Million-Word Challenge: G is for The Gyptian Caravan Affair, Q is for Quaint...
M is for Monkey Suits With Satin and Lace, S is for The Steppes of Central Asia Affair, G is for The Gemini Factor
Those of you following these posts may notice that I did decide to mark crossovers that draw from fandoms in two different categories. The squares representing those fics are colored mostly with the color of what I consider the main fandom of the fic, but a corner of each square is colored to represent the other fandom.
Most of my reading time during the period I'm covering today has been devoted to crossovers, in fact, starting with The Gyptian Caravan Affair and The Steppes of Central Asia Affair, the first two fics in Taylor Dancinghands's (tdancinghands) trilogy UNCLE Through the Aurora. This is Man from U.N.C.L.E. daemon fic, meaning it uses the idea of daemons from Philip Pullman's book series His Dark Materials. This fic is also set in the chief alternate world from that series (which not all daemon fics are). I'm a fan of daemon fic, and I enjoyed that element of these stories. Indeed, I think they did a very good job of weaving the presence of daemons into the plots. The plots themselves were well paced and interesting and had a definite resemblance to Napoleon and Illya's adventures in canon, reimagined for a fantasy setting. The characterizations of our heroes were also good (though the supporting OCs were perhaps a bit stereotypical). In short, these were very well made fics. That said, there was something missing for me. I really can't identify what it was. The fics just felt a little inert. Nevertheless, I do intend to read the final installment of this series at some point. 20,596 words and 13,894 words. Both NS/IK slash.
(Curiously, there are 10 or so daemon fics in Man from U.N.C.L.E. fandom, but apparently none in Professionals fandom. I hope to write some for Pros someday. I have a number of ideas.)
I also read Quaint, a Doctor Who fic by kathkin. This is a short, partly humorous, partly serious account of a conversation between Zoe and Jamie, the Second Doctor companions. It was insightful and I enjoyed it. 2,035 words. Gen.
Monkey Suits With Satin and Lace by Joana Dey is a Professionals fic. I have to say that I didn't like this much at all. The characterizations didn't work for me (weepy Doyle!), and I have issues with the ending. 2,134 words. B/D slash.
On the other hand, I had a grand time reading The Gemini Factor by Russ. This is a crossover between The Professionals and the film Who Dares Wins starring Lewis Collins. It is somewhat unusual in being told in the first person, which was definitely the right choice for the story it tells. That story is engrossing and unravels at just the right rate. There are both compelling emotions and some wonderfully cinematic action late in the story. 25,868 words. B/D slash. Particularly recommended.
Total Points: 281
#: 3 points
1991 by SkyborneVeggies (1 point; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
4 Vignettes With No Kissing & 1 Ex-Yacht by captain_starcat (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
A: 29 points
*All the Kasha They Could Eat by Jest (7 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
*After the World Went Awry by teaspoonnebula (22 points; Sherlock Holmes)
B: 19 points
*The Bronze Metal Lover by stew (15 points; The Professionals x The Silver Metal Lover)
Brave Little Rabbit by jj_minerva (2 points; Raffles)
Blind Man's Bluff ? by fiorenza_a (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
C: 1 point
*Cold War, part of the Dirty Computer series by jat_sapphire (1 point; The Professionals)
D: 15 points
*Dreamed That Man Was I by Taliesin (14 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Dream a Highway by marginalia (1 point; Pancho and Lefty)
F: 32 points
*The 'Fine and Private Place' Affair by Taliesin (32 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
G: 45 points
The Gyptian Caravan Affair by Taylor Dancinghands (20 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x His Dark Materials)
*The Gemini Factor by Russ (25 points; The Professionals x Who Dares Wins)
I: 54 points
Island Innocents by Glen Fiddich (54 points; The Professionals)
L: 3 points
*Lefty Sings the Blues by MirrorMasque (3 points; Pancho and Lefty)
M: 26 points
*More Deaths Than One by Taliesin (24 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Monkey Suits With Satin and Lace by Joana Dey (2 points; The Professionals)
Q: 2 points
Quaint by kathkin (2 points; Doctor Who)
R: 2 points
Rift by MonkeyBard (1 point; The A-Team)
*Run, Rabbit, Run by PR Zed (1 point; The Professionals x Blade Runner)
S: 43 points
*Spiderweb by Cord Smithee (12 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
*The Singing of Many Wires by teaspoonnebula (18 points; Sherlock Holmes)
The Steppes of Central Asia Affair by Taylor Dancinghands (13 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x His Dark Materials)
U: 3 points
*Unit I, Series LYA: Press to Activate by Orockthro (3 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
W: 4 points
*Wicked by Cord Smithee (4 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
* = Particularly recommended.
Those of you following these posts may notice that I did decide to mark crossovers that draw from fandoms in two different categories. The squares representing those fics are colored mostly with the color of what I consider the main fandom of the fic, but a corner of each square is colored to represent the other fandom.
Most of my reading time during the period I'm covering today has been devoted to crossovers, in fact, starting with The Gyptian Caravan Affair and The Steppes of Central Asia Affair, the first two fics in Taylor Dancinghands's (tdancinghands) trilogy UNCLE Through the Aurora. This is Man from U.N.C.L.E. daemon fic, meaning it uses the idea of daemons from Philip Pullman's book series His Dark Materials. This fic is also set in the chief alternate world from that series (which not all daemon fics are). I'm a fan of daemon fic, and I enjoyed that element of these stories. Indeed, I think they did a very good job of weaving the presence of daemons into the plots. The plots themselves were well paced and interesting and had a definite resemblance to Napoleon and Illya's adventures in canon, reimagined for a fantasy setting. The characterizations of our heroes were also good (though the supporting OCs were perhaps a bit stereotypical). In short, these were very well made fics. That said, there was something missing for me. I really can't identify what it was. The fics just felt a little inert. Nevertheless, I do intend to read the final installment of this series at some point. 20,596 words and 13,894 words. Both NS/IK slash.
(Curiously, there are 10 or so daemon fics in Man from U.N.C.L.E. fandom, but apparently none in Professionals fandom. I hope to write some for Pros someday. I have a number of ideas.)
I also read Quaint, a Doctor Who fic by kathkin. This is a short, partly humorous, partly serious account of a conversation between Zoe and Jamie, the Second Doctor companions. It was insightful and I enjoyed it. 2,035 words. Gen.
Monkey Suits With Satin and Lace by Joana Dey is a Professionals fic. I have to say that I didn't like this much at all. The characterizations didn't work for me (weepy Doyle!), and I have issues with the ending. 2,134 words. B/D slash.
On the other hand, I had a grand time reading The Gemini Factor by Russ. This is a crossover between The Professionals and the film Who Dares Wins starring Lewis Collins. It is somewhat unusual in being told in the first person, which was definitely the right choice for the story it tells. That story is engrossing and unravels at just the right rate. There are both compelling emotions and some wonderfully cinematic action late in the story. 25,868 words. B/D slash. Particularly recommended.
Total Points: 281
#: 3 points
1991 by SkyborneVeggies (1 point; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
4 Vignettes With No Kissing & 1 Ex-Yacht by captain_starcat (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
A: 29 points
*All the Kasha They Could Eat by Jest (7 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
*After the World Went Awry by teaspoonnebula (22 points; Sherlock Holmes)
B: 19 points
*The Bronze Metal Lover by stew (15 points; The Professionals x The Silver Metal Lover)
Brave Little Rabbit by jj_minerva (2 points; Raffles)
Blind Man's Bluff ? by fiorenza_a (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
C: 1 point
*Cold War, part of the Dirty Computer series by jat_sapphire (1 point; The Professionals)
D: 15 points
*Dreamed That Man Was I by Taliesin (14 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Dream a Highway by marginalia (1 point; Pancho and Lefty)
F: 32 points
*The 'Fine and Private Place' Affair by Taliesin (32 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
G: 45 points
The Gyptian Caravan Affair by Taylor Dancinghands (20 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x His Dark Materials)
*The Gemini Factor by Russ (25 points; The Professionals x Who Dares Wins)
I: 54 points
Island Innocents by Glen Fiddich (54 points; The Professionals)
L: 3 points
*Lefty Sings the Blues by MirrorMasque (3 points; Pancho and Lefty)
M: 26 points
*More Deaths Than One by Taliesin (24 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Monkey Suits With Satin and Lace by Joana Dey (2 points; The Professionals)
Q: 2 points
Quaint by kathkin (2 points; Doctor Who)
R: 2 points
Rift by MonkeyBard (1 point; The A-Team)
*Run, Rabbit, Run by PR Zed (1 point; The Professionals x Blade Runner)
S: 43 points
*Spiderweb by Cord Smithee (12 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
*The Singing of Many Wires by teaspoonnebula (18 points; Sherlock Holmes)
The Steppes of Central Asia Affair by Taylor Dancinghands (13 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x His Dark Materials)
U: 3 points
*Unit I, Series LYA: Press to Activate by Orockthro (3 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
W: 4 points
*Wicked by Cord Smithee (4 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
* = Particularly recommended.