25 November 2003
Christy and Ashkara's take on 'Guerilla Warfare for Dummies' (Trowa's
response), which is hilarious and witty and full of in-jokes, not to mention
that the topic was perfect for GW.
On another note, finally, chapter 15 of Irresistible Poison. Well, it was a good ending. I hoped for more sex. But I'm not really that shallow, so the ending'll hold me for now. Hm. I have the oddest impression that I'm a HP fan for the sex. Which isn't even hinted at in the books.
18 November 2003
Christy and Mel's Warped Mirrors chapter 18 AND Christy and Ashkara's
Changing Allegiances. The first is something I've been looking forward
to for so looong and it's really great. Christy and Mel are really good at
the action sequences and I could practically see the G-pilots kick ass.
Lovely dialogue too. The latter is a serious fic that didn't start out that
well, IMO, other than the Duo and Heero interaction, but now, I can see all
three dimensions fitting in, and it's really enjoyable.
16 November 2003
Lenore's Love for Sale, chapters 12 and 13 turned me into a
blubbering reader, and things didn't improve when I read Devin and Jenn's
Arkham. More! Lenore's tale does a great job of playing again
with the cliches of fandom but turns them into woobie!Clark and woobie!Lex.
Part of me wishes things wouldn't move so quickly so I could savour how Lex and
Clark settle into a new stage of their relationship, while the other part of me
wishes to see more angst when the secret about Clark's past comes to the fore.
Arkham (sniffs pathetically). I'm not supposed to cry at a story I'm reading on my computer! ('cos it's so obvious). But it's so good, I think just a tiny bit overwritten--or is that because it's supposed to represent Lex's mental state?--where Lex picks himself up and starts to make preparations for the breakout. I love the way the story develops, though, and the way different levels of comprehension come across for Lex, not to mention talking to ghosts. I think Miles Vorkosigan once said that "My ghosts ride along with me," and Lex seems to experience that.
14 November 2003
Mel and Christy's new chapter of The Prince of Demons. I was
delighted upon seeing it on the ml, then realised I didn't remember what the
story was. Fortunately, it all came back once Mel and Christy replayed a
little of what's happening in the house o' Mel and Christy. (And they've
got Schu and Fluffy!)
Ah, yes, The Prince of Demons. Yes! I really love the way they're able to make Wufei such a likeable character. I never really liked him that much, out of the GW boys (though pimp-daddy!Q is even worse), but Mel and Christy hath wrought a miracle. And without making Wufei wildly OOC, which would have been even more unplatable. Nope, Wufei the alien/demon visitor accompanied by his Gundam, is skilled, honorable, smart, and nice, qualities that would make anyone else a prig, but in Wu make him a prince of soldiers. Cool. And having Krashnak say the magic word just cracked me up.
7 November 2003
"every true artist knows that a masterpiece is an accident that should be
burnt."
For some reason that came to my mind even though I hadn't yet read any memorable fics. Oh, wait. I did. Listen-r's Discoveries and Developments, which features one main original character (fandom: Highlander) who could be a Mary Sue. Interesting arc (and it's an arc), though I was disappointed by the tendency to emphasize the original character rather than Methos. Or Duncan. What's the point of fanfiction without the canon characters?
6 November 2003
Acting on Pru's recommendations I was able to read Breaking the Game
by Penny Paperbrain (Yami no Matsuei) which fairly sizzled my eyeballs as
I read. At
http://katcom.squidkitty.org/Fanfiction/Breaking_intro.html I'm not
always into bdsm fics, 'cos it often seems as though writers like it only for
the hardcore sex, which is (mostly) fun, but doesn't really give a plausible
setting for the dynamics of such a relationship, or the mindsets of either
participant. But this one is different in that it does explore the
relationship between Tatsumi and Tuzuki, and add good writing to the mix.
Oh yeah, I'm hooked (why is this story an ongoing series?!) and I'd love to read
more. Must remember to email the writer.
Also on the same archive, I found Laekin's stories, concentrating on Tatsumi and Watari. Ah, I might've have guessed that Laekin would also be interested in this fandom, though I know her works primarily from GW. Her GW stories were occasionally a bit too treacley, but contained excellent plotting and characterization; the latter was usually nicely spare and really enjoyable to read. I've only read Irresistible Force: Immovable Object so far, but I anticipate a good read ahead.
4 November 2003
Have read Changing Loyalties 12 and 13. Totalitarian Wizarding
England: bad, bad place to live in. Can understand the way it ends, though
a part of me still thinks ugh!evil!Voldemort and wishes things were different.
Another part of me thinks Harry as Consort of evil overlord is just too sexy
(and poignant, given the course of the story) to ignore. No comments on
Snape's side of it.
How strange is it that I'm now seeing heavy slash in an otherwise ordinary cops-and-robbers/buddy drama series from Hong Kong? Maybe I've really read too much slash. Now I can't help it: each time I watch a new episode my brain goes into la-la land and constructs scenarios wherein the buddies sling arms around each other out of pure sexual affection, where busy nights working are accompanied by the cooking of instant noodles for either (well, they're men--and cops) while automatically knowing that he likes to add egg to his noodles, where there is a half-hearted rivalry for a new (female) colleague with plenty of angst on the strain on their relationship therein, where they spend huge amounts of non-work time together even though they aren't partners, where the buddies bring that adorable eight-year-old (son of the divorced one) out on a family trip to the toy store and buy loads of toys, where they cuddle on the couch while watching television or talking about work, and where they're too manly to say words of love but have discreet, sweet loving sex anyway. La-la land sounds great.
Damn TVBI for showing that cops in hard-boiled dramas also have a social and family life. For making the buddies sit so close together on that living room couch, damn again for showing that they're such great pals that they have the keys to each other's apartments, and damn thrice for showing such great chemistry between them.
3 November 2003
Ah, it's been a while. As Time Goes By, Shoori, a sequel of
sorts to A Long Time Coming. Chapters 1 and 2 so far. She's
written really nice long WK fanfiction that deals well with the characters and
the mood of the original series (a mixture of the implausible with
pseudo-scientific themes)--sometimes too much angst, I think: the backstories of
the characters can really get much too harrowing for my taste--but good
characterization, well-thought-out plots for the most part (though the ending of
A Long Time Coming was rather slipshod, consisting entirely of a happy
wedding), and I love her Schuldig and Yohji, who are Perfect as far as I'm
concerned.
Maybe it's because she allows for the interaction of past with present without making the present apologetic: Schuldig acts the way he is (and so does Yohji) due to his past, but he doesn't always let it come in the way of his relationship. Plus Shoori does a great job portraying the Kritiker lifestyle as plausible. Occasionally I think the entire arrangement is too good to be true, but hey, if you're rich and powerful, I guess a lot of things are possible.
Speaking of rich and powerful WK characters, how about Jean D.'s Dysfunctional for an extremely cool Brad and lovely Yohji and Schuldig? I actually get a thrill contemplating if this could be happening, somewhere. A pity she's not writing more, or if she is, not more WK fic.
21 October 2003
The Road Not Taken by Joyfulgirl is a nice long AU that's a lovely, sexy read.
The pacing is a bit uneven here and there, but I guess it's because it tried to
take in so much about Lex (from boyhood to adult) and Clark and (even
Lucas) Chloe, Pete, Lana and Whitney. A lot to take in. And Lois,
who is super, and I want to be Lois when I grow up.
Maya's Underwater Light has Chapter 15 (!). Happy am I. Draco Malfoy and Harry. Delving into Harry's feelings, Draco's erm, insecurities, and the school getting drunk. Harry's determination (and that of Draco's) are good to read; shows them behaving like teenagers trying to act in an adult manner, and shows Harry's own determination regarding his role in the war:
A spy killed my parents. Let them try - just let them try - to touch my friends.
Have to read it again.
20 October 2003
Pru recced some CCS and Saiyuki fics by Hth--The Honeymoon (of
latter) is good, but seems to lack some. . . spark, or perhaps a hint of
motivation about Goku and Sanzo's actions (other than lust, that is).
Undeniable and Territory (of the former) are also fun to read, yet
again doesn't have that sense of spontaneity, and maybe a bit too much
description. E.g., she goes on and on about how special Touya is, but I
can't really tell if that is supposed to be the writer's view or Yukito's.
Argh. Maybe I'm being overly critical these days.
12 October 2003
A couple over the last few days. The Rapture Series by Wombat (Highlander).
Crossover with X-files, really sweet Mulder-and-Methos, especially in the
beginning. Good story,
stayed up to finish it. But I don't get. Is everyone in
Highlander-crossovers
an Immortal?
It's a bit of a cop-out. The story would have been stronger, I think, if Mulder went on being a human being (genetically-modified, extra-smart, ultra-lucky: take your pick) while Methos continued his journey as Immortal. I think that would really help to bring out the difficulties of being an Immortal, i.e., the prospect of outliving ordinary humans, even if they are genetically-modified, extra-smart, or ultra-lucky.
5 October 2003
Came across this Harry Potter and the Legacy of Light, crossover with
The Dark is Rising sequence. V. long. Obviously writer put in a lot
of effort into it, and it's not a bad story, as crossovers go. But
the lead-in, into the story, was too long (not in length, but in portrayal) and
it dwindled from there, and it was hard to feel a sense of spontaneity in it.
And that took the fun out of crossovers. Much prefer Strangeness,
by Gunbunny, Will and Bran slash with a guest appearance by Methos.
Unexpectedly fun.
4 October 2003
The Doll by Von and Bonne, together with Laekin. A pleasure to
see them working together, with a interesting take on what happened after vol.
11 of Yami no Matsuei. Features unusual pairing involving
everybody's favorite psycho. It's good; the tension and angst were sparely
narrated, and that brought out the intensity of feelings better.
1 October 2003
I'm reminded of how much I dislike the use of "baby" as an endearment.
This was in Lenore's Hooker!Clark tale, and while things had been progressing
satisfactorily for a while, I was thrown by Lex saying it.
And now in other news. . . today I read a student's essay and it began, (quote)
In the play A Midsummer Night's Dream (AMND), Shakespeare uses the play-within-the-play (PWP) to explore the themes of love and illusion.
There's a water stain on the paper where I choked on my drink and nearly lost my air.
26 September 2003
Oh my god. Good Omens fic. That is so cool! I've
always thought so after reading Torch's story and just now I found me a trove of
it. Iconography is unexpectedly good. Proves that a good fic
doesn't have to be slash (though the potential innit is fun to contemplate).
I want to read more! Does this mean I might have to revise my ban on angel
fic? Still, Good Omens fic isn't so much angel fic as, er, (how do
I say it) Good-vs-Evil-is-too-simplistic fic.
HP fic Choosing Loyalties is slightly unfamiliar, might've-been disturbing (if I were a newbie) but also a nice original look into what Harry could have become. Actually, I think it's also a fic of what Voldemort could've become, too. The only problem I find with the fic is that, stylistically speaking, there's too much showing and not enough telling--loads of exposition not only on what happened to Harry, but also how he felt. Some demonstration would have made the narrative more active. Perhaps I've been spoilt by really good writing. (ADS chapter 7, for example.)
25 September 2003
I don't wanna go to work. I wanna stay home and read more SV fic.
Lenore's Hooker!Clark is great fun, and looks like the beginning of a good tale. Hey, it's cliched but hot.
21 September 2003
Have not been reading much this past month. M'god, a new job is really
taxing. But yay! Got to read A Deeper Season, chapter 7, in
all its lovely hotness and uncertain-in-need-of-comfort Clark. It's great,
though now I'm wondering, but what about Phelan? Hope the story goes from
strength to strength.
Read a comment the other day, though it was about the HP fandom: that it was full of great stories that stopped at chapter 12 or 17 or something. That's my fear, too; I guess that's the risk of reading fanfics. I keep dreading that Underwater Light will just stop. (Please don't, Maya!) And I hope it doesn't happen to ADS as well.
Kouri and Karasu have updated With Friends Like This, finally! Up to chapter 19, in which the plot develops further. Nice, because a few chapters back it looked like it was going nowhere, or worse, was succumbing to bad writing.
They have a new original story (can't remember title), only prologue. Didn't have time to check it out; it seems to be an angel from heaven kind of story, though. Named Zachariah or something. Hm. The thing is, the best type of angel story I've read so far remains the Tenshigakuen fanfics by Hoyden, and I've read plenty. Not that I'm expecting K & K's story to be like it, but really, that blend of cuteness, innocence (but not naivete) and a Heavenly being is difficult to do well. Not that I'm expecting cuteness, per se, but really, angel stories are hard to do without being corny, pretentious or hypocritical. Unfortunate, but that's the truth, especially in these secular days. (Well, to me anyway.)
I'm also re-reading Highlander fanfic. It's all because of Methos. 'cause I can't resist a man who can, apparently, speak and write every language that ever existed. I'm a sucker for people like that... a polygot! (that was the word I was looking for.)