Tip, Slide, Tumble; Gone to the Dogs

[green-grrl.livejournal.com]

Title: Tip, Slide, Tumble
Author: J S Cavalcante (j_s_cavalcante)
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Rating: NC-17
Length: ~42,500 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: This story hits so many of my kinks, it could have been written for me! It's a lovely, long piece, which I didn't even notice right away—I was immediately sucked in by JS's superb Ray voice, tight inside his head as he's slightly off-balance from a shock (see excerpt). As the story unfolds, there's wonderful kid!fic that completely avoids the syrup while still bringing the love. There's the much-needed aftermath of Mountie and Soul and the revisiting of Levon—one of my favorite eps and one-shot characters. There are great and very real original characters in the fic, and Ray interacts with them wonderfully. The reader can very easily see it coming, what Ray is going to do about his situation, and yet JS lets it unfold naturally, without rushing it. And there's what seems to be a clear development of a common romance cliche in the Ray/Fraser storyline, but JS sidesteps it neatly and creates a different and very in-character coming together for them. It's a smart, insightful, emotional, beautifully written story with the pain, humor and love of the best of Due South.

( A brief excerpt )

Tip, Slide, Tumble


Title: Gone to the Dogs
Author: Vienna Waits (vienna_waits)
Pairing: Gen
Rating: G
Length: ~12,500 words
Why I'm reccing this fic: Ray has the unenviable assignment of protecting the dog show from protesters. But when the problems escalate to a riot, a dognapping, local mobsters and smuggling, it becomes clear that Dief is Ray and Fraser's ticket to being undercover on the inside. Irresistible, right? Yes! This is a rollicking ride through life inside a dog show, which is in some ways naturally as cracky as the wildest Due South adventures. The story is told from various POVs, but it's Dief's show all the way, from his pining after comely females, to his "training" in the agility ring, to his overcoming stage fright, to his last second heroics. Dief = love, and this story adorably proves it. The feel-good story of 2007!

( A brief excerpt )

Gone to the Dogs

About A Girl; Guns Don't Kill People; Eight Days A Week

[akamine_chan]

Many thanks are owed to sprat for being the Goddess of Seekrit Santaness.

Title: About A Girl
Author: simplystars
Pairing: Thatcher
Rating: G
Length: ~2500
Why I'm reccing this fic: Because Meg Thatcher had such potential to be a lovely, complex, textured character in the series but wasn't and this story gives us a glimpse of what she could have been.

I remember, when I had originally watched the series, how badly I wanted Meg to be more. And I was terribly disappointed that the writers wouldn't let her be more. She was beautiful, intelligent, accomplished, and polished. And she was portrayed as a shallow, flighty, bitchy shrew; an "Ice Queen" and "Dragon Lady."

"About A Girl" lets Meg Thatcher live up to her full potential as a character. simplystars deftly weaves a back story for Meg that fits so well it feels like canon. We see Meg's interactions with her father, with Fraser, with Dief and with Ray Kowalski and it's refreshing to view these characters through her eyes.

( A brief excerpt )

Link to the story: About A Girl


Title: Guns Don't Kill People
Author: qe2
Pairing: Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Rating: NC17
Length: ~6000
Warnings: BDSM, not-so-happy
Why I'm reccing this fic: This is a very difficult story to read.

This is not a story about Fraser and Ray sledding off into the sunset to live happily-ever-after in the wild places of Canada. This is the story of two all-too human men and their emotional complexities. This is the story of Ray, who doesn't always have the right words, who doesn't know how to protect Fraser from himself. This is the story of Fraser, who hides so much of himself behind his Mountie persona and the red uniform.

This story is about the imperfect relationship that they have and how they struggle to preserve it. It's about their love and partnership. It's about knowing each other and trust, about control and anger. This is real.

Queue does a wonderful job tackling an extremely sensitive subject with realism and compassion. She brings Ray alive with a smart, savvy voice that is much wiser than we usually give him credit for. She breaks Fraser apart, but gives us the hope that maybe, just maybe, Ray can help put him back together again.

( A brief excerpt )

Link to the story: Guns Don't Kill People


Title: Eight Days A Week
Author: bluebrocade
Pairing: Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Rating: R
Length: ~4000
Why I'm reccing this fic: This story is a combination of humor and angst, perfectly balanced without tipping over into excessiveness. bluebrocade intertwines the humor and angst with a light touch. It made me laugh and it made me ache.

bluebrocade has a wonderful sense of Fraser and all of his insecurities and quirks. The way Fraser and Dief interact is just like two siblings fighting and teasing and picking on each other. Ray wanders cluelessly through the story, unaware of all the wrong conclusions that Fraser is jumping to but baffled by Fraser's strange behavior.

This story was so enjoyable and well written. The plot flows naturally and at the end you feel satisfied with the conclusion. This is one of those stories that you read and say, "I wish I had written that."

And of course, Dief gets the last word.

( A brief excerpt )

Link to the story: Eight Days A Week