(no subject)

[kennahijja]

There was a minor earthquake last night around 3am, which shook the computer and scared the cat quite a bit.

My Niffler term is at an end, which is a good thing because it's been quite a bit of work, and a bad thing because it was great fun. Although I was slow at the beginning, I managed to finish with 16 recs for four months, one per week, *phew*.
Did a table with a breakdown according to characters and genres and so on, should anybody be interested:

Title -- Author -- Rating -- Protagonist(s) -- Genre

The Five Steps -- ari -- PG -- Harry, Remus -- gen
Blood Will Tell -- Harloprillalar -- R -- Sirius/Lucius -- slash
A Half a Conquest -- Arkady -- R -- Tom/Albus -- slash
Fantastic Beasts: a Book Review -- Mary Borsellino -- PG -- Sirius -- gen
Fractured Triangle -- Fyre -- R -- Hermione/Lucius, trio -- het
Over Tea -- Dementordelta -- R -- Harry/Snape, Minerva -- slash
Take Up Serpents -- Rusalka -- PG-13 -- Tom -- gen
Welcome to the Dollhouse -- Lilith Morgana -- R -- Snape -- gen
Surprise -- Xandria -- R -- Harry/Lucius -- slash
Blood Magic -- GatewayGirl -- -- R -- Harry, Snape -- gen/het/slash
Midnight Conversations -- Thistlerose -- R -- MWPP, Lily -- slash/het
Out of the Bag -- Bernice Russell -- G -- Snape, Minerva -- gen
Once Upon a Time, in Egypt -- Josan -- PG-13 -- Snape, Bill -- gen
Fidelius/Secret Keeper -- tradescant -- R -- Harry/Snape -- slash
World's End -- bruno -- PG-13 -- Voldemort, Snape -- gen
To Serve a Purpose -- Dark Twin -- R -- Remus/Sirius -- slash

I knew three of the authors I niffled, got to know three more after stumbling over the fic niffled, exchanged a review with another, and don't know the other nine.
Seven Snapefics out of 16 was *definitely* too much, but there suddenly seemed to be far too many good ones floating around...
Nine angst fics and ten R-Ratings is a lot, too, but heck, that's my kind of thing.
I'm proud of reccing as many gen as slash fics, and really should have looked into more het!
And I feel kind of guilty for not Niffling even one H/D fic, and nothing at all Draco-centric, but that's perhaps only fair after doing a H/D overkill in my first Niffler term...


Oh, and there were two stories that broke my heart because I could *not* Niffle them:

Stealing Harry by Sam Vimes (copperbadge) [Sirius/Remus bringing up young Harry, R]
--> Sam Vimes has been Niffled three times already, which is the limit.

The Best Revenge by Scattered Logic (scatteredlogic) [Lucius/Hermione, NC-17]
--> NC-17 rating (while I agree with that restriction, the story itself is less racy than a lot I've seen under a R-Rating, which made it painful to pass up...

Comments

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

But isn't the_dark_twin's alter ego supposed to write family-friendly fic?

I was just going to point that out. Does that convince?

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Of course, we only have your word for that. ;)

Now you've got me wondering what a fluffy!Hijja alter ego would look like.
*ducks*

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

I didn't say FLUFFY, did I!!!

*growl*

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

Oh, fluffy Hijja! What a wondeful idea... actually, I can't imagine it at all, you know. It wouldn't be right. (Although there is The Art of Wool and The Cat and the Star, both of which are rather nice, and I don't remember anyone betraying and/or killing someone in either of them. Maybe I wasn't reading closely enough?

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

and here's the other part of the bracket pair...)

Oops.

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

LOL, if I still needed a proper incentive to finally settle down and read Hijja's fics (:o!), this is it. Although, I started reading "Blood Will Tell", one of your Niffles, Hijja, and I had to stop. :o Which of your own fics is the best to start when a reader is not good with too much blood? ;)

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Had to grin at this. "Blood Will Tell" has to be one of the more... extreme fics on the entire Niffle list. :) But IMO its true brilliance comes towards the end, should you be able to face it again.

Anyhow, I know you were asking Hijja and not me, but what the heck, you're free to ignore this! When you say you're not into 'too much blood' are you referring to explicit descriptions or general character torture? Assuming the former (and trying to avoid too much of the latter) my suggested starting points would be:

So you want to go to Hogwarts?
The Art of War
Tales From the Brute Squad
To Serve in Hell
Go Gentle
Somewhat Lighter Sympathy

Not because these are the 'best' (I wouldn't presume to make such a judgement) or even my favourites, but because there's a mix of old and new there, and I think that taken together they represent a range of Hijja's subject matter, PoV, inventiveness, attention to detail and writing style. If you want to jump right in at the dark end, try 'Trinity'; I'll leave you the pleasure of discovering the other gems of genius for yourself. :)

Oh, and Hijja (once you rejoin the party ;) - please feel free to jump on me if you think my suggestions are out of order (in any sense). I just thought that sometimes it's easier to come up with a list (especially of one's own fics) when one has something to disagree with. ;)

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

When you say you're not into 'too much blood' are you referring to explicit descriptions or general character torture?

It’s really hard to pin down. If you’ve glanced over my own fics you’ll see that I don’t have anything against general character torture at all (and that Niffled fic I tried even had my favourite victim). I’m definitely not afraid of pain (in fic), but torrents of blood make me uncomfortable, and I also shy away from permanent physical damage. You know, mutilation, that sort of thing. And character death, if it’s just used as a thrill. I’m OK with it when it’s the dramatic climax of a tragic development though.

Um, too much information? *g*


I think that taken together they represent a range of Hijja's subject matter, PoV, inventiveness, attention to detail and writing style.

I’ll take your word for that and give it a try.

OK with you, Hijja?

By the way – I’m sorry we’ve kind of “hijacked” your LJ for our own purposes recently. We should really go back to talking about *you* in here! :)

(Are you still here? :o)

Re: I win!

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Just got back, and am still in the process of laughing my poor head off. And am totally unsure about who I am, now :). Well, I *think* I'm not Chthonia - not that I couldn't make copious amounts of Magenbrot disappear all on my own, but if I would beta-read myself, my fics would *definitely* suck a lot more ;).

Can't argue with her list, though (apart from 'Brute Squad', which ain't my favourite). She skirted around the explicit slash, but then my own favourites never seemed to be the things that were somewhat popular... 'So... Hogwarts?', 'Go Gentle' and 'Art of War' (kindof) I still like somewhat ;). But there's certainly better stuff out there by others! (*cough*: LN; *cough*: Chthonia, just to name some...)

Got your mail, shall reply tonight when things have calmed down at work :).

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

And am totally unsure about who I am, now :).

LOL, at least I know I'm a schizophrenic.


But there's certainly better stuff out there by others!

There always is. But I refuse to make that a reason to stop writing!

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Just got back, and am still in the process of laughing my poor head off.

*grin*
Everytime I saw another entry appear on this page I was trying to imagine your face when you finally got to read it all!


Can't argue with her list, though (apart from 'Brute Squad', which ain't my favourite). She skirted around the explicit slash, but then my own favourites never seemed to be the things that were somewhat popular...

Well, I missed off some of my favourites too. :) I was trying to avoid citing half the list, and aiming to avoid too much bloodiness or AU-ness (given DT's penchant for canoncity - which is why I included 'Brute Squad' as an example of your portrayal of unusual character PoVs) rather than avoiding slash per se. I considered 'Monsters' and 'A Fragile Thing' but realised that the whole list at that point was 1st or 2nd person PoV, and I originally had 'Between the Dead and the Sleeping' as an example of... well, those shorter pieces of yours that I found rather unsettling. But then I realised that I'd missed out any mention of HP/TR, and by the time I realised that in doing that I'd committed the far greater omission of HP/LM, it was getting far too late! So it's probably not the list I'd have come up with given an awake afternoon of consideration, either...


But there's certainly better stuff out there by others! (*cough*: LN; *cough*: Chthonia, just to name some...)

I'm flattered. :) I'm not really keen on such comparisons, though - it's not a competition, especially as often we're aiming at quite different things in our writing. And while I'm generally happy with all my fics (though I'd like to revisit Sheathed Claws), none of them can compare with the likes of Burdens and KotW for sheer punch-in-the-gut plotting brilliance (which isn't the only wonderful thing about your fics, of course, but imo it's what makes them (and LN's, come to that) stand out from most of the other perfectly-characterised and vividly-detailed fics out there).

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

It appears that I have no choice but to read them all anyway now! *g*

(Time! Someone give me the time!!!)


it's not a competition, especially as often we're aiming at quite different things in our writing.

That's very well said - and even if we did all aim at the same thing, there can never be enough good stuff out there.

(That probably sounds awfully arrogant, I don't mean it like that, but, well, I suppose you get my point.)

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

I would also recommend "Night Over Azkaban", which is NC-17 and thus archived at skyehawke. I really liked this, and it was this fic that started my quest to seek out Lupin/Lucius fics. (There isn't any in there, nor any implication of any - but I saw something.) Plus one hell of a good Harry.

You have of course read chthonya's "Open Book" and also "The Dying of the Light", at FA, both of which I love, and (I'll say this publically), to the the_dark_twin, while I feel guilty about not having given you the reviews you deserve, I am more guilty about not having given chthonya hers. She's top of my guilt list. You are second! (The reviews are on my to-do list, as in, I need a whole day to do justice to your work. It will happen. I just can't write intelligent reviews after a day at work, and OMG! Squee! I luv it! won't do.)

(I'm not reccing "Invictus" here because you must know it and love it already.)

As for "Blood will tell", I read it peeping between my fingers. Months later I read it again, and found that most of it was etched on my brain - I could speak the words as I read them. That's how well crafted it is. I also hate mutilation and maining, unless it's very underwritten. This one is worth it, though.

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

That was supposed to be a reply to chthonya's post, about three or four further up. I don't understand threading - I was sure I'd hit the right button. Oh well.

This thread needs a site map, anyway!

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

I was sure I'd hit the right button.

You did. DT replied before you did and so every reply to that comment comes before your reply to mine. You've got to follow the indenting... still, if we add a couple more comments LJ will collapse the threads and it will all become clearer!

This isn't a gratuitous attempt to do so, however - I just wanted to add the caveat, for DT's sake, that while the characterisation of 'Invictus' is as canonical as I can get it, the plot is most definitely AU (not that it's the point of the piece, but due warning given).

And while thoughtful reviews always make me happy, they aren't worth feeling guilty. :)

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

The first to collapse will probably be Hijja, under the weight of all these comments! *g*


Thanks for the warning, Chthonia. It's not like I get physical allergic reactions to AU, you know. But yeah, I still fail to see the point of it. In any story. (More so if it's not the main point of the story). But it's probably not the place or the moment to discuss this theoretically.

And I'm aware that AU is not the same as OOC. (At least for a good writer!)

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

*DT adds some more fics to her must-read list*

Thanks for the recs!


Re: Feedback, it always happens to me, too, I really mean to leave in-depth feedback and then I don't get around to it. Be assured it's great to know already that you read it and liked it. I re-read the one-shot recently though and I must admit I would love to hear your opinion on it one day. But no hurry. That's another silly thing to think about feedback, that at some point it's just too late to send any, because that's just not true.

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

It's never too late, and I am beginning to get to the end of useless-tiring-things-for-work-that-drag-you-under which means I can resurface again and do some vaguely intelligent reviews. I have tried to make sure that, if I see a story by a new author that I vaguely like, that I drop a couple of lines of encouragement their way, because I still remember how much that first review meant to me.

At any rate, I am still working through my to-do list faster than new chapters are appearing of the chaptered fics I want to give feedback for, which is something to be grateful for. The day cthonya (or anyone else...) starts putting out chapters faster than I can review, is the day I leave the fandom. as I will then have no hope of catching up.

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

The day chthonya (or anyone else...) starts putting out chapters faster than I can review...

Though at my current rate of output, I don't think you have anything to worry about there! :)

Re: I win!

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Although, I started reading "Blood Will Tell", one of your Niffles, Hijja, and I had to stop. :o

Me too, several times. And I really had to brace myself for re-reading it when I set out to write the Niffle (the same for bruno's 'World's End', to be honest). But I admire fics that manage to punch me in the gut *intelligently*, and I just can't help wanting to share that experience :).

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

But I admire fics that manage to punch me in the gut *intelligently*, and I just can't help wanting to share that experience :).

I completely agree, at least in theory. Some fics are very easy to read and some are very hard to read and both can be an argument in their favour! I wasn't judging the quality of this particular fic.

Re: I win!

[kennahijja.livejournal.com]

Oh, fluffy Hijja! What a wondeful idea...

Argh!
*flails*

When other authors take their characters to the top of the Astronomy Tower, I expect a little sweetness and fluff. When Hijja does it, I know someone's going to die.

I think I love you! That must have been the most complimentary comment I've received, ever!

Re: I win!

[lazy-neutrino.livejournal.com]

lazy_neutrino is love
brought to you by the isLove Generator

Re: I win!

[the-dark-twin.livejournal.com]

That must have been the most complimentary comment I've received, ever!

I think it's brilliant. You should but it in your LJ bio or your story summaries or somewhere.

Re: I win!

[chthonya]

Agreed. It really made me grin when saw it.