Torchwood: WIPs
Following the lead of my colleague who reviewed the New Who Novels category, I decided to read the first three parts of each WIP and then give my opinions. Anyone who has read more of any of the stories should feel free to comment on them, of course.
Stuck on the Slow Path by sarkywoman
This story gets off to a sluggish start, as the prelude is basically a recap of the end of The Parting of the Ways. The action then skips ahead to just after The Last of the Time Lords. The Doctor is stranded on Earth, so Jack invites him to work for Torchwood. I made it through three parts, then had no interest in reading more. I appreciated the lack of errors in the writing, but the plot didn't engage my attention to any extent.
Saturday Nights by Rainbow Stripes
The first chapter is okay. The writing is decent, and the Ianto/Tosh friendship bits are pleasant. Then things head downhill, as the second chapter's rambling author's notes warn for "slight Gwen Bashing." Well, you know what? Aside from lousy punctuation, Gwen bashing was one thing I really, really did not want to see in any of these stories. And here it was, early in the category. Wonderful! In this second part, Tosh and Ianto play Mario Kart Wii, watch Grey's Anatomy, and get in a few digs at Gwen. The third piece includes a trip to a bowling alley and a lot of talking. This fic isn't actively bad (except for the bashing), but it is boring.
Slipping Through by totally4ryo & gracie_musica
This story is a FAKE/Torchwood crossover. The premise is that the FAKE characters think Torchwood is a TV show with actors playing the parts, while the Torchwood characters think the FAKE characters are the false ones, as they come from a manga. I have no familiarity with FAKE and no particular liking for this type of plot. It might greatly appeal to FAKE fans, though. Also, the writing is good enough.
Footnotes by gracie_musica
Torchwood characters interact with characters from various Doctor Who novels. Each chapter is a complete story on its own, covering a different novel, which gives it an especially satisfying feel. The first parts are well written and entertaining, and I have enough interest that I'll probably go back and read the other chapters. Am not so sure it should count as a WIP, though, since each chapter forms a standalone story. If placed in a "series" category (there isn't one in this round of CoT), I'd give it serious consideration for a vote.
Voodoo Child by robling_t
Sequel to a long story I haven't read, so it was a bit confusing. Tosh, Martha, and Gwen are all pregnant, which will bring the Torchwood field team down to two members. Has some amusing lines and is written well enough. Fans who are familiar with this series might very well want to vote for this fic.
Tidings of Comfort and Joy by teachwriteslash
This story seems to be part of a massively long series in which "Jack and Ianto meet and become lovers before Canary Wharf." And here we go, another story with "mild Gwen bashing" in the headers. There are mentions of "Empath!Ianto" (he can sense Jack's emotions) and Gwen is compared to an annoying corgi. Also, the dialogue is punctuated incorrectly. One to skip.
Never A Silent Night by bookwrm89
Another sequel. It includes a "warning" for slash, though to be fair it also warns for angst and fluff. Maybe those elements could all be placed under the designation of "genre" instead? Getting back on track, in this fic, Jack and Ianto have a baby daughter and are about to spend their first Christmas together. Then Ianto and the baby disappear. The story is cute, fluffy, and written well enough, though Ianto is a little weepy for my tastes.
What Never Should Be by blucougar57
Gets off to a bad start in the author's notes, with an "OOC" indication. Luckily, the fic is much better than that notation might lead you to expect. It's an AU of what could have happened if Jack had refused to join Torchwood in 1899. He's held prisoner and tortured for the next 106 years. Then Ianto gets a job at Torchwood and is assigned to take care of the "freak." Interesting premise; the writing is very good. The characterization of Lisa grates, but a few of the original characters are pretty interesting. I read well beyond the first three chapters.
Out of Place by Galadriel1010
Crossover with CSI. No canon Torchwood characters appear in the first three chapters, but an OC does. Her name is Jasmine "Jazz" Donovan, and she looks like she's 17 years old but is actually old enough to have great-grandchildren. (Her character bio on this page reveals much more, including Jasmine's background in the Harry Potter universe as a Hogwarts student and Snape's adopted daughter, and the truth behind her immortality.) Mary Sue + incorrect dialogue punctuation + failure to place punctuation at the ends of many sentences + way too much talking = an odd first three chapters.
Belonging by never_more_cat
The Tenth Doctor visits Jack. Takes place after Exit Wounds and Journey's End. The story is written in first person, from Jack's viewpoint. While the Jack voice is not always convincing, it's mostly all right. The writing style is reasonably good, the author knows how to punctuate, and the first three chapters are decent.
Vampire!Ianto by missthingsplace
An AU. Jack meets a vampire who's killing Cardiff residents. The vampire's name is Ianto, and sometimes his eyes flash silver, "gleaming like the metal itself and sparkling like they were impregnated with hundreds of tiny diamonds." They make a deal; Ianto stops killing people, comes to work for Torchwood, and drinks Jack's blood for sustenance. He and Jack also have lots of sex. The dialogue is punctuated incorrectly, and this character named Ianto sounds nothing like the Ianto of canon.
Revelations by baka_sensei
Ianto's feeling insecure about his relationship with Jack. While on holiday in Venice with Martha, Ianto confides in her. For some reason, after they return home, Ianto has mysteriously become much more assertive and confident. He's also taken up smoking, though why this is supposed to be a positive thing, I do not know. Fluffy fic; the plot is slight, though it did make me curious as to what was going on with Ianto.
In Bits and Pieces by kel-reiley
A non-linear story. It skips around and plays with time enough that it's confusing at points, but the writing is often beautiful and lyrical. Characterization feels right, it covers lots of ground in an intriguing way, and many of the scenes are memorable. A strong contender.
Open Your Eyes by athousanderrors and maverick0324
Another AU, where Jack and Ianto are attending a boys' school. The action begins in 1936. Ianto's nickname is "Petal," and he's afraid to play Hamlet in a school production until Jack encourages him. The characterizations are unconvincing, the dialogue is punctuated wrong, and I quickly lost interest in the plot.
Tale of a Time Agency by just_being_me08
In this AU, Ianto is a new student at the Time Agency and he meets Jack, who's an older student. Guess where this one is going. I like the Time Agency setting, though, and the story held my attention through the first three chapters. Pity that the author punctuates the dialogue wrong and uses ellipses to a distracting degree, not to mention incorrectly (too many dots, and the numbers of them appear to be random, at that): Well…..I……….He was at Poseidon last night is just one example.
Overall: My vote will likely go to What Never Should Be or In Bits and Pieces.
Stuck on the Slow Path by sarkywoman
This story gets off to a sluggish start, as the prelude is basically a recap of the end of The Parting of the Ways. The action then skips ahead to just after The Last of the Time Lords. The Doctor is stranded on Earth, so Jack invites him to work for Torchwood. I made it through three parts, then had no interest in reading more. I appreciated the lack of errors in the writing, but the plot didn't engage my attention to any extent.
Saturday Nights by Rainbow Stripes
The first chapter is okay. The writing is decent, and the Ianto/Tosh friendship bits are pleasant. Then things head downhill, as the second chapter's rambling author's notes warn for "slight Gwen Bashing." Well, you know what? Aside from lousy punctuation, Gwen bashing was one thing I really, really did not want to see in any of these stories. And here it was, early in the category. Wonderful! In this second part, Tosh and Ianto play Mario Kart Wii, watch Grey's Anatomy, and get in a few digs at Gwen. The third piece includes a trip to a bowling alley and a lot of talking. This fic isn't actively bad (except for the bashing), but it is boring.
Slipping Through by totally4ryo & gracie_musica
This story is a FAKE/Torchwood crossover. The premise is that the FAKE characters think Torchwood is a TV show with actors playing the parts, while the Torchwood characters think the FAKE characters are the false ones, as they come from a manga. I have no familiarity with FAKE and no particular liking for this type of plot. It might greatly appeal to FAKE fans, though. Also, the writing is good enough.
Footnotes by gracie_musica
Torchwood characters interact with characters from various Doctor Who novels. Each chapter is a complete story on its own, covering a different novel, which gives it an especially satisfying feel. The first parts are well written and entertaining, and I have enough interest that I'll probably go back and read the other chapters. Am not so sure it should count as a WIP, though, since each chapter forms a standalone story. If placed in a "series" category (there isn't one in this round of CoT), I'd give it serious consideration for a vote.
Voodoo Child by robling_t
Sequel to a long story I haven't read, so it was a bit confusing. Tosh, Martha, and Gwen are all pregnant, which will bring the Torchwood field team down to two members. Has some amusing lines and is written well enough. Fans who are familiar with this series might very well want to vote for this fic.
Tidings of Comfort and Joy by teachwriteslash
This story seems to be part of a massively long series in which "Jack and Ianto meet and become lovers before Canary Wharf." And here we go, another story with "mild Gwen bashing" in the headers. There are mentions of "Empath!Ianto" (he can sense Jack's emotions) and Gwen is compared to an annoying corgi. Also, the dialogue is punctuated incorrectly. One to skip.
Never A Silent Night by bookwrm89
Another sequel. It includes a "warning" for slash, though to be fair it also warns for angst and fluff. Maybe those elements could all be placed under the designation of "genre" instead? Getting back on track, in this fic, Jack and Ianto have a baby daughter and are about to spend their first Christmas together. Then Ianto and the baby disappear. The story is cute, fluffy, and written well enough, though Ianto is a little weepy for my tastes.
What Never Should Be by blucougar57
Gets off to a bad start in the author's notes, with an "OOC" indication. Luckily, the fic is much better than that notation might lead you to expect. It's an AU of what could have happened if Jack had refused to join Torchwood in 1899. He's held prisoner and tortured for the next 106 years. Then Ianto gets a job at Torchwood and is assigned to take care of the "freak." Interesting premise; the writing is very good. The characterization of Lisa grates, but a few of the original characters are pretty interesting. I read well beyond the first three chapters.
Out of Place by Galadriel1010
Crossover with CSI. No canon Torchwood characters appear in the first three chapters, but an OC does. Her name is Jasmine "Jazz" Donovan, and she looks like she's 17 years old but is actually old enough to have great-grandchildren. (Her character bio on this page reveals much more, including Jasmine's background in the Harry Potter universe as a Hogwarts student and Snape's adopted daughter, and the truth behind her immortality.) Mary Sue + incorrect dialogue punctuation + failure to place punctuation at the ends of many sentences + way too much talking = an odd first three chapters.
Belonging by never_more_cat
The Tenth Doctor visits Jack. Takes place after Exit Wounds and Journey's End. The story is written in first person, from Jack's viewpoint. While the Jack voice is not always convincing, it's mostly all right. The writing style is reasonably good, the author knows how to punctuate, and the first three chapters are decent.
Vampire!Ianto by missthingsplace
An AU. Jack meets a vampire who's killing Cardiff residents. The vampire's name is Ianto, and sometimes his eyes flash silver, "gleaming like the metal itself and sparkling like they were impregnated with hundreds of tiny diamonds." They make a deal; Ianto stops killing people, comes to work for Torchwood, and drinks Jack's blood for sustenance. He and Jack also have lots of sex. The dialogue is punctuated incorrectly, and this character named Ianto sounds nothing like the Ianto of canon.
Revelations by baka_sensei
Ianto's feeling insecure about his relationship with Jack. While on holiday in Venice with Martha, Ianto confides in her. For some reason, after they return home, Ianto has mysteriously become much more assertive and confident. He's also taken up smoking, though why this is supposed to be a positive thing, I do not know. Fluffy fic; the plot is slight, though it did make me curious as to what was going on with Ianto.
In Bits and Pieces by kel-reiley
A non-linear story. It skips around and plays with time enough that it's confusing at points, but the writing is often beautiful and lyrical. Characterization feels right, it covers lots of ground in an intriguing way, and many of the scenes are memorable. A strong contender.
Open Your Eyes by athousanderrors and maverick0324
Another AU, where Jack and Ianto are attending a boys' school. The action begins in 1936. Ianto's nickname is "Petal," and he's afraid to play Hamlet in a school production until Jack encourages him. The characterizations are unconvincing, the dialogue is punctuated wrong, and I quickly lost interest in the plot.
Tale of a Time Agency by just_being_me08
In this AU, Ianto is a new student at the Time Agency and he meets Jack, who's an older student. Guess where this one is going. I like the Time Agency setting, though, and the story held my attention through the first three chapters. Pity that the author punctuates the dialogue wrong and uses ellipses to a distracting degree, not to mention incorrectly (too many dots, and the numbers of them appear to be random, at that): Well…..I……….He was at Poseidon last night is just one example.
Overall: My vote will likely go to What Never Should Be or In Bits and Pieces.