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yuletide recs 2021!
Dec. 28th, 2021 12:36 pmheyyyyyy it's yuletide season again, and once again I have barrelled my way through a truly astonishing number of fics in order to bring you a rec list of 10 of my favourites before the anon period is over! I hope you enjoy some of them too!
Rabbi Shaina Cohen Shows Great Patience And Fortitude
Yudah Cohen series by Rebecca Fraimow, gen, OCs & Yudah Cohen
Futurefic for the series, taking place in discussions on twitter, reddit, email, and texting about Yudah Cohen, past and present, and everything about it is just a total delight!
You Say Bark, I Say Bite
Sunshine by Robin McKinley, f/m/m, Con/Mel/Sunshine
Pre-OT3 from Mel's pov, this feels so right for them, and it's perfectly captured the eerie vibe of Con, from Mel's pov.
The Magic In The Making
Smoke series by Tanya Huff, m/m, Lee/Tony
I love the way this fic built up more of Lee's history and used it to show the deepening relationship between him and Tony, as well as the strong sense of the community with the rest of the characters, I had many feelings.
Notes on a Nondescript Vegetable
Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, m/m, Jack/Stephen
Stephen discovers a plant that seems to have sex-pollen-like effects. And oh my gosh I was blown away, the writer's grasp of the characters and their voices, the delicious narration with its incredible ability to evoke a mood, I love this fic SO MUCH. Jack and Stephen!!!!!!!!
(next year it'll be clear) this was only leading me to that
10 Things I Hate About You, m/f, Kat/Patrick
Following Kat and Patrick and the way their relationship develops over the years post-movie. I finished with such a smile on my face. I love how much Kat and Patrick have this trust and confidence in each other, and how much it shows in everything they do!
Bamboo Ambitions
Chinese history RPF, gen, Xiao He & Zhang Liang & Han Xin
Set during the time of the Chu-Han Contention, and tbh I had to google some things (like.....the chu-han contention) because I don't know enough about chinese history, but this fic was worth it! I really enjoyed the way the characters and their experiences are both humanized and also clearly a part of a greater story, in the way it was framed and told.
Kay the Scribe
Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, m/m, Costis/Kamet & OC
Set during the time when Kamet and Costis are undercover in Roa, and I loved this outside pov on the two of them! Laris is a delight, and the way he's able to see things and piece together what's happening, and carefully make sure Kamet knows he's got his back, I love it. And you can really see how very much Costis is important to Kamet, even while he's barely on screen.
This Episode Brought To You By
Mr Queen, m/m & m/f, Bong-hwan/Cheoljong & So-yon/OC
Another fandom where I had to google things to follow along because I only know this show from having a friend explain it once and have never seen it, but it's so great! How much Bong-hwan feels the need to pose as a Cool Guy but obviously still feels very earnestly about things, how Cheoljong is fascinated by Bong-hwan and pays so much attention to trying to really understand the heart of him, how So-yon does her best to figure out how to be herself, whatever that looks like -- and how Bong-hwan and So-yon are both ultimately better off in each other's lives, each other's worlds. And the through-line of food tying it all together!
Only one question that can be answered
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin, gen, Genly Ai
Post-canon, Genly decides to retire to Gethen. And ahhhhhh this is so lovely and bittersweet and perfect.
honesty (is such a lonely word)
Nirvana in Fire, m/m, Mei Changsu/Prince Yu
Aaaaand a fandom that I know only from reading a bunch of fic, but hadn't previously had much exposure to the character of Prince Yu lol. But I loved getting his pov here, the ways Prince Yu both does and doesn't understand, and how captivated he is by Mei Changsu, and how clear it is that even if Mei Changsu is opposing him, it's not because Mei Changsu hates him or doesn't care about him, MCS just....has different priorities.
Rabbi Shaina Cohen Shows Great Patience And Fortitude
Yudah Cohen series by Rebecca Fraimow, gen, OCs & Yudah Cohen
Futurefic for the series, taking place in discussions on twitter, reddit, email, and texting about Yudah Cohen, past and present, and everything about it is just a total delight!
You Say Bark, I Say Bite
Sunshine by Robin McKinley, f/m/m, Con/Mel/Sunshine
Pre-OT3 from Mel's pov, this feels so right for them, and it's perfectly captured the eerie vibe of Con, from Mel's pov.
The Magic In The Making
Smoke series by Tanya Huff, m/m, Lee/Tony
I love the way this fic built up more of Lee's history and used it to show the deepening relationship between him and Tony, as well as the strong sense of the community with the rest of the characters, I had many feelings.
Notes on a Nondescript Vegetable
Aubrey-Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian, m/m, Jack/Stephen
Stephen discovers a plant that seems to have sex-pollen-like effects. And oh my gosh I was blown away, the writer's grasp of the characters and their voices, the delicious narration with its incredible ability to evoke a mood, I love this fic SO MUCH. Jack and Stephen!!!!!!!!
(next year it'll be clear) this was only leading me to that
10 Things I Hate About You, m/f, Kat/Patrick
Following Kat and Patrick and the way their relationship develops over the years post-movie. I finished with such a smile on my face. I love how much Kat and Patrick have this trust and confidence in each other, and how much it shows in everything they do!
Bamboo Ambitions
Chinese history RPF, gen, Xiao He & Zhang Liang & Han Xin
Set during the time of the Chu-Han Contention, and tbh I had to google some things (like.....the chu-han contention) because I don't know enough about chinese history, but this fic was worth it! I really enjoyed the way the characters and their experiences are both humanized and also clearly a part of a greater story, in the way it was framed and told.
Kay the Scribe
Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner, m/m, Costis/Kamet & OC
Set during the time when Kamet and Costis are undercover in Roa, and I loved this outside pov on the two of them! Laris is a delight, and the way he's able to see things and piece together what's happening, and carefully make sure Kamet knows he's got his back, I love it. And you can really see how very much Costis is important to Kamet, even while he's barely on screen.
This Episode Brought To You By
Mr Queen, m/m & m/f, Bong-hwan/Cheoljong & So-yon/OC
Another fandom where I had to google things to follow along because I only know this show from having a friend explain it once and have never seen it, but it's so great! How much Bong-hwan feels the need to pose as a Cool Guy but obviously still feels very earnestly about things, how Cheoljong is fascinated by Bong-hwan and pays so much attention to trying to really understand the heart of him, how So-yon does her best to figure out how to be herself, whatever that looks like -- and how Bong-hwan and So-yon are both ultimately better off in each other's lives, each other's worlds. And the through-line of food tying it all together!
Only one question that can be answered
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K Le Guin, gen, Genly Ai
Post-canon, Genly decides to retire to Gethen. And ahhhhhh this is so lovely and bittersweet and perfect.
honesty (is such a lonely word)
Nirvana in Fire, m/m, Mei Changsu/Prince Yu
Aaaaand a fandom that I know only from reading a bunch of fic, but hadn't previously had much exposure to the character of Prince Yu lol. But I loved getting his pov here, the ways Prince Yu both does and doesn't understand, and how captivated he is by Mei Changsu, and how clear it is that even if Mei Changsu is opposing him, it's not because Mei Changsu hates him or doesn't care about him, MCS just....has different priorities.
