rampantrecs

[Puella Magi Madoka Magica] To the Stars

Mon, 13 Jun 2016 11:12:44 GMT

Title: To the Stars
Author: Hieronym
Fandom: Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Rating: T (though it's G on AO3. I've tagged it as T.)
Story Links: FFnet | AO3 | spacebattles
Author Links: FFnet | AO3 | spacebattles
Summary: Kyubey promised that humanity would reach the stars one day. The Incubator tactfully refrained from saying too much about what they would find there.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Magical girl anime combined with scifi? That might sound like a recipe for disaster, but Hieronym handles it beautifully, and let me just say holy shit this fic is amazing. It even earned a TVtropes page.

The worldbuilding really is amazing, a highly detailed and plausible look into what the world could become in a couple of centuries with the presence of magical girls. And look how fucking long it is- 578,419 words, as of now. I think it's still semi-actively updating.

The main character in addition to several others are OCs- which can be- understandably- a turn off for some. But they're fleshed out wonderfully, and gives us a window into what life as a magical girl is like centuries later. Don't worry, the Mitakihara girls are still around.

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[Undertale] Overgrowth

Sun, 13 Mar 2016 09:50:00 GMT

Title: Overgrowth
Author: SociopathicArchangel (AO3) | leviticusarts (tumblr)
Fandom: Undertale
Rating: T
Story Links: AO3
Author Links: AO3 | tumblr
Summary: Every time they die, a flower grows on their body.

loosely based on Siviosanei's Flowerfell AU
( Excerpt )
Reccer Notes: The official fic of Flowerfell, one of the many, many, Undertale AUs on tumblr. Which in turn is a combination of two other AUs: Flowertale, wherein monsters grow a flower on their bodies every time they die, and Underfell, a morality reversal AU.

In Flowerfell it's Frisk that grows a flower every time they die, and the result-

....

Let's just say I wholly believe this fic is pure evil.

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[Dishonored] tetralogy of fallot

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 10:58:01 GMT

Title: tetralogy of fallot
Author: patho
Fandom: Dishonored
Rating: T
Story Links: AO3 | tumblr
Author Links: AO3 | tumblr
Summary: They call her Emily the Wise.

They are too afraid to call her anything else.
( Excerpt )

Reccer's Notes: High Chaos Corvo and Emily and eeeeee the characterizatioooooon

I love this fic to bits.

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[Naruto] The Colder Water

Tue, 05 Jan 2016 12:45:26 GMT

Title: The Colder Water
Author: Quillslinger
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | lj
Author Links: FFnet | lj
Summary: The devil is in the details. Shisui. Itachi. A sorta love story. Novella.
( Read more... )

Reccer's Notes: An interesting cocktail of humor and drama- Shishui as a narrator is hilarious. The minutiae of daily shinobi life is somehow made interesting. Danzo is called "resident ghoul and esteemed leader of the Vampiric Assholes Squad", and if that doesn't say it all I don't know what does.

But it's not all happytimes; this is set directly before the Uchiha Massacre, and as Itachi's Uchiha best-friend-maybe-more, he's intrinsically involved in the Uchiha coup drama. He doesn't actually know everything, though, and the underlying thread of tension throughout the lightheartedness is wonderfully done.

(Knowing what is to come is... very depressing.)

And, ooh, the characterization. Baby Sasuke is adorable, Itachi is not an actual emotionless rock, the Hokage is neatly balanced between Too-Sentimental Grandpa and Machiavellian Shinobi Leader, Shishui is despite his personality still an Uchiha, and Danzo is a manipulative bastard.

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[Rise of the Guardians] In the Silence

Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:55:32 GMT

Title: In the Silence
Author: Esse
Fandom: Rise of the Guardians
Rating: T
Warnings: Suicide attempt
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: Three hundred years is a terribly long time.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Book verse rather than movie verse- Mother Nature! Moonbeams! Katherine! Time-traveling Pooka! I'm not entirely sure how much is taken from the book and how much is author expansion, but nevertheless, there are some beautiful lines on fear and children and belief, and the imagery is to die for.

This fic covers Jack's first three hundred years- but don't go in expecting drabbles of OC-spirit-ignores-Jack. It's more... Jack learning, though that seems to be a woefully inadequate description.

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[Homestuck] Our Lives On Holiday

Sun, 08 Nov 2015 04:15:19 GMT

Title: Our Lives On Holiday
Author: ashkatom
Fandom: Homestuck
Rating: E
Warnings: Violence, Helmsman consent issues (not sex, being used as a battery)
Story Links: AO3
Author Links: AO3 | tumblr
Summary: Wherein a debt is called, FLARP is played, and suddenly Sollux Captor finds himself in the middle of a terribly-planned coup. Contains caste politics, an incredible amount of snark, an inadvisable basement operating theatre, quite a lot of relationship drama, and too many fucking pesterlogs since our hero never leaves his hive.

==> Play the game

( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Surprise! This fic is not here because I got a worldbuilding boner over it. It's here for the characterization boner I got over it. (...Okay, maybe it's not that surprising.) Homestuck characters can be tricky to manage- especially Vriska, who is one fucked up troll.

This fic is Sollux-centric, and is told from his point of view, which done well, as it is here, is a feat not to be sneezed at. Aradia's alive, and their relationship is a thing to behold. The relationships in general are done nicely.

To sum up: Good plot and writing, but most of all this fic has lovely characterization.

(Really tempted to tag "irons in the fire" or "plot shenanigans". Not legit tropes; must resist)

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[Homestuck] strewn among the blood-bright stars

Sun, 25 Oct 2015 09:34:35 GMT

Title: strewn among the blood-bright stars
Author: valmora (or Val Mora.)
Fandom: Homestuck
Rating: M
Author Links: AO3 | FFnet (dead) | dreamwidth | livejournal
Story Links: AO3
Summary: Sollux, setting up an apiary network on a university campus, meets a troll who isn't from Alternia. Romance, and politics, blossom.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: If you like political clusterfuck made even more clusterfuck-y by romance, this is for you.

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[Katekyo Hitman Reborn!] corrupt the sky

Sun, 16 Aug 2015 09:44:06 GMT

Title: corrupt the sky
Author: Eclipse Rose (Antartique on AO3)
Fandom: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Rating: M
Warnings: Gore. Creeptastic stuff.
Story Links: FFnet | AO3
Author Links: FFnet | AO3
Summary: Daemon Spade knew he would get bored of small inside works in the Vongola. It had taken two hundred years, but it finally happened. Now, though, inside work through a carefully groomed heir sounds way more interesting than anything he has ever done before. It must mean something that there are two Sawada brothers, right?

Sawada Tsunayoshi was ten when he realized the story wasn't about him. He was just a supporting character, even if he was the one with the cursed pacifier stone thing, the one who saw all the ghosts and the one with the tutor from hell. Well, maybe he is the damsel-in-distress. Or, the antagonist. Yeah, maybe he is the antagonist, that sounds good to him.

Reborn arrived (peaceful, normal) Namimori to train Sawada Hidetada to be the next Vongola boss, with the orders that no word about the Mafia must reach the younger brother. Hidetada, meanwhile, just wants to live a law-abiding life in his definitely not-Mafia-infested town.

Also known as: the fic where everyone is extremely fucked up and Kawahira is everywhere and ruins everyone's lives. Also, Hellhole Island Namimori feeds on the blood and tears of her citizens.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: You see that Arcobaleno!Tsuna tag? Do not expect fluffy/smutty Arcobaleno + Tsuna interactions. Or Sky Arcobaleno = coughing up blood angst. Nope, not here.

A summary of major changes to the canon storyline: a)Tsuna has an older brother, Hidetada, who's the future Vongola Decimo etc. etc. b) There is a lot of kooky shit. Namimori is extremely fucked up. In a way which is explained by in-universe flame mechanics, which. Bonus worldbuilding! c) Tsuna being Arcobaleno, though nothing exciting has happened as a direct result (yet). d) Daemon Spade.

(what do I even tag this as. Weird AU? Creepy AU? Lovecraftian elements? *throws up hands* Let's just go with dark AU.)

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[Fullmetal Alchemist] In Defiance of Reason

Thu, 23 Jul 2015 14:31:53 GMT

Title: In Defiance of Reason
Author: metisket
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Rating: G
Warnings: Ed's not quite right in the head, so some of what he says or does might come across as disturbing? Don't think it warrants tagging though, nobody's dying painfully in technicolor graphic detail.
Story Links: AO3 | livejournal
Author Links: AO3 | livejournal | dreamwidth | tumblr
Summary: “Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re doin’ your best. It’s just your best isn’t quite good enough, Colonel. So while you’re doing whatever the hell it is you do, I’ll be here cleaning up after you.”
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Or, That Fic Where Metisket Killed Al And Made Ed Crazy. How fun.

So, metisket! Very awesome. May be better known for being the author of the Teen Wolf fic(s) play it again. Has this ability to put angst and humor and character analysis in a blender and have a masterpiece come out. The kind that takes your heart without you noticing and plays it like a xylophone or something except you have already been eaten by the fic and are past caring.

Additional note: this fic is part of a series.

(Though, yeah, metisket's strengths lie more in characterization and gut-bustingly funny writing than plot)

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[Young Justice] Evil Has Never Loved You As I Do

Thu, 09 Jul 2015 08:24:27 GMT

Title: Evil Has Never Loved You As I Do
Author: palmtreesky
Fandom: Young Justice
Rating: T
Story Links: lj | lj (yj anon meme)
Author Links: lj
Summary: What if the YJ team were the child soldiers/covert team of a Crime Syndicate/Justice Lords fusion.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Focuses on Superboy after he's... rescued... from Cadmus, and inducted into the Team.

<3 the characterization. Their reasons- which I won't spoil- for being "evil" are quite fitting.

There's also a(n incomplete) sequel and sidestories/backstories at the anon meme.

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[Naruto] In the Breaking

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 14:37:35 GMT

Title: In the Breaking
Author: nyet khan
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: Akatsuki lies broken and Naruto hates the world. Where does he go from here?
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: This fic is... unorthodox, in a word. Both the writing style and the plot.

It's not a bad thing. It is a wonderful thing.

I adore the writing style- The metaphors and descriptions and descriptive metaphors are pretty. Very poetic. Just, lookit: axis of calamity. It's not perfect, of course- There are some spelling mistakes/typos, (a beta doesn't come in until later) and the narrative can be a bit disjointed, interspersed with metaphors as it is- especially at first- but it works.

And the plot. A simplified version: Akatsuki extracts Kyuubi, with a result of dead Akatsuki and not-dead Naruto. He ends up going to Kiri and starting an orphanage to honor Haku. And, well. Kiri is not a peaceful place. I would have very much liked to see where this goes, except it seems to be dead.

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[Code Geass] Metronome

Wed, 03 Jun 2015 14:09:22 GMT

Title: Metronome
Author: Lily10
Fandom: Code Geass
Rating: T
Summary: Snippets of Nunnally through the years.
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet | livejournal
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Nunnally, Lelouch, and a bittersweet childhood of tragedy and happiness.

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[Teen Wolf] steel bars and blood slick hands

Sat, 23 May 2015 10:53:48 GMT

Title: steel bars and blood slick hands
Author: Corpium
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: M
Warnings: Torture (not explicit)
Story Links: AO3
Author Links: AO3 | ffnet (inactive) | tumblr
Summary: When Deaton whisks Peter's burnt, gasping body away to Eichen House, everyone else pays the price, Stiles most of all.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Peter and Stiles getting locked together in a madhouse and escaping together, awesome edition.

~~by awesome I mean angsty~~

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[Teen Wolf] Hide Of A Life War

Sun, 10 May 2015 08:43:18 GMT

Title: Hide Of A Life War
Author: Etharei
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: E
Warnings: Graphic Descriptions of Violence, technically there's a mention of past underage relationship...?
Story Links: AO3
Author Links: AO3 | lj | dreamwidth
Summary: “We have received confirmation that there is a hostage situation in progress at a warehouse compound two hours out of Los Angeles, following a multiple-vehicle pileup on Highway 101 this morning...”

The one in which Stiles has lived to (legal) adulthood and, along the way, become a bit of a badass himself.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: The thing with stories with a supernatural/fantasy setting is that you have humans and not-humans, and those not-humans tend to be faster or stronger or magical or have better sense or whatever. Better in some shape or form. They have a leg up, so to speak. And this fic? Showtime for the human.

That's not all, though. It's spiced up by the fact that Stiles's dad is there and he knows that Stiles has been hiding something but not what and Stiles sorry but your dad has had enough and is not falling for your evasions.

And, Sterek relationship crisis. Idiots, those two are.

Admittedly, the way the fic is spliced up into scenes and arranged in not-quite chronological fashion for max impact can be a little confusing.

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[Pokemon] The Game of Champions

Sat, 09 May 2015 10:25:09 GMT

Title: The Game of Champions
Author: L. Lamora
Fandom: Pokemon
Rating: M
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: There are many trainers in the world; they exist in degrees, from dabbler to legend. But only one can be the very best - one man, one Champion. I am that one. I am that man. My name? Red.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Red's journey, as told by Red. This fic is brilliant. The worldbuilding, the characters, the writing, everything.The author meshes the different games plus the anime together to create a world with an astonishing amount of detail, and Blue and Red's rivalry is something to behold. Much thought was put into this.

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[Avatar: The Last Airbender] Tempest in a Teacup

Sat, 25 Apr 2015 09:54:39 GMT

Title: Tempest in a Teacup
Author: AkaVertigo
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | lj (odds and ends, not the actual story)
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: Fate puts Katara in the Fire Nation to grow up in the company of a Dragon, a prince, and a lot of good tea. AU Zutara...of a sort.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: It should be noted that Katara and Zuko's relationship is more a sibling relationship (regular sibling relationship. Not whatever fucked-up thingy Zuko and Azula have.) then romantic. So the Zutara pairing is not tagged. And they're adorable- they argue over peeling oranges and Zuko tries and fails miserably to order Katara around.

But, well. The Agni Kai happens. The Avatar hunt happens. Lines are drawn and blurred, and things... change.

(Has a sequel, No Map Without Water.)

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[Katekyo Hitman Reborn!] Speculum

Tue, 21 Apr 2015 09:44:22 GMT

Title: Speculum
Author: alcedines
Fandom: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Rating: G
Story Links: lj
Author Links: lj
Summary: Written for KHRfest, prompt TYL Gokudera/TYL Tsuna; reunited after the TYL arc; "I'm back".
( Excerpt )

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[Percy Jackson and the Olympians] The Boy on the Cloud

Sun, 19 Apr 2015 02:55:13 GMT

Title: The Boy on the Cloud
Author: Azaz the Unabridged
Fandom: Percy Jackson and the Olympians
Rating: T
Warnings: Torture (non-graphic), non-con (not explict)
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: Post-apocalyptic, Titans-victory AU. Percy and Luke watch the death of the West and the rise of the second Golden Age. Some angst, some torture, some yelling, some Twinkies that lasted through the end of civilization. Written for pjo kinkmeme.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Ignores Lost Hero.

Despite the aforementioned torture and non-con... I like the worldbuilding/story/characterization enough to put it on here.

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[Rurouni Kenshin] Power, Perceived

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 04:55:50 GMT

Title: Power, Perceived
Author: broomclosetkink
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | AO3
Author Links: FFnet | AO3 | tumblr
Summary: Kamiya Kaoru is sold like she is a part of her father's estate, placed between the furniture and art.
( Excerpt )

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[Katekyo Hitman Reborn!] Undeserving

Sat, 28 Mar 2015 03:05:20 GMT

Title: Undeserving
Author: half sleeping
Fandom: Katekyo Hitman Reborn!
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | AO3 | livejournal
Author Links: FFnet | AO3 | livejournal | tumblr
Summary: Xanxus is the most ungrateful bastard alive.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: In which Xanxus is lovesick and oblivious, Tsuna is secretly scary under that fluffy exterior (or is perhaps scary because of that fluffy exterior), and Squalo is fed up with everything and matchmakes. Hilarity ensues.

(what is this first khr fic I rec and it's X27 but it's so funny so)

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[Bleach] Straw Man

Sat, 28 Feb 2015 10:22:11 GMT

Title: Straw Man
Author: AzarDarkstar (Lady Azar de Tameran on FFnet)
Fandom: Bleach
Rating: T
Story Links: AO3 | FFnet | dw
Author Links: AO3 | FFnet | dw
Summary: In the end, even heroes bleed. Fall. Fail. Die. That was only the beginning of Ichigo's troubles.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: ...I don't wish to spoil anything, so. Only one thing to say: damn.

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[Naruto] backslide

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 10:01:22 GMT

Title: backslide
Author: blackkat (black.k.kat on FFnet)
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | AO3
Author Links: FFnet | AO3 | livejournal | tumblr
Summary: Sometimes, even the softest breath on still water can create tsunamis. Several weeks before meeting his genin team, Kakashi is sent to find a bounty hunter responsible for the deaths of five missing-nin, all rumored to be part of a secret organization. But Uzumaki Kurama is far different than anyone expected, and ripples are starting to spread.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: This is one of blackkat's fics, so. Fluff, slash, some plot buried under the fluff, introspection. Very relaxing fic to read. ...Most of the time.

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[Harry Potter] The Crown of Mètis

Sun, 22 Feb 2015 07:48:20 GMT

Title: The Crown of Mètis
Author: Megii of Mysteri OusStranger
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: T
Story Links: FFnet | dA
Author Links: FFnet | dA
Summary: 1957. A tree in Albania, she said. Straightforward enough, right? Not if someone else got there first. Tom's journey in acquiring the vessel for his fifth Horcrux just got that much trickier. An exploration of White Magic. Canon-compliant.
( Excerpt )

Reccer's Notes: Less about Voldemort finding Ravenclaw's Diadem, though there is that, and more about Light and Dark magic, the similarities and differences between the two.

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[Teen Wolf] Medusa

Sat, 21 Feb 2015 13:36:40 GMT

Title: Medusa
Author: pprfaith
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Rating: G
Story Links: AO3
Author Links: AO3 | livejournal
Summary: In which Stiles is female and writes a lot of lists and the author a) has no idea what she's doing and b) can't seem to stop writing fandom love letters.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: In short, a fic about how messed up everyone is. But that hardly does it justice. (Go read it plus the rest of the series, because pprfaith's work is just so jaw-droppingly amazing. Because characterization and and the list thing and just asdkjfl.)

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[Fullmetal Alchemist] Good Intentions

Wed, 28 Jan 2015 15:01:03 GMT

Title: Good Intentions
Author: Lisse
Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist
Rating G
Story Links: FFnet
Author Links: FFnet
Summary: Her grandfather is dying and there is no such place as Amestris.
( Excerpt )
Reccer's Notes: Ignores movie canon.

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