5 Dawn fics

[snickfic]

1. Kindred Spirits, by Nwhepcat
post-series
This is the single best Dawn fic I've ever read. It is huge, sprawling, epic as it follows Dawn through a tumultuous relationship with Ethan Rayne (yes, really) and onward as she figures who she is, both personally and mystically. Some of the best and most interesting Buffyverse worldbuilding construction I've ever seen.

2. A Girl Made From Sky, by doyle_sb4
Crossover with Neil Gaiman's Sandman comics
Suppose the Cheese Man was one of Dream's minions. And suppose, in between ministering to the dreams of Wisconsin dairy farmers, he grew rather fond of Dawn. You'd think this would be cracky, but it's not; instead, it's sweet and a little bit sad, and makes wonderful sense of the Cheese Man as a character in his own right.

3. Dawning, by goldenusagi
S2-S4
Some of my very favorite Dawn-insertion fic, this explores her evolving acquaintance with Spike from his rescue of her from Angelus in "Becoming" to their cautious detente over curly fries in "Pangs." Spike is delightfully evil and she's delightfully unconcerned, mostly. Very fun stuff.

4. Editing, by deird1
S6
A brief but revealing look at Dawn's everyday thought processes, anxieties, and homework. Definitely homework. As usual with Deird, half the fun comes from the unusual narrative structure and the other half from her painfully true characterization.

5. The Road to Byzantium, by rahirah
post-S5
More delicious Spike-Dawn goodness, this time during the Long, Sad Summer. But it's not all angst; those most unlikely of Byzantine Knights turn up again, cuing plot and mutual Spike-Dawn rescuage and some very heartfelt encounters.

6. Bonus: Gifts, by green_maia
post-series
Because I couldn't limit myself to just two Spike-Dawn fics. Dawn discovers Spike human and living in NYC. What follows is a quiet, gentle, meditative fic that is perhaps more about Spike than Dawn, but which grows out of that unlikely sibling love we first saw on screen.

Comments

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

More Dawn tales, and excellent choices at that. Thanks for sharing.

[snickfic]

You're very welcome!

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

If people keep reccing nwhepcat's story I'm going to have to read it. Ethan isn't someone I read for choice, but the chorus of recs is too strong.

[snickfic]

I used to really hate Ethan, and then I finally made the connection of Ethan = trickster, and I liked him a lot better.

Besides, although he figures heavily in the first third of "Kindred Spirits," it truly is a fic about Dawn, and the Dawn/Ethan portions exist to serve the Dawn story. It really is an extraordinary fic.

[willowgreen.livejournal.com]

"Kindred Spirits" isn't just the best Dawn fic I've read; it's easily in my top five best fics of any kind EVAR. Seriously, don't miss it.

[helena-13.livejournal.com]

Yay, good Dawn fic! :D

[snickfic]

:)

[aerintine.livejournal.com]

I have read very little Dawn fic overall - this looks like a great list to begin remedying that. thank you!

[menomegirl.livejournal.com]

Thank you for posting this list!

[yourlibrarian]

Hee, number 3 sounds like it would be fun.

[snickfic]

It is great fun and also perfect as a series of missing scenes. On my list of fics that rank as personal canon, it's right up at the top.