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facetsoftext2011-07-07 10:11 am
facetofcathy) wrote in facetsoftext2011-07-07 10:11 am
Entry tags:
SPN J2 Big Bang 2011 Part V
Tagging Your SPN J2 Big Bang Fic On A03 & Artwork News
Check it out if you're a Big Bang author, artist or reader. If you know any Big Bang authors, point this out. Many folks who've always only used LJ for posting fic might not realize how simple it is to post a work from LJ to the AO3.
Two methods that work well: the importer, which usually formats well, but will need some editing. It will not join up multiple parts for you any way but as chapters. My preferred method is cut and paste from the HTML edit box of LJ into the HTML edit window on the AO3. I like this for fitting together multipart entries into one story on AO3. You do have to do a little editing to take out cut tags or links to other parts, but it's not too onerous.
-------------------
I've got heaps of open tabs for stories, a couple of which I've read a bit of and might finish. I make no effort to read in order, and I'm already burnt out on some aspects of canon-focused FPF fic, so I'm likely going to be reviewing mostly RPF after this until I get fed up with it and want to switch back. I'm posting early this week since I likely won't be around much on the weekend.
Better than Moonshine by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
riyku
Jared/Jensen - 33,000 words - NC-17
On LJ in multiple parts in site scheme, also available in downloadable PDF, mobi and epub.
Last year this author wrote a Big Bang that I liked a great deal despite having a lot of negative feelings about the subject matter in general. This year, I was confronted with a fanfic trope I nearly always hate--a writer fighting writer's block where the fic opens with him staring at the blinking cursor.
I liked this story a great deal. (Next year, I'll try to remember that going in.) The first thing that hit me with this story was the way we meet Misha (Jensen's editor) and learn their way of being with each other by seeing it. No rumination into a coffee cup here, baby.
This holds through the introduction of Jared and their slightly wild week at a writer's week at the local college. I enjoyed the relationships here most, and the story, which is focused on literary fiction writers and their angst--something I don't have much time for generally--was a pleasant frame to hang this character study on.
I like the dry, understated style and the way body language is described to get across emotions. There isn't much plot, in terms of action, and the conflicts get ironed out quickly, and I was totally fine with that. Very enjoyable and snappy read.
All the Lonely People bymeri_oddities
All The Lonely People (25717 words) by
Meri
Jared/Jensen - 26,000 words - Not Rated
Website version is a single page, and the AO3 provides downloadable versions.
This is a murder mystery with Jensen and Chris as cops in Waco Texas. Katie Cassidy is here again as Jared's wife and one of the murder victims.
I quite liked the portrayal of Katie--she's not in the story, except for how a lot of conversations are about her. She's a woman who's made some bad choices, been manipulated into some of them and never got to be someone. I don't think this is played as manpain for Jared, her father, maybe, but Jared certainly wakes up and makes some changes because of her death.
I found the attraction between Jensen and Jared moved too fast, but that's fic time compression as much as anything. I also thought the murder mystery was almost too realistically solved! There was no drama in sorting it out, just the drudgery of police work, but it made the switch in focus from who killed Katie to the J2 romance a little bumpy. Jared comes off as overbearing, and I wish Jensen had said that rather than merely thought it, but that's me. Good read.
Choir of Furies byatanih88
Dean/Sam - NC-17- 32,000 words
On LJ in site scheme and downloadable PDF
Set in season 6, Sam's wall is breaking and Dean starts experiencing Sam's dreams and emotions.
I really liked the sex scene. Dean's hesitation and desire and willingness to go along seems much more IC than the usual brew of do anything for Sammy. What leads up to that is fairly good, although the casefic part was a little light on detail.
Castiel comes off a little more like season 5 Castiel here, but that's the problem with the timing of Big Bang, not really the author's fault.
Dean's experiencing of soulless Sam's POV through the dreams was interesting, much more so than the hell dreams. I felt that there should have been a little more attention paid to the fact that hell is not an unknown to Dean, but it's hard to depict hell with effective detail when canon has done it so incredibly badly.
Good ideas in this story, but the prose isn't going to blow anyone away. Good enough though.
Ouroboros bygedry
Gen - 32,000 words - PG
On LJ in multiple parts not in site scheme. No other formats offered, but there's a PDF link in comments.
This is a total crack fic premise: Set in season 6 with re-souled Sam, Bobby sends Sam and Dean to therapy with some kind of non-human therapist. We get cameo sessions with Castiel and Meg too.
I really wasn't expecting to even read this through, but I love Dora the therapist, and I got sucked in to the story. I think it gets thin in places, the meta starts overpowering the story at the same time the author loses the voices and starts into some fangirl talk. I also 100% don't buy this Castiel, but lots of people seem to see this guy on the screen. I guess I'm watching a different show. The Meg parts add nothing and take aspects of canon I find absurd and offensive and run with them. But the basic Sam and Dean forced to deal with their shit was really interesting and surprisingly believable. The execution is totally serious, so it doesn't read like silly crack.
Here's how I look at it, this is the author's meta on Sam and Dean. If you agree with her take, you'll have fun reading and feel validated. If you don't agree, you can argue in your head--or in a post somewhere--with her take. There's no way to lose here unless the entire concept just bores you. I do agree with a lot of it, and I found their motivation to go through it--they both want their brother back--very convincing.
The Only Constant (24055 words) bylazy_daze
The Only Constant bylazy_daze
Jared/Jensen - 24,000 words - Explicit
This fic is the most broadly accessible story of the challenge so far. The LJ version is a multimedia story that includes images in an epistolary style. The AO3 version is plain text, so the downloadable versions are as well. There is also a downloadable PDF of the LJ version with the art embedded. I really appreciate this presentation and salute the author and artist for making the effort. (I wish Ouzo came in plain text, so I could read the postcards without eyestrain.)
So, I love Ouzo. It's one of the few J2 stories I've read more than three times. I really, really don't like Topspin, which is one of the most popular J2 stories ever.
This story is more like Ouzo.
And it's non-AU! Jared takes his life in a new direction after the show ends and the story is from his POV, so we see him getting on with his life and trying to figure out just what the hell Jensen Ackles, he of the drunk passes and the skittish morning afters, really wants. Jared angsts, sure, but in a realistic adult way. Jensen is being an idiot and he knows it.
I like the understated style, thought the phone sex was hot and the in person sex fit well with the story. This is not a story you read if you want "porn".
I really like stories like this where the character who is arguably going through the most change is doing it off stage and I get to fill in details, see Jared's view of things as somewhat unreliable and pay attention to what isn't there as much as what is.
I would say this story is a bit bare--I think more detail about Jared's new friends would have been good, and some attention should have been paid to how distant he is from everyone in his old life, not just Jensen. He has almost no interaction with family either, which needed an explanation, frankly. Jared seems isolated more than Jensen.
But it's my style of story, so I can easily forgive all that. Really enjoyable read, and if you loved Topspin's big public, totally implausible and OOC Hollywood ending, you'll likely hate this fic.
Check it out if you're a Big Bang author, artist or reader. If you know any Big Bang authors, point this out. Many folks who've always only used LJ for posting fic might not realize how simple it is to post a work from LJ to the AO3.
Two methods that work well: the importer, which usually formats well, but will need some editing. It will not join up multiple parts for you any way but as chapters. My preferred method is cut and paste from the HTML edit box of LJ into the HTML edit window on the AO3. I like this for fitting together multipart entries into one story on AO3. You do have to do a little editing to take out cut tags or links to other parts, but it's not too onerous.
-------------------
I've got heaps of open tabs for stories, a couple of which I've read a bit of and might finish. I make no effort to read in order, and I'm already burnt out on some aspects of canon-focused FPF fic, so I'm likely going to be reviewing mostly RPF after this until I get fed up with it and want to switch back. I'm posting early this week since I likely won't be around much on the weekend.
Better than Moonshine by
riykuJared/Jensen - 33,000 words - NC-17
On LJ in multiple parts in site scheme, also available in downloadable PDF, mobi and epub.
Last year this author wrote a Big Bang that I liked a great deal despite having a lot of negative feelings about the subject matter in general. This year, I was confronted with a fanfic trope I nearly always hate--a writer fighting writer's block where the fic opens with him staring at the blinking cursor.
I liked this story a great deal. (Next year, I'll try to remember that going in.) The first thing that hit me with this story was the way we meet Misha (Jensen's editor) and learn their way of being with each other by seeing it. No rumination into a coffee cup here, baby.
This holds through the introduction of Jared and their slightly wild week at a writer's week at the local college. I enjoyed the relationships here most, and the story, which is focused on literary fiction writers and their angst--something I don't have much time for generally--was a pleasant frame to hang this character study on.
I like the dry, understated style and the way body language is described to get across emotions. There isn't much plot, in terms of action, and the conflicts get ironed out quickly, and I was totally fine with that. Very enjoyable and snappy read.
All the Lonely People by
meri_odditiesAll The Lonely People (25717 words) by
Jared/Jensen - 26,000 words - Not Rated
Website version is a single page, and the AO3 provides downloadable versions.
This is a murder mystery with Jensen and Chris as cops in Waco Texas. Katie Cassidy is here again as Jared's wife and one of the murder victims.
I quite liked the portrayal of Katie--she's not in the story, except for how a lot of conversations are about her. She's a woman who's made some bad choices, been manipulated into some of them and never got to be someone. I don't think this is played as manpain for Jared, her father, maybe, but Jared certainly wakes up and makes some changes because of her death.
I found the attraction between Jensen and Jared moved too fast, but that's fic time compression as much as anything. I also thought the murder mystery was almost too realistically solved! There was no drama in sorting it out, just the drudgery of police work, but it made the switch in focus from who killed Katie to the J2 romance a little bumpy. Jared comes off as overbearing, and I wish Jensen had said that rather than merely thought it, but that's me. Good read.
Choir of Furies by
atanih88Dean/Sam - NC-17- 32,000 words
On LJ in site scheme and downloadable PDF
Set in season 6, Sam's wall is breaking and Dean starts experiencing Sam's dreams and emotions.
I really liked the sex scene. Dean's hesitation and desire and willingness to go along seems much more IC than the usual brew of do anything for Sammy. What leads up to that is fairly good, although the casefic part was a little light on detail.
Castiel comes off a little more like season 5 Castiel here, but that's the problem with the timing of Big Bang, not really the author's fault.
Dean's experiencing of soulless Sam's POV through the dreams was interesting, much more so than the hell dreams. I felt that there should have been a little more attention paid to the fact that hell is not an unknown to Dean, but it's hard to depict hell with effective detail when canon has done it so incredibly badly.
Good ideas in this story, but the prose isn't going to blow anyone away. Good enough though.
Ouroboros by
gedryGen - 32,000 words - PG
On LJ in multiple parts not in site scheme. No other formats offered, but there's a PDF link in comments.
This is a total crack fic premise: Set in season 6 with re-souled Sam, Bobby sends Sam and Dean to therapy with some kind of non-human therapist. We get cameo sessions with Castiel and Meg too.
I really wasn't expecting to even read this through, but I love Dora the therapist, and I got sucked in to the story. I think it gets thin in places, the meta starts overpowering the story at the same time the author loses the voices and starts into some fangirl talk. I also 100% don't buy this Castiel, but lots of people seem to see this guy on the screen. I guess I'm watching a different show. The Meg parts add nothing and take aspects of canon I find absurd and offensive and run with them. But the basic Sam and Dean forced to deal with their shit was really interesting and surprisingly believable. The execution is totally serious, so it doesn't read like silly crack.
Here's how I look at it, this is the author's meta on Sam and Dean. If you agree with her take, you'll have fun reading and feel validated. If you don't agree, you can argue in your head--or in a post somewhere--with her take. There's no way to lose here unless the entire concept just bores you. I do agree with a lot of it, and I found their motivation to go through it--they both want their brother back--very convincing.
The Only Constant (24055 words) by
The Only Constant by
lazy_dazeJared/Jensen - 24,000 words - Explicit
This fic is the most broadly accessible story of the challenge so far. The LJ version is a multimedia story that includes images in an epistolary style. The AO3 version is plain text, so the downloadable versions are as well. There is also a downloadable PDF of the LJ version with the art embedded. I really appreciate this presentation and salute the author and artist for making the effort. (I wish Ouzo came in plain text, so I could read the postcards without eyestrain.)
So, I love Ouzo. It's one of the few J2 stories I've read more than three times. I really, really don't like Topspin, which is one of the most popular J2 stories ever.
This story is more like Ouzo.
And it's non-AU! Jared takes his life in a new direction after the show ends and the story is from his POV, so we see him getting on with his life and trying to figure out just what the hell Jensen Ackles, he of the drunk passes and the skittish morning afters, really wants. Jared angsts, sure, but in a realistic adult way. Jensen is being an idiot and he knows it.
I like the understated style, thought the phone sex was hot and the in person sex fit well with the story. This is not a story you read if you want "porn".
I really like stories like this where the character who is arguably going through the most change is doing it off stage and I get to fill in details, see Jared's view of things as somewhat unreliable and pay attention to what isn't there as much as what is.
I would say this story is a bit bare--I think more detail about Jared's new friends would have been good, and some attention should have been paid to how distant he is from everyone in his old life, not just Jensen. He has almost no interaction with family either, which needed an explanation, frankly. Jared seems isolated more than Jensen.
But it's my style of story, so I can easily forgive all that. Really enjoyable read, and if you loved Topspin's big public, totally implausible and OOC Hollywood ending, you'll likely hate this fic.