Five Fics With An Unusual Format

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The Buffyverse fandom is getting on a bit now, but in spite of that it still attracts new writers and still inspires them to try new and different ideas - not just plotwise but structure/formatwise too. Here are five fics from 2008 told in innovative ways that I particularly enjoyed.

Dial N for Nancy-Boy by deird1 Spike and Angel, rating G. This hilarious and touching story by one of our best new writers reports a series of phone calls between Spike and Angel over a period of four years, from season 1 of AtS on, told in 28 drabbles. Wonderful stuff.



Crushed Spaiku by mere_ubu Spike/Buffy PG, a retelling of the events of Crush from BtVS season 5 in haikus. So, so clever, plus very funny.

Clipping Service by powerofthebook, her entry for this autumn's round of seasonal_spuffy, Spike/Buffy G, retells events post-Chosen in the form of newspaper reports and magazine articles. Marvel at the sheer wonderfulness of the Immortal as revealed by him to a journalist, discover what local people in Little Stainton thought of the sudden influx of a lot of loud, inexplicably strong teenage girls, discover what the local police chief in L.A. thought of that vigilante with the funny taste in music etc etc. Very, very cleverly done.

Extracts From Rules for UCSD Fraternities by bruttimabuoni. Written for the Reptile Boy challenge on fantas_magoria, a short and to-the-point list that manages to reveal an awful lot about that hallowed (or possibly unhallowed) institution, UC Sunnydale.

And finally, what has to be the most unusual fic I've come across all year, and proof - if any were needed - that there's life and creativity in the old fandom still:

Spikeid 1 by quinara. Spike/Buffy, post NFA and featuring Illyria, part 1 of an epic poem in iambic pentameters in the style of the Aeneid, which, if you think about it, is very suitable for the subject matter.

I hope to post more lists as the week progresses, but in the meantime, enjoy.