The Reading Room at Nevermore!

We invest so much time in what-ifs and regrets...

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 17:52:52 GMT

Here are some lovely bits scooped up from the flist today.

Chronicles of Narnia

More treats from the Crack Van

Once a King, by Rynne

Book follow-up - LWW
Gen, G
Completed; Fic

Edmund- centric. This story addresses a point that gets glossed over somewhat in the Narnia series - the differences in time between Narnia and this world, and how that impacts Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. Rynne does a skillful job of showing the slip and overlap of remembered adulthood atop the return of childhood. This piece has a certain rainy-day sadness to it that fits the subject matter well.

And Indeed There Will Be Time Enough, by Signe

Series Epilogue
Het [just a touch]; PG
Completed; Fic
Pairing: Lucy/Caspian

Lucy-centric. What is it like in the Real Narnia? This fic offers a possible answer to that question. The writing style echoes Lewis' own work, so much so that it's easy to hear his voice in the prose. There's a lot of hope in this piece; I'd go so far as to call it up-lifting.

Warning: Het! [Can you believe it? *laughs*]

I find myself wanting to read more Narnia fic from Peter's POV. I don't know the fandom well enough to know id such fic is available.

Lost

~Spoiler warning: These are current through season three episode "The Man from Tallahassee"

Weight, by cmonkatiekatie

AU; Episode alternation
Slash, PG-ish
Completed; Ficlet
Pairing: Jack/Sawyer

Sawyer- centric. Further proof that fan writers do a better job working through the relationship dynamics of these show than the official writers do.

Warnings: Err... slash?

What Lies Hidden, by zelda_zee

Episode continuation
Slash; PG-13
Completed, Short Fic
Pairing: Jack/Sayid

Sayid-centric.

Warnings: Slash. Chaffed wrists, Sayid oowies and UST.

Now that I think about this, it's pretty funny that those last two stories are essentially about jack telling his boyfriends that he'll come back to rescue them... after *they* were captured trying to rescue *him*. Heeeee! White Knight rushes in to save the day yet again!

Roll and Rock Fantasy, by holycitygirl

Interlude; canon compliant
Slash; PG
Completed; Ficlet
Pairing: Jack/Sawyer

Author rec. - U2 RPS

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 05:46:55 GMT

Geez! It's been forever since I dropped something in here. There's been much reading happening since the last post [duh! :D], and I'll be posting the bits that stuck over the next day or two.

RPS- U2

While surfing for new fic, I happened upon melissa2u's collected fanfic 100 work. The tag is U2-general group, and it has a little bit of fun for whatever 'ship er, floats your boat. That's right, there's a variety of pairings, those relationships shown from tentative beginnings to bitter ends, some GSF, the lads in several eras [Though her baby!U2 fic are some of the absolutely *sweetest* I've yet to read.]... all conjured up by a thoughtful, talented writer. I mean, DAMN! These pieces are impressive in their intricate descriptions of both character and situations. Melissa trips through the full emotional spectrum too - humor, romance, straight up smut, angst... it's all here. I can't say I'm surprised by the quality of writing - she is part of the writing team that dreamt up Hawkmoon, after all - but I find myself impressed by the variety and freshness in her work. It's also quite apparent that she really, really knows her subject matter.

I might have a bit of a crush... :D

Ratings vary - from G to NC-17 depending on the fic in question.
Length also varies, ranging from drabble to short fic
Warnings: slash. Individual fics may include the following: angst [several of these pieces made my heart ache], steamy sex, kinky sex, group sex, drug use.

I recommend reading oldest to most recent fic. I think most, if not all of these are in the memories at U2Slash as well - I certainly recognized some of the fic from there. However, I found the fanfic 100 layout enlightening, as it showcases this particular group of stories as a collection.

Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:09:57 GMT

Supernatural

But I Never Could Sharpen No Blade, Quite the Way He Say by onelittlesleep

Pre-series; canon event
Gen; R
Complete

Found via crack_van rec - the gal who's recc'ing this month has some good picks.

I can't say much about the actual content of the story without spoiling the way the author develops her tale. This is a road trip tale, the destination inevitable. The relationship between the brothers is perfect, both hilarious [I did laugh out loud] and painful. Actually, this fic reminded me why I love this show so much - sure, the hunting is appealing, but it's the dynamic between Sam and Dean that warms the cockles of my fangirl heart. This story is incredibly well- written - there's a scene with a trumatized girl at a gas station that is creepy in a Stephen King, slow motion sort of way. The last paragraph here *hurts*... oh Dean, you poor woobie.

Oh, and *this* road trip starts in VT. Yes, I actually did squee. :)

Warnings: Angst, of the sneaky variety. There were a couple spit-take moments, so drink and read responsibily. Rated R for swearing, sexual discussion/ daydreaming.

~~~~

I also read nwhepcat's most recent chapter of Kindred Spirits, her current chapter-a-day serial. This one started out as college!Dawn having a crush on a mysterious British stranger... named Ethan. Seems squick-worthy, but as always Hep manages to pull it off. Though... I am thinking she's got Xander and Dawn talking in circles a bit. It could just be the mini-chapter format though. Here's the link to the chapters list... note that she's on chapter 85 now.

Rockstars, Cowboys and One Hit Wonders

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:17:30 GMT

Just a couple pieces today.

Lost

Fate by

uhzoomzip

AU:What if
Gen, Unrated
Completed, Ficlet

My first love in fandom genres remains the Character Study. I love getting inside character's heads, seeing what makes them tick. My next love? AUs... the what ifs are beautiful crack that I simply cannot resist. uhzoomzip weaves us a delightfully tweaked snapshot of a Charlie that didn't get on Oceanic flight 815.

Warnings: spoilers through season three; drug use, character death and discussion of sexual acts [pretty impressive for a ficlet, eh?]

RPS -U2

Considering that I've been spending much of my time loitering about this fandom since November, it only seems right to throw up a link or two.

First off... it would make sense to link to lydia_petze 's crack_van overview of the fandom. This is where my interest first perked up.

Hawkmoon by occula and melissa2u
AU: Old West
Slash, NC-17 overall
WiP, Epic
Pairings: Larry/Edge, Bono/Adam are primary, but *very* fluid

~ My reading of U2 Slash would have been sporadic, a read by whim sitch, if not for this fic. It lassoed me and has yet to let me go - I honestly do not now how many times I've read this fic... and it currently has over a 100 posts! I love epics, Old West AUs that are well-written, and Threesome or Moresome pairings - this fic has all of that. It is brilliantly written; the complexity of the characters and the intricate relationships between the four are thoughtful, clear, and plausible. There are countless RL references - people, places, events it the band member's lives and song lyrics - woven throughout. I've gotten in the habit of googling phrases that seem familiar... I honestly think the authors have managed to weave over half of U2's catalog into the story. Aside from being a fangirl squee-ground, this fic truly captures the spirit of westerns - there's danger, adventure and heart-in-the-throat tension through out. Also? Hawkmoon has some of the *hottest* sex scenes I have ever read.

Warnings: group sex, drunken Irishmen, drug use, near death experiences, drug trips, Western violence, angst galore

If you wanted just a taste, here's the crack_van rec that sucked me in : Hawkmoon Christmas

Pocketful of recs

Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:15:06 GMT

Here's a mixed bag from yesterday...

Chronicles of Narnia

This is a featured fandom on the crack_van this month. Apparently, it's a new fandom there [which surprises me] , because this month's rec'cer, sathinks posted a rather nice fandom overview.

Here are a couple gen [ish] pieces I enjoyed.

Peter in Love by toscas_kiss
~I didn't actually read this yesterday - this is actually the first fic I read in this fandom about a million years ago. It's lyrical and sexy... an impressive adult update of a children's book character. Here's the crack_van rec.

Girls Grow Quicker than Books by Kyra Cullinan
~here's the author's website
~Beautifully-written character piece on Lucy. Again, here' s the crack_van rec, by why of description

Crossovers

Buffy/Supernatural

Untitled crossover by _beetle_
~First part in a series; Sam/Spike slash, AU . The idea here is that 'Devil's Trap' happened a bit differently... The verdict's still out on this one; I like the character dynamics here, but I'm still struggling with my suspension of disbelief over the pairing. And the Dean 'ship [tis mentioned, not seen] makes my head hurt... in a good way, but still OW. Should be interesting, seeing where this one goes...

Lost

Oh, primary active fandom, how I'm been neglecting you!
*pets down its ruffled feathers*

eponine119 has been kind enough to feed my need for long, historical AUs with her new Jack/Sawyer adventure Vieux Carre.

This is part one of what will hopefully be a *very* long series. It is absolutely *beautiful*. Set 'somewhere along the Mississippi' [I suspect that Oak Alley is the basis for the plantation that's the setting here], it takes the canon surrounding Sawyer getting shot and Jack nursing [er, doctoring?] him back to health, and adapts it elegantly to the historical South. The descriptions are lush, her Jack and Sawyer are complex, angsty and marvelous... I can't wait to see where this is headed.

Pirates of the Caribbean

On idol_reflection, veronica_rich posted a manifesto on Will Turner

Which led me to the Forlorn Hope series by lebensbaum
~note: The second link on the memorable entries list is the first installment

This is AU, set 18 years after Dead Man's Chest. The idea is that Will killed Davy Jones, and thus had to take his place as Captain of the Dutchman. It's an intriguing concept and I both like and am kinda disturbed by the accompanying illustrations of his aquatic metamorphosis. This is Jack/Will pre-slash - and the slash elements are a bit jarring within the context of the larger story, but still found it a worthwhile read. The series is also a WiP, and I'll be interested to see what's next on the agenda.

~~~~~

I think it goes without saying that I read a bit of Hawkmoon too... that fic is becoming as necessary as coffee in my daily routine.

Supernatural links

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:01:29 GMT

Not things that I've read *today*, but good bits that I enjoy

Supernatural

The Month of Open Doors Series by B. Stearns Maygra hosts that index. She's got some amazing Winchester epics of her own:
Part I And Fools Shine On
Part II If Belief Was Enough
Part III Woven

A brilliant take on the deep bond between the Winchester brothers. Not Wincest. One of my absolute *favorite* SPN fics. It's the first bit of the Salvation 'verse, but I have yet to read the rest of the 'verse. The link for future reference: Salvation Verse

Maygra hosts that index. She's got some amazing Winchester epics of her own:

The Second Sight series
~Sam loses his vision, but not his Sight. Starts out Gen, becomes slashy.

Out of This Darkness
Horror, AU/Futurefic... this is slashy and skin-crawlingly creepy. Absolutely brilliant concept.

There shall be more after sleep!

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 20:23:36 GMT

Lost
Housekeeping by eponine119
Jack and Sawyer, crossdressing silliness. This is very funny. Need to leave FB
http://eponine119.livejournal.com/207514.html

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 16:43:17 GMT

I didn't read this today, but I was talking to about this series. I read this...last month? Anyhoo...
http://community.livejournal.com/crack_van/1908747.html

Crossover candy

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 12:09:10 GMT

Today seemed to be a good day for crossover fic. Woot!

Crossovers

In the Flesh, by ficangel

Lost/BtVS
Sawyer! I hope he becomes Lost's little black dress character.

http://ficangel.livejournal.com/tag/lost

Coincidence by justhuman

Xfiles/Angel crossover, Dana Scully/Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, PG-13

http://community.livejournal.com/winter_of_wes/16585.html

An interesting site here…

http://bloodhowl.vague-disclaimer.org/buffy.html

The AU Jossverse looks promising

Lost

Lit Up by cynthia_arrow

Sawyer/Sayid. Oh yes, very,very yum.

http://cynthia-arrow.livejournal.com/36154.html?style=mine

Blech.

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 15:31:24 GMT

I need to be doing school work, not reading fics...

but here's an untitled pornlet by arabella_hope
http://arabella-hope.livejournal.com/169582.html?view=1246318#t1246318

Lost fen have the smuttiest minds. I love this fandom!

Also: Bedtime Stories by sweet_crazyass
http://sweet-crazyass.livejournal.com/5936.html?style=mine
Sawyer, utterly wrecked by the Others. Creepy, heartwrenching and oh so good.
elise_509 wrote Invisible Threat
http://elise-509.livejournal.com/44762.html#cutid1
and here http://elise-509.livejournal.com/44466.html
Jack/Sawyer AU set during Jack's residency, in New York. Hot realistic amazing sex, and twisty, painful inner turmoil.

There's a bunch of interesting fic from today,but I'm too tired to distill it all. I'll catch up tomorrow.

Figures...

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 19:23:09 GMT

I have to go read for school and everyone posts fic today.

So, this is a To Read Later list. :D

Lost

Fingernails, by gemjam

Jack/Sawyer, after Boone’s death

http://gemjam.livejournal.com/16060.html?style=mine#cutid1

A new part of In Admiration by emication

Part 33

http://users.livejournal.com/_inadmiration/8881.html?style=mine#cutid1

Jossverse

A new part of Things We Never Talk About by nwhepcat

Chapter 50

http://nwhepcat.livejournal.com/586801.html#cutid1

Chapter 51

http://nwhepcat.livejournal.com/587644.html#cutid1

Say Bibliotheque Again, Baby by Nestra and Shrift

Angel the Series; Wesley/Gunn

http://bifictionalbedlam.slashcity.net/nestra/stories/library.html

Tis a Pity by Unovis

Firefly; Mal and Inara

http://www.geocities.com/unovisunovis/pity.html

For future reading: The Wesley/Gunn Archive http://gunnwesley.populli.net/

Supernatural

Don’t Follow by Wren

Wincest

http://wrenscribbles.livejournal.com/5262.html

Fidelity by Stillane

PG-13

http://stillane.livejournal.com/8538.html

Sigh. Off to the salt mines, fun will be had later.

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 20:30:57 GMT

Lost
Okay, here's Ink, by eponine119http://eponine119.livejournal.com/250798.html#cutid1
This is Sawyer, post Season two finale. I had to go back, days after my initial reading, to comment. It's that angsty [or at least I found it so]. Good, if painful character study.

And also The Room, by cmonkatiekatie
http://cmonkatiekatie.livejournal.com/11632.html
Jackcentric, post Season Two finale. It's a two parter, this is the first part and I still owe FB.

Jossverse
This is the blurb for an Angel rec in the Crack Van today
The piece in question is All Along the Watchtower by telsa321http://silverlake.imjustsayin.net/tesla-allalongwatchtower.html

Why this must be read:
This is another one of those gennish slash stories that I find appealing. Angel/Oz is a rare pairing; it could work, two quiet guys with so much going on beneath the surface, keeping one another company. I guess I consider Oz the little black dress of the BtV/Angel fandom--because he's rather an outsider, a lone wolf with his own agenda, he works well in many fandoms as a crossover character, although I think his characterization is hard to get right. This story works on more than one level: as a character study of future, post-series Oz; as an exploration of why someone might choose to withdraw to a peaceful life even though there are more worthy battles to be fought; as a melancholy look at the past. The setting of this story is so vivid that I can absolutely see Oz living this life.

***I had to include the blurb [written by raveninthewind], becuase it's such a great description of his Oz-ness***

LotR RPS
A Sudden Case of Slash by Lemur
http://www.geocities.com/jerboa_lemur/caseofslash.html
Another crack van rec; the intertextuality here is *amazing*!

That's it for now. Off to read actual books.

Mon, 12 Jun 2006 19:45:32 GMT

Harry Potter

I returned to Sam's archive, after quite the hiatus and got caught up on the Saving Harry Verse:

This is particularly lovely.
Tales from the River House: Eclipse
http://sam-storyteller.livejournal.com/90110.html

I also read the lastest Laocoon's Children- Year Three
Chapter 1
http://sam-storyteller.livejournal.com/93152.html
Chapter 2
http://sam-storyteller.livejournal.com/94771.html
Chapter 3
http://sam-storyteller.livejournal.com/95465.html

Jossverse

Nwhepcat's latest, Things We Never Talk About, has a new chapter
http://nwhepcat.livejournal.com/586708.html

entrenous88has some lovely Cordelia drabbles on this post.
http://entrenous88.livejournal.com/412904.html

That's all so far for today. I'll prolly go trolling for Lost fic later...there's a current lack of good smut being written. :( I also need to mosey on over to the Blackraptor site; the boys *have* to be feeling neglected...