buffyversetop5 | Entries tagged with cat: gen

sparrow2000

I think we're now in the Flash Forward part of the season to highlight fanworks from 2023. So to that end here's my usual round up of five fics that caught my eye at this year's

summer_of_giles. I love that the great and venerable SoG is still active and it gives me great joy to participate every year.

Only the Worthy by

il_mio_capitano is a great piece of Giles, Spike snark, in which our heroes try to work out how to release a sacred dagger from the hands of a mummy without triggering the curse. Don’t you hate it when you’re in that position? This is loads of fun and Giles and Spike bitching about their lot in life is gold.

( More Giles love this way... )

yourlibrarian

Alone by garnigal. Little look at how Buffy takes stock after Sunnydale disappears.

( 550 ) faith in buffy the vampire slayer by hieroglyph. Part of a project to icon all of her appearances throughout BtVS and Angel.

( Read more... )

sparrow2000

summer_of_giles is always a highlight of my fandom year, both as a writer and a consumer. Here are five fics that really jumped out at me, but with the caveat that as always there is a ton of great stuff that is worth checking out and I'm still way behind with my reading! The SoG DW account has very user friendly tags if you want to go delving back into the archive for goodies from previous years. SoG also has an AO3 account, so that’s another way to get your Giles on.

The Call by pbjellius is a lovely glimpse of pre-Sunnydale Giles who is doing mindless busywork for the Council and dreaming something bigger. And really, if you were a vampire, you don’t want to get between a having a bad day Giles and the pub - just saying!

( More Giles goodies this way... )

dragonyphoenix

These fics may or may not be new, but I've found them in the past year.

Not Another Teen Massacre! by Yellow Caballero - Buffy comes to a Sunnydale where the kids already know how to save themselves, and they just might save her too.

Sunset by The Eclectic Bookworm - "Passions" but Jenny's pregnant.

Ask the Things You Shouldn't Mis0s by Punch Kicker 15 - Willow's spell lets MIss Kitty Fantastico understand human speech. Humans are complicated.

The Girl Who Courted Death by Off Your Bird - I'm giving you the author's summary 'cause it's just that good: Due to a misfortune of genetics, Buffy is never Called as a Slayer. Instead, she grows up in L.A. with a different set of challenges and trials, unaware of the supernatural world. That is, until a chance encounter with the Slayer of Slayers changes her life—and everything afterward—forever.

The Power of Voodoo by Lucid Screamer - Xander, who dressed as the Goblin King for Halloween, is creating a labyrinth in Sunnydale. WiP that's going in a very interesting direction.

sparrow2000

I love a well done crossover and here are five short fics that are lovely examples of that craft. What I really like about all these is that they leave me wishing there was more but also very happy that they all work beautifully just as they are.

Invitation by spikedluv is a lovely bit of madness in which Hawkeye gets an unexpected invitation to an archery competition in Cleveland and is naturally suspicious that something nefarious is afoot. It is, but just not what he expects. This is great fun and melds the Buffy ‘verse and Marvel ‘verse beautifully.

( And there's more... )

yourlibrarian

This list became unexpectedly difficult when two of the five recs I had prepped ended up linking to deleted accounts! That seems a high percentage in less than a year?

1) Five People Whose Loan Applications Were Approved At Sunnydale Securities Bank (And One Whose Wasn't) by beer_good_foamy. "So how does Sunnydale… work, exactly? Well, it's a long and complex story of corruption and denial, but let's check in with one of the cogs that make the wheels spin. Remember the loan officer who turned Buffy down in "Flooded"...? Here's his Sunnydale story in six installments, occasionally interacting with the main storyline." The devil is in the details, alright.

( Read more... )

thewiggins

thenewbuzwuzz is a staple of the online BtVS fandom. She not only participates here each year, but helps run Seasonal Spuffy and the Sunnydale Herald. But one of her greatest contributions to the fandom, in my opinion, is her advocacy for poetry as a fanwork medium. I certainly never would have tried it if it hadn't been for her inspiration. Here are a few of my favorite buzwuzz poems.

The Limericked Adventures of Bob the Hellmouth Cop
This was the poem that started it all for me. It was the winner of a contest on the now sadly defunct Sunnydale Fanfic Club podcast and her episode opened my eyes to the potential of fandom poetry. (Actually, the podcast wound up introducing us both to each other's work, eventually leading to our ongoing beta exchange.)

The poem itself is priceless. Using the limerick format to explore the POV of a clueless Sunnydale cop is just too good. I mean, consider this stanza:
( Read more... )

yourlibrarian

Just a reminder to everyone that tomorrow kicks off our 2020 Flashforward Weekend to highlight works since our last session!

Buffy, Dollhouse, Avengers, Firefly, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. – I managed to get all of them in :D

1) Buffy the Jedi Knight by sqbr. Movie poster for Buffy the Jedi Knight: The Sith Seduction drawn for thelittlebang. ( Read more... )

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

Stories I love, in no particular order :

"Flight to Egypt" by

powerofthebook. A scene from Not Fade Away.

"Standoff" by

powerofthebook. Spike/Dawn

Death is no gift by

kaymickbee. Giles reflects

Postcards from the end by

renee2939. The gang post-"Chosen"

Nightswimming by

calove. Spike, Buffy and a swimming pool.

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

In no particular order :
( Read more... )

yourlibrarian

Or now gone. The loss of Open On Sunday is particularly devastating because it ran for a long time and many drabbles there were recced, but few of them made their way to another space like AO3:

1) Long List of Grievances by

waddis - Heh to Andrew wearing on Spike's very short nerve. ( Read more... )

yourlibrarian

Every year I come across content I hadn't seen or read before but I usually am not able to read most of them during Top 5 session itself. But when I get a chance to later, I like to give them an extra thumbs up.

1) Hot Chicks with Superpowers by jess9191. Recced at last year's session, this does a fun job of blending together all the kick gals with kicks from the Whedonverses to Blow by Ke$ha. Entertaining enough to run on repeat. ( Read more... )

deird1

These were some of the first fics that I read, back in about 2008. And I still remember each of them.

You Think She's An Open Book (but you don't know which page to turn to), by Spuffyduds

This is a post-apocalyptic fic about Lorne (still alive) and Fred (long dead). It made me cry.

Mission Accomplished, by Beer_Good_Foamy

Giles, dealing with the aftermath of Buffy's death, and the fact he always knew it was coming.

The Chosen Series, by Snowpuppies

A series of short ficlets, inspired by Mission Accomplished, each featuring a different Watcher.

Lilies, by Snowpuppies

An AU of the end of season 5, with much grief.

I Don't Know Where I'll Be Tonight, But I'll Always Tell You Where I Am, by Spuffyduds

Comparatively light-hearted for this list. Faith and Wes, post-series, becoming friends.

thenewbuzwuzz

Again, I'm mostly sure these people posted their first Buffyverse work this year, though it might not be the work I'm linking. This set has a lot of Willow and magic, and character studies that I thought were goshdarn excellent.

• A Conversation by hereforthegay (Willow & Andrew, G, 659 w)
Willow and Andrew have a conversation in season 7. I am, like the author, not only here for the gay, but also for the other things they have in common and Andrew's tonal range of nearly simultaneous dorkiness and angst.

( Read more... )

yourlibrarian

Buffy, Slaying Vampires Since 1996 by shiruji. I have to quibble about the date since it was either earlier with the movie or the TV debut was in 1997, but a cute icon nonetheless!

All the Children I've Had to Say "Good Bye" To by protoneoromantic. Such a strong finish to this, and a title with such a punch when you know who it's said by.

Comics Buffy by misbegotten. Lovely set of Buffy comics icons. No. 5 is my favorite but the Xander one is also striking.

Night Flight by JolieMariella. Wing AU Spike fanart.

The Ballad of Wishverse Giles by thenewbuzwuzz. Giles POV poem. I'd say "fun" but the episode theme wasn't on the happy side, so I'll just point out that it's clever instead ;)

thenewbuzwuzz

As far as I'm aware, the authors on this list posted their first Buffyverse work this year (though I'm not necessarily linking their first work, and also it might be a one-off in between their works for other fandoms).

• Advice to the Lovelorn by rosa_himmelblau (crossover with House, M.D., Spike, Greg House, background House/Wilson)
Dr. House meets Spike, to great comedic effect.

( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

I love Oz, and when he’s written well, it makes me very happy. Here are five fics that do just that…

No Cold and Heat by

idyll makes me tear up every time I read it because it is so damn beautiful - bleak, and sad with a chink of light in the clouds that makes my heart ache. Oz is rescued and now must find himself. There’s a hint of slash at the end, but really this is a story that’s all about Oz.

( More Ozness this way... )

thenewbuzwuzz

Two that were written earlier.
( Read more... )

And three written in 2019.
( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

There is no particular theme here, just five random recs from years gone by.

In Mine Eyes Dazzle by Victoria P (musesfool) Xander visits Angel after the events in Your Welcome. This is short, lovely and makes my heart ache in the best way.

( This way to more goodies... ).

thenewbuzwuzz

Feelings felt by robots.

To start off, I thought this discussion about "nonhuman people" went to an interesting place:
Re: Do you think the Buffybot qualified as a person? by buffy-truths, wishiwasmorticia, dreamsofghostsandstars

( Read more... )

frogfarm

Ah, Illyria. What more can one say about the Big Blue Meanie? Love or hate, the only thing that matters is that you must worship.

Before the five, here's an old link I can't currently verify or find any other copies of: "Shards of Night" by eleusis_walks (Angel, R, spoilers through 5x17 "Underneath"). Ends up in a femslashy place, but before that manages to thrill and creepify with a masterful walk through the dreams of what it means to be Illyria, and to have been Fred. First Angel fic ever for this author, so they claim, I can only pray it's far from the last.

Now for the five I could still find:

"Shell Games" by

mabus101. Xander/Illyria, set in Mabus' "Deadwar" universe. Funny, creepy, awkward, and a little bit sexy.

"Lost In the Supermarket" by Lint. Wesley takes Illyria shopping. Humor and disturbing in equal measure, in spades.

"How Tantor and Tarzan Became Friends" by nwhepcat. Xander/Illyria. Meeting a god-king in Home Depot is just the beginning. Set in Hep's shared universe, but stands alone well on its own.

"The Sky Has Claws" by Kyra Cullinan. Fred, Illyria, Willow and Wesley explore each other body and soul. AU from "A Hole In the World". Vaguely post-apocalyptic.

Last and funniest: "A Memorandum From Illyria" by Hello Spikey. In the bowels of Wolfram and Hart, Illyria discovers a newer and more effective way to make her desires known.

Finally a bonus link from myself, Faith the Vampire Slayer 1x06: "The Day After". Faith and Willow explore Los Angeles, looking for clues to the fate of Team Angel. Illyria only makes an appearance at the end, but I think it's a wonderful scene, and makes me regret all over again that I didn't continue this series.

yourlibrarian

1) A Quiet Conversation by Rainne. "Two old enemies sit and have coffee." Not often one runs across a story featuring Buffy and Ethan in conversation and it's hard to beat this story's ending!

2) Halloween Portrait Collection by thedothatgirl. Drawings of less frequently depicted characters: Adam, the Master, the Troika, Giles as a Fyarl, Glory, Clem and Amy (in both her forms).

3) Dracula vs Buffy by beer good. "I like "Buffy vs Dracula." I think it might even be the best season opener the show ever did. Here's some thoughts on why, and how it fits into the larger scope of the series and season 5." See if you agree!

4) Fight Scene Appreciation by stalwartsandall. "I wanted to gush a little about the fight sequence in Two to Go in which Spike fights the Walking Action Figure. It just feels a cut above the rest in terms of choreography, combatants, editing and production value."

5) Rupert Giles by Laurel Hach. Nicely Halloween themed painting of Giles.

thenewbuzwuzz

In my FFN forays, I have been noticing some of the other poetry by

cagd (who is represented in @stultiloquentia's Jossverse Poetry Masterlist with one poem under her LJ name

trixiefatcat ). cagd has become easily one of my favorite Buffy poets. She has written lots of beautiful free verse; what I've read so far tends to center on the Fanged Four, especially on Spike's platonic relationships. These poems go deep into characterization, and they give me all of the feels.

Lunch Money (Spike&Dawn, T)

Broken Toys (Liam, Drusilla, William, T)

Drusilla's Tears (Drusilla, Spike, T)

Numb in Her Forgiveness (Spike&Joyce, T)

Wild Roses on a Grave (Spike&Tara, T)

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

Because it is not a secret that I’m a Xander girl, every year I challenge myself to do at least one rec list for

buffyversetop5 that doesn’t have Xander in any of the stories. This is this year’s list.

In Living Dangerously by andraste Andrew bakes muffins (with real blueberries…) and has an epiphany. This is short, nicely written and quite delightful.

( More fics this way )

lusciousxander

1) Another Harris Family Joke by punch_kicker15: BUFFY: Have you ever done an exchange program?
XANDER: My dad tried to sell me to some Armenians once, does that count? - Inca Mummy Girl

2) When Xander Harris Was A Girl by nothorse: After the road-trip Xander had a demony accident. And now she must cope.

3) Dirty Boy by dipenates: Xander feels like he and Faith are on the same page, like they have a connection. Episode tag for 3.05 "Consequences".

4) Words to Live By by Sparrow2000: After Sunnydale collapses, Xander gets an unexpected visitor. A fic that will take a very dark turn.

5) Letters Never Send by nothorse: Xander tries to write a letter to Jesse's parents.

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

In no particular order :
( Read more... )

dragonyphoenix

Snowpuppies Chosen is a series of vignettes, Slayers and their Watchers. They're short and they're all dark, but they're amazing. Note, Snowpuppies lists Mission Accomplished as an inspiration for these stories but here link is broken. You can read it here.
( the rest of the stories are pondering the eternal question: hundreds of channels and noting to watch )

velvetwhip.livejournal.com

Being something of an expert on bad days lately, and wanting to contribute to this fabulous community, I decided I would share five stories I always go back and read when I am feeling down. Now those of you who know me don't need the following explanation, but for those who don't... no, these stories will not all be schmoopy fluff. I'm not known as the Queen of Angst for nothing and sometimes what makes me feel better is really, really angsty or even dark!fic. Read on... if you dare:

1) Red Frame, White Light by

sparrow2000: Dark, creepy, and so exquisitely-crafted that it's like a blood red diamond. What is it about? Xander's visit to a 7-11 is anything but a well-lit fest of overpriced snack food. Other than that, all you need to know is that Sparrow does that voodoo that she do so well.

( More Velvet Feel-Good Fic Recs To Follow )

dragonyphoenix

or something close to a white hat anyway! I'm exhausted so this list may be shortish on descriptions but anything I recommend with Ethan in it will be near and dear to my heart.

1. Absent Friends by il mio capitano. Oh, yeah, awesome. I recently asked if anyone could find this story for me. Basically all I'd recalled was the pub crawl based on The World's End and that Ethan was in it. Turns out it features Giles rather than Xander but given how fond I am of Giles and Ethan together, that was hardly a drawback. This one's more white-hatish rather than an out and out white-hat tale.

( the rest of the links are busy putting me too bed )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

Since we’re coming up on Halloween, I thought I'd get in the mood with a list of fics that make me shiver. Here’s five that do the job nicely, or in some cases, not so nicely.

This is not a love story by

raynejelly is bleak in the best way - this is the Spike, Xander, Angel scene in School Hard with a twist.

( For more shivers... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

There is no particular theme that connects these apart from that they're all pretty short and do their job very well.

The Watcher’s Mistress by elisi is a great Buffy/Dr Who ficlet in which Giles and Missy find themselves compatible. This is a lovely idea, nicely executed.

( More goodies... )

thenewbuzwuzz

It turns out a poet by the name of Kim Wade has a Wordpress blog ''The Slayer Verses'' at buffypoetry.com (btw, it's possible to subscribe to updates via Dreamwidth), where she has been steadily posting BtVS-inspired poems since last year. I admire her knack for picking an image or a moment out of each episode (often a less than obvious pick) and creating something original that can end up very tonally different from how we usually see the episode & can sometimes loop back towards canon to illuminate themes from new angles. Below are five of my favorites that she posted this year. They are all worksafe.

Gingerbread by Kim Wade (gen)
Helpless by Kim Wade (gen)
The Zeppo by Kim Wade (Xander)
Something Blue by Kim Wade (Spuffy)
A New Man by Kim Wade (Tillow)

thenewbuzwuzz

On the Buffyverse crossover archive tthfanfic.org, there's a collection "Jokes and Limericks, open to all", posted by lucidity in 2008 as a multichapter work to which any site user can contribute. There were a couple of new additions this year (10 years in! Woot!), which I think is how I noticed it, but the poems I want to rec are all older.

Limerick number 1
by lucidity
Not Worksafe
Comment: a limerick about William meeting Drusilla and being turned. The raunchy, irreverent tone is so on point for the format. :)

( Read more... )

dragonyphoenix

Quite a while back I decided one of my Top 5 lists would be stories rec'd on Indri's site which is where I ran across Donna the Vampire Slayer, a crossover with The West Wing. Listening to The Sunnydale Fanfic Club, a podcast that discusses fanfic with the authors, I heard that Beer Good Foamy has a West Wing crossover, Miss Summers Goes to Washington. And thus the BtVS / West Wing crossover rec list was born.

( the stories are sad because CJ never gets to be a Slayer )

gracenm.livejournal.com

Here are five classics that made me think differently about the characters they focus on (or think about them at all!), while also being great reads.

( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

It's always fun to come across a story that pushes you out your comfort zone as far as ships are concerned. Here are five rare(ish) pairings - I say 'ish' because one isn't really, but it's so awesome I had to include it! *g*

In Nairobi in the Rain by inlovewithnight, Xander meets a strangely familiar girl in a Nairobi bar and realises it is Fred, who died a few weeks before. There’s just something about the atmosphere of this fic that haunts me - it’s just lovely.

( This way to more lovely stuff... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

It's

buffyversetop5 classic recs time again, and to start off my lists this year I wanted to give kudos to authors who can remix - who can take someone else’s story and put a new spin on it, or expand it in an unexpected way. Here are five Remixes that I love.

Walking Higher by Liz Marcs in which Xander visits each of his old friends. This one just kills me and I defy you not to be bawling like a baby by the end. It’s also got a really effective mix of 2nd and 3rd person voice that works beautifully for the narrative. This is a remix of Winter Garden by kirvin.

( More remixes right this way )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

I’ll finish my spamming with five fics that have nothing in common apart from the fact I thought they were great and they were written in 2017.

A new ficlet by

baudown is always a pleasure because I love her elegant use of language and the way she can paint such a detailed portrait in such a short time. Trapped is a prime example - it’s Xander contemplating the contradictions of his vampire, beause no one can do contrary quite like Spike.

( More random recs... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

Here are five longer fics from

summer_of_giles I really enjoyed.

Second Sight by

il_mio_capitano finds our intrepid Watcher thrown back to his 21 year old self, two months before Eyhgon. This isn’t about the Eyhgon incident, but it is about choices. I really liked the portrayal of Giles’ father in this fic, and his grandmother is wonderful - just remember to comb your hair and wash behind your ears before you meet her.

( More Gilesian goodness... )

rebcake

I love sparkling dialog, but a story without it can feel timeless. Most of these are about Slayers we haven't met before, but are fascinating in their own right. Links are to AO3, when possible.

The Queen, The Soldier by

beer_good_foamy (PG, Gen)
Once upon a time, a long long time ago, there was a town. And in the town was a girl, who didn't want to die. The story of a slayer who did things differently when faced with a people-eating giant.

( Four more exciting tales, and a bonus! )

dragonyphoenix

1 Bread by Tulipp - AU - After Glory’s defeat, Willow and Tara’s relationship using bread as a metaphor.

( The rest of the recs are desperately trying to recuperate from the pre-Halloween bashes. Oh, wait. That's me. )

dragonyphoenix

1 The delightful Beer Good's By Wise Council You Shall Make Your War - Slayers are supernatural, right?
( The rest of the stories are telling me I should be getting ready for OUTrageous Bingo! )

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!)

( Get ready to show your passports at the border )

sunalso.livejournal.com

Don't fall over dead, I actually do read other pairings occasionally! (AO3 links this time)

( Fics, Not Candy, Sorry! )

dragonyphoenix

1: rowan’s The Twelfth Slayer - ooh, so dark! Evil Council is evil.

( The rest of the stories are plotting out their Halloween tricks. )

dragonyphoenix

I struggled to get this list down to five entries. So many authors have inserted incredible characters into the Buffyverse. I hope you enjoy these five ... although actually there are more than five characters because the last story has a number of originals.

Title: Business as Usual
Creator’s Name: Lilachigh
Agnes Pringle, yes! A sweet middle-aged spinster with a tea shop in an English cathedral city who was Turned on a trip to America, sets up shop in Sunnyvale. She has a bit of a thing for Spike. Don’t we all.

( The rest of the stories are staring out the window, glad the weather if finally seasonable but also wishing it were warmer. )

dragonyphoenix

1. What I look for in any story is the emotion. Solshine's The Letters has that in spades as it reviews Buffy's evolving reaction to Spike's letters. The story also has incredible details: the unexpected elegance of Spike's script, the inelegant sealing wax as if he's defending himself against the emotions expressed in his letters.

2. The Scooby's watch over Giles the summer after he's tortured by Angelus in Gilescandy's The Watcher's Watch Diary '98. I adore how the kids stand together to support Giles when he needs them, even when he isn't willing to admit he needs/wants help!, and how each character's personality shines through in their entries.

3. deird1 does an amazing job of juxtaposing humor with guilt and grief in The Very Secret Diary of Andrew Wells. Andrew's personality shines through and his journal comments, such as listing an ongoing debate over the prowess of Batman vs. Spiderman as strategy discussions and morale boosters, provide a humorous background against the growing realization that something's not just right with the upcoming battle.

4. Eee! il_mio_capitano's Distractions might be only a drabble but it is brill. I don't know what to say without giving too much away so go, read, and enjoy!

5. And I know this isn't generally done, but the whole idea for this rec list came from me wanting to rec my story The Letters (the 84, Charing Cross Road remix) in which we see Anya and Severus Snape's relationship through a series of letters, e-mails, and wedding invitations.

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

I love

buffyversetop5 classic recs. It's a great time to rootle around in the vault and rediscover fics that got me hooked on fandom way, way back in the day. As we're coming up to Halloween, here are five fics that make me shiver.

Three Ring by

brutti_ma_buoni finds Xander and Willow on a school trip to a less than normal circus. There aren’t any clowns in this fic, but if there were, I’m damn sure they’d be scary. This story always makes me want to go back and read Something Wicked This Way Comes. This is Gen.

( Follow the trail of breadcrumbs to the gingerbread house... )

lusciousxander.livejournal.com

The Final Cut by

aadler: Dru is going after Jenny and Angelus is playing taunt the watcher. It’s Jenny, Giles, Ethan and Xander on a wicked adventure set in S2 after Angel lost his soul.
( Read more... )

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