The Rec Center #475
Hello all! This week we have articles about the new Star Trek movie, RPG fan translation, and customized gaming PCs, along with some hot Wicked fanart, our first week of multifandom Femslash February fic recs, and more! — Gav
new stuff
“The Michelle Yeoh Star Trek TV Movie Just Doesn’t Have the Juice” by Angelica Jade Bastién at Vulture
Critic and avowed Deep Space Nine fan Angelica Jade Bastién reviews the widely criticized new Star Trek spinoff movie Section 31, discussing how the franchise has lost its way. “Those who make Star Trek today seem to have learned the wrong lessons from Deep Space Nine, gobbling up the series’ darkness but forgoing its soulfulness and wonderful contradictions.”
“It took more than a decade for a surreal RPG to get its final translation” by Jay Castello at the Verge
“It’s a strange feeling to be most well known for the work that you did on somebody else’s work.” An interesting piece about a fan translator’s role in the remaster of cult-favorite RPG Off.
“Gamers Are Turning PCs Into Fantasy Worlds of Their Own” by Cecilia D’Anastasio at Bloomberg
Inside the world of people who customize their gaming PCs, featuring some gorgeous photographs of their work.
Just realised that "Gene Hackman" is the exact name that Hideo Kojima would give a biochemist
— Bison Sexhorn, Now With ActionVision™️ (@brainmage.bsky.social) February 4, 2025 at 5:19 AM
older stuff
“How Sharing Recipes Brings Fans Together” by Elizabeth at Atlas Obscura
“It’s such an encapsulation of who all these characters are, and it’s one that we very, very rarely get in canon for most things that have a transformative fandom.” On food and fanfiction, including interviews with writers who’ve folded recipes into fic, and readers who’ve made them.
tumblr & beyond
Wicked fanart by starenflugart
truly incredible piece of star trek fanart to have hanging on your wall.
“i bet bones has done so many discreet mpreg abortions”
A gorgeous embroidered jacket based on Howl’s costume from the Howl’s Moving Castle movie!
“do you think people in the hannibal universe were intimidated out of serial killing by how much thought and care was put into all of the big serial killer’s serial killing.”
fanfiction
Femslash February 2025: Week 1! We’ve got a couple of single-author lists ready to go, but we’re starting off the month with a multifandom grab-bag. Thanks so much to everyone who sent in a rec. — Elizabeth
“death is (a cold, blindfolded kiss)” by mapped. 5.8K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Black Sails; Ships: Max/Eleanor Guthrie, Max/Anne Bonny
Recced by: oddlyenthusiast
Backstory: A beautiful reflection on Max and Eleanor’s ever-changing relationship throughout the series.
Rec: I love the non-linear style the author uses to depict how intertwined these women’s lives were. It’s very bittersweet as Max remembers the love lost with Eleanor, while also embracing the happiness she’s found with Anne.
Content warnings: Non-explicit references to rape, brief violence
“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: Julie
Backstory: It takes place in the background of Tamora Pierce’s other works and fits nicely within the existing canon.
Rec: I love how both main characters have such strong senses of duty and choose to have an adventure together while knowing it won’t last. I also love the author’s exploration of two very minor characters and creation of other characters.
Content warnings: N/A
“Natural Remedies for PMS Symptoms” by x_los. 7.4K words, rated Explicit.
Fandom: Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System; Ship: f!Luo Binghe/f!Shen Qingqiu
Recced by: Chocolatepot
Backstory: The canon is premised on someone isekai-ing into a minor villain and warping the het male power fantasy story into a gay romance. This is a genderbend set before the characters get together, while the original hero is still angry at the non-villain for a betrayal (yet also badly in love with her).
Rec: It’s incredibly well-written, and an amazing look into Luo Binghe’s psyche during a pretty dark part of canon. (And hot.)
Content warnings: Dubious consent and (period) bloodplay
“You Are Meant to Read This” by Lightbulbs. 1K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: This is How You Lose the Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone; Ship: Blue/Red
Recced by: Chronograph
Backstory: Blue writes a flirtatious letter to Red, or perhaps the other way around.
Rec: The author has a great handle on character voice, but the real joy is in the work’s creativity and use of CSS. It’s a beautiful fanwork that takes full advantage of its format. If possible, I recommend reading it for the first time on a white background to preserve some of the surprises.
Content warnings: N/A
“Harder for You, Of Course” by pendrecarc. 17K words, rated Teen.
Fandom: Think of England – K. J. Charles; Ship: Fenella Carruth/Patricia Merton
Recced by: elainasaunt
Backstory: An AU of how KJ Charles’s amateur lady detectives, Fen and Pat, get together—at an Edwardian country house party, of course, as is de rigueur in this fandom. Practical, efficient Pat is a champion shot and Fen is an heiress whose curves and seemingly fluffy personality hide a sharp mind and steel core.
Rec: This case fic, proposing different backgrounds for both women but set in the canonical period, preserves Charles’s characterizations of them and their typical repartee while putting them through a completely new story with well-written OCs. No knowledge of canon required.
Content warnings: 1 only slightly gory murder
“sediment” by belledamn. 27K words, rated Mature.
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV); Ship: Faith Lehane/Buffy Summers
Recced by: ninamonday
Backstory: This traces the emotional arcs of Buffy season 7 through a non-magical AU where Buffy is a private investigator.
Rec: This is a sad but hopeful and very beautiful story about trauma and healing. The way it interprets canon is fascinating, too!
Content warnings: Suicide attempt, drug use
wish I could find my Star Wars fanfic from the 4th grade titled “Banana Lighstaber,” the plot of which is “there’s a monkey with a yellow lightsaber” and “everyone is amazed that there’s a monkey with a lightsaber despite this being a universe with aliens”
— JP (@jpbrammer.bsky.social) January 28, 2025 at 8:55 PM
FINAL THOUGHT
Longtime subscribers might remember that in the early years of the newsletter, we’d comment more on current events…but it wound up being a lot of “wow ROUGH week huh” statements over and over again, to the point where it felt a little empty—and at a certain point, we decided to cut down on that significantly. But after a few VERY ROUGH weeks, we thought it’d be worth bringing this up directly for newer readers who might be curious. There will likely be scenarios where we can add something constructive, but for the most part, we know that you have your own sources/channels for non-fandom-related politics and activism. We’ve heard from so many readers over the years that this is a bright spot that they look forward to at the end of the week, and we hope we continue being that for folks in the year ahead. — Elizabeth & Gav