buffyversetop5 | Entries tagged with char: xander

sparrow2000

I always try to do a crossover list every year so carrying on with that tradition here are five more classic crossovers that I love.

Spill by Miriam Heddy is a BTVS/Dresden Files crossover. To use the author’s summary “Bob and Harry take a road trip to help Spike and Xander deal with some very unmixy things on the Cleveland Hellmouth.” Harry is grumpy and confused, Bob is insightful and just a bit wistful and Spike and Xander are snarky and hot and sometimes just as confused as Harry. The whole thing is loads of fun and I should say that there is Spander slashy goodness just in case that’s not your thing, although most of it is off screen as it were. Also, given that the author has locked the story to AO3 members only, you can also find it at the Spander Files Spill (alternative location) if needed.

( More crossovers... )

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... )

thenewbuzwuzz

Tumblr user snakeliciousbaby's artwork often explores interesting, unsettling concepts, and its tag commentary tends to turn into meta. I particularly enjoy the insightful and compassionate takes on Xander and the Scoobies.
All linked art is worksafe, but there can be profanity in the tags, some of which I quote under the cut.

Hands Heart and Soul (Xander, Willow, Buffy). Backup link.
#what does it mean to be 3 parts of a whole. what does it mean to be nothing more than a part
( Read more... )

dragonyphoenix

These are ones I had to rec as I love them so but didn't fit into any categories. And please pardon my lack of "why this is so great" comments. Other people can write whole paragraphs on that topic. Me? I'm more along the lines of "I really like it."

Ten Things That Never Happened in the Buffy Fandom – The spell that created Dawn didn’t effect just the tv show.
Mr Spike: Spike’s visits to the children’s ward of the hospital.
Business as Usual: From the summary: What if Spike had been telling the truth when he made his sarcastic remark about visiting a nice tea-room at the garbage dump during Season 5’s The Replacement? Eeee! I adore Agnes Pringle.
Magpie: Strange deaths and Xander is somehow a focus. The writing is incredibly beautiful.
Radio Silence – From the summary: The Gentlemen drop by Night Vale. This poses something of a problem for a radio host who depends on his voice to communicate. Beer good foamy always writes excellent stories.

thenewbuzwuzz

Happy Ace Week, folks!

Asexual!Oz in "You're Too Picky, Man": An Ace Reading of Oz's Character Arc in BTVS by Coyote (osteophage)
This is really well thought out, and I can't believe I missed this reading until Coyote spelled it out for me in an essay. Honestly, there's no going back for me--the way I see Oz is changed forever.

( Read more... )

dragonyphoenix

Let's wrack up those negative emotions, shall we?

1. Twelfth Sister: The Council's always known kill one Slayer you get a new one, but now they realize they can kill one Slayer and revive her. It's so dark but so beautifully written. I just love this story. Here's a snippet: "Because, gentleman," he replied, his voice now tinged with a hint of acid, "why should we simply settle for another Kendra? Why should we settle for just one, when we could have a dozen? When we could have a hundred?"

2. Falling Like Icarus: Oh, this is so sad. I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say Xander/Anya and share the summary: She'd come so close to the sun, to joy, but now her wings are melting and she's falling, like Icarus. Xander and Anya's world is shattered with just one word.

3. Extinction: A drabble from Open on Sunday. I'm not sure anything I say here could do it justice. Powerful.

4. Mission Accomplished: Poignant. The unexpected difficulty of a Watcher's last duty to his Slayer. I adore the juxtaposition of the explanation of this terrible duty in Watcher training vs. the reality of having to face it.

5. Blackout: A dying Xander brings his daughter to Spike and Angel. Every time I read this - every time - I cry at the end. This story takes a tragic even and makes it heartwarming.

thenewbuzwuzz

- Bad Guy (Angelus and Spike) - MadLove4ever
This one's just fun. I've seen a few Bad Guy vids this year, and this is my favorite.

( Read more... )

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

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

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

Copper and Moonlight (the Mimi & Rodolfo Remix). This is another one from

nwhepcat because why would you ration yourself when there is quality fic to be had? Willow and Xander tend to Giles after his ordeal with Angelus. (This is a remix of Substitute by

antennapedia which is also worth your time)

( More random lovelies this way... )

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

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

deird1

Reaping the Whirlwind (Boom Boom Ba Remix), by Liz_Marcs

Dead Like Me crossover. Dawn Summers dies, and becomes a reaper.

Miss Summers Goes To Washington, by Beer_Good_Foamy

West Wing crossover. The Scoobies turn up for Big Block of Cheese Day.

Father Goose and the Black Knight, by Litmouse

Law and Order: SVU crossover. Xander and Faith are under investigation. (Very long, but definitely worth your time.)

Misunderstandings, by DonSample

Stargate: SG1 crossover. Are they battling aliens, or demons? Hard to say.

A Gift of Ordinary Magic, by Liz_Marcs

Harry Potter crossover. Magic has left the universe, and Xander is miserable.

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... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

Meta, Reactors, Vids and Artwork work that deserve some love.

Fandom is a City by ruuger is a lovely essay on the rise and fall of fandoms - about their longevity and fleetingness and the traces they leave in their wake. The author puts it far more eloquently than I could so go read. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

( More randomness this way... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

This is my last set of recs for this session of

buffyversetop5. Thanks as always to the brilliant mods for hosting this every year, and thank you to everyone who has added wonderful recs, both old and new, to my ‘to read list'. Anyway, on with the motley...

Confidence by Deangerous - nice, believable moment between Cordy and Xander when he tells her about sleeping outside at Christmas.

( More randomness this way... )

thenewbuzwuzz

It fascinates me how many kinds of fun stuff people post on YouTube, so here's a sample of what I've happened to run into.

Stop motion animation: LEGO Buffy The Vampire Slayer Mini Clip (worksafe) by LegoHorrorVideos LegoHorrorVideos (length: 0:17)
The sound effects are my favorite part.

( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

When I discovered fandom and fic back in the early 2000's, there are some stories that stood out because they made me realise just how wonderfully malleable canon could be in the right hands. That realisation expanded my universe! :)

I’ve recced Te’s stories many times before, but my love for her stuff bears repeating. Post Grad series blew my tiny, sheltered mind when I read it early on in my adventures in fandom. It made me understand the power of ‘what if’. This is Spike/Xander, plot, porn and so much ‘oh my goodness’ that it makes my eyes cross just thinking about it.

( More goodies this way... )

thenewbuzwuzz

1. Mocktober Madness first-line-last-line challenge drabbles on @giles-shorts by @littleotter73 and @il_mio_capitano
I was happy to see this comm come to life - and with such a neat game.
One of my favorites: Apologies by @littleotter73 (Giles and his Citroën, FRC - Fan Rated for Children)

2. The Big Moments by jjscm (45 different BtVS and AtS characters and counting, G)
A great reminder of how many interesting people inhabit the Buffyverse. <3 I'm increasingly in awe as jjscm gets into more and more obscure characters. And you can request your fave in the comments! :)
One of my favorites: Wood (Robin Wood, Nikki Wood, G)

( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

flowspuffy beat me to it with her crossover list, which looks terrific. (I was internetless yesterday, so am late to the party). Anyway you can never have enough crossover recs, so here's another five that I hope you enjoy.

A Girl Made of Sky by Doyle is a BTVS crossover with Neil Gaiman’s Sandman and features Dawn and the Cheeseman. I can’t say anything about this other than I wish I’d written it!

( More crossover lovelies... )

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... ).

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... )

yourlibrarian

1) Ride of Rides by Basingstoke. Lilah Morgan decides to look up Ethan Rayne. Tell me you don't want to see these two dealing with one another? ( Read more... )

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 )

yourlibrarian

Paint Splatter Giles by 51kas81. I quite liked the portrait style!

My favourite platonic love in the history of ever by EumHowAboutISucceed. Cool tribute to Willow & Xander. ( Read more... )

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)

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... )

dragonyphoenix

So these are basically crossovers with a twist. Characters from one story appear in another. First up, Beer Good Foamy's Radio Silence. The Gentlemen come to Night Vale. Tune in to check out how Cecil keeps the broadcast going when everyone loses their voices.

( The rest of the links are busy listing reasons why sleep is better than staying up until 2 AM )

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 )

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

Five favorite 2017 drabbles, in no order :
( Read more... )

sparrow2000.livejournal.com

A couple of years back I did a post of crossovers. I’m a sucker for a well done crossover, and in all these cases you don’t need to know the other fandom for the story to work just fine. Here are five that I really like - BTVS crossed with five separate fandoms.

Thrift by Te and Pares is a crossover with The Sentinel. Blair Sandburg comes to Sunnydale to meet one Rupert Giles, expert in the supernatural. But before he can meet our favourite Watcher he runs into Faith. Let’s say it’s an educational experience for both of them. Be sure to have some tissues ready to mop up the brain tissue dribbling out of your ears.

( Cross here for crossovers... )

velvetwhip.livejournal.com

So okay, I tried hard to come up with a theme and that was taking too long so I decided to just post a list of 5 classic stories I go back to and read over and over again. There's fluff and angst and absolutely no thematic or tonal connection between any of these stories - except my love.

1) The Key to Her... Heart? by Purplefeen: What do you get when you mix a witch in a dire predicament, two horny vampires, some alcohol, overcomplicated excuses and schemes, and the Scooby Gang? Well, what you get here is a delightfully sexy, fun-filled romp featuring Willow, Spike, Angel, and a lot of naughtiness. Guaranteed to bring you joy... if you're over 18, that is. This one is NOT for the kiddies.

( Click to see the rest )

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. )

yourlibrarian

Another bit of everything here, hope you find something you like!

1) The Collector by sparrow2000. I came across this during a previous Top 5 session and thought it was a gem. The bits of humor, the sad truths, the evidence of continuing friendship shot through with the difficulties of having faced so much separately as well as together, all in evidence here. Although connected to another story it can stand alone. ( Read more... )

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 )

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... )

rbfvid.livejournal.com

Five favorite Giles-centric stories of the past year, arranged from shortest to longest. Well, five and a bonus.

Reluctant Masquerade by

xspike4evax. A bit of Giles POV on Wesley circa BtVS season 3, perfectly spot-on.

Déjà vu by

darkheartwalsh (DHW). There is a dead woman in his bed. It isn't the first time.
Stunning and absolutely heartbreaking portrayal of Giles soon after "The Gift". Also, it's probably the most efficient parallel I've ever seen used in buffyverse fics.

( Read more... )

freecat15.livejournal.com

These are very different fics, from hilarious to angsty there's something for everyone, but they are all good for a quick read, all between ~600 and ~2,300 words. All rated PG13 and less.

http://dark-solace.org/elysian/viewstory.php?sid=4675
Requiem for a Poodle by zabjade
A week after Chosen, Buffy thinks about unlikely heroes. Angsty, bittersweet, but wonderfully written. 590 words.

( More goodness under the cut )

petzipellepingo.livejournal.com

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

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

One of my images was originally created toward the end of 2015 but has been reworked in 2016. Since I wasn't sure if that should count, I made it my extra.

Restfield's Not Thinking About Buffy - OK, I'm not good with images so I don't know what to say but it's in how he's looking away from her, how she's in the smoke. I adore it.

( the rest of the links are getting me a copy of Drawing for Dummies so maybe I could sketch something cool for next year's rec list )

yourlibrarian

Memorial by Lyr. She heads to L.A. and stays, but doesn't know who she is. I liked this thought of how Buffy's time there might have gone and how she might have found herself again.

( Read more... )

rbfvid.livejournal.com

Five favorite scary stories. Just keep in mind that some of these go with major character death warning. Won't tell which ones, because I'm evil like that. And because spoilers.

Truly and Forever by

thuviaptarth. What if Willow managed to resurrect Tara? Rated NC-17, and not exactly for the smut.

( Read more... )

rbfvid.livejournal.com

Five stories featuring Dracula, because it seems appropriate for the season. Mostly comedy. (I know, poor count would be appalled).

...Or May I Call You Buffy? by MarcusRowland. Dracula is writing to Buffy. From hell. Because some guys clearly don't know when to stop.

Movie Night by

dragonyphoenix (or here is AO3 link). Buffy, at the movies in Transylvania, runs into an old... well, friend isn't quite the right word.
( Read more... )

lusciousxander.livejournal.com

There are so many awesome videos in Youtube! I've discovered all these wonderful gems recently, but they were created before 2016.
( Top Five Videos )

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

Okay, maybe not "we're all mad" but each of these features madness.

1.

nwhepcat's Keeper of the Book is new to me so my comments are from my first read - Wow, the tension is amazing. Half-way through and I still don’t know what’s driving Xander. He tried to kill Cordelia. Giles, and in fact the entire Council in London, are missing. I have no idea what’s going to happen. … And I just finished it. Wow. Wow wow wow. Read this. Now.

( the rest of the recs are taking one step beyond )

dragonyphoenix.livejournal.com

1. Radio Silence by beer good foamy. BtVS and Welcome to Nightvale. The Gentlemen come to Nightvale.
( the rest are flying to the moon to see if it's really made of cheese )

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