BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » Johnlock Fic Recs *warning

Sherli Bakerst · October 4, 2012 8:09 pm

I'm home sick so thought it'd be a good time to start reading PIALR. I"m about to begin Chater 10. My thoughts so far: The story is very well-written, I see glimmers of the characters from the TV show, the chapters about making the film were intereting. But the story hasn't grabbed me the way I thought it would, considering all the raves I'd heard about it. Perhaps that's because I'm not a fan of AU stories in general. I have some ideas about where this story is going and shall read on to find out if I'm right or not.

Harriet · October 5, 2012 7:54 am

Glad that you write that... I didn't get far with PIALR either, actually I dropped it way before chapter 10.
Now I know I can just skip AU.
Maybe Johnlock is already enough AU for me - compared to BBC

Ivy · October 5, 2012 10:28 am

The story is well-written, but it's not my thing either. It's too AU for me.

Sherli Bakerst · October 5, 2012 3:39 pm

I finished PIALR and would like to offer some additional comments. The story was entertaining but I really didn't see much of the personalities of the TV characters of Sherlock and John in it. There were, as I said before, glimmers: Sherlock makes deductions about people and John helps Sherlock become "nicer." But it's not explained how the deductions were made and to me, that lessened the impact. The suspense of whether or not John would be nominated for an award and whether or not he would win if he were was compelling enough to make me continue reading but I wasn't really invested in the characters.

I felt that all the emotional outpourings by Sherlock and John were not in character--though of course I know that that has to be stated directly in a print medium--and, frankly, all the sex scenes became tiresome. I actually ended up skimming over them in the second half of the story. I didn't think all that sex furthered the plot, for the most part, but rather was included just because it could be. Basically, I think that while some was necessary to show the relationship and commitment of the two characters, a lot of it was unnecessary to describe. For me, it became banal.

I should make clear that this was far from the first slash story I've ever read, so I don't object to reading slash at all. It's just this story that I didn't especially care for. I found Alone on the Water much more riveting and enjoyable.

SusiGo · October 5, 2012 3:50 pm

I really liked "The quiet man". It is very long and is sometimes a bit repetitive but the writing's excellent and the characters are captured very well. I would have liked a bit more of the "outside" characters like Moran but all in all it's worth reading. It is slash but in a quiet, erotic fashion. And the description of John's suffering are very moving. In my head I sometimes translated sentences into German just to hear what they would sound like in my language.

Now I'm starting "The eye of the beholder". Today I bought a brand new 2,000 pages novel about the German resistance against Hitler. Let's see which story wins.

Harriet · October 5, 2012 3:52 pm

SusiGo wrote:
Now I'm starting "The eye of the beholder". Today I bought a brand new 2,000 pages novel about the German resistance against Hitler. Let's see which story wins.

I'm afraid I know already

SusiGo · October 5, 2012 4:02 pm

Oh. God. Yes.

ancientsgate · October 6, 2012 11:05 am

I've had life leading me elsewhere, so it took me about 2 or 3 weeks to get through this one. This is technically an AU, since Sherlock has a biological 4-year-old daughter, Imogene, in it, but otherwise, it follows season one canon very closely.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/484035/chapters/842620

Fill Our Mouths With Cinnamon Now by ibmisscharlie

And no, I have no idea what the title means-- I saw nothing about mouths or cinnamon in the story. ???

Warning: there is child endangerment here, so if that bothers you, give this one a wide berth. The love story is quite secondary to the season one "action". I think the biggest reason to read this is to see Sherlock interact with his kid, and for the both of them to welcome John into their lives-- John is *wonderful* here.

kazza474 · October 6, 2012 11:19 am

ancientsgate wrote:
Fill Our Mouths With Cinnamon Now by ibmisscharlie

And no, I have no idea what the title means-- I saw nothing about mouths or cinnamon in the story. ???
.

I don't read fanfics, but for your interest, that phrase is from a song:

Sons & Daughters

"When we arrive, sons & daughters
We'll make our homes on the water
We'll build our walls of aluminum
We'll fill our mouths with cinnamon, now

These currents pull us 'cross the border
Steady your boats, arms to shoulder
'till tides are pulled hold our grounds
Making this cold harbor now home"

Read the whole of the lyrics on the link. Maybe the lyrics will match up with some premise to the storyline.

Davina · October 6, 2012 11:45 am

Just in case you want to watch them perform the song in question:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBvEhhZFYhl

Last edited by Davina (October 6, 2012 11:50 am)

SusiGo · October 7, 2012 7:16 pm

For Harriet (and everyone who's interested) - my view on "The eye of the beholder":
This is a sweet story strongly emphasising romance and no sex, there's just some kissing (which is fine by me). They are Sherlock and John, no AU, and it's set after TGG and pre-series 2. John is in a strange mood, subconsciously feeling that his attitude towards Sherlock has changed, when Sherlock goes missing. He starts a search involving the Homeless Network and there's a showdown at the British Library. This happens somewhere in the middle, the rest of the story deals with them coming to terms with their feelings and the new direction their relationship is taking.
It's well written although IMO stylistically not quite as good as "The quiet man". Some repetitions, now and then a paragraph seems to be in the wrong place. But apart form that it's a very decent and sometimes heart-warming story.

Harriet · October 7, 2012 7:37 pm

Thanks! I'm about to finish part 4 of the series which includes lots of sex - and romance as well.
I guess in the storyline physical intensity increases from each part to part.
(LOL, good it's not the other way round... )

It's written so well that I will start part 1 (that one) just to get the whole loooong story line which includes Moriarty.
But your review sounds like each part can be enjoyed for itself.

(For The Quiet Man: Somehow I can't get myself to read Post-Reichenbach, I know I do miss something )

SusiGo · October 7, 2012 8:10 pm

Yes, it's very distressing and intense. John's suffering very badly. But I think it's worth reading and being patient, you'll be rewarded in the end.
4 parts? Heavens, I thought I could finally return to my 2,000 pages novel.

Harriet · October 7, 2012 8:28 pm

You had only the first one so far, don't give in so quickly, tststs...
But your reaction is a proof that each part can be read for its own

About The Quiet Man, I will stay firm, I would also not ready Post-Reichenbach comedy.
That future-line wants to be kept vacant for BBC YAY

SusiGo · October 7, 2012 8:33 pm

You have a point there. Mhm, maybe I'll try part 2. Still the addict.

Ivy · October 7, 2012 9:17 pm

Great, finally someone read daysofstorm's stories (Eye of the beholder and so on)

Don't forget part five of her series http://days-of-storm.livejournal.com/51163.html

She calls the first 5 parts Book 1, there will be other parts in the future.

@Susi: like Harriet said, there will be lots of sex later............

SusiGo · October 7, 2012 9:20 pm

Hm. Wondering if I created a false impression. Although: Sex doesn't alarm me.

Harriet · October 7, 2012 9:31 pm

Susi: I don't think so either - you left the right impression

I agree it's important to have an idea of what to expect.

Ivy: Thanks for the hint. The counting of this series seems a bit difficult. Part 5, then... there go my days ... and nights ...
(Did you read #128?)

Last edited by Harriet (October 7, 2012 9:47 pm)

Ivy · October 7, 2012 10:08 pm

Maybe we just shouldn't call them part 1, part 2 etc

1. The Eye of the Beholder
2. Life Imitates Art
3. Perchance to Dream
4. To Which Fate Binds Us
5. A Draught of Sunshine

that looks better

I love the fact that she has pdf files for the first four parts, it's very reader-friendly.

No I haven't read post #128 until now, this thread is sometimes so overwhelmingly fast

hepzibah · October 8, 2012 6:47 pm

I haven't posted on this thread for some time because of real life stuff, but i thought I would come by and have a look around.

I am devastated that some of you don't like PIALR. Only kidding, we all have our own tastes. I love it so much that I have downloaded it to my Kindle (did I mention...) so I can dip into it whenever I feel the need. I was poking around on mad-lori's tumblr and came across a couple of PIALR snippets. http://madlori.tumblr.com/

SPOILER ALERT
There is one story that is quite a shock until you realise the significance of the date, April 1 which is, of course, April Fool's Day. I just mention that because I would have had a heart attack if I hadn't been forewarned!

Okay, I am off to read some of the recommendations from above. Laterz