What I Read Today: Djinanna's Fanfic Revue

Subject:	What I Read Lately (6/15-29) - AND, EV, XO
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	11:34 pm.
Mood:	busy.

So, with the help of a sortable table in my word processing program, I was able to quickly "combine the days' reading by fandom and make one post per fandom", which was the winning vote on the poll. (See previous post.) There will be 6 posts in all (most of them tomorrow, most likely) and then I'll be caught up. This first post takes care of the "orphans" -- the fandoms where I'd only read one or two stories in the past 15 days. Oddly enough, I haven't read anything in Highlander, X-Files, or Stargate, among other (neglected) fandoms.

Andromeda: Harper

The Cultural Hostage Exchange Program, part 3 *WIP*
by OtherCat (

othercat) Dirty Little Secrets
Previous parts: part 1 ... part 2
AU ... OC continues this intriguing story, with young Earth rebel Harper as a "guest" on the Andromeda Ascendant -- which is controlled in this AUniverse by Admiral Tyr Anasazi. In this installment, Harper and Eleanor (his "babysitter") get to know one another a little better. No, not that way, this is *gen* so far. There's the flavor of a Heinlein juvenile about this piece, though according to the author, it may venture into slash territory in later chapters. *very recommended*

It Was a Dark and Stormy Universe: Tesseracts and You: An Operator's Manual, part 1 *WIP*
by OtherCat (

othercat) Dirty Little Secrets
Future!fic *and* AU ... according to OC, this is a future prequel (or maybe prologue?) to the above-mentioned piece. Gold!Trance and older-sadder-Harper discuss strategies. Harper suggests a new variant. I've seen the first draft of the next section (and it's been posted since then but I haven't had time to reread it) and it's shivery-inducing. I may be an easy audience for good Harper characterization, though. Definitely darker in tone than the companion piece, though. *very recommended*

NOTE: In the interests of full disclosure, I should let you know that I'm kinda acting as a beta for these stories.

Crossover: Smallville xo Muppets

Lovers and Dreamers
by Alexia Eve
With cameo mention of The Spectacles!!! This humor piece is absolutely adorable. I can see why it got rec'd all over my friends page. Written in the surreal style of the original Muppet Show, where humans and puppets interact as though it's normal. It also captures the simultaneous over-the-top and dry sense of humor from the show. It made me *ache* to have it back. **definitely recommended**

Everwood: Bright/Ephram

Through the Wire, part 6 *WIP*
by Miss Windy (

misswindy)
Previous parts linked at top of story post. This lovely after-graduation story continues the story of Ephram and Bright living together in Boston. When I first saw the possibilities of Ephram/Bright as a pairing, *this* is what I had in mind. The author stays true to both characters (and to the rest of the cast, in true-to-the-show flashbacks as well as the occasional phone call home to the folks) and still makes their romance believable. Ephram is still the brat!prince drama queen of the show, Bright is still awkward and not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But neither is reduced to caricature -- Ephram is also sensitive and caring, and Bright is also vulnerable yet strong in his own way. And the author captures tone and pitch of the other cast members -- Andy, Harold, and the others "back home in Everwood" -- and their interdynamics wonderfully. Watch this show!!! Read this fic!!! **I'm thinking that's a big "yes" in the recommended column**

Comments: 1 rec - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Saturday (6/14) - TS, SG, DS, xo
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	6:11 pm.
Mood:	accomplished.

Yippee! Caught up to today's reading list. Go me!

Crossover: The Sentinel xo Stargate SG-1
Back Up Plan
by Dangermouse (

dmouse)
AU -- "What if Blair had another option when things started to go wrong between him and Jim over the diss -- and Alex?" I've been kinda rough on this author here, yet I always end up reading her new stuff. Why? Because she writes long stories, with plots, and I can always skim past the sex scenes. And because my hunger for Sentinel stories far outstrips the supply of new fic coming out. On the other hand, this is the second story by her that I've read where big mean Jim and Jack have driven faultless Blair and Daniel (who are old old friends'n'lovers) into each others' arms for hot'n'heavy comfort sex. Okay, this is the author's kink, she's very upfront in believing that Blair and Daniel are soulmates, even if they each love somebody else. So, from the standpoint that an author should be free to write her kinks and to please herself first, I can't fault it. But from the standpoint of *my* kinks, this is just so not my thing. There's a touch of wee!Blair going on, and a few too many "you're beautiful", "no, you're beautiful" exchanges. The Daniel in my head isn't a big slut, either. And there's a strong fairy godmother/dues ex machina sense to how everything turns out so conveniently and well for the main characters. If the fandoms or the pairings interest you, then you need to judge for yourself.

Due South: Fraser/Kowalski
What If
by shedoc
Author summary: What if Ray V came in from the cold before COTW? How do I love this story? Let me count the ways ... Dief (and the "who's taking care of the wolf" question) is remembered at all crucial points ... Vecchio is treated with respect and not turned into a homophobic jerk. What's not to love? RayK's dialect -- the "dese, dats, and deres" approach that, yeah, is a South Sider accent but a pain to have to read (thus spaketh the North Sider). What I don't get is why the author goes with the "dese, dats, and deres" thing in this more recent story when earlier stories (see below for titles) don't have this irritating dialect thingee. Stella-bashing (though, since I'm not familiar with source, it's possible that she deserves it and I'm just not aware of it). Some underwritten segments, especially pre-relationship angst, Vecchio's homecoming, Kowalski's return to duty, and a few other sections ... they felt rushed, like there was more that could've been/needed to be said there. Overall, the good stuff far outweighs the, um, less-good. **recommended**

Due South: Fraser/Kowalski
Mechanic at Stony Creek
Family at Stony Creek
Crisis at Stony Creek
by shedoc
I've read the first two installments before and enjoyed them. Post-CotW, Fraser and RayK go back to their separate countries after their quest for the Hand of Franklin. Then Ray gets injured (severely) in the line of duty and moves to Canada -- but without telling Fraser what's happened. He settles in the town of Stony Creek as the town mechanic (taking over from the previous mechanic who is retiring and who he'd befriended during the quest). Bad things happen and Fraser gets reassigned to Stony Creek. Rocky reunion, then life continues from there, to use Ray's words, "in the context of crazed weasels". *snicker* I just love that phrase. The moment when the two first declare their love for one another is a bit overly melodramatic, and their pet names for one another are a bit on the gooey side, but I seem to remember sobbing along the first time I read it. I admit it, I'm a sap sometimes. Lots of Dief here, treated well, plus a strong supporting cast made up of a mixed back of familiar-from-canon and original characters. Action, adventure, and Turnbull! *recommended*

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Friday (6/13) - SV, EW, BA
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	4:20 pm.
Mood:	amused.

I know I've been talking about falling behind and catching up here at the Revue, but I just realized that this pattern is kinda necessary. Sometimes, I need a little distance after reading a story before I can comment on it, kinda like a mental palate-cleansing. And other times, I'm just not in the right frame of mind to write a Revue (and, yes, I *do* use that spelling deliberately). So, anyway, I'm thinking that this fall-behind, hurry-to-catch-up, fall-behind, hurry-to-catch-up pattern is gonna persist for the foreseeable future. I'll still continue to make one post per reading-day, but some days there'll be no new posts here and others there might be 3 or 4. Because it's working so far....

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Altville, Part Twenty-Eight *WIP*
by Livia Penn (

liviapenn) @

box_of_serial
Previously installments rec'd at the Revue. AU serial. Still the same day, still at high school, Julian is learning (one hopes) that his actions have consequences. Sometimes *dangerous* consequences. With featured appearances by feisty!Lana and crazy!bugboy-Greg, and a cameo by a Surprise Rescuer. **highly recommended**

Everwood: Ephram/Bright
Through The Wire, Part 5 *WIP*
by

misswindy
Previously installments rec'd at the Revue. This lovely futurefic story of Ephram and Bright living and loving together in Boston while Ephram attends University (does the Boston Conservatory of Music count as University? have I even got the school's name right?) continues with another wonderful installment. For me, this is probably the definitive Ephram/Bright story that all others are measured against. (Boy, no pressure there, huh? And, it's the *first* story I discovered in the fandom; I shall be spoiled forever!) The author continues with her present/flash-back/back to present style, keeping us in touch with Everwood (both through the boys' past there and through their present family ties) while also exploring their new lives in Boston. This is not an "everything's perfect in our perfect little love nest" story -- the personality conflicts, insecurities, and occasional mistakes in judgement that make the show so real are all present. But Bright and Ephram are, even with their problems, so adorable together and I'm rooting for them so hard to make it through and stay together! And the "coming out to the parents/family" thread that is still running through the installments is so painfully good. And -- highlight of the installment -- Bright calls Ephram on his drama-queen tendencies. I'm still giggling. ***highly recommended***

Smallville: CLex
Knowing (part 1)
What Forgiveness (part 2)
by Corinna (

corinna_5)
Futurefic. I ... this was lovely. Superman is in deadly peril; Lex reacts. If I talk about it too much, I'll ruin the experience of reading the story for you, because it's a layered read where everything comes clear as you read. The sequel was added to resolve the cliffhanger ending of the first story. **recommended, yes, it is**

Smallville: CLex
A Deeper Season, Chapter 1 *WIP*
A Deeper Season, Chapter 2 *WIP*
by Nifra Idril (

nifra_idril)
Found the link from

celli (see, I listen when my friends list makes recs, and I'm always rewarded for it). This AU is based on the "what if Clark and Lex first meeting happened at a different place/time and in different circumstances" -- Lex wasn't sent to Smallville here, so he and Clark first meet when Clark, between his first and second years at MetU, gets a summer job interning at Lex's office. There's LexCorp and scandal and evil!Lionel and ... two woobies having a meeting of the minds. ***very recommended***

Smallville: CLex
Roomies, Part Five *WIP*
by

bexless @

stalkingeric
Previously installments rec'd at the Revue. Another AU, this time Clark and Lex are the same age and end up as college roommates their freshman year at MetU. This installment, Pete comes for a visit -- yeouch! **yes, of course recommended**
______________________________

bad!fic parody alert! Warning: the following are only recommended if you're into this sort of thing, cause they *are* brilliantly done (which is kinda frightening in its own right), but ... reading *could* be construed as self-abuse in some circles. I, uh, don't every read at FF.net unless I go escorted by a solid rec -- this is the reason. And, just so you're clear about this, Green is a very talented writer, this story is a parody.

Buffy-verse: Spuffy
Green Writes Bad Fic, aka "The love that concered the first EVIL"
by Green (

green_luv) writing as Princess Green Kittykatbladestar
The brilliance that is Green hurts my eyes. And my stomach. This is a rewriting of "Chosen", the way it should have been!?! ::crawls off into corner to curl into a fetal ball and whimper and gibber mindlessly whilst chewing on hair::

Buffy-verse: Spuffy
Bad Fic Sequel, aka "Love conckers ALL" (down in the comments)
by

greensilver writing as Gothgrrl4britney
I-I-uh ::starts rocking, arms wrapped around stomach, whilst sobbing inconsolably::

--------------------------------

[ eta ... corrected listings to add several "*WIP*" notations that I'd forgotten ]

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Thursday (6/12) - BA, EV, HP xo
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	3:20 pm.
Mood:	hot.

Just FYI, guys, I welcome comments, disagreements and discussion of my opinions here. And -- if you've got a story you'd like me to read, I'm always open to a few good recs...

Buffy-verse: Giles/Ethan
Masks, a Giles/Ethan story - chapters 4 & 5 *WIP*
by Wolfling (

wolfling) & Magpie (

piedmargaret)
Post-series end, Giles discovers that the US military still has Ethan Rayne held captive and being experimented on at a secret military base. As head of the newly reforming Watchers Council, Giles pulls some strings and exerts some influence to rescue his old love from his inhumane imprisonment. And all that happens before the story begins.... I am insanely in love with this story, the ultimate Ethan/Giles rapproachement-set-in-present-day story that I have dreamed of since ... probably since "Band Candy" first aired (yeah, I know, that was before Ethan's capture by the military; it's the reconciliation and discovery/discussion of their past relationship that I've been jonesing for since, along with Giles, I never expected the military to be able to hold him that long). It's not only got the plot of my dreams, it's brilliantly written -- the characters are captivating. the slowly revealed backstory is fabulous, the-- I'm gushing, I know. I'll stop that for now. If there's one thing I would like more of (that may or may not be planned for future installments), it's further explorations into the post-Chosen world ... more about Giles' new Watchers Council (of which we've had a few tiny but tantalizing hints already), more guest appearances by the BtVS cast members (we got Buffy via phone call, but I'd love to see Willow drop by for a visit, or -- and here's a big surprise -- maybe Xander, or howzabout Dawn for a vacation visit before school starts again...). If that never happens, though, it's okay -- I don't know what-all is planned for the story's full through-line and if it's just Giles and Ethan, I'll still be overjoyed and gushing. ***jumping up and down and shrieking that you should rush over and read this right now, dammit, recommended***

Everwood: Bright/Ephram
Coming Through the Rye (part 3 of 3)
by

marleigh @ Midnight Radio
This is the third and, I think, final part to this series; previous parts mentioned and linked in this post here at the Revue. This third part takes a sudden unexpected swerve to the left, giving Bright both ambition and a talent not previously alluded to, one that I don't think has been mentioned in canon either. It was ... disconcerting to me, as though Bright suddenly became an entirely different character. While I'm happy to see him happy and with a purpose (because I went from first-episode-hatred to utter adoration of the blond woobie!jock as the season progressed), it's Bright's vulnerability and lack of purpose (and implied fear of an uncertain future) that makes his character so appealing to me. I hope he *will* someday find direction for his life, but there's something uncomfortably dues ex machina about the sudden revelation of talent. Sure, it puts him on equal footing with Ephram in the artistic talent area -- but my attraction to Bright/Ephram as my OTP revolves around their obvious unsuitability for one another and how, sometimes, love can bridge that gap -- and how. Anyway, the ending here was sweet, yet (per the above-noted reasons) a little disappointing overall. *recommended with caveats*

Crossover: Harry Potter xo Sandman
So Many Monsters (the language is leaving me in silence)
by Victoria P (

musesfool)
Delirium! Desire! Despair! Oh *squee* -- I need more Endless fic in my life, I definitely do. (Recs, anyone?) And, yes, yet another short little Harry Potter story dragging me towards my eventual capitulation into that fandom. I'm warning you-all already, I'm probably gonna end up a Harry/Draco fan -- and it will be the fault of stories like this (which is *not* a Harry/Draco story) luring me in.... Oh yeah, about this story: an examination of Sirius and his time in prison, illuminated by cameos from the Endless. Bittersweet, achy-painful, sad ... ultimately (though I rather hate using this jargon-y word to describe such a lovely story, it fits in the good way) life-affirming. *recommended*

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Wednesday (6/11) AND, BA, EV, DS
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	11:13 pm.
Mood:	busy.

Still working hard to catch up with myself.

Andromeda: Harper/Dylan, Harper/Tyr
Away
By Viridian5 (

viridian5) @ The Green Room v2
Spoilers all along. I haven't been keeping up with the show, so I was kinda lost by the half-way point. Still, I kept reading because I love Harper, I love V's Harper, and I love V's writing. But familiarity with the show through this season would definitely benefit you in the reading. *recommended w/caveats*

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander, Xander/other, Willow/Oz, Buffy/Riley
Sidelines (story index) *WIP*
The Other Half Lives
House of Many Hearts
by Anna S (

eliade) @ anna's stories
See previous post. The second and (new) third installments of the Sidelines series, these stories are an AU season five. No Dawn or Glory so far, and I suspect there won't be (though I'm not sure). The characters are dealing with entirely different complications to their lives. Spike and Xander have an on-again-off-again relationship; Willow tries to be supportive of what Xander wants, while Buffy is appalled at Spike having his undead claws into her dear friend. "The Other Half Lives" has a mind-blowingly fabulous sex scene (well, more than one, but that first one is just ... wow) and some damn good characterization too. I'm not all that wild about the through-line plot (vampire girl sues Buffy for slaying her boyfriend), but that's a minor quibble. "House of Many Hearts" gears up on the angst. Spike *is* a demon here, and it may be just me, but I could swear that he's showing signs of feeling more for Xander than just sexual desire -- but he can't seem to bring himself to *say* anything to Xander and it's causing serious problems in their relationship. And Buffy-the-matchmaker isn't helping -- well, she's probably argue that she is. By the end of the story, I was *shrieking* at the computer screen about Xander's actions/choices (you'll know about what -- keep in mind that I'm a OTP girl, and Spike/Xander is my all-time favorite Buffy-verse pairing). The demonic haunting through-line caught my interest better than the previous installment's through-line. Lots of Giles here, too. And construction-guy!Xander makes a much-*squee*-ed-over appearance. The ending is a relationship cliffhanger. Oh *please* let the author decide to work on the next installment soon.... **very recommended**

Everwood: Bright/Ephram, minor Colin/Amy
Full Circle
by

insanegenius
Author summary: Ephram and Bright attempt to make it through the week. The author gives credit to a writer in X-Men fandom for inspiration and "format"; I'm not familiar with the citation though, so I can't comment. There are things going on in the story that aren't obvious until the final scene, when everything does a kaleidoscope shift and take on entirely different meanings than previously thought (I'm assuming this is what the author means by "format", but I don't know). Pretty darn cool, though, and I enjoyed it. *recommended*

Andromeda: Harper/Tyr
Builder's Bum
by Rivier
Short little story that takes a tour inside Tyr's mind as he contemplates Harper. Interesting. *recommended*

Due South: Fraser/RayK
Relax
by Dira Sudis
Story Notes: Set during and after "Seeing is Believing." Fraser gives into temptation during the whole hypnosis thingee, then deals with near-crippling guilt. Ray is much more understanding that Fraser ever expected. Lovely angsty story with interesting character insights. *highly recommended*

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Tuesday (6/10) - EW, SV, BA, HL
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	11:07 pm.
Mood:	working.

Yeah yeah yeah, I'm way late posting this. And I've got lots more to catching up to do, too.

Everwood *gen*
untitled, written for

plumsnickety's Quotable Media Challenge
by Queen of a Lost Art (

queenofalostart)
Futurefic featuring Andy, Ephram, and Delia. Short. Bittersweet. *recommended*

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Altville, Part Twenty-Seven *WIP*
by Livia Penn (

liviapenn) @

box_of_serial
The saga of the switched-as-toddlers pair continues. Alex pondering Julian and the Luthors. Julian watching as more consequences to his actions hurt *other* people. **highly recommended**

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
Repossession, part 65 *WIP*
by LazuliKat @ Excess
Glorious excess.... The Spike/Xander relationship train narrowly avoided another crash-and-derailment in this installment. William made a surprise appearance. And the mystery of Xander's boss remains mysterious. The chip issue is coming to a head and something will have to give soon. I don't know how much longer the story will go, especially now that we've come to the third movement, The End, and it's increasing the tension of the story. ***very recommended***

Smallville: Clark/Lex
Roomies, up through part 4 *WIP*
by

bexless @

stalkingeric
AU. College!Clark and College!Lex -- as roommates! I think it was

celli who pimped it where I saw, but it might've been

bexless herself.... This is a fabulous little "what if" examination of how the boys would relate if they were the same age and had met under different circumstances. Some sly in-jokes referring back to canon events enriches the story. ***rec-rec-recommended***

Highlander: Duncan/Methos
Friends in Low Places
By Suze @ The Slum
Funny and sexy and yowzer! The story opens with Duncan several hours into the hottest sexual encounter he's ever experienced. Then we flash back to Duncan and Methos are sitting around, BSing each other about their individual past sexual exploits. Duncan boasts about the most expensive whore he'd ever been with and how she was worth it, then asks Methos what the asking price of the most expensive whore he'd ever known had been. Methos tells him, adjusting for changes in currency and inflation, $20,000. Duncan laughs and responds that there's no way he believes Methos ever paid that much for a whore. Methos just smiles and responds with one of my favorite lines in Highlander fanfic -- and you're just gonna have to read the story to find out what he says, I've given away too much already. **very recommended**

Smallville: Clark/Lex
Time and Chance, part 20 *WIP*
by Dayspring @ Dayspring's Desires
Warning: MPREG. Yikes! After an extended run of "things are improving" installments as Lex enters his second trimester, this week's episode exploded like a booby trap and finished with a cliffhanger of major proportions. I will believe that everything is okay. I will believe that everything is okay. I will-- *arrrgh* This would be a bad week for Dayspring to miss her usual reliable Saturday update, that's all I've got to say. ***highly recommended***

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander, Xander/other, Willow/Oz, Buffy/Riley
Sidelines (story index) *WIP*
Sidelines (the story)
by Anna S (eliade) @ anna's stories
New installment of Sidelines is out, "House of Many Hearts". I realized, though, that in order to fully appreciate the new installment, I was gonna have to go back and reread What Hath Gone Before. The author premises her story on "what if Xander rather than Willow came out of the closet in season four?" Being Xander, it happens accidentally and he has to figuratively run to catch up with the changes his life is taking. This story is woven around the events of season four, filling in the blanks and changing the subplots to match Xander's new story. Also, Oz and Willow stay together, and Tara ends up experiencing tons of unrequited love. Oh yeah -- and Spike gets a kitten. **highly recommended**

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	Featured Site [oldies but goodies: Zen&nancy;'s Homeless Shelter & Soup Kitchen]
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	8:14 am.
Mood:	horny.

I'm interrupting our regularly scheduled "what I read today" sessions -- which will return shortly -- to bring you a "Featured Site" rec, an old favorite of mine from back in the days when I took my first fumbling steps into slashdom. (Inspired by

dorrie6.) Note - any stories or sites or authors mentioned in this post are *****most highly recommended*****

Oh yeah -- I've mentioned often in my Revues that "the sex in this story is not my cuppa" -- come read these stories and see what *is* my cuppa! *grin*

Zen&nancy;'s Internet Homeless Shelter and Soup Kitchen*Featured Site* [oldies but goodies: Zen&nancy;'s Homeless Shelter & Soup Kitchen] (and also its parent site, Live, Grow Stronger, Slash Another Day, aka Zen&nancy;'s slash page).

The Homeless Shelter plays host to the multi-fandom fic of some of my favorite slash writers. It doesn't get updated all that often, but that's okay because most of what's here is in my "reread frequently" mental list. Some of the stories are no longer actively linked at the site, but they're worth tracking down elsewhere if possible -- maybe at the big archives for the individual fandoms (try my Slash Archive Roundup list for links).

When I took my first fumbling steps into slash, this was one of the first sites I stumbled across. I've told this progression several times, so I'll try to make it brief here. (Stop laughing!)

When I got my "new" laptop 2-1/2 years ago, I started reading Highlander fanfic on the web. Gen and het. None of that slash stuff. Not that I had any objection to pretty boys who dig each other instead of (or at least as well as) girls, they form a pretty substantial subgroup of the characters in my own Original Fiction universe, after all. But slash wasn't *canon*.

Except ... I'm a Methos girl. And eventually (it took me less than 6 months, actually), I'd read every gen or het Methos story at the big Highlander fanfic archive, 7th Dimension, but I wanted more. (If you've been following this journal at all, you've got an idea of what a voracious fanfic reader I am.) And Duncan and Methos were awful purty together. And there was a lot of subtext there, too. (Methos lounging on Duncan's bed, legs spread ... Duncan painting Methos's nose ... all the tension from the Horseman 2-parter ... mmmmm....)

And that's how I started reading slash. And suddenly my mindset turned into "what are these het and gen that you speak of?"

And when I'd exhausted the D/M slash at 7th Dimension, I discovered ... first, you have to understand that I am a raging OTP girl *most* of the time. But there are certain authors....

Ladonna King (aka Sleeps With Coyote; site: Blood, Love and Rhetoric) and torch (the flambeau factory), they were what did me in. I'll do a "featured site" thing for them another day, though I've given you the links.

And the stories that tempted me to venture past my OTP of Methos/Duncan? Briefly (for me)...

...from Ladonna: the Everything Dies series (X-Files -xo- Highlander) Alex Krycek is investigating the theft of some biotoxins and finds Melvin Koren, otherwise known as Kronos of the Horsemen. Sparks fly. When Methos joins them, things really get interesting. An AU of the Horsemen episodes that then moves beyond them on the timeline.

...from torch: China (X-Files -xo- Highlander) Methos has a breakdown -- uh, I mean, his car has a breakdown -- and he ends up in a possibly haunted house in a quaint little town in the heartland of America. And then Mulder and Scully show up investigating a casefile. And Methos thinks Mulder looks very tasty indeed.... Post-series for Highlander; mid-series for The X-Files; she fiddled with the timelines.

And, you know, that Alex Krycek guy seemed pretty darn interesting. And Mulder was pretty darn cute (um, as if the Methos obsession didn't give me away, I'm a nose girl *grin*), plus brains is always a turn-on.

Fiddling around on Ladonna's site, I found Blood, Love and Rhetoric which remains to this day my favorite Mulder/Krycek ... though the Krycek characterization is just a little off-center because the story was written for a particular challenge.

And thus was born my 2nd OTP. Mulder/Krycek, mmm-mmm, slashy goodness!

Which brings me to Zen&nancy.; I have a rough sex kink, which is something one needs when one reads Zen&nancy.; Their boys are seldom gentle with one another. When I'd finished devouring their Highlander and X-Files stories, I turned to what else was on their site: The Sentinel, Due South, Hard Core Logo, and some crossovers.

I decided to wait on HCL until I'd seen the movie (I'm still waiting *sigh*). Their TS are mostly snippets and PWP and only whetted my appetite for the characters. And I got a really weird first impression of the DS boys from them -- rough sex, remember? Not at all how I've come to see them since. (Though there was this HL/DS crossover on 7th Dimension, a looooong story featuring Methos (of course) and Ray Kowalski ... my love for RayK dates from reading that story. It's the first story (I haven't read the sequel yet) of the Cats of a Different Color series: "Making A Mark" by Phelas, aka AndromedaGirl -- who may be an amalgam of several writers from the story notes, though I don't know.... In the story, Methos is nursing a broken heart because Duncan is aggressively straight -- into his life comes new Immortal RayK, also nursing a broken heart because a certain Mountie is aggressively straight.)

So, I liked Zen&nancy;'s HL and XF stories, but wasn't too impressed by their TS and DS stuff. Then I stumbled onto their Homeless Shelter and Soup Kitchen, which is what they call the part of their site where they host other authors:

Aristide ... Bone ... CM Decarnin ... JaC ... Mairead Triste ...

... plus convenient links to former alumni of the site (some of whom were still there when I first started reading there) who have since gotten their own webpages:

Suze @ The Slum ... Luminosity @ The Slum ... Amy (link broken and I don't knwo where she is now) ... Resonant (resonant8) @ in media Res (link at Homeless Shelter is old; this is the correct link) ... Maxine Mayer @ Maxine's Magic (I won't go in-depth about these authors this time, but they're worth reading. Resonant especially is justifiably famous for her DS stories, and Luminosity's HL are short and clever with great banter.)

... and the world of slash kinda opened up and swallowed me. It was mostly on these pages that I first came to love The Sentinel's Jim/Blair and Due South's Fraser/RayK. There are other fandoms represented, but I have to admit I never ventured into Trek-slash, OZ, or Get Real ... and I only read one Sports Night story, and that only because it was rec'd by everybody (and deservedly so). Still, I tend to assume that these authors, writing in the fandoms I'm not familiar with, are as good as they are in the stuff I do read. And sometimes, they collaborate together....

Aristide writes long, sexy, character-rich stories. I can't pick just one or even two to single out for mention. Some are extended PWP, some are adventures, all are fabulous. HL, DS, TS

Bone ... also writes long, sexy, character-rich stories. Again, I can't pick just one or even two to single out for mention. Also again, some are extended PWP, some are adventures, all are fabulous. HL, DS, TS (plus SN, GR) and crossovers

JaC ... I only know this author's two crossover stories here. The second, "Strangers in Paris", is a Highlander/ER crossover featuring a sweet, brief affair between Methos and Carter. *melts* The link was broken for ages, but it's finally fixed. Yea!

Mairead Triste is Aristide's dark alter ego. "The Quality of Mercy", one of the most disturbing Mulder/Krycek stories I've ever read, is still listed on the page but without an active link. The other stuff is still dark, but maybe not quite as dark as QoM. It's all amazing -- but definitely not for the squeamish. There's a nightmarish quality to MT's writing that stands in direct contrast to the spritely, day-dreamy tone of Aristide. Oh, lest you get the wrong impression, it's not just rough sex that makes MT's work so disturbing, it's that her writing ventures into the dark psychological depths of her characters, where their inner demons dwell. And she does it very well, too. The collaborations with Bone or Aristide (which is kinda schizophrenic, and how I first discovered that she's both the same person) are not quite as rough. XF, HL, TS, OZ, DS

And finally ...

CM Decarnin ... see me melt into a puddle of formless goo. I haven't read the Trek story (because ... Kirk/Spock to me is like imagining your grandparents having sex, you know they do it, but you don't wanna know the details), but the X-Files stuff is -- ***guh*** Plus there are links to her Highlander stories over at The Highlander Quill Club There's also one little X-Files/Angel crossover that makes me scream for more.

Warning: CM Decarnin's stuff is ... brutal schmoop. Or maybe I should call it romantic BDSM? It's harsh and violent and hot and sexy and disturbing and ... *guh* ((pausing to reread bits, melting into puddle))

In "A Boy and His Rat", Alex Krycek is very literally rough trade. AB&HR; is a meandering, loosely-connected 16-part XF rentboy!Alex story that ... doesn't always make a lot of sense. Rather like X-Files canon, actually. Most of the parts can be read as separate short stories because the through line isn't really strong. Alex is dangerous and vulnerable in painful ways, Mulder is a selfish bastard, and the stories are ... kinky, nasty, hot, and sometimes kinda goofy. And part 6 is my all-time favorite phone sex story. All-time. Favorite. I've read it so many times, the edges of the link are beginning to get dog-eared. And I just wanna say -- I won't judge what turns your crank if you don't judge what turns mine, 'kay? [whisper]Superfreak...[/whisper] *guh*

"And Hades Followed After Him" (linked to at HLQC) is kinda famous (or maybe infamous) in some circles. It's a bit self-indulgent, it's very kinky, it's ... well, it's a BDSM story and the author takes *full* advantage of Immortal healing. *ouch* Brutal, tender, angry, sad, loving, sweet ... it's all of these by turn and more. And the first time I read it? I stopped reading at the end of the first page, not realizing it was several web-pages long. Talk about a cliffhanger ending! (I thought) and when I reread it the next day and discovered the tiny little link at the very bottom of the page? Whoa! The whole Cassandra flashback in ... I think it's part 3?? ... is necessary to the story but doesn't thrill me. I've disliked Cassandra since *before* she disclosed her Methos hatred, even if she does have some great clothes on the show. But my Cassandra!hatred is a rant for another day. Methos in this story is ... an extreme characterization, but I found it still within acceptable parameters -- another one of those all-praise-the-power-of-the-backstory things. Duncan ... is also not quite himself, but that's Kronos' fault. I've read this story many times (and it's long) and once actually made my mother sit through a recitation of highlights from it -- on her birthday -- because I was so ... into it. I skipped the really dirty bits though, and she didn't kill me. (And people wonder why I call her LSO, short for Long-Suffering One, in my journal. *grin*)

Then there's the post-series 4-part Krycek/Mulder story. Yeah, I know Krycek got killed in season 6 (or was it 7?). Damn, it's a ghost story, okay? Wonderful anyway. What was that thing from that movie? "skelping"? Heh. We don' need no stinkin' skelping here, we got Krycek!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

PS ... Whoa -- I'm feeling all hot'n'bothered now. Decision time -- reread some of these stories or take a cold shower ... hmmmm, whatever shall I chose? *smirk*

[ eta ... fixed dumb finicky little html and formatting thingees *facepalm* ]

Comments: 4 recs - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Saturday (6/7) - SV, TS, BA, SG, IM -- includes gen and het ::gasp!::
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	10:40 pm.
Mood:	crazy.

I keep telling myself and telling myself -- no more WIP -- and I keep ignoring my own advice. I know I've lost track of several WIPs recently that I'd been following for a while. I'm gonna have to round 'em all up and check out what I've missed. But people just need to stop posting all these new great WIPs, goshdarnitall! C'mon, just create these big sprawling epics overnight instead. We'd all be happier, you know. *sigh* Yeah, yeah. I know. I'm just into that whole instant gratification thing. And I'm greedy.

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Altville, Part Twenty-Five *WIP*
by

liviapenn @

box_of_serial
In the previous installment, we got smutty goodness (unfortunately, each of the boys was alone at the time *grin*). This installment moves forward the plot. At school with Lana, Pete, Greg-the-bug-boy, and, of course, Julian. Confrontations at the Torch office. Communing with nature. High school lunchtime. **highly recommended**

Smallville: CLex, I think
The Demon's Den, chapter 1 *WIP*
by Celli Lane (

celli) - Fanfic 101
Author's summary: Chloe gets in over her head and drags Clark and Lex with her." Author's note: "Written for the Hardy Boys challenge."
Set post-season 2, so things are awkward between the boys. Great start for a mystery, wanting to read more now. Story, there's gonna be story!!! With "a side of smut" promised to come. ((happy wiggle)) **recommended**

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
A Golden Opportunity
by Dolimar
AU. Takes the basic elements of the pilot and a few of the better known early episodes, mixes them up a bit, adds some extra drama and tension, and raises the stakes substantially. About as realistic as the series itself, so if you're expecting cutting edge reality, you're in the wrong place. However, if you can relax back and accept a few Sentinel-style absurdities and coincidences, you're in the right place. I quite enjoyed this story, though I did feel that the relationship elements were rushed -- Jim was *so* open to and accepting of Blair, not at all the "grumpy Gus" we're all familiar with from the series, for example, and the boys fell into bed together proclaiming "I love you" way too quickly. I could've done with either longer or a sequel in order to properly develop the love story. **recommended**

And now, to follow some links posted by (butterflykiki) in the horsechicks recs community. Whee! Recs!

Buffy-verse: Fred/Other, Lilah/Wes
Friends and Other Disasters
by Jennifer-Oksana (

jennyo)
Author summary: Spike--maybe--returns from the dead to frustrate the increasingly distant Angel and Hart team. But is he just a red herring to distract the team from something far more important? No heavy smut, but implied het and f/f slash.
Nice long plotty post-season story. Special cameos by Giles and Xander. Definitely in need of a careful line-edit; there are typos and misspellings, plus some verb tense and parallel construction problems, throughout. I'm not sure why the entire relocated-to-W&H; AI gang spent so much time Spike-bashing. It didn't seem like an attempt at solidarity with Angel's canonical petulance regarding Spike, which would have made sense, and as far as I can remember none of them had ever met Spike, so I don't get it. However, it's important to note that Spike's presence is a plot point; despite the author summary above, this is *not* a Spike story. (And I'm totally okay with that.) Anyway, moving right along. Fred was pretty adorable, but I would've liked to get into *her* head to see how she thought/ticked, rather than observing her from the outside via an OC. The OC, on the other hand, was quite interesting and also adorable, so I didn't mind being in her head. There's quite a bit of wonderful Lilah POV also, which I really enjoyed the hell out of, especially with the patented Lilah snark. Angel was kinda annoying, reminding me a lot of what he was like in season 3 and the early part of season 4, before the visit from Angelus, which was also the behavior/personality that he rather reverted to in the final episode of the season and during his guest stint on BtVS. Which was rather disappointing in canon, but in this story gave Lilah even more ammunition for her snark, so that was okay -- but also a little disappointing, as I was finally regaining my Angel-love until that final episode/BtVS appearance. I adored Lilah's digs about The Connor Decision. I would've liked to see more Gunn and Wesley; they seemed more like enigmatic icons than fully realized characters here. I guess I'm ready for some explorations into how the changes in the AI situation will impact the main cast internally; but this was not the story for that. (And, after a moment of realization and adjustment, I was okay with that, too.) So, the story went off in a lot of directions that I didn't expect. The plot was chaotic and didn't seem to have any focus or direction, much like real life. *grin* Eventually, though, all the seemingly unrelated events fell into position and came to make sense in retrospect. I was surprised (and a bit confused) by the events of the climactic confrontation scene; the confusion is most likely my own problem as sometimes I need an anvil in order to "get the Thing" and subtle kinda goes right over my head. The ending left me vaguely unsettled. It's arguably a happy ending, but not necessarily my kind of happy ending (which is a bit on the idealized side). But I think it was a good (ie well-chosen) ending, even darn satisfying from some perspectives. At 136K, this is a hefty story, but I think I would have liked it even longer, the implications fleshed out more, because so many of the speculations/interpretations weren't fully realized as the story sped along its through-line. And, for all my caveats, I really enjoyed reading this. There was lots of funny stuff, some interesting speculations/interpretations of what "Angel & Heart" is gonna be like (especially liked Gunn's new special powers, and the Big Secret Meeting Room sans ninjas *snicker*). Oh, and did I mention, humor? Have a quote, from the opening scene: Their working relationship had evolved impressively over the past four months--there hadn't been a choking in six weeks--but Angel retained his tendency to treat Lilah like an unfortunate disease rather than his preferred day-to-day organizer and liaison to the eviler parts of LA. Definitely an enjoyable read, despite my caveats. But -- not what I expected from reading the summary. **recommended**

[ eta ... word from jennyo - there will be sequels-plural. Yippee! ]

Crossover: The Sentinel, Stargate SG-1, The Invisible Man *gen*
Actualize This
by Helena Handbasket
Oh-my-gods *snicker-snort-whimper* I can't breathe!!! Most crossovers focus on the wonderful social bonding that happens when Our Boys from various fandoms meet up with one another. Sometimes there's also irritatingly gratuitous sex. Almost always, there's instant friendship and mutal admiration. This ... is *so* not one of those stories. Instead, it's about the mutual iritation produced when three pairs of quirky, asocial lunatics are compelled to spend time together by forces beyond our control or comprehension (aka the US government). Some of them actively dislike each other (with resulting snark and snide comments) for huge chunks of the story. What results is a breath-stealingly funny, laugh-out-loud comedy of errors. And the final scene -- priceless. ***very highly recommended***

Buffy-verse *gen*
Threnody of Wildflowers
by Yavi Asad
Post-series. Buffy 1st person. Simple -- perhaps deceptively simple -- prose style. Very short ... and sweet, in the best way possible. A wonderful post-series grace note. I cried like a squishy-hearted romantic -- which I am. ***very highly recommended***

And now we're leaving horsechicks country...

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
The Odd Couple, Hellmouth-Style, chapters 1 & 2 *WIP*
by Mr Monkeybottoms (

mrmonkeybottoms)
*snicker* Another of those stories I've seen mentions of popping up more frequently on my friends list. Only two chapters in so far. And yes, yet another WIP. *sigh* The author takes off on a potentially AU tangent from the season 7 moment when Buffy forces Xander to accept Spike as his roommate -- again. Lots of humor, but also vulnerable souled-Spike. And Xander haunted by the demons of his bad choices from season 6. This is another of those stories that has some bumps along the storytelling because we're seeing it as a WIP -- things that a good beta would help to smooth out in a completed draft. Dealing with those rough spots is one of the downsides of reading WIPs. I felt there was a noticeable improvement in the writing between the first and second chapter, however, as the author became more confident of the material and started to get a grasp of where he/she (?) wanted to go with the story. Looking forward to seeing more. *recommended*

Buffy-verse: Giles/Ethan
Masks: a Giles/Ethan story, chapter 1 *WIP*
by Wolfling (

wolfling) and Magpie (

piedmargaret)
Warning: Spoilers through Buffy/"Chosen". After the series' ender of BtVS, Giles discovers that Ethan is still being held by the Initiative (or a reasonable facsimile). Chapter one is a basic rescue-and-reunion; more is written, but the authors (who are evil teasing wenches) have chosen to post One. Chapter. At. a Time. *arrrgh* Still, I cannot possibly fully convey my utter delight about discovering, as the sub-title calls it, "a Giles/Ethan story" that *isn't* about "the end of the relationship", or "what they once had but have no longer". Plus, it has angst and h/c and (potentially) kink. I think I'm beyond the simple delight expressed by a "squee" here. My toes are curling, I'm so thrilled by this! Wonderful wonderful, rave rave rave. Can't wait until the next chapter appears. *bouncebounce* ((impatience)) *bounce* Swore to myself that I was gonna hold off on getting involved in any more WIPs; obviously *sigh* I lied. Big thanks to

wesleysgirl for posting the link in her journal. ***yes, yes, yes -- definitely recommended***

Comments: 2 recs - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Friday (6/6) - BA, original fic pimping
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	12:29 pm.
Mood:	quixotic.

Didn't read a lot of stuff Friday. See, I forgot to go to bed Thursday night ... fell asleep with a long nap in the evening, woke up at 3:30am to feed the cats and do my meds, then stayed up till after breakfast, then crashed after The Sentinel. Slept on and off the rest of the day/evening. So, first I finished reading "Fifteen Years" by imajiru (see previous post), then I played on LiveJournal a bit (posting, commenting, making a poll, answering questions).

So, I really ended up reading only one other (long) fanfic story. So, a bit longer commentary about this one because ... well, because I got carried away. Oh, and pimping of original fiction by myself and a friend at the end. Because -- well, because it's my journal. *grin*

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
Who Wants to Live Forever, chapters 1-16 *WIP*
by metaforgirl
I've been seeing mentions of this story in different journals lately. I was just about to make one of those plaintive requests for a link when somebody (I don't remember who now) posted the link in their journal. So I bopped over there and started reading. Future fic, and goes AU sometime during/after season 6, I think.

I have to admit that my inner Xander picture is a bit more idealized than the fucked-up, all-to-human king of denial that Xander is in this story. And, I was disturbed by this Xander at first. But then, slowly, I began to see the sweet side of him underneath all the BS. It was probably through Spike's POV, thinking back to why he fell for Xander, that did it. Now, this Spike, on the other hand, is a bit too sweet. Yeah, souled version, understood. But he's such an emotional pushover, let's Xander use him as a doormat for so long. It -- hurt, watching Spike go through that, watching Xander *do* that. And then there's Xander's health. I have a hard time relaxing into smut and general activities of life when there's a health threat that huge going on. I want it *dealt with*, dammit. At least via conversation, telling one's nearest and dearest what's been going on. At least that's begun now. But the tension of waiting for it to happen really distracted me from losing myself fully into the story. (Note: This is a personal taste/quirk, not a flaw of the writing. I've had the same thing happen to me in other stories -- including when I read The Lord of the Rings trilogy once the gang split off in different directions. *arrrgh*)

I'm also not sure about the use of the rest of the cast. Willow in particular feels very one-dimensional and not much like an older version of the character I know from the series. Her appearances thus far have been fairly brief, though, so maybe this will improve if she gets a larger chunk of the action. Then there's the casual use of the fanon convention of "claiming, marking, mating", partly as a D/s kink, partly as a bit of half-legendary vampire lore, partly as a plot twist. I rather *like* this particular bit of fanon, but I've read many posts from people who don't (or, maybe, who don't want to *admit* they get into/off on it...). I'm also a bit irritated with the unreasonable, arbitrary, dictatorial, officious, lunatic-fringe, accidentally eVILE Watchers Council -- but I'm pretty sure I'm *supposed* to be irritated by them.

Story structure -- eh, it's hard to pace a story well when it's a WIP. Letting people read an in-progress story can be a bit like letting your party guests into the house before you've finished cleaning, cooking, and getting dressed. So I can't really fault the author for a few creaky and confusing structural moments, though I want to warn that they're there. Mostly, it's awkward transitions with flashbacks, of which there are quite a few. Or a few lengthy ones, or-- See, I got confused.

Still, for all the caveats I've listed (and likely a few more that I'm forgetting), I'm looking forward to the next section. Because the author *does* know how to create tension and suspense, drops cool little hints of coming complications and build them from hints into major plot points, and because, even though *her* vision of Spike and Xander is different from *my* vision of them, her portrayal of them is consistent and supported by her backstory. All hail the judicious use of good backstory! Long may it be spun into long and complex stories!

And I'm a sucker for a love story.

**very recommended, with caveats**

__________________________________________________

pimping:

Been reading some original fiction over at phoenix_tales. I have a hard time keeping up with most original fiction being written by my friends list (suspect there's an essay there about the why's of this). The difference with the Phoenix Tales stories is that Ben used to be my co-writer, so I know some of the characters and part of the story already. Plus, we're still the closest thing either of us has to a "writing buddy", which is different from a co-writer. It's somebody you bounce ideas off of (plot, characters, whatever), do reciprocal beta/editing stuff for/with, and generally poke with a pointed stick to improve productivity. It only works so far, since Ben and I are both masters of procrastination. But we're trying.

Anyway, right now Phoenix Tales is friends-locked. The story is in rough draft form, just beginning to take shape as he writes, and he's really looking for some constructive feedback, to improve his writing and the story, but also to encourage him to write more. A worthy goal and one I definitely understand. The story is an urban fantasy with some horror elements.

So, if you're interested, just drop Ben a note (at gayphoenixkc@aol.com) and he'll add you to the journal's friends list.

For that matter, if you've feeling especially generous, my own original fiction can be found over at carons_crossing (urban fantasy mixed with dark fantasy, horror, science fiction, and other stuff), and at djinanna_fic (classic fantasy -or- urban fantasy -or-science fiction). I'm trying to break past a writers block that predates my illness and which is hanging on most stubbornly. I'm not very productive and, like most writers I know, would benefit from some encouragement. Not that some people aren't already *trying* to encourage me, but a few more wouldn't hurt, eh?

Thanks for your indulgence.

/pimping

Comments: 9 recs - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Thursday (6/5/) - XF, GB, EV
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	10:26 am.
Mood:	mellow.

Not a lot of reading got done on Thursday. In fact, I didn't even finish (rereading) the second story listed here, "Fifteen Years" by imajiru, until Friday.

The X-Files: Mulder/Krycek
Smoke and Shadows
by Sssenza (

sssenza)
The language is a bit flowery for 1st person Krycek (as a Spike fan, I can't help but react to the use of the word "effulgent", but overall it's not really too bad), but otherwise this is a nice little trip down memory lane to the days before Chris Carter screwed over X-Files, the show and the fandom, so thoroughly. Starts with an internal Krycek monologue about, what else, Mulder. Advances to the familiar violent encounter. Continues with the boys as temporary allies escaping from mutual enemies. Ends with some very nice emotionally fraught smut. *recommended*

Real Ghostbusters: Peter/Egon (also Peter/other)
Fifteen Years
by imajiru (Aeridahl at The Real Ghostbusters Slash Archive)
An old favorite of mine, previously mentioned here at the Revue during my special post of one-story-per-fandom favorites, which I'm rereading now for the 5th or 6th time. Very long, yeah! This is a 6-hankie read for me, something I pick up when I want a good old-fashioned cleansing cry. Yeah, it's based on a cartoon that's based on a movie, so what?!? Summary: Fifteen years ago, Peter and Egon had a terrible falling-out. They repaired their friendship, but it's never been the same. Now the issues that tore them apart once have returned, and Peter and Egon's friendship will change irrevocably once again. There's a subplot involving Peter's boyfriend Lance that I tend to skip over on my re-readings -- the Lance sections are good, and integral to the development of the story and to understanding what's going on with Peter and Egon -- but now that I know how the story-as-a-whole is gonna turn out, I'm more interested in the parts with Peter and Egon (and Ray and Janine and Winston). Plus Lance is exactly the kind of pushy, over-confident-of-his-own-sexual-appeal guy that grates on my nerves in both fiction and real life. Yeah, Peter's a bit like that, too, but he's got flashes of insecurity and vulnerability that save him. Plus, he's Our pushy, over-confident creep! I love this story because it pushes every button about UST and angst and unrequited love and misunderstandings between friends that I have, and more than just pushes them, jams them to the floor. And, there's a happy ending. I absolutely adore Ray and Winston and Janine in this story, too -- the whole Ghostbusters gang are an wonderful family-by-choice and team and group of friends (pushes those buttons, too) and they'll all get down into the trenches for one another. Yay, team! **highly recommended**

Everwood: Ephram/Bright
Through the Wire, part 4 *WIP*
by Miss Windy (

misswindy)
This futurefic following the boys' move to the East Coast, so that Ephram can attend college (Boston Conservatory of Music, I think) and Bright can be with him, continues with a flashback to Everwood before their move. The author's got the voices of Bright's parents down as perfectly as she captured Andy's voice in earlier segments. I could *picture* the conversation around the dinner table in the Abbot house, so like others we've seen in the past only, this time, Bright's at the center of the attention instead of Amy. The story balances flashbacks with "present-time" in Boston to good effect and I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what comes next in this gentle, achy story. Oh, and the boys? Bright is sweet and vulnerable and insecure but, most of all, always a *guy*, and Ephram is *snerk* the drama queen we've all come to know and love on the show. ***highly recommended***

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Wednesday (6/4) - SV, EV, BA, "what's a woobie" link
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	2:34 pm.
Mood:	geeky.

Recently, somebody (I don't remember who, but it might've been Gail) asked me "what is a woobie" (I don't remember where, but it might've been in long-gone email) and I thought I'd take a minute to answer that question. With a link. What The Heck Is A Woobie?

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Altville, Part Twenty-Four *WIP*
by Livia Penn (

liviapenn) @

box_of_serial, also Livia's Library
AU. Smut arrives in the main storyline. After last episode's hothot tease, the boys withdraw to their neutral corners and *think about* one another. This installment could easily qualify as a late entry to the MMoM. The boys are definitely hooked on one another -- Alex is resisting, of course, because of Julian's youth and ... well, because he's been in the closet long enough that it's his rut. Julian is ready to get physical but in denial that Alex is coming to mean more than that to him. It's so adorable, they're both such woobies, life is *guh*. **highly recommended**

Everwood: Bright/Ephram
Through The Wire, part 1 *WIP*
Through The Wire, part 2 *WIP*
Through The Wire, part 3 *WIP*
by

misswindy @ Miss Windy: adventures in fan-girlyness
Futurefic. Ephram is attending college back East. Bright goes with him. Through flashbacks, we learn how the boys got together, and Andy's reaction once he learned the news. The Andy-voice is spot-on, as is the Ephram-voice. Once again, Andy fumbles the parenting ball and Ephram cuts him *no* slack at all. Bright is sweet and insecure and dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks, a picture of woobieness, as he worries about how long Ephram will want to keep his big, dumb, non-musical self around. ***highly recommended***

Everwood: Bright/Ephram
Through the Rye, part 1: If A Body
Through the Rye, part 2: Meet A Body
by

marleigh @ Hard To Explain
There's a third part still to come according to the website. Awkward Bright tries to woe Ephram, well, awkwardly. Ephram, who doesn't cut anybody (except maybe Amy and Delia) any slack, isn't having any of it. I felt so sorry for Bright, he's just ... okay, he's the ultimate woobie. I want to say "he's not that dumb" but I think maybe he is. Sweet guy, though underneath the macho jerk antagonism. Woobie. I can't help but feel that Bright's suit isn't going to prosper, even if the third part. And I also can't help but feel a bit sorry for our snarky little Ephram, because Bright's interest has come at him out of nowhere and seriously freaked him out.

Buffy-verse: Spike
Untitled Manifesto in the Form of a Parable
by Glossolalia (

glossing)
Author's note: Utterly biased character interpretation / So I had a dream about fan fiction. S/X, to be precise, even though Xander wasn't exactly present in the dream. It led to a very odd parable.
Could be construed to have spoilers for Buffy/"Chosen". "And now for something *completely* different." Not really easily described, kinda has to be read -- but only if you're interested in The Fate of Spike. Fascinating bit of meta-fanfic on the theme of "authentic Spike". *recommended*

Comments: 1 rec - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Tuesday (6/3) - HP, BA, TS, SW
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	2:11 pm.
Mood:	sleepy.

Harry Potter: gen
Reality TV
by Victoria P (

musesfool)
Damn these tiny little shortshort stories, 100-word drabbles and 500-word flashfics, damn them all!!! They are leading me oh-so-subtly down the road to new-fandoms-perdition. That's been their insidious plan all along. Oh, not just directed at *me* (it may be all about me, but it's also all about the rest of you too; I'm paranoid, not an egomaniac *wink*), it's directed at all of us. It's all sweet, easily digestable bait to lure us ~~to our dooms~~ into ever more fandoms. Sneaky sneaky sneaky. I'd better stop before this-- Revue listing is longer than the story. Drat! Too late. Story funny. You should read it. *recommended*

Buffy-verse
drdawn's AU Buffy thoughts and Fake Spoilers:
Buffy season 6-7 with Spock resurrected instead of Buffy
The Fake Angel Script
More Fake Spoilers--StVS (Spike the Vampire Slayer)
Fake Spoilers StVS ep 3
Fake Spoilers episode 4
... and, I suspect, so on
by dr dawn
Found via a link from

bonibaru. Warning: AtS season 5 casting spoiler for the extremely sensitive and virginal. Riffing off odd cross-overs and the recent big fake spoiler for the start of Angel season 5 (which I thought sounded kinda interesting, and was disappointed that it turned out to be a fake, even though many fans were screaming in horror). Really, side-splittingly funny. Page back through several days' worth of entries for her description of "BtVS season 6-7 story with Spock in place of Buffy". *recommended*

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
The Sentence
by Montserrat
Author summary: In a remote country at the other end of the world Blair is accused of a ridiculous crime and the punishment is severe. Extreme h/c. Montserrat hurts Blair. A lot. I didn't find the punishment to be eroticized, but it is described in graphic detail. Some social justice/human rights issues are dramatized and examined in the story. Things aren't fixed neatly by the end, but there's healing and hope for the future. I would have liked the story to continue a bit longer, to see a bit more of Blair's healing process, but I can see why Montserrat ended the story where she did. Points off for a lack of community (aka the extended cast of friends and coworkers) support for Blair's healing. Also for no explanation of how Blair copes financially during the healing process (which takes a number of months) if he's not working at the University, and also points off for not dealing with Jim on the job without Blair's presence. However, on the other hand, I had no problem with a post-traumatic stress Blair crying during and after flashbacks, or during other moments of extreme stress. And the thing about Sentinel fic is, h/c is a two-for-one deal -- you hurt Blair and Jim will suffer torrents of guilt. Definitely not a story for everyone. I found it very interesting but, as I said above, would've like to see a bit more healing time, even a bit more "c" to go with the severity of the initial "h" involved. YMMV.

Something different -- Added a new/old fandom to the mix. Original Star Wars, Luke/Han. Obviously the majority of online SW slash is focused on the newer prequel trilogy. But (guilty secret) I still haven't seen them (I've been sick...). And as much as I adore Liam Neeson, I seldom find beards attractive, especially ones that look like the wearer pasted Spanish moss to his face. Besides, Luke and Han. Yum. And some ... credit should be given to valarltd for dangling Luke/Han in front of my nose when I was vulnerable.... *grin*

Star Wars: Luke/Han
Lost Blue
by Angel (

valarltd) @ Lady Angel's Den of Debauchery
AU ... Han made a different choice and the wrong things happened. Now, what might have been haunts him. *gah* and *sob* and *whimper* This AU twist *hurt*. The author has Han's voice down, it really sounded like him. Warning: death fic. *recommended*

Star Wars: Luke/Han
Clear Vision
Moonlit Silences (sequel)
by Angel (

valarltd) @ Lady Angel's Den of Debauchery
Our intrepid heroes have triumphed. And Han has had a revelation about his feelings for Leia and Luke. Notable for a respectful treatment of "the girl"; in other words, no Leia bashing and no turning her into a shrew. She might even be a bit too understanding... Naw, she's good. Pre-slash, sweet and smut-free. The main problem I had with this story was that it was too short. I wanted (I almost always want) a lengthy piece I could sink my consciousness into for a good long read. Instead, these awoke my appetite for Luke/Han without really satisfying it, because my appetite always demands *long* stuff.

Star Wars: Luke/Han
Win-Lose Parameters
by Angel (

valarltd) @ Lady Angel's Den of Debauchery
Author's note: Warning: Rape, torture, drawing on the Dark Side and other bad stuff. If this upsets you, leave now! This turned ugly for some reason. It's a hurt/comfort fic, so hang in there. Set a year before TESB. Assumes some knowledge of Brian Dailey's Han Solo trilogy.
The set-up was a bit over-the-top and didn't really make a lot of sense, but it wasn't more a plot device than a detailed bit of world-building. Besides, it worked better for the story to have events not quite make sense to our heroes and use. Though I really wanted revenge wrecked on the bad people. Mostly, I was kinda disappointed in the aftermath of the hurt section -- the comfort section was kinda ... well, cold comfort. More an uneasy truce than a real reconciliation. Again, I think the problem might've been in length -- it needed space to work things out, and a less stretched out timeline for the resolution. YMMV.

Star Wars: Luke/Han
Life While There's Hope
by Diana Williams
AU. This author has written some wonderful Highlander and Sentinel fic; also, she write *long* stories. So, when a web search for Han/Luke slash turned up her site, I had great hopes that my craving for a long Luke/Han story would be satisfied. And, temporarily at least, it was. This is a retelling of the original first Star Wars movie (now called A New Hope *gag*). Luke is a new-to-the-job pleasure slave. Han hires him for the night, thinking he's there by choice and a pro, and then discovers he's a slave and scheduled for termination. After a night of really hot and lovely sex, Han liberates Luke and the story proceeds along familiar lines -- except that it adds a love story between Han and Luke to the mix. Very sweet, very hot. A bit angsty. A few moments when I wanted to reach into the computer screen and shake Luke and/or Han for their cluelessness. Eventually-- well, I'll leave you to find out what happens eventually. *recommended*

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Monday (6/2) - TS, HL, BA, SV, DS
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	5:21 am.
Mood:	tired.

Another whirlwind through assorted fandoms. I think I'm feeling kinda restless in the aftermath of the main tv season. I'm also wanting some particular types of stories and not getting a lot of joy yet from the search -- new long Mulder/Krycek, new long Duncan/Methos, new long Fraser/Kowalski. Just, stories about them and their relationships and their adventures, not anything real fancy with "new things to say about an old fandom" because -- if I wanted new things? I'd look for 'em in a new fandom. /cranky moment

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
The Wrong End of the Story
by Julad (

julad) and Calico
Wow. Takes a bunch of archetypes and motifs from folk lore and urban legends and slasher movies, mixes 'em up, turns them upside down and inside out, and then totally kicks their collective ass from here to Sunday and back again. Amazing story. Had me on the edge of my seat and metaphorically gnawing my fingernails to the knuckle from the opening scene until the last sentence. Incredible dramatic tension. Creepy and atmospheric. Has fascinating things to say about perception and the nature of reality and the importance of art/narrative/storytelling. But most of all, it's a gripping story, one where what's happening and what we think are happening are always in question and the suspense builds and builds and builds until-- ***most highly recommended***

And if that's not enough, there's already some brilliant commentary on The Wrong End of the Story posted by cesperanza, who also beta'd the story, -here-. And more -here- by Julad and, down in the comments, halimede, plus more dialog between Julad and Cesperanza. My inner English major geek is still *squee*-ing with delight at this wonderful discussion of the story. Yeah, LiveJournal! *very recommended*

Highlander: Duncan/Tessa (sort-of)
A Bitter Taste of Life
by

elynross
For this OTP girl, before there was Methos, there was Tessa. I never took the Duncan/Amanda relationship seriously; they were pretty obviously "friends who fucked", not *trueloveforever*. Of course, Tessa was mortal, so the relationship could only go the length of her life, but I always believed that Duncan was totally gone on her. On the show, she was killed tragically and way before her time. I didn't always like Tessa, she had her flaws but that's what made her a great character. I doubt we'd have ever been cozy friends had she been real, but Duncan obviously adored her in the series. In this shortshort story, Elynross posits an AU wherein Tessa didn't die as she did in the series, but I get the feeling that the rest of canon did happen (though I got a feeling that Duncan didn't meet Methos in this world). It's sad and poignant. Made me feel my own mortality and remember loved ones lost. And the last line hits hard. Whoa. Brilliant but harsh, very real. **recommended**

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander
Repossession, part 64 *WIP*
by LazuliKat @ Excess
*sniff* This was a rough chapter. I kinda expected it this time -- whenever things get good for the boys in this story, one or the other of them (or both) fuck it up. Boneheaded, stubborn ... *men*. ((footstomp)) Another great episode, because the conflict (another epic relationship-shaking fight) that arose between the two came from character and was a believable extrapolation of what has gone before. Spike has a great speech about his vampiric nature. Now I'm all worried about the story not having a happy ending -- especially since we're in the home stretch of the plot at this point. Crossing fingers and toes because I'll be just devastated if they're not happy and together at the end -- oh, please! **highly recommended**

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist)
Altville, Part Twenty-Three *WIP*
by Livia Penn (liviapenn) @

box_of_serial, also Livia's Library
Still no smut in the main storyline. Well, kinda sorta. The teasing and UST in this installment, and then ... that almost-kiss ... I've read graphic sex scenes that didn't have a fraction of the heat of the almost-kiss at the end of this installment. Wow. **very recommended**

Due South: Fraser/Turnbull
Breathe
by Anagi @ Anagi's Atrium
Ouch. Poor Renfield. Even though my OTP in DS is Fraser/Kowalski, I have developed a fondness for Turnbull, especially Turnbull/Kowalski. Somehow, I misread the pairing on this story and thought it *was* Turnbull/Kowalski. Anyway -- it's a kinky story, the underlying premise is very sad, but I have difficulty believing that Fraser (at least my admittedly romanticized/idealized/internalized notion of Fraser) would so brutally use another human being. Because what he's doing to Turnbull in this story is really unconscionable. So, it's an interesting and effectively written story, but ... not for me. Also, unexpectedly turns out to be a death story. And leaves me wondering "which Ray?"

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
Gone
by Anagi @ Anagi's Atrium
For some reason, I just wasn't expecting a death story. Dark, bleak, angsty. Kinda post-season 2, pre-season 3 wallow!fic. Second dark, depressing, angsty death fic in a row. I'm thinking this author may not be for me, ya know?

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
Something in the Air
by Anagi @ Anagi's Atrium
But I tried one more by Anagi and found *this* adorable first-time story. It made me feel much better after "Gone" above (though I'm still bleeding a little from "Breathe" as the DS portion of my brain hasn't found a comfort!fic to shore me up after reading it). Amusing glimpse of expeditionary!Blair preparing for a picnic-style concert date. *recommended*

Comments: make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Sunday (6/01) - JAG, AND, SV, BA, XF
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	4:54 am.
Mood:	tired.

Wow! Talk about a whirlwind tour of different fandoms ... I hit half of my major fandoms in one day's reading. I think I gave myself whiplash...

JAG: Webb/Rabb
As Usual
by Gail (

gem225) @ Precious Gems
Author's summary: A missing scene from A Separate Peace, part 1
Poor Clayton. That Webb can be *such* an insufferably rude and ungrateful wretch. Even if he is real purty. This is really short, a brief glimpse behind Webb's facade of irritation to ... well, the irritation that lies beneath. *grin* And what the irritation is trying to deny.... *recommended*

((Aside ... and a thanks to sneaky Gail, who's trying to jump start me on that JAG fanfic reading marathon I've been contemplating. I think it's working. Expect more JAG mentions in the next few days....)

Andromeda: Harper!!!!! (really, that's all I need to be happy, though the addition of Rommie and Trance and Becca is always of the good)
The Cultural ~~Hostage~~ Exchange Program, part 1 *WIP*
The Cultural ~~Hostage~~ Exchange Program, part 2 *WIP*
by OtherCat (

othercat) - Dirty Little Secrets
AU. Brief introductory bit. Appearance of *Admiral* Tyr Anasazi, mention of Brendon, introduction of an OC. Part 1: Intriguing set-up, I'm looking forward to more. Part 2: Getting better. Wonder what Our Boy is up to? I haven't made any secret about being a big fan of OC's writing. I absolutely *love* some of her Buffy stuff -- unfortunately, a lot of it is *WIP*. Which *sigh* makes me very sad. Anyway, her Andromeda fic is even better than her Buffy fic. In this story, Harper is a hostage/guest aboard a thus-far unidentified ship that I *suspect* will prove to be the Andromeda. He is shown to his quarters and gets cleaned up. And that's about it, on the surface. But the suspense and tension underlying the surface (what's going on, what is Harper supposed to be doing, what's Tyr got planned for him, etc) make griping reading. And she just better toss us a few more updates soon, eh? Yeah~

Smallville: Julian Luthor/Alex Kent (CLex with a twist
Altville, Part Twenty-Two *WIP*
by Livia Penn (

liviapenn) @

box_of_serial, also Livia's Library
Ooooh, another installment. And the plot thickens. Seriously. Julian is so devilish and cute. Alex is so wholesome and tricky. Chloe is so wondrously exuberant.

Buffy-verse: Spike/Xander/Angel
In Loco Parentis... *WIP*
by Other Cat (

othercat) - Dirty Little Secrets
The continuing drama of Spike and vamp!Xander, with Angel as the referee. This is the happy, smutty installment of the story. Things get quite hot for S/X, but the relationship questions raised in previous installments (and in the previous story, Memento Mori) have not yet been resolved. And Angel is kinda grumpy. I need to go back and reread the whole thing before I can make coherent commentary on the story-thus-far, but I've enjoyed each installment so far -- *even* the parts with Angel having, er, "intimate relations" with one or the other of my OTP boys. Though I squirmed in my seat (and not in the good way) during those bits. OC says that the story is almost done, just a couple more scenes needed. *recommended*

The X-Files - Mulder/Krycek
Seconds - The eighth season in eight parts.
by Tiramisu @ Tiramisu & Kamio
Wonderful retelling of season 8 that actually makes sense of all the weirdness. Not really an AU, since everything in this story is woven around the events of canon. And there's a happy ending for Alex, albeit once you can kinda see coming from the very first page of part 1. From the first page of the story, have a quote: "They dug up the other Mulder. The clone." That kinda says it all and explains a lot of seaon 8's insanity. Though, now that I think of it, there is a touch of AU to this, because as the story ends, I don't see canon season 9 following this. *recommended*

Comments: 1 rec - make a rec

Subject:	What I Read on Saturday (5/31) - BA, SV, SG, TS, plus babble & mini-essays
Posted by:	djinanna.
Time:	4:48 pm.
Mood:	drained.

For reasons that I don't fully understand, it suddenly seemed important to me that you-all reading this knew that I don't belong to any fanfic mailing lists. I just roam around and explore, checking archives and individual web sites and rec pages and links and LiveJournals, to search out stuff to read. So I'm kinda out of the loop as far as who's who and what's what. Every once in a while, I discover that somebody on my friends list (over at djinanna) runs a major archive or something. And one reason I friend people over there is because I've admired their writing for a while and am subtly stalking them to find out when and where their next story is gonna be posted. Especially since I'm totally out of the habit of email correspondence. So, just wanted to say all that, for whatever it's worth. An anthropological context impulse, maybe?

Buffy-verse (gen ... or maybe it's :pre-het"?)
Once More ... with Connor (Round Robin) *WIP*
From Unnatural Brats, the site for Dawn/Connor 'shippers (BtVS Writers Guild). On-site summary: Season 6 of Buffy, rewritten, adding Connor to the mix. There were 6 or 7 chapters/episodes posted, with a full "season" of 21 planned on.

Chapter 1 - Bargaining
by Fernando
In this chapter, all the characters are out-of-character, some subtly, some extremely so. Giles stutters almost constantly (even more than Tara). Spike is *nice* to Angel during a phone conversation. Angel tells Spike "I love you" -- and he means it sincerely and platonically. Connor's insertion into the storyline is choppy and haphazard and awkward. How bad is it? It's so bad that even Buffybot is OOC. Uh-huh. The storytelling mechanics (punctuation, grammar, word choice, spelling, etc) need work. In other words, this story is in serious need of major beta-ing. On the other hand, most round robins that I've read *are* awkward and poorly edited, rough first draft quality at best. It's just the nature of the ~~beast~~ form. This one labors under the additional burden of being a rush job per the site ("Let's try for one installment a week."). I tried, but I really didn't enjoy this chapter. As desperate as I am for Connor fic (desperate enough to resort to gen or het), this was just **extremely disappointing**

Chapter 2 - Afterlife
by Echo
Though I didn't like the first installment, I couldn't just stop reading. Gotta give the thing a fair chance, especially since there's an assortment of different authors for the different chapters. And then this line caught my eye, Connor thinking about Dawn: She was kind of moody and psycho. He liked it. *snicker* The characterization is better, much more on-target, in this installment, though the mechanics still need a thorough line-editing. I wouldn't give this a drop-everything-and-read-it type recommendation, but I enjoyed it.

Chapter 3 - Flooded, part 3
by FayeLynn
Generally better written than Chapter 1, edited better than Chapter 2. Again, I'm not exactly rec'ing this one, but I enjoyed reading it. Though my *need* for Connor!fic is like a gnawing rodent in my gut by this point, so YMMV....

Chapter 3 - Flooded, part 2
by Queen C
Yet another author joins the mix. Some serious problems with tense agreement, as the present and the past mingled rather freely per the grammar. But really, at the risk of being repetitive, these *are* the kind of things that are easily fixed by a good line-edit. Having a beta is a good thing, but having a *good* beta ... now *there's* the trick! Not as good as the previous two installments, but definitely more "on" characterization that chapter 1. And this is as far as I've read so far. I will probably go back and continue reading at some future point.

______________________________

Smallville: CLex
Time and Chance, chapter 19 *WIP*
by Dayspring @ Dayspring's Desires
Warning: MPREG. Often mentioned here, this WIP has been updated every Saturday for months. The link takes you to the index of chapters. Yeah, Dayspring! Go you! Wonderful, serious treatment of a pregnant!Lex scenario. Not all hearts'n'flowers, though there is romance and smut. I'm hoping for a happy ending (that would be Lex surviving the birth -- an outcome that is in question at this point), but trying to brace for tragedy just in case. I'm loving this serial soooo much, I'd be crushed if Lex dies. **always highly recommended**

Smallville: CLex
Martha Interrupted
by Dayspring @ Dayspring's Desires
Author summary: Did you hear about Martha Kent? How shocking!
A little overly sentimental. But also very funny. And almost everybody manages to get a happy ending of sorts.

Smallville: CLex
Sorry, Lois
by Dayspring @ Dayspring's Desires
Difficult to describe. Schmoopy humor. Healing the Rift. Belated happy endings. I just like this one, it hits some buttons and makes me happy. *recommended*

Stargate SG-1: Jack/Daniel
This Is It
by Quinn
Previously appeared on the Revue here. Originally found through the fabulous SG recs of the talented Anna S (

eliade).
AU/Mirror-verse. Warning: Big potential squick. The author doesn't feel a warning is necessary, but Daniel gets really badly injured, permanently injured, just before the story opens and how he and Jack cope with those injuries is a large part of the story. Jack POV. Jack is, simultaneously, smarter and more perceptive than he appears on the surface *and* an Olympic contender for repression and denial. This is wonderful characterization; to my mind, far too many SG authors actually *buy into* Jack's "I'm stupid" act. Just look at the man's rank and career history -- he may be a bit crazy, but he's definitely *not* stupid. There are some grammatical problems (mostly mismatched tenses) and the central conflict resolves a bit too quickly, but they're minor quibbles to what is a wonderful story. **highly recommended, see warnings above**

Smallville: CLex
A Touch of Mercy
by Dolimar
Found by the grace of

seperis's in-journal recs. Futurefic. Healing the Rift. There are things beneath the surface that you can't see unless you really look -- and sometimes, not unless someone points them out to you. Delicate, tense, graceful. Also, maybe little simplistic. A brief glimpse at a pivotal moment in a possible future. On the one hand, it's perfect at this length, it tells what it needs to tell, there's no excess. On the other hand, *I* would love to read this story at 10 times the length, filling in what leads to and what results from this extended moment in time. *recommended*

The Sentinel: Jim/Blair
Labyrinth
by Natalie L @ Natalie's Writing Nook
Third in the "Without Words" series, previously mentioned here on the Revue in a gigantinormous post that covered 6 days and made me decide to post each day separately from now on. Warning: detailed yucky medical details. Actually rec'ing a story like this is a really personal call -- if you're into medical information/stories, and/or are facing a serious operation, and/or are facing cancer or permanent disability, and/or like h/c, then this is for you. Otherwise, not so much. Myself? Until a few years ago, and see below for details, I would have had absolutely no interest in a story like this. *recommended with caveats*

And now for something a bit different: a mini-essay on "medical!fic"...

Not too long ago, somebody (I don't remember who) wrote about a story that it didn't read like a primer on You Now Have A Disease. And I can understand that attitude, I really can. Lectures and school lessons disguised as fiction can be excruciating for the uninterested to read. (Quick flashback to my high school days having to read The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. *shudder*) I've never been terribly interested in medical melodrama, except occasionally as a *detail* in a much larger work. Indeed, for most of my life, I have resisted even taking aspirin for a bad headache and I've gone *years* without seeing/needing to see a doctor. Then, about 4-1/2 years ago, I got sick. As I started to recover, I got sick again, with something different. Lather, rinse, repeat half a dozen times.

Two hospitalizations, two surgeries, countless blood draws, numerous tests, over a dozen specialists, a couple dozen different medications (11 of which I'm still taking), having the parking valets at two different hospitals recognize me and my mom well enough to see us at a distance and go fetch the right car without us needing to hand them the parking stub later, I *still* don't like to take aspirin (okay, Tylenol) for a headache. But I can also swallow 9 different-sized pills at the same time, if need be. And nowadays I find medical-primer!fic to be ... oddly comforting. Because (1) usually the characters have it worse off than I do and (2) usually they recover well but realistically.

In the medical-primer!fic I talk about above, Blair has a return of his laryngeal cancer (one of those illnesses I mentioned experiencing above? was thyroid cancer, so this series hits really close to home for me) and things get really really scary. Blair lost the use of his voice in an earlier installment but was able to use a vocal prosthesis (real device). I was warned at the time of my thyroidectomy that I might lose my voice (or possibly "just" have it somewhat impaired) as a side effect of the operation -- and I love to *talk* like Blair loves to talk, plus I have a fair to decent singing voice that I'm pretty proud/vain about (and I did my own repression/denial schtick at the time). So, again, *really* close to home. Scary. Oddly comforting. And, as wonderful as my mom was throughout all this, I'd like the option of a Jim Ellison of my very own. If nothing else, he'd be damned decorative! I'd make him wear those tight-tight worn-thin jeans of his all the time. (Oh, baby!)

Anyway, by the time Blair got the results of his biopsy, early in the story, I had caught myself rubbing my surgical scar or holding my throat about six times. And starting to admit to myself that, yes, it's probably time for another one of those vile post-op checks to make sure everything is okay. It's been over a year since the last big evil medical scan of the area. Maybe I won't have to do the MRI again this time (seriously claustrophobic shudder -- over the "open" style MRI; I can't even think about the old-fashioned kind anymore...).

Anyway, in Labyrinth things get just about as bad as they could get and still have Blair live through it. He's not recognizable, either physically or personality-wise, through much of the story. And that's so very very realistic. I went through that. I lost myself for a while and now, as I recover, I'm struggling to find myself and put me back together again in a new improved package. Blair's recovery is fairly fast in the narrative, at least in part because the author chooses to skip over a lot. I think it's my one big complaint about the story -- if you're going to "hurt" a character really badly, make the "comfort" that follows last at least as long as the "hurt" did. No skimming through months of recovery time to get to the smutty sex scene (that also serves as a symbol, both within the story and outside the story, of Blair's full recovery from his illness) and ending.

______________________________

Rec page rec...
Anna S (

eliade) has wondrous rec pages for The Sentinel and Stargate SG-1. They are must-visits for fans of these two shows. Sadly, the Stargate recs haven't been updated since May of 2001, and the Sentinel recs haven't been updated since November of 2001. But they're still there, they still point to lots of really great stories, plenty of classics in both fandoms, and the recs themselves are written in a breezy yet informative style. Anna includes a short description of the story, a pivotal quote, a paragraph about "Why you should read this" and a paragraph about "What might throw you off stride" (squicks or other caveats). The Stargate recs are kinda limited but include links to several other good SG rec sites. The Sentinel recs are extensive, several pages long, and include a wonderful "introduction to the broad scope and historical trends of slashy Sentinel fic" (um, actually older recs) called Sentinel Classics 101. I spent a lot of time going through these rec pages, following links and reading fic. A large proportion of my SG fic reading has been stories rec'd by Anna. So, if you're in these fandoms, or if you want to learn more about these fandoms, this site is a *must visit* -- ***highly recommended***

[ eta ... 6:20pm / corrected some formatting glitches ]

Comments: 4 recs - make a rec