Rec-A-Weekend | Week 49
Title: Arch to the Sky
Author: sl_walker and kalijean
Fandom: due South
Characters/Pairings: Renfield Turnbull/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Francesca Vecchio/Thomas Dewey, etc.
Summary: None given
Wordcount: ~ 217,000
Why it's awesome: There aren't many stories about Turnbull out there, and even fewer that do him justice. Although "doing him justice" is a tricky expression to use in his case, since the show itself never even tried. In any case, these two authors take the idea that there must be more to him than we get to see and run with it. They create a believeable backstory that adds several layers to the character and yet also explains why he is exactly how he is in canon. They even kept the ridiculous thing about the political career and the campaign bus and had it make sense. If you are ever interested in reading about Renfield Turnbull being a real human being, this is the story for you.
But it's not just about him. Every character portrayed is incredibly well written and often given more depth than they had in canon, without taking away their quirks. And special mention has to go, naturally, to Ray Vecchio, who is strugging after Vegas and Stella and Fraser leaving with Kowalski and is protrayed with all the strength and kindness and vulnerability that is hinted at in canon but rarely spelled out. The story takes time to explore how Turnbull and Ray become friends, then lovers, and there are just so many things about that that I love. One of them is that the progression of the relationship feels natural and in tune with the characters and the places they are comming from. It happens not suddenly but in a thousand tiny little steps, all of which are awkward. Another thing I love is how balanced it is, with neither man overshadowing the other or taking anything for granted.
It's not a pairing I ever considered before reading this series, but the authors make me buy it completely and make me wish there was more about this particular version of the characters.
Author: sl_walker and kalijean
Fandom: due South
Characters/Pairings: Renfield Turnbull/Ray Vecchio, Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Francesca Vecchio/Thomas Dewey, etc.
Summary: None given
Wordcount: ~ 217,000
Why it's awesome: There aren't many stories about Turnbull out there, and even fewer that do him justice. Although "doing him justice" is a tricky expression to use in his case, since the show itself never even tried. In any case, these two authors take the idea that there must be more to him than we get to see and run with it. They create a believeable backstory that adds several layers to the character and yet also explains why he is exactly how he is in canon. They even kept the ridiculous thing about the political career and the campaign bus and had it make sense. If you are ever interested in reading about Renfield Turnbull being a real human being, this is the story for you.
But it's not just about him. Every character portrayed is incredibly well written and often given more depth than they had in canon, without taking away their quirks. And special mention has to go, naturally, to Ray Vecchio, who is strugging after Vegas and Stella and Fraser leaving with Kowalski and is protrayed with all the strength and kindness and vulnerability that is hinted at in canon but rarely spelled out. The story takes time to explore how Turnbull and Ray become friends, then lovers, and there are just so many things about that that I love. One of them is that the progression of the relationship feels natural and in tune with the characters and the places they are comming from. It happens not suddenly but in a thousand tiny little steps, all of which are awkward. Another thing I love is how balanced it is, with neither man overshadowing the other or taking anything for granted.
It's not a pairing I ever considered before reading this series, but the authors make me buy it completely and make me wish there was more about this particular version of the characters.