[giant alien robots] GIP? Fanworks rec post
I CAN NEVER FIND EVERYTHING WHEN I NEED IT, needless to say.
BUT. This is the Big Fat Transformers Fanworks Rec Post. Probably never to be updated after the initial writing, but this is the hilarious and the hilariously awesome fanfiction of Transformers that I've found.
Most of the fic will center around/contain Bumblebee. Most of the fic will be movie based. ALL WILL BE GEN. I do not believe in robot sex (I know whut!).
Human Transformers Concept Art - this picture details roughly 20 Autobots and Decepticons as humans. I know, I know, tons of art does this, but the characters are really captured in this picture and all the art is very solid. Plus, it has Galvatron yelling "WHY AM I A PUNY FLESH CREATURE!? RAAAARGH!", which makes this automatically hilarious.
Early Bee - Prowl&Bee human!design comic - Enolian Slave is one of my favorite artists on Devart - she has a solid cartoony style and expressive characters that I adore. This comic is one page and basically details Prowl and 'Bee's relationship as it appears in Transformers:Animated (or how it would be if, you know, they were human); I laughed aloud. If you like TF:A, and you like the twins Jetfire&Jetstorm, I recommend you look at the rest of her Transformers gallery.
This piece of art also caused me to carefully test the waters in ff.net, so it segues nicely into the fanfiction portion of this post.
Anything by Dwimordene - and I mean 'anything'. I first encountered this author years ago in the LotR fandom, and she is a masterful writer. While I enjoyed her LotR stuff, I feel like she shines even more in the Transformers fandom, with solid characterization and the ability to make English sound like a foreign language in the mouth of the Autobots.
In particular:
Bridges - hands down, pencils in, this is my favorite immediately-post-movie fanfic EVER. Bumblebee undergoes repairs, the Autobots mourn Jazz in their own Cybertronian way, and Mikaela struggles with everything. Mikaela is brilliant in this story, given a rare moment to shine in all her mechanic glory; Ratchet is hilariously cranky, and everyone is just very solidly written. Ironhide in particular has a special place in my heart; his conversation with Mikaela midway through the fic took several readthroughs to understand, proving that even when you're speaking the same language, it doesn't mean anything actually makes any sense. (Bee/Ratchet/Mikaela interaction, gen)
Parental Notice - written before there was confirmation that the parents Know About Bumblebee, this is the story where Sam's parents both have a little chit-chat with their son's Not-A-Car. It's lovely and a little heartbreaking. I measure the level of awesome in fics where 'Bee is interacting as a car by how well he interacts, and he's pretty brilliant here. The Witwickys are adorably parental. A fun, easy read. (Bumblebee&Sam's parents, gen)
Indefinite Objects - This fic poses the question any human would have upon meeting the Transformers: are they truly alive? Or are they simply an excellent facsimile of life? Taking their 'punless' language and the concept of a Chinese Room to brand new heights, Maggie and Glenn discuss the insidious possibility that their extraterrestrial visitors aren't really alive at all, and ponder their real purpose. This fic is absolutely one of the most technical fics I've ever read, and so a bit difficult to wade through, but the final paragraphs end with such a bang that you will forgive every sentence you had to read twice to 'get' it. I love this fic. I can't properly express how much. (Maggie, Glenn, and Ratchet)
An Cailin Rua - another excellent author. I read her fic with a little bit of consternation, but the writing is absolutely amazing. If you want some Very Serious Business (and long!) fanfiction, this is a good place to start.
By the Pundreds - Um. The Autobots discover puns. AND THEY CAN'T STOP. It's short, sweet, corny, and the fic that inspired the above 'Indefinite Objects'.
Naturalized, and its sequels Revelation and Samsara - these make up the Tricolora Trilogy. Most of her other fics are supplementary to it. Taking place soon after the first movie, the Autobots discover amongst the many experiments performed on the Allspark and Megatron, humans used Megatron's spark to create cybernetic limbs and almost full bodies. This ... isn't ending so well. Meanwhile political machinations work against the Autobots and interfere with their attempts to save the humans from themselves. Ambiguous good guys! Starscream! Miles is in this! And we get the introduction of Perceptor, possibly the most hilarious Autobot in his sheer WEIRD.
I recommend this fic with some reservations. It is heavily influenced by the author's politics, which, if you agree with her, you will barely notice. It read like a long, ongoing glaring flaw to me, however. In addition she creates the concept of 'bond nodes', an idea that I'm not sure I like (at least insofar as it applies to humans in particular). Still, a very good, very solid read, and it includes every character from the first movie in spades. REMOVED FROM THE INTERNETS This fic and its sequels have completely disappeared from the internet. D=
Misc. Serious Business fic
The Long Road Home by Conna Stevenson - Damaged and unable to communicate with or even find his fellow Autobots, a lone survivor crashes to Earth and must locate Optimus and the others before a dangerous enemy arrives. Who can he trust, if he cannot tell friend from foe? - for a fic that introduces a completely made-up Transformer this fic freaking ROCKS. Whiplash is not an Autobot you will find in any other continuity (that I can tell). He crashlands on Earth and ends up with an OFC in a desperate race to reach the Autobots before the Decepticons reach him. I love the characterization of this Autobot and his OFC friend (who is NOT a Mary Sue). The regularly scheduled Autobots (and Decepticons) are all excellent. Packed with action, I can promise you a very fun ride. Plus, Whiplash has aphasia! (Bumblebee can probably relate.) (OTC&OFC, ensemble, gen)
Stardust by Sakon76 - A heartbreaking little piece in which someone who shouldn't have died, dies. It's not deep and your milage may vary, but the descriptiveness and the mourning process, and especially the descriptions of the dead character are very touching. A good, solid angst fic. (to list the characters would give it away!, movie!verse, gen)
The Rules of Size by Aspirare - There are four rules that define who we are and how we all live. - It's kind of like the ultimate 'size DOES matter', but in reverse. Four vignettes connected by a prologue, this takes a look at humans as compared to Transformers in terms of size, and the advantages (and weaknesses) it provides. I really like this quiet little piece. (ensemble, gen)
Thinking 'Bout the Future by Epona Harper - You didn't think Sector Seven would let Bumblebee go home with Sam without protest, did you? - The argument between Optimus Prime and Simmons about who Bumblebee is staying with. It's nothing jaw-dropping but it's a good, solid read with all the vitriol and stern disappointment you'd expect from such a fic. Epona Harper is a solid writer; it's too bad she hasn't written more TF fic. (Optimus, Simmons, ANGRY)
Misc. Humor fic
Culture Shock by Conna Stevenson - Specifically, the first chapter. This is the fic in which Autobots learn about sneezes, and the ongoing joke of scaring the newcomers with them. I ... really, there's nothing more to say. It's hilarious - I particularly laughed out loud when Red Alert arrived. While the second chapter introduced me to the concept of 'Bee's female holoform, I can't say I'm quite as in love with it. (ensemble, Sam, hilarity)
Best Intentions by KrysSaiyan - Bumblebee: organism aiding in the reproduction of flowers by means of transportation of pollen. If only it were that easy. - GUYS. GUYS. Robots and procreation! In which Bumblebee attempts to get Sam and Mikaela to GET IT ON. It's hilarious and JUST how I've always wanted my Transformers 'we do not really understand human sex' fic to read. I LOVE IT. READ THIS. Bumblebee does not believe in condoms. (Bee, Sam/Mikaela, het)
A Day In the Life by Kookaburra - This purports to eventually be a lot of oneshots, but for now it's only one: in which Ironhide and Lennox go on errands. To say much more would be to give the joke away. The characterization in this is what I love, but the ending made me laugh (even if I suspected what was going on). I adore this. (Ironhide&Lennox, ensemble, gen)
Grand, Stupid Things by The Starhorse - Sunstreaker's right. Sideswipe is really, really stupid. - Okay, this fic takes place in G1 continuity (aka the original Transformers series), and it's about the twins, who are possibly psychopathic, so it automatically is hilarious. But I laughed out loud all over the place and I'm not even familiar with this continuity. Suffice to say, it's all about getting a naked llama to dance. NO REALLY. (Sunstreaker&Sideswipe, G1, hilarity)
Cow Tipping by Sakon76 - A close encounter of the fourth kind. - really, what else can I say? there are more aliens on earth than just the Transformers. It's the last line that will get you, and I am in love with Lennox and Ironhide. (Lennox, Ironhide, Ratchet, ALIENS)
In the Line of Duty by CacusFere - After Mission City, Barricade goes to LA and mystifies the local police force. - While introducing some treacherously dark concepts very, very quietly, this fic is pretty hilarious on its face. Barricade, I suspect, could get along well with humans, as long as he got to scare the shit out of them along the way. This fic plays with that idea. Not the most well-written fic I've ever seen, but still fun. (Barricade, OMC, evil!Autobots, lolarity)
AND THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR NOW. ETA: MAN I LOVE YOU GUYS. More fun fic recs in the comments! Be forewarned, some of them contain slash (inasmuch as fic about GIANT ALIEN ROBOTS FROM SPAAAACE can contain 'slash' as opposed to 'het') unlike the above.
BUT. This is the Big Fat Transformers Fanworks Rec Post. Probably never to be updated after the initial writing, but this is the hilarious and the hilariously awesome fanfiction of Transformers that I've found.
Most of the fic will center around/contain Bumblebee. Most of the fic will be movie based. ALL WILL BE GEN. I do not believe in robot sex (I know whut!).
Human Transformers Concept Art - this picture details roughly 20 Autobots and Decepticons as humans. I know, I know, tons of art does this, but the characters are really captured in this picture and all the art is very solid. Plus, it has Galvatron yelling "WHY AM I A PUNY FLESH CREATURE!? RAAAARGH!", which makes this automatically hilarious.
Early Bee - Prowl&Bee human!design comic - Enolian Slave is one of my favorite artists on Devart - she has a solid cartoony style and expressive characters that I adore. This comic is one page and basically details Prowl and 'Bee's relationship as it appears in Transformers:Animated (or how it would be if, you know, they were human); I laughed aloud. If you like TF:A, and you like the twins Jetfire&Jetstorm, I recommend you look at the rest of her Transformers gallery.
This piece of art also caused me to carefully test the waters in ff.net, so it segues nicely into the fanfiction portion of this post.
Anything by Dwimordene - and I mean 'anything'. I first encountered this author years ago in the LotR fandom, and she is a masterful writer. While I enjoyed her LotR stuff, I feel like she shines even more in the Transformers fandom, with solid characterization and the ability to make English sound like a foreign language in the mouth of the Autobots.
In particular:
Bridges - hands down, pencils in, this is my favorite immediately-post-movie fanfic EVER. Bumblebee undergoes repairs, the Autobots mourn Jazz in their own Cybertronian way, and Mikaela struggles with everything. Mikaela is brilliant in this story, given a rare moment to shine in all her mechanic glory; Ratchet is hilariously cranky, and everyone is just very solidly written. Ironhide in particular has a special place in my heart; his conversation with Mikaela midway through the fic took several readthroughs to understand, proving that even when you're speaking the same language, it doesn't mean anything actually makes any sense. (Bee/Ratchet/Mikaela interaction, gen)
Parental Notice - written before there was confirmation that the parents Know About Bumblebee, this is the story where Sam's parents both have a little chit-chat with their son's Not-A-Car. It's lovely and a little heartbreaking. I measure the level of awesome in fics where 'Bee is interacting as a car by how well he interacts, and he's pretty brilliant here. The Witwickys are adorably parental. A fun, easy read. (Bumblebee&Sam's parents, gen)
Indefinite Objects - This fic poses the question any human would have upon meeting the Transformers: are they truly alive? Or are they simply an excellent facsimile of life? Taking their 'punless' language and the concept of a Chinese Room to brand new heights, Maggie and Glenn discuss the insidious possibility that their extraterrestrial visitors aren't really alive at all, and ponder their real purpose. This fic is absolutely one of the most technical fics I've ever read, and so a bit difficult to wade through, but the final paragraphs end with such a bang that you will forgive every sentence you had to read twice to 'get' it. I love this fic. I can't properly express how much. (Maggie, Glenn, and Ratchet)
An Cailin Rua - another excellent author. I read her fic with a little bit of consternation, but the writing is absolutely amazing. If you want some Very Serious Business (and long!) fanfiction, this is a good place to start.
By the Pundreds - Um. The Autobots discover puns. AND THEY CAN'T STOP. It's short, sweet, corny, and the fic that inspired the above 'Indefinite Objects'.
Naturalized, and its sequels Revelation and Samsara - these make up the Tricolora Trilogy. Most of her other fics are supplementary to it. Taking place soon after the first movie, the Autobots discover amongst the many experiments performed on the Allspark and Megatron, humans used Megatron's spark to create cybernetic limbs and almost full bodies. This ... isn't ending so well. Meanwhile political machinations work against the Autobots and interfere with their attempts to save the humans from themselves. Ambiguous good guys! Starscream! Miles is in this! And we get the introduction of Perceptor, possibly the most hilarious Autobot in his sheer WEIRD.
I recommend this fic with some reservations. It is heavily influenced by the author's politics, which, if you agree with her, you will barely notice. It read like a long, ongoing glaring flaw to me, however. In addition she creates the concept of 'bond nodes', an idea that I'm not sure I like (at least insofar as it applies to humans in particular). Still, a very good, very solid read, and it includes every character from the first movie in spades. REMOVED FROM THE INTERNETS This fic and its sequels have completely disappeared from the internet. D=
Misc. Serious Business fic
The Long Road Home by Conna Stevenson - Damaged and unable to communicate with or even find his fellow Autobots, a lone survivor crashes to Earth and must locate Optimus and the others before a dangerous enemy arrives. Who can he trust, if he cannot tell friend from foe? - for a fic that introduces a completely made-up Transformer this fic freaking ROCKS. Whiplash is not an Autobot you will find in any other continuity (that I can tell). He crashlands on Earth and ends up with an OFC in a desperate race to reach the Autobots before the Decepticons reach him. I love the characterization of this Autobot and his OFC friend (who is NOT a Mary Sue). The regularly scheduled Autobots (and Decepticons) are all excellent. Packed with action, I can promise you a very fun ride. Plus, Whiplash has aphasia! (Bumblebee can probably relate.) (OTC&OFC, ensemble, gen)
Stardust by Sakon76 - A heartbreaking little piece in which someone who shouldn't have died, dies. It's not deep and your milage may vary, but the descriptiveness and the mourning process, and especially the descriptions of the dead character are very touching. A good, solid angst fic. (to list the characters would give it away!, movie!verse, gen)
The Rules of Size by Aspirare - There are four rules that define who we are and how we all live. - It's kind of like the ultimate 'size DOES matter', but in reverse. Four vignettes connected by a prologue, this takes a look at humans as compared to Transformers in terms of size, and the advantages (and weaknesses) it provides. I really like this quiet little piece. (ensemble, gen)
Thinking 'Bout the Future by Epona Harper - You didn't think Sector Seven would let Bumblebee go home with Sam without protest, did you? - The argument between Optimus Prime and Simmons about who Bumblebee is staying with. It's nothing jaw-dropping but it's a good, solid read with all the vitriol and stern disappointment you'd expect from such a fic. Epona Harper is a solid writer; it's too bad she hasn't written more TF fic. (Optimus, Simmons, ANGRY)
Misc. Humor fic
Culture Shock by Conna Stevenson - Specifically, the first chapter. This is the fic in which Autobots learn about sneezes, and the ongoing joke of scaring the newcomers with them. I ... really, there's nothing more to say. It's hilarious - I particularly laughed out loud when Red Alert arrived. While the second chapter introduced me to the concept of 'Bee's female holoform, I can't say I'm quite as in love with it. (ensemble, Sam, hilarity)
Best Intentions by KrysSaiyan - Bumblebee: organism aiding in the reproduction of flowers by means of transportation of pollen. If only it were that easy. - GUYS. GUYS. Robots and procreation! In which Bumblebee attempts to get Sam and Mikaela to GET IT ON. It's hilarious and JUST how I've always wanted my Transformers 'we do not really understand human sex' fic to read. I LOVE IT. READ THIS. Bumblebee does not believe in condoms. (Bee, Sam/Mikaela, het)
A Day In the Life by Kookaburra - This purports to eventually be a lot of oneshots, but for now it's only one: in which Ironhide and Lennox go on errands. To say much more would be to give the joke away. The characterization in this is what I love, but the ending made me laugh (even if I suspected what was going on). I adore this. (Ironhide&Lennox, ensemble, gen)
Grand, Stupid Things by The Starhorse - Sunstreaker's right. Sideswipe is really, really stupid. - Okay, this fic takes place in G1 continuity (aka the original Transformers series), and it's about the twins, who are possibly psychopathic, so it automatically is hilarious. But I laughed out loud all over the place and I'm not even familiar with this continuity. Suffice to say, it's all about getting a naked llama to dance. NO REALLY. (Sunstreaker&Sideswipe, G1, hilarity)
Cow Tipping by Sakon76 - A close encounter of the fourth kind. - really, what else can I say? there are more aliens on earth than just the Transformers. It's the last line that will get you, and I am in love with Lennox and Ironhide. (Lennox, Ironhide, Ratchet, ALIENS)
In the Line of Duty by CacusFere - After Mission City, Barricade goes to LA and mystifies the local police force. - While introducing some treacherously dark concepts very, very quietly, this fic is pretty hilarious on its face. Barricade, I suspect, could get along well with humans, as long as he got to scare the shit out of them along the way. This fic plays with that idea. Not the most well-written fic I've ever seen, but still fun. (Barricade, OMC, evil!Autobots, lolarity)
AND THAT'S ALL I GOT FOR NOW. ETA: MAN I LOVE YOU GUYS. More fun fic recs in the comments! Be forewarned, some of them contain slash (inasmuch as fic about GIANT ALIEN ROBOTS FROM SPAAAACE can contain 'slash' as opposed to 'het') unlike the above.