Rec: Dreaming of England by Kitty Fisher

[pontisbright.livejournal.com]

Story: Dreaming of England
Author: Kitty Fisher
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 52382
Author's Summary: After Turlough went home...
Characters/Pairings: Five/Turlough, Five/Master, Master/Turlough
Warnings: graphic sex, graphic violence, non-con, rape, drugs, hurt/comfort, angst

Recced because: this is the granddaddy of Five/Turlough fic, plain and simple. Even if you’ve never clapped eyes on this story, if you’ve ever read or written any Five/Turlough fic or meta or vague flailing in their direction, it’s probably been influenced by this one. Every pairing has its origin story and for them, this is it: one of the first (possibly the first: it’s been online since 98 at least) to explore the potential in a swishy blond Time Lord (complete with a kinky sadist for an ex-boyfriend) and an angsty ginger minx in school uniform. Thanks to the likes of who_otp, these days it’s hard to imagine any pairing being ‘new’ – but think back to a fannish world where slash really was marginal: when there was only one fic to read. That’s how fanon is made.

This rec comes with provisos. This is not light reading: it’s long, the warnings are genuine, there’s melodrama aplenty, and the schmoopiness amidst all the h/c might well read like slash cliché these days. But this is a justified classic, chockfull of tension, angst, and the creeping sense of dread that suits the tail-end of the Five era down to the ground. If you've newly discovered Doctor/Master thanks to the new series: if you like your Turlough smushed to bits and chained to a wall (and lord knows, JNT seemed to): if you have even a passing interest in classic Who slash - well, this is how they kick it old-school.

Comments

[elyssadc.livejournal.com]

Wow. You definitely weren't kidding. Yes, it obviously has its weaknesses, but this is the kind of old school, character-breaking, unappologetic torture porn kind of slash I remember from the good old days of all infant fandoms. The pioneers are never afraid to take it to the edge as far as dark h/c non-con goes and I gotta say, I'll always love it. Thanks so much for reccing this one. Even just beyond enjoying it for its own sake, getting to read a slice of fandom history was brilliant.

[pontisbright.livejournal.com]

That's it exactly: a grand read in itself, but also really intriguing as an example of the kind of fic that simply doesn't get written these days. Really glad you enjoyed it. :)

[kittyfisher.livejournal.com]

I so nearly (even back in 98) didn't post the story, as I hate the ending and so much of it really needs revising... however, like you say, fannish history! And for all its faults a story I'm still fond of - thank you so much for reccing it, and liking it despite its flaws :)

BTW, someone pointed me here, and I'm glad they did!

[pontisbright.livejournal.com]

Oh, you are SO very welcome: flawed it may be, but I bloody love that story. I feel vaguely guilty for describing it as fannish history (not meaning to characterise you as some kind of dinosaur, obviously) - but I'm always intrigued by fandom from that angle: the stories that paved the way for others, and in doing so had as much influence as canon. I'm pondering a parallel universe where you decided not to post it after all, and it is a sad and gloomy place.

*fangirls*

[kittyfisher.livejournal.com]

::Blushes::

I personally comtemplate a world where I'd actually done the work that needed doing to it before posting!! LOL but that really is a fantasy land, so, no regrets!

:)