Million-Word Challenge: C is for A Christian Perspective on Slash Fiction...
C is for The Cost of the Erection, C is for The Curly-Toed Boots of Justice, N is for No Lothario, P is for Purgatory, P is for Professional Dreamer, # is for 4 People Who Saw and 1 Who Observed
Since my last update, I've read three meta pieces from the Fanfic Symposium as well as three fics.
The first of the meta pieces was "A Christian Perspective on Slash Fiction" by Marnie. This essay presents an argument that erotica in general and homosexual erotica in particular are not forbidden for Christians. In support of the latter point, it presents a brief summary of the gay-friendly interpretations of the Bible verses known to gay Christians as "the clobber passages." It then goes on to argue that slash fans are especially well placed to empathize with gay people and urges the Christians among them to work for inclusion of gay people in their churches. I thought the essay was well written and supported, but of course, I'm the choir with respect to its preaching (although I don't view the slash I read primarily as erotica). 2,172 words. Meta.
"The Cost of the Erection: Slash and Gayness" by Executrix is another meta piece. It is written in an engaging style and gestures at some good points, but those are underdeveloped and, overall, the essay feels scattered enough that I cannot really summarize it. I think the author tried to fit too much into too few words. 2,123 words. Meta.
"The Curly-Toed Boots of Justice" by McSwain! is an amusing rant about elf fic. Maybe I just haven't run into enough of it to become jaded, but I don't have anything against elf fic in itself. I'm fond of the Sherlock Holmes fic The Faerie Thrall by flawedamythyst, in which Watson is part faerie, and I enjoyed jat_sapphire's Starsky and Hutch fic Don't Sing Tam Lin (though it was nearer being an original story than actual fanfic for that show). I also loved Gone With the Pixies by Verlaine, a Professionals fic that plays with the elf idea. Anyway, even though I don't hate elf fic, I enjoyed this charming attack on it. 1,430 words. Meta.
No Lothario by Francesca is a fic from my Beloved Collection and is one of my all-time favorite Sentinel stories. This fic is primarily an examination of Blair's character through his interactions with Jim after a difficult evening. I think it represents both of them beautifully. 5,401 words. Jim/Blair slash. Particularly recommended.
Purgatory by PR Zed (przed) is a short Professionals fic relating a conversation between Bodie and Doyle while on surveillance. The dialog is excellent and very much in character, and the fic is enjoyable. 1,000 words. Bodie/Doyle slash.
Professional Dreamer by Pamela Rose is a classic Professionals AU loosley based on the movie American Dreamer. In this fic, Ray Dibble, a librarian and fan of a book series called The Professionals, finds himself in the midst of an adventure that could be straight out of its pages. I read this fic for the first time in 2020 and didn't like it. I was in a bad mood, I guess, because this fic is great. The plot is excellent and I love the way the fic holds the mirror up to the fandom as well as examining the ways that Pros differs from real life. It does have a slightly too rapidly developing love story for my preferences, but that's normal for the genre. 52,060 words. OC slash. Particularly recommended.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]In addition to being in a bad mood, on my first reading, I was more bothered by the consent issues involved in sex with someone who believes both he and you are someone else. I found these less of a stumbling block this time for some reason. The issues are acknowledged, and perhaps I feel more tolerant of ethical missteps on the part of a story's heroes than I did then.
4 People Who Saw and 1 Who Observed by nottoolateforthegame is a Sherlock Holmes fic. (I've been wondering if I should have given these their own color on the challenge board.) It's an enjoyable story relating the ways Holmes and Watson as a romantic couple appear to outsiders. The scenes presented are sweet but still believable. 1,220 words. Holmes/Watson slash.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]The one who observes in this fic is Mary Morstan, who offers to marry Watson as a mutually beneficial arrangement, rather than the love match presented in his account. I'm not sure if the implication is meant to be that she is a lesbian, making it a symetrical lavender marriage, or if she is simply meant to want the other benefits marriage conferred on a woman of the time. Either way, it's an appealing interpretation of their relationship, since it allows the slash pairing to flourish without either having to go full Granada on the canon or making Watson unfaithful to his wife. I like a range of other interpretations, too, though (excluding infidelity, which I just can't credit). They often come with interesting accounts of Watson's discovery of and wrestling with his sexuality.
Letters I've Satisfied: #, A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, P, S, V, X, Y
Total Points: 564
#: 5 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.)
1918 by rabidsamfan (1 point; Sherlock Holmes x Lord Peter Wimsey)
4 People Who Saw and 1 Who Observed by nottoolateforthegame (1 point; Sherlock Holmes)
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: 6 points
*Cold War, part of the Dirty Computer series by jat_sapphire (1 point; The Professionals)
A Christian Perspective on Slash Fiction by Marnie (2 points; meta)
The Cost of the Erection: Slash and Gayness by Executrix (2 points; meta)
The Curly-Toed Boots of Justice by McSwain! (1 point; meta)
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)
E: 21 points
*The End Where We Begin by Ingu (21 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (movie))
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)
H: 94 points
*The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (94 points; Sherlock Holmes)
I: 54 points
Island Innocents by Glen Fiddich (54 points; The Professionals)
L: 30 points
*Lefty Sings the Blues by MirrorMasque (3 points; Pancho and Lefty)
An unnamed fic starting with L (27 points)
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)
N: 8 points
The Not Exactly Affair by dancingpony (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
No wonder, no wonder by regshoe (1 point; Willy o Winsbury)
*No Lothario by Francesca (5 points; The Sentinel)
O: 2 points
Once and Future by oliviacirce (2 points; Winter Solstice, Camelot Station)
P: 58 points
*Portman Square by afterism (5 points; Raffles)
Purgatory by PR Zed (1 point; The Professionals)
*Professional Dreamer by Pamela Rose (52 points; The Professionals, inspired by American Dreamer)
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)
T: 2 points
*Time-Crossed Lovers by Jane Carnall and Ann Johnson (2 points; The Professionals)
U: 5 points
*Unit I, Series LYA: Press to Activate by Orockthro (3 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Untitled by Russ (2 points; meta)
V: 32 points
Voyages of the CI5 by hutchynstarsk (32 points; The Professionals)
W: 7 points
*Wicked by Cord Smithee (4 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Walking Wounded by Linda S. Maclaren (2 points; The Professionals)
Winter Solstice, Camelot Station by John M. Ford (1 point; Arthurian legend)
X: 6 points
Xander Harris, Greek God by Vacillating (1 point; Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
An unnamed fic starting with X (1 point)
An unnamed fic starting with X (1 point)
An unnamed fic starting with X (3 points)
Y: 21 points
An unnamed fic starting with Y (21 points)
* = Particularly recommended.
Since my last update, I've read three meta pieces from the Fanfic Symposium as well as three fics.
The first of the meta pieces was "A Christian Perspective on Slash Fiction" by Marnie. This essay presents an argument that erotica in general and homosexual erotica in particular are not forbidden for Christians. In support of the latter point, it presents a brief summary of the gay-friendly interpretations of the Bible verses known to gay Christians as "the clobber passages." It then goes on to argue that slash fans are especially well placed to empathize with gay people and urges the Christians among them to work for inclusion of gay people in their churches. I thought the essay was well written and supported, but of course, I'm the choir with respect to its preaching (although I don't view the slash I read primarily as erotica). 2,172 words. Meta.
"The Cost of the Erection: Slash and Gayness" by Executrix is another meta piece. It is written in an engaging style and gestures at some good points, but those are underdeveloped and, overall, the essay feels scattered enough that I cannot really summarize it. I think the author tried to fit too much into too few words. 2,123 words. Meta.
"The Curly-Toed Boots of Justice" by McSwain! is an amusing rant about elf fic. Maybe I just haven't run into enough of it to become jaded, but I don't have anything against elf fic in itself. I'm fond of the Sherlock Holmes fic The Faerie Thrall by flawedamythyst, in which Watson is part faerie, and I enjoyed jat_sapphire's Starsky and Hutch fic Don't Sing Tam Lin (though it was nearer being an original story than actual fanfic for that show). I also loved Gone With the Pixies by Verlaine, a Professionals fic that plays with the elf idea. Anyway, even though I don't hate elf fic, I enjoyed this charming attack on it. 1,430 words. Meta.
No Lothario by Francesca is a fic from my Beloved Collection and is one of my all-time favorite Sentinel stories. This fic is primarily an examination of Blair's character through his interactions with Jim after a difficult evening. I think it represents both of them beautifully. 5,401 words. Jim/Blair slash. Particularly recommended.
Purgatory by PR Zed (przed) is a short Professionals fic relating a conversation between Bodie and Doyle while on surveillance. The dialog is excellent and very much in character, and the fic is enjoyable. 1,000 words. Bodie/Doyle slash.
Professional Dreamer by Pamela Rose is a classic Professionals AU loosley based on the movie American Dreamer. In this fic, Ray Dibble, a librarian and fan of a book series called The Professionals, finds himself in the midst of an adventure that could be straight out of its pages. I read this fic for the first time in 2020 and didn't like it. I was in a bad mood, I guess, because this fic is great. The plot is excellent and I love the way the fic holds the mirror up to the fandom as well as examining the ways that Pros differs from real life. It does have a slightly too rapidly developing love story for my preferences, but that's normal for the genre. 52,060 words. OC slash. Particularly recommended.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]In addition to being in a bad mood, on my first reading, I was more bothered by the consent issues involved in sex with someone who believes both he and you are someone else. I found these less of a stumbling block this time for some reason. The issues are acknowledged, and perhaps I feel more tolerant of ethical missteps on the part of a story's heroes than I did then.
4 People Who Saw and 1 Who Observed by nottoolateforthegame is a Sherlock Holmes fic. (I've been wondering if I should have given these their own color on the challenge board.) It's an enjoyable story relating the ways Holmes and Watson as a romantic couple appear to outsiders. The scenes presented are sweet but still believable. 1,220 words. Holmes/Watson slash.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]The one who observes in this fic is Mary Morstan, who offers to marry Watson as a mutually beneficial arrangement, rather than the love match presented in his account. I'm not sure if the implication is meant to be that she is a lesbian, making it a symetrical lavender marriage, or if she is simply meant to want the other benefits marriage conferred on a woman of the time. Either way, it's an appealing interpretation of their relationship, since it allows the slash pairing to flourish without either having to go full Granada on the canon or making Watson unfaithful to his wife. I like a range of other interpretations, too, though (excluding infidelity, which I just can't credit). They often come with interesting accounts of Watson's discovery of and wrestling with his sexuality.
Letters I've Satisfied: #, A, B, D, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, P, S, V, X, Y
Total Points: 564
#: 5 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.)
1918 by rabidsamfan (1 point; Sherlock Holmes x Lord Peter Wimsey)
4 People Who Saw and 1 Who Observed by nottoolateforthegame (1 point; Sherlock Holmes)
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: 6 points
*Cold War, part of the Dirty Computer series by jat_sapphire (1 point; The Professionals)
A Christian Perspective on Slash Fiction by Marnie (2 points; meta)
The Cost of the Erection: Slash and Gayness by Executrix (2 points; meta)
The Curly-Toed Boots of Justice by McSwain! (1 point; meta)
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)
E: 21 points
*The End Where We Begin by Ingu (21 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (movie))
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)
H: 94 points
*The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz (94 points; Sherlock Holmes)
I: 54 points
Island Innocents by Glen Fiddich (54 points; The Professionals)
L: 30 points
*Lefty Sings the Blues by MirrorMasque (3 points; Pancho and Lefty)
An unnamed fic starting with L (27 points)
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)
N: 8 points
The Not Exactly Affair by dancingpony (2 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
No wonder, no wonder by regshoe (1 point; Willy o Winsbury)
*No Lothario by Francesca (5 points; The Sentinel)
O: 2 points
Once and Future by oliviacirce (2 points; Winter Solstice, Camelot Station)
P: 58 points
*Portman Square by afterism (5 points; Raffles)
Purgatory by PR Zed (1 point; The Professionals)
*Professional Dreamer by Pamela Rose (52 points; The Professionals, inspired by American Dreamer)
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)
T: 2 points
*Time-Crossed Lovers by Jane Carnall and Ann Johnson (2 points; The Professionals)
U: 5 points
*Unit I, Series LYA: Press to Activate by Orockthro (3 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Untitled by Russ (2 points; meta)
V: 32 points
Voyages of the CI5 by hutchynstarsk (32 points; The Professionals)
W: 7 points
*Wicked by Cord Smithee (4 points; The Man from U.N.C.L.E.)
Walking Wounded by Linda S. Maclaren (2 points; The Professionals)
Winter Solstice, Camelot Station by John M. Ford (1 point; Arthurian legend)
X: 6 points
Xander Harris, Greek God by Vacillating (1 point; Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
An unnamed fic starting with X (1 point)
An unnamed fic starting with X (1 point)
An unnamed fic starting with X (3 points)
Y: 21 points
An unnamed fic starting with Y (21 points)
* = Particularly recommended.