Yay for Yuletide!

Now that the RL holiday madness has died down, I wanted to do a Yay for Yuletide post. First, I must rave about my two amazing gift fics. Maybe it's beginner's luck (it's my first Yuletide) but both of my Yulegoats really hit it out of the park this year. I also just wanted to say that the holidays are often a tough time for me. I find family stuff difficult, as I'm sure many people do. Having this extra bit of random kindness really made me feel warm and fuzzy inside, so thank you!

I was delighted that my assigned story was actually the one I most wanted written, a Phèdre/Melisande story from Kushiel's Legacy that was smart and sexy AND included some nods to the Night Court. Wow! I'm still so impressed. 

A Choice of Prisons by Anonymous

Fandom: Kushiel's Legacy - Jacqueline Carey</a>

Rating: Mature

Warning: Author Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Phedre no Delaunay/Melisande Shahrizai

Characters: Phedre no Delaunay, Melisande Shahrizai

Summary: Phedre and Melisande next to Asherat-by-the-Sea: a choice, a loss, and a dream.

My Yuletide Treat, which was totally unexpected and such a treasure, was a Mary/Vaughn story from Lauren Willig's Pink Carnation set of historical mysteries. (Talk about your rare fandoms, I think there are seriously only four fics in the AO3 archive for this one.) But my Yulegoat truly outdid him/herself. The characters' voices are just perfect. It really felt like a scene from a future Pink Carnation book. And I will echo what another commenter on this fic said, it's wonderful to see Mary and Vaughn scheming, flirting and enjoying married life after their "happy ever after."

For King and Country by Anonymous

Fandom: Pink Carnation Series - Lauren Willig

Rating: General Audiences

Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply

Relationships: Sebastian Vaughn/Mary Alsworthy, Letty Alsworthy/Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe

Characters: Sebastian Vaughn, Mary Alsworthy, Letty Alsworthy, Geoffrey Pinchingdale-Snipe

Summary: It's when you think you're out that they pull you back in.

( Other Yuletide Thoughts )

Recs Ahoy!

Not that I have an overabundance of lj friends, but here's a random list of recs. Yuletide has truly been a banquet and it's a pleasure to read so many fics from fandoms I love and from fandoms I never imagined even would have fic. 

There were so many excellent Kushiel's Legacy fics this year and several featuring fiction's most amazing villainess, Melisande Sharizhai. In addition to my own a-mazing gift fic- here are some others:

A Pain That I'm Used To- An unsent letter from Melisande to Joscelin that is just so so perfectly Melisande. Merveilleux.

The Goddess Rendered Mortal - Mavros, Melisande and Leander Maignard on the island of Cythera post- Kushiel's Mercy.  

Reparations- An episode from Joscelin's harsh childhood within the Cassiline Brotherhood. With unexpected Anafiel Delaunay! This fic really captured my imagination and I say that as someone who is not a big Joscelin person. 

There were also two a-mazing Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego fics written this year, both tackling what I have always found to be a thorny part of the series for a writer, namely the issue of the Player, and the world within a world the series seems to create. There can ever be enough good Carmen fic, IMO, and both of these are excellent.

Player Status: Offline- A look into the lives of the characters when the game is not in motion. I really loved the series of vignettes. And all of the characters, especially Carmen, were at their mischievous best. 

Lead Me On A Merry Chase-  This fic is epic in a good way. The author has really done something brilliant here- a fully fleshed out backstory for the Player and a truly ingenious take on the series. Amy/The Player is so very well-rendered and real and one of the best original characters I've ever read. In many ways, this is sort of an "inside-out" version of the Carmenverse, as it takes place more in our world than in Carmen's. But that is precisely what makes it unique and worth reading.



( Other Fandoms )