Yuletide recs!
Dec. 28th, 2018 01:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceruleancorvid This year was the most motivated I've ever been to actually look at Yuletide fics, and lo, they were good. :D There was a point where I just had twenty fandom tabs open on my phone and was slightly overwhelmed (it's amazing how things being interesting and fun doesn't stop them from overwhelming me with a feeling of obligation LOL) but I successfully motivated myself by thinking of writing this post. So. Here it is, by fandom.
Refraction — Nine, Ten and Juice chatting about fanfic, and the nature of media, and what has changed and what hasn't. No plot really, just some meta and a cute and good conversation. It also made me wonder if people in the 17776 future are writing slow-burn fics that keep updating for thousands of years.
Every Sundown — It's a roleswap! I fucking love roleswaps! Feat. the ship Mercy of Seivarden, floating alone with one ancillary left, and a Breq who still has her never-ending well of determination to kill Anaander but a different, human-y backstory. It's delightful. It's also got heartbreaking flashes of Awn/Breq in a past where they were rebels together, which kills me.
5 Times The Crew Was Waiting for Mercy of Kalr, Breq, and Seivarden to Sort Themselves Out — Outsider POV that does a great job with the ensemble cast surrounding the three titular characters, all set before That Emotional Scene in Ancillary Mercy. Made me smile.
Longing — Somehow I didn't get super invested in Mercy of Kalr/Breq while reading the actual series, possibly because I was distracted by Seivarden. This fic does a really good job making Mercy of Kalr/Breq/Seivarden into a relationship I care immediately about, and one with interesting problems to solve. Relationship negotiation, Ship and Seivarden sulking, Sphene being charmingly annoying. :D
Every Chambered Cell — Breq and Seivarden go on a diplomatic mission on Sphene to meet Fleet Captain Uemi's daughter. Problems are had. I love the way we see the fallout of Breq-Uemi-Anaander-Tisarwat tangle through the eyes of Seivarden, who Does Not Get It and is annoyed that she doesn't; Breq and Seivarden's relationship is Difficult in a way I like; more good Sphene. It also has this incredibly Breq line:
>"A thing?" said Breq. "You're talking about personality quirks. I don't have quirks."
which would not be out of place in canon.
Quietly, Gently — There are more Goblin Emperor fics I want to read but am putting off until I finish the audiobook again, but this one caught my eye first. It's just ... the Csevet-Cala-Beshelar alliance of Being Nice To Maia, at a particularly difficult time. As someone currently reading the book it's also soothing to get a non-Maia POV that takes for granted that he needs help and deserves to be happy.
Want What You Wish For — Tahani/Eleanor meet cute with pets. Good callbacks to canon (the plant!) and good Tahani namedrops (Miranda the cat..) and Eleanor narration.
It also hurts me that Eleanor explains to Tahani that her cat doesn't hate her in a way that makes Tahani understand how she, Eleanor, is doing the same thing, and then Eleanor's explanation of their being in the Bad Place includes how any real Good Place wouldn't give Tahani a cat, it would give her something she matched better. Ouch!
And A Thousand Other Variations — A bouquet of assorted resets. :) The fifth one and the second-to-last one especially made me laugh.
if thou be'st born to strange sights — Baking-mishap-based fluff... It's a great match for the tone of canon, with some good Sophie magic. Had to smile while reading it.
.... Aaaand AO3's down for me. I'll add the rest later.
Refraction — Nine, Ten and Juice chatting about fanfic, and the nature of media, and what has changed and what hasn't. No plot really, just some meta and a cute and good conversation. It also made me wonder if people in the 17776 future are writing slow-burn fics that keep updating for thousands of years.
Every Sundown — It's a roleswap! I fucking love roleswaps! Feat. the ship Mercy of Seivarden, floating alone with one ancillary left, and a Breq who still has her never-ending well of determination to kill Anaander but a different, human-y backstory. It's delightful. It's also got heartbreaking flashes of Awn/Breq in a past where they were rebels together, which kills me.
5 Times The Crew Was Waiting for Mercy of Kalr, Breq, and Seivarden to Sort Themselves Out — Outsider POV that does a great job with the ensemble cast surrounding the three titular characters, all set before That Emotional Scene in Ancillary Mercy. Made me smile.
Longing — Somehow I didn't get super invested in Mercy of Kalr/Breq while reading the actual series, possibly because I was distracted by Seivarden. This fic does a really good job making Mercy of Kalr/Breq/Seivarden into a relationship I care immediately about, and one with interesting problems to solve. Relationship negotiation, Ship and Seivarden sulking, Sphene being charmingly annoying. :D
Every Chambered Cell — Breq and Seivarden go on a diplomatic mission on Sphene to meet Fleet Captain Uemi's daughter. Problems are had. I love the way we see the fallout of Breq-Uemi-Anaander-Tisarwat tangle through the eyes of Seivarden, who Does Not Get It and is annoyed that she doesn't; Breq and Seivarden's relationship is Difficult in a way I like; more good Sphene. It also has this incredibly Breq line:
>"A thing?" said Breq. "You're talking about personality quirks. I don't have quirks."
which would not be out of place in canon.
Quietly, Gently — There are more Goblin Emperor fics I want to read but am putting off until I finish the audiobook again, but this one caught my eye first. It's just ... the Csevet-Cala-Beshelar alliance of Being Nice To Maia, at a particularly difficult time. As someone currently reading the book it's also soothing to get a non-Maia POV that takes for granted that he needs help and deserves to be happy.
Want What You Wish For — Tahani/Eleanor meet cute with pets. Good callbacks to canon (the plant!) and good Tahani namedrops (Miranda the cat..) and Eleanor narration.
It also hurts me that Eleanor explains to Tahani that her cat doesn't hate her in a way that makes Tahani understand how she, Eleanor, is doing the same thing, and then Eleanor's explanation of their being in the Bad Place includes how any real Good Place wouldn't give Tahani a cat, it would give her something she matched better. Ouch!
And A Thousand Other Variations — A bouquet of assorted resets. :) The fifth one and the second-to-last one especially made me laugh.
if thou be'st born to strange sights — Baking-mishap-based fluff... It's a great match for the tone of canon, with some good Sophie magic. Had to smile while reading it.
.... Aaaand AO3's down for me. I'll add the rest later.
