Fish Recs

My policy on how I do my recs (including for things like warnings and spoilers) can be found at [my post about my recs], for those interested.


I've been sitting on this one for ages because I've been having a hard time writing up my recs for each of these. I've decided that I want this rec list out more than I want my thoughts on these stories to be coherent (I've tried for coherency, honest! I'm not sure if I actually found it.). And you can always just click on the story links if you'd rather not read my verbal flailing about. :)

This is a rec list of SGA fics that deal with being closeted in some fashion. There are more fics that deal with this theme, especially in this fandom, but these five fics taken together say something to me. Not quite sure what it is (this is how I make mix tapes/CDs, by the way. I go searching for some emotion and I put stuff together until I've achieved that emotion.).

Fic spoiler warning: While I generally attempt to not spoil the plot of the fics I rec, I can't avoid it for this list. So there are massive spoilers here. If you would like to read the fics on this list without any spoilers (beyond the fact that I've placed them on this list), here are the links to the stories: [Scenes From a Lesser War] by amireal, [DADT, Damyata, Dayadhvam] by trinityofone, [ If You Want To Kiss The Sky] by siegeofangels, [The Known World] by vanitashaze, and [Time-Keeping] by thingswithwings.

( Recs under the cut )

As always, please let me know if I am missing anything or have any errors.

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please see [my policy post].


WHEEE! PODFIC OF MY FIC!!!! IT IS AWESOME!!!

( squee goes here. And also thoughts of hearing recipes verbally )

FYI, the non-tl;dr version is: Yay for juniperphoenix's [recording] of [Bread Mountain Dreams] and [Harvest Bread Recipe] from [De Re Coquinaria Pegasi]!!! (14 min, 13 MB, 1400 words)


[Originally posted] at fish_echo on 6 October 2009.

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please [see my policy post].

These podfics didn't fit in elsewhere in this meme but I like them! So today's theme is no theme! Whee!

( X podfics in Y fandoms. <--That was originally dummy text, but I'm keeping it because *mystery podfics* )

[Originally posted] at fish-echo on 29 August 2009

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please [see my policy post]; however, note that I have not reread these stories when importing this post, so while I think none of these stories have spoilers or other items which readers might like to know about before reading, I do not swear that it is so.

After I [posted] an SGA Happy/Fuzzy rec list last week yonks ago, I realised that I had left a bunch of really good fics off of it, due to simple forgetfulness. I've attempted to fix this somewhat in this (multi-fandom) rec set, but in the process I've realised that I have lots of good happy fics to rec and that I'll need more than two LJ posts to list them all. So I've restricted myself here somewhat arbitrarily to fics (a) that I don't see as also belonging to one of the other rec lists I have in prep and (b) that meet some subconscious criteria (which if I knew what it was I'd tell you *looks on in bafflement at the workings of her own brain*).

I haven't put a 'why this story belongs on this rec set' line on these recs because for these stories the 'My notes' section contains that. Or sometimes simply the author's summary is explanation enough.

As always, let me know if there's missing podfics/commentaries/etc, broken links, inaccuracies, etc., and feel free to drop more fics in the comments.


Here are more fics that make me laugh or that make me feel warm and fuzzy inside:

( Harry Potter, 1 story (Draco/Hermione, Harry/Ginny) )

( House, 2 stories (both House/Wilson) )

( Stargate: Atlantis, 7 stories, (gen, het, slash) )

( Angel the Vampire Slayer, 1 story (Spike/Connor) )

( Torchwood, 1 story, (gen) )

( Captain Jack Harkness, 2 stories, (Jack/cheese) )

[Originally posted] at fish_echo on 3 April 2009.

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please [see my policy post].

Because I [just did] a sad rec list, I feel the need to give a happy rec list. I'm beginning to think that I should really give in and get a delicious account so I can tag things to my heart's content. However, that sounds like a lot of work and I don't like work! So for the moment I shall continue pretending that delicious doesn't exist.

Like last time, these are all SGA. Unless otherwise stated, these are gen, tame in ratings, and only 1 LJ post long. Oh, and if you have other fics (any fandom) that you think belong in this sort of list, feel free to drop things in the comments! I think I've got links to all the podfics, but if I missed any, please do let me know.

So, in no particular order, I present funny stories/stories that make me happy the vast majority of the time:

( eleven stories, cut because it's *really long* otherwise )

~~~~~~~~

I really love the following stories and they can almost always be guaranteed to make me happier, so I clearly had to include them on the happy-making list. But they actually have plots and things! So they're a bit different than the ones above. These are all John/Rodney, some form of AU, and 2 LJ posts long:

Story: Small Primes and Square Roots
Author: liviapenn
Podfic: Does not exist, even though I wish it did. :(
Summary: "I hope you picked someone really intelligent, otherwise it seems like it would be kind of a waste. Of incubation time, if nothing else."
My Notes: The one where Jeannie chose John to donate sperm, then gets killed in a car accident, so Rodney adopts her daughter. John looks up Jeannie before heading off to Antarctica and ends up pen-pals with Rodney. Really, really sweet. I lost the link to this for a while and was really happy when I found it on someone's rec list.

Story: Mau Loa Means the Time We Have
Author: gaiaanarchy
Summary: AU in which John never gets to Antarctica. He and Rodney meet anyway.
My Notes: Takes place on Hawaii. The characterisation is very well-done and the story is very sweet, but I am not quite sure I can explain exactly *why* I love this story so much (clearly I am the despair of my Literature teachers), just that it is better than the sum of its parts. :)

Story: Strangers on a Six Train
Author: eye_queue
Summary: No summary given.
My Notes: So Rodney works as a prof at NYU and takes the train (subway?) to work. On one claustrophobic day John talks him out of a panic-attack. Flirting eventually ensues. And there's even a phone call to Jeannie (who is mostly-somewhat-kinda estranged but not really) and their relationship/relationship-fail is very awesomely done-- it walks the line between caring and dysfunctional-but-trying, and Jeannie gives good advice without being some deus ex machina... There's the line: A minute later, he called her back to apologize and ask how she was, because she was his sister and he loved her, and he was working on changing that bad habit he had of screwing things up with people he cared about which defines this Rodney for me (and also exhibits the author's grasp of language-- so very lovely!). Please to be disregarding the part where I spent most of my review talking about Jeannie-- John is there! I promise!


I shall stop now. This list is getting slightly ridiculously long.

And any of these which currently lack podfics I think would be awesome podfics. *hints to the internet at large*

ETA3 (3 Apr): Part two of this list [has finally been posted]

ETA1 (8 Feb): I may have spent nearly a week assembling this list and I still managed to leave fics off of it. Grrr! And I've thought of enough others at this point that I'll be just making another post in a bit (probably another week). And any fics that get left off of that list will have to wait, because I want to do a different themed rec list next (either 'sentient objects/Atlantis' or 'bait and switch'). I'll put a link here to the happy recs (cont.) post, whenever it does go up.
ETA2 (31 Mar): Wow, I still haven't posted the second edition of this list. Do I rock or do I rock, N/N? It is in the works, though, I promise! In actual news, I have begun updating this list with info (eg, wordcounts).

As per usual, if I've got inaccuracies, broken links, or missing info (especially podfics, DVD commentaries, and sequels/prequels), please do let me know.

[Originally posted] at fish_echo at 5 Feb 2009

For my policy on things such as spoilers, warning, and ratings, please [see my policy post].

leviticus_lied [has asked] for suggestions for things to turn into podfics, and I've been meaning to post recs. So I've decided to combine those at the moment, and here's some fic that I like and that I think would be nice as podfics.

The Ones Where They are a Unicorn and a Rainbow (and a Dolphin and a Warm Spring Breeze):
Part One-- But Where Would They Live and Part Two-- The Dreams That You Dare to Dream (Or, But What Would the Children Look Like?) by thingswithwings
Fandom etc: Crack. I highly doubt any knowledge of the canon is even necessary, but for the sake of completeness, the fandom is SGA. John/Rodney, side Teyla/Ronon. PG
Author's Rating/Warning: Part one: this is fic in which RODNEY IS A UNICORN AND JOHN IS A RAINBOW. no ratings or warning will sufficiently prepare you for this. the MPAA doesn't have a category for this. it is pure, unadulterated crack, and I have nothing to say in my own defense. Part two: I just don't know where to start. it's now unicorn/rainbow kidfic.
My Review: Pure awesome crack. Completely ridiculous. I have a very large soft spot for crack and the absurd. I'm positive that no knowledge of the fandom or canon is necessary for these stories. However, these are well-told crack!fics. It is the little moments that make the story worth re-reading when the crack-craving hits. The interpersonal interactions are done very well. I'm kinda shocked that I'm writing that about, well, a rainbow and the rest of the motley crew, but yeah, it works. Plus, rainbow/unicorn kidfic! Don't worry, Unicorn Rodney spends most of the second story being as confused by how that works as you are. There's an amazing amount of canon-compliant characterization for a rainbow and unicorn fic--hey, a grumpy unicorn Rodney, that's gotta be worth the price of admission alone.
EDIT 5 April 2009: general_jinjur recorded these for me as a bribe for me to donate to [Archive of Our Own] and she did an absolutely wonderful job. She manages to make thoughts inside the characters' heads sound different from their spoken dialogue. She does an excellent job of doing the tone of voice when reading. Aaaand she made lovely covers for the audiobooks from art done for the fic. *squishes the podfics tightly to her chest*
Audiofic (m4b): Both stories (30:17), Part 1 (11:34), Part 2 (18:42), read by general_jinjur
Podfic (mp3):Part 1, Part 2

Minerva McGonagall and the Insurance Salesman, Part 1 by googlebrat
Fandom etc: Harry Potter, G, Gen, Humour, 1300 words.
Author's Summary: The hapless insurance salesman squirmed. "If you will recall, Professor McGonagall, last time we spoke I told you we wished to cancel your policy. The amount of issues the school has . . . it's simply too high-risk for us..."
My Review: A humourous piece--- It's really not fair to sic Professor McGonagall on an unsuspecting Muggle insurance salesman, but since he thought when his daughter turned out to be a witch that the Wizarding World would be a good place for insurance, I don't feel too bad for him. No wait, I do, because he has no idea what he's getting in for. In theory, there is a Part Two, but my search-fu is weak and can't find it.

Every Librarian Has Her Day by Martha (marthas_library/mad_martha)
Fandom: Harry Potter. Gen, PG, 965 words.
Author's Summary: What did Madam Pince do during the Battle of Hogwarts?
My Summary*: The Hogwarts Librarian contributes to the battle... Battle Tomes! Actually, it's more of her musing on duty and knowledge before releasing The Battle Tomes. Dum Dum Dum!
Review: This is a wonderful short story that somehow manages to sound really crappy when summarized but is really awesome when you read it. Which I guess means that the all the rest of the words that the author used really were necessary :P Madam Pince's thoughts while preparing to protect her library and the school show her great strength of character. The writing of this piece is very tight, but doesn't seem over-written. Whenever I re-read it I realize that a good portion of what I remember-- atmosphere, fact-lets, etc-- was merely suggested and not explicitly stated. As I said before, excellent writing here. I really wish the muse would poke Martha in the brain with the companion piece that is Madam Pomfrey's (the school nurse).
*really, I just wanted an excuse to write "the battle tomes" repeatedly
Podfic version!: winkingstar recorded this for me! [mp3] and [m4b]
My notes on the podfic version: This is lovely! Her calm voice is perfect for such a contemplative story and the emotions still ring strong. The final line of the story contains a large punch and she delivers it perfectly. (Plus, I love getting to the end of any podfic by winkingstar because she always sounds happy at the final 'the end', and the 'finis' here is lovely.) There may have been actual flailing of hands when I got to the end, but if there was, I'm not telling you about it, so you can't prove anything. EEEEEEE happy :)[originally posted here]

Also, one art link, because consistency is a sign of a small mind (quote mangled, I know):
art: http://pics.livejournal.com/iltaru/pic/000420y9/ by iltaru
summary: is sooo awesome and cute!
Fic: Drop Dead Gorgeous by Maya


As per usual, if I've got inaccuracies, broken links, or missing info (especially podfics, DVD commentaries, and sequels/prequels), please do let me know.


[Originally posted] at fish_echo on 11 June 2008