Fic Title: Backwards Compatible
Author: Ruskbyte
Links: Backwards Compatible on Fanfiction.Net
Content: PG-13
Status: In Progress (8 chapters/40,000+ words so far)
Rating: G-Good
Backwards Compatible is another good fic by Ruskbyte. Set immediateley after Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix, it is rather angsty. There are some elements of time travel and mixing technology with magic which I think is handled very well.
Most of the characterizations in Backwards Compatible are well done, but I think Ruskbyte’s version of Dumbledore in this fic is very non-canon. Despite that, I really enjoyed this fic and am looking forward to its continuation. Pairing is Harry/Hermione.
Comments Off on Backwards CompatibleFic Title: Flying Without A Broom
Author: Ruskbyte
Links: Flying Without A Broom on Fanfiction.Net
Content: PG-13
Status: In Progress (7 chapters/19,000+ words so far)
Rating: G-Good
Flying Without A Broom is a humorous fic set post-Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix. Harry is slipped a Mickey by Death Eaters. While high as a kite, Harry’s true level of power comes out, and much wackiness (and a little angst) ensues. The fic is well written with good characterizations and is very funny. Pairing is Harry/Tonks.
Comments Off on Flying Without A BroomFic Title: Runaway Trains At 3 A.M.
Author: C. L. Kamnikar
Links: Runaway Trains At 3 A.M. on Chaos Horizons, Runaway Trains At 3 A.M. on Fanfiction.net
Content: PG
Status: Complete
Rating: E-Excellent
Fic Title: Lines of Communication
Author: C. L. Kamnikar
Links: Lines of Communication on Chaos Horizons, Lines of Communication on Fanfiction.net
Content: PG
Status: Complete
Rating: E-Excellent
I haven’t found any really good Buffy, The Vampire Slayer and Smallville crossovers (I have found quite a few bad ones) except for Runaway Trains At 3 A.M. and its sequel, Lines of Communication. These two fics are wonderful. I don’t want to give away the plot, but the first story starts with Dawn Summers and Clark Kent meeting ny chance in a bus station in Denver.
Both stories are very well written. The interaction between Dawn and Clark seems incredibly natural and their with the other characters in the stories is also totally in character. We don’t see much of the supernatural/out-of the ordinary in the stories, but what there is just seems totally logical – C.L. Kamnikar blends both the Buffeyverse and Smallville universe together really well.
Two excellent fics – I just wish C. L. Kamnikar would write a third in the series.
2 commentsFic Title: Contrite Spirits
Author: Lizbeth Marcs
Links: Contrite Spirits On Fanfiction.Net
Content: PG
Status: Completed
Rating: G-Good
Contrite Spirits is set post-season 7 BTVS. Faith and Xander have a religious discussion at a cathedral in Canada. While not incredibly long, at a little over 10,000 words, Contrite Spirits has some heft to it. I found the story quite enjoyable. It is well written, grammatically speaking. The characterizations of Faith and Xander seem spot-on. I definitely like the backstory on Faith…it seems to fit smoothly into what we already know about her.
Comments Off on Contrite SpiritsFic Title: The Slayer In Question
Author: Booster
Links: The Slayer In Question on Twisting The Hellmouth, The Slayer In Question on Fanfiction.net
Content: Rated PG-13 by author.
Status: Complete
Rating: G-Good
Don Sample makes a recommendation on alt.tv.buffy-v-slayer.creative for the The Slayer In Question. I’d like to second that recommendation.
The Season 5 Angel episode, The Girl In Question, was not one of the better episodes of the series. I found it rather boring and other people actively disliked it. The Slayer In Question gives that episode an entirely new meaning.
Booster doesn’t change any of the scenes of The Girl In Question, he merely adds new ones showing background events which places that episode in an entirely new context. His characterization of Buffy and the rest of the Scoobies is pretty good and his new scenes blend seemlessly into the events of the episode.
While I prefer long, epic-length fics, The Slayer In Question is an excellent short story. I hope to read more of Booster’s stuff in the future.
Comments Off on The Slayer In QuestionFic Title: Harry Potter and the Rising Darkness
Author: kyc639
Links: Harry Potter and the Rising Darkness on Fanfiction.net
Content: Mystery story. Rated PG-13 by author.
Status: Complete
Rating: A-Acceptable
Harry Potter and the Rising Darkness by kyc639 is mystery story set after Harry Potter leaves Hogwarts and becomes an auror. It is a Harry/Hermione shipper fic, although that is not the main plotline.
I have mixed feelings about this story – it is well written from a grammatical point of view and has lots of potential. Harry’s characterization is well done and the original character of Robert Toms is rather interesting. The groundwork for the mystery is laid out rather nicely also. Where I feel the fic falls short is in the endgame. The mystery is very straightforward…nary a red herring in sight. What is a mystery without at least one detour leading the character(s) and reader astray? We don’t learn much about the main villain(s) in the story either…they seem rather flat and one dimensional, as does kyc639’s characterization of Hermione. While I am a Harry/Hermione shipper, it just doesn’t interest me in this story.
Overall, Harry Potter and the Rising Darkness is better than the average fanfic, but it didn’t leave me wanting to reread it or hope for a sequel, which is why I rated it merely A-Acceptable.
Comments Off on Harry Potter and the Rising DarknessFic Title: Realizations
Author: Wishweaver
Links: Realizations on fanfiction.net, Wishweaver’s Yahoo Group
Content: PG for the most part.
Status: Work in progress
Rating: E-Excellent
Realizations is an AU Harry Potter fic that begins the summer after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I mentioned in an earlier post that it is tied with Harry Potter and the Acceptance of Fate for being my favorite Harry Potter fanfic. Every time I read one, that one becomes my favorite. Then I reread the other, and my opinion changes. Both are top-notch fics, either way.
Realizations is a nice, long fic (although not as long as Acceptance of Fate). Currently it is about 160,000+ words spread out over 27 chapters.
I don’t want to give any real details about the plot, other than to say it is very interesting and flows seemlessly. I do feel that I should mention that Realizations is not a ‘shipper fic. Also, there seems to be a little more interaction between the Muggle and Wizarding worlds than in the novels, which I think Wishweaver has actually handled better than in the real books.
Characterizations are also nicely done – all of the main characters seem to be canon. I especially like the way Wishweaver has portrayed Dumbledore. Dumbledore is powerful and wise, but also human and fallible. I also think Wishweaver did an excellent job with Hermione.
In addition to the major characters from the books, Wishweaver has fleshed out the Grangers making them seem quite real and three dimensional. Wishweaver has also created some original characters (the Wrights) so interesting I wish they would show up in J.K. Rowling’s books.
Realizations is a work in progress, with Wishweaver posting a new chapter about every month or so.
One commentFic Title: Harry Potter and the Acceptance of Fate
Author: Arya
Links: Acceptance of Fate Yahoo Group, Acceptance of Fate on Fanfiction.net, Arya’s Livejournal
Content: Varies. A few R & NC-17 sections, but mostly non-smutty.
Status: Work in progress
Rating: E-Excellent
Harry Potter and the Acceptance of Fate by Arya is tied with Realizations for being my favorite Harry Potter fanfic. It begins the summer following Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and continues into Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts.
Acceptance of Fate is a long, plot-heavy fic with excellent characterizations. At the time of this review, it has 52 chapters and well over 400,000 words. The plot is somewhat darker than J.K. Rowling’s stories, but other than that, I think it has much of the same feel.
While Acceptance of Fate is a Harry/Hermione shipper fic, I find that Arya has managed to integrate said relationship into the story in logically and seamlessly. In addition, Arya has shown Harry becoming a highly-skilled wizard, without turning him into über-Harry. The rest of the characters are either portrayed as they are in canon or as logical extrapolations of canon.
The fic is updated regularly – Arya generally posts a new chapter on her Yahoo group every other week or so. She has also said there will be a sequel set in Harry’s seventh year, although not as long.
Favorite quote:
“Harry occasionally found Dudley staring at him in a peculiar way. Harry thought he may have been thinking again but really could not believe Dudley would do such a thing.”
I haven’t been converting much fanfiction into E-books lately. It is not because I am not reading any… I am just not reading many on my PDA. Since I am not converting fics, I figured it might be a nice if I pointed out the good ones I come across, therefore I am adding a Fanfiction Recs category to the website.
Fanfiction that I read (and I feel is worth the effort) will be rated on a five point scale:
E – Excellent.
G – Good
A – Acceptable
P – Poor
T – Terrible
Some items I look for in a fic: good plotting, pacing, characterization. Items I dislike: Slash, poor grammar and spelling, out of character action, Mary Sues.
Comments Off on Fanfiction Recommendations And Fic Rating System