Title: Celebrate the Earth and Sky
Fandom: Star Trek XI
Pairing: Kirk/Spock
Categories: AU, Dystopia, Action/Adventure, Romance
Length: Super Epic (116,292 words)
Warnings: Violence (a character is tortured, but the actions are not described explicitly). There are also some fight scenes.

Author on LJ: aerlalaith
Author Website: Aerlalaith

Author's Summary:
Earth never reached its full technological potential. The Federation never happened. But the serendipitous rescue of a doomed mission sets into motion a series of events – and individuals – whose choices will either release Earth from its chains, or bind it forever.

Review:
When I saw this story tagged as a dystopian AU I was really excited to read it, and it absolutely did not disappoint. The world-building in Celebrate the Earth and Sky is very strong and detailed, with a suitably Orwellian government antagonist, alien machinations, organized crime, and a Resistance comprised of our favorite bridge crew.

The pacing is excellent, and the story is long and plotty. While Kirk/Spock is the main pairing, the little glimpses into the Sarek/Amanda relationship are really well done, providing a view into Amanda's character that I really enjoyed. She is tough and strong, and while Spock always seems so much more Vulcan than human, in Celebrate the Earth and Sky I feel a certain connection between her strength and his.

The romance was a slow build, with plenty of little moments between Jim and Spock to illustrate their growing relationship. Given that Jim has no idea that Spock is Vulcan at first, and even after, has no real knowledge of Vulcan culture or customs, it's fun to see him touching Spock all the time, having no idea of the meaning of what he is doing. Of course, Spock allows it for the most part, which is telling in of itself.

This story is worth reading for the dystopian setting alone, but it is all the better for featuring well-developed romance between Jim and Spock.

Celebrate the Earth and Sky