8 Yuletide recs

[schneefink]

Part 1, more to come later.

#170 The Spinoff by implicated2 (Reply All/TAZ:Balance)
3.5k, gen, crossover/fusion
Summary: A listener thinks a jellyfish may have eaten her favorite book. Alex investigates.
Why I like it: A wonderful and hilarious crossover.
Canon knowledge required: TAZ: yes, Reply All: probably not

The Facebook of Margery Kempe by NaomiK (The Book of Margery Kempe)
4.5k, gen, modern AU
Summary: IF YOU ARE UNASHAMED OF BELIEVING IN THE LORD JESUS OR HIS UNWORTHY SERVANT WHO WEEPS WHENEVER SHE THINKS OF HIM THEN SHARE THIS POST.
Why I like it: Hilarious in a very human way.
Canon knowledge required: No

Counterpount for Two Flutes by mildred_of_midgard, raspberryhunter (18th Century CE RPF)
6.5k, gen
Summary: Crown Prince Friedrich's escape attempt having failed, the King's judgment took all that the Prince loved from him, and now the Prince is languishing under house arrest, bereft of even music. Young army musician Fredersdorf finds himself trying to help the Prince in every way he can think of, no matter how small.
Why I like it: I loved how Fredersdorf connected with the grieving prince through music, very well done.
Canon knowledge required: Probably not

The Book of the Queens of Old Earth in Exile by raspberryhunter (The Book of Esther)
14k, f/f (Esther/Vashti), space AU
Summary: They called her a queen, though she was not one: but the circlet of light on her head and the ceremonial robes she wore gave her the semblance of one to the Terrans in the city of Zsa, the Terrans who had been carried away from Old Earth when it was conquered by the Psyn.
She was not a queen, but the Terran Liaison to the Empress of the Psyn; and now she was no longer that.
Why I like it: Great worldbuilding and plot and characters.
Canon knowledge required: No

Ambitious to the Bone by ConvenientAlias (Nirvana in Fire)
15k, m/m (Mei Changsu/Prince Yu), canon-divergent AU
Summary: The one where Mei Changsu really and truly is helping Prince Yu to become Emperor.
...though this might also cause more trouble than Prince Yu expects.
Why I like it: A fascinating AU and very well done, both the politics/plot side and the personal aspect, and I even liked their relationship a lot.
Canon knowledge required: Yes

(then) hand in hand to hell by damnedscribblingwoman (The Lion in Winter)
10k, m/m (Geoffrey Plantagenet/Richard I), explicit
Summary: His brother loomed over him, caging him in against the wall. "Get to work, princeling," Richard said, his shadow falling over Geoffrey. And at any other time, Geoffrey might have resented it — the order, the tone, the ham-fisted symbolism of being in Richard's literal shadow — but he wanted this and he wanted Richard, and sometimes — seldom, very seldom, just now — he didn't mind being told what to do.
Why I like it: Dysfunctional family feelings and hot D/s incest porn.
Canon knowledge required: probably not

Ship's Gossip by Spatz (Temeraire)
6k, m/m (Laurence/Tharkay), canon-divergent AU
Summary: Laurence is beginning to enjoy life as a privateer - though he cannot figure out why Tharkay should still be sailing out with them - when Temeraire decides to ask him about sodomy.
Why I like it: I really like Laurence struggling with his prejudices here.
Canon knowledge required: yes

Ring the Bells (That Still Can Ring) by Shadaras (The Untamed)
7.6k, gen, canon-divergent AU
Summary: Wen Qing walks in to Carp Tower knowing that Jin Guangshan will kill her.
Wen Qing walks out of Carp Tower with her whole world spun off its axis.
This is how she got there.
Why I like it: A beautiful "Wen Qing survives" story, with great portrayals of all the Yunmeng siblings in particular.
Canon knowledge required: yes

Comments

[eglantiere]

i'm so pleased by this prince yu fic! that's such an excellent point for canon divergence, and it really answers my need to see if somebody's, ahem, better hands could've made prince yu as good as he could be. while still being a snake :D

[schneefink]

Yes! (The exact point of divergence - what happened between Jingyan and MCS - is unclear, but it still works.) Jinghuan will never have the same kind of morals as Jingyan, but then again if his actions are good, regardless of why... And it's a good point to stop, too, though I'm so curious how things would develop further.

[owlmoose]

How ridiculously charmed am I that someone wrote a Reply All/TAZ fic? So, so charmed.

[schneefink]

And it's so good! The best kind of crossover.

[zdenka]

I haven't had time to read much in the main collection yet, but I second the rec for the Esther one!

Several of those look RTMI, but I'm especially looking forward to reading the Untamed and NIF ones on this list when I have time.

[schneefink]

There are two Book of Esther space AUs, even! :D

I hope you enjoy them :)