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crack_van2004-01-07 05:19 pm
justacat.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2004-01-07 05:19 pm
Sixteenth of June, by Resonant (NC-17)
Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Benton Fraser
Author's Website: http://www.trickster.org/res/
Author on LJ:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
resonant8
Why this must be read:
It's difficult to know where to begin rec'ing Resonant. Every single due South fiction she's written is wonderful. Resonant has an absolutely masterful command of the due South voices - Fraser and Ray in particular, but also the minor characters like Thatcher and Turnbull. She's one of the best smut writers out there, bar none - her sex scenes are invariably hot, with feeling and depth and a real sense of character and an amazing attention to detail. Her fics are often interestingly and carefully constructed, and they're amazingly "organic" - though you might realize intellectually the effort that went into constructing them, you're not really aware of it when reading. She makes it seem easy, inevitable, natural, seamless - she fools the reader into thinking, oh, that's not a big deal, I could have done it, of course the scenes flowed in that order!
Sixteenth of June is a great illustration of this, and though it's not as often recommended as some of Resonant's fics, in my view it's one of the most universally appealing. The story plays on the concept of anniversaries, both good and bad, and the meanings we give to important dates in the past - as well as the creation of new "important dates" in our presents. It's written from Fraser's first person POV. Each section is devoted to the events on a particular date during Fraser's first year with Ray Kowalski. Through the progression of the year we see the development of their relationship from tentative friendship through love, and though the meaning of the events on any given day is not always immediately apparent on first reading, in hindsight it's easy to see - and marvel at! - how carefully and expertly Resonant builds the story, how each date's events are like blocks, which individually aren't necessarily that significant but which fit together to create a brilliant and coherent whole. It's truly remarkable.
And even within each particular date, the attention to detail is just amazing. Resonant is a true master at "showing not telling," at filling stories with wonderful little touches and images that, though they individually might not seem that important, combine to bring the characters to life and illustrate their feelings without any unnecessary exposition. Like this fantastic passage, from early in the story:
Sixteenth of June is a very understated fic. It's perhaps not Resonant's funniest or sexiest or plottiest. There's nothing extravagent or "exciting" about it; it's gentle and slowly paced. But it's sweet, tender, moving, and, at various times sad, funny, hopeful, loving, and hot. All in all a lovely, delightful fic, and a great place to start reading Resonant (and let me warn you, once you start it's hard to stop!).
Sixteenth of June
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Benton Fraser
Author's Website: http://www.trickster.org/res/
Author on LJ:
resonant8Why this must be read:
It's difficult to know where to begin rec'ing Resonant. Every single due South fiction she's written is wonderful. Resonant has an absolutely masterful command of the due South voices - Fraser and Ray in particular, but also the minor characters like Thatcher and Turnbull. She's one of the best smut writers out there, bar none - her sex scenes are invariably hot, with feeling and depth and a real sense of character and an amazing attention to detail. Her fics are often interestingly and carefully constructed, and they're amazingly "organic" - though you might realize intellectually the effort that went into constructing them, you're not really aware of it when reading. She makes it seem easy, inevitable, natural, seamless - she fools the reader into thinking, oh, that's not a big deal, I could have done it, of course the scenes flowed in that order!
Sixteenth of June is a great illustration of this, and though it's not as often recommended as some of Resonant's fics, in my view it's one of the most universally appealing. The story plays on the concept of anniversaries, both good and bad, and the meanings we give to important dates in the past - as well as the creation of new "important dates" in our presents. It's written from Fraser's first person POV. Each section is devoted to the events on a particular date during Fraser's first year with Ray Kowalski. Through the progression of the year we see the development of their relationship from tentative friendship through love, and though the meaning of the events on any given day is not always immediately apparent on first reading, in hindsight it's easy to see - and marvel at! - how carefully and expertly Resonant builds the story, how each date's events are like blocks, which individually aren't necessarily that significant but which fit together to create a brilliant and coherent whole. It's truly remarkable.
And even within each particular date, the attention to detail is just amazing. Resonant is a true master at "showing not telling," at filling stories with wonderful little touches and images that, though they individually might not seem that important, combine to bring the characters to life and illustrate their feelings without any unnecessary exposition. Like this fantastic passage, from early in the story:
"April is the cruelest month," the old gentleman intoned from the back seat of the GTO, handcuffs rattling as he clasped his hands and turned his eyes heavenward.Wow.
"Unless you're the IRS," Ray called over his shoulder. "Who are probably also gonna want a word with you, DuSable, unless you been reporting the money you made from selling fake Lotto tickets, which excuse me if I kinda doubt."
"You have no poetry in your soul," the counterfeiter said. "I'll bet the constable understands."
"Breeding lilacs out of the dead land," I answered. Here in Chicago it was too early for lilacs, but through the window I could see blooms on a number of trees whose names I had not yet learned. "A blossom on a bare branch, before the leaves return, is a potent image of hope," I said. "And at times hope can be very painful."
Ray looked at me as if he were astonished to find that he agreed with me. "It is, isn't it," he said. "It's like, it's like, what's that thing where they cut your arm off but your fingers still hurt?"
"That's a ... unique way of looking at it, Ray."
"No, he has a very good analogy," Mr. DuSable said.
"Thanks," Ray said. "Everybody says that. I take after my mother's side."
Sixteenth of June is a very understated fic. It's perhaps not Resonant's funniest or sexiest or plottiest. There's nothing extravagent or "exciting" about it; it's gentle and slowly paced. But it's sweet, tender, moving, and, at various times sad, funny, hopeful, loving, and hot. All in all a lovely, delightful fic, and a great place to start reading Resonant (and let me warn you, once you start it's hard to stop!).
Sixteenth of June
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