gensplosion | Entries tagged with world building

FANDOM: The Hunger Games
FIC LINK: Where the Vines Cling Crimson
AUTHOR LINK:

ghostie
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen +
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete / 1402 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Rue and Foxface

FIC SUMMARY: As you step through a hole in the fence you can almost hear the roar of the crowds, the wet choke of tendons snapping, the clink of blood dripping onto dark leaves.

There is no blood now, only flowers.

RECCER'S NOTES: This fic is just so haunting. The fairy tale-esque voice matches the premise of the fic perfectly, and it's an amazing example of just how effective second person can be when executed well. It's creepy as hell, which comes from the exact right mix of the horrible things that happen in canon and the supernatural elements added by the author.

espresso_addict

FANDOM: Blood Feud by Rosemary Sutcliff
FIC LINK: Born in the Purple
AUTHOR LINK:

bunn
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen | Forced marriage
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | ~3,250 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Anna Porphyrogenita

FIC SUMMARY: To pay for the Viking army that helped the Emperor Basil defeat the Bulgars, the Princess Anna was sent to the North to marry the barbarian prince, Khan Vladimir. She wasn't happy about it.

This is not a graphic story: there's no sex and no violence. But it is a story about a woman who is forced into a marriage she doesn't want at all.

RECCER'S NOTES: Gen purists be warned, as the summary states this is all about Anna's arranged marriage to Khan Vladimir, but it's in no way a shipping story and, unlike many forced marriage stories, there's no clichéd falling in love with the partner and no rape scenes. Instead it examines the choices available to a princess being coerced into a marriage for political reasons. Bunn develops a wonderful voice for Anna, tough, clever, yet ultimately realistic about her fate. The rich world-building is a particular treat. A standout story from the excellent batch at this year's Sutcliff Swap.

Although this is set within Sutcliff's Blood Feud, afaik, Anna is a minor character in the source & I can testify that it stands alone as historical RPF (I've still not laid hands on a copy!).

redsnake05

FANDOM: Chronicles of Narnia
FIC LINK: Your Journey's End
AUTHOR LINK:

missm
RATING/WARNING(S): General, non-graphic violence
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 1050
MAIN CHARACTERS: Tashbaan

FIC SUMMARY: It takes the blood of many to build a mighty city

RECCER'S NOTES: A slightly dark and twisted look at the city of Tashbaan and what it takes to keep a city strong and powerful. The last line is perfect.

redsnake05

FANDOM: Chronicles of Narnia
FIC LINK: Mazy Rings, Troublesome Things
AUTHOR LINK:

rthstewart
RATING/WARNING(S): General, no content warnings apply
WIP?/WORD COUNT: 9189
MAIN CHARACTERS: Letty Ketterley, Mabel Ketterley, Mrs Lefay

FIC SUMMARY: Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy. You might have read about their remarkable adventure in a book called The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. This story is not about Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy.

In the book, The Magician's Nephew, there was another family with two sisters and a brother. Their names were Mabel, Letty, and Andrew Ketterley. Andrew was the Magician in the book and I am sure we can all agree not a very good one. Andrew stole some magic dust from his fairy godmother, Mrs. Lefay, and turned the dust into magic rings.

This is the story about Mabel, Letty, and Mrs. Lefay and how this whole adventure with Narnia began.

RECCER'S NOTES: We only see Letty for such a short time in The Magician's Nephew, but she is characterised by an iron will and strong nerves. We see them both in this story, that shows her doing her duty and taking her chances, and making a choice. I think, too, that we can see how things might have been different, if only Mrs Lefay had seen what Letty was made of. What a witch Letty would have made! But that's a piece of character exploration for another day.

ozqueen

FANDOM: How to Train Your Dragon
FIC LINK: Blinded by the Sun
AUTHOR LINK:

akamine_chan
RATING/WARNING(S): Teen
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 1867
MAIN CHARACTERS: Hiccup, Toothless

FIC SUMMARY: He'd been offered the honor of killing a dragon, and it turned his stomach. He couldn't do it, and the only choice he had left was to leave his home.

At least he still had Toothless.

RECCER'S NOTES:

A feel-good road trip fic about a boy and his dragon. This isn't a very long fic, but it builds the world outside of Berk up beautifully, and the interwoven paragraphs from Hiccup's dragon manual are a great touch.

thady

FANDOM: Harry Potter
FIC LINK: Cho Chang & the Jasmine Code
AUTHOR LINK:

xenokattz
RATING/WARNING(S): PG-13 (for strong language & violence)
WIP?/WORD COUNT: one-shot | ~ 5,400 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Cho Chang

FIC SUMMARY: (Set between Half-Blood Prince & Deathly Hallows) Before returning to help her former schoolmates in the Battle of Hogwarts, Cho Chang fought against Voldemort & his follows in a more covert manner.

RECCER'S NOTES: Cho doesn't get much love in the books or in fandom, so it's always a great treat to find a Cho-centric story. Especially when it's so interesting and well-written as this one is.

I love the glimpse we're allowed into her life during the seventh book. She's fully fledged out here, and I'd just love to meet this Cho.

thady

FANDOM: Harry Potter
FIC LINK: Percy and the Green Carnation Club
AUTHOR LINK:

localfreak
RATING/WARNING(S): PG-13
WORD COUNT: ~ 4,600
MAIN CHARACTERS: Percy Weasley; OCs

FIC SUMMARY: Percy is surprised to find that Dumbledore left him something in his will: his membership to The Green Carnation Club, Paddington Est 1836

RECCER'S NOTES: This is an interesting take on Percy. I love the world-building of this story, and how Percy fits into it.

ozqueen

FANDOM: The Chronicles of Narnia
FIC LINK: Carpetbaggers
AUTHOR LINK:

cofax
RATING/WARNING(S): T, movie-level violence
WIP?/WORD COUNT: Complete | 122,185 words
MAIN CHARACTERS: Peter Pevensie, Edmund Pevensie, Susan Pevensie, Lucy Pevensie

FIC SUMMARY: After the coronation festivities, the real work begins.

RECCER'S NOTES:

An amazing, lengthy story of journeys and adventure, set just after the Pevensies are crowned. The politics detailed in this fic are amazing and well thought out - the adventures are dangerous and exciting, and the characterisation is wonderful. The original characters are fantastic, and Narnia is wonderfully detailed.

The Pevensies themselves are brilliant - intelligent, brave, but flawed. They struggle to make sense of their new duties at times, but not once shy away from them. All of them have shining moments in this fic - I can't choose a favourite; I love them all.

gensplosion!

Entries tagged with world building

The Hunger Games: Where the Vines Cling Crimson by ghostie

Sutcliff's Blood Feud: Born in the Purple, by Bunn

Narnia: Your Journey's End, by Miss Morland

Chronicles of Narnia: Mazy Rings, Troublesome Things by rthstewart

how to train your dragon: blinded by the sun, by akamine_chan

HP: Cho Chang & the Jasmine Code, by xenokattz.

HP: Percy and the Green Carnation Club, by localfreak.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Carpetbaggers, by Cofax

The Espresso Addict