Rain, rain, go away
May. 10th, 2007 09:28 amNo walking/exercising for me today as it's raining. So I read. Which is nice, because I'm getting to where I'm feeling thin - stretched, that is. Meetings yesterday with the school, errand running, go go go all day, and my fifth straight night of not falling asleep until 1:30, which sucks as I get up about 6am. SO. TIRED. I walked 8 miles yesterday, too, so I want: a) sleep b) a massage and c) a strawberry shake from Sonic. I think I can manage one of them today... (Also, I'm grinding my teeth in my sleep and having intense and detailed dreams that make me wake up exhausted. Too much on my brain, I think. like all the religion books coming out right now and I may have missed the boat on this book I'm writing and how do I sell it and what do I dooooo??? Wah. End emo.)
So when I can't sleep, I get to go through my "To Be Read" folder on del.icio.us. Two of these I still need to leave fb on, my bad, but I WILL. And if you read them, you should, too. You're getting free entertainment, people, and it's high quality entertainment at that. Read and feed. Takes two seconds to say "this was great" or "I loved this" or "squeeeee! OMFG haf mi bbs" but you shouldn't do that last one, because it makes you look sofa king wee todd it. :)
Buffyverse: By
adis723, The Hours of Time a Xander-centric (and scary) gen-fic. BEFORE YOU SCROLL because you're all about the porn, or anti-Xander or something, please note that I think Vinnie is one of the best gen writers in fandom. She doesn't get the love she deserves, imo. (Go check out any of her post NFA fics if you need further proof.) It starts off giving you the feeling it's just a slice of life. If you don't hang on to the end, it's like walking out of "The Sixth Sense" before the end. Takes place during "Conversations With Dead People."
By
entrenous88 the sequel to Safer (and seriously. Dark sexy creepy awesome story that needs to be read) called Look Out. Let me explain what it is about Jess' fic that makes it fucking awesome: she makes you smell, see, taste and touch everything. She should be writing screenplays, because her fics read like a movie in your head. No flowery prose, no unnecessary descriptions to show off a new vocabulary word, just fantastic writing that makes your brain work. This girl tells you VIVID STORIES, and I can offer no higher compliment than that. (Do you want four paragraphs of simile and metaphor about trees, or do you want something to happen? Exactly.)
Friday Night Lights (and man, I don't read this fandom because the show is too shiny and wonderful) BUT. Haters To The Left by
honey_wheeler. Julie/TIM. You read that right. And y'all should know I'm a Matt Saracen kind of girl. UNGH. Lovely lovely, but I've yet to read a fic by her that I've not found to be excellent, so. Not long, which will make you shake your fist when it's over. Always a sign of good writing, imo. And it made me want to make out with
brandil's pictures of Tim Riggins. Okay, I always want to make out with Tim Riggins. Haha.
The Office, Things To Do In Scranton When You're Dead by
kyrafic, another solid writer. Let me preface this with how I think this is an impossible scenario: Jim/Karen/Ryan. Now throw that away and read some abso-freaking-lutely wonderful character voices with humor and snark and joy and nervousness and misunderstanding. Such a fun story. I think a lot of writers in this fandom Mary Sue themselves into Jim or Pam's character, and it's irritating to me. This story is like these characters wrote themselves into a threeway. HAHAHAHA!! It's THEM. I love that.
Pirates of the Caribbean, The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, Chapter 6 by
tacks which is, in my opinion, the GREATEST SPARRINGTON TALE EVER WRITTEN. And it hasn't been finished for TWO YEARS. I thought we'd never get more, and *sobs* we did! \o/ If you haven't read this, clear several hours in your day - it's novel length. Thank me later. It took me... 500 words for me to really fall in when I started, she does some funky things with formating that will become clear as you read it, but TRUST ME. Absolutely gorgeous, adult, heartbreaking, sexy - my GOD the sexy, and just utterly spectacular tale. [Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 5.2] OH MY GOD I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY, AHHH! It's everything that makes that pairing work for me. EVERYTHING. Oooh, I want to read Jack/James porn all day now. I cannot, but what a GREAT IDEA.
ATTN Flist: I would like your recs to excellent HP fic, please. My only request is that it is GOOD, thanks, pairing matters not. And i just got a book from UPS, "Mormon Polygamy: A History" and I totally want it to be "Hogwarts: A History" because I'm a dork. Ha.
So when I can't sleep, I get to go through my "To Be Read" folder on del.icio.us. Two of these I still need to leave fb on, my bad, but I WILL. And if you read them, you should, too. You're getting free entertainment, people, and it's high quality entertainment at that. Read and feed. Takes two seconds to say "this was great" or "I loved this" or "squeeeee! OMFG haf mi bbs" but you shouldn't do that last one, because it makes you look sofa king wee todd it. :)
Buffyverse: By
By
Friday Night Lights (and man, I don't read this fandom because the show is too shiny and wonderful) BUT. Haters To The Left by
The Office, Things To Do In Scranton When You're Dead by
Pirates of the Caribbean, The Boy Who Blocked His Own Shot, Chapter 6 by
ATTN Flist: I would like your recs to excellent HP fic, please. My only request is that it is GOOD, thanks, pairing matters not. And i just got a book from UPS, "Mormon Polygamy: A History" and I totally want it to be "Hogwarts: A History" because I'm a dork. Ha.
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Date: 2007-05-10 02:54 pm (UTC)p.s. what is yr del.icio.us name?
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Date: 2007-05-10 02:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 02:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 09:42 pm (UTC)If You Are Prepared, by Cybele (Snape/Harry). I see that
Night-blooming Heartsease, by Julad (Snape/Neville). Everyone should read this. One of my favourite fics ever, in any fandom.
The Fourth Year, by Calligraphy. This was the first Snape/Harry fic I ever read. I can't think of a better introduction to the pairing. Hilarious, heartbreaking, brilliant characterization, insanely hot - I could go on and on! I would also strongly rec Calligraphy's other great Snape/Harry fic So Lonely Without Me.
Slowly, But Exceeding Fine, by Ellen Fremedon (Snape/Sirius Black). How to kill a dementor, live under a curse, and let go of an old grudge. What I wouldn't give for more brilliantperfectbeautifulAWESOME Snack fic like this. Just thinking about makes me so insanely happy I CAN'T EVEN!
Third Time's the Charm, by Helenish (Snape/Lupin). This is ridiculously funny and stupidly hot and perfectly characterized and I love it SO MUCH.
Did you read
The Shoebox Project, by
Bitten, by
I have to get back to work, but I would highly recommend anything and everything linked under the desert island tag on my del.icio.us.
HAVE FUN, STONEY!
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Date: 2007-05-10 10:01 pm (UTC)Pique, THANK YOU for the recs and WHY I WILL LOVE THEM. Oh my goodness, I have my weekend moments all planned out now, YAY!!!
(Seriously, thanks for all the coding. YOU ARE A CHAMP.)
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Date: 2007-05-11 02:49 am (UTC)OMG I AM SO JELUS, STONEY! i want to be reading all of these for the first time! note though that IYAP is fuck-off long (400+ pages in Word) and if i recall took me most of a weekend to read, so i'd save it for when you have some time.
SNAPE OMG.
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Date: 2007-05-11 06:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-11 02:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-11 05:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 03:40 pm (UTC)Thanks for the recommendations - I haven't read any of them (what? I missed an Entrenous story? Probably not, but re-reading is always a joy). I've never read any FNL, the characters are so richly drawn I never feel compelled to pursue them outside the show. I'll have to dip my toes in the pool!
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Date: 2007-05-10 03:43 pm (UTC)Entrenous' fics are freaking great - those two in particular made me very happy with their darkness/squick-factor. AWESOME.
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Date: 2007-05-10 04:17 pm (UTC)HP FIC RECS A-GO-GO.
Date: 2007-05-10 03:48 pm (UTC)1.
2.
3.
4. Anything HP-ficly in the
5. For porn?
6. For novel-length stuff...I dunno. I can rec you the "If You Are Prepared" story but really it's tantamount to sadism. It's a FANTASTIC story, but god it depresses me just thinking about it. By Cybele. The Cassandra Claire trilogy is regrettably pretty great, but...infamous, y'know. That whole thing. Anyway, I have the Adobe files of the last two, and a Word document of the first bit. ...And her Ron/Ginny fic that shares a name with her new Legit Novel (just waiting for it to get Googlebombed).
7. For communities, the following are pretty great:
WHY I LOVE LAURA, PART A MILLIONITY
Date: 2007-05-10 03:52 pm (UTC)I LOVE YOU LAURA, THANK YOU THANK YOU!! *plays with the pretty wrapping paper* Also, if you are on delicious, I'd like to link to your page for all the recs, wheee!
I'M LIKE A DRUG DEALER BUT FOR FANDOM :D or: OHGOD I CAN'T STOP D:
Date: 2007-05-10 04:18 pm (UTC)OH OH ALSO.
Also. ...okay, this is going to look really suspect, but the Bottom!Draco Emporium (http://geocities.com/owrai_fics1/) actually has a really good selection of funny/angsty/whatever fics that have Draco in them in some way. uh. ...slash.
OKAY WAIT ALSO HET. ...erm. *lost* Okay, I do know that Sugarquill (http://www.sugarquill.net) has a lot of good Ron/Hermione. And Harry/Ginny, I think. Also *squints* OH! I remembered. *beams* Okay, The Fire and the Rose (http://www.witchfics.org/fr/) by Abby and Domina is this novel-length ridiculously great Snape/Hermione fic. That I ACTUALLY READ AND LOVED.
Should I rec some Snape/Black? Snape/Lupin? ...I can't rec Sirius/Rem - WAIT THAT'S A LIE. OKAY.
*CANNOT SHUT UP OH NO* (http://geocities.com/owrai_fics1/rd/butslytherin1.htm)
*HOLDS OUT ARM FOR MORE*
Date: 2007-05-10 04:21 pm (UTC)*cough* I've read maybe... every single Ron/Hermione out there and belong to Restricted Section, Checkmated, and sundries, hahahaha.
I want Sirius/James fic that doesn't have anachronisms in it and is awesome, please. Any recs you feel worthy will be taken in like broken, hungered, and wet orphans and loved and fed, yes.
(And I'm not a fan of R/L, BECAUSE of the shoe_box project. o if you think one is good, aka, not fandom-sobby Remus, then yes more are welcome!)
*PILES ARMS HIGH WITH MORE*
Date: 2007-05-10 04:54 pm (UTC)Sirius/James fic. *wince* See, yeah. I have a problem with most Sirius/James in fandom today because it's all...eh. It's some weird fandom trend that they're just a bit too polished and soulless and mean and call each other "gayboy" and it's supposed to be humor. Which. o.O ...though eh, fwiw, here's
For Snape/Black (or "Snack"...o.O man, I hate those things), YOU NEED TO READ THIS. OMG. Players (http://community.livejournal.com/daily_deviant/126696.html#cutid1) by
If you like H/D (which - I do, if it's written well),
*rubs residue on teeth and gums*
Date: 2007-05-10 05:13 pm (UTC)HOgod I love Mistful, so YAY for Ron/Pansy \o/!!
As for H/D, I know they are they Big Pairing in a lot of ways but I don't buy it. Unless in the hands of excellent authors, who have convinced me (at least while I'm reading) that it is True. So.
Have I mentioned my love for you? FOR IT IS GREAT, YEA VERILY.
Re: *rubs residue on teeth and gums*
Date: 2007-05-11 06:37 am (UTC)Stoney, what have you read by
Re: *rubs residue on teeth and gums*
Date: 2007-05-11 06:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-11 12:54 pm (UTC)By Mistful? Almost everything. I fucking LOVE her.
(And for the record, I'm not a n00b to HP. I've been quietly reading fanfic since '04, especially R/Hr. But since I don't participate in that fandom, I know I'm missing things by just reading off the boards.)
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Date: 2007-05-11 05:45 pm (UTC)Huh, I see what you mean. I guess I love that which Draco could be more than Draco himself.
I'm glad you are sharing of the mistful love.
Re: *PILES ARMS HIGH WITH MORE*
Date: 2007-05-11 07:10 am (UTC)Also: Underwater Light is H/D, but it's a pretty good read. But out of her stuff, I would recommend Quality of Mercy (http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=mistful). It's a WIP, but--well, I wouldn't want it to end anyway. Main characters are H and D but though there are vibes with everyone everywhere it's kinda gen. It has lots of Weasleys and a good helping of Hermione and it makes me laugh and cry and grip the edge of the desk hard and it's really really good.
Um, did you ever read any other HG/SS because everyone looks at me funny when I say I like that pairing.
I wish I knew the H/D authors to avoid. God, there is *so* much crap in that pairing. If you'd rather not comment in public about it I understand though.
Re: *PILES ARMS HIGH WITH MORE*
Date: 2007-05-12 04:00 am (UTC)I haven't read UL or Quality of Mercy. I really should, just I find the prospect of trying to catch up with a long fic kinda daunting. I'll have to take a night and just stay up and read the whole thing.
For HG/SS, I haven't read much. *sheepish* BUT. Witchfics is the go-to place (possibly of yore, I'm not certain, will do some searching) and You Are Not An HG/SS Fan until you've read Anna's stories. I can't remember what they're called. D: They're on Witchfics though!
Anyway, yes, I had a roommate in college who LOVED THOSE STORIES. Also Riley's Pawn To Queen (it can be found on Witchfics too - I linked Witchfics in a previous comment on this thread but here's another link (http://www.witchfics.org)!) is an abandoned WIP but it's totally worth reading. There was some fandom wank associated with this one but I'm not really sure where it started.
Also for HG/SS, if you want to, there's the incredibly ancient WIKTT (When I Kissed The Teacher) yahoogroup to join. I bet they'd have a lot of stuff archived in their files folder. You'd have to get a yahoo account and the group is age-restricted, but yeah, I'm guessing it'd be a really good resource.
Also...okay. For H/D, I am really really really picky. I've read Baron Nomaw (I've heard this is
And OKAY. If you're feeling adventurous, READ
I especially recommend her Infinite Shadow of the Soul (http://www.skyehawke.com/archive/story.php?no=14261). I read it this Christmas (it was a gift over at
Re: *PILES ARMS HIGH WITH MORE*
Date: 2007-05-12 02:56 pm (UTC)UL, QoM: I started several fics by her about 5 times each, daunted by length and unimpressed by the prose. They're worth taking a night, or several, out for.
HG/SS: Yeah, I've been through most of that stuff. Oh, PtQ and it's explosive wank. I forgot about WIKTT; thanks so much.
H/D: completely agree about emmagrant and furiosity. Haven't read Seeker to Seeker or acid6urn at all though, so thanks so much!
Snape/Draco: will definintely try her! Thanks again so much for the recs. I tend not to go for this pairing so much because I tend to be more drawn to pairings in which at least one character is not a git. Heh. Although sometimes I love me some Sirius/Snape and I think they're both git-like.
Thank you thank you thank you!
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Date: 2007-05-10 06:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 06:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-10 11:09 pm (UTC)As far as "HP" fic goes, BIG YES to everybody else who has recommended
I'd also recommend absolutely everything by
Actually, if you like quality Voldemort fic,
Lastly (and I cringe even as I offer this pimp), if you have no issues with crossgen incest in "HP," I once wrote a short (like, 1.2k words) Harry/Aunt Petunia fic that, as far as I know, no one on Earth has read it.
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Date: 2007-05-11 07:17 am (UTC)I wanted to ask about the PotC fic--I started reading that when you first recced it and could NOT get into it. Does it get less, uh, complex? Of course, this was my complaint with Kita's fics when I first read them. I could NOT get into them, either. I'm such a ditz sometimes.
I love all everything by entrenous88. And that fic was hot so I need to read the sequel.
Thanks for the rec to the Xander fic. I've been meaning to read adis forever.
You recced the novel The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The NIght, right? Because I saw it at the store and I *thought* it was the book you recced so I bought it and made my friend promise she'd read it with me next month for our two person book club. We're reading Wicked right now which I do not like. But I loved the musical. Have you seen it? You would love it. So femmeslashily beautiful. This is what happens when I'm up at 2am and have not had shots of fandom any time recently; I am shutting up.
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Date: 2007-05-11 01:01 pm (UTC)I will say that it's utterly heartwrenching and honest - how MEN are with one another. Smoking hot, absolutely fantastic characterization - she GETS Norrington. Most don't, unfortunately.
That IS the book! It's so simple and complex at the same time. It really broke my heart - my sister is autistic. I might have to post about it today, it was so affective. I loved the book Wicked. I have to say, I'm not much for musicals. Sometimes, yes. But I loved the book, to be honest.
OMG get some sleep AND fandom! *hands you a bucket full*
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Date: 2007-05-11 05:48 pm (UTC)Yeah, I picked up the book because I seemed to remember you mentioning it, I opened it up, read a page, and thought, I HAVE to buy this.
Did you see the musical? I mean, even though you don't like them that much? 'Cause it's really brilliant. I think I'm disliking the book so much 'cause I liked the musical so much. I tend not to be that big on musicals either. I think.
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Date: 2007-05-11 06:40 pm (UTC)I've listened to the Musical, and that was enough for me. The book is a political and racial satire, which I loved. The musical didn't bear much resemblance to the book imo, so I can see why you aren't jivving with it, yet.
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Date: 2007-05-12 03:18 am (UTC)I actually ...didn't think much of the music in the musical. yeah, I make no sense. i don't know, there's something contrived-feeling about the book that makes me really not care for any of the characters, even Elphaba who I feel like I should like, whereas I felt like the musical had deeper understanding and sympathy for the characters as people. That makes the political satire more meaningful to me, whereas in the book it feels thrust at me. But I tend to be highly critical of almost anything the first time I experience it unless taken by utter fannish obsession; afterwards I mellow out and can be more fair.
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Date: 2007-05-11 07:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-05-11 01:54 pm (UTC)And I know you don't buy Harry/Draco, but how about some good ol' crack fic?
I found Mirabella's Harry Potter and the Inconvenient Condition (http://theguestroom.houseofhobbits.com/hp/Condition.html) and The Malfoy Guide to Productive Extortion (http://theguestroom.houseofhobbits.com/hp/MalfoyGuide.html) both absolutely hilarious. The latter is Harry/Draco/straight!Ron, but trust me. You will laugh.
Maeglin Yedi's One Night At The Ministry (http://www.etc.slashcity.net/maeglin/viewstory.php?sid=147) is also really fun and involves streaking. Streaking!
Mahaliem does veela!Draco so good in The Obligatory 'Draco is a Veela' Story that Every HP Fanfiction Author has to Write (http://mahaliem.livejournal.com/93133.html). And her Voldemort in the Loony Bin (http://mahaliem.livejournal.com/157090.html) is both funny and a little sad (it borrows from that episode of Buffy).
Finally Diunn Fionn's Never Mind The Bollocks, It's Draco/Harry (Shake Your Groove Thing) (http://archive.skyehawke.com/story.php?no=8754&chapter=1) pokes fun of the pairing and its many, many, many cliches. Her other stuff is also very good, though they are H/D of the more serious kind.
Also hi! :)
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Date: 2007-05-11 03:23 pm (UTC)I'm very late to this party, I know. Laid up with a migraine yesterday. But I'm bookmarking this entry for all the yummy HP recs to read later!
Here are two of my own, in case you aren't full up yet. I've been reading H/D almost constantly recently. While I love a lot of it, I find a little voice in the back of my head going... is the Draco in this fic really Draco? The Draco we know from the books? It doesn't really stop me from enjoying the story, mind you. But a story that has a Draco that is genuinely the nasty boy, or a grown-up who *was* that boy and has learned better, is a treasure. A ton of H/D stories have a Draco that was putting on a false front of nastiness, etc.
Anyway, the two fics below didn't bring on that little voice. Maybe they will for you, who knows. Characterization is a funny thing. But I thought they were good.
That Way Lies Camelot is set right after HBP. Draco is just as I think he should be. And what I love about both Draco and Harry is that they aren't beautiful or angelic but knobby-kneed gawky adolescents. Makes my heart hurt.
A Mile in His Shoes is the grown up version of the boys. A Draco that has learned better, if you will.
BTW, I really liked "A Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime." Read that last year. It was so good, and illuminating. Thought about your sister, and my friend with the autistic son as I read it.