REC ME FICS!

[mijan]

Okay, I'm going to cave in.

I need Trek fics.  Please let them be either genfics or Kirk/McCoy.  I could also enjoy McCoy/Spock, if it's old-school.

Here's the catch:  I want plot.  I want character development.  If there's going to be sex, let there be plot outside the sex, beyond what is necessary to have them hook up.  In fact, PG-13 would be lovely.  Action/adventure would be lovely.  Please, no schmoopy fluff.  Please, no gratuitous violence.  And please, something where the plot could still function without the characters getting drunk off their asses.

Sure, there's nothing wrong with any of those things.  I've read some fun drunk!fics.  Kirk is a hoot when he's wasted.  Porn is great, too.  But SERIOUSLY, it's all I've been finding.  I've found only ONE FIC so far which had significant plot, was well-written, didn't focus on booze, and the point of the story wasn't sex.

Also, the more "old-school" the characters behave, even if this is the ST:XI universe, the more I'll like it.

Bonus:  I'd love to see the whole crew in action.  I'd love to see Kirk LEADING, not just being a reckless adventurer; McCoy being a DOCTOR, not just a cynical tagalong with a hypospray (Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor, not a plot device!); Spock being a science officer, not just a database for logical catch phrases.  I'd love to see Uhura using her communications skills for more than just picking up a distress beacon.  Sulu can do a lot more than just flying on maneuvering thrusters only.  And Montgomery Scott is the best damn engineer in Starfleet, NOT JUST COMIC RELIEF!  I'd just love to see the fabric of the Trek universe played out a bit more than to just be a backdrop for a good shag between intoxicated senior officers.

Good recs will earn my eternal gratitude, cookies, and a lot of squeeing.  And if you've written a fic you'd like me to read, feel free to self-plug!

Comments

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

Re: Your second-to-last para: so you won't want to be watching any of the actual episodes, then? :)

[mijan.livejournal.com]

*snicker*

See, while they do quite a bit of that in the actual episodes, I think I see those cookie-cutter flat characters being flattened even MORE in the fanfics I've been finding lately. The only time I see the characters being fleshed out is when one of them is drunk, mopey, in love, in lust, or mourning.

I mean, in TNG, you do get to see the characters being experts at their jobs. You don't get to see it in as many TOS episodes, but it's there.

I'd like to see some of that being preserved in a fic, or even made better.

[regicidaldwarf.livejournal.com]

I haven't written any Trek fic myself, but I really like this one, written by karanguni. It's set while Kirk and McCoy are still at the Academy and is about Kirk and McCoy and Kirk's really weird head. I'm possibly explaining it badly, but the summary is "Kirk versus a machine versus his mind," and it's rated PG and is generally awesome.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

AWESOME! I shall read it!

[imagines.livejournal.com]

*watches comments to this post LIKE A HAWK*

[seneska.livejournal.com]

Ditto.

[freckled-kisses.livejournal.com]

I KNOOOOOOOOW RIGHT.

[simons-flower.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind ship-based fics, I highly recommend:

• Two Men and a Motorbike by inell [NC-17]. This is the first novel-length fic that I know of (just over 150K) in the ST:XI 'verse and just ended. She'll be starting a sequel very soon.
• Anything by blcwriter (most of her stuff is Kirk/McCoy) and my favorites are here
• Paterfamilias, or Five Times Jim Kirk Took Care of his Crew by sullacat [PG-13]. This is mostly gen, but does have overtones of and ends Kirk/McCoy.

I don't know how you feel about angst, but there are some amazing darker fics out there. I'm reveling in it because some of them allow for a much more in-depth character than smut does sometimes. Let me know if you want those recs.

I have made two public posts on my journal with Star Trek recs -- and need to make another post soon as I have so many more recs -- and tried to collect the ones not everyone has seen. I also tag things in del.icio.us here. My journal posts are: gen fics and ship-based fics.

I hope those help.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

I've seen the "Two Men and a Motorbike" fic recced a few times, and I've started to read it, but haven't gotten into it yet. I'll give it another look.

I also read Paterfamilias, and left a very complimentary review. It doesn't have PLOT, but it has a strong theme illustrated in short, separated pieces. In fact, in that fic, Kirk strongly reminded me of my own Commander, which prompted me to tell the author just how much that story had an impact on me.

But I'm definitely looking for more plotty, action/adventure stuff. I'll give "Motorbike" a try. I also like angst, as long as it's done well, and I'll give your LJ a try. Thank you!

[simons-flower.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not sure how much plotty, action/adventure fic is out there yet, unfortunately. I know syredronning is an Old Skool TOS fan and wrote for years in TOS and is just starting to write in the ST:XI 'verse, but she has a website with lots of fic (mostly shippy). Unfortunately, I don't have that link handy, but I'm sure it's in her profile.

I'm writing a sort-of plotty series that I hope to have complete by the end of July (7 of 9 -- heh -- are complete now), called the Away Mission series, if you don't mind self-pimping. That will be about 50K when it's all said and done, I think.

Angst:

• hold my breath and wait until I shake by smokey2307 [R]
• Five Times He Said No by hounds_morrigan [NC-17] -- more of a Kirk character study, but it haunts me. Non-con.

I'd forgotten about these two fics -- though I mentioned syredronning above. Both of these are by her and feature McCoy being Doctor McCoy:

• Battle Drill [PG-13]
• The Shuttle Incident [PG-13]

Happy reading!

[supasass.livejournal.com]

Hi there. I used to read your LJ years and years ago for the HP stuff and sort of lost track. Just to say, lol.

I'm glad I've rediscovered your LJ cos you're also a Kirk/McCoy fan like I am. And so I've looked through my memories and found this WIP by camesawconquered called Old Man by the Enterprise (http://community.livejournal.com/kirk_mccoy/130454.html I don't know to write html :() and it does involve booze but only the first chapter, and theres a lot of feeling written into the words, exploring their relationship as too-close friends. There's six chapters so far and I really like it.

This one I see as thoughtful porn - Cura Te Ipsum by Lindmere (http://lindmere.livejournal.com/785.html - part 1). You get to see the insecurities of Bones and the way Kirk's thought processes and then a bit of hurt/comfort. And the sex is amazing and realistic and gorgeous for a first time. I really recommend it in general.

THIS is the link to the Open Sign collection of stories by eneiryu. It starts off with dubcon Spock/Kirk and involved Kirk/Bones as well. It's an angsty, tortuous piece of work and I loved it.

Those are the ones I've got in my memories. I really hope you like them!

xxx

[supasass.livejournal.com]

Ok, found another one just now which is *clutches at heart*. Yep.

Black Hole Poetry by feverbeats (http://feverbeats.dreamwidth.org/14343.html) There's Bones angst, background added to the movie, Kirk's barefaced love of space, ooh its gorgeous. Go to it.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Actually, I've aleady read Cura Te Ipsum. It wasn't bad, but it didn't do it for me. Dunno why. I liked it, but I didn't love it.

But onto the next ones!

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Huh, I know I at least had Cura Te Ipsum on my reading list. I'll pull it up and give it a go! I see Emmagrant has commented with a positive review, so that means it's gotta be good. :D

I've seen Old Man and the Enterprise on the kirk_mccoy community, and I saw that it had a lot of back-chapters, so I ought to make time to sit down and read it. A few people seem to be enjoying it.

And where's the link to Open Sign? I'd love to read something angsty and torturous. :D

And yes, the one below looks great!

THANK YOU FOR THE RECS!!!

And I'll be posting my own Bones/Kirk fic soon, if you want to keep an eye out. :D

[supasass.livejournal.com]

http://eneiryu.livejournal.com/794.html Sorry! This is the link for the Open Sign verse, all the stories are there. Tell me what you think :). I know you're an awesome writer, so I can't wait to read your new stuff.

Also, on a sidenote, I just wanted to say I'm so glad to meet another lesbian who reads slash because my rl friends thinks I'm nuts, lol.

xxx

[mijan.livejournal.com]

You're kidding me! They think it's weird that a lesbian would read m-m slash? *sigh* I just explain that I love any and all things queer. Also, I think cocks are fine to read about - I just typically don't want them in my bed. :D

And actually, I identify as queer, not specifically lesbian, because I gender-bend a little bit. But that also includes the fact that I identify as masculine, so I personally identify more with male characters than female characters.

[supasass.livejournal.com]

I should say I identify as queer lesbian. I usually just say lesbian because it's easier I guess. I sometimes find myself attracted to men, mainly queer men but still see my basic sexuality as lesbian. Bah.

Actually, another quite interesting fact: your story, Switch, has remained one of my all time favourites, and definitely kick-started my interest in BDSM. Just to say.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

I totally sympathize with that. And yes, I only seem to find myself attracted to effeminate or queer men, too.

And really, "Switch"? I'm amazed that anyone remembers that. It was my first kink-fic that I ever wrote. I actually dealt with my own personal phobia through kink, so even though bondage wasn't it, I put some of those feelings into it. I'm deeply flattered that it made a difference to you. :)

[supasass.livejournal.com]

:) I definitely got in touch with those emotions. It somehow cut straight to many of my intimacy/trust issues and how bondage worked through those issues. And because of that I'll never forget it. I'm gonna add you as a friend is that's cool.

xxx

[mijan.livejournal.com]

It's absolutely cool. And I'll happily friend you back.

And I'm glad that my fic helped you that way. :)

[elf]

Repost to fix link; apparently DW's code doesn't quite work right.

Are you familiar with the VulcanReforged comm at Dreamwidth? Not much slash there, but some excellent genfics & explorations of "what happens when a billions-strong species drops to under 10,000 people?" The "precious things" series are just incredible.

I suspect it'll be a while before the porn settles enough for gen & action fics to get more attention. (M'self, I hope the Kink Meme never ends</i<, but I'd be plenty happy to see more non-sex-focused fic as a kind of counterbalance.)

[mijan.livejournal.com]

OOOOH! Thank you! I shall peruse the comm once I've adequately recovered from the convention. :D