It's been a long time since I posted. My bingo reading slowed down a lot in October. Part of that was a planned break to allow me to read the entries in the Professionals Big Bang, which were released over the course of the month. Part of it was turbulence in my mental and physical health. (What else is new?)
It's 2013. Miley Cyrus is on the radio. Here in the USA, the year's top film is The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. New terms coined include: adulting, bingeable, and virtue signalling.
For this year, I read five works, almost all crossovers. I read one Professionals x Racing Game crossover, one Professionals x Inspector George Gently crossover, one Psmith x Chronicles of Narnia crossover, one Battlestar Galactica x A-Team crossover, and one plain (though AU) Sentinel fic. (There are no Man from U.N.C.L.E. fics in this batch. Expect several next time, however.)
The first fic I read was In the Frame, the second in Dawnwind's (dawnebeth's) series of Professionals x Racing Game crossovers. I liked the first in this series a lot, but this one was even better. The mystery that drove the story was one of the best I have encountered in fanfic. The personalities in the story were vivid, as well, including both the crossover characters and the OCs. There was at least one place where the narrative came to a halt so Bodie and Doyle could have kinky sex, which I found a little irritating. Bodie and Doyle's relationship added interest to the story in other places, though. 49,016 words. Bodie/Doyle and Sid Haley/Chico Barnes slash. Particularly recommended.
I also read Different Phantoms by LilyK (sc_fossil), a crossover between The Professionals and Inspector George Gently. In this fic, Bodie and Doyle investigate a series of gruesome murders, aided by consultation from a retired Gently. (I'm not sure how much material the fic drew from Inspector George Gently, but I found it perfectly easy to follow without knowledge of that show.) I liked this story, too. It had plenty of drama and suspense, and LilyK's writing is always good. Some of the descriptions were a little graphic, though, so be aware if you are sensitive. 40,308 words. Bodie/Doyle slash. Particularly recommended.
Next I read Psmith Giantslayer by Selden, a crossover between P.G. Wodehouse's Psmith series and The Chronicles of Narnia. In this fic, Psmith and Mike encounter Edmund Pevensie as a classmate at Cambridge. This is an obvious anachronism, since the first two would have attended before the First World War, while Edmund was evacuated from London as a child during the Second. I found it annoying that this issue of dates was not acknowledged either in the author's notes or in the fic itself. I couldn't dislike the story, though, which is good fun, with university antics, the promised giants, and some nice interaction between Psmith and Mike. 8,859 words. Psmith/Mike slash.
Caravan of the Heavens by Sonora is a crossover between original series Battlestar Galactica and The A-Team. It is the sequel to Abode from 2012. It's hard to say much about it without spoilers for that fic. I'll say I enjoyed it, but found the ending a little unsatisfactory. 9,321 words. Slash. Comments with spoilers: [Spoiler (click to open)]The ending in question involves group sex including Apollo and the entire Team. I didn't really see Apollo's relationships with the Team members other than Face/Starbuck as supporting that. I would have been happier if Face/Starbuck had resumed his one-on-one relationship with Apollo in parallel to his relationship with the Team, as opposed to squishing the two together.
Finally, I read The Wolves of Cascade by Morgan Briarwood (briarwood), a Sentinel fic. This story is a futuristic cyberpunk AU in which Jim is a covert government operative and Blair is a cybernetic surgeon working for one of the gangs that controls Cascade's poor quarter. I liked this fic. The setting was vivid and the characters were believable. There was also some interesting moral ambiguity, which I didn't expect. The narrative did have a lot of threads, and despite the length of the fic, I thought at times that they could have used a little more room to breathe. Nevertheless, this fic was my favorite for the year. 105,26 words. Jim/Blair slash. Particularly recommended.
If you liked this post, please push the heart button!
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)]
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)
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)
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)
2007 *The Strongest Will by PFL (The Professionals; slash; 25,578 words) *On Maneuvers by PFL (The Professionals; slash; 4,872 words) All Places Alike by Asymphototropic (The Professionals; slash; 2,176 words) The Kidnapped Instrument by spoke (Sherlock Holmes; slash; 7,505 words) Unfit for Vision by Elise Madrid (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 18,314 words)
2009 The UFO Affair by Sev (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; slash; 8,793 words) *The Fourth Deathly Hallow by gingertart50 (Harry Potter x Sherlock Holmes; slash; 56,311 words) Endlessly by FJBryan (The Professionals; slash; 13,390 words) Stuck by asymphototropic (The Professionals; slash; 31,279 words) One Summer by Slantedlight (The Professionals; slash; 42,614 words)
2010 Run Through the Jungle by Fictionwriter (The Professionals; slash with het; 23,961 words) *Babylon Has Fallen by PR Zed (The Professionals x 28 Days Later; slash; 29,990 words) *Simple Twist of Fate by Sarah K (The Professionals x FlashForward; slash; 21,764 words) *Underland by crimson_adder (Sherlock Holmes x Neverwhere; slash; 35,953 words) The Cat's Meow by akane42me (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; gen; 8,066 words)
2011 The True Confessions of Raymond Doyle by Sarah K (The Professionals; 30,223 words; slash) Łe Nòte del Carnevàl by golden_bastet (The Professionals; 25,557 words; slash) For Kicks by Dawnwind (The Professionals; 70,222 words; slash) Calculus by elmey (The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 8,302 words; slash) Auld Reekie by Garonne (Sherlock Holmes; 12,885 words; slash)
2012 A Game of Two Halves by Jojo (The Professionals; slash; 20,562 words) *A Mercenary's Tale by Fictionwriter (The Professionals; slash; 46,849 words) When It All Comes Tumbling Down by Marjoram_Max (The Professionals; slash; 43,041 words) *Abode by Sonora (original series Battlestar Galactica x The A-Team; slash; 10,913 words) The Riders of the Storm Affair by spikesgirl58 (The Man from U.N.C.L.E. x Doctor Who; gen; 14,401 words)
2013 *In the Frame by Dawnwind (The Professinoals x Racing Game; slash; 49,016 words) *Different Phantoms by LilyK (The Professionals x Inspector George Gently; slash; 40,308 words) Psmith Giantslayer by Selden (Psmith x The Chronicles of Narnia; slash; 8,859 words) Caravan of the Heavens by Sonora (original series Battlestar Galactica x The A-Team; slash; 9,321 words) *The Wolves of Cascade by Morgan Briarwood (The Sentinel; slash; 105,26 words)
* = Particularly recommended [ ] = read but not counted toward the year's story total