Whee!

Merry Christmas, everyone! I had a fab time hanging out with everyone at #yuletide long after midnight last night, scribbling away madly into the wee hours. Also dinner at parents' house went well - as did Xmas dinner, which was nummy - and today I am mostly full of food and booze. And fics. (yay for yuletide!!) There's some seriously good stuff this year, and I am already compiling a recs list, yup yup. (First up will be my gift fic, which is BEYOND AWESOMECAKES. I will hold off on the rec until I can be coherent, but rest assured that it is made entirely out of AWESOMENESS. Yes. *rereads*)

The plan for today is: more fic, followed by nap, followed by Doctor Who Xmas special in front of the telly with tea and biscuits, followed by more fic, followed by more tea, followed by bed. Followed by possible venture to the shops on Boxing Day, as my mother and I are shopping fiends, yes indeed. But, mostly? It's gonna be tea and biscuits all around.

Bliss.

Yuletide recs! (part the first)

Some of the fics I've read and loved thus far, in no particular order. I've yet to work my way through the entire archive, so there will be loads more to follow later.

First up, it's the fic that I received from my mystery author - who is, quite simply, a genius -

Transmetropolitan
- The Worst Thing That Has Ever Happened To Spider Jerusalem
Let me say this now: I nearly peed myself laughing. And I am a little ashamed, because I love Spider a great deal, and I should have been feeling pity at the horrendous day he had, but instead, I had to join Channon and Yelena in falling off my chair laughing. This is perfectly in character, and features the Filthy Assistants in fine form. There are also appearances from The Beast, Royce, and one other unexpected guest, much to Spider's chagrin. Mystery author - I salute you!

*

3:10 to Yuma

- Some Call it a Mercy
After the end of the movie, Ben Wade tries to get on with his life. I really liked the total lack of 'fix-it' here - Dan doesn't miraculously survive, and there's no happily ever after. Except that there is, sorta. William turns out right, in any case, which makes me happy.

- Mutual Solace
Wade/Evans slash, post-movie. Having said I don't like fix-its, I also... like fix-its. What can I say; I contain multitudes. I particularly like the gradual nature of this, and how the focus is the familiarity and growing friendship between the two men, as opposed to them falling into bed filled with lust.

- You Weren't Born a Killer (But You Can't Tell That No More)
Charlie Prince, in all his ruthless glory. One for all the Charlie fans out there who despair at seeing him written as a shiny lovely pretty boy. This Charlie is a complete bastard - a murderer and rapist many times over - who is still the Charlie we recognise from the movie.

*

The American President

- Two Women
A series of parallels between Mary, the President's first wife, and Sydney Wade. I liked how rounded Mary Shepherd came across in this.

*

Askewniverse

- Cell Mates
Clerks 2, how do I love thee, let me count the ways! This picks up after the end of the movie, and delivers on Jay/Silent Bob. Actually, the strongest thing about it isn't the slash - which always feels a bit odd to actually be realised, in the case of J&SB - but Randal's self-sabotage and quasi-homophobic rant. It's spot on, and includes some hysterical interjections from the donkey fucker.

*

Boston Legal

- Backwards and Wearing High Heels
This has cross-dressing Alan, oblivious Denny, and a Brad who is so shocked he may be having a coronary. Bonus feature: Shirley's clothing, and Alan using impeccable legal reasoning. Absolutely hilarious.


*

Deadwood

- The Law of the Wise
A wonderfully long, gloriously rounded look at Alice Isringhausen and what she did after departing Deadwood. Beautiful writing and sharp characterisations make this one a must read; bonus points for an awesome appearance by Silas, who is made of win (and always knows when to yield gracefully).

*

Ursula Le Guin - the Hainish Cycle

- Other Kinds of Men
The story of Therem and his brother, and how things went well, and how they went badly. This is beautifully written, like a lost chapter of the book.

- The Shadows Cast Behind You
Estraven in the kemmerhouse. Again, it's the beautiful language that makes this vignette a must read.

- Cinders and Snow
For all those who were left wanting something more during the long trek back. This delivers on the familiarity and alienness of someone in kemmer, and the low pulse of attraction/repulsion that would have been ever-present as they waited out the cold.