[ DBZ, DCU/Batman, X, SM, Slayers ]
Notes/Babbling: Good lord, it's been ages since I've read this much fic this regularily. It actually feels really good to be able to read again. Even if it has been forever since I did any fanart recs. >___>a
Series:
Dragonball Z - 1 Fanfic
DCU/Batman - 1 Fanfic
X - 1 Fanfic
Sailor Moon - 1 Fanfic
Slayers - 1 Fanfic
- Dragonball Z - Raditz's Return by Dragoness Eclectic - A long time ago, I'd started this story, I started this story, but I can't recall getting very far into it (or perhaps I did, the ending seemed vaguely familiar, but still surprising at the same time, it's mostly that the final fight seemed familiar somehow) I suspect because, at the time, I was very much on a Vejiita/Bulma kick and if the fic wasn't about them, I was moving on to the next one. But, given how my tastes have widened since then (as I love the whole Dragonball universe, rather than just those characters), I gave this one another shot and was so very pleasantly surprised by what I found--an actual fic with plot! A genuinely interesting way to bring Raditz back into the Dragonball storyline, to evolve him, and to tell an action story at the same time.
The writing is very clean, it sailed right along for me (The first two stories in this timeline--"Why?" and "Welcome to Hell, Son" were a bit awkward, so I was surprised in the jump in smoothness between the two.) and while I spared a moment to wonder at Raditz's more positive personality, it wasn't a long moment. The author does a really good job of keeping that he's Saiyajin, of not making him a goody-two-shoes, so that the characterization felt right to me. Eight years in hell can change a character, but I still got the sense that this was someone who could have done the things we saw Raditz do in canon.
Then you add in that there's an actual plot going on--Vejiita is dead and Bulma's determined to find a way to bring him back, Gohan coming along to help her, which drags Trunks and Goten into the action as well--a veritable reason for Raditz to be there (I liked the way Vejiita sought out Raditz to watch over his family while he couldn't, it was done in such a way that I could believe Vejiita would demand it and I could believe that Raditz would agree, even given their history.), and that the story has an almost mythological element? That there's a genuine villain that they have to fight against that was actually thought out and fit with the feeling of the series? Oh, love.
There was also some utterly gorgeous characterization--there was little favoritism going on, each of the characters that had a role in the story got their time in the spotlight, each of them had shining moments of characterization that I just loved. Trunks and Goten's friendship was lovely, Gohan's serious nature and probably the only sane one among them was darling, Bulma's fiery nature and her concern for all the kids around her, even Raditz's slowly developing fondness for his nephews and his prince's son and his enjoyment of a fight, all of it was... it was just entertaining. I was quite impressed, I enjoyed this story tremendously and had no complains. :D :D :D (Some pairings, all canon and so not the point of the story, really.)
- DCU/Batman - Children of the Night by Alexix M. - [ part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - epilogue ] - Oh, man, where to start with this story? Okay, granted, I'm still not quite finished with it yet, I'm still on part three, but I've been reading a little bit every other day for the past week and a half (well, I've stalled in the middle of my current CLAMP and/or DBZ frenzies, but!), so it's about damn time that I made this rec. Though, I have to admit to feeling a little overwhelmed about it, because there's just so damn much I want to mention. I'll also probably do a re-rec once I finish the rest of it, but I wanted to mention it now. This story is... just... wow. The writing is amazing, it's clear, it's clean, it's smooth, it's the kind that pulls me into a story so that I don't even realize the time is flying by because I'm enraptured by the story. Seamless. Writing like this is very rare, especially in a story of this length. I cannot wax poetic about it enough, because it's not overly flowery, but it's not dry, either. It's... perfect, like cool spring wate--*is shot for the horrible metaphor*
It's also more than just that, there's an incredibly complex plot going on here, it fully lives up to the summary's promised epic that spans a gorgeous plot. The story being told here is half case and half drudging up of the past, especially Selina Kyle's past, and it is brilliantly breathtaking, the kind of story that hits me in the gut and doesn't let up until the story is over. The descriptions, the vague impressions you get of Selina's past abuse are horrifying because they're not overdone, they're so powerful because they're real, she feels so fully realized that she could step out into the real world at any moment. The hurts that each of these characters carries around with them are all quietly touched on in turn, each scene springing so vividly to live and the pacing so fantastic that there's never a dull moment in this story.
The balance between personal lives and the case is struck wonderfully--each ties into the other and builds towards something more. Selina's past, Bruce's past, even the other characters' pasts all are brought up and mixed together with the case of the missing abused children. And, oh, is the subject of abuse beautifully done here, I hurt for each and every victim. Not just because it was awful, but because these characters react in the way they should react, I have not one whit of complaint as to the characterizations. More that I'm stunned breathless by them, really. Now, Bruce/Selina is not normally my pairing, but I've never disliked it, and the writing here is so fantastic, their chemistry is just so damn palpable, that even I felt it and was fascinated by the unfolding of this rocky relationship. It has its ups and downs, it's never exactly a smooth path, but, damn, is it good.
It's also the little details, it's the brilliant case that's being built as they all search for clues and answers, the way something so simple as a child's necklace can fit in or the way Selina's parentage can be another small piece in the larger picture, all of it is genuinely good. And, oh, the scenes with Dick or Barbara or any of the other minor characters? I nearly vibrate with glee and happiness because the author gets them, too. She makes each of these characters come alive, makes me absolutely sparkle with her understanding of them and the way she writes the characters. I especially have much love for any scene where Dick and Selina have a conversation, those always seem to become one of my favorites.
This fic is one of those stories that is one of the most finely crafted I've had the pleasure to read, it just hit so many of my buttons exactly right, so that I had the worst time putting it down and not reading "just one more chapter before bed!", the kind that made incredible characters come to life, especially Selina Kyle, who just... she kicks all kinds of ass in this story because she's a match for someone like Bruce, but because she's still so damn human and far from perfect. I'm in awe of much depth this author gives to these characters. ....hence the lengthy babbling, obviously. >___> Still. Just. Wow. Go read. (Bruce/Selina, some content warning, verging on NC-17 in places, dark content, and *everyone* should read it.)
- X - Overtime by Kelsey and Tammaiya - Kelsey and Tammaiya teaming up for SxS pr0n? Oh, well, I immediately skipped off to read that, for sure. And they do a lovely job with it, another one of those stories that just makes me warm on the inside because it finds a place for Seishirou and Subaru to be something at peace, but in such a way that it doesn't take away from the characters. Seishirou is still predatory, teasing, frustrating, all of those dangerous things he usually is. Subaru is still serious, naive in some ways, all too knowing in others, still so quiet, reserved, and adorably embarassed by franker subjects. I liked that this story was a long, slow build up to the--ha, ha 9__9--climax of the fic, that it's not quick foreplay that skips straight to the sex, it's much more CLAMP-y in the sense that it's more about the slow seduction of the characters, that it's about the little sensual things that build towards the finale. Lovely fic and there needs, needs to be more SxS pr0n in the world. Needs. (Seishirou/Subaru, R-rated content.)
- Sailor Moon - Another Day by Harukami - I swear, the more Haru writes, the more I truly fall in love with her writing, as she has a way of writing with this style that's... sort of like still waters running deep. Not much even has to necessarily happen, it's just little looks here or mild comments there that hint at the deeper things underneath the surface that put stars in my eyes. Then you apply it to a couple like Michiru and Haruka? Such a perfect fit. Plus, OMG VALENTINE'S DAY CUTENESS THAT TOTALLY WORKS FOR THEM! *flails happily* That hint of teasing when Haruka flirts but doesn't really mean it? So them. <3 (Haruka/Michiru.)
- Slayers - Chocolate by Harukami - Slayers fic! *bounces* It's so easy, sometimes, when Haru's writing FMA fic to forget that I first fell for her in the Slayers fandom, to forget that I absolutely love her Slayers writing so goddamned much. Plus, Gourry? Oh, my god, I want to hug him, like, so much. And cackle at Xellos. And stay far, far away from Lina. This was a perfect way to work in the Valentine's Day holiday without stretching believability (given the Slayers world) and that ending? GENIUS. HAHAHAHAHA, loved it. So much. XD (Not really Lina/Gourry, but.)
Series:
Dragonball Z - 1 Fanfic
DCU/Batman - 1 Fanfic
X - 1 Fanfic
Sailor Moon - 1 Fanfic
Slayers - 1 Fanfic
- Dragonball Z - Raditz's Return by Dragoness Eclectic - A long time ago, I'd started this story, I started this story, but I can't recall getting very far into it (or perhaps I did, the ending seemed vaguely familiar, but still surprising at the same time, it's mostly that the final fight seemed familiar somehow) I suspect because, at the time, I was very much on a Vejiita/Bulma kick and if the fic wasn't about them, I was moving on to the next one. But, given how my tastes have widened since then (as I love the whole Dragonball universe, rather than just those characters), I gave this one another shot and was so very pleasantly surprised by what I found--an actual fic with plot! A genuinely interesting way to bring Raditz back into the Dragonball storyline, to evolve him, and to tell an action story at the same time.
The writing is very clean, it sailed right along for me (The first two stories in this timeline--"Why?" and "Welcome to Hell, Son" were a bit awkward, so I was surprised in the jump in smoothness between the two.) and while I spared a moment to wonder at Raditz's more positive personality, it wasn't a long moment. The author does a really good job of keeping that he's Saiyajin, of not making him a goody-two-shoes, so that the characterization felt right to me. Eight years in hell can change a character, but I still got the sense that this was someone who could have done the things we saw Raditz do in canon.
Then you add in that there's an actual plot going on--Vejiita is dead and Bulma's determined to find a way to bring him back, Gohan coming along to help her, which drags Trunks and Goten into the action as well--a veritable reason for Raditz to be there (I liked the way Vejiita sought out Raditz to watch over his family while he couldn't, it was done in such a way that I could believe Vejiita would demand it and I could believe that Raditz would agree, even given their history.), and that the story has an almost mythological element? That there's a genuine villain that they have to fight against that was actually thought out and fit with the feeling of the series? Oh, love.
There was also some utterly gorgeous characterization--there was little favoritism going on, each of the characters that had a role in the story got their time in the spotlight, each of them had shining moments of characterization that I just loved. Trunks and Goten's friendship was lovely, Gohan's serious nature and probably the only sane one among them was darling, Bulma's fiery nature and her concern for all the kids around her, even Raditz's slowly developing fondness for his nephews and his prince's son and his enjoyment of a fight, all of it was... it was just entertaining. I was quite impressed, I enjoyed this story tremendously and had no complains. :D :D :D (Some pairings, all canon and so not the point of the story, really.)
- DCU/Batman - Children of the Night by Alexix M. - [ part 1 - part 2 - part 3 - part 4 - epilogue ] - Oh, man, where to start with this story? Okay, granted, I'm still not quite finished with it yet, I'm still on part three, but I've been reading a little bit every other day for the past week and a half (well, I've stalled in the middle of my current CLAMP and/or DBZ frenzies, but!), so it's about damn time that I made this rec. Though, I have to admit to feeling a little overwhelmed about it, because there's just so damn much I want to mention. I'll also probably do a re-rec once I finish the rest of it, but I wanted to mention it now. This story is... just... wow. The writing is amazing, it's clear, it's clean, it's smooth, it's the kind that pulls me into a story so that I don't even realize the time is flying by because I'm enraptured by the story. Seamless. Writing like this is very rare, especially in a story of this length. I cannot wax poetic about it enough, because it's not overly flowery, but it's not dry, either. It's... perfect, like cool spring wate--*is shot for the horrible metaphor*
It's also more than just that, there's an incredibly complex plot going on here, it fully lives up to the summary's promised epic that spans a gorgeous plot. The story being told here is half case and half drudging up of the past, especially Selina Kyle's past, and it is brilliantly breathtaking, the kind of story that hits me in the gut and doesn't let up until the story is over. The descriptions, the vague impressions you get of Selina's past abuse are horrifying because they're not overdone, they're so powerful because they're real, she feels so fully realized that she could step out into the real world at any moment. The hurts that each of these characters carries around with them are all quietly touched on in turn, each scene springing so vividly to live and the pacing so fantastic that there's never a dull moment in this story.
The balance between personal lives and the case is struck wonderfully--each ties into the other and builds towards something more. Selina's past, Bruce's past, even the other characters' pasts all are brought up and mixed together with the case of the missing abused children. And, oh, is the subject of abuse beautifully done here, I hurt for each and every victim. Not just because it was awful, but because these characters react in the way they should react, I have not one whit of complaint as to the characterizations. More that I'm stunned breathless by them, really. Now, Bruce/Selina is not normally my pairing, but I've never disliked it, and the writing here is so fantastic, their chemistry is just so damn palpable, that even I felt it and was fascinated by the unfolding of this rocky relationship. It has its ups and downs, it's never exactly a smooth path, but, damn, is it good.
It's also the little details, it's the brilliant case that's being built as they all search for clues and answers, the way something so simple as a child's necklace can fit in or the way Selina's parentage can be another small piece in the larger picture, all of it is genuinely good. And, oh, the scenes with Dick or Barbara or any of the other minor characters? I nearly vibrate with glee and happiness because the author gets them, too. She makes each of these characters come alive, makes me absolutely sparkle with her understanding of them and the way she writes the characters. I especially have much love for any scene where Dick and Selina have a conversation, those always seem to become one of my favorites.
This fic is one of those stories that is one of the most finely crafted I've had the pleasure to read, it just hit so many of my buttons exactly right, so that I had the worst time putting it down and not reading "just one more chapter before bed!", the kind that made incredible characters come to life, especially Selina Kyle, who just... she kicks all kinds of ass in this story because she's a match for someone like Bruce, but because she's still so damn human and far from perfect. I'm in awe of much depth this author gives to these characters. ....hence the lengthy babbling, obviously. >___> Still. Just. Wow. Go read. (Bruce/Selina, some content warning, verging on NC-17 in places, dark content, and *everyone* should read it.)
- X - Overtime by Kelsey and Tammaiya - Kelsey and Tammaiya teaming up for SxS pr0n? Oh, well, I immediately skipped off to read that, for sure. And they do a lovely job with it, another one of those stories that just makes me warm on the inside because it finds a place for Seishirou and Subaru to be something at peace, but in such a way that it doesn't take away from the characters. Seishirou is still predatory, teasing, frustrating, all of those dangerous things he usually is. Subaru is still serious, naive in some ways, all too knowing in others, still so quiet, reserved, and adorably embarassed by franker subjects. I liked that this story was a long, slow build up to the--ha, ha 9__9--climax of the fic, that it's not quick foreplay that skips straight to the sex, it's much more CLAMP-y in the sense that it's more about the slow seduction of the characters, that it's about the little sensual things that build towards the finale. Lovely fic and there needs, needs to be more SxS pr0n in the world. Needs. (Seishirou/Subaru, R-rated content.)
- Sailor Moon - Another Day by Harukami - I swear, the more Haru writes, the more I truly fall in love with her writing, as she has a way of writing with this style that's... sort of like still waters running deep. Not much even has to necessarily happen, it's just little looks here or mild comments there that hint at the deeper things underneath the surface that put stars in my eyes. Then you apply it to a couple like Michiru and Haruka? Such a perfect fit. Plus, OMG VALENTINE'S DAY CUTENESS THAT TOTALLY WORKS FOR THEM! *flails happily* That hint of teasing when Haruka flirts but doesn't really mean it? So them. <3 (Haruka/Michiru.)
- Slayers - Chocolate by Harukami - Slayers fic! *bounces* It's so easy, sometimes, when Haru's writing FMA fic to forget that I first fell for her in the Slayers fandom, to forget that I absolutely love her Slayers writing so goddamned much. Plus, Gourry? Oh, my god, I want to hug him, like, so much. And cackle at Xellos. And stay far, far away from Lina. This was a perfect way to work in the Valentine's Day holiday without stretching believability (given the Slayers world) and that ending? GENIUS. HAHAHAHAHA, loved it. So much. XD (Not really Lina/Gourry, but.)