Lifetime Fic Bingo: 1998

[tinturtle]

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It's 1998. Britney Spears is on the radio. Here in the USA, the year's top film is Saving Private Ryan. This is also the year I saw the movie As Good As It Gets (released on Christmas Day 1997), which marked the first time I remember seeing a gay person portrayed in media. New terms coined include: amirite, bit rot, camgirl, cyberbullying, dark energy, distributed denial of service, gayborhood, microgreen, and neurodiversity. (An amirite is a type of fossilized stand-up comedian.)

For 1998, I read five fics: one Professionals and four Man from U.N.C.L.E..

The Professionals fic was Firewalls by Elspeth Leigh, an older Lads fic in which Bodie and Doyle are co-controllers of CI5. They are also an established couple and living openly together. I don't find that combination very plausible, but I enjoyed the fic anyway. In fact, I enjoyed it a lot. The Lads' interactions are fun to read and there is that unusual thing, a sex scene that I found rewarding. There is also some good action writing in the flashbacks to their days in the field. Unfortunately, I was very confused by the ending of this fic, which somewhat marred the experience. 14,518 words. Bodie/Doyle slash. Particularly recommended, with reservations.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]I also grant that Shoshanna (the-shoshanna) was justified in her complaint, quoted on Fanlore, that "having as many as four characters in the pre-relationship flashbacks watch them and wonder benignly when they will realize how lucky they are to have each other struck me as overkill."

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. fic Sufficient Unto the Day by Taliesin is a sequel to To Live in Interesting Times from 1997. It is a much shorter fic than its predecessor, comprising only one scene. It is also told from Napoleon's perspective, while all of To Live in Interesting Times was from Illya's. I found it a good read that added to the story of the series and conveyed its strong emotions with a deft mix of intensity and restraint. 2,657 words. Napoleon/Illya slash. Particularly recommended.

In the MFU fic Confidences, also by Taliesin, Illya and Napoleon are trapped in a ventilation duct when a building collapses. This story doesn't have a lot of plot and is mostly an opportunity for the characters to play off one another. It was well done, especially the dialog, but I don't think I am likely to read it again. 4,106 words. Napoleon/Illya slash.

I also read The Uncertainty Principle by C. W. Walker (st_crispins), a sequel to The Devil's Attic Affair from 1991 and the last fic in her Man from U.N.C.L.E. Origins Trilogy. In this fic, Illya and Napoleon are on leave in Switzerland and find themselves in an unexpected situation. (Don't they always?) The story takes place early in their partnership, and the way it explores the mix of trust and uncertainty between them is terrific. The plot is suspenseful, as well, and the writing excellent, though the latter could go without saying with this author. This fic is one I likely will read again, and it is my favorite for the year. 20,145 words. Gen. Particularly recommended.

Finally, I read Partners by Patricia J. Foley, another MFU fic. This one tells three parallel stories, two of which involve Illya and Napoleon's transition out of the field and into new roles at UNCLE. This fic was impressive. Its nonlinear structure tripped me up in a couple of places, but was very well executed overall and created a narrative that was more than the sum of its parts. The characterizations were also nicely done. I might have liked more insight into Illya's thoughts-Napoleon was the predominant point-of-view character in this fic and Illya was at his most inscrutable-but I am not sure what part of Napoleon's inner monolog I would have wanted to give up. 46,824 words. Gen. Particularly recommended.

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Fics so far:

1986
Double Vision by Pamela Rose (The Professionals x Who Dares Wins; 47,962 words; slash)
Begin Again by Lois Welling (Ann Barrister) (The Professionals; 1,318 words; gen)
*Night Before the World Ends by Lezlie Conch (Lezlie Shell) (The Professionals; 4,355 words; slash)
The Crab Apple Cove Affair by Charlie Kirby (The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x M*A*S*H; 2,301 words; gen)
*In the Belly of Leviathan by Pythia (original series Battlestar Galactica; 13,062 words; gen)

1987
The Never Too Late Affair by Debra Hicks (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 1,441 words; slash)
*The Traitor Within the Gates Affair by D. H. Bryn (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; ~34,000 words; het)
Whisper of a Kill by Lois Welling (Ann Barrister) (The Professionals; 53,978 words; slash)
The Adventure of the Traitorous Lieutenant by Eileen Roy (Sherlock Holmes; 1,827 words; gen)
*Brothers in Arms by Anais (original series Battlestar Galactica; 4,099 words; gen)

1988
Night Moves by Courtney Gray (The Professionals; 35,344 words; slash)
Rainbow Chasers by HG (The Professionals; 134,373 words; slash)
Patterns in Walls by Debra Hicks (The Professionals x Sable; 6,003 words; gen)
Family Traits by Jatona Walker (The Professionals; 1,443 words; slash)
Slippery Situation by Debra Hicks (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 1,634 words; slash)

1989
In From the Cold by cybel (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 9,454 words; slash)
Nothing in Common by cybel (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 3,033 words; slash)
The Zippity Do-Dah Affair by Alys (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 934 words; slash)
*[From 1982: Looking Glass World by Felicity M. Parkinson (The Professionals; 22,758 words; slash)]
...And Memories Die, Part I by Ellis Ward (The Professionals; 26,340 words; slash)
*[Hell Hath No Fury by Jane Carnall and Ann Johnson (The Professionals; 2,958 words; gen)]
The Price of a Soul a Professionals fic by Jane Carnall and Ann Johnson (The Professionals; 2,194 words; slash)
[From 1986: Two Up by Jane of Australia (The Professionals; 8,013 words; slash)]
[Two Up Truly Queered by Jane Carnall (The Professionals; 2,360 words; slash)]

1990
*The Long St. Crispin's Day by C. W. Walker (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 19,765 words; gen)
*One Small Step by Lori Beatty (The A-Team; 5,713 words; gen)
Nor the Leopard His Spots by M. Fae Glasgow (The Professionals x EastEnders; ~15,000 words; slash)
*...And Memories Die, Part II by Ellis Ward (The Professionals; 46,161 words; slash)
*Absent Friends by Jane Carnall and Ann Johnson (The Professionals; 692 words; slash)

1991
*The Seventeen Days in October Affair by Terry L Neill and J. M. D’Agostino-Toney (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 14,854 words; gen)
*The Devil's Attic Affair by C. W. Walker (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 28,968 words; gen)
The Lion of Ngambo Affair by C. W. Walker (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 23,087 words; het)
Free Trader by Debra Hicks (The Professionals x Star Trek TNG; 26,454 words; slash)
Legacy of Temptation by Ellis Ward (The Professionals; 100,794 words; slash)

1992
What Price Honor? by Debra Hicks (The A-Team; 4,105 words; gen)
*The Surfin' and Spyin' Affair by Jennifer Adams Kelley (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 11,650 words; gen)
Bonding by Stew (The Professionals; 22,241 words; slash)
Some Say the World Will End in Fire by Jane Mailander (from Proslib) (The Professionals; 5,410 words; slash)
*Floral Arrangement by M. Fae Glasgow (The Professionals; ~13,000 words; slash)

1993
*Nothing Left to Lose by Jane (of Australia) and Madelaine Ingram (The Professionals; 33,529 words; slash)
*The Blue Figurine by Courtney Grey (The Professionals; 29,960 words; slash)
Step We Gaily by M. Fae Glasgow (The Professionals; ~13,500 words; slash)
Guardian Angels by Baravan (The Professionals; 13,408 words; slash)
The Adventure of the Strange Visitor by Quordle (Sherlock Holmes x Blake's 7; 7,903 words; slash)

1994
Bounty by Jane (of Australia) (from Proslib) (The Professionals; ~31,000 words; slash)
*Baiting the Trap by DVS (The Professionals; 2,758 words; slash)
Love is Wealth by Gloria Lancaster (The Professionals; 13,387 words; slash)
Survival by Melanie Athene (The Professionals; 10,916 words; slash)
*Brighton Memoirs by gardenerhill (Sherlock Holmes; 5,530 words; slash)

1995
Sex, Lies and UNCLE by Anne Higgins (Part I, Part II) (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 51,540 words; slash)
Knife-Edge by HG (The Professionals; 6,141 words; slash)
You Dancing? You Asking? by Gloria Lancaster (The Professionals; 6,323 words; slash)
*Summer's End by Alexandra (The Professionals; 71,090 words; slash)
Memoirs of a Merc by Alexandra (The Professionals; 13,457 words; slash)

1996
The Beddgelert Affair by PR Zed (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 9,413 words; gen)
*Brief Candle by Suzan Lovett (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 22,698 words; slash)
*Festival of Lights by Dorinda (The Professionals; 3,454 words; slash)
Dance While You Can by Alexandra (The Professionals; 5,091 words; slash)
*Hacking Away at the System by sockii (The A-Team; 23,986 words; gen)

1997
*To Live in Interesting Times by Taliesin (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 19,657 words; slash)
*My Dinner with Angelique by Linda Cornett (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 4,251 words; gen)
If Memory Serves by Alexandra (The Professionals; 7,101 words; slash)
Predators by Jennifer Lyon (The Professionals; 32,232 words; slash)
After the Battle by LRH Balzer (The Professionals; gen)
*-Learning the Bisto Code (10,195 words)
-Three Men and a Bodie (8,390 words)
-Scissors (21,249 words)

1998
*Firewalls by Elespeth Leigh (The Professionals; 14,518 words; slash)
*Sufficient Unto the Day by Taliesin (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 2,657 words; slash)
Confidences by Taliesin (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 4,106 words; slash)
*The Uncertainty Principle by C. W. Walker (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 20,145 words; slash)
*Partners by Patricia J. Foley (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 46,824 words; slash)

* = Particularly recommended
[ ] = read but not counted toward the year's story total