5 classic Xander in Africa stories I love

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

I think it’s fair to say that most Xander writers have tried their hand at a Xander in Africa fic at one point or another. (I know I have…) A number of them came from the scatterlings and orphanages ficathon back in 2006, and it would be easy to just point to all the stories there, but for the sake of spreading the love, I’ve chosen a couple from there and the rest from elsewhere on the interwebs

All Who Wander by Aeneas is a wonderful example of the genre. Xander goes to Libya searching for slayers. Things go downhill, fast! This story has got angst up the wazoo, but it’s also aching beautiful and if you haven’t read it, go do so, now! BTW, this is in three parts - start with part on the bottom tag - Libya)
(As an aside, but not part of this list, there’s also a sequel in which Buffy follows in Xander’s footsteps - Outpost. It’s equally lovely and I live in hope at some point it becomes more than a one-shot - a girl can dream!)


Lonely on the Mountain by speakr2customrs finds Xander in Malawi looking for the vamp who killed his slayer. To say anything else would give away the plot and there are four chapters of plotty goodness to enjoy. This story is also really enhanced by S2C having lived in Malawi, so both the sense of place and local characterisation adds extra layers to the story.

Lori Bush’s The Valley of the Shadow is actually a post-Africa story in which Xander is holding the remnants of himself together with string, sealing wax, booze and prescription meds until he gets a call to come back to Council HQ, and finally opens his eyes that just as he is not the same person he was in Sunnydale, neither is anyone else. Darkish with light on the horizon.

All Our Exploring by Doyle is a classic for a reason. Xander is in Egypt hunting Slayers and coming across Spike and Illyria. (Hmmm a Watcher, a Vampire and an ex-GodKing walk into a bar…) This is just great, there’s snark, lots of drinking, Illyria quoting Samuel Webster and a fair amount of boy groping. This is Gen with a side of slash - make of that what you will!.

A gold standard for Xander in Africa fics is huzzlewhat’s Seeing Africa. Xander is travelling from country to country looking for slayers and telling stories. It sounds like 1001 other Xander in Africa fics, but the writing conjures up evocative images of each very different African country as he travels and the campfire tales he weaves from his own experience make this story something very special.

So many more I could rec, but that's a nice list to be going on with...

Comments

[sunalso.livejournal.com]

I didn't know this was a thing to now *breaks out legal pad and pencil to take notes*. Not my catnip but I'm willing to learn! Thank you for the recs! :-D

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Hands you a spare pencil in case the first one breaks *g*

This is what classic recs is all about - you can tempt me into your sandbox and I can tempt you into mine :)

I hope you enjoy.

[baudown.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I've only read the last two. Can't wait!

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Yay for new fic, enjoy!

[yourlibrarian]

Very true, it's definitely a central strand of stories for him!

Just a tip -- the second link actually goes to a comment and not the fic. (The Valley one does too but at first I thought the second story had been deleted until I realized it was showing only the comment)

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the heads up on the links. Not quite sure how that happened. Should be sorted now.

[yourlibrarian]

Yup, all good!

[thenewbuzwuzz.livejournal.com]

I was going to scroll by, because, while I can like Xander, I wouldn't read whole stories for him. BUT then I saw your descriptions, and, damn. I WILL read the hell out of Xander stories for a realistic depiction of Africa! That vague heart of darkness crap that the show did keeps bothering me. So thanks for pointing me towards something I've wanted to find for a while. ^^ (I'll probably end up liking the Xander bits, too.)

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

If I can tempt you to read something you'd normally scroll on by, then my work as a reccer is done! *g*

I hope you enjoy these hon, and if you enjoy the Xander-bits by default, then all the better... :)

[double_dutchess]

Thanks! I am very much tempted to read the one that also has Illyria and Spike in it :-)

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

With that icon in mind, it's the logical place to start *g*

I just can't let go

[lwbush.livejournal.com]

Just recently, I renewed my LJ sub. Why? I have no idea - I haven't posted in years. I haven't written in years. But no sooner do I do so, and you give me a reason to reread an old story of mine, and several old stories I haven't read in as many years.Thank you for not giving up on a fandom that I loved, and that loved me for a time. I would love to write again, but Life can take a lot out of you, and after almost 20 years as a fanfiction writer, I don't know if the place it came from even exists anymore. Still, it is good to look back in affection at a time in my life I loved and sometimes miss. Bless you.

Re: I just can't let go

[sparrow2000.livejournal.com]

Hello, lovely lady. You absolutely made my evening when I saw you’d left a comment. I’m thrilled to see you back on LJ. It was a real pleasure to reread and rec one of your stories. If I can point people who have never read you at your work, then I’ve done my job, and if I can remind folks if you’d slipped off their radar, then that works for me, too. I recently reread How To Be Dead and I’d forgotten how good it was.

I hope even if we don’t see any more lovely fic from you, we’ll see you around from time to time just to say hi.

Take care
sparrow