Fellow Travelers by J. Brooks (PG)

[pocketmouse]

Hey all, pocketmouse here with your Magnificent Seven recs for January. Ezra's my favorite, but I love 'em all, really, so while Ezra's going to feature rather heavily in my recs set, he's definitely not going to be alone.

Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Blackraptor
Why this must be read:

There are a lot of Magnificent Seven AUs out there that feature one or more of the gang as children, but as fun as that might be, that tends to change the dynamic for a bunch of tough, gun-slinging desperadoes or hardened federal agents. It's hard to find one that can keep the balance between the Seven equal, but this gem manages it deftly. Fellow Travelers, an AU set before the Civil War, features a young Ezra Standish, fleeing his abusive uncle with the help of the slave Nathan. It manages to keep much of the team dynamic as they meet up with the rest of the Seven, and struggle to stay together no matter what happens, be it vengeful relatives, hoop snakes, or the law itself.
J. Brooks has been featured here before, and it is much deserved, as her characterization is always spot-on, and her dialogue and descriptions are both accurate and funny. Her stories are never without humor, a must for Magnificent Seven.

Fellow Travelers

Comments

Fellow Travelers

[(Anonymous)]

This is one of the best stories I've ever read at keeping the guys in character and showing the strengths of each one. Though Ezra is a child, he's still recognizably Ezra and a little con artist. There's a companion story called Encumbrances that is hilarious as the guys try to treat Ezra like a normal kid by giving him a teddy bear.