Redemption Road by Various Authors (R, NC-17, varies)

[shadowkeeper.livejournal.com]

Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Dean/Castiel
Length: 652,233
Author on LJ: spn_redemption
Author Website: Ao3
Why this must be read:
Redemption Road is a LJ-based virtual season – a fan-generated, large-scale AU project created by members of the SPN and Dean/Castiel fandoms.

So, for my last fic pick this month, I wanted to close out with the most epic Supernatural fic I’ve ever read, and one long enough to last you a good long while.

Redemption Road is an epic “season 7” that starts off right where season 6 ended (With Cas having absorbed purgatory souls and becoming a god) and goes through 24 “episodes” and interludes, building up through case ‘episodes’ and plot centric stories that builds up with to insanely epic big-bad. It cumulates like all good tv shows with a setup for future seasons. I don’t know how spoilers work or if you can spoil fic (you can get see the tags and the short summaries on all the chapters) but since this works like a tv season, the Winchesters must deal with God!Cas thenDean, Sam, and Bobby banishes the souls Cas absorbed but accidently sends Cas to Purgatory. Dean travels there to save Cas and eventually they get together. But a slithering evil is slowly seeping back into the world and turns out HP Lovecraft was right about almost everything and C’thulu wakes from his slumber and must be vanquished. Then maybe all roads may look like they lead to 2014, but what’s free will for? These are fic writers, not actual show writers, so there isn’t as much sadism. barely anyone you probably love stays dead

There are DVD extras/codas interspersed though that are pallet cleansers and the episode list helps show how the chapters break down if the AO3 listing is unclear. The episodic structure of the fics do allow for reading this fic chapter by chapter (or in chunks) so it won’t be like committing to all 650k+ at once if you don’t have the time.

There are dozens of authors and artists that collaborated to put all this together, and while you may be able to see differences in style (writing and art wise), it all works to blend together rather seamlessly into an epic season long saga.

This fic has everything. Great writing, pretty art, insanely evil big-bads, awesome Winchesters, #1 dad Bobby, in-universe character development, fun reappearances of old characters, the epic love story that is Dean/Cas, an awesomely cool OC love interest for Sam, epic mythology (not previously featured in the actual show), case fic, plot fic, hot smut, fun interludes, and an ending that may leave you wanting another season of this but alas.

Good luck.

Redemption Road

Comments

[popkin16]

One day I am going to read this. It looks so good.

[shadowkeeper.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's so good.
And the word count was what kept me from reading it for months.But you don't have to do it like I did and read it in 2 sittings because you get addicted to it and stop sleeping.. Average "episodes" are around a manageable 20k-30k. (and codas are much shorter) Start 1 'episode' at a time. You'll find yourself at the end sooner or later. :)

[popkin16]

I started it and really enjoyed what I had read of it! The word count is definitely intimidating, but I think taking it an episode at a time is a very smart way of handling it. It makes it more manageable - or at least it feels that way :P I think I may start it tonight~

[nic]

It IS epic. :D

[shadowkeeper.livejournal.com]

:D
The best kind of epic.

[cuddyclothes.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed it up to a point, but around ch. 12 or so I started feeling like none of the characters were IC, save for Bobby saying "boy" and "idjits", On the other hand, given what happened this season, quite a bit seems prescient (sp). Mainly, Dean doesn't sound like Dean. His dialogue is too basic, like it needs to be given a make-over to get it right. So, yeah, it was enjoyable, but I had to bail.

YMMV.

[shadowkeeper.livejournal.com]

I think that can be chalked up to a couple factors? It could be the specific authors for the chapters you stalled at aren't meshing with you very well. I know I had a couple dotty points in there where I just didn't click with the author's style and I sped through chunks and nearly skipped all of a chapter or two. I think enjoying the dialogue is a little author specific as well? Like, maybe you'll enjoy it in another chapter depending on the writing style.

With the characterization, I found there to be enough 'in universe development' that at some point, the people weren't who they are in canon because of all the stuff that's happened to them in this fic. I didn't notice it to much because I was reading this fic in such huge chunks that I accepted character changed that seemed to make sense in the flow of the story, rather than coming back to it one chapter at a time and then having canon in the back of my mind every time so I wasn't making too many comparisons there.

That's just my take on it, but I could see how you could be bothered by it.