Five Classic Long Xander-Centric Fics

[draconin.livejournal.com]

Five Classic Long Xander-Centric Fics

These five classic fics are all Xander-centric, all at or near novel length and all simply superb. If you've not already read them then I highly recommend that you drop everything and read them!

In short...

• nwhepcat    - Lilac City (The Loner, The Artisan and The Watcher)
• liz_marcs    - Living History
• nemo_gravis    - To Live and Learn
• m_mcgregor    - I Am What I Am
• phouka's brother - "Oh, The Places He Goes!"

 

More details?....

1. nwhepcat  - Lilac City (in three parts: The Loner, The Artisan and The Watcher)
   Rating: Mature Adult, not-work-safe in parts.
   This story features a very different Xander – he’s separated from his friends, struggling to keep himself alcohol free and working as the night manager in a supermarket in Spokane. Even so, he's managed to make a life for himself that's supernatural free, if a little lonely, until a girl in his AA meeting asks him to be her sponsor. When he discovers she’s having terrifying dreams and is exceptionally strong he knows that things will never be “normal” again. As with all hepcat’s writing, the characterisation is spot on, but it is the depth and little details which reveal why Xander is so isolated and explains his motivation and reactions to the new twists in his life. Highly recommended. (Note: Comments adapted in part from some by sparrow2000.)
2. liz_marcs    - Living History
   Rating: General
   Some visitors have come a place far, far away and a time far, far ahead to ask for help on an urgent matter. The time? February 2008. The place? Moscow. The problem? They’re in Cleveland, September 2003 instead. And that’s just the beginning of the trouble… Descendants of the Scoobies visit from the distant future. Expertly written and highly recommended!
3. nemo_gravis    - To Live and Learn
   Rating: Mature Adult
   This begins with Xander having seemingly given up the fight after years in Africa and retired to set up as a carpenter in "New Sunnydale". As we learn why and are introduced to his new life we see a Xander who's for the first time finding an identity that doesn't revolve around his role as a Scooby. In some ways this brings him peace but he's still haunted by the mental and physical scars of his fight. What would it take to heal him and why did he withdraw in the first place? Absolutely brilliant, as are most things written by nemo!
4. m_mcgregor    - I Am What I Am
   Rating: Mature Adult
   This is a halloween fic where, in an interestingly original twist, Xander dresses.... as himself, and thereby ends up gaining all his future self's knowledge of what is to come. If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be able to go back in time and do it right, this is the fic for you. An outstanding read and highly recommended.
   Notes:
1. The link is to a page listing the chapters. Number 2 is out of order!
2. The author has also included a parallel posting where he intersperses the text with writer's commentary.
5. phouka's brother - "Oh, The Places He Goes!"
   Rating: Mature Adult
   This is a series of medium length fics detailing Xander's travels around the US, beginning approximately 2 years post S7. It covers the amazing things (and people) that happen to him and has crossovers with multiple shows. If you ever wanted to see Xander have revenge on Caleb then you need to read this!