Recs: May 21, 2012

[bethbethbeth]

Still on a bit of an Avengers jag: lots of Bruce Banner and Tony Stark and Loki, but a bit of everybody else in many combinations - and no combinations at all.

Lewis

salahra: "Turning Right" (James&Robbie. "A small sketch of home, through the eyes of James Hathaway." A short and gentle look at a friendship.)

Marvel Comics - Avengers

BlackEyedGirl (black-eyedgirl on LJ): "Truths, Lies and the Tipping Point" (Avengers. Tony, Steve, all the Avengers. "The news report seems more interested in the argument between the team during the fight than the way they eventually won. And then it gets worse." A short piece that veers towards Steve/Tony at the end, but honestly feels more like the best sort of team/relationship gen.)

Clarice Chiara Sorcha (claireoujisama on LJ): "The Uncertainty Principle" (Avengers/Thor. Jane/Thor, Loki&Thor, Darcy, Phil, Tony Stark. "When Jane idly wishes for some unconventional input as she works to open the Einstein-Rosen bridge, she neither quite expects nor appreciates the visit she receives. Things only go from bad to worse when Thor does arrive back. Not only is she about to discover the awkward logistics of a relationship born of less than a week of falling in love, Loki is determined to ensure that if he is going to suffer, then so must everybody else." Post-Avengers AU, Jane-centric (which I never expected to like), and incredibly smart about relationship dynamics between Jane and Thor and Loki. For people who don't typically read fic where Loki has a large role to play, let me just say that on a woobiefication scale of 1 to 10, this Loki is about a 1.2 for most of the story, i.e., it's absolutely worth reading even for those who aren't inclined to like Loki.)

dani_the_girl (dani_the_girl on Dreamwidth): "Somewhere I belong" (Avengers/Hulk/Iron Man. Bruce, Tony. "Tony's part of a team now but that doesn't mean he likes it. Bruce takes the radical step of talking to him about it." Post-Avengers movie. A quiet and honest moment between the two men. Very nice.)

galaxysoup (galaxysoup on LJ): "Amateur Theatrics" (Avengers. Loki, Clint, Other Avengers. "In which Thor’s primary problem-solving method (a mighty blow from Mjolnir) fails to have the desired effect on a magical artifact, and his secondary method (a mightier blow from Mjolnir) proves to be actively disastrous." Loki's villainous schemes are thwarted by an accident that leads to genderswaps, body exchanges, power losses, and - in Loki's case - a very unintended de-aging. A cracky premise that turns real and sweet - and finally quite touching. A slightly rushed ending, I think, but lovely regardless.)

galaxysoup (galaxysoup on LJ): "Freefall", followed by "Landing" (Avengers/Thor. Loki, Thor, Various Avengers and Thor-film characters. The author's summary for "Freefall" is "Loki falls. Thor catches him. This does not solve as many problems as Thor thought it would." and...yes, exactly. Not an apologia, but definitely a sympathetic portrayal of what Loki - post-Thor - might be going through. Potentially spoilery content information: depression and thoughts of suicide)

ghostdude101 (ghostdude101 on LJ): "The Spaces Between Staying and Walking Away" (Avengers/Hulk/Iron Man. Tony, Bruce. "The few times Bruce tries to leave, and the ways that Tony manages to get him to stay." Perfectly in voice and excellent characterization, especially for Bruce.)

goseaward (goseaward on LJ): "R&R" (Avengers/Iron Man/Hulk. Bruce & Tony. "Bruce plans to spend his vacation at Stark Tower quietly, finishing up some projects he hasn't had time to work on in years. And maybe blowing up some things with lasers." In which Tony is the best science camp director ever, and Bruce is...happy.)

hetrez (hetrez on LJ): "Average Avengers Local Chapter 7 of New York City" (Avengers. Steve/Tony, Various Avengers, and Scabby the Rat. "Steve and Tony accidentally start a national do-gooders association and fall in love." Steve at his earnest best and Tony trying his damnedest to avoid turning entirely to the good side of the Force. Plus, funny - including one moment toward the end where I actually laughed out loud for far too long.)

Kayim: "Contingency" (Avengers/Hulk. Bruce, Various Avengers. "There are clear signs that Bruce has finally started to trust the rest of the team. The team, however, aren't so keen on those signs." Gen - and very touching.)

Milli: the 'Not Defeated' series (Avengers. Loki-centric. Mostly gen, but leading up to elements of Loki/Tony. "After the movie, the Chitauri come for Loki." Dark and...do heed the content information/warnings. The series [complete through three stories so far] appears to have been written quite quickly, and it still needs some proofreading work. Despite that, on a psychological and emotional level, the story works extremely well. Potentially spoilery content information: imprisonment, psychological torture, non-con/rape, humiliation, PTSD. Yes, this is basically the kind of story I never read...and yet. )

musesfool (musesfool on LJ/DW): "what a smile means" (Avengers/Captain America. Steve/Natasha. "Natasha knows a lot of things Steve doesn't." Perfectly voiced, especially Steve, who's charming and chivalrous and every bit a man of his era while still treating Natasha as an equal)

pollyrepeat (pollyrepeat on LJ) and jonesandashes: "well, let the drum beat drop" (Avengers. Tony pov, plus everybody. "Pepper leaves, and there’s no more pizza, and Thor’s already talked about Jane, and Tony suspects all of them realize, abruptly and simultaneously, that they actually have no idea what to do now. He is, in fact, pretty certain that they’re just a few minutes away from someone deciding to say something about the weather. It’s probably going to be him." Excellent team building...with food. Just the sort of family vibe that I love.)

riko (riko on LJ): "Off the Record (Off the Map)" (Iron Man. Tony, Pepper. "Pepper has already walked many miles in Tony Stark's shoes." Post Iron Man 1, so takes nothing later into account, and really, this is just some simple relationship dynamics wrapped up in a simple story about Tony's car breaking down temporarily in the midwest. Four years after being written, the voices still sound spot on though.)

Sam Starbuck (sam_storyteller on DW, copperbadge on LJ): "Epilogue" (Avengers. All the Avengers, plus a variety of SHIELD operatives and Loki. "After the fighting is over, then come the hot baths, ice packs, resurrection from the dead, political maneuvering, and happy endings (not like that, Tony)." A charming, bantery, team-building, lowkey, post-movie 'fix-it': just right!)

TBQ/thebratqueen (thebratqueen on LJ): "A Reasonable Conclusion" (Avengers/Hulk/Iron Man. Bruce/Tony. "Tony was fine. Talking to Tony about science was fine. It just felt a little bit strange to combine the two and ask to see the incredible scientific innovation that happened to reside inside of Tony’s chest." Arc Reactor foreplay ftw!)

what_alchemy (what_alchemy on LJ/DW): "Móðir" (Frigga, Odin, Baby!Loki, Kid!Thor. "When Odin places his Jötunn foundling in Frigga's arms, she knows what is to come." Gen. Painful and honest.)

Sherlock Holmes

earlgreytea68 (earlgreytea68 on LJ): "The Empty House" (BBC. Sherlock/John, Mycroft/Lestrade. "As it says on the tin: Sherlock Holmes comes home." The 13th part of the long Mycroft/Lestrade-centric Scotch series, which has already been recced independently of this story. Smart and engaging and John is a complete action man...until Sherlock takes over and John turns to jelly. *g*)

holyfant (holyfant on LJ): "Before the Snow" (BBC. Lestrade, John, Sherlock. Gen. "Sometimes Sherlock is hard to handle. No one can take it like Lestrade can, and when he can't do it for a minute, there's always John." Simple and perfectly in character.)

phosfate (phosfate on Dreamwidth) and Rosencrantz: "John and Sherlock Make a Baby (From Stuff They Find Around the Flat) " (BBC. Sherlock/John. "Jesus Christ, it's a babyfic - GET IN THE CAR. Also wrong-headedness, slurs against the Irish, general creepiness, and a roofie joke." Sheer and utter crack and completely impossible to read without laughing. If you're me. Or others!)

(A re-rec, now that the series is complete) what_alchemy (what_alchemy on LJ/DW): the 'Embers' series (BBC. Sherlock/John. "Regular people, normal people, people like good, warm, tea-making, hair-stroking John, they have visible pulses, pulses that slow and quicken, pulses tied to their emotions and their brains and their life forces. Pulses attached to whatever animates them. Sherlock has no such time-keeping." So...the summary is for the first story in the series - "Tremolo" - and there are two other stories that follow ["Dismantle the Sun" & "Centuries of Nerve"], so as of today's edit of my recs page, makes the series complete. In 'Embers,' Sherlock is...to say he's something akin to Pinocchio is to make light of the premise, I think, but suffice it to say that he was created, not born, yet you need to know this series is no parody. Really smart, very original, and very moving. It's a 'Reichenbach'-centric story, in some ways, but ultimately, it's far more than that.)

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Afterword: Have you recently read something that you loved, especially in one of the following fandoms: Avengers, Discworld, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lewis, Sherlock (all varieties)? Or have you written something that you think I might enjoy reading? If so, leave a link below!

Comments

[gurrier]

It's wonderful to have you reccing all my current favourite fandoms! So I'll try to return the favour.

A couple of Sherlock recs! Self-Defense in Advance is the first in a series about cis woman Mycroft, but it stands well on its own. Doc Naan is a John Watson-in-Afghanistan WiP which I would love to see get more attention. It's got some lovely dialogue and interesting OCs. Unfortunately, the author admits to being stalled!

These two are favourites of mine from the Iron Man 1 era:
Almost No One makes It Out by atrata, an AU where Tony isn't born rich, and Irreparable by svilleficrecs, a very angsty Tony/Pepper where they're both pretty broken.

[bethbethbeth]

thanks so much for all of these! I don't usually rec wips, but I'm still interested in reading Doc Naan, and...yes, the atrata story has been in my 'to read' pile for years (I have no idea why I haven't read it yet).

[gurrier]

I forgot the Lewis one I meant to mention: Peregrine, an absolutely gorgeous (very) AU by troyswann

[mollyamory]

*happy sigh*

Thank you for the Avengers recs. =D That was a lovely way to spend an evening.

[goseaward]

Eee, thank you. :D

I was going to ask, do you read Inception fanfic? Ran across one I thought you might enjoy--The Revolution Will Not Be Civilized--although it's omegaverse so certain parts are, um, anatomically unlikely.

[bethbethbeth]

(you're so welcome!)

And actually, no...I'm not an Inception reader. I saw the movie and liked it well enough, but I can't even remember which character is which (I know Leonardo DiCaprio was the main guy, but I can't remember his character's name...and he's not Arthur or Eames, right? Aren't they the fandom darlings?)

(on the other hand, I have been known to read the odd omegaverse story in Sherlock, so anatomical unlikeliness doesn't scare me *g*)

[goseaward]

*nods* Well, if you like that sort of thing, it's worth checking out--I actually read it before I'd seen the movie and it's AU enough that it was perfectly comprehensible.

Leo's character is Dom, Arthur is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Eames is Tom Hardy. :D So, Arthur and Eames are the two unattached young white guys who snark at each other, and once Eames calls Arthur "darling". Obvious pairing for slash fandom. :D