Friday Recs: Special Snape Slash Holiday Edition
Given that it's December, there are many fic exchanges in full swing, producing floods of new fic and art to be appreciated. There are a multitude of festivals this year and hence reams of stories to be read; I know that I appreciate it when somebody's recs can help me navigate the choices and decide which I might want to read first. I'm not anywhere near to having read all the stories (or perhaps even a fraction of them), but I thought I'd start posting my recs now, before I forget or lose track of those stories that were really worthy of being read.
Before I start, a few notes: the current holiday fests are slash heavy, although not exclusively so. All of my recs today are slash, so if you strongly dislike it, I doubt you'll like these. Furthermore, since I had to split these up somehow, all of today's recs are from the Snarry Holidays fest, with the exception of one really rare pairing. Next week will bring Snupin and both het and gen recs, I promise.
I've noted the ratings for your convenience (mind them, please), and because none of these exchanges have posted their reveals yet, these are all by Anonymous. Later, after author names have been posted, I'll edit this post to reflect the correct authors. And last but not least, please note that virtually all of these deal with DH-canon in some way, although most of them twist it to some degree.
ETA: Snarry Holidays authors are listed as of 12/26.
ETA 2: Merry Smutmas author listed as of 1/4.
So, with that out of the way:
*The first one on my list is No Place at All (Snarry, NC-17), by ac1d6urn and sinick. The story almost defies description. It features a Harry who's embraced a bohemian, vagabond lifestyle, and a Snape who has rebuilt himself a post-DH life that nobody could ever have imagined, amongst a traveling circus of misfit magical folk and carnival "freaks." The circus itself has, as one commenter noted, a bizarre, Fellini-esque quality, but after a bit of time, even the gaggle of dancing Inferi grow on you, I promise; these characters are vividly, humanely drawn, despite their exotic quirks. Severus and Harry meet in this setting by accident (Severus is one of the headliners, the Prince of Serpents), but what they find in each other is enough to cause Harry to join the circus himself, finally having learned how to soar.
The story is just wonderful: vivid and sexy and just seedy enough to be completely fascinating without veering into exploitation. It features a hilarious and endearing cast of various snake refugees, who are part of Severus' act as well as his pets and friends; the authors even went the extra mile to provide photos for each and every one of them. The premise is amongst the most unusual that I've seen, but it works ingeniously here. This is also Snape as you've never seen him--or heard him--but I promise you, you'll be enthralled.
*I completely adored A Tolerable End to an Unfortunate Situation (Snarry, listed as NC-17, though I'd call it an R), by who_la_hoop. This story is warm but extremely witty, charming without ever losing its sarcastic edge. The characterizations are perfect: Harry's a bit oblivious, but very earnest and well-meaning, and Snape is a marvel: he wields razor-sharp sarcasm and caustic wit with impunity, while remaining unexpectedly vulnerable, uncertain and very, very human. Together, they fumble their way into something that might have a future.
The plot is fairly simple: through a series of unfortunate events, Severus is unexpectedly resurrected and then thrown into Azkaban, where he must be rescued by Harry, care of Hermione's brilliant plotting. There are a number of very clever ideas here, including the concept of a human portkey, but for me, it's the dialogue and the gently humorous, sympathetic portrayal of the characters that really makes it stand out. The story starts with a stark naked, newly revived Snape stalking into the jam-packed Great Hall, deeply suspicious and out for Harry's blood--and the rest of the fic lives up to that very memorable opening.
*gingertart50's Echoes (Snarry, NC-17) is another story that's not to be missed. Again, the characterizations are splendid and very insightful, but what really sets this story apart is the way DH-canon has been integrated (it's epilogue compliant!), as well as the incredibly imaginative magical world that is detailed. Set a few years after the epilogue, the story gives a wonderful, warm portrait of Harry-as-dad, living with his kids at Grimmauld Place after his marriage to Ginny has hit the rocks. Enter a mysterious perfume-maker whose brews really do seem to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses, and soon Harry is discovering that the tales of Snape's demise were greatly exaggerated.
I have a very strong suspicion as to who is responsible for this story, and can only say that it continues a tradition of exceptionally creative magic and amazingly vivid descriptions. (ETA: My guess was wrong! ~looks sheepish~) Grimmauld Place and its furnishings have personalities of their own, the family dynamics are spot-on, and the characterization of Snape is a winner: prickly and guarded, but mellowed from the time after the war and surprisingly vulnerable. If you hated the epilogue of DH, this is your antidote: a story that not only makes it make sense, but makes it appealing.
*A number of people have already reccommended dementordelta's Between the Lines (Snarry, NC-17), but just let me add my voice to the chorus: this is a great story. It reimagines the way HBP might have played out had Harry discovered the true identity of the Half-Blood Prince earlier in the year--even better, if he'd been able to communicate with the Prince over a distance of twenty years. The story introduces a method for teenaged Harry and teenaged Snape to "speak" to one another through the Advanced Potions-Making Book, allowing them to get to know one another in a way that real life would never allow. Needless to say, the impact on events is very different.
The creativity of the central conceit is a strong draw, but the interaction between the two main characters is very well done. Because they have essentially known each other as boys, the power dynamic between Snape and Harry is necessarily changed, nearly leveled. Snape comes across as a younger man here--less pompous, more open--precisely because he's already been so open with Harry; there's no need for masks here. Although this is a long fic, I ripped right through it, fascinated to see where it would go next.
*atdelphi's Goat Song (Snape/Aberforth, NC-17) is a rec from Merry Smutmas, featuring the rarest of pairs: Severus/Aberforth. Yes, you read that correctly! The pairing and title make this sound like pure crack, but it isn't even close. In fact, it's a very insightful and surprisingly tender portrait of an unlikely friendship that becomes an even unlikelier affair spanning more than a decade. Given the gruff and rough-edged men involved, there's a great deal that's left unsaid; it's in their deeds that they show their feelings. Aberforth is a man who's used to cleaning up the messes that Albus leaves behind him, accustomed to accepting rejects and discovering hidden value--and that's exactly why he's so perfect for this wounded Snape.
Both characterizations are excellent, and as a bonus, this story offers both an intriguing explanation for Aberforth's "improper use of charms" incident with the goat, as well as one of the most original explanations for how Snape survived the horrors of the Shrieking Shack. This story is as sweet as a romance between two such sour men can be, and it's worth a read.
Next week: more recs!
Before I start, a few notes: the current holiday fests are slash heavy, although not exclusively so. All of my recs today are slash, so if you strongly dislike it, I doubt you'll like these. Furthermore, since I had to split these up somehow, all of today's recs are from the Snarry Holidays fest, with the exception of one really rare pairing. Next week will bring Snupin and both het and gen recs, I promise.
I've noted the ratings for your convenience (mind them, please), and because none of these exchanges have posted their reveals yet, these are all by Anonymous. Later, after author names have been posted, I'll edit this post to reflect the correct authors. And last but not least, please note that virtually all of these deal with DH-canon in some way, although most of them twist it to some degree.
ETA: Snarry Holidays authors are listed as of 12/26.
ETA 2: Merry Smutmas author listed as of 1/4.
So, with that out of the way:
*The first one on my list is No Place at All (Snarry, NC-17), by ac1d6urn and sinick. The story almost defies description. It features a Harry who's embraced a bohemian, vagabond lifestyle, and a Snape who has rebuilt himself a post-DH life that nobody could ever have imagined, amongst a traveling circus of misfit magical folk and carnival "freaks." The circus itself has, as one commenter noted, a bizarre, Fellini-esque quality, but after a bit of time, even the gaggle of dancing Inferi grow on you, I promise; these characters are vividly, humanely drawn, despite their exotic quirks. Severus and Harry meet in this setting by accident (Severus is one of the headliners, the Prince of Serpents), but what they find in each other is enough to cause Harry to join the circus himself, finally having learned how to soar.
The story is just wonderful: vivid and sexy and just seedy enough to be completely fascinating without veering into exploitation. It features a hilarious and endearing cast of various snake refugees, who are part of Severus' act as well as his pets and friends; the authors even went the extra mile to provide photos for each and every one of them. The premise is amongst the most unusual that I've seen, but it works ingeniously here. This is also Snape as you've never seen him--or heard him--but I promise you, you'll be enthralled.
*I completely adored A Tolerable End to an Unfortunate Situation (Snarry, listed as NC-17, though I'd call it an R), by who_la_hoop. This story is warm but extremely witty, charming without ever losing its sarcastic edge. The characterizations are perfect: Harry's a bit oblivious, but very earnest and well-meaning, and Snape is a marvel: he wields razor-sharp sarcasm and caustic wit with impunity, while remaining unexpectedly vulnerable, uncertain and very, very human. Together, they fumble their way into something that might have a future.
The plot is fairly simple: through a series of unfortunate events, Severus is unexpectedly resurrected and then thrown into Azkaban, where he must be rescued by Harry, care of Hermione's brilliant plotting. There are a number of very clever ideas here, including the concept of a human portkey, but for me, it's the dialogue and the gently humorous, sympathetic portrayal of the characters that really makes it stand out. The story starts with a stark naked, newly revived Snape stalking into the jam-packed Great Hall, deeply suspicious and out for Harry's blood--and the rest of the fic lives up to that very memorable opening.
*gingertart50's Echoes (Snarry, NC-17) is another story that's not to be missed. Again, the characterizations are splendid and very insightful, but what really sets this story apart is the way DH-canon has been integrated (it's epilogue compliant!), as well as the incredibly imaginative magical world that is detailed. Set a few years after the epilogue, the story gives a wonderful, warm portrait of Harry-as-dad, living with his kids at Grimmauld Place after his marriage to Ginny has hit the rocks. Enter a mysterious perfume-maker whose brews really do seem to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses, and soon Harry is discovering that the tales of Snape's demise were greatly exaggerated.
I have a very strong suspicion as to who is responsible for this story, and can only say that it continues a tradition of exceptionally creative magic and amazingly vivid descriptions. (ETA: My guess was wrong! ~looks sheepish~) Grimmauld Place and its furnishings have personalities of their own, the family dynamics are spot-on, and the characterization of Snape is a winner: prickly and guarded, but mellowed from the time after the war and surprisingly vulnerable. If you hated the epilogue of DH, this is your antidote: a story that not only makes it make sense, but makes it appealing.
*A number of people have already reccommended dementordelta's Between the Lines (Snarry, NC-17), but just let me add my voice to the chorus: this is a great story. It reimagines the way HBP might have played out had Harry discovered the true identity of the Half-Blood Prince earlier in the year--even better, if he'd been able to communicate with the Prince over a distance of twenty years. The story introduces a method for teenaged Harry and teenaged Snape to "speak" to one another through the Advanced Potions-Making Book, allowing them to get to know one another in a way that real life would never allow. Needless to say, the impact on events is very different.
The creativity of the central conceit is a strong draw, but the interaction between the two main characters is very well done. Because they have essentially known each other as boys, the power dynamic between Snape and Harry is necessarily changed, nearly leveled. Snape comes across as a younger man here--less pompous, more open--precisely because he's already been so open with Harry; there's no need for masks here. Although this is a long fic, I ripped right through it, fascinated to see where it would go next.
*atdelphi's Goat Song (Snape/Aberforth, NC-17) is a rec from Merry Smutmas, featuring the rarest of pairs: Severus/Aberforth. Yes, you read that correctly! The pairing and title make this sound like pure crack, but it isn't even close. In fact, it's a very insightful and surprisingly tender portrait of an unlikely friendship that becomes an even unlikelier affair spanning more than a decade. Given the gruff and rough-edged men involved, there's a great deal that's left unsaid; it's in their deeds that they show their feelings. Aberforth is a man who's used to cleaning up the messes that Albus leaves behind him, accustomed to accepting rejects and discovering hidden value--and that's exactly why he's so perfect for this wounded Snape.
Both characterizations are excellent, and as a bonus, this story offers both an intriguing explanation for Aberforth's "improper use of charms" incident with the goat, as well as one of the most original explanations for how Snape survived the horrors of the Shrieking Shack. This story is as sweet as a romance between two such sour men can be, and it's worth a read.
Next week: more recs!