Stand-Out Yuletide Recs
Well, as things don't always go as planned, I have been stuck at home, carless, for the last two days. Which means I've been reading Yuletide, obviously. I'm only to the letter L (ok, O, by the time I'm posting this) and I have 59 bookmarks already! I don't have the time or energy to do actual recs for all of them, or I would never reach Z, but I'm going to do a few for the really stand-out stories that you should on no account miss.
I'd be remiss if I didn't start with my own gift fic, Interlude, a fantastic Wicked Gentlemen story that gets everything absolutely right. But I don't need to tell you that, because if you've read Wicked Gentlemen, you've naturally already read this wonderful story.
And then there's the fic that could have been written for my prompt but wasn't. Body and Soul, a Cyrano de Bergerac fic. I was shaking within two paragraphs because the Cyrano voice was so spot on, and then the story went on it's own paths and I loved it, and then it broke my heart all over again, like Cyrano must do, again and again. READ IT.
A Female Occupation, an Amanda Palmer- Who Killed Amanda Palmer story. I chose this story because it is seriously different and it stays with you once you've read it. It's a story about women and empowerment, by way of seriously creepy things.
"Ook," Said The Librarian, which is Discworld, Thursday Next, 16th and 17th century RPF, and Yuletide RPF all wrapped up in one. It's pure insane genius. It had footnotes of footnotes of footnotes. Amazing structure and so impressive.
a mind overborne, a Dracula story based both on the book and the 1931 movie. It's Dracula/Renfield and it is brilliant. I don't know why I've never considered that pairing, but it makes everything make so much more sense. Also, it's told through Renfield's diary, with sidenotes from Dr. Seward.
Tipping the Balance, a Graveyard Book story. There are a bunch of really very nice Bod/Silas stories this year, and I think I bookmarked all of them. But this one absolutely stood out. It's Bod, growing older, making a life for himself in several different ways, and Silas watching over him. Beautifully done.
Then there's the one my flist will probably be most interested in: No Man's Land, which is Lord Peter Wimsey, Doctor Who, and Torchwood. It really doesn't require that you're familiar with any one piece of that, but if you know all the fandoms, it's extra awesome. It's quite long and plotty, and I was very impressed that the plot felt so much like a Doctor Who plot, until I discovered that it is actually from an old Classic Who serial. All the characters are treated really well here, and the way all the canons are woven together is delightful. Peter is on the verge of collapse from PTSD, Jack is in a period of Deep Angst, and Bunter tries to take care of everyone. In short, it is awesome.
DIY for Beginners, a Hot Fuzz fic. Now, Hot Fuzz had a good showing this year. Most Danny/Nicholas stories are adorable and funny. This one is wickedly adorable and breath-deprivingly funny. Danny decides he has to become gay. He makes a to-do list! And that's only the beginning.
And Then We Shot The Ox, an Oregon Trail fic. No, really. It's the Oregon Trail, but...different, and this is BRILLIANT. I will say no more, but this is an absolute Must Read.
And I haven't even recced any Big Bang Theory, or Castle, or one of the other Discworld or Lord Peter stories...and then there's so many short, funny, not-to-be-missed gems. But once I start, I'll never stop, and this will get WAY too long. My bookmarks and recs are here at AO3 and growing all the time. Go read something awesome!
I'd be remiss if I didn't start with my own gift fic, Interlude, a fantastic Wicked Gentlemen story that gets everything absolutely right. But I don't need to tell you that, because if you've read Wicked Gentlemen, you've naturally already read this wonderful story.
And then there's the fic that could have been written for my prompt but wasn't. Body and Soul, a Cyrano de Bergerac fic. I was shaking within two paragraphs because the Cyrano voice was so spot on, and then the story went on it's own paths and I loved it, and then it broke my heart all over again, like Cyrano must do, again and again. READ IT.
A Female Occupation, an Amanda Palmer- Who Killed Amanda Palmer story. I chose this story because it is seriously different and it stays with you once you've read it. It's a story about women and empowerment, by way of seriously creepy things.
"Ook," Said The Librarian, which is Discworld, Thursday Next, 16th and 17th century RPF, and Yuletide RPF all wrapped up in one. It's pure insane genius. It had footnotes of footnotes of footnotes. Amazing structure and so impressive.
a mind overborne, a Dracula story based both on the book and the 1931 movie. It's Dracula/Renfield and it is brilliant. I don't know why I've never considered that pairing, but it makes everything make so much more sense. Also, it's told through Renfield's diary, with sidenotes from Dr. Seward.
Tipping the Balance, a Graveyard Book story. There are a bunch of really very nice Bod/Silas stories this year, and I think I bookmarked all of them. But this one absolutely stood out. It's Bod, growing older, making a life for himself in several different ways, and Silas watching over him. Beautifully done.
Then there's the one my flist will probably be most interested in: No Man's Land, which is Lord Peter Wimsey, Doctor Who, and Torchwood. It really doesn't require that you're familiar with any one piece of that, but if you know all the fandoms, it's extra awesome. It's quite long and plotty, and I was very impressed that the plot felt so much like a Doctor Who plot, until I discovered that it is actually from an old Classic Who serial. All the characters are treated really well here, and the way all the canons are woven together is delightful. Peter is on the verge of collapse from PTSD, Jack is in a period of Deep Angst, and Bunter tries to take care of everyone. In short, it is awesome.
DIY for Beginners, a Hot Fuzz fic. Now, Hot Fuzz had a good showing this year. Most Danny/Nicholas stories are adorable and funny. This one is wickedly adorable and breath-deprivingly funny. Danny decides he has to become gay. He makes a to-do list! And that's only the beginning.
And Then We Shot The Ox, an Oregon Trail fic. No, really. It's the Oregon Trail, but...different, and this is BRILLIANT. I will say no more, but this is an absolute Must Read.
And I haven't even recced any Big Bang Theory, or Castle, or one of the other Discworld or Lord Peter stories...and then there's so many short, funny, not-to-be-missed gems. But once I start, I'll never stop, and this will get WAY too long. My bookmarks and recs are here at AO3 and growing all the time. Go read something awesome!