2 fic + 1 vid rec

[schneefink]

A rec post (I've been meaning to make more for ages) because the alternative is to think/write about all the terrifying things happening around the world right now and I don't want to.

Nightfall (144189 words) by Leletha
Fandom: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Summary: Canon-divergent: 20 years after Chief Stoick’s wife and son were lost in a dragon raid, the Vikings of Berk shoot down a Night Fury…and its rider, a feral youth who believes he is a dragon.
Why I loved it: I loved how it portrayed dragon society, how it dealt with Hiccup's identity, I loved the strong strong friendship between Hiccup and Toothless. I loved Astrid here, growing up in a village without Hiccup and learning how to be a leader. There's also plot, Stoick having to face his fears, and Terrible Terrors. I followed this story as a WIP, eagerly awaiting every update and was never disappointed.

Aral Vorkosigan's Dog (76355 words) by Philomytha
Fandom: Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Summary: Illyan is assigned to watch Aral Vorkosigan during the Escobaran war. Soon he has to choose between his duty and his conscience, and the consequences rapidly get beyond him.
Why I loved it: This is a minor character PoV from a canon adventure; since I didn't know canon all cliffhangers actually worked for me, but other commenters said that it also works if one has read the book. The fic was recced on f_fa when someone requested loyalty kink and it definitely delivered, yum.

Happy, "Cosmos" vid by bradcpu
Science! Space! That feeling of wonder and joy at discovery.

In other news, I think I've given up on completing my marvel_bang story on time. I appear to be writing a Tommy Shepherd primer instead (no idea what I'm doing, I've never written a primer before.)

Comments

[frith_in_thorns]

If loyalty/duty is your thing, you should DEFINITELY read the Vorkosigan novels! It also has spades of space military and politics and family both found and otherwise. I have actually been on a re-reading kick with them this week. SO GOOD.

...in fact, I could email you all the ebooks if you wanted :P (mostly legit, even!)

[schneefink]

I've, uh, spent the whole day and parts of yesterday reading Vorkosigan Saga fic instead of doing things I should be doing. *coughs*
I read one book once and liked it, but not enough to look for more of them then. I think I'll put it back on my to-read list.

[frith_in_thorns]

Was it the first one, Shards of Honor? If so, that was Bujold's very first ever book, and it does show. The rest are a very great improvement and I liked them all much more than that one :)

(I am happy to have opportunities to use my Vorkosigan icon, too!)

[schneefink]

No, it was Warrior's Apprentice. I remember that I very much enjoyed Miles' dealings with the mercenaries, but wasn't drawn into the world enough to continue. Probably also because it's not the first book and several things were confusing. I might have to try again :)
So if you can send me the e-books, yes please!

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

Hey, timely recs for me. I both recently saw HtTYD2 and read my way through the entirety of the Vorkosigan saga after a friend gave me a copy of the baen CD with all the books on them. (It's odd, it's not something I would have probably ever picked up on my own, but I was intrigued by the description of a stand alone book in which a character from a reclusive, all-male society founded on misogyny many generations previously is forced to go out into the wider universe in order to find new genetic material, and that was enough to make me curious about the rest of them. It's interesting, because you definitely get the sense of times of the author being fed up with her own main character, and eventually she just upends everything on him and lets his hubris really get the better of him and rebuilds from there)

eta: I seem to be incapable of completing my own thoughts.

[schneefink.livejournal.com]

I hope you enjoy the stories!
I'm planning to read the Vorkosigan books in the future, and as always when encountering fandom before canon I expect it'll be a bit weird.

[claudiapriscus.livejournal.com]

Well, if it helps, the main series is almost entirely set when all the characters in that story are in their 50s and 60s, and they're just supporting characters. So it shouldn't leave you too far out to sea.