Recs - SPN

[maygra]

Two recs, although one of them is a series and the other is a novel, so if you're looking for a couple of days worth of reading, here's your chance.

First up is poisontaster's Heart 'verse which I, quite honestly, kind of flail at even trying to explain why I love this 'verse so much. First, there's a dozen or so stories, some that are no longer than drabbles others that are worthy of sitting back in your favorite chair to read. It's a future fic that looks at what happens when Sam and Dean (and Dean especially) can't hunt any longer. There's Gen bits and Slash bits. The Gen bits are lovely and fun and offer a really amazing look at our favorite boys when they push past their beautiful 20's and move into later years, when years of hunting and injuries have caught up to them. The Slash bits are all about coming to terms with a relationship that kind of defies description, where being lovers doesn't supersede being brothers and where being brothers might occasionally get in the way of everything else, only not. The stories cross and recross themselves, occasionally seeming to conflict in small ways because it's not a long epic, it's a series of snapshots, of moments and memories. The affection between Sam and Dean will make you smile and the tension that sometimes snap between them makes you hurt. And when the sex is hot, it's hot…like fog your windows hot.

The stories span a couple of decades and What I Keep and What I Carry lays down a rough guideline of where poisontaster see it all going and how it happens, but she wisely (and lucky for us) refuses to be held to all the details therein...

This is a happy ending that isn't always happy, but ultimately is really the best and most wonderful life than anyone could hope for, joy and sadness all part of a life well-lived.

+++++

It's possible that if you haven't been reading, or are not now reading nilchance and beanside's post Devil's Trap novel, Of Bastard Saints you maybe be the only one, or one of the few. And I'm just saying, trying to be different? Not good enough reason to miss this. This is an amazingly well-realized, well-characterized, well plotted story, with characters, even minor ones, who make an impression and a series of events and realizations and resolutions that are enough to make your head spin and your heart burst -- you know, when you aren't laughing your head off at the snark that is apparently a Winchester family trait even in their grief. John and Sam especially, when forced together without Dean as a buffer, are like your worst vacation with your siblings, and possibly the best Road Trip duo ever.

I've got more, but in deference to the authors' own notes, I'm going to put the rest behind a cut so as not so spoil inadvertently.



The authors put a character death warning on the first few chapters and rightfully so -- it doesn't take very long to understand what's happened, and it doesn't make the grief any less real. And in some ways, even once you get past that part, this is a story about life and death, and about resurrection, in a way. My view of it is it very much a story about Dean, about who and what he is, what makes him as he is and it turns out that I was more correct than I actually realized. But the story is also about John and Sam and who they are both in relation to each other and Dean.

This is honestly one of the best realized characterization of John I've seen; he's a deeply complex and conflicted man, who loves his sons, but he's also made some mistakes, mistakes that nearly cost him more than he was really willing to pay. One of the coolest things about this is watching John come to realize and appreciate his sons, not just as his sons or his companions in this war, but as the men they've become.

And Sam and Dean are so very...well, Sam and Dean, only more so. What drives them to do what they do, what drives them together and what drives them apart from each other, are all clearly defined, polished and sharpened to a sharp, fine edge that cuts deep but also cuts clean. They are very different people, but ultimately they share a bond and an understanding and a fierce loyalty to one another that makes total sense even before you get to the end.

The plot is lively and full of all kinds of surprises, realizations and danger enough to make you gasp, and at the same time, there's just moments when all you can do is throw your head back and laugh. (I dare you not to at least crack a smile at the scenes in Valhalla). It's just a marvelous ride, from start to finish.

And just when you get to the most excellent ending, the authors double whammy you with an epilogue that both explains everything and nothing at all and still made me just laugh out loud, because that my friends, is the kind of tag and twist that makes a story more than worth reading -- that's the kind of thing that makes you remember it, reread it, and just pray that the authors have got more where that comes from.

Comments

[jellicle.livejournal.com]

The Heart's verse is like my home, my safe haven, and my inspiration to try and keep writing - the one who brought to life two dabbles so far, nothing special, just my mind that can't stop thinking of it.
Of Bastard Saints... for some reason I didn't start reading it right away - probably because the character death warning, although it never stopped me before, maybe because it made it look like the dead one was my favorite Winchester boy and I couldn't take it at the time. I don't know. What I know is that when I learned that it was an amnesia fic I decided to give it a try and read most of it in a couple of days.
These are amazing recs, sweets, and I hope more people read them.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

I love that 'verse so much. I keep wnating to write in it, but there's jsut something about the approach PT has to it that I feel like my style of writing would be incredbily heavy-handed. But man..I just see endless potetnial there...

[coolwhipdiva.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the recs. I did not know poisontaster had other stories in tha universe, so I'll have to go check them out. And I only found "Of Bastard Saints" last night -- and couldn't stop reading it until I finished it. That epilogue just floored me.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

The epilogue made me sho happy I laughed like a lunatic. My cats ran away, my dogs howled with me. It was ultimately and so ironically perfect. I love it when writers do that.

[without-me.livejournal.com]

Man, I'm just glad other people were surprised, too. I'm always afraid I'm supposed to have figured it out, y'know? And especially with a WIP, I tend to read at odd times and sometimes too fast and I miss things...

[maygra.livejournal.com]

No, I think it was meant to be pretty olbique. I could be wrong, But I had my suspciions that something was up witht he middle names (although I didn't ever make that last leap) if only because it was ostensibly Gabriel who borught the news to Mary that she'd end up being mom to God...and my first reaction was tootally, "Oh, they can not actually mean it that way."

And I don't think they did, but it was part of what made me laugh and kick my feet in glee.

But yeah, I love it when writers do that and then you cna look back and go, "Oh. OOOOOOHHHHHH!!" becasue even if they aren't literal incarnations, the fact that Dean becomes the Warrior of Good? totally fits in with the who idea of the Archangeal Michael as the militant arm of God. flaming sowrd an all. To me, it was just like this kind of fun and wicked scene after the end credits roll. AndI always sit through all the credits at movies...and this is why.

[coiledsoul.livejournal.com]

I wholeheartedly concur with both of these recs. Poisontaster makes them real and vulnerable and beautiful and steadfast in their faith in each other and little Chelsea just breaks my heart.

beanside and nilchance own me. One word for Of Bastard Saints - Epic.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

PT just rocks like a rocking thing.


And you know, Of Bastard Saints is epic, in theme if not length, but it totally doesn't read like an epic. It's kind of like watching, say, a four or five episode arc becasue they never ease up on the pace, and the revelations come so fast I literally had to stop and take a breath now and agian (which you know, happens when you read it all in one go like I did. )

but yeah...it is. But I totally prefer calling it a "Damn good read" which you know, I can't actually say about most epics. [g]

[marinarusalka.livejournal.com]

I so loved "Of Bastard Saints." The last half-dozen chapters or so, I kept crossing my fingers and muttering, "please don't fuck it up at the end, pleeeease don't fuck it up at the end," because I'm still traumatized by HP fandom, where 99% of WIPs start of brilliant and then either end lame or never end at all. But by gum, they carried it through and ended it brilliantly, and the epilogue made me cackle with glee. This fandom is totally restoring my faith in WIPs.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Yeah, there were a couple of places where they *almost* lost me, where they pushed up to the very edge of the "unrelenting trauma" that I almost bailed (and I was pretty much reading it all at one go. I haven't been reading as they posted.)But they managed to catch it (or themselves) right before I had anything more than mild anxiety. And there was, toward the end -- the feeling that the dispensation of the problem happened slightly too fast for me. Not that I actually have a clue on how to extend that scene/chapter or what more they could have done or added or built to, but I kind of went...*boing* and I blinked and then they were done. It didn'' kill anything or make me enjoy it any less, but it's one of those points that you kind of hope they'll come back to in a sequel (Yes, I'm dying to know what *she* said to Sam.)

But OMG, I've read it like three times since last thursday or so...completely enthralled.

and yes, The epilogue made me geeky excited. HEE!!!Although I don't think that would actually surprise anyone who knows me. [g]

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

Ahh, you beat me to it, to both of them, actually :D

I agree in toto. PT's verse has 'something', something to do with hope but also sadness. I don't know how to describe it, really. I'll have to do what I spent time doing yesterday, printing out "Of Bastard Saints" so that I can re-read it slowly and enjoy both at leasure :)

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Rec them anyway. Seriously. They both deserve it and yeah, I've OBS inone file and am seriosuly considering prining and binding it, but htey are promising a sequel so I may wait [veg].

[phantomas.livejournal.com]

I will :)

I've been waiting to print OBS since I read the second part, because I don't read well on the screen - I get greedy and read too fast, and most updates were done late at night my time, so I inhaled the gist of it, but didn't really, truly tasted it. Some times I was practically asleep :)

And I want to do the same with the Heart 'verse, put them all in one file and print. I'm gonna make my own SPN zine *G* Besides, OFB, printed at a comfy size type, double face and double page on A4, it's 218 pages. Quite a lot :)

And now I'm waiting as well. And find myself o'so wrongly rooting for Andrew! *shakes head* I mean, not really, but...he's got a dog. A protective (hellhound?) dog. And he's Lucifer. What's not to like? *G*

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

So...can I take Bastard Saints? You know how I feel about deathfic...?

I could print out something meaty for the plane. :)

[maygra.livejournal.com]

you can totally read it. Honest. It makes itself clear really early on. there is a fair amount of violence and angst, and there are part of Dean's story That I think may make you...take a deep breath? Not really be unwilling to read, but definitely push the edge of it all but honestly, it all ends up good.

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ::offers Jensen's crotch as a thank-you gift::

I'm such a wuss these days; even more than I used to be, I think! I bailed on an Atlantis series that used to be one of my favorites because I just need to get to good places, not torture myself along the way if I don't know how it's going to turn out, you know?

::scurries off to snag-n-print::

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

Well, I tried to offer Jensen's crotch...maybe he's feeling shy? Let's try a close-up instead...

[maygra.livejournal.com]

you know, It jsut occurred to me that I have the whole thing in a single file. If you haven't already done your thing, do you want it?

[thisisbone.livejournal.com]

I did my thing -- all 158 pages of it! :) But thanks anyway!

[poisontaster]

I hate to butt in, but do you think you could send me the file? I haven't had time to C&P it all and I'm really intrigued now. I was one of the many turned off by the character death warning.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Be happy to. I don't have it here at work, but send me an email to maygra @ bellsouth.net and I'll send it when I get home. It's a fairly good sized attachment and my experience with LJ is that while it will take some atachments, it doesn't like big ones.

[poisontaster]

Oh Maygra. *eyes wide* I can't tell you how much it means to me that you would rec my little 'verse. Nor can I quite convey the amount of gleeful flail this gives me. Thank you so much! ♥

[maygra.livejournal.com]

It's all part of the plan, doll. Seriously, given the maount of drama and angst we as a fansdom can generate, your 'verse is like this bright shining oasis, kind of touchstones home to where not everything is doom and gllom (And I know I contribute my fair sahre to the less than hopeful end of the equation.)

Plus, they are just so *them*! I mean really, it's *hard* to actually take characters as we see themnow and age them. Not jsut chronologically (whihc you know, requires no more than nubmers) but to actually lend them an air of expreicne and maturity and just the inevitablity of starting to slow dow slightly under a couple of decades of hard living. and they do live hard, even when they aren't hunting. and yet they are still...them.

Your whole verse is a gift to the fandom.

[beanside.livejournal.com]

I'm at work, sitting here with the dorkiest looking grin on my face. Wow.

You're seriously going to give both Jess and I huuuuge egos. *grin*

So thank you again. *blush*

[maygra.livejournal.com]

You are more than welcome and I'm thinking that the size of your egos should be proportionate to the size of your story, eh? [veg].

Honestly, you may yet get an entire breakdown of favorites scenes and why I liked them until you feel compelled to double-time the sequel just to get me to shut up.

Heh. Let me know if, as a plan, that would work, because I'm totally up for it.

It's a terrific, wonderful, fascinating story. You guys should be both proud and pleased with yourselves for pulling off such a complex and layered plot with such finesse.

[beanside.livejournal.com]

*laugh* Hmmm...well, we're working on the sequel, and a prequel porn bit with Andrew and Dean that just begged to be written.

Hmmm...I don't know, my ego might well already be there. I'm working on Jess', though.

I sent you an e-mail this afternoon, and of course, if there was anything you wanted to add to earlier comments, I'm always up for it! I can meta our stuff in circles all day.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

So, I'm rereading becasue I'm insane and I tripped back over this and remembered staring at it hard the first time...but this time I looked at it and just laughed my head off AT WORK!!!

...introducing himself as Rafe Santos, a friend of Andrew's from seminary.

And if I missed Uriel in there somewhere, I am going to laugh even harder.

Oh, man. This is like hunting for easter eggs on DVD's!!

[beanside.livejournal.com]

*laugh* I think Rafe's the only one in this part, really.

We tried to drop a few little clues, nothing that would competely spoil the epilogue, but enough that when people looked back they'd be going "Ohhhh!"

*grin*

[stormcloude]

I've been reading the heart'verse stories in a hit and miss fashion, so it's good to know there's a central place to find them.

And I've been eyeing that epic story wondering if it was any good but not wanting to get invested if it wasn't (and there's very few people I'll read a long WIP from). You've given me a good reason to check it out. Also it seems as if it's finished now. ;) Thanks!

[maygra.livejournal.com]

There's actually more to it than that, the Heart 'verse. There's a prequel I believe. We may have to tap on PT 's head and get her to put them all together.

And I'm with you on WIP's especially from people I don't know, but I'd been collecting parts into a file, holding off despite recs from people I trust becasue it would kill 'em to find I really liked it and then have it never be finished. but then they replace the /? wiht /36 and you'd have thought I was a greyhound at the gate I dived into it so fast. It's over 100K words but man, fast, fast, fast read.

[poisontaster]

....and I'm going to butt in again, but a couple people (including you) expressed interest:

The Definitive Timeline/Fic Guide. Erm. If that helps.

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Oh, honey, you just rock like a rocking thing! YAY!!

[sharonmarais.livejournal.com]

yay, recs....

I'll look forward to reading the last rec after I get to see Devil's Trap - which doesn't air until Sunday...and then I believe I also have one of yours post DT to read

Not trying to be different, just trying to stay unspoiled *g*

In the meantime I'll go and look at Poisontaster's fic.

Thanks

[embroiderama]

Thank you for these recs! I'm new in the fandom, and I'm totally on the look-out for good, long stories.

[fairyd123.livejournal.com]

The Heart verse is outstanding. I love Poisontaster's work but What I Keep and What I Carry is just extraordinary. I don't think there are words for whow much I love that series.

I confess I'm not as enamoured of Of Bastard Saints. I think it's a story in dire need of input from a ruthless beta unconnected to the two authors. It has moments of sheer brilliance - I love Dean's characterisation, found the demon to be very compelling and genuinely disturbing and the original characters (particularly the vikings and Andrew) are extremely well realised. However, also I found it to be overlong, frustrating and contrived. Personally I wasn't a fan of Sam's characterisation and the Sam and John chapters bought the pace of the story to a grinding halt. And they completely lost me with the deus ex machina ending to the demon plot line. I think its a story which could be brilliant but in its current form it's just not quite as good, for me anyway, as it could be.

[lifesscar.livejournal.com]

I haven't read anything from the hearts verse yet; truth be told this is the first time I've even heard about it...

but Of Bastard Saints, that story pulls you through it so gracefully that for the first time in years I actually wish I had waited till it was done to read it because its one of those stories you could sit back and just read without realizing there's an outside world. Now, I had read the first chapter and had decided, no, I'm not readin a death fic but when I jumped back on board I spent a good amount of time reading the chapters I missed. Definitly one of the best ones I've read in many different fandoms.