rec: La Chanson de la Tristesse

[bunnyinnatardis.livejournal.com]

My second rec of the week is an evocative vignette by an obviously talented writer who I hope we will see more work from soon.

Story Title: La Chanson de la Tristesse
Author: Cyberjulie
Rating:  All Ages
Word Count:  5512
Author's Summary:  Following on from a near death experience in 1969 Cardiff, the Doctor decides some downtime is in order. A brief visit to 1977 Earth allows Rose to understand a little more about the weight the Doctor carries with him.
Characters: The Ninth Doctor, Rose
Warnings:  none

Recommended Because:  This lengthy vignette is lovingly rendered with a great deal of emotion and evocative language.  I left Cyberjulie a review when this story was first put up and honestly did not think I would get to be the one to recommend it here as it contains many of the elements Teaspoon readers seem to enjoy.   I expected it to be noticed by reviewers weeks ago.  As I noted in my original review, there aren’t enough Ninth Doctor stories and he’s such a fascinating, complicated character.  Here we see him in rather a different light as the author explores a depth of feeling often overlooked.  We also get some of the wit.  The relationship between Rose and the Doctor reflects what fans were offered in the television series and characterization is quite nice.  The technical elements are refreshingly solid.  Bittersweet, this is another one that may require a handkerchief.   Music aficionados will be especially delighted.

rec: The Rallax Operation

[bunnyinnatardis.livejournal.com]

All right, time to put away the hankies and get ready to laugh—long and loud and hard.   For my third rec (and now I am almost caught up) I chose one that just popped up on Teaspoon and I got to it first!  One of my goals was to present some Classic stories—this one partially fulfills that goal.  When Garron and Unstoffe part company with the Fourth Doctor in The Ribos Operation, they probably never expected to see that blue box again.  Certainly not so soon.  Fans of the Classic Era and the Tenth Doctor alike, get ready to rock and roll.

Story: The Rallax Operation
Author: Al B. Dickerson
Rating: Teen
Word Count:  13,814
Author’s Summary:: After their adventure on Ribos, Garron & Unstoffe thought they'd struck it rich with the Graff's treasure-laden cruiser. But they also thought they'd seen the last of the Doctor.
Characters:  Unstoffe, Garron, The Tenth Doctor, original characters
Warnings: none

Recommended because it combines Classic and New era characters in a BIG imaginative, exciting adventure that just doesn’t stop.  I had originally planned to rec a story by this author that I read some months back, but this one seemed too fun not to share.  Unstoffe is an utterly charming narrator and he weaves a story worthy of Doctor Who.  A wild romp, Rallax is a bit on the long side (dividing it into more chapters might work better for Teaspoon), but engaging and fun, with unexpected, clever twists.  The story works fine for those not well-versed in Classic DW, but for those who appreciate nods to canon, this one is full of Whovian goodness.  Classic Who flavor combined with New Era freshness really make it a treat.  You can tell that the author pulled out all the stops and had a ball with this. The 10th Doctor is a hoot, more than a bit unbalanced after the events of The Waters of Mars, but well characterized.  Some of the dialogue is just hysterical.  Watching The Ribos Operation prior to reading The Rallax Operation would add to enjoyment but is not necessary (and if you don’t know Ribos, you’ll want to watch it after reading this)!  Get a big bowl of popcorn and a tall drink and settle down with this one.  You'll be laughing before you know it.  Encore!  Encore!

Time for more reccers!

[nonelvis]

Many of you volunteered the last time I called for more reccers, for which I'm very, very grateful -- but we're finally about to run out! If you'd like to rec at calufrax, our next open slot begins September 17.

All you need is a mere four stories on Teaspoon you love – more's great too, but not required – that are well-written, don't all include exactly the same pairing (though they don't all have to be different), and don't involve character bashing. New and old reccers are welcome anytime; just sign up here.