RECS: July 2, 2012
Jul. 2nd, 2012 06:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bethbethbeth posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
beth_hThe Marvel Universe obsession continues, although now that Avengers is starting to disappear from the theatres, I don't know what I'm going to do with my free time! Other than going to see Spiderman, which...I'll be doing tomorrow night. *g*
Avengers
Alis Dee (dee at DW): the "Agent Loki: International Man of Mayhem" series (Avengers/Thor/etc. Loki-centric, plus everybody. “Post-Avengers "What If...?" based on the question: What if, instead of sending the defeated Loki back to Asgard, S.H.I.E.L.D. had kept him instead?" The series begins with the section titled "Epilogue", and here’s the thing: based on the title, I was absolutely certain this was going to be crack, but it’s not at all. It’s Loki’s pov, so characters like Thor come off as slightly more buffoonish than they do in canon, at least initially, but this is no apologia for Loki. Action and psychology and Viking chess and some actual friendships: what more could you want? Note: the series is up to five stories currently, but there’s apparently more to come)
atop_gray_clouds: "A Strange New World" (Avengers/Captain America/Thor. Steve/Darcy. "Steve feels very alone in the 21st century, and everyone is too in awe of him to touch him casually, leaving him touch-starved; meanwhile, in comes Darcy Lewis, who thinks nothing of it. Steve can't get enough." Some odd formatting issues, but a very insightful - and sometimes very touching, no pun intended - story in which Steve is actually allowed to be "just a guy.")
BlackEyedGirl: "And Begin Again Tomorrow" (Avengers/Captain America/Ironman. Steve, Tony, the Team. “Steve can tell there’s something wrong with Tony. He just doesn’t know what happened. Or why Tony’s friends seem to think it’s his fault." What seems like a small plot point turns into something very significant, psychologically speaking. Nothing happens, on one level, but the story still manages to be emotional.)
BlackEyedGirl (blackeyed_girl on LJ): "Graded on the Sanctity of Patience" (Avengers. Always-Female!Coulson/Clint. “Around about the time Phillipa Jane told her middle-school teacher that Phil wasn’t a nickname, it was her name and not a difficult one to remember, she picked up a reputation. That hasn’t really gone away." Phil - although a woman here - is still recognizably Phil Coulson, in a story that has really smart things to say about competency and loyalty and gender roles. The Phil/Clint scenario is significant, but in a lot of ways, this story feels more like Phil-centric gen to me. Potentially spoilery content information: discussion of possible rape of a missing agent in section eight.)
Desdemona: "Choose Wisely" (Avengers. Clint, Phil. “Coulson doesn’t have to. He has the right to be hurt. To be human. Clint can barely remember what that’s like." For those of you who expect a typical happy ending story from my recs, this...isn’t one. But it’s also not unhappy. it’s just very real.)
jibrailis: "The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark" (Avengers/Captain America/Iron Man. Steve/Tony, Sif/Loki. “After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve." Painful and frightening at times, but not without [ultimately justified] hope. Very creative and insightful.)
lettered: "Keep Your Splendid, Silent Sun" (Avengers/Hulk. Bruce, Pepper, Steve, Tony, others. “After the events of the movie, Bruce decides he doesn’t want to be an Avenger. Ten months later, an email from Pepper brings him back to New York, where Bruce has to face the people he left behind--oh yeah, and save the world (again)." Story 3 of the “Responsible Science" series, which was recced earlier. Continues to be smart and engaging.)
porthos: "(First Impressions Are) A Work in Progress" (Avengers. Steve/Tony, the Team. "Tony has a point system for the times he can get Steve to be less than perfect." Occasionally verging on too OTT where Tony is concerned, but it rings true on an emotional level and is often very touching.)
scifigrl47 (scifigrl47 on LJ): "Four (or Five) Reasons for Kidnapping Tony Stark" ( (Avengers/Iron Man/Captain America. Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson. “There are four reasons for kidnapping Tony Stark. Tony's sick of all of them. Well, there's potentially a fifth, but it's highly unlikely that Captain America will suddenly fulfill THAT fantasy. Tony's deeply disappointed about that. / Steve Rogers, as always, is oblivious. At least, that is, until someone who isn't him kidnaps Tony. Then he's just pissed." A continuation of the "In Which Tony Stark Builds Himself Some Friends (But His Family Was Assigned by Nick Fury)" series, now veering into the zone of plot and romance. Descends - or ascends, depending on how you look at things - into a bit of crack toward the end of this particular tale, but the story still works perfectly.)
yugimutos (aka weatheredlaw; yugimutos on tumblr): "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (Avengers/Iron Man. Tony/Pepper/Bruce. “Tony knows this asteroid like he knows himself, which would be comforting if he could make peace with all of that." It’s the end of the world or it will be if Tony isn’t able to do something about that asteroid. Smart and lovely and perfectly voiced. Potentially spoilery content information: The apocalypse never actually happens, if you were worried.)
Harry Potter
pir8fancier (pir8fancier on LJ): "Dumbledore’s Lost Boys" (Snape/Lupin, Remus/Sirius, Remus/Tonks. Spanning the time, from the year before the Shrieking Shack incident until the end [of canon, at least], this is an ambitious [successfully so!], smart, insightful work, sometimes beautiful and sometimes painful and sometimes both together. Potentially spoilery content information: Suicidal ideation, although no suicide shown. Definitely no easy happily-ever-after, but...not unhopeful.)
sarkysue (sarkysue on LJ): "Yet Here We Stand" (Snape/Harry. "Can we ever see ourselves as we really are? Sometimes we need to look through someone else’s eyes, and even then the truth can change. Over ten years we visit Harry and Snape on Harry’s Birthday, starting from when they are forced together in 1998 to keep Harry safe." Raw and real. As a side note, Harry’s continued friendship with Hermione and Ron is always important, even when they haven’t a clue why he wants to be with Snape. Potentially spoilery content information: Quite a lot of sexualized violence: consensual, but still rather graphic and often frightening. Excessive alcohol use/abuse.)
Sherlock Holmes
greywash (greywash on LJ/DW): "What Meager Amends" (BBC. Lestrade, John, Mycroft, with undercurrents ofMycroft/Lestrade and John/Sherlock. "t's over and done with, the lot of it, but that doesn't mean Greg has no regrets." Post-Reichenbach and all that involves, with John and Lestrade sharing a flat that is most definitely not on Baker Street. One of those perfect sort of case stories where - if you know anything about canon - you can predict the trajectory of the actual investigation, but the story somehow manages to remain suspenseful. Excellent character voices. Definite two thumbs up.)
what_alchemy (what_alchemy on LJ/DW): "A Symphony of Chemical Reactions" (BBC. John/Sherlock. “Cooking’s just chemistry and time management." An original and engaging narrative style...a perfect Sherlock pov - and often very funny, which is something I don't typically associate with his thought processes.)
As I've noted before, I will clearly never catch up with old stories. If you have a favorite story (your own or somebody else's) that you think I might have missed and it's in a fandom that I've recced before (see my main recs page) and especially stories from one of the following fandoms: Avengers, Discworld, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lewis, Sherlock Holmes in all varieties, or White Collar, feel free to leave a link below
Avengers
Alis Dee (dee at DW): the "Agent Loki: International Man of Mayhem" series (Avengers/Thor/etc. Loki-centric, plus everybody. “Post-Avengers "What If...?" based on the question: What if, instead of sending the defeated Loki back to Asgard, S.H.I.E.L.D. had kept him instead?" The series begins with the section titled "Epilogue", and here’s the thing: based on the title, I was absolutely certain this was going to be crack, but it’s not at all. It’s Loki’s pov, so characters like Thor come off as slightly more buffoonish than they do in canon, at least initially, but this is no apologia for Loki. Action and psychology and Viking chess and some actual friendships: what more could you want? Note: the series is up to five stories currently, but there’s apparently more to come)
atop_gray_clouds: "A Strange New World" (Avengers/Captain America/Thor. Steve/Darcy. "Steve feels very alone in the 21st century, and everyone is too in awe of him to touch him casually, leaving him touch-starved; meanwhile, in comes Darcy Lewis, who thinks nothing of it. Steve can't get enough." Some odd formatting issues, but a very insightful - and sometimes very touching, no pun intended - story in which Steve is actually allowed to be "just a guy.")
BlackEyedGirl: "And Begin Again Tomorrow" (Avengers/Captain America/Ironman. Steve, Tony, the Team. “Steve can tell there’s something wrong with Tony. He just doesn’t know what happened. Or why Tony’s friends seem to think it’s his fault." What seems like a small plot point turns into something very significant, psychologically speaking. Nothing happens, on one level, but the story still manages to be emotional.)
BlackEyedGirl (blackeyed_girl on LJ): "Graded on the Sanctity of Patience" (Avengers. Always-Female!Coulson/Clint. “Around about the time Phillipa Jane told her middle-school teacher that Phil wasn’t a nickname, it was her name and not a difficult one to remember, she picked up a reputation. That hasn’t really gone away." Phil - although a woman here - is still recognizably Phil Coulson, in a story that has really smart things to say about competency and loyalty and gender roles. The Phil/Clint scenario is significant, but in a lot of ways, this story feels more like Phil-centric gen to me. Potentially spoilery content information: discussion of possible rape of a missing agent in section eight.)
Desdemona: "Choose Wisely" (Avengers. Clint, Phil. “Coulson doesn’t have to. He has the right to be hurt. To be human. Clint can barely remember what that’s like." For those of you who expect a typical happy ending story from my recs, this...isn’t one. But it’s also not unhappy. it’s just very real.)
jibrailis: "The Last Love Song of Anthony E. Stark" (Avengers/Captain America/Iron Man. Steve/Tony, Sif/Loki. “After contracting an Asgardian virus, Tony starts forgetting things. And people. And Steve." Painful and frightening at times, but not without [ultimately justified] hope. Very creative and insightful.)
lettered: "Keep Your Splendid, Silent Sun" (Avengers/Hulk. Bruce, Pepper, Steve, Tony, others. “After the events of the movie, Bruce decides he doesn’t want to be an Avenger. Ten months later, an email from Pepper brings him back to New York, where Bruce has to face the people he left behind--oh yeah, and save the world (again)." Story 3 of the “Responsible Science" series, which was recced earlier. Continues to be smart and engaging.)
porthos: "(First Impressions Are) A Work in Progress" (Avengers. Steve/Tony, the Team. "Tony has a point system for the times he can get Steve to be less than perfect." Occasionally verging on too OTT where Tony is concerned, but it rings true on an emotional level and is often very touching.)
scifigrl47 (scifigrl47 on LJ): "Four (or Five) Reasons for Kidnapping Tony Stark" ( (Avengers/Iron Man/Captain America. Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Clint Barton/Phil Coulson. “There are four reasons for kidnapping Tony Stark. Tony's sick of all of them. Well, there's potentially a fifth, but it's highly unlikely that Captain America will suddenly fulfill THAT fantasy. Tony's deeply disappointed about that. / Steve Rogers, as always, is oblivious. At least, that is, until someone who isn't him kidnaps Tony. Then he's just pissed." A continuation of the "In Which Tony Stark Builds Himself Some Friends (But His Family Was Assigned by Nick Fury)" series, now veering into the zone of plot and romance. Descends - or ascends, depending on how you look at things - into a bit of crack toward the end of this particular tale, but the story still works perfectly.)
yugimutos (aka weatheredlaw; yugimutos on tumblr): "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" (Avengers/Iron Man. Tony/Pepper/Bruce. “Tony knows this asteroid like he knows himself, which would be comforting if he could make peace with all of that." It’s the end of the world or it will be if Tony isn’t able to do something about that asteroid. Smart and lovely and perfectly voiced. Potentially spoilery content information: The apocalypse never actually happens, if you were worried.)
Harry Potter
pir8fancier (pir8fancier on LJ): "Dumbledore’s Lost Boys" (Snape/Lupin, Remus/Sirius, Remus/Tonks. Spanning the time, from the year before the Shrieking Shack incident until the end [of canon, at least], this is an ambitious [successfully so!], smart, insightful work, sometimes beautiful and sometimes painful and sometimes both together. Potentially spoilery content information: Suicidal ideation, although no suicide shown. Definitely no easy happily-ever-after, but...not unhopeful.)
sarkysue (sarkysue on LJ): "Yet Here We Stand" (Snape/Harry. "Can we ever see ourselves as we really are? Sometimes we need to look through someone else’s eyes, and even then the truth can change. Over ten years we visit Harry and Snape on Harry’s Birthday, starting from when they are forced together in 1998 to keep Harry safe." Raw and real. As a side note, Harry’s continued friendship with Hermione and Ron is always important, even when they haven’t a clue why he wants to be with Snape. Potentially spoilery content information: Quite a lot of sexualized violence: consensual, but still rather graphic and often frightening. Excessive alcohol use/abuse.)
Sherlock Holmes
greywash (greywash on LJ/DW): "What Meager Amends" (BBC. Lestrade, John, Mycroft, with undercurrents ofMycroft/Lestrade and John/Sherlock. "t's over and done with, the lot of it, but that doesn't mean Greg has no regrets." Post-Reichenbach and all that involves, with John and Lestrade sharing a flat that is most definitely not on Baker Street. One of those perfect sort of case stories where - if you know anything about canon - you can predict the trajectory of the actual investigation, but the story somehow manages to remain suspenseful. Excellent character voices. Definite two thumbs up.)
what_alchemy (what_alchemy on LJ/DW): "A Symphony of Chemical Reactions" (BBC. John/Sherlock. “Cooking’s just chemistry and time management." An original and engaging narrative style...a perfect Sherlock pov - and often very funny, which is something I don't typically associate with his thought processes.)
As I've noted before, I will clearly never catch up with old stories. If you have a favorite story (your own or somebody else's) that you think I might have missed and it's in a fandom that I've recced before (see my main recs page) and especially stories from one of the following fandoms: Avengers, Discworld, Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Lewis, Sherlock Holmes in all varieties, or White Collar, feel free to leave a link below
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-03 02:06 pm (UTC)http://beth-h.dreamwidth.org/"http://archiveofourown.org/works/38507"
in my address bar and I get DW 404 page.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-03 02:22 pm (UTC)(google docs sabotaged my coding *g*)
(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-04 02:06 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-05 08:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-07-05 09:47 pm (UTC)