Big Rock Candy Mountain by Basingstoke (NC-17)

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

Fandom: BTVS
Pairing: Gen at first, and then Andrew Wells/male
Author on LJ: basingstoke
Author Website: Basingstoke

Why this must be read:

Timing is everything, so I have the privilege of reccing this recently posted story by Basingstoke. I heard lots of good things about it, and it definitely delivered. Basingstoke made me care deeply about a character whom I hadn't seen as anything but comic relief. The story plays with the concept of alternate realities, as is so popular in the Buffyverse, but here that gimmick works very well. The Andrew POV is limited--we see canon events and the other characters through his eyes, but everything rings true. This qualifies as slash, but the first half is gen and there aren't many sex scenes, so I urge nonslashers to read it.

This story is also heart-breakingly good, and it's an instant classic in the fandom.


Big Rock Candy Mountain

Comments

[dreamerindenial.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favorite stories! I'm so glad someone recced it :)

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

I think if I hadn't recced it, the May crack van driver would have. Everyone's been pimping it on my flist, so I actually heard about it right after it was posted.

[minotaurs.livejournal.com]

ITA. This story got inside my head and wouldn't let go. I still haven't been able to re-read it, because it broke my heart the first time round. Just thinking about it, about poor doomed Andrew, gets me all choked up.

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

Sometimes you need what you can't have--and that is truly a tragedy.

Whar also struck me about the story is how you never really know what someone else is going through--what they are experiencing and what is motivating their actions.

Oh, and that old saying about the road to hell being paved with good intentions...

[chasethecat.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. I'm not in Buffy fandom, and I hadn't heard of this fic. Thank you so much for reccing it, it was amazing.

[raveninthewind.livejournal.com]

So glad you liked it!