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fanfic: yuletide

Just under the wire, the last of my recs for 2011 (I cheated and did not re-read two long stories, I admit). Twenty recs in 19 fandoms. Something to read while waiting for this year's stories to go live!

Books: Aaronovitch, Banks, Beukes, Caudwell

Vermin (1501 words) by Tel
Fandom: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: DS Stephanopoulos has a little problem and solves it in classic style. Set post-Moon over Soho.

DS Stephanopoulos is one of my favorite supporting characters in this series, and I love her POV here.

Faster (17117 words) by Kastaka
Fandom: The Culture - Iain M. Banks
Rating: Mature
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Summary: Out on an obscure limb of the galaxy, life used to be fairly slow...

I confess I did not have time to re-read this story before I posted this, but I remember it as a meaty story that reads like a mini-Excession.

Animal City (1630 words) by Edonohana
Fandom: Zoo City - Lauren Beukes
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: A collage of found writing from the City of Angels... and Animals.

I haven't read this book yet, but these document excerpts are a terrific exploration of its premise and make me want to read more.

Aeneas to Zakynthus (2180 words) by misura
Fandom: Hilary Tamar Mysteries - Sarah Caudwell
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: 26 bits and pieces.

An adorable mosaic portrait of Cantrip/Julia/Ragwort, a relationship that I didn't know I wanted until (a prior) Yuletide.

Books: Duane, Heyer, Jones, Le Guin

Remaking (2413 words) by sprat
Fandom: Young Wizards - Diane Duane
Rating: Not Rated
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: Inside, they don't plan.

Beautiful, languid story encapsulating Carl and Tom's early partnership. (I'd rate it general audiences.)

Of Workshops and Ducks (1949 words) by hazel
Fandom: Frederica - Georgette Heyer
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: The first time Felix was called in to the study at Alver; and the last time he took himself there on his own account.

This is a very charming look at Felix's engineering enthusiasms near the beginning and end of his career.

a flame in two cupped hands (5627 words) by Raven
Fandom: Magids Series - Diana Wynne Jones
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: On a quiet winter morning Rupert Venables vanishes from existence.

So Maree (and Will and Zinka) go looking for him. While this feels subtly different in tone from the book (appropriately so, though it may just be that I'm writing this particular blurb at 3:56 a.m.), I always love Maree's narration, and the magic feels very in keeping with the source.

The End and the Way (12225 words) by Luzula
Fandom: Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: On Posthe Tuwa of the Year One in the reign of Argaven XII, Harny Sord of Gernahan gave birth to a pervert.

Lovely long philosophical coming-of-age story about someone born unisexual on Gethen, very impressive.

Books: McKinley, Pratchett, Tey, Wrede, Wu

Springtime in Ihistan (1455 words) by Blue
Fandom: Damar Series - Robin McKinley
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: A meeting in a marketplace; blue eyes, pimchies, and Gonturan; memories and Meeldtar. // Surely you know," Jack said, frowning. "Your great-grandmother - mother's mother's mother - was a Hillwoman; one of rank, I believe. That was before we'd gained a proper foothold here..." (The Blue Sword, p. 207)

A thoughtful and appropriately bitter-sweet look at Harry's great-grandmother.

China In Your Hand (1035 words) by shewhoguards
Fandom: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: Tiffany had given her a china shepherdess.

Granny's POV on Tiffany's gift of the china shepherdess. I want this to be canon, because I squirmed along with Tiffany when she looked back at the china shepherdess as a failure on her part.

Like a Wave (1469 words) by NYCScribbler
Fandom: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: A moment in time, like a slice carved off a block of cheese.*

Another moment from Tiffany and Granny's relationship, this time Tiffany at age six, which made me sniffle.

Harmless (2687 words) by KannaOphelia
Fandom: Discworld - Terry Pratchett
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: A rogue golem appears to be interfering with the harmless everyday activities of the respectable citizens of Ankh Morpork.

Finally, an Ankh-Morpork story, with lots of good details and an appropriately pop-culture-dense punchline.

Reemergence (4514 words) by Taelle
Fandom: Miss Pym Disposes - Josephine Tey
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Summary: After Leys, life happens to Mary Innes.

I found this book extremely upsetting, and while this isn't exactly fixit, it is a thoughtfully complex post-canon story that shows me some of the good (and bad) possibilities for Mary afterward.

Having The Constitution For It (2599 words) by kerrypolka
Fandom: Enchanted Forest Chronicles - Patricia Wrede
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: "It's acting as if it's made its choice for a new king," Telemain said. Indignation coloured his voice, as if he were personally affronted that the sword had dared do something unexpected. "But it can't be - Mendanbar is clearly, well, still alive."

This completely adorable story really captures the feel of canon.

"Morwen stared at him, then started to laugh, half-outraged, half-proud. 'You've made the Enchanted Forest into a republic?'"

"'By accident!' Daystar looked like he wanted to crawl into the wall – which he probably could if he wanted to."

Mother of Wood Deludes the Monk into Binding the Mind-Ape / Guanyin Puts Her Face in Her Hand (6060 words) by lnhammer
Fandom: Xî yóu jì | Journey to the West - Wú Cheng'en
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Summary: In which Sanzang gets a little trigger-happy, Monkey gets into a little trouble, Friar Sand gets a little worried, and a little Pig gets his mouth zipped shut.

It feels exactly like the Jenner translation (which I started but have not finished) and its plot turns on Taoist innuendo. Irresistible.

Other: The Middleman; Aliens (movie); Oregon Trail / Pioneer Trail (games); Badass Women in History RPF / The Women of Amphissa by Lawrence Alma-Tadema (painting)

The Cryptobiological Airborne Conspiracy (6033 words) by Omorka
Fandom: The Middleman (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: After busting a steampunk punk, Wendy just wants to catch up on her sleep - but the world of the weird has other ideas, as mysteriously animated objects appear in a nearby town.

I love the gen casefiles that seem to come every year from Yuletide.

The Infernal Celibacy Rededication (Or how Roxy decided she didn't need her groove back after all) (4854 words) by st_aurafina
Fandom: The Middleman (TV)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: No matter the weather, it's good to be Roxy Wasserman.

Here's something a bit different, a neat Roxy backstory.

With One Eye Open (2775 words) by Medie
Fandom: Aliens (1986)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: She's still waiting, but she'll be damned if that's all she's going to do.

I have never actually seen this movie, but I always like a good competence-porn fixit.

Monsters and Me (6180 words) by escritoireazul
Fandom: Oregon Trail (Video Game), Pioneer Trail
Rating: General Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: When she’s a little girl, sitting on Pa’s knee while Ma cleans her guns, Bess hears her first coyote howl. It’s nothing at all like the hunting song of a werewolf, but still Bess shivers and stares out at the darkness with wide eyes. (Every hunter has to start somewhere.)

I don't know Pioneer Trail at all, but this is a remarkably sweet story tracing Bess's life as she hunts monsters and builds a family.

The Women of Amphissa (13045 words) by Gehayi
Fandom: Badass Women in History RPF, Painting -- Lawrence Alma-Tadema, ALMA-TADEMA Lawrence - Works
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: A Mongol woman warrior, a Chinese princess who overthrew the Emperor, a cross-dressing French writer and an Egyptian inventor-mathematician help a city of quasi-Roman lesbians to outwit and defeat a host of aliens who treat humans as toys to be tested to destruction. Also features clockpunk attack robots, lesbian kissage, assorted dinosaurs and a telepathic pteranodon.

I'm afraid I also did not have time to re-read this, but one of the comments matches my memory of it perfectly: "women-centric sci-fi pulp." If that is the kind of thing you like, you should read it.

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