Lifetime Fic Bingo: 2006

[tinturtle]

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It's 2006. Shakira is on the radio. Here in the USA, the year's top film is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. New terms coined include: agender, birther, bucket list, crowdsourcing, demisexual, dumpster fire, gamification, SCOBY, and YouTuber.

For 2006, I read five fics: three Professionals fics, one Sentinel fic, and one Sentinel x La Femme Nikita crossover. (Apologies to the Man from U.N.C.L.E. fans among my readers. There are no MFU fics this time.)

The first Professionals fic was Reconnections by madmogs. In this fic, Doyle goes undercover as a prostitute. Don't let that put you off, though (if it was going to). The author isn't trying either to amuse or to titillate the readers here. The difficulties of such assignments are treated seriously, and the meat of the story is a study of Doyle and Bodie's characters through the way they react to the extraordinary situation. I think madmogs's interpretation of the Lads was solid, and I enjoyed this fic a lot. 15,110 words. Bodie/Doyle slash. Particularly recommended.

I also read the Professionals fic Weapons of Choice by P.R. Zed (przed). This is an excellent short fic that begins with the Lads in a casual relationship and headed for trouble. It comprises a series of vignettes spread over several weeks, and I'd say that its story structure is just about perfect. It left me very satisfied. 2,404 words. Bodie/Doyle slash. Particularly recommended.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]A slightly unusual feature of this fic is that it begins with Bodie as the partner who wants exclusivity and isn't getting it. I have more frequently read fics where Doyle has that role. That makes sense in light of canon, I think, since Doyle is the one we see in a serious relationship, whereas all of Bodie's attachments to women appear to be fleeting. Bodie is shown to be loyal in male friendships, though, so I think the idea that he would at least want some kind of commitment from Ray is also plausible.

The third Pros fic I read was Love in a Cold County by Jojo. In this fic, Bodie and Doyle work through a conflict in their relationship while on a snowy op in the North of England. This was a good story, for the most part. The interactions among the characters were lively and there were some dramatic scenes. There were places where I found the writing difficult to follow, however. (This was as likely a conflict between Jojo's style and my text-to-speech software as it was any problem with the style itself.) 8,450 words. Bodie/Doyle slash.

Next I read a Sentinel fic, Cards on the Table by Mab. This is a historical AU set in Regency England with Jim as an English gentleman and Blair as the son of the hostess of a gambling salon. (Blair is also still Jewish in this AU.) I read this mostly on the strength of a recommendation on Fanlore that said even those who do not usually like AUs might like this one. Sure enough, I enjoyed this quite a bit. The setting was vivid and clearly some research had gone into creating it. The way the author reimagined the characters within that setting was also effective. Somehow they did manage to feel like themselves. The plot was definitely classic romance and little else, but I found it diverting. 26,762 words. Jim/Blair slash. Particularly recommended.

Shadows of the Past by LitGal is another Sentinel AU, but a very different one. This one is a crossover in which Jim and Blair encounter Section, the organization from the TV show La Femme Nikita. This fic was really good. The plot was suspenseful and multifaceted. Jim and Blair's characters were written well, as was their relationship. The fic depicted a lot of nonsexual loving touch between them, but I did not find it excessive to the point of feeling out of character (as I did in the Sentinel fic Unsleeping from 2000). I do think my appreciation of the fic suffered slightly from never having seen La Femme Nikita, but this was primarily a Sentinel story and was perfectly easy to follow with that knowledge and a look through the Nikita Wikipedia page. This fic was my favorite for the year. 43,835 words. Gen. Particularly recommended.
Comments with spoilers:
[Spoiler (click to open)]In particular, I think my lack of experience with the TV show led me to see Section in an entirely negative light, which may have made the ending of this fic, in which Jim and Blair remain under Section's control, bleaker for me than the author intended. I'd be interested to hear the opinion of anyone who has seen La Femme Nikita on whether that is so.




Check out the Professionals vid Chasing Cars by jaicen5, which uses a hit song from 2006.

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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; gen)
*Partners by Patricia J. Foley (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 46,824 words; slash)

1999
That Look by Amanda Warrington (The Professionals; 36,359 words; slash)
Firestorm by Elspeth Leigh (The Professionals; 21,278 words; slash)
Rules by PFL (The Professionals; 14,444 words; slash)
Hombathlay by Jane Mailander (The Professionals x Watership Down; 8,555 words; slash)
*Roots of the Present by N. L. Hayes (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 6,683 words; gen)

2000
Where I Can Cross Over by Gil Hale (The Professionals; 11,628 words; gen)
*Remember Me by Gil Hale (The Professionals; 25,630 words; gen)
True Minds Trilogy by Lanning (The Sentinel; slash)
*-[From 1999: True Minds (40,670 words)]
-[From 1999: Small Company (35,833 words)]
-Many Waters (31,026 words)
Unsleeping by Martha (The Sentinel x H. P. Lovecraft (works); 99,337 words; gen)
[From 1999: The Genesis Affair by Bill Koenig (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 16,828 words; gen)]
The Mirage Affair by Bill Koenig (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 15,468 words; gen)

2001
Angel Unaware by Legion (Sherlock Holmes x Quantum Leap; 29,371 words; slash)
*The Kamikaze Affair by LeeTheT (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 15,227 words; gen)
*The Man from Yesterday by Darklady (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 86,194 words; slash)
*In Balance With This Life by mazzysue (The Professionals; 4,422 words; slash)
*Fire Held High and Away by Miriam Heddy (The Professionals; 24,196 words; slash)

2002
Remission of Sin by nickovetch (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; gen; 13,487 words)
*Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Anonymous (Sherlock Holmes; slash (maybe); 2,971 words)
*Sorry, Bodie by Gil Hale (The Professionals; gen; 3,260 words)
In His Sights by Luca (The Profressionals; slash; 939 words)
*Verity by KerrAvonsen (The Sentinel x The Matrix; gen; 35,486 words)

2003
The Small Rain by 0ftgx (The Profressionals; slash; 3,804 words)
*A Pugnacious Angel by Gil Hale (The Profressionals; gen; 14,485 words)
I Took It For a Faery Vision by Taliesin (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 12,419 words)
Small Distances by LeetheT (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 9,241 words)
*Half Truths by LeetheT (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 34,674 words)

2004
Double Indemnity by alicambs (The Professionals; slash; 23,092 words)
First Time by laceymcbain (The A-Team; slash; 3,498 words)
Sleeping Together by YumYumPM (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 4,563 words)
Future Conditional by elaine (The Sentinel; ship; 26,150 words)
*Scenes from Another Life by Atalan (Harry Potter; slash; 10,262 words)

2005
Stockholm Syndrome by Gil Hale (The Professionals; gen; 15,649 words)
*The Assassin's Daughter by Lacey McBain (The Professionals; slash; 16,769 words)
*The Lily of the Valley Affair by LeetheT (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; gen; 38,100 words)
The Locust Affair by Lady Ra (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 45,374 words)
His Left Hand by Martha (The Sentinel; slash; 2,291 words)
[From 2007: A Chance of Fate by Claire Dobbin (The Professionals; slash; 20,963 words)]

2006
*Reconnections by madmogs (The Professionals; slash; 15,110 words)
*Weapons of Choice by P.R. Zed (The Professionals; slash; 2,404 words)
Love in a Cold County by Jojo (The Professionals; slash; 8,450 words)
*Cards on the Table by Mab (The Sentinel; slash; 26,762 words)
*Shadows of the Past by LitGal (The Sentinel x La Femme Nikita; gen; 43,835 words)

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