwhile, with hearts raised on high - Joan Aiken, Wolves Chronicles. Spot-on characterisation and language, with more marvellous turns of phrase than I could pull out. I love seeing everyone again and the quietly joyful sense of winding down to rest - although, of course, since it's Simon and Dido, rest involves jaunting off for another adventure.
Zone of Truth or Dare - Order of the Stick. Ahahahaha. Just when you think this fic can't get any funnier? It gets funnier. And the resolution is perfect.
Snow and Mirrors - Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey/Fairy Tales. Catherine is totally the Austen heroine you want on your side when you stumble into a fairy tale. Perfectly Austen, except when it isn't.
One True Way - Mercedes Lackey, Valdemar. A superbly understated evil!Companion AU.
Fandoms: Connie Willis - Bellwether; Wen Spencer - A Brother's Price; Cambridge Latin Course; Mary Renault - The Charioteer; S. M. Stirling - Emberverse; Arthur Ransome - Swallows and Amazons; Robert Service; Dorothy L Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey; Max Brooks - World War Z; Lois McMaster Bujold - Vorkosigan Saga; Tamora Pierce - Tortall; Echo Bazaar; Diana Wynne Jones - The Tough Guide to Fantasyland; Huge/Discworld; Joan Aiken - Wolves Chronicles; Order of the Stick; Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey; Mercedes Lackey - Valdemar.
Also posted at Dreamwidth.
My gift was an absolutely wonderful Make It or Break It fic (♥_♥), Team Drama. I asked for Payson gen, and this is the Payson gen of my HEART. Emily and Kaylie are wrapped up in their own dramas, Kelly Parker is playing head games, Lauren's trying to be a friend in her screwed-up, sort of evil way, and Ellen Beals is just plain nasty, but Payson isn't going to let any of that stop her being awesome. Also, there are pranks.
The Opposite of Swarb - Connie Willis, Bellwether. Sandra investigates fandom. Brilliant! I wish some of those fandom fads had existed so I could have been around for them. Fits seamlessly with canon, and Flip's replacement is hilarious.
Circuit Court - Wen Spencer, A Brother's Price. Absolutely enthralling (and funny) casefic embedded in the details of canon worldbuilding, with great dialogue, a fantastic viewpoint character and a lovely, understated romance.
Pompeianae - Cambridge Latin Course. This is basically the most amazing thing ever. Porn! In Latin! With characterisation and tension and an actual involving story behind it! I love the way it starts off simple and builds up to a more complex, elegant grammar, and omg the WORD LISTS. Which totally cracked me up by being full of the words I know and not the ones I actually wanted to look up, JUST LIKE IN THIRD FORM. Except, you know, with slash.
Those voices that will not be drowned - Mary Renault, The Charioteer. Beautifully written, melancholy and atmospheric, and the characters ring very true.
God-Faces - Emberverse, S. M. Stirling. Astrid and Eilir being adorable. The voices are just right. ♥!
We Climbed the Matterhorn - Arthur Ransome, Swallows and Amazons. Five episodes in Molly Blackett's life. I love the way it moves backwards from future-fic to a different angle on canon, and finally to an expansion on the hints in canon of Molly's earlier life. It's all absolutely believable and right.
The Redemption of Sam McGee - Robert Service/literary RPF. An awesome Service-like tall tale, with great sense of period and location.
as birds of a feather should be - Dorothy L Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey. Jerry and Hilary Thorpe being adorable in the snow. I love the character voices.
Peter and the Power of Suggestion - Dorothy L Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey. Utterly delightful, with impeccable character voices and Miss Climpson being made of epic win.
Templeton, Iowa - Max Brooks, World War Z. One of those 'of course!' stories that makes you realise that something you'd never thought of before must have happened that way. Chilling and horribly believable. Reading it right before bed was not my best ever decision.
His Mother's Son - Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga. Incredibly clever - I love the way it inhabits Ethan's worldview, and Elli is fantastic in it.
Thorns - Lois McMaster Bujold, Vorkosigan Saga. Beautiful and heartbreaking - it really brings Princess-and-Countess Olivia to life.
A Knight Like No Other - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. Jon/Alanna-as-Squire-Alan. I love the way their respective roles are woven into the fabric of their relationship.
Finds but riddling shrift - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. The George voice in this one is really fantastic.
Twist in the Road - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. An insightful look at SotL-era Buri - strong, loyal, clear-sighted, and still young enough to want to go on adventures.
Under the Willow Tree - Tamora Pierce, Tortall. Moonlight + Faithful = ♥! I love Faithful being unconsciously arrogant, and Moonlight being dubious, and Alanna just having no idea what is going on under her nose.
Hard to Find - Echo Bazaar. Mysterious and creepy, and sheds an entirely new light on the Comtessa storyline. It's like seeing Fallen London through the eyes of its denizens rather than as a visitor.
Better the Devil of Your Mysterious and Somewhat Questionable Acquaintance - Echo Bazaar. Uncannily EBZ-esque language, and I love how it weaves in the Recurring Dreams.
The Language of Hell - Echo Bazaar. This feels exactly like a missing Storylet, or maybe a meta-Storylet, given how seamlessly it combines a bunch of areas.
How Horses Came to the Desert - Diana Wynne Jones, The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Uses the jokes in canon to build a delightful (and hilarious) day-in-the-life-cum-origin story. I especially love the children giggling at the idea of camels.
Seeking Dragons - Diana Wynne Jones, The Tough Guide to Fantasyland. Another fun take on using the jokes as the parameters of world-building. I love how Lilla's practicality wins through and lets her use the rules to her own advantage.
Huge Gods - Huge/Discworld. Alistair! And Becca! This is absolutely perfect for both canons.
Now, in the meanwhile, with hearts raised on high - Joan Aiken, Wolves Chronicles. Spot-on characterisation and language, with more marvellous turns of phrase than I could pull out. I love seeing everyone again and the quietly joyful sense of winding down to rest - although, of course, since it's Simon and Dido, rest involves jaunting off for another adventure.
Zone of Truth or Dare - Order of the Stick. Ahahahaha. Just when you think this fic can't get any funnier? It gets funnier. And the resolution is perfect.
Snow and Mirrors - Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey/Fairy Tales. Catherine is totally the Austen heroine you want on your side when you stumble into a fairy tale. Perfectly Austen, except when it isn't.
One True Way - Mercedes Lackey, Valdemar. A superbly understated evil!Companion AU.
Fandoms: Connie Willis - Bellwether; Wen Spencer - A Brother's Price; Cambridge Latin Course; Mary Renault - The Charioteer; S. M. Stirling - Emberverse; Arthur Ransome - Swallows and Amazons; Robert Service; Dorothy L Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey; Max Brooks - World War Z; Lois McMaster Bujold - Vorkosigan Saga; Tamora Pierce - Tortall; Echo Bazaar; Diana Wynne Jones - The Tough Guide to Fantasyland; Huge/Discworld; Joan Aiken - Wolves Chronicles; Order of the Stick; Jane Austen - Northanger Abbey; Mercedes Lackey - Valdemar.
Also posted at Dreamwidth.