Agatha Christie | Alice in Wonderland | American Gods | Arthurian legends | AS Byatt | Bible | Cadfael | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory | Charlotte Bronte | Chaucer | Chronicles of Narnia | Classical mythology | Dark is Rising | Diana Wynne Jones | Discworld | Dorothy L Sayers | Dracula | EM Forster | Fairy tales | Frances Hodgson Burnett | Georgette Heyer | Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | I, Claudius | Isaac Asimov | Jane Austen | Lemony Snicket | Little House on the Prairie | Neverwhere | Norse myths | PG Wodehouse | Rebecca | Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead | Shakespeare | Sherlock Holmes | The Beekeeper's Apprentice | The Name of the Rose | Tipping the Velvet | Vorkosigan series | Watership Down | William Gibson | Winnie the Pooh
Coffee and Cognac by Gwenhwyvar
'The precise, finicking habits, the egg-shaped head, the mannerisms, even the accent were just window-dressing, they had faded from my memory after a while. But his smile was the real Poirot.' A delicate short piece, with a spot-on Hastings voice
[Added 03/01/2007; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Agatha Christie]
Extract From the Carrollian Catalog of J. Phildrop by Ellen Fremedon
Excellent Carrollian pastiche, plus an unforgettable rewriting of one of my least favourite poems
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Alice in Wonderland]
Ravens and Writing Desks by Meltha
'Darkness has fallen on Wonderland.' One of those stories that goes deeper than the source yet remains true to it. Highly recommended
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; Alice in Wonderland]
How Spider Came to America by Taz
'Spider... was thinking of a trick he could play on her. He would spin himself into a handsome man, seduce her and then when her mind was on the pleasure his penis was bringing her, he would steal the bag and the gourds in it.' Lovely rhythmical writing which could fit straight into the novel
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 1000-2500; American Gods]
The Journey West by Oyce
'They forget Monkey was born of stone, not womb, they forget Monkey creates new monkeys from handfuls of fur, chewed up and spat out.' Original & beautifully crafted, 'The Journey West' packs a surprising amount into very few words
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; <1000; American Gods]
The Handmaid's Veil by Alexandra Lynch
'She would die for Isolde.' I'm a sucker for OC viewpoints, and this is a lovely example. A heart-breaking love story that can't end well
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Arthurian legends; Adult]
The Water-Horse by Thamiris
Thamiris creates a rich medieval atmosphere using modern colloquial language -- a truly enchanting tale!
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 6000-20,000; Arthurian legends; Adult]
What Is And What Seems To Be by Lesserstorm
'She is a tool his king has provided for him, a weapon to his hand.' This original & clever tale completely reimagines Guinevere. The results are enthralling
[Added 21/07/2009; Drama; 2500-6000; Arthurian legends]
Seen and Unseen by Argyle
'In the half-light the folds seemed wrought from cobwebs and parched earth.' Beautiful descriptive writing in this brief vignette (Angels and Insects)
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; AS Byatt]
Vivien & Merlin by The Red Shoes
'"But -- it was cold. You -- you are my fire. My hearth. My element. A salamander," he said, with a short sharp laugh, but she did not smile. "You burn without being consumed."' A missing scene between Ash & Christabel that could slot straight into the novel. Erudite & passionate (Possession)
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; AS Byatt]
Weaving Lesson by Baranduin
'She is sleeping now and I am scratching away in my journal. I love to watch my Princess sleep, her breathing so delicate and even. The ivory lace around her white throat barely moves.' A quiet piece which gives Blanche a voice (Possession)
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; AS Byatt]
In the Shadow of Her Wings by Sinope
'She clung to the fragments of tales she overheard while learning how to carry a full vessel of water without spilling a drop, or how to pound barley grains into flour as smooth as her mother's kiss.' A lyrical version of the Book of Ruth. Highly recommended
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 1000-2500; Bible]
The Road to Jerusalem by Lakester
'The fish sizzled behind her, gutted and chopped. The fish that hadn't spoken to her as she lay there, that she hadn't cut small enough that she could be sure it wouldn't do so again.' Wonderful gritty portrait of Mary Magdalene, before & after she meets Jesus
[Added 21/07/2009; Character Piece; 2500-6000; Bible]
Not Strain'd by Seldear
'The mercy of man was inexplicable enough in this human coil of loss and love and jealousy and greed, how much more inexplicable the mercy of God upon his creation!' A solid if simple mystery for Cadfael, very much in the spirit of the original. This could easily be a short story by Ellis Peters
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; 6000-20,000; Cadfael]
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
The Chocolate Factory by Ignipes
'He was standing at the edge of a tremendous cavern, a sweeping valley -- there was no better word for it -- bigger than a dozen Quidditch pitches, sloping down toward a dark, dry riverbed at the bottom. A skeletal forest of charred, spindly trees lined the riverbanks, with not a single leaf among them.' Evocative descriptive writing and a most intriguing premise mark this memorable crossover (HP/Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
[Added 26/04/2007; Drama; 6000-20,000; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Crossover]
Mission by Solvent90
'There were curious scarlet flowers in the trees, some of which fallen underfoot and lay vivid as red silk in the black mud.' Evocative, sensual writing characterises this brief peek at an alternative ending for Jane Eyre. I love the way the piece echoes the original despite the very different setting
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Charlotte Bronte]
Are We There Yet? (or, Fear and Loathing in Kent) by angevin2
'"If you don't shut up right now we're going to turn this pilgrimage around and go home!"' The Canterbury Tales as a road trip: Angevin gives us the bits that never found their way into the final version. I'm sure I'm missing most of the allusions here, and it's still hilarious
[Added 07/08/2009; Humour; 1000-2500; Chaucer]
Another Country by Jay Tryfanstone
'She had blue eyes, Susan, a blue so dark it was almost black, and skin as white as the flesh of a snowberry...' An ambiguous, dangerous tale
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Chronicles of Narnia]
Further Up and Further In by Kyra Cullinan
'It's funny...how he always gives us journeys.' The new Narnia, in ripples outwards from Tirian & Jewel. Lovely details and a very canonical feel
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 1000-2500; Chronicles of Narnia]
The Lady Running by Tea Roses
'Lucy...wasn't entirely innocent; she knew the ways of fauns and the things they desired.' Narnia was always more sensual than Lewis allowed, and Tea Roses' tale captures this aspect, without losing any of the delicacy & humour of the original
[Added 11/11/2008; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Chronicles of Narnia]
Not Gods, But Demons by Kastaka
'They had come to her in the night, three shadows in her room, winged and clawed and fanged.' The villain's point of view is always interesting, and this vignette, set before The Magician's Nephew, strikes the right balance between humanising Jadis & portraying her utter ruthlessness
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Chronicles of Narnia]
The Traitor, the Witch, and the Lovers by Katie Vieceli
Everyone and their pet iguana has rec'd this, years ago, but I couldn't resist. A dark & twisted AU for the Narnia series that would have CS Lewis turning in his grave. Not for the faint at heart
[Added 08/07/2004; Drama; 2500-6000; Chronicles of Narnia; Adult]
Persephone: Redux by Nightengale
'Do not tell me that you've been off gallivanting again with that Hades figure, Persephone, do not tell it me!' Neat revisioning of the Persephone story
[Added 03/01/2007; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Classical mythology]
Small Step For Man by Toft
'She has a different name, here, but she is still the same.' Artemis & Apollo through the ages. A reflection on the pitfalls of immortality, anchored in sharp details
[Added 07/08/2009; Drama; 2500-6000; Classical mythology; Adult]
The Ascent by Annakovsky
'He touches Daedalus Ascending again, the elongated, stylized features of Daedalus, his angular wings, his beaky nose. Barney's always pictured Daedalus as looking something like his Great-Uncle Merry, for some reason, and the figure resembles him a little. If Gumerry had ever flown with an Icarus beside him.' A sense of looming menace grips the reader right from the opening of this story, and Annakovsky deftly interweaves the mythic & the prosaic to capture the feel of the original books
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; 2500-6000; Dark is Rising]
The Land of Lost Content by Rochefort
'These paintings did not allow for any reflection. They pulled a response from the viewer, whether it was given freely it or not.' An unusual post-series adventure, featuring wonderful descriptions of dark magic
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 6000-20,000; Dark is Rising]
Only Revolutions by Cherry Ice
"Sometimes," Jane murmurs, Jana, Jano, "when I wake I can't quite remember my own name." A particularly strong take on the lost memories theme, lyrical & atmospheric
[Added 10/11/2008; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Dark is Rising]
Protection by Sheldrake
'At home in Bucks there was an old saying: it's not spring unless you can set foot on twelve daisies at once.' Good use of detail, believable dialogue and a poignant, plausible characterisation of Bran combine to make this short piece stand out
[Added 15/12/2004; Character Piece; 2500-6000; Dark is Rising]
Two Sides by Genarti
This brief study of light and dark offers an intriguing insight into one of the most neglected characters of the novels
[Added 15/12/2004; Character Piece; <1000; Dark is Rising]
The Long Dance by Temaris
'When the first dog died, because dogs burn faster than humans, he brought a pup at midwinter, a scant three months old, full blooded, and said, "There and the return also," and she bowed her head stiffly, burning with the need to ride.' Wonderful mythic envisioning of Katherine's life, with a final line that's just perfect (Dogsbody)
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; <1000; Diana Wynne Jones]
The Paths of the Undying by rosemaryandrue
'When she stopped to catch her breath, the old lady laid a hand on her arm, eyes bright with merriment, and whispered, "Love him and laugh with him and it won't matter how old he is."' A delicate take on Maewen's wait for Mitt, with a strong feel of the original (Dalemark Quartet)
[Added 02/01/2009; Drama; 1000-2500; Diana Wynne Jones]
Will End in Fire by Ghost Lingering
'It was the laughter in the wind and the sound of a boy's pranking and it tasted like the burnt out match at the end of summer.' A bittersweet treasure that fits with the original yet dares to move beyond it. Strongly recommended (Eight Days of Luke)
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Diana Wynne Jones]
Modern Love by Penknife
'"Nobody's she in the mines, Sergeant. No one wears heels on their boots or paints their faces or wears breastplates that curve in interesting ways."' Penknife uses a series of vivid OCs to bring to life the complexities of dwarven sexuality, in this clever, funny set of linked vignettes
[Added 20/05/2009; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Discworld]
The Rules by Gileonnen
'There aren't very many rules, when one is a wizard. Or rather, there are very few rules that one might conceivably break twice.' Clever coming-of-age tale with a wonderful Pratchettesque style
[Added 20/05/2009; Humour; 2500-6000; Discworld]
Death in the Tuileries by Dafna Greer
'He was less clear on whether that meant they assumed he would find nothing, or that there was indeed nothing to find.' Crisp and spare account of Wimsey's first case, set during WW1
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Dorothy L Sayers]
The Frivolous Fable of a Spinster's Suspicions by Nineveh
'"May I enquire, Lord Peter," said Miss Climpson, proffering his refurbished tea-cup, "as to your opinions of White Slavery?"' Sparkling humour & excellent characterisations, including a gem of an OC, mark this gentle mystery for Miss Climpson & the Cattery. Nineveh also skilfully intertwines the rocky beginnings of Peter & Harriet's relationship into the tale
[Added 18/07/2009; Drama; 2500-6000; Dorothy L Sayers]
Scarce Any Man by Atalan
'Harriet privately thought that possession of a tea tray said less about one's bourgeois leanings than about the impracticality of juggling two mugs, a glass tumbler, and a bottle of not-terribly expensive champagne...' Delicate study of Harriet's life before Strong Poison, beautifully characterised & full of telling details
[Added 18/07/2009; Drama; 1000-2500; Dorothy L Sayers]
The Unlikely Story of a Nobleman's Daughter by Dafna Greer
An unusual case for the great detective. Beautifully written and hilarious from line 1
[Added 13/01/2005; Humour; 2500-6000; Dorothy L Sayers]
Where All Past Years Are by Atalan
'Charles is not an imaginative man.' This tightly structured vignette offers abundant character insights as it poses an interesting question
[Added 11/11/2008; Character Piece; <1000; Dorothy L Sayers]
Sympathy of Wolves by GreenSpine
'I wondered, admiring, at the great care He had taken to drive the wooden stake through her body without touching her heart or stealing her voice, for that was the touch of His true love, just as the tendernesses of my past were His violence.' An original viewpoint renews the age-old tale
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Dracula]
A Mirror Distorted by Shirasade
'Clive had almost resolved to feel nothing but pity for the man.' A sad but plausible glimpse at one path Clive might take after the end of the novel (Maurice)
[Added 07/08/2009; Drama; <1000; EM Forster]
Stamp'd On These Lifeless Things by Halotolerant
'Alone, Cecil could be Cecil. When she broke their engagement, Lucy had said to him that when he came into contact with other people he destroyed them. What she had not seen was that the reverse was true - around others, Cecil was never how he wanted to be.' A subtle vignette, which offers a wonderful portrait of Cecil in all his complexity (A Room with a View)
[Added 07/08/2009; Drama; 1000-2500; EM Forster]
The Bruise Around the Wound by Rana Eros
'She is the usual shape, her visible skin the normal texture, even if the color is lurid. Her hair, though, her brows and lashes make people doubt. It only takes a little deformity and their imaginations run wild.' A dark reworking of 'Rapunzel' & other tales. Strange, lush & vivid, with overtones of Angela Carter
[Added 18/07/2009; Drama; 1000-2500; Fairy tales]
Carte Blanche by Paraphilia
'My Blanche is no white rose. She is, instead, an evening orchid -- wild and dark-scented, drawing many a collector's eye.' A modern retelling of 'Snow White', clever & disturbing
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Fairy tales]
Fire, Measured By What Doesn't Burn by Luna
'There was sand in your sheets at night, every night, needling your skin, but it didn't keep you from falling asleep and dreaming. The war had traveled west with you, riding in the whorls of your ears and the treads of your boots.' A smooth amalgamation of gritty realism & fantasy characterises this modern re-envisioning of 'Twelve Dancing Princesses'. An amazing achievement
[Added 07/08/2009; Drama; 6000-20,000; Fairy tales]
In a Dark Wood by Sheldrake
'She cannot absolutely say that he is finned, or winged, or hoofed. And yet, she cannot absolutely say that he isn't.' A lovely combination of the surreal & the matter of fact marks this dreamlike version of 'The Beauty and the Beast'
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Fairy tales]
The Mysterious Vanishing Mr Bore by Triskellian
Inventive rewriting of 'Jack and the Beanstalk', with some cute details
[Added 30/12/2005; Humour; 1000-2500; Fairy tales]
Rough Diamond by Lyrstzha
'Stories are sleek and round on the tongue and in the mind, perfect circles of meaning, but truth is mostly far more unsatisfying and messy.' A novel retelling of 'The Beauty and the Beast'. Clever & charming. Highly recommended
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Fairy tales]
Swan's Wing by Penknife
'Every now and then I wonder if she wishes she'd never started that last shirt.' Subtle reworking of 'The Wild Swans', with a wonderful narrator's voice
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Fairy tales]
Swansong by Lassarina Aoibhell
'My brothers say they remember little of their time as swans. I remember a great deal. I wonder if they lie, if they have deliberately forgotten, or if the memories have stayed a part of me, anchored by the feathers and hollow bones that took the place of hand and arm.' Melancholy & haunting tale of one caught between two worlds ('The Wild Swans')
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Fairy tales]
The Troll Princess by Shannon
'I went after him with a girl's hot passion, I melted for him, I scrubbed my heart raw against him. I got over him with a woman's cold and careful anger, chipping, chipping at the love until none of it was left.' Cute re-envisaging of 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon', with a lovely dry humour
[Added 11/11/2008; Humour; <1000; Fairy tales]
Dear Friends and Ruin by Minerva McTabby
'This must be what it's like to find a diamond.' Very believable expansion of a few lines in the source that made me long to revisit the original (A Little Princess)
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Frances Hodgson Burnett]
Ajax Renown'd by Grond
Heyer fic is unusual enough, Heyer fic that avoids the usual suspects even more so. Grond manages to keep the character voices intact whilst taking their bodies in directions Ms Heyer wouldn't dream of (Unknown Ajax)
[Added 26/04/2006; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Georgette Heyer]
Five Years by SJ Kasabi
'Xenophon was an old friend, and his strictures on horseflesh and horsemanship were a considerable consolation in a city where the primary mode of transport was aquatic.' Written as a series of short scenes spanning the titular five years, this character study of Aubrey unfolds slowly & delicately. There's a welcome peek at Venetia & Damerel's happy ever after, too. Delightful (Venetia)
[Added 05/11/2008; Character Piece; 2500-6000; Georgette Heyer]
A Gentleman of Taste by athousandwinds
'"I don't like to say it," said Meg, not looking too sorry, "but this might be the only wedding of the year where the bridegroom outshone the bride."' Nothing profound here, but it's a lovely whimsical continuation of the novel, and the characters are spot on (Cotillion)
[Added 07/08/2009; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Georgette Heyer]
Rome by Ishafel
'It was not Hugh's battle, but he could not stop himself from fighting.' Nicely written, with beautifully realised characters (These Old Shades)
[Added 26/04/2006; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Georgette Heyer]
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Galactic Miscellany by Rheanna
'Arthur got out of bed, put on his slippers, pulled open the curtains of his bedroom and checked the front of the house for bulldozers. He did this every morning, without fail.' Very few writers dare to attempt DNA's style, but Rheanna does it so well here that you'd be forgiven for thinking he'd risen from the grave to write 'The Galactic Miscellany'
[Added 29/07/2004; Humour; 2500-6000; Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
In This Galaxy, Nothing Can Be Said To Be Certain by Makesmewannadie
'Under no circumstances should the wise hitchhiker ever make itself known to the GRS. They are more tenacious than the Tracking Hrunds of Bixastow, nastier than the Snarling Grattafiends of Trog, and even your towel will not save you if you come to their attention.' Guide entries, snappy dialogue and a healthy dollop of plot, as Arthur gets to save the day for once
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy]
That Tongue Thing by Makesmewannadie
I don't often recommend body swap stories, but hilarious doesn't even begin to cover this one. Adams' style is perfectly emulated, even if (especially if?) the result isn't something he'd have published
[Added 13/01/2005; Humour; 2500-6000; Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Adult]
Mater Patriae by Yahtzee
'Their goodness made them wonderfully pliable, like the softest, fresh-spun wool. Livia had been spinning for very many years.' Livia is among my very favourite villains, and this is a sharp look inside her head
[Added 22/07/2009; Character Piece; 2500-6000; I, Claudius]
C/Fe by Dorinda
'There are all kinds of programming.' An unusual coming-of-age piece, with a plot to boot! Made me homesick for the original (Caves of Steel)
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 6000-20,000; Isaac Asimov]
The Conscientious Objectors by Grey
Susan Calvin investigates a malfunction at a robotic assembly line. A simple but thought-provoking story, which could easily have been written by Asimov himself
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Isaac Asimov]
Hostage Negotiation by Marcelo
'It's not logical, and, unlike humans, I have yet to see a robot do an illogical thing.' Excellent characterisation in this clever short. Another one that could be a lost story from canon
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 1000-2500; Isaac Asimov]
Nice Work If You Can Get It by Shalott
'SU-3, a sleeker model, predictably became Sue.' Powell and Donovan's first field assignment proves anything but straightforward. It's a bit of a cliche-fic, perhaps, but the author brilliantly combines canonical plausibility with absolute hilarity
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 6000-20,000; Isaac Asimov]
As the Starling Said by Minerva McTabby
'Mary soon developed the habit of speaking a sufficiency of words while telling nothing at all. Indeed, there was nothing to tell; she had not seen Henry since it all began, though not for any lack of wishing or striving on her part.' Well-written pastiche, with a particularly strong insight into the incurably optimistic Mary Crawford. For those unwilling to be convinced by Austen slash, there's also a shorter, slash-free version (Mansfield Park)
[Added 06/08/2009; Drama; 6000-20,000; Jane Austen]
Love and Marriage by Solvent90
'Henry Crawford found that such of his wife's rusticities as he least adored – and, as the time passed, grew most to deplore – were the ones most resistant to all that town acquaintance and town entertainments could do.' A thoughtful look at how it might have turned out if Mansfield Park had ended differently, with characterisations that feel very true to the novel. Highly recommended
[Added 17/07/2009; Drama; 2500-6000; Jane Austen]
Poignant Sting by Ione
'Emma found it difficult to smother a sigh as Miss Bates rattled the cups, lost the jam spoon and found it again in the beaufet, then trod upon her own hem, commenting and questioning and marveling the while on these and other tiresome minutiae.' Emma seems the most difficult Austen for a writer to penetrate, and some aspects of Ione's sequel weren't entirely successful for me. It's well worth a try, however, for its unexpected insight into Miss Bates, which has gone straight into my personal canon
[Added 07/08/2009; Drama; 6000-20,000; Jane Austen]
Regrets and Reminiscences by afrai
I don't think I've ever seen Austen pastiche done better. Mansfield Park fanfiction is thin on the ground, and Afrai rewards the reader with interesting insights into Crawford through Edmund's eyes. I'm rather conflicted over the slash element, though
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 6000-20,000; Jane Austen]
The Gargantuan Garden by Yahtzee
'You will notice at once that this story has no warnings. Many readers prefer such warnings before their stories, because they will be mournful if anyone is said to die, or get angry if a character they dislike is treated nicely, or burst into flames if two imaginary people other than those they prefer are shown to be in love. Therefore such warnings are helpful things indeed.' I don't know Lemony Snicket, but Yahtzee's engaging crossover makes me wish I did (Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events/Edward Scissorhands)
[Added 29/07/2004; Humour; 2500-6000; Lemony Snicket; Crossover]
Little Settlement on the Moon by Rina
'Pa...had been learning about the new-fangled idea of hydroponic farming. Imagine - all that good food, no worries about weather or grasshoppers!' Rina uses prosaic little details to make the impossible premise surprisingly believable. The upcoming titles list at the end is a hoot
[Added 06/08/2009; Humour; 1000-2500; Little House on the Prairie]
The Invisible City; or, Dick Mayhew and his Marvellous Cat by Calliope85
'In the spaces below and above and between and through London, rivers became ditches became sewers became streets, and history flowed into fable.' This Gaimanesque sequel is packed with richly researched detail as it slowly builds to a climax that's both surprising & inevitable. Simply wonderful
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; 6000-20,000; Neverwhere]
Utterly Professional by Kumquat Weekend
'Another corner. And another, down into the bowels of the palace that the emperor knew better than any person alive. Yet the voices drew nearer, one flat as mud and one oily as a pig carcass.' An original look at Croup & Vandemar through the ages, always changing but always the same
[Added 10/11/2008; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Neverwhere]
(Some Say the World Will) End in Fire by Gloria Mundi
The adaptable Gloria Mundi turns her attention to the Norse legends. I'm not sure the result will be for everyone, but I felt it fit well into canon and was surprisingly hot
[Added 16/12/2004; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Norse myths]
The Big Sleep by Fresne
'Loki's bed was wide as the sea and covered in fire proof satin.' A noir retelling of the trickster's story
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 6000-20,000; Norse myths; Adult]
Trickster's Game by Alchemine
'If you've slain one three-headed fire-breathing monster, you've slain them all.' Beautifully characterised & hilarious
[Added 30/12/2005; Humour; 2500-6000; Norse myths]
Wayfarer's Daughter by Meyerlemon
'When the world was young, they sang songs about my sisters.' Powerful short where every word counts (Wagner's Ring Cycle)
[Added 03/01/2007; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Norse myths]
The Aunt and the Ankh by Curtana
'It had often made me wish I'd had the foresight to cultivate some obscure and socially unacceptable hobby in my youth, something I could pull out at necessary intervals to extricate myself from unwanted matches. Competitive blancmange eating, say, or, collecting potatoes that resemble famous politicians.' A thoroughly jolly romp with a strong Wodehouse voice and a scattering of hilarious lines
[Added 04/08/2009; Humour; 2500-6000; PG Wodehouse]
Deus Ex by innocentsmith
'The Author would like nothing better than to stretch out for a few paragraphs of tangy salt air, cheeky seabirds, and tourists looking dubiously at their white boating shoes and the baskets of shrimp on the pier.' Neat execution of a highly original concept: clever & unusual. Definitely worth a try despite a plethora of typos
[Added 04/08/2009; Drama; 2500-6000; PG Wodehouse]
Jeeves and the Blessed Indiscretion by Shalott
'The rest proved remarkably straightforward, at least when one discounts the cat, the housemaid, and the fire…' Unusually for this fandom, Bertie is the prime mover in this deftly written piece, and the inevitable denouement is also accompanied by more than the usual dollop of plot
[Added 27/04/2006; Humour; 2500-6000; PG Wodehouse]
Yes, Sir, Jeeves by Skyblue Reverie
'He was actually grasping and pulling at his hair as if he were trying to tear it out by the roots, which I had always thought was just something that novelists said to get across the idea that their protago-whatsit was in dire straits -- I'd never actually seen it done before.' Flawless pastiche & convincing OCs mark this tale of role reversal leading to self-discovery
[Added 03/01/2007; Humour; 6000-20,000; PG Wodehouse; Adult]
Danny by Tiffany Rawlins
'Once even Mrs. Danvers must have been young...' An excellent handle on Rebecca's slippery narrator
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; Rebecca]
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Proof by Sonya
It's easy to write meta-fic for R&G, but this struck me as particularly clever
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]
Before the End of All Things by CJ Marlowe
'"You're mad," says Ophelia, sipping her latte and looking at Hamlet overtop four-hundred-dollar sunglasses, a gift from a man she does not love.' A particularly clever take on the eternal tragedy -- to say more would spoil the premise (Hamlet)
[Added 11/11/2008; Drama; 1000-2500; Shakespeare]
Waste Our Lights in Vain by Nifra Idril
'There is a door inside Mercutio, in the shape of Romeo. It blows with the wind; open and shut, open and shut.' Sensuous descriptive prose and refreshing characterisations (Romeo & Juliet)
[Added 13/01/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; Shakespeare]
Absurdly Simple by Irene Adler
Irene Adler has managed that rare mixture of intricate detective-story plotting, character development and black humour in this classic tale of blackmail. She also writes an excellent simulcrum of the good doctor's style
[Added 16/04/2003; Drama; 6000-20,000; Sherlock Holmes]
The Adventure of the Expert Cracksman by Mary Crawford
'"My dear Hopkins," said Holmes, "if a troupe of performing elephants had paraded through this house, the damage could not have been greater."' This plausible short adventure could easily be a missing story from canon, but it's really made by the intriguing glimpse it offers into Holmes' past
[Added 21/07/2009; Drama; 6000-20,000; Sherlock Holmes]
Commonplaces by Astolat
'He was, she thought, very much like Godfrey:...The sort of man who would trust in what a friend told him, unquestioningly, because even to puzzle would be faintly disloyal. Easy to fool such a man, and more than a little cruel to do so.' A perceptive look at Irene Adler, after her story is supposed to be over, which fits a great deal into its short length. Simply beautiful
[Added 21/07/2009; Romance/Erotica; 1000-2500; Sherlock Holmes]
For England, Home and Beauty by Cimorene
An awful lot of H/W first-time stories exist, and mostly they've rather a generic feel. Cimorene, however, manages to manoeuvre Holmes into bed whilst keeping him believably in character in this short piece set around 'The Bruce-Partington Plans'
[Added 29/10/2004; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Sherlock Holmes]
The Maiden Voyage of the Tiresias by Shalott
'Faithful readers of these accounts of my adventures with Holmes will not be surprised, I dare say, to learn that it was not often that I was able to gain the better of my friend. His intellect and skills were of so rarefied a nature that indeed, there were few men who could lay claim to such a triumph.' Few writers pull off Watson's prose as well as Shalott, and this is a real treat
[Added 29/07/2004; Drama; 2500-6000; Sherlock Holmes]
Requiem at Reichenbach by Alixtii
'A single fleck of dust can so alter the path of an asteroid so as to crash it into a planet or to drive it into the star around which it orbited.' The author creates an interesting voice from the bland evil overlord of canon as Moriarty teaches Holmes more than mathematics
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; Sherlock Holmes]
Encounter at Reichenbach by An Oxford Punter
Setting is a powerful tool rarely used well in fanfiction. This vignette is an exception
[Added 20/02/2003; Drama; 2500-6000; The Beekeeper's Apprentice]
L A U D S by Minyan
'...the forge the labyrinth had become devoured first principals and the crucibles of alchemists and the lives of horned whales, the rules of scansion and of physics and the circumference of the earth, the stars the Arabic astronomers recorded at the knee and the breast of the swan, and a hundred faces of the virgin.' An amazing achievement, true to the voice of the original, yet moving beyond it
[Added 03/01/2007; Drama; 2500-6000; The Name of the Rose]
The Beggar's Wish by Doyle
A very believable continuation of the novel, with a lovely tone & excellent detailing
[Added 30/12/2005; Romance/Erotica; 2500-6000; Tipping the Velvet]
The Councils of Despair by Parhelion
'Real leaders don't stop being leaders just because they've resigned, just because they're now drunks.' Despite the extracanonical pairing, this piece feels like a missing chapter from Shards of Honor, with believable characterisations and a strong portrayal of the darker, seamier side of Barrayar
[Added 06/08/2008; Character Piece; 6000-20,000; Vorkosigan series]
Do You Remember The Last Time? by Gair
'Forty years of pure data, processed by a man with forty years' experience. Gone. Eaten by a little bug. And he was what was left on the edge of its plate, a man who couldn't beat Alys Vorpatril in six rounds of Star-tarot One-up.' Stylish writing with a spot-on voice for Illyan, but Gair's insights into the differences between eidetic & somatic memory are what really make this piece
[Added 21/05/2009; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Vorkosigan series]
Bright Moon, Who Goes Farther Still by Hossgal
'Little Moon had lost children to foxes and owls and the traps of men; to White Blindness, to weasels, and to suffocation in over-crowded warrens, to the claws of hawks and to her own bitter heart. And when Little Moon discovered that El-ahrairah had been addressed by Lord Frith, and turned away, her anger was deep.' Hossgal's ambitious story gives us the does' perspective not only on the events of Watership Down, but also on rabbit mythology. The novella's two strands weave together perfectly as the tale builds to its moving climax. A real treasure
[Added 10/11/2008; Drama; 6000-20,000; Watership Down]
Run Fast and Dig Deep by Qwerty
'You'd never had need to dig new tunnels before coming here, but when the earth yielded beneath your claws, you understood immediately which way to dig, how to clear away the loosened earth, the tricks for shoring up the sides so the run would not fall in.' Adapting to freedom isn't always easy. A gorgeous, poignant story melding visions and tales, future and past
[Added 03/01/2007; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Watership Down]
Strong Yet Weak by KaptainSarcasm
Excellent mingling of myth with present as a new adventure begins for Blackavar
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 2500-6000; Watership Down]
Mercury Scatters by Northland
'Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly, and a razorgirl's gotta cut.' A moving short that returns a hint of humanity to Gibson's creation (Neuromancer)
[Added 07/08/2009; Character Piece; <1000; William Gibson]
In Which a New Child Comes to the Forest by Loligo
Loligo cleverly uses the setting to voice insights into growing up and the responsibilities of parenthood, as well as the nature of storytelling
[Added 30/12/2005; Drama; 1000-2500; Winnie the Pooh]
