4 Hermitcraft AU fic recs
Oct. 24th, 2023 08:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
schneefinkI'm procrastinating writing my second FIAB fic, so I'm finally reccing some Hermitcraft AUs for October. I'm fairly sure that all of these can be read without any canon knowledge.
this is about a stuffed bird by![[archiveofourown.org profile]](https://p2.dreamwidth.org/b164c54b26e4/-/archiveofourown.org/favicon.ico)
Bee_4
78k, gen, apocalypse AU
Summary: In which Mumbo crosses several towns, learns some creative methods of self-defense, fights some monsters, sees things no human is meant to have seen, befriends a stranger, steals multiple cars, has inconvenient moral scruples, grows increasingly terrified of his own culpability in the apocalypse, grows a spine, blows up at least one building, accidentally prevents a murder, and attempts to find his best friend in the futile but ever-burning hope the man’s still alive.
He has to say, he’s so exhausted and terrified that he thinks he might just be mad?
(OR: the one where, after most of humanity turns into a series of terrifying monsters, Mumbo decides he’s going to risk his life on an apocalypse road trip to try to find out if Grian is alive. Things, as you might imagine, devolve from there.)
Why I love it: Mumbo Jumbo & Evil Xisuma not-quite-enemies-to-allies apocalypse road trip. This story does an absolutely fantastic job conveying Mumbo's anxiety and terror and also, y'know, the apocalypse. It's sad. The ending is perfect and almost made me cry.
There's also great fanart, linked at the end.
Possession is Nine-Tenths bysparrowpassing
25k, gen, AU - supernatural creatures
Summary: Tango is a demon just trying to get by. Etho is a hunter trying to save his best friend.
Kidnapping, gardening, and a friendship that could have been.
Why I love it: Ow. Great worldbuilding and characterization. Etho imprisons Tango to save Bdubs and the story does a great job showing Tango's fear while also making you feel for Etho. Great ending too.
Lab Escape AU byglossyblue
Various pairings, series WIP (2 finished stories, 11.8k total), AU - supernatural creatures
Summary:
The H.T.G.Y. Files: Research scientist Cub didn't intend to make a person. He just came up with the plans. But when a competing team looking to make a supersoldier gets hold of the genome he invented, Cub is pulled in to stop them screwing up—and whatever he expected to find, it wasn't someone like Scar.
The Biocuriosity Files: Etho’s been in this laboratory too many years to count. Tango's been trapped and drained of his fire powers, and Cleo’s slowly going mad in isolation. The cell walls are thick and the scientists are prepared for every trick and escape attempt—but nobody was prepared for Bdubs.
Why I love it: Wonderful character voices, a story told partially in transcripts and protocols, and great AU casting between those not-so-human and the scientists who start to realize that oh no, they might be people. Also shenanigans.
written upon the sky byOdaigahara
8.3k, gen, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell fusion
Summary: “Consider your existence as it currently stands,” Scar said with a flourish of his hand. The faerie closed his mouth and leaned back on his heels, a smile dancing across his face. “Four thousand or so years old, surrounded by enemies and allies, dabbling in the mortal realm as it so pleases you–”
“Not seeing a whole lot wrong with this,” the faerie remarked.
“And that’s all well and good! That is all well and good,” Scar agreed. “But consider this: there’s no upper limit on happiness, my recently-summoned friend. Nothing stops you from being more amused, or having adventures that are merely a fraction of your lifespan while greatly impacting both human history and specific human lives– so I think what you really need is a good, friendly relationship with an obliging human magician. Think of it like bread and jam, or ravens and the pale gray sky: two flavors that go wonderfully together! I would like to offer you this opportunity.”
Why I love it: This one makes me smile so wide every time. Great fusion and character voices and story and very funny.
this is about a stuffed bird by
78k, gen, apocalypse AU
Summary: In which Mumbo crosses several towns, learns some creative methods of self-defense, fights some monsters, sees things no human is meant to have seen, befriends a stranger, steals multiple cars, has inconvenient moral scruples, grows increasingly terrified of his own culpability in the apocalypse, grows a spine, blows up at least one building, accidentally prevents a murder, and attempts to find his best friend in the futile but ever-burning hope the man’s still alive.
He has to say, he’s so exhausted and terrified that he thinks he might just be mad?
(OR: the one where, after most of humanity turns into a series of terrifying monsters, Mumbo decides he’s going to risk his life on an apocalypse road trip to try to find out if Grian is alive. Things, as you might imagine, devolve from there.)
Why I love it: Mumbo Jumbo & Evil Xisuma not-quite-enemies-to-allies apocalypse road trip. This story does an absolutely fantastic job conveying Mumbo's anxiety and terror and also, y'know, the apocalypse. It's sad. The ending is perfect and almost made me cry.
There's also great fanart, linked at the end.
Possession is Nine-Tenths by
25k, gen, AU - supernatural creatures
Summary: Tango is a demon just trying to get by. Etho is a hunter trying to save his best friend.
Kidnapping, gardening, and a friendship that could have been.
Why I love it: Ow. Great worldbuilding and characterization. Etho imprisons Tango to save Bdubs and the story does a great job showing Tango's fear while also making you feel for Etho. Great ending too.
Lab Escape AU by
Various pairings, series WIP (2 finished stories, 11.8k total), AU - supernatural creatures
Summary:
The H.T.G.Y. Files: Research scientist Cub didn't intend to make a person. He just came up with the plans. But when a competing team looking to make a supersoldier gets hold of the genome he invented, Cub is pulled in to stop them screwing up—and whatever he expected to find, it wasn't someone like Scar.
The Biocuriosity Files: Etho’s been in this laboratory too many years to count. Tango's been trapped and drained of his fire powers, and Cleo’s slowly going mad in isolation. The cell walls are thick and the scientists are prepared for every trick and escape attempt—but nobody was prepared for Bdubs.
Why I love it: Wonderful character voices, a story told partially in transcripts and protocols, and great AU casting between those not-so-human and the scientists who start to realize that oh no, they might be people. Also shenanigans.
written upon the sky by
8.3k, gen, Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell fusion
Summary: “Consider your existence as it currently stands,” Scar said with a flourish of his hand. The faerie closed his mouth and leaned back on his heels, a smile dancing across his face. “Four thousand or so years old, surrounded by enemies and allies, dabbling in the mortal realm as it so pleases you–”
“Not seeing a whole lot wrong with this,” the faerie remarked.
“And that’s all well and good! That is all well and good,” Scar agreed. “But consider this: there’s no upper limit on happiness, my recently-summoned friend. Nothing stops you from being more amused, or having adventures that are merely a fraction of your lifespan while greatly impacting both human history and specific human lives– so I think what you really need is a good, friendly relationship with an obliging human magician. Think of it like bread and jam, or ravens and the pale gray sky: two flavors that go wonderfully together! I would like to offer you this opportunity.”
Why I love it: This one makes me smile so wide every time. Great fusion and character voices and story and very funny.
