I don't have a life; I have a lifestyle - and recs

[geoviki]

Fic recs - new and old

I had a great Friday night reading session. Thanks to adela711, I read three stories in a row that I enjoyed quite a bit.

The Wanton Wonton by furiosity. H/D. The author describes this as crack!fic, and it is. Summary: What is Draco Malfoy doing in Hungary? What do zombies have to do with it all? And why the hell is there a plot? There's a big difference to me between stupid, sophomoric humor and a fic that plays it mostly straight, with the occasional quick-witted bit thrown in to keep me on my toes.



"You're obsessed with me," Draco accused, trying to disentangle himself.

"That's not what the books say." Potter licked his neck carefully.

"Oh, please. You know as well as I do that the woman lies. You were all up in my grille by fourth year. Not that I'm surprised."

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The Symmetry of Absence by frogslayr. Harry/Draco/Snape. Summary: Snape puts up with Draco, who fancies Harry. And there's a cat. The summary doesn't do this fic justice. I love fics that explore Draco's childhood and the personality defects that arise from it. What I really liked were the characterisations and how carefully she brought them out. Draco is broken in that hidden, only-Snape-knows kind of way. And Snape has his hidden desires, too. I especially liked the reinterpretations of canon as the years pass. She could have made the ending longer, with more build up to the resolution, but asking for more story is hardly a complaint.



The tiny black kitten peered over the edge of Snape’s bony hands and blinked its large green eyes at the boy and the boy stared back. Snape had picked the clumsiest one of the litter, the one brimming with mad energy like the boy’s, the one that kept chasing and biting its own tail.

Draco poked at the kitten and it batted back, claws extended, not giving an inch. Snape saw a ghost of the child’s old smirk as he took the beast from Snape, soft slender fingers brushing against his callused ones, and his heart caught in his throat again.

“You should name it,” he muttered gruffly.

The boy paid him no heed, entranced by the little claws reaching for his nose, and hugged it close, breathing in the smell of clean fur with a happy sigh.

“Potter,” he heard him whisper into the kitten’s back, and Snape stiffened.
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Stop the World (I Wanna Get Off) by mijan H/D. Summary: Harry quits. Draco doesn't like it. Harry decides he's not going to live up to everyones expectations and becomes the antithesis of CAPSLOCK!Harry. The reasoning, which could have been overly trite, actually make sense to me.



Dumbledore’s tone voice remained calm, but his eyes narrowed. “You have a job to do, and your name carries a responsibility.”

“Then how about I change my name.” It was not a question. “I never signed up for this job. I quit.”

At that, Dumbledore sighed in that infuriating way he had of making the world appear so heavy on his shoulders. He looked to the side and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Perhaps you are frustrated or overwhelmed, and need a few days to yourself. I understand that. We will speak of this again, but for now, be mindful of your classes, and take that time to quiet and organize your thoughts.”

Harry said nothing.

Dumbledore tipped his head in acknowledgement, never losing the critical expression on his face, and departed the Great Hall.

Harry watched him go. With a nonchalant shrug, he left for Gryffindor tower. On his way, he thought about his classes. Dumbledore said to be mindful of his classes. Another expectation. The only class in which there were no expectations was Potions, save for Snape’s expectation that he would fail spectacularly.

Perhaps he would start having to disappoint everyone. It ought to be fun.
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Earlier this week zionsstarfish posted the sequel to Obligations, her excellent Draco!vampire H/D fic. Obligations 2. ZS has never written a story I didn't love at first reading, and this one is no exception. Why isn't her name trumpeted from the rooftops, huh?



For a few moments, there was only the sound of their harsh breathing. Harry's pulse stampeded against the palm of Draco's hand, his lungs heaved, and Draco could not look away from all the evidence of life that flowed through the body underneath him, and all the pain and confusion that came with it.

Finally, in a small voice, Harry said, "Did it hurt when you died?"

"What?"

"Did dying hurt?"

Draco blinked. He pushed away from Harry and sat up. Harry lay still, like he was trying to imagine not breathing and not moving ever again.

"Believe me, Harry. Living hurt a hell of a lot more."
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There were updated chapters this week for four long H/D WIPfics that I started reading nearly two years ago when I first found fandom. And these fics are well-written, and hooked me with their clever plots and great dialogue and...the whole thing. The quality hasn't changed; if anything, the authors have all improved their skills. But sadly, the rich detail of the stories has faded, and I can't remember things that would make the new stuff far more enjoyable as a reader. One of the chapters concerns Draco's reaction to a serious memory loss, and I'm all, "Boy, I can relate, dude, because I don't remember what the hell happened to you, either." I could go back and reread, of course, but then I'd have to repeat the process when the next chapter appears, which -- if past history is any indication -- promises not to be any time soon. I'm left to envy the experience of future readers who will find these stories someday, finished, and will have a great experience with them. But I've got this chapter-interruptus history. It's compounded by the fact that I read so many H/D's that any unique points blend together.

Comments

[lazy-daze.livejournal.com]

I'm with you on the ZS thing - she's one of my favourite H/D writers yet doesn't seem to be nearly as known as she deserves!
Also with you on the WiP thing - a couple of very good WiPs I've stopped reading for now because I'm aways fuzzy on what's going on. I'm waiting eagerly for them to be finished so I can read them all through in one glorious go :)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I always toot ZS's horn as often as I can. Maybe we'll wake someone else up - we can hope.

[fourth_rose]

"Boy, I can relate, dude, because I don't remember what the hell happened to you, either."

Thank God it's not just me ;-)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I'm horrible at retaining details Which is probably why I reread stories I like so often - to burn them into my brain.

[hearts-n-roses.livejournal.com]

I will have to look into a few of those fics. I totally agree about Obligations 2, and all of Z's stories. She is probably my favorite writer in fandom.

I can also relate with the WIP problem. I hate them actually, but in a love-hate kinda way. I avoid them now unless they are updated regularly, but when I first got into fandom I didn't do that, and now I have 20 WIP's I follow and I have them all mixed up in my head...lol. I make it a habit of re-reading the previous chapter before a new chapter, but it just interrupts the flow. They are fantastic stories, with great plots, but I barely remember what happened in the previous chapter let alone the beginning of the fic from two years ago. *sighs*

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I bet we read the same 20 fics, too! I used to have a spreadsheet of which plot and which characters were doing what in those WIPS, then I gave up.

I do reread the previous chapter, but any of the involved stuff that came in earliest chapters has hit the bit bucket. It's too bad.

[tipgardner.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for your recs! I always find your recs to be so thoughtful and of consistently high quality.

WsIP. Eurgh. So many are so good and so frustrating. I try to keep them short on my to read list until they're finished.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Oh, my WsIP list is very very short these days, too. I learned my lesson by piling them on in early days.

[oxoniensis.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs - I was in the mood for a bit of reading this evening, so some new H/D is perfect.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Oh, have fun. Or, er, hope you had fun, because it's late for you, tho not for me.

[luci0logy.livejournal.com]

I adore ZS' fics and have read Obligations 1 & 2 twice this weekend. The interaction between Draco and Harry is wonderful but the thing that really got to me was the underlying tragedy that separated Draco from his father.

I understand where your coming from with WIP's and now refuse to read them because I can't keep all the plot lines in my head. I keep a list of who I'm interested in so I can check on their progress. Having said that, I let myself get sucked into emmagrant01's Surrender The Grey because I enjoyed LMH so much. Roll on Wednesday!

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I am reading Surrender the Grey, because a week isn't too long to retain those bits. Yeah, a week I can handle. Six months or longer, though, and I'm just lost.

[balfrog.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's my day to blush!

As for WIPs- yes. I thought my head was going to explode after 30+ of them. Saving up is a good idea.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

You are flavor of the day, my dear! After I posted, I saw marksykins's and titti's recs for it. But it so deserves to be read.

[balfrog.livejournal.com]

heh, I'll have to stop blushing and enjoy it before I turn back into a pumpkin.
;D

[jamoche]

One of the chapters concerns Draco's reaction to a serious memory loss

I know which one that is - I just read it a few days ago. (He went insane after having AK'd Lucius, btw.) Two years between start and now - ouch! I promise not to do that; I feel guilty enough about having gone more than a week on mine.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

He went insane after having AK'd Lucius, btw.

Thanks! You know, even after you told me that, I still can't remember the details. I'll go back to it when it's finished some day, becasue I really do like it.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Um - sorry to butt in - but was that Adamant and Starlight?? Cos I have just read the latest update and I now can't remember a damned thing about it, apart from Draco being asleep a lot, like Snow White, and Dumbledore being really quite good instead of just twinkly.

[jamoche]

That's the one. Lucius kidnapped Draco to use in some Dark ritual involving Dementors, Draco managed to get away and in the process AK'd his father; between that and the Dementors he went insane and ended up comatose until they did a memory charm to block his memory until he could cope with it.

[parthenia14.livejournal.com]

Aaagh! So that's what happened! I couldn't face going back 6 chapters, not with all the other WIPs stacking up. Thank you.

[snottygrrl.livejournal.com]

ooooh, rec's! and some i ihaven't read. w00t!

and i so hear you on the wips thing. i had the luck of just running into corvetteclaire's wip. but yes, i am having trouble remembering what is going on in which wip. and, same as you, i thought about re-reading, but i'll wait until i'm at the last chapter, thanks. and now eclipse looks like it might be ages to finish due to RL. hurt me now. [*le sigh*]

[k-rebel.livejournal.com]

*puts hands over eyes*
can't read, can't read too busy ahhhh! (though I love that wanton wonton story)

not sure if you checked out ohreally lately, but i posted a bunch of pics - of this one set calixta said omg, he looks like "dear fucking merlin, what are these muggles doing to me now?"
http://www.livejournal.com/community/ohreally___/20558.html

of course i immediate thought of you and ATBT/DSoT!Draco. heh.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

not sure if you checked out ohreally lately

I check out ohreally___ all the time! It's on my primary filter. Sometimes, though, I can only sigh and am otherwise rendered speechless.

And I'm sure Draco has words with Daniel, because ATBT/DSOT Draco is fairly conservative in his heart. I think the pureblood world is probably about 50 years behind the times. He tries to be cool, but he frequently finds himself thinking, WTF?

Daniel doesn't take him seriously, though. He thinks its his mission to drag Draco into the future. He just doesn't realize how long that trip is.

[mayflo.livejournal.com]

WIPs are so very frustrating! And there are loads in this fandom. I guess the authors try to write novel-length fics like the original books but then they don't have the consistency to keep on with it. I've read long WIPs that are not updated in ages or ouright abandoned and it's so sad because they are so good T_T
I swore never to read a WIP after having my heart broken for said reasons and swore never again to read them. But alas! The most intriguing fics are WIPs. Seemes like a curse. Right now I'm reading four WIPs that I look forward to their weekly or random updates. Each time it's a cliffhanger XD

[mayflo.livejournal.com]

It's a random thought that just popped into my mind, but who started the veela!Draco plots?

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I still have a lot of WIPS that I care about, but I steel myself against starting new ones if I can help it. I do make exceptions once in a while. It's hard to stand firm when all my friendslist is excitied about the newest WIP and I haven't read it, though.

I can't tell you who started the Veela fics. It seems like a natural for fanfic - attractive beings who are nearly impossible to resist sexually? Yeah!

OT

[dorian-black.livejournal.com]

Hi, mind if I friend you? For my mini-introduction, I'm a late-20s ex-Michigander...no need to keep up with me, necessarily; I'm a terrible lurker having a bout of nonshyness. :) Anyway, I love your writing and enjoy hearing such a sensible voice in fandom.

Re: OT

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Friend away! No problems there. And welcome.

[westchester-777.livejournal.com]

Hey, I'm looking forward to checking out your recs. But the reason I'm here is because I'm reading your story 'A Thousand Beautiful Things' at the moment and wanted to tell you how much I am enjoying it.

I'm only at the end of Chapter 3, but I wanted to stop by at this stage while I'm still all excited and motivated to comment, and I very much can't wait to read the rest but I seriously should get some sleep since I have to go to work in the morning. Your story is fascinating me, the unique perspectives, the originality. I've never read a fic quite like this before, and I've read a lot of H/D fic.

So yeah, thanks and I'll hopefully catch up with you when I've finished the story.

ps. also friending you as I'm very interested in your recs. :)

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Thank you for your comments - I'm glad you're enjoying the story. If I can get it together, the sequel should be out in a week or two.

[westchester-777.livejournal.com]

You're welcome, I haven't had much time to read since i wrote you but I'm on Chapter 4 now and I wanted to tell you how much I loved the bit where Goyle asked Malfoy if he was an angel. It was just beautiful, and to make something Goyle says beautiful is an amazing thing.

I'm excited to hear there's a sequel too, looking forward to reading it all. Thanks.