The Rec Center #374
Hi all! This week we’ve got coverage of the AI-generated fiction situation and (separately) sci-fi worldbuilding, along with some cool BTS fanart, a fandom letter of recommendation for Elden Ring, and multifandom fic recs grouped around the slow burn trope! — Gav
new stuff
“Sci-Fi Publishers Are Bracing for an AI Battle” by Elizabeth at WIRED
Elizabeth talked to SFF magazine publishers and developers about the current realities of—and possible solutions for—AI-generated submissions.
“Building Better Worlds” by Javier Grillo-Marxuach at Uncanny Magazine
Speaking of SFF, longtime TV writer and producer Javi Grillo-Marxuach wrote this deep and fantastic guide to world-building; recommended for fiction writers of all sorts!
“‘Binging with Babish’ YouTuber under fire for ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ sponsored content” by Gav at the Daily Dot
More of a “just FYI” than anything else: Beloved fandom food vlogger Binging with Babish is using his platform to shill for Hogwarts Legacy??
https://twitter.com/boners/status/1466834588592918533
older stuff
“The Lord of the Rings Fanfic That’s 10 Times Longer Than the Original” by Jay Castello at Slate
An interview about communal creation in fandom with the authors of “At the Edge of Lasg’len,” which at the time was the longest fic on the AO3 (it’s currently at 6 million words, but it’s been edged out by the Terminator fic “Future Shock,” which is closer to 7 million).
tumblr & beyond
j-hope fanart by findgingkii
“black sails provides sooo much rep for shitty leftists <3”
“the only new trek vs old trek discourse i wanna hear is about the aspect ratios”
[it’s the children who are wrong meme]
some delightful insight into the inner workings of the One Ring.
never get tired of anime fanboy michael b jordan.
letter of recommendation: elden ring
M is a professional historian with a silly tumblr and an eclectic taste in fandoms. She has previously written explainers for The Rec Center about the DC Batfamily and the (pre-Netflix) Witcher.
Oh yes... Tarnished, are we? Come to the Lands Between for the Elden Ring, hmm?
Of course you have. No shame in it.
Unfortunately for you, however, you are maidenless.
I can play the role of maiden. To aid you in your understanding of the Elden Ring.
Just in time for the game’s one-year anniversary, I am fascinated by Elden Ring’s fandom. The most recent game by FromSoftware—makers of Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series—ER drops the player into the world of the Lands Between as a Tarnished, the descendant of a warrior of Godfrey, First Elden Lord, who was driven from the Lands Between many years ago after losing the guidance of grace. You, the player, have returned now that grace has been restored to you in order to recover the Great Runes lost in the Shattering and become the new Elden Lord.
Fanart by 1ichen
If that explanation left you confused, that’s because FromSoftware, and ER director Hidetaka Miyazaki, famously like to invent astonishingly complex worlds and then tell their stories only indirectly through environmental storytelling, item descriptions, and side character quests. The details of even the basic plot of ER are up to player interpretation—and that is exactly what I like so much about the fandom.
Fair warning: If you follow any of the links I provide you WILL see spoilers for the game. If you want to watch but not play, here are a couple first-time playthroughs OR you can watch someone who already knows what they’re doing complete every character quest.
ER fans play and stream the game, curate guides and tips (it’s a hard game), create incredible fanart, and write fic, but a huge part of ER fandom is meta. Plenty of these meta discussions take place on r/Eldenring, but my favorite place for ER fandom is YouTube, where fans create videos that last anywhere from two minutes to nearly two hours talking through various aspects of the game lore.
The way the story of ER is told forces players to sift through fragmentary texts, rumor, and the detritus of bygone ages to piece together the world’s past, essentially recreating the real-life discipline of history for a virtual universe. There’s even a YouTuber called The Tarnished Archaeologist who applies archaeological practices to the game’s environment. Some people focus on information lost and found in the process of translating the game from its original Japanese to English, while others look to history for the game creators’ inspiration and referents. George R.R. Martin’s involvement with some of ER’s backstory adds an extra layer to the analysis for people looking for common themes with his Song of Ice and Fire series and beyond.
Fanart by drenched-in-sunlight
One of the most popular ER lore YouTubers is VaatiVidya. This video from his “Prepare to Cry” series is a good place to start—it uses a narrative form to follow a couple of the side characters in a way that makes the lore approachable without spoiling any of the game’s final endings.
ER is a single-player game, but it fosters community spirit through aspects like co-op and the in-game note system. The fandom even has its own folk heroes (who could forget the legendary Let Me Solo Her?), but the meta/lore aspect of fandom not only invites but actually relies on the input of a wide range of people able to lend their own knowledge and thoughts to the task of deciphering the story and world. I just think it’s neat!
fanfiction
The return of our most-frequently submitted trope: slow burn. Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec! — Elizabeth
“The Reaching Out One” by Alex51324. 53K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Due South; Ship: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Recced by: Natalie
Backstory: This takes place a decade after the end of the show. Each year Kowalski and Fraser go on a trip together, but Diefenbakers’ passing makes them confront the fact that they aren’t getting any younger, as well as their feelings for each other.
Rec: I find this story unbelievably cathartic, mostly because it’s a story about the passing of a beloved animal. Kowalski and Fraser have incredible chemistry on the show, and I find that is captured really well.
Content warnings: Death of a pet
“in the perfection of conduct and virtues” by rain_sleet_snow. 65K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Tortall-Tamora Pierce; Ship: Kalasin of Conté/Maura of Dunlath
Recced by: Jay
Backstory: Maura of Dunlath does not remain in Dunlath forever. Instead she becomes Princess Kalasins’ Lady in Waiting, and begins to discover just how much more of the world there is.
Rec: This is a gorgeous bittersweet story of devotion and duty, the clumsiness of first loves, and the ache of growing up. A great read if you are a Tortall Devotee, or if you are new to her world.
Content warnings: N/A
“shoot your shot -- hot or knot” by defractum. 51K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Modao Zushi/The Untamed; Ship: Wei Wuxian/Lan Wangji
Recced by: cx
Backstory: Single-handedly setting a new bar for AUs, and if we’re very lucky, creating a new fandom staple, this fic says “but what if there was a reality tv competition show that started like Love Island and ended like the Hunger Games, and also it was all omegaverse?” and takes that to its beautiful, unhinged conclusion.
Rec: Premise (excellent as it is) aside, this is a very well-written story, which gets at the instant attraction/obliviousness which is such a core aspect of the wangxian dynamic. Watching Wei Wuxian as a slightly world-weary Career Omega, immersed in and used to the demands of reality tv, and his interactions with his fellow contestants would be delightful and hilarious even without the carefully built interactions with Lan Wangji, reality tv newbie, alpha, and emphatically not here for the right reasons (did not watch the show properly before applying).
Content warnings: Dubious Consent, minor character death
“Harley & Ivy: As Nature Intended” by AmberZ10, N7agentbartowski. 137K words, rated Explicit.
Fandoms: DC, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy; Ship: Harley Quinn/Poison Ivy
Recced by: sarahsgoh
Backstory: “When unsuspecting biochemist, Pamela Isley, is subjected to torturous experiments, she loses not only her hopes for the future, but her humanity as well. Years later, in a chance encounter with a former Arkham psychiatrist wrapped around the Joker’s finger, Poison Ivy is forced to remember what it was to be Pamela…And what it means to be human. A retelling of the story of Harley and Ivy…from the very beginning.”
Rec: Everything a Harlivy fan could want; exceptional plot and flirty banter with a side of soul-crushing feels for the love they have for each other.
Content warnings: Rape/Non-con
“Tell me about despair” by Hattalove. 149K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: 9-1-1 tv show; Ship: Buck/Eddie
Recced by: brooklynboos
Backstory: Eddie goes to therapy and discovers he has a lot of trauma and coping mechanisms to unpack actually.
Rec: Everyone in this fandom is always going on about wanting to crack open Eddie’s skull and study his brain and this fic is exactly that, in extremely excruciating and loving detail. I also absolutely adore Eddie’s relationships with literally all of the non-central characters, especially Hen.
Content warnings: Nothing tagged, specific details listed in the author notes and more questions may be directed at the author. But definitely PTSD, mental trauma.
“the firebender’s guide to living life after destiny” by chuffystilton. 99K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender; Ship: Sokka/Zuko
Recced by: rosalind
Backstory: Post-canon fic that follows Firelord Zuko and Ambassador Sokka as they uncover a conspiracy, navigate internalized homophobia, and grapple with the Fire Nation’s legacy of genocide.
Rec: This fic manages to be so many different things at once—and all successfully! It’s a tremendously compelling mystery, an indictment of colonialism, a cross-cultural romance, and a story about re-figuring out who you are in your 20s.
Content warnings: N/A
https://twitter.com/Roach_Collector/status/1628569165790339073
FINAL THOUGHT
The bidding period for Fandom Trumps Hate is now open! And it’s relatively short—bids close this Sunday, March 5th at 8 pm ET.
As a reminder, FTH is a multifandom auction where creators offer what they’re willing to make/do, you bid on them with the dollar amount you’ll donate to charity, and if you win, they’ll create a fanwork for/with you! Many creators start bids at $5, and it’s not just fic and art (I always enjoy browsing the fan labor section, specifically the huge range sensitivity reading or culture picking offers).
You can see all the auctions here. Good luck bidding! — Elizabeth