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crack_van2013-02-26 09:15 pm
unbidden-truth.livejournal.com) wrote in crack_van2013-02-26 09:15 pm
Daughter of Erebus by Tipper (PG-13)
Fandom: MERLIN
Pairing: Gen, canon Arthur/Gwen
Length: 46,732
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: AO3
Why this must be read:
Summary: "As Arthur struggles to prove himself worthy after Agravaine's betrayal and Gwen tries to get used to being Queen, a band of professional thieves plot to steal from Camelot with the help of a foreign magic, and Merlin, naturally, is right smack in the middle."
For fandom that is large as Merlin, it's surprisingly difficult to find gen stories, especially lengthy ones which makes this story a pleasant surprise. This fic reads like a Merlin episode and does an excellent job of conveying both the show's strength (the depth of Merlin and Arthur's friendship) and flaws (avoidance of the logical magic!reveal). The author does a great job of capturing Arthur's fondness for Merlin hidden by his bullying, arrogant attitude towards Merlin to Gwen's wisdom as well as Merlin's single-minded devotion to Arthur and fulfilling his destiny. The plot and the "villains" are interesting and ties well into rest of the series as well as cleverly connecting the Arthurian legend to Greek myth.
While I would argue that the fic feels uncannily like the show, some readers may find it "too young" and it does feel like it is aimed towards a much younger audience. But IMHO, that is part of it's charm. At times the characters feel a little naive, but it's a fairly accurate portrayal of the characters in the earlier part of the show. Either way, whether intended or not, this fic does an extremely great job of highlighting a lot of the issues I had with the show while still celebrating the best aspects of it. And much like it, this fic made me equal parts frustrated and happy.
Daughter of Erebus
Pairing: Gen, canon Arthur/Gwen
Length: 46,732
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: AO3
Why this must be read:
Summary: "As Arthur struggles to prove himself worthy after Agravaine's betrayal and Gwen tries to get used to being Queen, a band of professional thieves plot to steal from Camelot with the help of a foreign magic, and Merlin, naturally, is right smack in the middle."
For fandom that is large as Merlin, it's surprisingly difficult to find gen stories, especially lengthy ones which makes this story a pleasant surprise. This fic reads like a Merlin episode and does an excellent job of conveying both the show's strength (the depth of Merlin and Arthur's friendship) and flaws (avoidance of the logical magic!reveal). The author does a great job of capturing Arthur's fondness for Merlin hidden by his bullying, arrogant attitude towards Merlin to Gwen's wisdom as well as Merlin's single-minded devotion to Arthur and fulfilling his destiny. The plot and the "villains" are interesting and ties well into rest of the series as well as cleverly connecting the Arthurian legend to Greek myth.
While I would argue that the fic feels uncannily like the show, some readers may find it "too young" and it does feel like it is aimed towards a much younger audience. But IMHO, that is part of it's charm. At times the characters feel a little naive, but it's a fairly accurate portrayal of the characters in the earlier part of the show. Either way, whether intended or not, this fic does an extremely great job of highlighting a lot of the issues I had with the show while still celebrating the best aspects of it. And much like it, this fic made me equal parts frustrated and happy.
Daughter of Erebus