Yuletide 2008: Batch 1 - 20 Recs

I've been trying to read as much as possible while life continues to be insane. It seems that even have time off from work doesn't mean time to just chill. I haven't found a bad story in the bunch of what i've read yet, but these are some of my faves thus far.



Yuletide: Batch 1 (20 Recs)

1. Then Blink by halcyon_shift - Veritas the Quest - As always, I start with the story written for me because it is utterly PERFECT. It's set in the aftermath of the show as Nikko deals with his blossoming abilities and is freaking out. I love the voices here for everyone - Nikko, Cal, Solomon, and Vincent - and the interactions between all of them. I love Solomon's worry and Nikko's fears. Serious love. Solomon Zond knew he was good at a lot of things; it wasn't arrogance, he just was. Call it part talent, part obsession. If someone wanted a mountain climbed, Dorna kicked to the curb or an ancient riddle solved, he was right there. Turned out solving his son was a little harder.

2. The Pleasure's All Mine by bluemoon02 - 10 Things I Hate About You, Kat/Patrick - This is a sweet future fic. I enjoyed the voices, but mostly, I just really enjoyed the more vulnerable side to both Patrick and Kat. Katarina liked to think that she wasn't at all romantic - romance was a ploy designed by the Hallmark Company to return women to a submissive position in non-platonic relationships - but as she gave up on her reading, and lay back onto her pillows, eyes falling closed, she grudgingly admitted to herself that it would be wonderful if he just appeared.

3. 10 Things I Hate About You by cadetdru - 10 Things I Hate About You, Kat/Patrick - Patrick writes his own poem for Kat. I found it to be sweet and funny and so perfectly them. Even the sweet parts. It was a lovely June evening. Kat's father had been called away for an emergency birth, so Kat and Patrick were sitting out on the porch, talking quietly about nothing in particular.

4. Five Places In My Life by lysimache - Across the Universe - This is a great Max piece dealing with his quiet love of Jude. I really loved the way it was written and the Max voice for this story. It's so perfectly in keeping with the movie. The noise in the apartment could be overwhelming, chaotic, a brass band of monkeys chattering away at a million typewriters every moment, every day. Whirlwind quick, a succession of new and different faces parades through, while some were the same over and over: Sadie, JoJo, Prudence. But Max and Jude were always there, and they could shut their door, and for a little bit, it was quiet.

5. Sanctuary by zeldadestry - American Beauty, Ricky/Jane - A great look at Ricky and Jane's future together. I love the Jane voice in this piece as she deals with her life and how overwhelming Ricky's love can be. Ricky takes a picture of her every single day and he puts them all over the walls of the empty room that looks out on their backyard. He sits there every day, just sits there. He would never call it meditation, he would never call it prayer, but he's the holiest person she knows.

6. Your Story is My Tale by Ceria - Brothers Grimm, Jacob/Will - Great set-up and description, but mostly, the Jacob is what makes this story great and his attempts to explain his motivations. He clutched his book to his chest, still thankful to Cavaldi for it, and continued to skip in time with the music, Will walking alongside him, nothing else necessary in the world. Enemies of the state? So be it. They were the brothers Grimm and he'd snatched Will back from death. Couldn't ask for more than that, after all.

7. The Illusion of Endings by raurey - Dark is Rising series, Will/Bran - Future fic that is so beautifully written and very clever with how it works the actual text into it. "I don't know why this should be happening," Will mutters, pacing the several steps it takes to get from Bran's sofa to his kitchen. Bran, sprawled out frustrated on the sofa, rubs at his forehead and tries his best not to glare Will to death.

8. Sense and Notion by aliceblue - Dark is Rising series - Bran is persistent and determined to hold onto his friendship with Will. I loved Bran in this and how he views the world and his friendship with Will. Bran grows up, and into himself in a way. When he was younger, his looks were a curse, just another thing that set him apart from the other kids. Some people thought he looked funny, other thought he looked creepy--everyone had an opinion because it was impossible to ignore him.

9. The Leaves of Memory Parch and Fade by antumbral - Dark is Rising series, Will/Bran - It's got domesticity and schmoop, so I was gonna love it...but it's also hot and bittersweet at parts as well. "Well, you certainly took your time," Will said. Bran held the door wide and in stepped a dripping Will Stanton, hair streaming dark streaks around his face, raincoat held protectively over a brown package. Bran took the package as Will peeled out of his raincoat and wellingtons.

10. Five Times Two-Bit Mathews Lifted Something (and One Time He Didn't) by silsbee329 - The Outsiders - A great future fic. The Two Bit voice is just spot on and it's great to see him get some attention. And I really enjoyed the outside look at the Curtis brothers. This is a great piece set in one of my favorite worlds. I found out pretty quick, when he easily managed to muscle his way out of the bear hug I lifted him up in. It was so damn good to see Ponyboy. Even after he dropped me on my ass in the middle of the backyard, all I could do was lay there grinning up at him.

11. Walk the Wire by anr - Speed - Set in the aftermath of the movie, Annie deals with the events that happened. I really liked the Annie voice and how she's not as okay as she tries to be. When she lies down she sees the baby pram, hears Helen's voice -- I have to, Annie -- and feels Jack's breath on her neck, so she chainsmokes instead of sleeping and the number of the counsellor is still there when she checks her bin in the morning.

12. This Side of Time by medie - Terminator (movieverse), Kate/John - This has a great Kate Connor voice and I love how the smallest actions show who she is throughout the story. There really needs to be more Kate-centric fic out there. Sighing, she shakes her head. "There's so much of the story no one will ever know." Her fingers move artfully as she works, no motion wasted, and her red hair shines in the dull light from the ceiling. "It's the only way, of course, we can never make them understand the truth, but it's not fair."

13. Key to the Lock by smercy - Terminator (movieverse), Kate/John - I adored this piece. It has Kate in various cycles and yet, in everyone, she's strong and committed to John no matter what. I love their relationship and I love her strength. She'd hated when her previous boyfriends had cuddled on her like that, but it was different after the war, and with John. Kate would take her affection when she got it and be grateful. And she was grateful when John was holding her, when he kissed her and his mouth tasted gritty like engine oil.

14. Holy Thursday, Day of Judgment by lizardbeth_j - Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles - This was a very interesting look at Derek's past (future?) when the Skynet attack happened. I enjoyed the details and how surreal it is in so many ways. The thing I loved most though? Derek and Kyle's mother and how strong she is. Derek's voice came out level, but distant, as if telling a story that happened to someone else. "We were playing baseball on the lawn. Kyle thought it was fireworks. We looked up, and saw the rockets streaking overhead... What we'd heard were cluster bombs falling on the city."

15. Tentpole by psychomachia - Tropic Thunder - This picks up where the movie left off in all its insane glory. I'm seriously in love with this story. If you've seen the movie, read this and laugh and admire. No one thinks to talk to Tobey Maguire about what he thinks about all of this. It's not like he was involved in it. He didn't go to the Golden Triangle, get shot at, have his director's head severed, and discover a group of child terrorists worshipping a movie Ebert actually fled from in the theater.

16. Six Scenes From The Life of Nicole 'Nikko' Zond by ankaret - Veritas the Quest - I'm a huge fan of genderbendering Nikko into a girl and this story does it so wonderfully. Still the same character at heart but with the added fun of being a teenage girl. Well-written and amusing and I think this author should write a lot more. Solomon casts a professional eye over the scene. He's seen less comprehensive desolation in three-thousand-year old ruins, after earthquakes, volcanos and multiple generations of grave robbers. "How did she do that?" he says, more to himself than to the headmistress.

17. Newgrange by ankaret - Veritas the Quest - I can't explain how happy it makes me that there is not only more fic in this fandom, but really good fic to boot. This piece as some Nikko/Cal slashy undertones that make it all the better. The Cal characterization is spot on and the bickering-affection between him and Nikko is just like on the show. This is a great piece. "I'm just thinking about the good of the Foundation here, Dr Zond," said Calvin unconvincingly. "The last time you left me to babysit Nikko, he very nearly got sacrificed in a pseudo-Celtic fertility ritual."

18. Fidelis - Veritas the Quest by medie - A great scene set in the aftermath of the show as Vincent tries to help Solomon come to terms with Nikko's abilities. The voices are wonderful and it manages to evoke the emotions surrounding them, and I love how well Vincent knows Solomon. There is a suggestion there that Solomon will not want to hear. The man fears little, less than he should, less than Vincent is comfortable with, but he does fear one thing. Ironically, it is something that scares Vincent as well. Solomon's fear of losing Nikko could very well be paralyzing. Vincent does not wish to consider what would happen to Solomon if it should ever happen.

19. Blood Hound by unanon - Underworld - Lucian's plan from the beginning through to the end. I love how cold Lucian can be and yet, how he is motivated by his lost love. I enjoyed the comparisons of Selene and Sonja and the relationships Michael/Selene have to his and Sonja's. Lucian first heard of her, this pale substitute, this Selene, through a haze of pain and rage as he cut Viktor's hated brand from his shoulder.

20. A Horse and Her Boy by aliaspiral - Young Riders - This is a sweet fic about Kid's first love, his horse, Katy. It really captures how much Katy meant to Kid, so obvious on the show. Later on in life, when telling this story, he knew people were smiling because they thought he was talking about his wife. They thought it was sweet - love at first sight, and all that. But, for all he loved Lou, and he did, so much it was like he couldn't breath without her, he fell in love with Katy first.