August 30, 2024

The Rec Center #452

Hello all! This week we have articles about fantasy food worldbuilding, Black Myth: Wukong, and a fandom meet-cute, along with some amazing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fanart, multifandom fic recs, and more! — Gav

 

new stuff

“Black Myth: Wukong Isn’t Even Good, But That Won’t Stop Chinese Nationalist and Anti-Woke Sales” by Shannon Liao at Inverse
Released last week, Black Myth: Wukong is a videogame based on the iconic Chinese novel Journey to the West. As this review explains, this game is already mired in controversy, allegedly “activating an anti-woke mob” of supporters online.

“What’s on the Menu in Your Fantasy World?” by Andrew Coletti at Atlas Obscura
To pair with Elizabeth’s recent Atlas Obscura piece about fanfiction and food, conversations with fantasy writers about how they think about food in their worldbuilding.

“How we met: ‘I found her amazing fan fiction and escaped into this fantasy world’” by Lizzie Cernik at the Guardian
An EXTREMELY charming fanfiction meet-cute (via a femslash ship in long-running British medical procedural Holby City!!).

 

 

older stuff

“The Race to Save Fanfiction History Before It’s Lost Forever” by Jay Castello at Slate
In a week where there was a lot of discussion on a certain social media platform about a deeply ahistorical fandom post, why not have some good fandom history? From 2022, a piece on a massive undertaking to scan and preserve the fanworks of the physical zine era.

 

tumblr & beyond

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fanart by master-of-the-game

“would he fucking say that? let’s investigate.”

IWTV text posts: “i feel like if ur french u should never call urself bisexual”.

“at least they keep falling in love in every universe on ao3”

ok you know what, new Hannibal viewer... you’re right.

“whats the first ever ship that you obsessed over?”

 

fanfiction

This week we’ve got a long grab-bag list, in case you’re lucky enough to have a long weekend! Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth

“you won’t believe it (they think we’re lovers)” by SJAandDWfan. 3K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Willow (2022); Ship: Jade Claymore/Kit Tanthalos
Recced by: Starsandatoms
Backstory: The sequel-series to the 80’s dark fantasy classic film, this show asks the important questions, such as “how many episodes can it take these two sword lesbians to realize they’re in love?” Kit is the Princess of Tir Asleen and Jade is an aspiring knight and her best friend; this is set pre-canon.
Rec: These two are such a delight in the show, and this fic nails their dynamic. The attention the author gives to Kit’s POV in all her messy, conflicted glory just reminds me why I love these two sapphic sword dorks so much.
Content warnings: N/A

“FAITH/FULL” by precious_red. 21K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Haikyuu!!; Ships: Miya Atsumu & Miya Osamu, past Miya Atsumu/Inarizaki Band Conductor
Recced by: shenfully
Backstory: This fic takes a look at the volatile yet loving relationship between the Miya twins in their senior year of high school. Set against the high tension backdrop of Nationals, it’s a look at growing up and choosing to follow your dreams, even if it takes you a different direction from those you love.
Rec: This fic has all the best parts of sports manga—adrenaline, tension, pathos, and humor. If you love how ridiculous the Miya twins are, then you’ll love precious_red’s take on their final Nationals journey.
Content warnings: N/A

“Aegis” by Femme4jack. 15K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Transformers; Ships: Beachcomber/Seaspray, Trailbreaker/Seaspray, Beachcomber/Hound
Recced by: Carrie
Backstory: Beachcomber and Seaspray are distiller hydrocolony mechs that are looking for Aegis mechs to support. They have their sights on a pair in particular.
Rec: I think the worldbuilding in this one with the mechs/distillers is really interesting and creative. The sex is also extremely alien and interesting and great.
Content warnings: Brief mentions of rape/sexual assault

“Stunted, Starving Juvenility” by TomatenMark. 859K words (WIP), rated Explicit.
Fandoms: 魔道祖师- 墨香铜臭 | Módào Zǔshī - Mòxiāng Tóngxiù, 魔道祖师 | Módào Zǔshī (Cartoon); Ships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn
Recced by: LivingMeatloaf
Backstory: Canon-divergent what-if where Wei Wuxian stays in Gusu to marry Lan Wangji as a teenager, instead of returning to Lotus Pier. The rest of the plot of MDZS continues apace, up to the Sunshot War, where it currently ends.
Rec: The author develops the people and daily life in Gusu so well, I forget many of the characters are OCs; I care about them as much as the canon characters. I love how this fic lets Wei Wuxian’s intelligence and creativity soar.
Content warnings: Graphic violence (including a major battle where many people die); underage feelings of horniness (teenagers who are betrothed); sexual content; violent undead creatures; small amounts of physical and emotional abuse from a parental figure

“desert fire” by mylittleredgirl. 7.5K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Star Trek: Enterprise; Ship: T’pol/Tucker
Recced by: anon
Backstory: Short fic about the will they-won’t they couple in Enterprise canon: science officer T’pol (Vulcan) and head engineer commander Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Human). Set in a mirror universe, but you don’t need to know the details of the MU to enjoy the story.
Rec: I like this fic for what feels like a strong understanding of the characters and well written prose—plus cool world building of the MU.
Content warnings: Pon farr, interspecies relationship, racism

“40/40” by Jadesfire. 15K words, rated Gen.
Fandom: Marvel Cinematic Universe Avengers/Daredevil; Ship: Gen
Recced by: Sandra
Backstory: Avengers works with Daredevil in Hell’s Kitchen, with lots of badass Daredevil fighting and a betting pool about what his powers are, and Thor helping Daredevil trolling them while they guess.
Rec: I’m a sucker for Daredevil meets the Avengers stories, and this is one of the best, reccing this fic sucked me into reading it again, and I’ve read it twice before.
Content warnings: Canon-typical violence, so bruising, spraining, etc.

“Dinner with the Special Assassination and Tactical Squad” by pentapus. 19K words, Not Rated.
Fandom: Naruto; Ship: Hatake Kakashi/Umino Iruka
Recced by: llostlenore
Backstory: An AU where Kakshi’s ANBU cover is “civilian burnout.”
Rec: This author does an amazing job of digging into the concept of the ANBU, a secretive group of masked wetworks operatives that take all the most dangerous missions in the village. All her Naruto stories are full of plotty, twisting, spy-on-spy goodness, but one is my favorite. The Iruka characterization here is pitch-perfect.
Content warnings: Mentions of violence consistent w/military operations

“I Know You’re A Mistake I Won’t Regret” by LunaCanisLupus_22. 40K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Hawaii Five 0; Ship: Steve McGarrett/Danny Williams
Recced by: drdulosis
Backstory: Omegaverse with status fluidity... Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett is an omega who presents as alpha to the rest of the world. Somehow, alpha Danny Williams can smell the omega on him, though.
Rec: I’ve read omegaverse fic that involves omegas suppressing their status before, but this comes closest to doing it in a trans way that really resonates for me.
Content warnings: N/A

“Fever” by Lady_in_Red. 119K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire; Ship: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Recced by: anon
Backstory: This is a modern AU where the characters from Game of Thrones are instead in the USA, with a backdrop of professional bull riding. Jaime is an older bull rider, almost at the end of his career, while Brienne is a newcomer to the professional sport.
Rec: This story is absolutely beautiful. I never thought I would care about bull riding or a fantasy story set in such an American environment, but the author is so knowledgeable and transmits such a passion for the environment she weaves for the characters that it is impossible not to fall in love with the fic. This is a delicious slow burn set in a world of a dangerous professional sport.
Content warnings: Let’s say bull riding is a violent sport

And a vid!

“The Vampire Armand & The Press Conference Rag” by mycenaae. 3:59, Not Rated.
Fandom: AMC IWTV; Ship: Canon ships
Recced by: skazka
Backstory: AMC Interview With The Vampire does a lot of thematic exploration around memory recollection and the role of an unreliable or manipulative narrator—but it also does a lot with the impact of who’s listening to the story on the story being told. This fanvid set to “We Both Reached For The Gun” from Chicago dramatizes exactly that.
Rec: This vid weds the song itself, its original context in a vaudeville-inspired musical about celebrity murderesses and criminal justice as showbiz, and the show’s visuals/plot points in a really clever three-way. I love it.
Content warnings: Brief canon-typical vampire violence, brief canon-typical partner violence

 

 

FINAL THOUGHT

I’m super excited to announce that I’ll be the keynote speaker for the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s annual awards on Thursday, September 12th!! If you’re based in the Bay Area, please come! (There are discounts for EFF members and students—details about that and the honorees at the link above.) — Elizabeth