Bookworm's Musings

I recently discovered The Sentinel fandom and started reading, reading, reading. I have a particular love for Alternate Universe fiction in this fandom, mostly because the only thing I know about canon is: Jim - Sentinel, Cop; Blair - Guide, Anthropologist. So I really don't have much of a "canon radar" for this fandom. One of my favorite stories is:

Conjugations by Legion
NC17; Jim/Blair; Violence, End of the World, mentions of child abuse & rape, m/m sex;

This is a post-cataclysm survival fic about how Jim and Blair lead a group of teenagers out of the city during the Chaos to form Tribes and start a new way of life. It's told in snippets that are woven together to create a compelling story. Survival!fic is one of my favorite genres, and this story is the best survival!fic I've seen in any Fandom. This fic really stands above any fandom, and you will enjoy it even if you've never heard of  "The Sentinel" before. There is some pretty hot sex in here, but this story definitely has a plot. I really can't speak highly enough about this fic. It's Hot, it's got Plot.... what more can you want? Read it!

 Bookworm

Control Issues by litgal (whole story in one file here.)
NC17; Jim/Blair; AU, Rape/Non-con*, Explicit Violence, Adult Themes;
In the words of litgal herself:
The United States is fair to its Sentinels, but given the history of abuse they've suffered, the state has a right to take some steps to protect them... even if that curtails a few rights. At least, that's the belief most people have. A chance encounter between a Runner named Jim Ellison who refuses to accept the party line and a hippy in an airport might just change the world.

This is an absolutely awesome story. It's well thought-out, realistic, and beautifully written. litgal deals tastefully and realistically with a common fannon cliche: Either Guides or Sentinels are enslaved or have fewer/no rights under the law. Most stories using this cliche are sensationalist, overly dramatic, and essentially implausible. Not so with Control Issues. litgal has done a wonderful job of making this cliche so realistic that the Readers can imagine that such situations could take place in their Real Lives. This is a thought-provoking look at things like privacy, the government, institutions, bureaucracy, and inequality in our daily lives. Of course, the story is so wonderful that you probably won't even notice the fact that you're being prompted to think about these weighty issues until after the fact!

Definitely a must read - especially for Sentinel fans!
Just scroll down to the bottom of the tags page that the story link leads to in order to find the first chapter.

*Rape of characters is mentioned/described in reasonably explicit detail. However, at no point do Jim & Blair rape each other or anyone else.

I recently discovered the Clark/Lex pairing from Smallville.

WolfBreed by Hergerbabe

NC17;  Clark/Lex; Bloodplay, Violence, Adult Themes

This is one of the best novel-length Clex fics that I've read. Slashy goodness, happy ending, mating, angst, drama. Just the right amount of everything, not to fluffy, not to dark. I'm not going to give you a detailed summary 'cause I don't want to ruin it. So go read it!

Bookworm

I love reading fan fiction. When I first discovered it, I was like "Wow! Free Books!" Slash is such an interesting branch of fan fiction because it opens a whole new world for the reader. I got tired of regular romance books a long time ago. Same old, same old. Booorrring! But slash is much more interesting. I'm not sure if I can really explain why, but I'm addicted. :)

Today's Recommendation is:

Sympathetic Magic by shedoc10.

It's rated R, & the pairing is Harry/Ron. This is a Ron rescues Harry from the Dursleys' novel. In many slash works, Ron becomes the Betrayer, the token Evil Guy, He-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Trusted, etc. This story gives us a whole new look at Ron as a protector and nurturer. The writing is reasonably clear and the characterization is quite believable. A sweet and tender work, maybe a little fluffy, but not excessively so. It is my favorite Ron/Harry story.

I found another great Harry/Ron while I was browsing this morning!

Growing Pains by Shedoc10
PG13 - R, Ron/Harry

Another nurturing!Ron story by Shedoc10. Sweet and tender, with believable characterizations. Dumbledore is dealt with in a believable and realistic way. He is neither evil or angelic, instead, he is portrayed as fallible human being who makes mistakes and must live with the results just like everyone else. The most interestingly portrayed character is Minerva. She is shown as strong, capable woman who has a mind of her own, instead of just blindly following Dumbledore. I think many writers forget that as the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, she must present a solid front of support for the Headmaster in public to prevent the students from exploiting any weaknesses and undermining the faculties' authority. They tend to forget that she can have private opinions that disagree with Dumbledore's.

This is well written and worth reading.

Another story by Shedoc10! Just discovered most of these, and I can't wait to share them. *grin*

Actually, I'm thinking of starting a Harry/Ron Rec List.

Here's the Rec:

Head, Heart, & Soul by Shedoc10
PG13, Harry/Ron

This story shows Ron as a bit more temperamental than her other stories, but happy endings all around! Harry kills Voldemort in a rather unique way as well.

I want to thank painless_j for her help with my Harry/Ron rec list.

Today's Rec is:
The Forbidden Forest by Athea (also here)
R - NC17; RH/SS, HP/OMC, DM/CW, RL/OFC, SB/OFC; MPREG, Rape, Violence
This is one of my favorite HP fics. I read it over and over again. One of the very best Snape/Hagrid fics, their relationship is very sweet and tender. Hagrid takes care of Snape after he is nearly killed by the Death Eaters. The author has created several interesting non-canon characters that add depth to the story. There are a few plot-holes and OOC characterizations, but they don't really interfere with the story. However, the story does depart from cannon sometime after the first book, although it incorporates some cannon elements. A very enjoyable read.
Note: The second story link above is missing several chapters at the end. Go to the Author's website by clicking on her name.

Today's rec is:

Crumbling Pedestal by ShivaniBlue
R - NC17; HP/OFC, HP/SS; AU
This is one of my Favorite AU fics. It has elements of time-travel in it, and creates a reasonably detailed version of the HP universe. Several of Harry's children, both natural and adopted, are mentioned. If you want to see Harry stop letting other people manipulate him and take charge of his own life, this is the story for you. It's not fluffy, but it's not dark and depressing either.

 Bookworm

Today's Fanfic Rec:

The Mirror of Maybe by Midnight Blue
R - NC17; HP/SS; WIP

I usually hate WIPs, and refuse to read them until they're finished. But this story was so good that I was hooked, and by the time I realized it was a WIP, it was too late! It has elements of time travel, but not exactly. This is one of the best "Harry goes back in time to change the future" fics that I have ever read. Except, that's not exactly what happens. You'll see what I mean. This is a well-written, believable universe. The author has paid close attention to detail, and has carefully avoided the trap of making Harry invincible or giving him ridiculous super-powers. Harry worked very hard to gain any unusual skills he might have. Yes, it's a WIP, but it stops at a very reasonable place and shouldn't interfere with your enjoyment of the story.
While the story has been unfinished for a long time, there have been recent rumors that the author plans to start working on it again soon.
This story is so great, in fact, that it has gained it's very own fandom! You can read fics written by fans of MoM at the Yahoo! Group found here. I particularly recommend a Fic called Days and Days, which deals with Lockhart after the Chamber of Secrets "incident". It's an excellent look at the character of Lockhart and I hope the author of it keeps on writing it.
Both The Mirror of Maybe and the fanfic written in the same universe are well worth reading.

 Bookworm

The Healing Series by The Great Sarini
R - NC17; Harry/Remus; Time-Travel
The above link will take you to the Author's Yahoo! Group. Once you've joined, go to the Files section and open the folder named Healing. The four books in the series are in .PDF format so you will need a PDF viewer. You may also find abridged versions of these stories on fanfiction.net.

This is a really good "Harry goes into the past and meets the Marauders" fic. Can he change the future? Should he? Harry does not have superpowers or anything like that. This is a very believable Harry/Remus fic. There are a few plot-holes, etc. but nothing serious. A good read.

 Bookworm

Today’s Rec is:

The Corruption Sequence by beren_writes 
NC17; Harry/Draco; Extreme Violence, Mild non-con, Dark!Harry;

Beren is a great writer, and this story is one of my favorites by her. Harry defeats Voldemort in a unique way, but not before he is tortured by Voldemort. This is about a Dark!Harry, not an Evil!Harry. The non-con is actually more like rough sex where the consent is not clear. And, yes, the story has a happy ending.

While you’re at her livejournal, check out the rest of Beren’s stories. They’re all worth reading.

 Bookworm

Today I'm going rec a Het story (gasp). I usually don't read Het, but this one was good.

Living With Danger by WhyDoYouNeedToKnow
PG13 - R; Remus/OFC, Sirius/OFC; Het!, moderate violence, refers to child neglect & abuse;

What if Remus took Harry away from the Dursleys when he was only a toddler? What if Sirius escaped from prison much earlier? This is a story about Harry's life with the "Pack": Remus & Sirius & their wives.  Happy Ending, surprise character appearances, and, of course, Danger! And don't worry, no explicit sex scenes. Worth reading, I highly recommend it.

 Bookworm

For those of you who are Harry Potter fans and find fanon!Dumbledore's manipulative, I-Know-Best personality annoying, I have found this hilarious little tale you just have to read! It will have you rolling on the floor with laughter! I present:
The Marriage by Janara
PG-13, m/m implied.
I highly recommend it!
Janara's other work is pretty good too, although it does go on a bit.

Cartographer's Craft by Copperbadge
Mature; HP/SB, RL/NT, RW/HG; Het & Slash
This is a surprisingly good Harry Potter/Young Sirius Black slash story. Very well written, with a heavy emphasis on plot. Remus is a strong secondary character, and the characterization of Harry is refreshing and realistic. I highly recommend it.

Recently I have been re-reading many of my old favorites in the Harry Potter fandom, and, as a result, have come up with many new and interesting story ideas for my own writing.  As a secondary result of my reading habits, I have had the chance to become re-acquainted with the works of several truly wonderful writers. One of those writers is DrT, who can be found here at FictionAlley.  DrT is an excellent writer who pays close attention to details and has created several very interesting worlds for Harry Potter and his friends to live and learn in. Quite frankly, I highly recommend all of his stories and one-shots, as they are all truly excellent and well thought-out works. DrT's one draw-back, in my opinion, is the fact that he does not write slash except as minor background pairings. However, his stories do, for the most part, focus more on plot-line than on romance, and so are definitely worth reading even if you do not care for Het. If you are looking for some interesting, well-written, and detailed Harry Potter fanfiction, you will greatly enjoy DrT's works.

Since I've been spending quite a bit of time with Harry Potter lately, I thought it was time that I paid attention to my first love, Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
One of my all time favorite BTVS fics is:

Quantum Xander by jameschick , & the sequel, Quantum Xander II
NC17; Xander is paired with many different characters in different timelines, but the main pairing is Xander/Spike; some BDSM, death, violence, adult themes, angst

I love almost all of Jameschick's stories, but these two are special. I return to them over and over again, they're just as good the 20th time as they were the first. As Xander jumps from timeline to timeline, we can see how our choices and environment shape us all. This saga explores the depths of human cruelty, apathy, and darkness, and the heights of human compassion, passion, and selflessness. And everything in between. It speaks of the lengths people will go to to survive. Jameschick deals tastefully with a gamut of fanfic cliches, and gives them new depth. These stories will make you laugh and cry. While it may at first appear that there will be no happy ending, don't despair, there will be one, eventually. Even if you don't normally read BTVS, these stories are well worth your time. But don't forget a hanky. :)

 Bookworm

Today's Rec is:

Sweet Memories by Kayla
R - NC17; Spike/Xander; mild angst, mild blood-play, some violence

This is an sweet and funny story. Spike and Xander lose their memories and think they are a couple. While the Scoobies search for them, Spike and Xander create a life for themselves and try to regain their lost pasts. This story has humor, angst, fluff, and some very explicit sex. In fact, the sex is very realistic for the most part, and even includes some bad!sex, as neither of them has any idea of what to do! But don't worry, there's some great!sex in there too. This story is a classic for me. I've read it several times, and I still find it worth reading.

 Bookworm

Today's BTVS Rec is:

The Reconstruction Series by Wordsmith
(wordsmithslash )
NC17; Spike/Xander; Canon Character Death, Violence
I love the Reconstruction series, and read them over and over again. After Buffy dies to save Dawn from Glory, will the Scoobies stay together? And what about Spike? The series breaks off from canon immediately after Buffy dies. This offers a new perspective on all the characters, but especially Xander and Spike. Definitely worth reading.

 Bookworm

Dogs of War by tabaqui
NC17; Xander/Spike, Willow/Tara; Violence, Torture
Dogs of War is one of my favorite BTVS stories. Sunnydale is under martial law. The Initiative has taken over and Xander is desperately trying to stay one step ahead of them. Whose side will Spike be on? Where is Buffy? This is the only story I've found that deals with this plot-line. Worth reading over and over again. While this story does have a happy ending, it is not all butterflies and flowers. It is gritty and explicitly violent.

 Bookworm

Today's Rec Is:

Repossession by Lazuli
NC17; Spike/Xander, OC/OC, Willow/OC; Graphic Violence, Torture, Possible non-con, some D/s, some BDSM, Adult Themes;
One of the best Spander stories in existence. This is an emotional roller-coaster, and will make you laugh and cry and grieve and rejoice. There will be an eventual happy ending, never fear. But you'll have to work for it! When Spike is tortured beyond endurance, who will he turn to for help? And is Xander ready to face the past? Read it! You won't regret it.

 Bookworm