21 February 2004
I'm very dazed. Have read Ciceqi's HL stories. And YnM stories.
And Eroica stories. Whoo! Of note,
YnM's Ado and Demonsex (hee!), which are incredibly good. Ado, along with Change Into, The Untitled Fluffy Hair Thing, build up a hilarious picture of life in Meifu, and puts Tuzuki, Hisoka, Tatsumi and Watari firmly into pairs. And Demonsex (still a WIP) is one of the few that brings in the shikigami, and mentions something about their ties with Tsuzuki (and with Hisoka), which is something that really fascinates me about the YnM universe.
Everything Dies and its adherents, which star a crossover universe of X-files and HL, and Krychek seems oddly at home in Methos's world. Ah, I like that. I like especially how she's made the sex so good while showing that they are still pining after their One True Pair, while showing the great chemistry between them.
15 February 2004
I think the only reason I put up with V-Day is the rash of fluffy stories
that floods the net celebrating all the cute, chocolate-worthy qualities of my
favorite pairings. Of most recent note, Pru's stories Backspace,
Volly and Adaptability (or was that Adaptibility?), which are
lots of fun. It amuses me that so many Gravitation fics are from the
viewpoint of Yuki (but then he's the writer in the series), and it's a little
weird how consistent the characterizations of Yuki and Shuichi have been in
nearly all of them. Then again, I guess it's hard to get OOC with a clearly
hostile-towards-the-world author and a pink-haired pop star. Volly is
interesting for the look into Tezuka's thought processes (not as cool as you
look, eh, Tezuka-buchou?), though I found it a little vague on first reading.
Adaptability is popcorn.
14 February 2004
Delusions of Normalcy, by Arithkenshin (hope I got the spelling
right). One of the better stories to come along in a while, and is a
change from the AUs, PWPs and amateurish stories currently peppering the GW-fan
mailing list. A little too much introspection, I think, not that it isn't
called for...but so long? I think there's no need to belabour the point
that yes, the G-boys are unsettled by peace and are paranoid as hell, and feel
hostile against attempts to 'control' them, etc. I think a slightly faster
pace would make the writing pick up.
I mean, I keep reading about how intense the boys are, but I get no physical evidence other than they stiffening (not in a good way) when confronted by (a) changes in schedule, (b) Lady Une, (c) arrival of strangers, (d) other people. In other words, anything that doesn't seem to fit 'wartime' conditions. But isn't the essence of being a Gundam pilot and teenage terrorist (that phrase sounds so wrong) dependent on expecting and dealing with the unexpected? At this rate, the poor things are going to be absolute wrecks before the week is out! The wall-climbing was really, really cool, though.
It's also Valentine's Day, the day of pink slushy hearts. Notable this year for occurring after Friday the thirteenth.
10 February 2004
Next chapter of With Friends Like This. One chapter is not
enough. Need more!
On another note, have read a few Prince of Tennis yaoi stories. Erm. The Diary of Ryuzaki Sumire is hilarious, but I'm in two minds about the others. Maybe it's the under-aged thing, or maybe it's because the boys just seemed too bloody tennis-minded to think of anything as mundane as sex. Fun, though.
31 January 2004
Maya's Underwater Light 16, which is very welcome and long-awaited.
Draco and Harry get into a fight, but what's not new? Still, Harry's getting
political and (slightly) devious. Who would've thunk it?
29 January 2004
Yes, more Due South fics. The Thin Line Between Life and Death.
Made me weepy, and I had to remind myself that
they got a happy ending, and wasn't that good enough? Huh?
On the other hand, someone at crack_van page recced Achrontia Atropos, a GW fic of massive length, supernatural and all. Not sure what to think about it. Did I mention that I don't like my supernatural with my sci-fi?
24 January 2004
I am now on a Due South-fic reading binge. Previously steered
clear because, well, I like Fraser, oddities and all. Then realized that
liking Fraser isn't inimical to liking him with Ray. At all.
Presently reading Chicago's Most Wanted by Speranza, though I also really liked Parental Guidance by Alanna and Starfish and Kass. I guess part of the trouble of reading DS fic is the two Rays; fun, though.
20 January 2004
"Military intelligence? Ah, yes: the quality that makes men armed only with
rifles run towards enemy machine gun posts." (A.J. Hall, Time
Shall Not Mend)
More of A.J. Hall, and what a nice writer she is. ('Nice' meaning neat.) Vorkosigan novels crossover with HP-verse works surprisingly well, as are Bujold's quotes scattered through the story. I'm still a bit leery of mixing magic and technology, but hey, it works out in Time Shall Not Mend, proving again that good writing can overcome most barriers.
15 January 2004
Dissipation and Despair, A.J. Hall again. Sequel to Lust.
Excellent to read, though the sub-plot with the aspiring writers was rather
confusing. I guess there's a fine line to draw between OCs and Mary Sues, the
level of involvement in each case, and between plotting a Wizarding World
emergency and a Real World cock-up. I do love the relationship between
Draco and Neville, though; it's one of the more convincing I've read.
Also newer chapters of Seamus is Seamus and You are Yourself. Admittedly, the tone is a big switch after Dissipation. But overall a nice (and hilarious) route to H/D.
9 January 2004
Lust Over Pendle by A.J. Hall. I think I came across this one a
few times, but was put off by the title. But it's really good, though with
a plot that really needs a bit of re-reading to take in. Nice British
presence, good strong sense of atmosphere.
6 January 2004
Belated Christmas pressies?
Rebuilding 18 and Changing Allegiances 40. Loved the cute Duo panic moment in first, and the Duo n' Heero moment in second.
4 January 2004
Kouri and Karasu have updated. With Friends Like These 23 and
24, and the latter ended with Schuldig missing. MISSING. Where are youuuu,
Schuldig?
Ari has a summary of GW at crack_van. Nicely done, and I love the subtle, but insistent anti-Relena vibes. Its length also convinces me that the GW fandom is so much fun because the story's set in a big universe (no pun intended) and all kinds of stories can be found in it. There really is an actual story (no flavor-of-the-week) so there's a beginning, a middle and an end. Morgan Richter's summary of GW is a hoot. Episode 41: Meanwhile, Treize decides he'd like to be Queen of the World, and gently removes Relena from power. Episode 48: Wufei duels Treize in space, and ends up killing him. Horrified, Wufei bursts into tears and sobs, "I didn't think I'd win!"
1 January 2004
New Year. How exhausting.
My only new year resolution this year is: give more feedback.
29 December 2003
Is it just me, or aren't there many AU Highlander fics around?
Compared to say, the Smallville fandom? AUs that are portrayed in a
totally different type of world. At least, from the stories
I've read so far.
Hard to say why. Maybe because SV is science fiction while HL is magic (though I'd prefer the harsher word 'sorcery'. heh.) It may be that science fiction allows you to play with the laws of physics and therefore alter the foundations of a universe. Also, science fiction loves apocalyptic settings. (And SV's got alien invasion, sort of.) But magic-based premises don't necessary rock the universe. At least, not magic-based premises set in (ostensible) real life, as in HL.
It's probably testimony to our secularized (I love secularity) mindset that we would perceive that science and physics can change the world (from whence the apocalyptic settings), while most of us would remain skeptical about HL magic altering the foundations of society. It'd probably take an epic story to convince me, and even then I would still regard it as a story (however convincing it sounded).
Part II: Occasionally goes crazy when I find a writer I like, and devour all her stories. Currently on Lanning Cook's stories. Love her Methos, love her Clark and Lex, love her Casey and Dan.
Have found Maya's website! And LJ. What is it about college/university that gets all these writers so hyper? You know, it occurs to me, now that I know for sure she's writing UL16, and that I am in no danger of jinxing it, I can now send feedback!
28 December 2003
Kristin's Part-time Only, of the movie Spirited Away.
Normally I prefer not to read het. fics but Kristin's stories are really good
and I love her Chihiro and her Haku, who is so a hunk.
Currently also drunk on YnM fics.
23 December 2003
A Miracle Every Day. I love it so much. (Just read it.) Of course I'm a
sucker for good M/D slash, but this took me by surprise because the light banter
at the beginning
disarmed me, plus there was Duncan finally getting a clue and acting on it for
once. What I really love is Methos's viewpoint near the end, because it
encapsulated so much of what I liked about the Great Love between them, and
makes me blink like a fangirl and squeal "OF COURSE they're meant for each
other!"
And the above reaction just inspired a whole new column of thought. I find that fics often fall into a few categories for me, for re-reading, never mind the fandom and the plot (or lack thereof). For re-reading purposes, I like to read about (a) the development of relationships between my favorite sets (first times and others), (b) how they treat their relationships, and (c) character-based stories. A good plot is always welcome, though, and that can come under (d). To elaborate,
a) Great Love: friendship, flirting, shonen-ai, UST, first times, all leading to the character realising how this partner is going to be the Great Love of his life, his entire existence, etc. Similar to One True Pairing, but from the character's perspective.
b) How Do I Love Thee: character thinking on his relationship, perhaps some backstory, why-the-heck-am-I-in-love, slice-of-life, how Great Love progresses, while hopefully not degenerating into clichéd celebrations of anniversaries/birthdays;
c) He's So Special: sounds cheesy, but really just a name for all those stories that tell me about all the traits that make Duo/Lex/Count D/Mulder/Methos/etc so special. May be confused with (b), though it concentrates on character-selling.
d) Arc stories are stories with plot. Good plots. Good stories. Good characterization. Preferably non-OOC, and long.
e) Popcorn: despite the name, they are essentially yummy, readable stories with excellent repartee and an overdose of humour, intelligence, sybaritic settings (verbal eye-candy, etc.), or all of the above.
Type A fics: A Miracle Every Day. The story that inspired this rash of categorizing, though in retrospect, that was a long time in coming.
Next category: Hard to find entire How Do I Love Thee stories; I think the best I've come across are chapters from Aja's Love Under Will or Rhysenn's Irresistible Poison (HP), as well as chapters from the Ion arc and the Road Trip arc (GW). Also A Deeper Season (SV).
There must be plenty of He's So Special stories, given the worshipful nature of many fans and fanfiction writers. It's difficult to do well, I think, because He's So Special stories don't allow much scope for plot development. The most recent one I've read is Silver by Sunhawk (GW). The other one I can recall offhand is Amid the Noise and Haste (Pros). And lots of SV snippets.
Column D, however, is for stories like Sylvia Volk's, which are essentially very good stories set in the Highlander universe. Jenn's A Handful of Dust (SV) is a blockbuster of a fic in this category too, and should be consumed with relaxants.
Column E. Some of Harukami's Tenshigakuen stories, most of the Eroica fics (esp. pre-slash), and Beth's Gundam Babylon.
19 December 2003
Did I not mention that there's no fandom like the GW fandom?
Was re-reading D.C. Logan's The Little Things Arc (on gwaddiction), an utterly delightful collection of vignettes on Duo and Heero's life together, either from Duo or Heero's point of view. GW fandom is incredible for the range of stories that appear in it, and I'm not even including AU stories. Lovely.
15 December 2003
I've always wondered why certain kinds of OC are acceptable while others are
not. Just re-reading Orbital Variations, which stars Kenny and Duan,
alternate versions of Heero and Duo, and wondering why I like them so much, but
find Jazz, Duo's son from Lasha Lee's And I Will Touch the Sky to be a
little too much. Strange, because Duan and Jazz's characters are supposed
to be derived from Duo's, but Jazz just doesn't have the same attraction for me.
Maybe because in Chasing the Crown, I got to look at things from Duan's
viewpoint?
13 December 2003
Tritorella's Irresistible Forces and Moveable Objects.
Crossover WK and Gravitation. Smooth, good prose with a punch. I've
always loved the character of Yuki--it's amazing how appealing arrogance and
anti-social rudeness is, but there you are--and here the fractious relationship
between him and Shuichi is nicely described. The scenes of Yohji and Aya
are good too, as is the interaction between Yohji and Yuki. Why can't
there be more of such stories?!
4 December 2003
Sunhawk's Traditions, chapter 12 (I think) of the Ion arc. This was
the installment I stayed up until 2am to read despite having had only 6 hours of
sleep for the last 3 nights each (sleep deprivation, anyone?), only to
melt into a huge pool of goo over its utter perfection and when I finally picked
myself up to go to bed, I was grinning like a loon and pumping my fist in the
air mouthing (it was 2am), "Duo! Duo! Duo! Duo!..." ;-)
Sunhawk writes one of the best characterizations of Duo I know. Her Duo is smart, funny, bitter and frighteningly determined at times. I'm inspired by Duo. I go "awww..." at Heero and Duo. I get depressed by Duo's depression. I perk up when he picks himself off the floor and marches off to kick ass. I occasionally forget to click down the page because I'm so overwhelmed. My heart goes into overdrive when his does. I even think better of Wufei all round.
Guess it's safe to say that the Ion arc has quite a significant place in my fic-reading life. I turn to it when I want something really meaty to sink my teeth into. I wait for its installments. I live in dread that they'll stop.
There'll be other fandoms but there'll never be another GW. There'll be other charismatic/gorgeous/memorable/wonderful characters but there'll never be another Duo Maxwell. Oh, and Heero Yuy too.
1 December 2003
Newest chapter of With Friends Like These. Love love love
Schuldig. What I like about this Schuldig is that he's complicated, but he
can have simple needs: the necessities of life, being loved, etc. And he faces
up to reality in a direct fashion, instead of choosing to live in denial. (Well,
for the most part.)