Entries tagged with reccer: clocketpatch

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Beauty Under Rubble

Story: Beauty Under Rubble
Author: Pete_Galey
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 841
Author's Summary: Not all the Doctor's rescues are of planets or people.
Characters/Pairings: Seventh Doctor, Ace McShane, Bernice Summerfield
Warnings: None

Recced because:

It's short and slightly bizarre, but this fic absolutely captures the essence of the Seventh Doctor. There's a convoluted scheme, a bit of philosophy, a tragedy, and a wild dash of whimsy.

( A tiny taste )

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The Children of the Moon are as Heavy as Stones

Story: The Children of the Moon are as Heavy as Stones
Author: Nonelvis
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 2682
Author's Summary: "You're in hibernation," the Doctor said softly. "The one time a Quill's unconscious mind is apt to wander."
Characters/Pairings: Miss Quill, Twelfth Doctor, Miss Quill/ Twelfth Doctor, Miss Quill/ Ballon
Warnings: Explicit sex

Recced because:

If you haven't watched Class yet, I recommend viewing it before reading this fic (unless you want to thoroughly spoil yourself, as I did). If you couldn't care less about watching Class, then I still recommend this fic, because it's fantastic. There's a dreamy realism to it that works whether you know the canon or not. There is mythology and world building. There are nightmares and body horror. There is exceptionally good Twelfth Doctor characterization. There is well-written sex.

All of which is accessible without really knowing what's going on, but the biggest draw for me is the way Nonelvis has got inside the head of a uniquely vulnerable character who spends most of her time in canon doing her best to act unbreakable and unconcerned. Miss Quill and the Doctor make for a very interesting pairing, and one which I would happily read more of.

( A taste )

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(Not Quite) Relativity

Story: (Not Quite) Relativity
Author: alittletoolate
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1016
Author's Summary: Post The Fires of Pompeii fic.
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor, Donna Noble
Warnings: None

Recced because:

The Tenth Doctor was wild a mixture of things: sometimes melodramatic, sometimes glib, sometimes scared and needing, sometimes joking and unconcerned. This fic finds a way to balance between the extremes of that chaos to paint an interesting character study of who the Doctor was at that point in his life. It starts with a hearty jolt of angst before veering quickly towards warmth and humour. It show the Ten & Donna partnerships (one of the strongest in the series IMO) at it's very best. All that, and it even manages to insert a few Old School references and some very interesting ideas about the TARDIS along the way.

( A Taste )

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(no subject)

Story: Sailing On
Author: Meadowlark
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1242
Author's Summary: Though they come from different worlds, Vicki and Troilus find common ground to build their life on.
Characters/Pairings: Vicki, Vick/Troilus
Warnings: None

Recced because:

Vicki and Troilus are an odd couple. Born centuries apart and brought together by plot device they don't seem particularly suited to each other. In this lovely fic, Meadowlark shows that despite the obvious differences, Vicki and Troilus have more in common than meets the eye.

( A Taste )

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Out of Sequence

Story: Out of Sequence
Author: Rhaella
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 3182
Author's Summary: Rose isn’t ready to settle down just yet. Romana fails in her first attempt to return to N-Space. Mostly. Post Journey's End, but only for one of them.
Characters/Pairings: Romana II, Rose Tyler
Warnings: None

Recced because:

There is a whole genre of Who fics devoted to the question of "What happened to Rose?" and another whole cascade asking, "And what about Romana?" This fic lives where the Ven Diagram of those two questions intersect. It plays with themes of time and fate. It isn't really about Rose as The Bad Wolf, but does a lot with that theme and uses it in ways that I haven't seen elsewhere. It uses emotions the way an artist uses colour. There are moments of aching loneliness, nostaligia, joy, hope, and punch-to-the-gut sorrow. It's very difficult to describe without giving too much away. But it's a short read, and one I'm recommending to anyone who enjoys Rose, Romana, or Timey-Wimey fic in general.

Sample:

( Under Here )

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Full Moon, Full Moon

Story: Full Moon, Full Moon
Author: TheBigCat
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 4824
Author's Summary: In which the Doctor is an ex-chemistry teacher (recently fired), Ace might possibly be a werewolf, and they both sort out things with absolutely no explosives- which is a shock to both of them. (Survival AU)
Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Seventh Doctor
Warnings: N/A

Recced because:
It was a challenge deciding which of TheBigCat's many excellent fics to rec this week. She writes across eras and in a variety of styles and tones. Finally, I decided on Full Moon, Full Moon because:

1) it features Ace and Seven, one of my all-time favourite Doctor-Companion combos

and

2) it's wonderful and unique take on them unlike anything I've read elsewhere.

This is an AU, but how much of an AU is left up to the reader's imagination (is it a timeline which took a different path, or is it a completely different reality?). Ace is a werewolf (or, more accurately, a were-cheetah), and the Doctor is… a mystery wrapped in a puzzle tied with an enigma. He's a recently fired chemistry teacher. He may also be a Time Lord – or possibly a wizard. Who knows? This fic is full of questions without answers, but that's because the plot is less important than the magnificent, mentor-student friendship between Ace and her Professor, which is the same in any universe.

There is great dialogue, lovely descriptive prose (a lot of it about tea, and I had to make a cuppa while re-reading for this rec, because it kept making me thirsty), and loads of references to other companions/villains/past episodes for those who like spotting continuity nods. And, of course, there are lots of questions marks (not just on the Doctor's jumper) to keep you wondering what might happen next long after the fic is finished and the browser window closed.

Sample:

( Under Here )

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The Interview

Greetings all! I'm Clocketpatch, and after a bit of a tardy start I'm all set to be your resident reccer for the next couple of weeks. I've got a nice mixed bag of eras and styles so hopefully there will be something for everyone. If you see something you enjoy, please leave a comment on the fic itself to let the author know!

Story: The Interview
Author: Llywela
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2187
Author's Summary: Sarah asks Harry for a favour; a meandering bit of fluff with a sting in its tail.
Characters/Pairings: Harry Sullivan, Luke Smith, Rani Chandra, Sarah-Jane Smith
Warnings: None

Recced because:

Harry Sullivan was mentioned (briefly) in this week's episode of Doctor Who, and it's not the first time he's been reference either. For a companion who spent surprisingly little time actually onboard the TARDIS (just a season and a bit... and most of that time the TARDIS was MIA) he has a surprising fandom sticking power. He's old-fashioned, a bit bumbling, and utterly endearing. He is also quite a difficult character to nail down in fic without turning him into a caricature. This fic manages it with gusto.

Even though it is mostly dialogue (a stream of silly interview questions) it perfectly captures both Harry Sullivan and Sarah-Jane Smith and their strong, slightly-teasing friendship. I laughed out loud several times while reading, and came away feeling like I now know infinitely more about these characters and their lives than I did going in. There is some sorrow as well, but the fic doesn't dwell on it. This is a story about friendship and how it endures and enriches us.

And it is beautiful.

( A small taste )

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Rec: Level Complete

Story: Level Complete
Author: thebigcat
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1313
Characters/Pairings: Ten, Eleven, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, River Song
Author's Summary: AMY POND used SLAP. ELEVENTH DOCTOR has been INJURED FATALLY.

Recced Because:

LOADING…
LOADING…

I am a sucker for hilarious crack, and this is hilarious crack of the first order. Gain new companions while avoiding the nefarious inference of the WILD CRACK. This fic is Eleven's first two series re-imagined as a snarky text adventure game. And did I mention it's really funny?

( A taste )

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Rec: No Longer a Sidekick

Story: No Longer a Sidekick
Author: Annariel
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 5930
Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Clyde Langer, Fitz Kreiner, Rani Chandra, Samantha Jones, Sarah-Jane Smith
Author's Summary: How did Fitz Kreiner rebuild his life after he left the Doctor? Particularly when aliens will keep interrupting his plans.

Recced Because:

Fitz Kreiner is messed up beyond all belief, and he can't take two steps without wandering into trouble or making a horrible mistake, but for all his flaws, he's also very likeable and much more competent than he gives himself credit for.

Some unspecified time after the EDAs finish, Fitz leaves the Doctor and aimlessly drifts his way onto Sarah-Jane's couch, claiming that he's given up saving the universe and being a sidekick. With a little help from Sarah-Jane, the Bannerman Road gang, a gang of angry Ogron's, and a woman with a time travelling motorbike, he realizes that only half that claim is true.

This fic seamlessly blends canons and timelines from different corners of the Whoniverse. The dialogue is sometimes painful and sometimes hilarious, but always spot on. The details of time and place are richly imagined. The characters live and breathe. And Fitz is perfectly imperfect and compelling as he bumbles his way (with many friendly but forceful nudges) towards accepting his past and making a new beginning.

( A Taste )

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Rec: So Our Story Goes

Story: So Our Story Goes
Author: MissNessarose
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1918
Characters/Pairings: Mel/Ace
Author's Summary: They meet ten years later, and perhaps by chance—but Ace knows that she won't let this chance simply pass her by. And so she doesn't.

Recced Because:

It's chicken soup for the soul.

In canon, Mel goes off with Glitz and who knows what happens to Ace. This fic picks up ten years later. It doesn't try to explain what happened in the interval, only that Mel is back on Earth now and Ace is running a charity. They meet by chance. Then they keep meeting on purpose.

This is a beautiful bit-by-bit romance, which grows organically with Mel and Ace slowly coming to the conclusion that all of their friends, and neighbours, and co-workers reached almost from the beginning. It's Ace appreciating Mel for her voice and crazy hair, not in spite of them. It's Mel solving problems. It's Ace making explosions. It's afternoons at the movies and walks in the park. It's the small moments which don't seem significant on their own, but, cumulatively, have more power than all the Nitro-9 in the universe. It's two people falling in love and it's beautiful.

( A Taste )

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Rec: Vanity

Story: Vanity
Author: Wishingstar
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 414
Characters/Pairings: Twelve, Saibra, Jack Harkness
Author's Summary: "Could you trust someone who looked back at you out of your own eyes?" Well, that depends on who you are.

Recced Because:

Series 8 had a lot of great guest characters – Journey Blue, Robin Hood, Psi, Saibra, Captain Lundvik, Rigsy…

There doesn't seem to be a huge amount of fic up for any of these characters yet, perhaps because of how little time has passed since the airing of Death in Heaven. So, imagine how delighted I was to uncover this gem about Saibra.

There are no heists in this fic, but the emotional impact of Saibra and the Doctor's brief reunion has stayed with me. Saibra learns to accept herself and find joy. The Doctor misunderstands her motives and runs away from the possibility of happiness. It's such a clear, painful, and oddly funny summation of Twelve's character, and it may be my favourite fic yet published for this era.

( A Taste )

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Rec: Another Fine Mess

Story: Another Fine Mess
Author: Lyaka
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 6310
Characters/Pairings: Three, Nine, Twelve, Missy, The Master (Delgado), The Brigadier, Twelve/Missy, Three/The Master (Delgado)
Author's Summary: Twelve gets careless in the lab and accidentally whips up a space/time paradox. The Brigadier is not amused. (Shameless multi-era sass fest.)
Warnings: None

Recced Because:

It's funny. It's really, really, really funny. Lyaka has written a comedy of witty sass, dark humour, forbidden love, and enough snark to cause a temporal paradox. Watching Doctors from different eras bicker at each other is something I always enjoy, and this fic delivers on that premise in spades. I dare you to get through it without giggling.

( A taste under the cut )

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Three To Tango

Story: Three To Tango
Author: Biichan
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 1436
Author's Summary: The true story of what happened on the way back to Paris. (Probably.)
Character/Pairings: Fourth Doctor, Romana, Duggan
Warnings: Explicit Sex, Swearing

Recced Because:

Duggan!

Okay, there are other reasons. For example, this fic is also hilarious, hot, and very well written. Biichan has nailed Four and Romana's condescending City of Death patter. Poor Duggan is obviously in way over his head, but he's not adverse to confusing circumstances. In fact, he seems rather to be enjoying them...

-
( A Teaser-Taste )

Felis Catus Temporus

Story: Felis Catus Temporus
Author: Lissy_Strata
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 6032
Author's Summary: The Doctor needs Peri's help, but can she stop laughing long enough? (This fic has evolved into a series of unrelated cat stories.)
Character/Pairings: Sixth Doctor, Fifth Doctor, Third Doctor, Second Doctor, Eleventh Doctor, Peri Brown, Tegan Jovanka, Nyssa, Ace McShane, Second doctor, Polly Wright, Ben Jackson, Jamie McCrimmon, Jo Grant, Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Delgado!Master, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, Sarah-Jane Smith, K-9
Warnings: Kitties

Recced Because:

Awwww, who's a kitty! Mostly the Doctor. Though several companions, enemies, and by-standers are also affected by acute Felis Catus Temporus in this adorable sequence of fic which answers several important, kitty-related questions such as: What happens when K-9 meets a kitty? Do kitties get along with nitro-9? Can you put a kitty in a fez?

If you want to know, read on and find out (just be aware that the resulting cute may leave you incapacitated with kitty!love for an unspecified duration…)

( A Teaser-Taste )

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Wary

Story: Wary
Author: Maria Law
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 3536
Author's Summary: On a cold night in November, Grace Holloway meets the one person she never thought to meet again. The Doctor is lonely and looking to make a connection. Can the two of them sort things out?
Character/Pairings: Ninth Doctor, Grace Holloway
Warnings: None
Recced Because:

Much has been written under the "Nine visits an old friend after the Time War" theme. It's one of those well-loved tropes that can fuel a thousand fics (and more) without getting old. Of those thousands of fics, however, this is the only one I know of that features Nine getting brained with a zucchini.

There's also great characterization, zesty dialogue, and lush descriptions.Wary manages to strike a balance between well-handled Time War angst and moments of laugh-out-loud funny, without feeling disjointed. The result is a great fic that takes angst and makes it bright without making it trivial. I hope it brightens your day too.

( A Teaser-Taste )

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Mother's Maiden Name: __________

Story: Mother's Maiden Name:__________
Author: blaidddrwg
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 545
Author's Summary: The Doctor makes battle with NHS paperwork.
Character/Pairings: Tenth Doctor
Warnings: None

Recced Because:

Sometimes you need a smile and this fic is good at supplying one. Its a silly bit of paperwork that's thrust at Ten moments before the beginning of Smith & Jones, and the Doctor fills it out... creatively, though also with surprising honesty.

( A teaser-taste: )

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I see, I see (And It Sees Into Me)

Story: I see, I see (And It Sees Into Me)
Author: PhoenixDragon
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 4814
Author's Summary: It was unusual to have a High Inquisitor from Senior Command come for an inspection in the middle of wartime to begin with. It was even more unusual for that same HI to arrive with not one, but two advisors; those advisors carrying their own ranks and insignia from the upper echelons of Command. Commendante Rychtell didn’t know whether to be flattered or frightened, but he figured a good dose of both wouldn’t hurt.
Character/Pairings: Eleventh Doctor, Clara Oswald, Amy Pond, Others
Warnings: Graphic Horror

Recced Because:

Where to begin? There are several things going on in this fic which I love, but since this needs to be a concise rec and not an essay here are the main three:

1. The trippy, confusing, cold opening, which drop kicks you straight into this wonderfully complex tangle of a story. I say confusing, but it's confusing in that good, brilliant way where it's supposed to be a bit baffling until you hit about mid-way through and then, suddenly, everything snaps into place with a chilling logic that makes you want to re-read everything that's gone before.

2. Commendante Rychtell. As villains go, he's despicable in the worst ways possible. Except... he's also so completely human. I enjoyed the complex world-building standing behind this character, but even more so, I enjoyed how he was dealt with at the end and what this says about Eleven and his own demons, and the choices we all make and live with.

3. Eleven and all of his companions, past and present. They're just gorgeous together. Always.

A teaser-taste:

( Under here )

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RachelStardust: Scarves Are Not Meant To Be Used For That

Story: Scarves Are Not Meant To Be Used For That

Author: RachelStardust

Rating: All Ages

Word Count: 532

Author's Summary: Following in the tradition of my other fics, the Scarf has the floor.

Characters/Pairings: The Scarf

Warnings: None

Recced Because:

Sometimes a good dose of crack is in order. The Doctor has had many unique and memorable fashion accessories over the decades: The Bow Tie, The Fez, The Technocolour Dream Coat… but The Scarf stands tall as not only one of the Doctor's most recognisable accoutrements but also one of his most versatile. Watching Four romping through his episodes, it's easy to forget that scarves aren't intended as rope substitutes/lassos/impromptu shields/etc.

Well, unless you're the Scarf. Then it's impossible to forget.

( A taste )

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Marcus Rowland: The Problem of Susan

Story: The Problem of Susan

Author: Marcus Rowland

Rating: Teen

Word Count: 12441

Author's Summary: After her family is killed, Susan Pevensie starts to remember Narnia. Someone thinks that's a very bad idea.

Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness

Warnings: Mild swearing, spoilers for all of the Narnia books

Recced Because:

Marcus Rowland isn't the first fanficcer to associate blue boxes and wardrobes. This complex and wonderfully researched take on the crossover interweaves Narnia and the Whoniverse in ways that are surprising, heart-wrenching, and fantastic.

Both canons are given respect, and the final coda made me laugh out loud with surprise. The writing is detailed and descriptive, but also compulsively readable, and you can tell that the author has done a lot of research to ensure historical accuracy (right down to checking the appropriate phases of the moon).

Most interesting, to me anyway, is that this fic looks at what happened to Susan after Narnia, and explores not only why she forgot, but also what became of her after the Last Battle.

( A taste )

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Calapine: Heights

Story: Heights

Author: Calapine

Rating: All Ages

Word Count: 905

Author's Summary: The Doctor, Jamie, and just the one parachute

Characters/Pairings: Jamie McCrimmon, Two

Warnings: None

Recced Because:

The Doctor and Jamie are on a plane. We don't know why they're on the plane or what will happen to them after they get back on solid ground, but that doesn't matter. The plane is crashing. Two and Jamie have a moment of adorable bickering which ends with inevitable clinging. It's just one scene out of an unknown, larger adventure, but with all of the missing episodes that seems distinctly Two-ish in itself.
( A taste )