Drabbles are hard. That's one reason why I'm a drabble purist; if it isn't exactly 100 words, you're taking the easy way out and I won't be impressed if you claim it's a drabble. You have just enough room to show an idea, set up a punchline or whatever, and making that sound plausible while still keeping to the strict word count is quite a challenge.

In an effort to have less words of review than actual content, I hereby offer you three drabbles from three different authors that I picked off Twisting the Hellmouth. All are PG, gen, and need no warnings. And they're all 100 words long, of course.

Title: The White What?
Author: P.H. Wise
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Dune
Categories: Crack, crossover, eugenics, real family

Summary:
Xander has a powerful magical heritage that he is only beginning to discover...

Review:
"Real families" are a common trope in BtVS crossover fanfic. It offers an easy way into a crossover to declare that someone (usually Xander or Willow) was adopted/kidnapped/hidden, and have them discover or be discovered by their real (crossover) parents. This drabble is the reductio ad absurdam of that idea, and a caution to overly enthusiastic breeding programmes everywhere. The repetition at the end is a little weak, but I'll let it off that for a good idea well expressed.

The White What?


Title: What's in a Name?
Author: Speaker to Customers
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Star Wars
Categories: Crack, crossover, real family

Summary:
An incredibly stupid variation on the 'Character X's Real Father' theme.

Review:
If "The White What?" was a reductio ad absurdam, this little gem is just plain absurd. If you're faster than me you might well see the punchline coming, but enjoy the concise, clear writing anyway.

What's in a Name?


Title: Hiding in Plain Sight II
Author: Marcus L. Rowland
Fandom: Highlander/Top Gear
Categories: Crack, crossover, driving, faked death

Summary:
If Richie Ryan isn't dead, where is he?

Review:
Marcus is one of the most prolific drabble writers I know. I picked this story not because of the surprise idea — if you know anything at all about Highlander and Top Gear you'll have already guessed it — but because it's a great demonstration of how to structure a drabble to read naturally.

Hiding in Plain Sight II

Title: Jedi Harris
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Star Wars, plus Stargate:SG-1/CSI/NCIS/Haven/Castle/Father Ted (yes, really) in later stories.
Pairing: Gen
Categories: Crossover, action, drama, occasional crack, YAHF
Length: Super-Epic (230,000 words, and that's just the first story)
Warnings: None (though the Wish-verse section is appropriately nasty)

Author on TtH: Scribbler
Author on ff.net: The Dark Scribbler

Summary:
“It’s a prop,” said a British voice to one side of him. “There’s a rumour that it was used, I believe, on one of the Star Wars films. I’ve no idea which one, but it might have been the original Star Wars.”

Review:
It's Cliché Week, and for Buffy crossover fans that can mean only one thing: YAHF. Yet Another Halloween Fic. That season 2 episode has launched more fanfics than any other single episode, in part because it's so easy to base a crossover from it. Just have your favourite characters pick up a costume of the show you want to use, and when Ethan Rayne's spell begins you have an instant crossover.

Needless to say, Sturgeon's Law applies in spades. Far too many stories use the idea as a cheap power-up for their favourite character, usually Xander, and let him keep his powers at the end with not the slightest hint as to why no one else gets to keep more than fuzzy memories. At first sight, Jedi Harris looks like it falls into that category; Xander dresses as a Jedi, becomes a slightly confused version of Obi-Wan, and still has Force powers at the end.

Fortunately, that's barely the beginning. Scribbler does have an explanation that the characters toss around; the Force is real, isn't the same thing as magic, and Star Wars gives the right metaphors to approach it despite being fiction in this world. It's a deliberately incomplete explanation, and it doesn't explain how Xander can remember large chunks of Obi-Wan's life that were never in any of the films (and aren't part of the Obi-Wan he dressed as, for that matter), but it does explain why Xander and (eventually) others can learn to manipulate the Force. It even comes with a built in balancing mechanism, not falling to the Dark Side, that stops Xander taking primacy from Buffy.

It's really cleverly done, in my opinion. The characters feel true to themselves throughout, though Jedi do tend to end up calmer and more self-assured, as you might hope. The plot moves on logically, taking into account both canon and where it would logically be changed by events. Many characters move in and out of events in ways you might not have expected, but which fit perfectly well when you think about it. There are even little cameos by other crossover characters, such as Don Camillo (give yourself a pat on the back and feel smug if that made sense to you).

Jedi Harris has turned into a whole sequence of stories of varying lengths, all equally well written, as more and more Jedi are found and trained. I thoroughly commend the lot of them, complete or not.

Jedi Harris (takes things up to Graduation)
The Terran Jedi (incomplete: introduces SG-1)
Train From The West (medium-length story in which the Vegas CSI team investigate an impossible crime scene).
Craggy Island: Vampire-Free Zone (purest crack)
The NCIS Jedi (how a member of the NCIS team becomes a Jedi)
A Jedi, a Mage and the Troubles (a case takes the NCIS team to Haven while Audrey is in the Barn)
The Alley and Jedi Castle (strange things happen in New York too).

Title: Three Days, Two Nights and One Lifetime
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: gen
Categories: Amnesia, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Family
Length: Medium (7,480 words)
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Mina1 on fanfiction.net, Author's website

Author's Summary:
When a mission goes sour and leaves Luke with mild amnesia and temporary blindness, he finds himself rescued by a black-caped Imperial Force user. Luke and Vader must work together to escape death. Unashamed Luke Vader Father Son story, 1 year post-ANH.

Review:
I'm a sucker for amnesia stories, and the amnesia and temporary blindness in this fic allow for an interesting father/son story set post Star Wars: A New Hope. We never got to see much interaction between Luke and Vader, and here we have Luke conversing with a man he doesn't quite recognize as they struggle through a hostile environment together to make it to safety. We, the readers, know who the mysterious "Kin" really is and it's fascinating to see Vader start to get to know Luke, while concealing his own identity.

It may be a bit medically implausible, but like all good h/c fic it really hits me in my id and satisfies my love of Original Trilogy family-centric Star Wars.

( Click here to read an excerpt. )

Three Days, Two Nights and One Lifetime (ffn), (author's website)

Squeezing in one last entry for Alternative Media Week!

Title: Wild Child
Fandoms: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Doomsday, X-Men, Battlestar Galactica, Merlin, The Last Legion, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Robin Hood (BBC), V for Vendetta, Lord of the Rings: the Fellowship of the Rings, Doctor Who, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, 28 Days Later, Children of Dune, Legend of the Seeker, Blake's 7, Star Wars: A New Hope, Terminator: Salvation, Babylon 5, Farscape, The X-Files, Torchwood, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman II, Pan's Labyrinth, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Peter Pan, Star Trek: First Contact, Enterprise, Underworld, Terminator II: Judgement Day, Aliens, Survivors, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Star Trek, Stargate: Atlantis, Batman Returns, Resident Evil, The Matrix, Star Trek 09, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ashes to Ashes, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Children of Men, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Star Trek: Voyager.
Pairing: Gen
Categories: Action/adventure, women being awesome!
Length: 3:48 minutes
Warnings: None

Author on LJ: calapine
Author Website: Unknown

Author's Summary:
A multi-fandom vid for halfamoon's celebration of female characters.

Review:
calapine makes an unconventional but beautiful choice with her song, and for something so epic in scope, she makes it impactful on a personal scale as well, and deeply uplifting. This tribute is amazing not only for its subject matter, but also for its diversity. Women are not just awesome when they are gorgeous and kick-ass and come out with both guns blazing, but they're also awesome when they're doing science experiments, or being brave, or making difficult decisions.

Women can be some of the most harshly judged characters on screen -- because often, women are their own harshest critics. This vid highlights some unexpected choices, and reminds us that every single woman is more than just the few seconds we see them on screen -- they each have their own stories.

Wild Child

A day late and a dollar short, here's my entry for Alternative Media Week

Title: Starships!
Fandom: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien/Aliens, Apollo 13, Archer, Battlestar Galactica (2004-8), Cocoon, Community, Doctor Who (2005-), Dune, Farscape, The Fifth Element, Firefly/Serenity, Forbidden Planet, Futurama, Galaxy Quest, Independence Day, The Muppet Show, Odyssey 5, Planet of the Apes (1968), Spaceballs, Star Trek (TOS, Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager; movies II, IV, VII, VIII and XI/Reboot), Star Wars IV & V, Stargate: Atlantis, Stargate SG-1, Sunshine, Superman (1978), Toy Story 2, Virtuality, WALL-E
Music Used: Starships by Nicki Minaj
Pairing: gen
Categories: sci-fi, fluff, happiness?
Length: 3:36 minutes
Warnings: n/a, except the author's warnings: "sci fi action, swear words and makeouts. *Physical note for camera movement (shaking, spinning, tilting), flashing lights and some fast-cut sequences."

Author on LJ: bironic
Author Website: unknown

Summary:
A celebration of pilots, captains, engineers, crew members, and the spacecraft they love to fly. (And race, and crash, and fix, and play in, and fight in, and...)

Review:
This is one of my favorite vids ever (no lie). It's a perfect combination of music and content, and as a life-long sci-fi fan I adore the love and care the vidder shows to the genre and joy the vid gets across. There are great little character moments, and I particularly liked how Bironic wove together similar situations in the INCREDIBLE HUGE amounts of fandoms into coherent sequences (wormholes, crashes, ode to engineers, and my favorite the spinning/crashing sequence).

Starships!
with bonus Lyrics + Breakdown of clips

Title: See the Light
Fandom: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II
Pairing: Bao-Dur/Visas Marr, The Jedi Exile/Atton Rand (+ unrequited Exile/Mical)
Categories: Angst, Drama, Romance
Length: Long (32,617 words)
Warnings: Character Death

Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: missbecky on AO3

Summary:
Through the events of KOTOR 2, Bao-Dur begins to see Visas in a new light. Meanwhile, the Exile is torn between the two men who love her.

Review:
I've recently played the Star Wars game Knights of the Old Republic II and this story really satisfied my desire to spend more time with the characters. The story takes place during the games action, but told through one of the secondary character's perpective. We see the actions and situations of the games through Bao-Dur's eyes, and what happened with the secondary characters when the main character/gamer is elsewhere. Bits of in-game dialogue are included or slightly altered and expanded on, so everyone sounds just right. Further, the author included situations in the fic that were cut out of the original release of the game, and that, combined with her own changes, made for a more satisfying resolution to the story.

I was skeptical at first of the romance between Bao-Dur and Visas, but the author really makes it work. They've both suffered, though in very different ways, and find kinship and comfort with one another. The other pairing--one I personally shipped while playing the game--between the Exile and Atton was sweet, though less of a focus than the relationship between Bao-Dur and Visas. There's a bit of a love triangle, were both Atton and Mical are in love with the Exile and Bao-Dur isn't sure of the Exile's feelings. I liked that this was included, because both were hinted at in the game, though Mical does get the short end of the stick.

Be warned that there is character death in this; basically any of the characters that aren't in the two main pairings may be in danger. Also, this story may not be very accessible if you haven't played (or finished) the game, but if you have it's a great expansion and re-telling of the game's story with added slow-building romance.

See the Light

Title: The Father
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: gen
Categories: Action/Adventure, AU, Drama, Family, Humor
Length: Super Epic (284,822 words)
Warnings: (mostly canon) Character Deaths

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: frodogenic on ff.net

Author's Summary:
Ten years after ROTS, tormenting nightmares of his unborn child drive Darth Vader to extraordinary measures with unexpectedly drastic consequences. Clearly, experience has taught Darth Vader nothing...

It's sort of Star Wars Remixed--you'll find many of the same themes, events, characters, and so on, put together in different and hopefully creative ways. Features Luke, Vader, Han, and Leia, with nearly everyone else jumping in along the way: the Lars, Obi-Wan, Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, Bail and Breha Organa, Yoda, Boba Fett, the Emperor, Captain Piett, Artoo, Threepio, Ferus Olin, and so on, with cameos from Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, Admiral Ozzel, Jan Dodonna, and any number of others, not to mention a handful of original characters. AU, obviously. My first fic and my longest.

Review:
I first read parts of this years ago, but got distracted and came back years later after seeing it referenced somewhere. I can see why I didn't get through it the first time; according to the author it was their first fic and the first quarter of the story moves a bit slowly and is more melodramatic than the rest. However, it is totally worth it. The writing gets tighter and funnier as it goes, with zany galaxy-traversing shenanigans.

Going AU between the original and prequel trilogies, Vader sets off a sequence of events that change everything. Grieving for his lost wife and unborn child, he sets one of his agents to destroy all records of Padme. But the combination of the agent finding samples of her DNA in a medical facility and Vader's reoccurring dreams of his lost child (unbeknownst to him shared with young Luke and Leia) drive him to have a new child. These dreams also drive Owen, Beru and Obi-Wan to change their plans in fear that Vader will find Luke. This moves up the events that culminate in a confrontation between Vader, Luke and Palpatine, and between the Rebels and the Empire.

Weaving together characters from both trilogies and the extended universe of the books, Frodogenic creates an exciting new story. Character's come together and break apart in circumstances that would stretch credulity except that it can all be waved away as the Force action on things. Vader finds out about his son, and chases him across the universe while trying to keep the Emperor unaware. Young Luke and Han team up early on, fleeing from Imperial forces, dealing with a certain special ship that breaks down and needs an upgrade, getting captured and escaping with hilarious regularity. Princess Leia has a strange encounter with Vader and when her adoptive parents try to send her to safety ends up instead in the thick of galactic events. At times, it felt like one of those old cartoons with characters running in and out of doorways, fleeing from and joining up with various other characters. Vader's agent's reactions to times like that were particularly hilarious.

My favorite parts were probably the ones that focused on Han Solo; the Han voice is perfect, and his reactions to events in the later chapters had me giggling. That those events were completely plausible in the context of the story is an impressive mark of the author's skills. A totally entertaining and satisfying read.

Be aware that many of the characters that died in canon will die in the course of the story.

The Father

Title: The Father
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: gen
Categories: Action/Adventure, AU, Drama, Family, Humor
Length: Super Epic (284,822 words)
Warnings: (mostly canon) Character Deaths

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: frodogenic on ff.net

Author's Summary:
Ten years after ROTS, tormenting nightmares of his unborn child drive Darth Vader to extraordinary measures with unexpectedly drastic consequences. Clearly, experience has taught Darth Vader nothing...

It's sort of Star Wars Remixed--you'll find many of the same themes, events, characters, and so on, put together in different and hopefully creative ways. Features Luke, Vader, Han, and Leia, with nearly everyone else jumping in along the way: the Lars, Obi-Wan, Lando Calrissian, Wedge Antilles, Bail and Breha Organa, Yoda, Boba Fett, the Emperor, Captain Piett, Artoo, Threepio, Ferus Olin, and so on, with cameos from Grand Admiral Thrawn, Mara Jade, Admiral Ozzel, Jan Dodonna, and any number of others, not to mention a handful of original characters. AU, obviously. My first fic and my longest.

Review:
I first read parts of this years ago, but got distracted and came back years later after seeing it referenced somewhere. I can see why I didn't get through it the first time; according to the author it was their first fic and the first quarter of the story moves a bit slowly and is more melodramatic than the rest. However, it is totally worth it. The writing gets tighter and funnier as it goes, with zany galaxy-traversing shenanigans.

Going AU between the original and prequel trilogies, Vader sets off a sequence of events that change everything. Grieving for his lost wife and unborn child, he sets one of his agents to destroy all records of Padme. But the combination of the agent finding samples of her DNA in a medical facility and Vader's reoccurring dreams of his lost child (unbeknownst to him shared with young Luke and Leia) drive him to have a new child. These dreams also drive Owen, Beru and Obi-Wan to change their plans in fear that Vader will find Luke. This moves up the events that culminate in a confrontation between Vader, Luke and Palpatine, and between the Rebels and the Empire.

Weaving together characters from both trilogies and the extended universe of the books, Frodogenic creates an exciting new story. Character's come together and break apart in circumstances that would stretch credulity except that it can all be waved away as the Force action on things. Vader finds out about his son, and chases him across the universe while trying to keep the Emperor unaware. Young Luke and Han team up early on, fleeing from Imperial forces, dealing with a certain special ship that breaks down and needs an upgrade, getting captured and escaping with hilarious regularity. Princess Leia has a strange encounter with Vader and when her adoptive parents try to send her to safety ends up instead in the thick of galactic events. At times, it felt like one of those old cartoons with characters running in and out of doorways, fleeing from and joining up with various other characters. Vader's agent's reactions to times like that were particularly hilarious.

My favorite parts were probably the ones that focused on Han Solo; the Han voice is perfect, and his reactions to events in the later chapters had me giggling. That those events were completely plausible in the context of the story is an impressive mark of the author's skills. A totally entertaining and satisfying read.

Be aware that many of the characters that died in canon will die in the course of the story.

The Father

Posted on behalf of simarillion, who is away from the internet today.

Title: Grounded by Lightning
Fandom: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Categories: Drama, Romance
Length: Epic
Warnings: sappy Jedis, clueless Jedi Masters, smitten Jedi Apprentices

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: In my wildest Dreams

Summary:
Qui-Gon is left by a lover, and Obi-Wan intends to make sure it never happens again.

Review:
Grounded by Lightning was the first piece of fanfiction I read in the Star Wars fandom, this fandom being one of the first I read in my long career of fanfiction reader and writer. I had already seen the movie and even though I had recognized the similarities between the Master and Apprentice relationship and the Japanese version of a Master and his student in the samurai culture, I had not really thought of the romantic side of such a relationship until I stumbled onto the world that is Star Wars (especially The Phantom Menace) fanfiction.

The story starts out with Master Qui-Gon Jinn getting the boot by some cocky knight who thinks that there's more and better out there than the relationship he already has. Suffice to say that Padawan Kenobi, who's been harboring a gigantic crush on his Master decides to take the chance and subtly starts to woo his Master. Well subtly only for Qui-Gon Jinn since everybody else seems to realize rather quickly what is going on and why Obi-Wan is suddenly sticking like glue to his Master.

Wednesday switches POV between Master and Padawan and allows us to see both sides of this courtship, the eager and smitten student who wants nothing more than to be noticed as a possible partner and the clueless and at times a tad confused teacher who slowly comes to realize that his Padawan is actually rather attractive and that said Padawan is secretly lusting after his Master.

The story has a happy end but since the whole plot takes place before Naboo and the events of the first movie, one can only assume that it will not stay that way. Except you are like me and imagine the whole thing taking place in an AU.


Grounded by Lightning

Posted on behalf of simarillion, who is away from the internet today.

Title: Grounded by Lightning
Fandom: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Categories: Drama, Romance
Length: Epic
Warnings: sappy Jedis, clueless Jedi Masters, smitten Jedi Apprentices

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: In my wildest Dreams

Summary:
Qui-Gon is left by a lover, and Obi-Wan intends to make sure it never happens again.

Review:
Grounded by Lightning was the first piece of fanfiction I read in the Star Wars fandom, this fandom being one of the first I read in my long career of fanfiction reader and writer. I had already seen the movie and even though I had recognized the similarities between the Master and Apprentice relationship and the Japanese version of a Master and his student in the samurai culture, I had not really thought of the romantic side of such a relationship until I stumbled onto the world that is Star Wars (especially The Phantom Menace) fanfiction.

The story starts out with Master Qui-Gon Jinn getting the boot by some cocky knight who thinks that there's more and better out there than the relationship he already has. Suffice to say that Padawan Kenobi, who's been harboring a gigantic crush on his Master decides to take the chance and subtly starts to woo his Master. Well subtly only for Qui-Gon Jinn since everybody else seems to realize rather quickly what is going on and why Obi-Wan is suddenly sticking like glue to his Master.

Wednesday switches POV between Master and Padawan and allows us to see both sides of this courtship, the eager and smitten student who wants nothing more than to be noticed as a possible partner and the clueless and at times a tad confused teacher who slowly comes to realize that his Padawan is actually rather attractive and that said Padawan is secretly lusting after his Master.

The story has a happy end but since the whole plot takes place before Naboo and the events of the first movie, one can only assume that it will not stay that way. Except you are like me and imagine the whole thing taking place in an AU.


Grounded by Lightning

Posted on behalf of simarillion, who is away from the internet today.

Title: Grounded by Lightning
Fandom: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Categories: Drama, Romance
Length: Epic
Warnings: sappy Jedis, clueless Jedi Masters, smitten Jedi Apprentices

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: In my wildest Dreams

Summary:
Qui-Gon is left by a lover, and Obi-Wan intends to make sure it never happens again.

Review:
Grounded by Lightning was the first piece of fanfiction I read in the Star Wars fandom, this fandom being one of the first I read in my long career of fanfiction reader and writer. I had already seen the movie and even though I had recognized the similarities between the Master and Apprentice relationship and the Japanese version of a Master and his student in the samurai culture, I had not really thought of the romantic side of such a relationship until I stumbled onto the world that is Star Wars (especially The Phantom Menace) fanfiction.

The story starts out with Master Qui-Gon Jinn getting the boot by some cocky knight who thinks that there's more and better out there than the relationship he already has. Suffice to say that Padawan Kenobi, who's been harboring a gigantic crush on his Master decides to take the chance and subtly starts to woo his Master. Well subtly only for Qui-Gon Jinn since everybody else seems to realize rather quickly what is going on and why Obi-Wan is suddenly sticking like glue to his Master.

Wednesday switches POV between Master and Padawan and allows us to see both sides of this courtship, the eager and smitten student who wants nothing more than to be noticed as a possible partner and the clueless and at times a tad confused teacher who slowly comes to realize that his Padawan is actually rather attractive and that said Padawan is secretly lusting after his Master.

The story has a happy end but since the whole plot takes place before Naboo and the events of the first movie, one can only assume that it will not stay that way. Except you are like me and imagine the whole thing taking place in an AU.


Grounded by Lightning

Posted on behalf of simarillion, who is away from the internet today.

Title: Grounded by Lightning
Fandom: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Categories: Drama, Romance
Length: Epic
Warnings: sappy Jedis, clueless Jedi Masters, smitten Jedi Apprentices

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: In my wildest Dreams

Summary:
Qui-Gon is left by a lover, and Obi-Wan intends to make sure it never happens again.

Review:
Grounded by Lightning was the first piece of fanfiction I read in the Star Wars fandom, this fandom being one of the first I read in my long career of fanfiction reader and writer. I had already seen the movie and even though I had recognized the similarities between the Master and Apprentice relationship and the Japanese version of a Master and his student in the samurai culture, I had not really thought of the romantic side of such a relationship until I stumbled onto the world that is Star Wars (especially The Phantom Menace) fanfiction.

The story starts out with Master Qui-Gon Jinn getting the boot by some cocky knight who thinks that there's more and better out there than the relationship he already has. Suffice to say that Padawan Kenobi, who's been harboring a gigantic crush on his Master decides to take the chance and subtly starts to woo his Master. Well subtly only for Qui-Gon Jinn since everybody else seems to realize rather quickly what is going on and why Obi-Wan is suddenly sticking like glue to his Master.

Wednesday switches POV between Master and Padawan and allows us to see both sides of this courtship, the eager and smitten student who wants nothing more than to be noticed as a possible partner and the clueless and at times a tad confused teacher who slowly comes to realize that his Padawan is actually rather attractive and that said Padawan is secretly lusting after his Master.

The story has a happy end but since the whole plot takes place before Naboo and the events of the first movie, one can only assume that it will not stay that way. Except you are like me and imagine the whole thing taking place in an AU.


Grounded by Lightning

Posted on behalf of simarillion, who is away from the internet today.

Title: Grounded by Lightning
Fandom: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Categories: Drama, Romance
Length: Epic
Warnings: sappy Jedis, clueless Jedi Masters, smitten Jedi Apprentices

Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: In my wildest Dreams

Summary:
Qui-Gon is left by a lover, and Obi-Wan intends to make sure it never happens again.

Review:
Grounded by Lightning was the first piece of fanfiction I read in the Star Wars fandom, this fandom being one of the first I read in my long career of fanfiction reader and writer. I had already seen the movie and even though I had recognized the similarities between the Master and Apprentice relationship and the Japanese version of a Master and his student in the samurai culture, I had not really thought of the romantic side of such a relationship until I stumbled onto the world that is Star Wars (especially The Phantom Menace) fanfiction.

The story starts out with Master Qui-Gon Jinn getting the boot by some cocky knight who thinks that there's more and better out there than the relationship he already has. Suffice to say that Padawan Kenobi, who's been harboring a gigantic crush on his Master decides to take the chance and subtly starts to woo his Master. Well subtly only for Qui-Gon Jinn since everybody else seems to realize rather quickly what is going on and why Obi-Wan is suddenly sticking like glue to his Master.

Wednesday switches POV between Master and Padawan and allows us to see both sides of this courtship, the eager and smitten student who wants nothing more than to be noticed as a possible partner and the clueless and at times a tad confused teacher who slowly comes to realize that his Padawan is actually rather attractive and that said Padawan is secretly lusting after his Master.

The story has a happy end but since the whole plot takes place before Naboo and the events of the first movie, one can only assume that it will not stay that way. Except you are like me and imagine the whole thing taking place in an AU.


Grounded by Lightning

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: By Any Demon’s Name by Cara J Loup
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Angst, Drama, Dark, Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Romance
Length: Epic (40,000+)
Warnings: Mental manipulations, dubious consent, torture, and dark themes.

Author on LJ: n/a
Website: n/a

Review:
Instead of handing Han over to Boba Fett in Cloud City, Vader decides to turn him into a Dark Side agent and send him back to an unsuspecting Luke.

I’ve been going through something of a rough patch lately with fics - nothing I’ve read seems to be what I’m looking for or even really satisfying– so re-reading fics like this one has definitely helped ease the frustration. Set during the always memorable events at Cloud City, the author does a wonderful job of creating an AU twist that is as insidious as it is compelling, forcing both Luke and Han to suffer in a way that only can be expected from a manipulative Vader. Though I hesitate to say that this fic has a hundred percent happy ending – there’s far too much that happens in the interim for it to – it does have a satisfyingly hopeful one that fits nicely into the universe and makes it well worth reading.

By Any Demon’s Name

Title: Electricity by Lady Ra
Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Categories: AU, Case File, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery, Romance
Length: Long
Warnings: n/a

Author on LJ: ladyra
Website: Visions of Pretty Boys

Review:
Police Captain Han Solo reluctantly turns to a psychic for help in solving a crime.

I have a confession to make: if this fic had been a movie, I’d have probably been glued to the edge of my seat for most of it. That might seem like a strange thing to confess but this fic has all the makings of a good mystery/thriller, even despite of the fact that it’s pretty easy to figure out whodunit thanks to the characters involved. On the same thread, Lady Ra does an awesome job of keeping all the characters in-character and the universe familiar, with the Force being a very real, very tangible thing, that Luke uses to help track down our criminal.

Overall, I have to say that if you’re a fan of a good mystery or just enjoy Star Wars like I do, give this one a try. You definitely won’t regret it.

Electricty