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#hp longfic recs
consistentsquash · 6 months
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Catullus 16 by eldritcher
Harry/Voldemort. Rated M. 168000 words.
Fest - @hprecfest. Day 13 - A fic over 100k.
This is a special rec because Cat16 is a really special fic. One of my all time fav fics! The fic was originally written in 2014 and it returned to AO3 in 2023 after it was taken down in 2018. This is a fic I avoid reccing because I don't really think I can do it justice. Lots of prep work went into this rec <3
Cat16 is a glorious love story. Also a scary war story. Also a story about grief, living with the ghosts of the people you lost.
This fic is hard to categorize. It has everything. A depressed, grieving villain avoiding war. A depressed, lonely headmaster avoiding war. A frightened, brave hero who has to walk a pretty fine line between morally good and not so good but doesn't succeed sometimes. Compromises on top of compromises but how do you even with somebody who killed your parents? The grief is visceral/unending/painful to read/painful to think about. Love clasps grief as only love can. This is a repeating theme in every single eldritcher fic. But it really is the biggest ghost haunting Cat16.
The war framing is Grindelwald’s invasion after he escapes from the prison. But the real war is the heart and mind war Harry, Voldemort and Dumbledore have to fight everyday as they make compromises. Dumbledore is charismatic and brilliant. Voldemort also. Their depression, grief and sensuality are the other side of the coin. Definitely not inhuman. Harry is so brave, so hopeful, so flawed, so everything.
You can’t talk about Cat16 without talking about the smut. Because Catullus wrote this poem about sodomy and face fucking. Because eldritcher's love for ficdick isn't like a secret or anything. The opening scene has serious Kill Bill vibes. The fic starts hard, goes hard, doesn’t really stop going hard. Honestly Harry and Voldemort have got to be nonstop dehydrated because of their dickchasing. So much dick. Sexposition is dickposition here :D
Also the character progression. Harry’s character gets layers as he deals with new challenges everyday. Dumbledore’s and Voldemort’s characters work in reverse with them losing layers when they trust Harry more and more. It’s a really brilliant and unusual exposition technique I don’t see a lot in fic. Works for the fic 100%.
The relationship arc has a lot of literary clues about the progression. The locations also show the relationship evolution and the real scale of the fic. The fic starts in Hogwarts, next London, next Canterbury which is really important for Dumbledore's arc, next some war locations, next Hungary in the Carpathians which is the classic Grindelwald setting in eldritcher's fics and the finale is in France locations in Rheims and Verzenay.
Also Grindelwald. The Grindelwald/Dumbledore confrontation in Canterbury with the backstory of Thomas Becket/King Henry is really intense. OMG. This fic. Like any eldritcher fic you can use it to prep for history trivia. Probably better than learning history on Twitter :D Also more fun. Less shouty more smutty. Zero preaching. Zero pretension. Somebody on reddit compared this to hpmor done right which I feel is insulting Cat16 but yeah I get the comparison.
The finale, Acheron, is one of eldritcher's best longfic finales and that's a really high bar right there. The ending is bittersweet and haunting. They are in love, they are together but you finish reading with this loss of innocence melancholy, sweet ache which is going to haunt you for the rest of your life.
Love love love this dickpoetry epictragedy soaringlovestory fic <3
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Recs I made for this fest
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aethon-recs · 1 month
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2024 Update to Tomarrymort Longfic Recs — 8 additional fics
I wanted to add 8 lovely new longfics that have been published since the last time I put together this rec list — 6 more for the Intermediate reads list and 2 more for Advanced. Hopefully you’ll find something within these additional 950k words of absolutely brilliant Tomarrymort fic to sink your teeth into and enjoy:
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Longfic rec list collection:
Tomarrymort Beginner reads are the fics I would use to introduce someone to the ship and help them get a baseline for the variety, themes, and tropes that best represent our ship;
Intermediate reads are for readers that are already familiar/sold on the ship, and are looking for fics that explore interesting new facets of the Tomarrymort dynamic; 
Advanced reads comprise challenging works of some nature, whether the writing features more complex subject matter and/or pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in a piece of fanfic.
Please enjoy these 8 additions to the list, all of which are either completed or still updating as of 2024!
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Intermediate Longfic Recs
A Light That Never Goes Out by @kippipies (M, 80k, WIP)
Setting: Non-Magical AU Premise: If Harry is the target of a dangerous crime lord called Voldemort and his gang of Death Eaters in a modern mafia AU. Why I rec it: This is a delightful, high-energy caper of a fic in which Harry is a scrappy low-time criminal who accidentally crosses crime boss Voldemort. Naturally, Voldemort sets his sights on getting revenge, but Harry slips through his fingers at the last minute each time. The action scenes in this fic are incredibly dynamic and super fun — I felt like I was watching an action movie at each confrontation between Harry and Voldemort.
And the Living Will Envy the Dead by @k-s-morgan (M, 81k, WIP)
Setting: Time Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry were flung back in time to Tom’s sixth year and almost immediately reveals he is Tom’s horcrux, setting off a chain reaction of obsession and control.  Why I rec it: An intricately crafted character study of Tom and how he gained control over the rest of Slytherin House by the time Harry meets him at the start of sixth year. Harry’s arrival throws Tom’s plans off-kilter, especially once Harry reveals he was Tom’s horcrux in another timeline. This leads Tom to believe the other version of him had somehow loved Harry, and shows him that it’s possible to form such a connection with Harry here if he wants, despite how dark, cruel, and violent he turned out and how little he cares for others. 
By Any Means by @corpium (E, 74k, WIP)
Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry has a younger brother Evan who is the Boy-Who-Lived, yet Harry’s overprotective actions towards Evan end up attracting the attention of Voldemort directly onto himself. Why I rec it: This is a really engaging and fast-paced adaptation of canon events if Harry were born 2 years earlier and his younger brother were the one that the prophecy applied to. The relationship between Harry and Evan is really sweet, as they share the burden of growing up at the Dursleys and all the adventures that Harry underwent in canon. There’s also such a fascinating exploration of magic as Harry gradually becomes more powerful as a result of all the trials that he’s put through, eventually becoming powerful enough to attract the attention of Voldemort. 
Pledged by @moontearpensfic (E, 118k, WIP)
Setting: Alternate Universe Premise: If Harry and Tom are best friends that enter together into a Hunger Games-crossed-with-Triwizard Tournament in their seventh year.  Why I rec it: This fic depicts co-dependency to such an intense degree between Harry and Tom. Not only are they inseparable best friends throughout their time at Hogwarts, they also perform a cooperative magic ritual that binds their magic to each other permanently, and allows them to share thoughts and feelings with each other across a mental link. There’s also an intriguing mystery at the heart of this story, as Harry and Tom try to figure out the origins of the Triwizard-style tournament that they enter into in their seventh year. 
Revolution of Configured Stars by @tollingreminiscentbells (E, 153k, WIP)
Setting: Voldemort Wins AU Premise: If Harry was raised in a pureblood family in a universe where Voldemort wins, and ends up attracting the attention of Voldemort in his seventh year at Hogwarts.  Why I rec it: This is such an intricate, incredibly thoughtful depiction of a society where Voldemort won and Harry was raised as a ward of a pureblood family. By the time it’s Harry’s seventh year, he’s a budding Arithmancy scholar who wants to explore whether it’s possible to choose the optimal timeline via arithmantic calculations, which catches the attention of Voldemort. Voldemort and Harry’s relationship unfolds in such a steamy way, and they truly feel like equals who hold each other in high regard, as Voldemort reveals that they have been inextricably linked by fate, whether or not he ended up trying to kill Harry as a baby in this particular timeline. 
the stars, my destination by @milkandmoon-ao3 (M, 15k, WIP)
Setting: Time Travel (Marauders Era) Premise: If Harry is sent back in time as an infant and adopted into the Potter family, growing up and attending Hogwarts alongside James.  Why I rec it: There is a dearth of Harrymort fics set in Marauders Era so it is such a delight to read about Harry’s friendships and rivalries with Marauders Era characters, like being best friends with Regulus and Quidditch rivals with James. As Harry starts his sixth year, the First Wizarding War heats up in the background and begins spilling into their life at Hogwarts as many of their classmates are recruited to fight on either side of it. All the while that he has to keep secret the strange mental connection that he’s had with the Dark Lord all his life. 
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Advanced Longfic Recs
Hearthstone Abbey (Series) by @ramabear (E, 152k, WIP series)
Setting: Soulmate AU Premise: If second year Harry is plucked away from his canon universe by Voldemort from another universe who is his soulmate. Why I rec it: I wholly melted at all the ways Voldemort takes care of Harry in this fic, better treatment than Harry’s ever gotten in his entire life, and Harry is so lovable and adorable in turn. Voldemort has established himself as a religious figurehead/cult leader in the alternate universe, and it was very interesting to read about his alternate path to power. The soft grooming in this fic was so so delicious, ramping up in intensity as the fic progresses; Voldemort completely dotes on Harry and their dynamic is so sweet and tender, a very nice counterbalance to the sinister and predatory tones that underlie their relationship.
if we were lovers by @reggieblk (E, 277k, complete)
Setting: Non-Magical AU Premise: If Harry and Tom meet in a prestigious drama programme and fall for each other against a backdrop of high stakes threatre productions.  Why I rec it: The character work is so rich and detailed in this coming-of-age story in a modern AU setting. It’s clear there was so much thought that went into all the character interactions here, not only between Harry and Tom, but also the ensemble cast of characters who inject so much heart and humor into this story as well. I love the way that @reggieblk cleverly weaves in elements from Shakespeare’s plays and uses the theatre backdrop to depict how the love story between Harry and Tom unfolds — their developing relationship feels, at the same time, both very immersive and cozy, as well as highly fraught with tension. (As a bonus, there is an absolutely amazing original play in the interlude chapter that was written specifically for this fic!)
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pawnshopsblue · 2 years
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scrolling on tiktok and came across an edit of timothee chalamet as regulus black… i see the vision now and im chasing it down a rabbit hole
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sweet-s0rr0w · 5 months
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How is 2023 almost over?? This fandom year was a mixed bag for me; in good news, I managed to shake the awful writer's block of 2022, but sadly that definitely meant that I spent less time reading. In the first half of the year I kept up with Dronarry fest, and Wireless, but since the summer I've been working on a longfic and have definitely found that it's impaired my ability to read longer stuff. With that in mind, the lovely @drarrymyheart very kindly offered to step in and help out, and so in addition to my own recs, I present a few of her recs that I've heard great things about, but haven't got round to yet myself <3 these are denoted by stars (⭐)! There are some absolute bangers on this list (imho), and it features such a wide range in terms of length and tropes, that I really hope there's something here for everyone. All Drarry unless otherwise specified. Wishing you all a 2024 full of joy!
I Fall On Grass by @tackytigerfic (T, 3.1k)
AITA for being "obsessed" with my childhood nemesis? by @rainstormradish (M, 4.3k)
Under the Table by @xanthippe74 (T, 4.3k)
Team Building for Dummies by InnerLilith (E, 6.9k)
Muscle Memory by @corvuscrowned (E, 7.7k)
Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark by @writcraft (E, 8.9k, Ron/Harry)
A Saviour’s Guide to Manners and Decorum by @wolfpants (E, 13k)
I only want the ones I envy (I envy) by @porcelainheart3 (E, 14k)
The Sun, Shining Above You by @oknowkiss (E, 15k, Dronarry)
What’s Mine is Yours by @fluxweeed (E, 17k)
⭐ if the bees know by @oflights (T, 20k)
O Come, All Ye Faithful by toomuchplor (E, 20k)
HP Kinkuary 2023 Collection by @sorrybutblog (E, 20k, various pairings)
Nothing But You On My Mind by @moonflower-rose (M, 29k)
⭐Half Sick of Shadows by @starquestingfordrarry (E, 40k)
Winner Takes It All by @skeptiquex (E, 41k)
⭐how we were taught to love by @tigerlilycorinne (M, 42k)
Shine On, You Crazy Diamond by @lagerloutfic (E, 42k)
⭐A pulled down shade by fast-brother (M, 43k)
LA, Who Am I To Love You? by @epitomereally (E, 43k)
Our Objective Remains Unchanged by @citrusses (E, 46k)
Polar Night/Midnight Sun by toomuchplor (E, 54k)
along each garden wall by @oflights (E, 61k)
On the First Day of Christmas, a Pureblood gave to me... by @maesterchill (E, 65k)
The Discreet Gentleman's Connection by pluto (E, 80k)
Twenty-Two Cards series (starting with Rookie Moves) by peu_a_peu (E, 109k)
⭐Symptom of Your Touch by @ghostofnoir (E, 116k)
hey, turns out I did read quite a few after all :D
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Hello! I’ve only just re-entered the HP fandom here after around 7 years, simply because I miss Remadora so much 💖 I absolutely love your posts and totally agree that you’re doing us all an amazing job and keeping this ship well-loved! I was wondering if you could also recommend other friends/blogs that love them just as much? It’s been really hard trying to find recent activity with this ship unfortunately, and I’d love to dive back this 🤔
HELLO @velvetwyrms! Welcome to the HP fandom again!! I'm so happy you're here, and you're on the Remadora train!!
Okay, so. Here's the thing. Remadora is a small ship. There aren't many of us writing/creating for Remadora, so it's tough to be here in many ways. I do have suggestions for you for other Remadora authors/creators and blogs that are friendly to Remadora!
Check out @remadorafest. I just ran it for its first year, hoping to do it again. Also check out @remadoramicrofics. It was more active in the fall so it might be an autumn thing?
Our authors from Remadora Fest, all of which I HIGHLY recommend: @asnarkyandironicusername, @moonyinchaos, @nena-96, @go-tell-the-bees, @evesaintyves, @merlinsbudgiesmugglers.
Take a look at my Remadora longfic rec list. I need to put together a one-shot list, but that's going to take some time!
Blogs/folks that are friendly to Remadora (though not all of them write for Remadora, are currently active in fandom/or Remadora/HP, these are folks that will (or have in the past) reblogged/supported Remadora things), off the top of my head (apologies in advance if I missed anyone): @in-love-with-remus-lupin, @broomsticks, @breaniebree, @artemisia-black, @annabtg, @messrmoonyy, @lunapwrites, @leesielou, @puppyduckster, @moonlightdancer26, @enimia13, @floreatcastellumposts, @ventoserenowrites, @youllstillfindst0ne, @remadora, @remadora4ever, @nywphadora, @incorrecttonks, @bubblytonks, @maria-de-salinas. For art try @rielles96, @mikonez, @oswinthegeek, @constancezin.
This isn't everyone, so anyone who I tagged, feel free to tag others and pass it along. I feel like I need to make a Remadora yearbook or something!
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zarvasace · 8 months
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Out-of-Fandom Longfic Recs
Looking for something good that you can sink your teeth into? Not necessarily LoZ? I can recommend some masterpieces and favorites. :) all these are complete!
Harry Potter and the Problem of Potions by Wyste. 180k. Yes yes HP I know. It was still a formative part of my adolescence and this is just fanfiction. Very satisfying fanfiction, in which Harry becomes a real character who desperately wants to be a potion master despite Snape's every attempt to dissuade him. Lots of fun.
Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by LessWrong. 661k. Longest thing on this list but HOO BOY is it worth it. Written by a guy to teach people about... well. Methods of rationality. Applies the scientific method to the HP-verse, makes Voldemort actually smart, and is a lot of fun the whole way through. You can read on FFN or by downloading an epub or PDF. At least try the first chapter I am BEGGING YOU.
The Dragon-King's Temple by Kryal. Avatar: the Last Airbender (show) & Stargate SG-1, 200k. I knew nothing about SG-1 going in, had only seen the movie, and really enjoyed this. Once again, the worldbuilding and the mystery are very very good. Like legitimately. Zuko & Toph focus!
Thrower of the Dart by Vathara. Avengers & Artemis Fowl (books) crossover, 100k. Picks up after the first Avengers movie and AF book 5 (the demon one.) Very nice plot, good character interactions, fun worldbuilding, mostly in the AF side.
let the shadows fall behind you by Sweetbriar15. Disney's Descendants (just the first one), 155k. Did you ever feel like the movie was a bit of a waste of a good story premise? This will help. Picks up after modifying the end of the first movie, introduces a lot of awesome character and worldbuilding information. Mal-focused, but not too heavily.
Phantom of Truth by Haiju. Danny Phantom, 58k. DP is full of whump fics, and this is probably one of the very best. Its sequel, Shadow of a Doubt, has stopped updating on AO3, but it should still be on FFN. SoaD is, iirc, 100k+, and quite good, dealing with the aftermath of the first.
Bandits and Bravery by LettdViolet. Fire Emblem: Three Houses, 28k. Linhardt/M!Byleth, modern college AU, the events of the game are played out by a group playing knockoff D&D. Themes of grief and mourning a parent's death, and finding comfort. Linhardt is like a sleepy version of Vio without as much evil. Shortest on this list but I LIKE IT OKAY
Carpetbaggers by cofax. Chronicles of Narnia, 120k. Fills in some of the time post-LWW with adventures and working on gaining trust. Feels a lot like a continuation of the book, though without the heavy-handed allegory.
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broomsticks · 1 year
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intro wolfstar fic recs (fluffy/light angst)
an off-the-top-of-my-head intro to wolfstar reclist for a request on the wolfstar discord. criteria: requestee reads drarry, fluffy to light angst, "maybe classic marauders era for a taste of what the fic is typically like?" i went for (a) present-day active authors and (b) 2017ish "modern-day classics," <50k, mostly canon-setting.
(a) present-day active authors:
Upstairs, Downstairs by @squidgilator (5k, G): great little "intro" fic to one of my favorite hogwarts era pining/get-together authors, "In which Hogwarts traps Sirius and Remus on an endless staircase to make them talk to each other."
Cooler Than Frogs by Penknife (4k, T) & Not In Front Of the Dog! by Engie_Ivy (2k, T) are similar uniquely wolfstar/HP-magic adorable get-togethers.
Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy…Best Friend, Brother, Roommate, Lie by @femme--de--lettres (9k, T): muggle au, Hope Lupin keeps count of how many attempts it takes her son to finally admit that he's in love with his best friend. if you like this, author has two longfic WIPs (a spy AU and a law school AU with terrific rep that's very wonderfully and honestly done!)
on the issue of fever and delight by aeridi0nis (12k, T). post-prank fic, prangst get-together is one of the most classsiicccc wolfstar tropes ever. stellar characterization & just magical prose: "After the initial shock, Sirius closes his mouth. Clears his throat. He wears repentance poorly, as all former princes do; his spine seems reluctant to bend that way, so all he can scrounge up is a pathetic imitation of every other guilty person he’s ever witnessed. It’s perhaps the first time that Remus has seen him fall short in something."
by the same author, in lieu of beaujolais (18k, M) -- another brilliant post-hogwarts first war era muggle london flat-sharing & and then they were roommates/ oh my god they were roommates get-together that has lots of similar feels as 2015ish era ‘classic’ wolfstar.
(b) 2017ish "modern-day classics"
June, and Other Natural Disasters by montparnasse (5k, T) "sirius/remus, summer, huge gay crush". montparnasse is an absolutely classic 2015-2018ish era wolfstar writer with a Certain Writing Style and you either love it or you don't, & if you love this relatively short one, literally everything else in their catalogue are must-reads.
few more M-rated under read more
The things that lurk in the dark by TheDivineComedian (5k, M). MWPP era, sixth year. There's something terrifying in the dungeons. late enough to be 'classic' (tbh any A/N that uses the term mwpp instead of marauders era is straight away a 'classic'). no but seriously this has all the defining features of a classic wolfstar fic to me: strong characterizations of all four marauders, lovely Shenanigans vibe / they're Up To No Good, there's Trauma but make it funny, overall just a great blend of light and angst.
The Active Reader by veeagainst (7k, M). When a craze for pulpy romance novels about Dark Creatures starts in Gryffindor, Sirius reads one about a werewolf -- and decides to write a better one. hilarious, intellectual, and hot; who says you can't have it all! very engaging!!
The Weather Inside by earlybloomingparentheses (43k, M). a classic canon-setting 'falling in love during the first war' story, ensemble fic with background jily. plausibly canon compliant, fic ends happily.
that’s the art of getting by by sarewolf (40k, M). "angst with a happy ending" perfectly describes this fic, one of the best remus/wolfstar raises harry especially for its length / <50k fic, and an absolute modern-day classic (read: Gaerfinn will ban me if i don't rec this)
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Because alll the reddits with fic recs are down in protest of the reddit APIs or something (godspeed, I don't understand what's happening there but I hope your protest works!)
Does anyone have some HP longfic recs? Can be old or new fics, on any sites, just leave a reply/ reblog addition in the notes!
I'd love some longfics with good!Snape or morally interesting Snape, and I enjoy Runaway Harry stories, but honestly I'll read anything, the last fic I loved for example had Harry literally being a dragon(??) So yeah if it's long and well written hmu! ×overs are cool too!
Best would be links but title+author works too!
Feel free to share, maybe we can create a collection of best HP fics here!
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emsuemsu · 5 months
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@hprecfest day 31: fav among favs
Last day of 2023!! Last prompt of the magnificent HP rec fest!!! This fest has given me so much joy and introduced me to a bunch of new stories to read (which I probably would never even considered to read if it weren't for this fest) for the past month 🥹 December went by so fast, 2023 went by even faster. I’ve been in and out of the fandom for the last too many years, more out than in to be honest, but this year I crashlanded back to HP fanfiction which honestly is my safe haven even after all these years. Further ado, fav among favs which my silly little words will never do justice:
The Brightest Constellations of Our Souls by @thecouchsofa 🩵 256,402 words, draco/harry
Harry doesn’t know how to cope after the War. The only things that make him feel even remotely normal again are taking risks while flying and fighting with Malfoy. It’s not likely to end well. Or, Draco becomes obsessed with ‘Wonderwall’, reads Muggle books, and drives a campervan, while Harry slowly falls in love with Draco. A story about travelling around the British Isles in the late 90s while healing deep scars.
My life can be divided to before and after this fic. I like to think that I didn’t find this story but the other way around - this story found me. And since it is a new fic, posted in the course of last six months I truly do believe it was meant to be I'd come back to the fandom via this story.
This fic is really fucking precious to me and I'm like a healthy-ish amount of emotional about it. First of all it's incredibly well-written, the style of the whole story is very straight-forward but at the same time extremely detailed, immersive and beautiful, sentence after sentence. Even though I love longfics (and this is definitely a longfic with 250k) they can feel a bit dragged out at times, but the way this story is paced and organized I never had that feeling reading this. I felt like each and every word of this story was essential, nothing too much, nothing too little.
This story does come with a little cw from the author. This fic is heavy, really fucking heavy at times, but there is so much light and eventual happiness to balance it out. One of the reasons I love this story so much is that it feels so relatable, it's raw and real to me in so many ways. Harry is my ultimate favorite character out of all the fandoms and characters out there, and the Harry we get served in this fic is godsent. His gradual healing with Draco during their little travels is really moving and touching. Babes.
It's extremely slow burn. Like the burn is so slow the fire is completely out most of the story. But then there's these small things along the way; like Draco's wet left shoulder from the rain and getting almond croissants all the way from Edinburgh that feed the flame and just wreck the shit out of me. And this fic drags you through the mud and minefields right before (and/or during) getting to the part where something actually happens between them. The way their relationship builds along the story is magnificent and emotional. And when we finally get to part where the slow burn pays off and flames lick every inch of my rotten body this fic has some class A smut that I file in the category of "so good I cried". Although, I did manage to cry for nearly the entirety of this story.
This fic definitely is a journey, and it's a long, at times difficult and gut-wrenching, but in the end it's a journey I'm really fucking glad I took. This is a fic I think everyone should at least give a chance to, it'll steal your heart.
All in all, this is a very, very dear story to me on every level possible. Thank you so much @thecouchsofa for writing it, I'm beyond in love with this story and I'm so glad I happen to exist on this planet at the same time as you and your brilliant, beautiful stories 💕
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daily-rayless · 10 months
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Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love❤
Thank you, but aaaaaaa, this is difficult. I only started posting on AO3 last year, but I've been posting fic online since 2006, and while there's a lot of old stuff I can't 100% stand by, there are also older fics and elements of older fics I'm still proud of today.
I think for a lot of ficwriters, our fics are tied very closely to different points in our lives and our sense of accomplishment -- so things like that also make it difficult to pick favorites when looking at these titles stirs up so many memories.
But here, I'll give it a shot:
5: Kindred (Harry Potter, 2007, no longer online): These days, my feelings about HP are less positive, but Kindred was my take on the life and upbringing of Fleur Delacour. It allowed me to research an expansive fantasy world as well as make new friends online as they patiently fielded my questions about life in the UK. I got to play around with original world building when it came to Beauxbatons and Veela (at a time when the HP world was still more open) as well as imagine the latter sections of the series from the perspective of the Order of the Phoenix. I was also writing this right during all the build up to Book Seven. I thought I was pretty safe in world building for Fleur, figuring she'd never be all that central, only to read Deathly Hallows and find not only that she's fairly involved, but a good chunk of my headcanon had to be thrown out and rewritten. Kindred was also the first time I'd contributed a longfic to a major fandom that was simmering with interest and energy, and I got so much encouraging feedback. It was a lot of work, I felt so proud of myself, and I was so pleased people enjoyed it. I'm still touched when people message me and say they remember it all these years later.
Weasley gives me an automatic smile. “Just a moment, excuse me.” He jerks his chin to Hassan, and they pass out of the room, down the hall. Hassan glances at me, raises his eyebrows, and grins.
Damn.
I distract myself from my hunger by studying the office. This is one of the smaller ones I’ve seen, cluttered with unopened boxes and a half-filled bookcase. The desk is neat, stacked with papers. A black leather-bound book on the desk catches my eye, its cover stamped with broad gold swirls and dots. It also, I realize, opens right-to-left. Hebrew?
I glance at the still-open door. No sounds.
I slide my fingers under the front cover, flipping it open. Then I blink and lean forward. Every left page is full of that sweeping, dotted script. Every right page has pictures, very stylized. Hieroglyphs, I think. A lot of the figures have animal heads on human bodies, and I recognize the ancient Egyptian numerals from Arithmancy class. I shut the book. I really shouldn’t pry.
My stomach yowls. Well, glancing at stuff on the desk isn’t prying.
I pass over the papers. There’s a framed photo of nine people standing in front of a pyramid, all of them vibrantly redheaded. I pick out Bill Weasley in the group, sans ponytail and earring. He looks better with them.
I check his wall clock. 12:31. Argh.
There’s a small glass case by the photo, containing a chip of some rock (lapis?) inlaid with gold. Arranged around it are what seem to be ancient corn kernels...no...Oh my goodness, they’re human teeth.
Rattle.
I jump, wheeling guiltily towards the door.
Thud.
Rattle.
I look back down at the desk. The sounds are coming from the top left drawer.
Slowly, steadily, I back away from the desk.
Thud. It sounds large, as though something almost filling the drawer is shifting around.
Suddenly, the fact that I’m in a Curse-Breaker’s office carries much more weight. If Kensington could get a curse in the mail, couldn’t Weasley keep a special occasion curse in his desk drawer?
No matter. It doesn’t concern me.
“Mphlum?” comes from the drawer.
That was a human voice.
“Gphlb? Gvpblaffx!”
His muffled voice sounds like he’s struggling. I realize that I’ve stepped back towards the drawer.
Really...Weasley’s a Curse-Breaker...why would he keep a curse lying around? It’s his job to get rid of them.
“Plibg.”
I run my thumb along the smooth brass drawer-pull. Probably it’s some annoying portrait he’s imprisoned there for peace and quiet. I know all about that.
“Thfssss?”
I jerk the drawer open. A human head stares back at me.
4: The Stars Are Fire (Tales of the Abyss, 2021): This is my longfic about Asch and Natalia, exploring their relationship before and through the game, then examining Natalia's life after the war. I think what I love so much about this one was how emotionally free it felt to write it. Generally I write in a very linear style. Stars was written all over the place -- one scene here, one scene there, with very little regard as to stringing everything carefully together. The hope is that if you've played the game, you can follow where you are in the timeline, and the scenes are connected more by theme and feelings than plot. Doing it this way took a lot of pressure off of me. I didn't have to write "boring" scenes, I didn't have to carefully plot. A lot of the time it was just, "Oh, what about exploring this canonical scene?" Or, "Wouldn't be interesting to show this about their childhood?" And I could just go with it. Stars is also special to me because my earlier attempts to write long Abyss fics hadn't quite worked, which was a little discouraging because Abyss is one of my very favorite games.
Natalia flew into him, and, as if it were a dance they'd already learned, he closed his arms around her shoulders, the both of them burying their faces in each other. He could feel her fingers gripping his back, her eyelashes against his cheek, her heart pounding against his own. For just a moment, his brain was released from all thoughts, all impressions but breathless relief.
He was here. She was safe.
There were voices, the others exclaiming over Luke. In a moment, Natalia would push away from him, go to Luke too. But she'd come to him first. She'd run to him.
His brain was catching up to all of this, reminding him there was no time for any of it. Nor a point to any of it.
Natalia was pulling away, but she didn't leave his embrace, taking him by the shoulders, looking at him, saying something – asking if he was all right? Asch was about to say something stern – he didn't know what – but she had one of his hairs smeared across her wet cheek and first he needed to wipe that away, otherwise she looked ridiculous – and he touched her cheek, and the next thing he knew, he'd pressed his forehead to hers and shut his eyes and he could feel her soft breath and her hands tightening on him and he was doing his best not to say all of the things he needed to say – he –
“Whoa, what's this?”
Luke's – the replica's baffled voice was what Asch needed to break out of this storm. Not roughly, but firmly, he stepped back from Natalia – she kept hold of his arm, and he didn't stop her. And Asch felt almost furious satisfaction as he saw the replica staring confusedly at the Jewel of Lorelei in his palm.
After Asch explained, as everyone exclaimed over the Jewel – and that somehow they'd both survived the hyperresonance – Asch again felt weight settle over him. He was alive. It wasn't over.
He still had to go on.
3: The Muse of Last Songs (Transistor, 2019): The first in my Muse Trilogy. It was hard to pick between this one and the final installment, because the final one brings things all together to a (hopefully) satisfying close. But I really like Last Songs because it was my chance to world-build a past for Red and dig into her history with the Boxer. The game drops so many little hints about who they are and how they relate to each other, and these hints felt like fun toys to play with. I was a little hesitant to start posting the trilogy because I'm not sure the universe was asking for a very long Transistor trilogy with a lot of of OCs, so that makes me feel so flattered and grateful that people are interested.
Red had no special plans for that day, aside from the lunch with Belrose. She's not expecting any interviews, any photographers. She's wearing trousers and a blouse, a large triangular ring on her right hand. She'd written some notes for her song on her inner arm during lunch, and the marks are still there. Her hair could use a bit of comb, and she's only bothered with lip gloss. She looks more or less how she usually does on a day left alone to herself.
Whether that's a plus or a minus is really just a matter of perspective.
Colette beckons her over, sort of like she's trying to coax some animal that's never been properly domesticated. “We're interviewing bodyguards. Give me thirty of your priceless minutes.”
Red focuses, looking past Colette to the three men. Though of different heights and ethnicities, there's a certain look that they all share – young men, dark hair, dark or tan skin, squarely built and solid looking. She takes a moment to study each. She's never shy about looking people in the eye, and she's glad to see that each of them has the nerve to maintain eye contact.
One of them.
One of them.
One of them, she looks at a few moments longer than the others. Not out of recognition or distrust. He just keeps her attention a bit longer.
2: Death and Ker (Persona 3, 2010): My what-if story exploring if the female protagonist came on another adventure with SEES. While it's no longer my best writing, and I'm sure there's lots in it I would now do differently, this fic still has a very special place in my heart. My earlier Persona longfic, Elysion, is very sad in places, and while Death and Ker also has its bittersweet moments, it was my opportunity to write SEES as strong and hopeful after the harrowing events of Persona 3. I also love the FeMC, Minako, her energy and strength, and I loved writing from her perspective, particularly exploring her relationship with her Persona Thanatos. Add some references to Greek mythology, lots of Shinjiro, and my opportunity to finally get Akihiko and Mitsuru together (one of my favorite ships, but one I find very hard to write), and I still look back on this one happily.
I've come abreast of a bar, with some guys out front smoking, nearly silhouetted against the lit windows. Another guy, broader across the shoulders than the others, has kicked a trashcan onto its side, letting the garbage spew out. He's sitting on it, hair down to his waist and bearded, a shapeless cap over one eye and a long, ragged greatcoat. There's a smell rather worse than cigarette smoke, and I pick up the pace again, wishing I was upwind.
"Hold on," that same gruff voice says, and I realize that Lovely here is my defender. "You took a long look. You can't say you're too proud to say 'good evening'."
His Japanese is perfect, but there's some accent I can't pick out – English-speaking, I think, but I don't recognize it as British or American or anything like that. I've turned towards him before I can tell myself to keep walking. He leans back to study me, throwing his face into better light. Gaunt features, a long pipe between his teeth, some of which are missing. I can't guess his age, except that he's older than me. His hair is some color between blond and brown, and his eyes look greenish, and they track me up and down a few times.
I'm not good at staying away from trouble; people always used to say this about me. But this isn't trouble, it's just a word. So – "Evening," I say, and turn to go.
"You have a look of death about you."
I turn back around. The guy's leaned forward onto his knees again, and the others are talking amongst themselves, someone laughing. Is this a weird set-up, or...? I turn to go.
"You keep out of the light, but there it is just the same."
What?
...I've got a naginata and a Persona with a huge metal mask thing. I can handle whatever's going on here. I turn back and stare at him, waiting for him to explain. He gestures sideways, and unresistingly I step into the glare of the windows.
He stares at me a moment, teeth cracking around his pipe, and nods slowly like he already knew what he'd be seeing. "You're pale enough, and your hair's the color of dead things, dead leaves. Eyes like dirt and blood." He leans back and turns away, drawing on his pipe. "Why pussyfoot around it? Why not carry your damn scythe in the open?"
I blink, but I can't quite deadpan this, and I find myself shifting my weight once from foot to foot. "Are you friends with Mama at Club Escapade or something?"
"Shove off," the guy says, gesturing me away. "Take your dirt with you."
"What are you talking about?"
"Pretty girl." He swings to his feet, the trashcan rolling away with a clatter. "Death shouldn't pretend to be cute. It's raw and bleeding and it loves the living more than food or air." He chuckles. "I don't want to be friends." And he slouches into the light of the bar's front door.
I pitch forward a step, about to follow, then pull to a stop, hardly hearing the question one of the other guys throws at me. What was he talking about? Could he tell I was dead? I could ask Death himself, but Thanatos is quiet, uninterested in this exchange.
1: The Beast in the Dark (Fate/Extra, 2017, not online). So this feels kind of selfish, seeing as no one can read it and I don't know whether I'll even post it, but I really love this fic. In the mid-2010s, I was sad and frustrated and artistically unhappy (unhappy about art -- not unhappy in an artistic way), particularly with my original fiction, which didn't feel very good, and most of the time wasn't even happening. In this mindset, I wrote a trilogy of fics set in the Fate/Extra universe, focusing on female Hakuno. And what I love about that experience, along with it helping me through that patch, is that I just let myself go. I threw basically anything I wanted at the story. I researched all sorts of weird things about history and different cultures so I could incorporate them. I really like words and their derivations, so I just told myself I could include unnecessary explanations of word etymologies. I threw in cringey tropes I enjoy but might be embarrassed to admit to other people. I had no expectation of ever posting it, so I truly was able to please myself. Beast is the final installment of the trilogy, the longest, and all the angst and shippy stuff and nonsense comes together in a big loud crash for it, and I just really loved writing that. Almost immediately after finishing Beast, I suddenly felt ready to write The Price and Prey of Magic -- the original novel I'd been thinking about for years, but been unable to start. I don't know if Beast unlocked something in me, but I like to think it did me good.
Was it even possible to really love someone with your whole soul? Maybe a parent could love a child that way. Maybe if the two of you had grown up together, and they'd always been part of your life. But a person who had a whole life separate from you, whom you'd met only recently?
Could you really graft your soul to the soul of a comparative stranger?
There was a tree by the well, and its leaves rustled in the slight breeze, sending a sympathetic shiver down Hakuno's back.
A man's shadow fell across her
She looked up.
It was a tall man in army fatigues and a burnoose. She couldn't really see his face because of the sun behind him.
Crow, she thought.
“You're the American?” he asked.
Hakuno sat up, unprepared for how relieved she was to hear English again. His accent was unfamiliar, but the words were perfectly clear. “Yes,” she said, squinting up. “My name's Hazel Kuznetov.”
Maybe he noticed the squint, because he moved out of the glare, though not any closer. His skin was tanned, but he wasn't actually Middle Eastern – possibly Japanese. Despite his white hair, he looked to be in his twenties. She thought she saw a red muffler wrapped around his head and throat under the burnoose. There was a long gun on his back.
He held his hand out. “I'm Shirou Emiya.”
Thank you for tagging me, @deemoyza. Going through my archive brought a lot of feelings of happiness and gratitude bubbling to the surface.
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consistentsquash · 4 months
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The Curse of Anteros by @danpuff-ao3
It's really Christmas, birthdays, everything in one day :D :D Totally worth the roof drama :D :D The Curse of Anteros is 53500 words and the bookbinding is 230 pages!!!! Whoa, Danni really went Big Bang for the Big Bang <3
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more pics below the cut!!!
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Table of contents!
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Dirtybadhotwrong!!!!
Honestly Danni's Snarry is so dirtybadhotwrongperfect <3 Some of my fav quotes
An ugly, prickly bastard. A coward and a murderer and a rapist, except — Harry had wanted him. Had nearly crawled out of his skin with want for him. And even after Snape’s betrayal, Harry had shamefully rubbed himself raw to memories of Snape. His mouth, his cock, his hands — gods, his hands — Snape laughs in his face. A cold sound, and the shape of it twists his face into hideous caricature. “Is that so?” “I was a child!” “You were begging for it,” Snape purrs. “You’re still begging for it.”
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Snape is pardoned, and awarded an Order of Merlin, First Class. In the Ministry ballroom, heroes and politicians schmooze and celebrate. The lifts are blessedly empty when Harry and Snape sneak off for a quick fuck. It should have ended there. Harry meant it to.
Really love the marbling which I didnt upload pic in last one because I was too hyped
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<3 <3
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Also the Playlist!!!
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Also the Info!!!
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aethon-recs · 1 year
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Tomarrymort Starter Pack: 10 Recs for Getting Started in Tomarrymort
I've compiled a list of 10 medium to longfic recs that I think represent a great on-ramp to the Tomarrymort ship, as inspired by @sitp-recs’ Drarry for Beginners rec list. These are the fics that I would use to on-board people to the ship — gorgeous writing, superb characterization, and just as enjoyable on the first read as the 20th reread. 
As always, I am stunned by the talent in this ship! I tried to pick a good mix of different themes/tropes/settings, with a focus on elements that make for a good introductory work: the characters are recognizable; the setting skews more recognizable; both characters in the ship are a meaningful part of the story; the ship is central to the story; and the fics are for the most part complete (or updated within the last year). 
(Standard rec list disclaimers apply: please mind all tags and warnings on AO3 before reading; this blog abides by the age-old fandom axiom of don’t like; don’t read; recs are in alphabetical order by title.)
This is Part 1 of a 3-part series — I also have an Intermediate reading list and Advanced reading list coming up for readers who have been with the ship for a longer time.
For now, please enjoy these 1.3 million words of absolutely brilliant Tomarrymort reads that I hope will keep you hooked until the very last word:
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Tomarrymort Starter Pack Recs
A Dangerous Game by @cybrid (E, 284k, WIP)
Setting: Canon Divergence – Book 5 Premise: If Tom’s diary horcrux gains a body at the end of Harry’s 5th year (instead of his 2nd), and then promptly kidnaps Harry and holds him captive over the summer. Lots of smut ensues. Why I rec it: The characterization is truly stunning — Tom Riddle is undoubtedly a psychopath — manipulative, thrill-seeking, kind of an irredeemable shithead — but he’s also dazzlingly charming when he chooses to be, someone whose presence Harry quickly grows addicted to. Their relationship can get incredibly toxic and fucked-up at times, but Harry has top-notch instincts and can hold his own against Tom. The plot is absolutely gripping, with the threat of (the main) Voldemort, who has set his sights on reclaiming his wayward horcrux, looming in the background. 
A Future Without a Face by @dividawrites (E, 115k, complete)
Setting: Time-Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry travels back in time to Tom’s 5th year at Hogwarts, and Tom becomes obsessed with the new transfer student and wants nothing more than to possess him every way. Why I rec it: A 1940s time travel fic told entirely from Tom Riddle POV! Divida absolutely nails psychopath Tom — how he quickly gets singlemindedly focused on Harry, how the idea of possessing Harry consumes him, how he has no compunctions about doing completely fucked-up and destructive things to achieve his goals. There is so much tension between them from the start, so there’s not much of a wait to see some hot Harry & Tom action — and the conflict and tension only continues to build and build in dramatic fashion throughout the rest of the fic.
Either must die at the hand of the other by @metalomagnetic (E, 260k, complete)
Setting: Post-Canon Premise: If Voldemort survives the Battle of Hogwarts and is initially kept prisoner in Azkaban, until Harry takes him into Grimmauld Place under house arrest. Why I rec it: This fic is an incredible exploration of Voldemort at his most terrifying. Even if he starts off the fic with his magic temporarily blocked, he is no less powerful without his magic. The force of his personality is powerful enough for him to chip away at Harry’s initial resistance — @metalomagnetic manages to write one of the most charismatic, brilliantly manipulative, and psychologically devastating versions of Voldemort I’ve ever read. Harry ends up in a good place by the end of the fic, but the journey to get there is a roller-coaster of emotions that have permanently imprinted onto my soul.
In Somno Veritas by ladyoflilacs and @lordansketil (M, 158k, complete)
Setting: Canon Divergence – Book 6 Premise: If Harry starts appearing in Voldemort’s nightly dreams during Book 6, and Voldemort becomes obsessed with Harry after realizing he’s his horcrux. Why I rec it: This is one of the most unique fics I’ve ever read in this ship! Every scene is told in alternating POV between Harry’s POV and Voldemort’s POV, so you get to see how every scene unfolds from both of their perspectives. Voldemort is so intense and just as terrible as he is in canon, so his character is not at all sugarcoated, and Harry has so much compassion and heart and manages to fall in love with Voldemort anyway. The writing style is gorgeous, with richly detailed and emotionally-laden prose. Also, one thing that pleasantly surprised me is how funny their banter is! There were definitely a number of times where I laughed out loud in the middle of an otherwise really intense scene. Bonus content: also comes with a lovely sequel that made me melt.
Inevitabilities by @shadow-of-the-eclipse (T, 103k, complete)
Setting: Same-Age AU Premise: If Harry and Tom attend Hogwarts together and go traveling around the world after they graduate. A betrayal leads to their break-up, but after many years, Harry returns to find Tom in Britain, and the two of them are drawn back together again. Why I rec it: An excellent same-age AU with unhinged dark Harry and just-as-unhinged Tom. Their relationship starts out quite dark and twisted and unhealthy — and only devolves from there. The fic ends with the two of them as equals — utterly devoted to each other — but in an incredibly fucked-up way: “He loves Tom like a forest fire; wild and all-consuming, he wants to devour Tom, to claim him, to mark him, break him.” Isn’t that absolutely breathtaking?
love is touching souls (surely you touched mine) by @toast-ranger-to-a-stranger (M, 34k, complete)
Setting: Time-Travel (1940s) Premise: If Harry gets thrown back into the mid-1940s and meets Tom Riddle as a young man just graduated from Hogwarts working at Borgin and Burkes. Why I rec it: When Harry accidentally travels back in time and chances upon Tom Riddle as a fresh graduate, he realizes this is his chance to make a difference. While Harry is only in the past for a brief interlude, he leaves enough of an impression to change the trajectory of Tom’s life. The dynamic between Harry and Tom is rife with tension and witty dialogue, and the story is set during Christmastime, which lends a very festive and heartwarming atmosphere for falling in love with each other.
No Glory by @obsidianpen (E, 254k, WIP)
Setting: Voldemort Wins AU  Premise: If Voldemort figures out Harry is his horcrux when Harry surrenders in the Forbidden Forest, and decides to keep Harry instead of killing him.  Why I rec it: This fic showcases the absolute, terrifying genius side of Voldemort, in a universe where he wins the war and captures Harry at the end of book 7. I am stunned at how skillfully @obsidianpen portrays Voldemort as a brilliant political strategist — the courtroom scene where he manipulates the story and the audience so well stands out as a top 10 fanfic moment in my mind. Harry and Voldemort’s relationship is chilling from the very start, and grows even more unhealthy as Voldemort gets addicted to Harry’s touch due to the presence of the horcrux, but Harry later learns to turn that to his advantage.
The Fire, Burning by @parsimmony (E, 35k, complete)
Setting: Canon Divergence – Book 6 Premise: If Voldemort discovers Harry is his horcrux after Book 6, and kidnaps him to keep him captive by his side in his bed, inside of a lovely greenhouse setting full of friendly snakes on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Why I rec it: The prose!! I am swooning over the prose! Harry is Voldemort’s captive in this fic, but he is so much more than that — and the emotions that gradually blossom between them have so much richness and depth and are utterly moving that I’m still drowning in the depths of intimacy that were portrayed. Their relationship unfolds in such a gorgeous and unrushed way, and the setting is so unique too — a lush and overgrown greenhouse that’s exploding with exotic plants and friendly snakes around every corner that imbues the fic with a very romantic, dreamy quality.
the pleasure, the privilege by @being-luminous (M, 20k, complete)
Setting: Canon Divergence – Book 6 Premise: If Voldemort is doused with Amortentia keyed to Harry, and starts sending Harry bizarre and gruesome courting gifts, like the bodies of the Dursleys.  Why I rec it: Breathtaking prose! Voldemort somehow ends up more terrifying when he’s trying to woo Harry than when he’s trying to kill him. Every single sentence had me on the edge of my seat, as Voldemort’s ‘gifts’ become more elaborate and devastatingly dramatic, until Harry basically has no choice but to respond to his overtures. The ending is incredibly clever in how it parallels certain plot elements of book 6, with an added Harrymort twist. 
The Untouchable by @treacleteacups (M, 75k, complete)
Setting: Canon Rewrite (Books 1-7) Premise: If Harry starts out his first year a little bit more suspicious and a little less wide-eyed and guileless, and subsequently gets sorted into Slytherin. He has many of the same encounters with Voldemort along the way as he does in canon, but his interactions with Voldemort will end up leading him down quite a different path. Why I rec it: A snappy, fast-paced full canon rewrite that still manages to fit in all the essential Tomarrymort plot points, between Horcruxes and Hallows and the major events of books 1-7, in a compact 75k words that doesn’t at all feel rushed. It’s a delightful journey following Harry’s character evolution from an overlooked, peculiar child who relies on wishy-washy wish magic to a confident (and still endearingly peculiar) young man who can challenge and hold his own against the great Lord Voldemort. Voldemort’s obsession with Harry deepens with every encounter that they have, as he finds ways to continually insinuate himself in Harry’s life and his mind and his dreams.
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halfdeadfriedrice · 1 year
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2022 Books in Review!
Some half-dead fried reflections about how my annual 100 books challenge went! With recs (a few)! Behind a cut because it's self-indulgently wordy.
This year I read:
32 manga
7 non-manga comics and graphic novels
11 audiobooks
2ish short stories (i'm SORRY i was SHORT this year and also I wanted to track them)
Which makes it 49 novel (-length, I am also counting the single prose biography here, - 39) /novellas and assorted (12) /poetry books (2) /short story (collections mostly - 5)
Things rec'd to me: 4-ish things! (one of the manga series counts)
I tried: 23 new authors!
Which does mean that traditional(ish) novel-length scifi/fantasy edged tied with graphic formats, except a bunch of them were audiobooks, so the majority (on this slightly wonky pie chart) of pages in front of my eyes this year were illustrated! Honestly a lot of this year was spent video gaming, and also; I didn't find a lot of books I liked!
My favorite books of the year: A lot of my favorite stuff this year were sequels I'd been awaiting!
The Oleander Sword - Tasha Suri Sequel to "The Jasmine Throne," it's some pragmatic, powerful, incredibly devoted queer ladies doing coups, seizing power, murdering their brothers, etc. Middle book in series, maybe I knew a bit more about how this one would go than The Jasmine Throne, which was absolutely ruthless, but I loved where it went as a sequel and I long for the third.
Into the Riverlands - Nghi Vo Technically the third in a series (The Singing Hills Cycle) about a wandering priest who collects stories for an archive - all sorts of stories, everyone's stories - but it stands alone, and it has the martial story flavor that unfortunately all the shonen anime and wuxia stories have given me a preference for. I like knight-errants and wandering samurai and People Who Punch For the Good Of Others, what can I say.
Only a Monster - Vanessa Lem Recommended in the back of CS Pacat's Dark Rise, a book I wanted to like more than I did and am hopeful about its sequel, Vanessa Lem's "Only A Monster" (first in its series?) is DOING enemies to lovers it is DOING it dark and scary and fun. Time travel but it's killing people? Can you save the people you love, and at what cost to the world? 10/10 would thrill again.
Nona the Ninth - Tamsyn Muir Third in the Locked Tomb series; it's a puzzle box unfolding, and while I love Nona, who is a perfect baby, and am obsessed with the Cam/Pal/Pyrrha dynamic, and of course the prose is wonderful and funny and scary, I am chomping at the bit for Alecto. I think, much like Gideon, which needed Harrow for me to start recommending it to people, but probably remains my favorite book in the series, I await Nona's echo. But also genuinely one of my favorite reads this year.
Undercover and Princess Floralinda and the Forty Flight Tower by Tamysn Muir Floralinda's a reread but Undercover is new; without reservation (I mean, unless you don't like dark things and a bit of gore) I recommend Muir's novellas, which are queer and loving exercises in genre and funny as hell
Flyaway - Kathleen Jennings A fairy tale sort of story, but one set in and pulling from Australian mythos; small town drama and generations of families issues and questions about personhood and all the fun things you can do with a myth. The beginning is confined - push on.
The Golden Enclaves - Naomi Novik I slipped and fell and am currently reading a slightly-more-than-mediocre HP longfic and it is making me crave a Scholomance reread, which has definitely been marketed as an HP read-instead but like, lets its characters experience challenges and narrative threats (also, the Golden Enclaves is an INCREDIBLY satisfying ending for a series. talk about sticking the landing. waow. also also, has a pragmatic manipulative ice queen playing a major role. i have a type and it's clever people who can more accurately be called 'a huge bitch'.)
Gonna throw Sas Milledge's "Mamo" in here, because the art is incredible and the story is sweet.
Manga I read:
Full Metal Alchemist - I finished this early in the year (it was my push to finish my challenge last year) early this year - I hadn't ever read it, it was a treat to see what all the fuss was about. It's genuinely such a good series, with complex moral/ethical questions and good suspense and humor.
Dungeon Meshi - Read this on slow days in the office and also while I had covid! It's a cooking manga - a party of adventurers needs to rescue one of their dead party members, and the only way to stay strong enough in the dungeon (and, they're broke, so the only way they can afford to delve) is to start cooking and eating what they see! The story is like, fine. The recipes and the focus on fictional beast cooking is the real treat here. There's also a cat girl later, which always makes me happy.
xxxHolic Rei - I figured out how to set up a manga reader on a borrowed ipad and finally finished out the xxxHolic series with its semi-sequel, Rei. I loved Rei - I like reading CLAMP stories but one of their stock main characters usually get to turn from "harassed and shouty" to "cool and mysterious" during the like, last 3 volumes, and so some more time with Cool Watanuki - this makes me feel like a jerk surely there's a better way to phrase this; Watanuki missing the No Homo character trait - whatever, it was good to see him, and it was good to get some good retconning and pursuit of a happier ending. Also, beautiful. CLAMP is always beautiful.
Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles - inter-reads with xxxHolic, but the library didn't have all of them, so my initial reading of Holic mised a lot of references. This is good though, because Tsubasa is Incredibly Referential to all of CLAMP's other series, which by now I have at least a passing familiarity with. I just started this one, I'll see if I keep it up. I do feel like I'm finally in a place to appreciate it!
Boys Run The Riot - High schoolers trying to invent their own fashion brand - it's half fashion and half queer coming of age for our transman main character, as he makes friends and figures out how he can live in the world (and make his fashionable mark in it).
Also some yaoi, you know.
Books I will talk shit about (is this a real category? what are you doing. Look I don't finish a lot of books I don't like so there's definitely more in my "DNR" list but these I pressed through):
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires Strange and Stubborn Endurance Hands of the Emperor
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zeawesomebirdie · 2 years
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I hope I can still send you asks and you can answer them? Just to say that I'm trying to do the Snarry rec list but my memory is SO BAD lol there are a few I know have to go on there but otherwise? I'm going to have to reread so much fic..... Not that it's an imposition of course, but it does feel weird taking a look through my collection and realising 1) there are less fics than I thought and 2) I can't associate any summary to so many of the titles! Where has my Snarry knowledge gone!! Anyway I realise I forgot to rec you Diagnosis by MaidenMotherCrone for Tomarry fics, which is an error because I'm not sure I'd want to reread it but it's really a Whole Thing in an overall positive way. Also I never gave you the name of the absolute epic I felt weird reccing on main because there's some niche kinks in it? Obviously you don't seem like you open a 500k fic and come out of it a week later without having done anything else but read it, given what you've said about taking breaks in Pacify (which tbh fair. A lot of stuff happens there) so giving you a 800k fic series on top of all the rest seemed a lot you know :') but whenever you want, you know where to find me hehe. Anyway I'll go like brush my teeth and all, hope this sends, bye bye!!
Looks like I can still receive asks! Whether or not you’ll be notified when I answer this (and I guess, also whether or not tumblr will even allow me to post it,,,) still remains to be seen, but based on last night’s experiment with @’ing you, you won’t be notified. I’ll try to keep my reblogging to a minimum until you’ve seen this!!
For what it’s worth, I did send in another support ticket this morning, but I’ll update my pinned post with that info after I’ve answered this
There is no rush at all for the snarry rec list!! Take your time beloved!! I agree that rereading all that fic isn’t all that bad of a thing, but omg, it must be so daunting to have that list to go through, even if it’s shorter than you thought it was! I mean, I’m sitting here with 12 pages in my marked for later tab on Ao3, while entirely forgetting to read both the fic I currently have open and the books I have from the library lol, so I can def relate to having a list to read through. Just please don’t feel rushed or even obligated, you have the best recs but really it’s okay if I wait for it!
(but tbh, at this point I’ve read enough snarry that I feel like I could make an actual rec list myself, even if like 90% of my bookmarks have come from the @houseofsnarry discord. I might have to do that. No one has asked for my recs since I totally flubbed that one ask requesting my quiobi recs and I revealed that at the time I wasn’t really reading, but now I read so much more, even if it’s primarily snarry and irl books. Idk. I’ll have to think about it and also wait until I get un-shadowbanned, and also also I’ll have to read a little bit more so I can round out any list like that,,,)
Omg so Diagnosis looks like an absolutely incredible fic 👀 that summary, those tags!! No worries about not remembering anything other than the positive vibes, I’ve loved literally everything you’ve rec’d thus far and I’m sure I’ll love this too!
Feel free to drop the name of that longfic btw 👀👀👀👀 I don’t often go for fics over 150k unless they come highly recommended, but most of the time I do finish them really quickly. I got through Unrestrained by Lizzy00305 in three days, All the Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 in about a week and a half, and, while they’re obv not fic, I did read the first five HP books in 8 days, and then HBP and DH in about a week and a half. It depends on what’s going on irl and how into the fic I am tbch.
Rn it’s taking me forever to get through Transparency by oldesthuntress even though it’s literally my favourite fic of all time only because I have so much going on irl. My fatigue will catch up to me soon enough, and all I’ll be capable of doing (affectionate) soon will be reading and animal crossing, and even if I can’t read it for a little bit, I do have surgery right before Christmas which will mean only reading for a few weeks!
(for what it’s worth, I’m currently planning to save Pacify for after surgery, because tbch I think that’s the perfect read for when I’ll be stuck in bed for two weeks!)
But anyway! Yes please drop that link! No fic is too long if it comes highly recommended!!
All my love to you beloved, I hope the rest of your day goes well!! Thanks for stopping in!!
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A9, B6, C3 and D10 for the reader ask game :D
Thank you so much @sunnymssv!
A9. Who was your first ship?
They were real people, but Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder. Laura Ingalls Wilder was the author of The Little House series, autobiographical children's books, and I read those books repeatedly as a kid. These Happy Golden Years was one of my favorites and I think that's when the shipping part of my brain turned on.
B6. What is your favourite story trope? Why?
Time travel, hands down. There are so many possibilities with time travel. Fix-its, angst, family feels, relationship woes, meddling with time and unintended consequences, I could go on and on. I've found it gives me the most flexibility as a fanfic writer, and as a reader, it opens up a lot of possibilities.
C3. Is there anything that makes you nope out of a story? What is it?
There is, but it doesn't seem consistent to me. Bashing might be the only thing that comes to mind.
D10. What is one story idea you really want to read but no one has written yet?
A canon-compliant, compelling Marauder-era longfic that feels in character and is true to the world of HP. Something to cover the seven years, give or take a few, of the Marauders at school. I have yet to find a Marauder-era longfic that fits these requirements and I don't know if it's possible to meet them. If you've got recs, feel free to send them my way.
ask a reader
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hypokeimena · 3 years
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OH
@unopenablebox, it’s hp gen longfic rec time 8)
caveat: these are of variable quality but i have reread each more than once. most (but not all!) are incomplete. most hp fic has things that drive me crazy in it. the ones that bother me most (excusing former death eaters but not people who are just kind of rude, justifying house elf slavery, muggleborns are all recessive squib descendants) are still really really hard to avoid so there’s probably still gonna be Stuff depending on what your Stuff is. also, while i’ve reread all of these, i haven’t reread all of them recently, so i may or may not be able to warn comprehensively as needed. some of them may contain romance but on the whole romance is not a major focus. 
okay i was going to put it under the cut but it... is already extremely long so i will reblog with links under a cut @__@
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