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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Buck/Chris Length: 5,150 words Author on LJ: ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif) charlottechillAuthor website: Author's stories on AO3Why this must be read: Because while it is seasonally appropriate, it's much more than a ghost story. Although set in an damp, dark, foggy version of our old west town, it is also a double love story that moves on the vital lynchpin of the entire series - that Chris Larabee tragically lost the wife he loved. And this influences all those he loves now and all those who love him. The story is told in first person by Buck. It is full of atmosphere and emotion, giving us insight into how long and how well Buck has loved Chris. In short, Buck, who we know as a braveheart of a character, fears his own end is presaged when he, and he alone, begins to see the ghost of Sarah Larabee... Fog swirls in eddies and flows like water. It's strange how the horse don't see to know she's there. Glancing right and left real quick, I step off the boardwalk and into the dirt. I walk toward her, expecting her to disappear again, but now she stays. I'm two feet away -- closer than I'd usually have gotten to her in life without a chaperone, an invitation, or a damned good reason, but she just stands there. She tilts her head, looking up at me, and her eyes... I'd forgotten what color they were, pretty brown like a calf's. It scares the hell out of me that I can see Chris's dead wife and he can't. Nobody ought to be seeing her, but if anybody can, it ought to be Chris.Death's Pretty Face | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing/Characters: Chris/Vin, Ezra Length: 689 words Author on LJ: not known Author website: Author on AO3Why this must be read: It's a lovely one if you're interested in dynamics and perspective. Although very short this is a stylish, beautifully-written interpretation of the triumvirate of Chris, Vin and Ezra. The voice we hear is Vin's, the central emotional/sexual relationship of the story is Chris/Vin, while the focus of the piece is essentially Ezra. It casts a beam on how, or even if, he fits into the Seven and particularly how he relates to Chris and Vin. But once Vin took up with Chris, the two of them settling down out at his place to raise a few horses, not that Vin didn't still run off for weeks at a time to visit the Kiowa, or the Seminole village where Nathan slowly courted Rain, or go looking for some of his old Comanche brothers, or sometimes just go with nowhere in mind, that diamond quality of Ezra seemed a little dimmer. Not tarnished, just - he missed them, was Vin's guess.What You Know | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Nathan/Ezra Vidder: lucre_noin Musical Artist: Muse Vidder on LJ: lucre_noinVidder website: Vidder on youtubeWhy this vid must be seen: Because it's both very nicely done and a rare pairing in the fandom. The Nathan and Ezra relationship is set up in the show to be a problematic one and we see clear tensions between them whenever Ezra's self-confessed greed impinges on Nathan's strong moral code. However, as the series progresses, there are suggestions that the two of them actually get along quite well. This vid is a lovely expression of that, with the delightful narrative strand that they could perhaps be more than just uneasy friends. You trick your lovers
That you're wicked and divine
You may be a sinner
But your innocence is mineUndisclosed Desires | | |
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We have such amazing artists in the fandom - it seems like high time to start a trend for reccing them here :) Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Chris/Buck Length: n/a Artist on lj: slavelabourArtist website: d i c h o t o m y s t u d i o sWhy this must be viewed: Gosh, well this piece of AU: ATF Chris/Buck art is so very pretty in and of itself, in theme, in texture and colour and mood. And then beyond that there is great characterisation of both men. This molto talented artist beautifully conjures something of their essence, an essence which clearly comes through in the snapshot of a gentle moment between them. The fact that Buck, God love him, is so tender and Chris (pretty hair!) is frowning in his sleep says so much about them and what underpins their relationship in any Mag7 universe. It's love, baby and that's why I'm here :) The artist's summary of the piece: In rare moments when their world isn't made of bullets and bloodshed, Buck likes to watch Chris sleep.Good Morning, Sunshine | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: surprise Length: circa 10K and graphic heavy Authors on LJ: zeuses_wild and freesnowconeAuthors website: n/a Why this must be read: Oh, so so many reasons! Because it's clever and original, very funny and seriously cute. I'm not exactly sure what category the rec goes into apart from genius - it's not strictly a crossover, or an art rec, or a fic rec... perhaps it's a fusion? Anyhow, it's definitely an AU and a priceless one at that, a "story" in eleven installments that partly writes itself as the Sims 3 game plays out and is partly (and deliciously) described by the authors as it unfolds. All you really need to know to begin is that one day, our seven boys, complete with their familiar canon/fanon characters and appearances, move into a Sims house together. Which of course is what many of us have always wanted. From then on their shared life is as engaging (and surprising!) as you would expect. ( excerpt )As with the game, this rec is tagged Teen - please to be remembering that Sims are insecure little things and like bed sharing :) The link below takes you to the first day, and the others are here - while all the installments are wonderful in themselves, following the story to its warm and fuzzy conclusion is highly recommended! Sims7 Part One: Move in Day | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Chris/Vin Length: 10, 600 words Author on lj: veronicaluvAuthor website: oooh, shinyWhy this must be read: This is one of those lovely rounded stories, very rooted in canon basics, that leaves you feeling satisfied with your reading experience, and happy at how the characters are living their lives. I'm not sure, perhaps that's a characteristic of 'one-off' stories written by authors who are more prolific in other fandoms? Anyway, shame as it is that veronica hasn't written more Magnificent Seven stories, we are lucky to have this one! We begin in a suitably windy, unsettled town with a storm gathering. Chris is fretting over his feelings for Vin, his desire for commitment as yet undeclared. Central to the story is Vin's "Wanted" status, the lengths Chris and the others would go to free him from it, and what the future might hold. At heart it is a romance. We have a Chris conflicted and in love, off on the search for the missing Vin, and a Vin strongly and sympathetically drawn as both laconic and honourable. ( Larabee stuck his boot in the stirrup and lifted himself into the saddle. "Speak your mind, Buck." )I'm very fond of stories where the focus on one pairing's relationship is backed up by the loyalty and solidarity of the rest of the seven. (Actually, I'm very fond of stories that posit the opposite, too, but that's for another day...). In the meantime, this is warm, well-written feelgood fic to cheer us up as the gusts of Autumn blow in off the desert M4. Whatever the Course | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN/BONANZA Pairing: none Characters: Chris, Josiah, Vin, Ezra, Ben Cartwright, Adam Cartwright, 'Hoss' Cartwright, Little Joe Cartwright Length: 40K Author on LJ: tipper_greenAuthor website: Tipper's FictionsWhy this must be read: It's a cleverly plotted, old west romp of a fic, crossing two sets of characters very deftly and with good balance. The set up is intriguing and nicely complex - simply put, following a prisoner transport gone wrong, Josiah is on the run for murder, accompanied cross country by Chris, Vin and Ezra. To complicate matters, both Josiah and Ezra are wounded, and the quickest route to safety and home takes our four across the Ponderosa. Cue a tense Mexican stand-off between our boys, their corrupt lawmen pursuers and the Cartwrights. The backstory for how they've landed in this mess is neatly revealed as the story unfolds. There are nice crossover elements between characters from both shows, and a poignant significance put on the Ponderosa ranch house and what it represents. Meg locates us firmly in the wide open spaces of the far west, and the whole reads like an episode of an old TV western... like 'Bonanza' in fact, although, admittedly, with added conniving, suffering Ezra :) ( "Ponderosa?" Josiah frowned. "What's the Ponderosa?" )Four Corners of the Ponderosa | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Vin Length: 6,051 words Author on LJ: todeskunAuthor website: todesengel on AO3Why this must be read: Because it's gorgeous - an un-idealized and unsentimental look at Chris and Vin, full of the gritty romance of the old west. The story takes us through the random, episodic nature of their initial relationship, based at first on a raw sexual attraction that will not be denied. Chris is taciturn, grimly humorous, almost predatory. Vin, whose pov we are in, is quietly frustrated at the lack of something more permanent on offer. And then Vin's former brotherhood with the Comanche calls, and he makes discoveries about where home really might be and what could be on offer for him there. ( excerpt )
I like the style of this piece very much: the pared-down but crystal-clear characterizations of the two men, and the unembellished presentation of the unique "spark" there is between them. The writing is elemental and sensory, full of weather and mud, sweat and mess. Oh yes, and the story features a truly wonderful last line!
Dreams of Hope
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Hello, back to keep our lovely Mag7 wagon rolling on down the trail! No theme this time round - a mix of old and new, OW and AU, gen and slash recs coming up. Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: none Length: 60K Author on LJ: mrwubbles aka Yum@ Author website: Master Fic List on LJ; stargatefan.comWhy this must be read: Because it's a sweet but very solid, long story and a nicely satisfying read. It was an entry in the 2011 Mag7 Big Bang and although only the first part of a planned AU trilogy (set after World War Two and with much information still to be revealed), is very complete in itself. It's beautifully-paced; cosy yet with an intriguing undertow. ( Excerpt )This tale of found family features a fatherless pretending-to-be-18 year-old Vin and his mute 3 year-old 'brother' Ezra. Vin is as capable, humorous and spirited as he is in the show and Ezra, who communicates only through his plushy sidekick, is cute yet satisfyingly cunning. Shadowy in the background are Maude and the menacing figure of 'Mister'. The rest of the Seven's canon adult selves are here, too. They all ring true, have strong parts to play and are just marvelously readable throughout - the Buck-Chris friendship is wonderfully realized, and bereaved Chris will make your heart squeeze. Overall the style is crisp but soft, the post-war world Yum@ has built draws you in and snuggles you tight, and it is full of subtly-added detail, both familiar and original. Even if you tend not to read widely in the pint-sized!Seven AUs, the lovely writing here and the belief the author has in her characters may well win you over. Hopefully it won't be too long before the next part of the story appears. The Soldier's Homecoming | | |
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Even with an extra day in the year I didn't have enough time to rec all I wanted but if future drivers need a list of all Mag7 fic that's been listed to this point, PM me and I'll provide one, sorted alphabetically by title. Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Surprise Pairing per the fic (though I'll spoil it in the comments) Length: 5090 Author on LJ: randi2204, mendaxAuthor Website: randi2204 on AO3, mendax on AO3Why this must be read: I've recommended these authors separately and now I need to rec something they wrote together. In this OW fic, Vin notices something for the first time and sets out observing his friends. His detective skills are awesome, of course, but his deductive reasoning leads to a lot of hilarious moments, amusing conjecture, and some quality time spent watching Ezra and Chris, like this moment where they're playing billiards: It was right nice to watch them. Chris quiet in his dark, subdued shirtsleeves, and Ezra snide and flashy in white and gold; Chris’s lean grace against Ezra’s compact sharpness; but both with the same surety of motion, the same narrow-eyed intensity as they studied the table.Titania waked... on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Vin Length: 3391 Author on LJ: maygraAuthor Website: Maygra at AO3Why this must be read: In this ATF fic, the opening catalyst is very simple and action-oriented: A bust goes bad, and there is a hostage situation. The focus of the fic, however, is all about emotional fallout when you have an ongoing relationship with an officemate and you both work in a dangerous environment. Add fear and anger, agitate well, and you have a volatile reaction waiting to happen. My favourite thing about this fic is it's not sweet or sappy, and the L word isn't said at all. Bonus: The replacement phrase for I♥U is perfect, something Maygra cleverly attributes to The Princess Bride. ( Excerpt: )Face-off on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Vin (implied) Length: 04:09 Music: "The Measure of a Man" by Elton John Vidder on LJ: denoriosVidder Website: denorios on AO3, youtubeWhy this must be watched: Denorios is one of my favourite C/V authors in fandom, capable of the most beautiful, haunting prose (seriously, read her fic and be amazed), and then she tried her hand at vidding. This bittersweet vid chronicles Chris Larabee's life and tragedy and how lost and heartbroken he is until he meets the other Mag6 and they pull him onto a better path, one they all travel together. The Measure of a Man on youtube | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: None Length: 368 Author on LJ: randi2204Author Website: randi2204 on AO3 Why this must be read: Because this story is the start of a fantastic AU--The Steampunk Seven--with Josiah as our resident preacher-gone-scientist and JD as his reluctant assistant who is ever in danger of being blown up. All of the stories are self contained though some do link to others and there are some wonderful mechanical objects best served in this western genre. And the town itself is a lovely setting for all things that go boom in the night. The church rattled day and night, but the town was a fair bit brighter in the evenings, JD had to admit that. Whatever it was in the bell jar that made the sparks, it lit up the whole town.Shoveling Coal on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: None Length: 500 Author on LJ: solosundanceAuthor Website: Jojo on AO3 Why this must be read: I have tremendous respect for anybody who can tell a good story in so few words and even more so if I could absolutely buy it as canon. In this set of drabbles we see Maude Standish through the multidimensional lens of new motherhood (baby Ezra, aw!). Best of all is the slow slide of sympathy moving away from mother to son and it's easy to see how Ezra became Ezra. No one tells you.
Not your grandmother, your mother, your aunts with their cheerful broods, not your best and wisest friends.
No one explains that a child will suck the marrow right out of you.
And Lord in Heaven, the frustration. The weariness. The resent.Darlin' Boy on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven/Doom (2005) Pairing: None Length: 1975 Author on LJ: siluriaAuthor Website: Siluria on AO3 Why this must be read: I was originally going to rec Siluria's hilarious Mag7/Dinosaur crossover except I'm not sure dinos count as a fandom? And I'm not sure a graphic counts as a fic. So I'm going to hedge my bets and rec her dystopian crossover fic. Doom, the film based on the video game, featured Karl Urban as John Grimm and this story is from his perspective, where the world is dying of a virus, and Four Corners doesn't care much for new faces in town. Four Corners was less of a town and more of a single main street with a row or two of buildings running parallel to it. The brightest light in the street seemed to come from what had been a bar, and as John neared it, he realized it still served as its original purpose, and as a meeting place. He glanced down the street before he gave into temptation and crossed over the road. As his hand rested on the door handle the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. In the gloom his keen sight picked out the silhouette on the roof of the townhouse across the street, his eyesight sharpening until he could see the sniper’s rifle, its barrel pointed at his head.Contagion on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: C/B, E/V Length: 10,574 Author on LJ: charlottechillAuthor Website: charlottechill on AO3, WEC, and DNFWhy this must be read: Over the holidays there was a Yuletide-style gifting on Mag7Daybook and charlottechill turned out to be my secret Santa. Basically I asked for love and family and fuzzy warmth and she gave all of that and more. There is established C/B, there is a lovely Ezra/Vin pairing just blooming, the Buck and Vin friendship is especially nice, and all the guys being together as a family, acting like a family, was fabulous. Of course, the running curiosity about whether V/E is a go or not is wonderful, too. But he had long ago learned not to meddle in the affairs of his friends... okay, not that long ago, and maybe he still meddled when he really wanted to because he liked to see people happy. But Ezra and Vin were grown men and work partners, so he'd been trying to keep his nose out of their business. Still, they were similar in age and temperament, and Buck saw all the ways they were alike, and plenty of ways that their differences complemented each other. He'd seen all of Ezra's prickliness and all of Vin's patience, and he'd seen the way Vin looked at Ezra sometimes, when he thought they were alone.
When everybody'd thought Ezra was straight.
Ezra had made damned sure everyone thought that, playing that undercover role as well as he played any other. When Ezra had finally decided he trusted them enough, or that he wanted Vin enough, to give up that game just last summer, Vin--whooee! He'd been pissed for about five minutes, but he'd had an interest there for far too long, and anger had faded to strategy so fast, it still made Buck smile to think on it.Best of Times on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: None Length: 7488 Author on LJ: faradAuthor Website: Farad on WEC and AO3Why this must be read: It's a coda to The Trial, naturally following the passing of Obediah Jackson. Losing Nathan's father stirs ghosts in the cemetary for the others: The ghosts of What If and the ghosts of old memories. All seven share history and secrets, reflecting on their fathers and families, and what's led them to become the men they are. "One hell of a turn out," Buck said quietly. "Nathan should be proud."
"Reckon he is," Chris said, picking up his glass again. "More for his papa, I hope. Obediah was a good man - damned good. Reckon Nathan knows that."
"Hope so," Buck agreed. "Finding out your pa's worth his weight - well, reckon that's something."
Chris caught his eye and held it. Buck hadn't known his pa except by reputation and that hadn't been good. When Obediah had come into their lives, he'd felt the undercurrent of worry in his old friend, worry for Nathan and for them all. In this collection of men, fathers were in short supply and good fathers were a treasure.
"Nathan found some answers he needed," he said shortly. "And maybe the rest of us found some faith in Travis." All Soul's Passing on WEC | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Buck Length: 4572 Author on LJ: Author Website: CV Puerro's fic on DNFWhy this must be read: This is an ATF timeline fic and the author describes it best as joyful, rowdy, collegiate kink. This is one of the easiest fics for me to rec in any fandom because it's simply young men having fun, joyful sexy times. Everything is beautiful and nothing hurts. :) ( Testosterone with a side of story excerpt: )Rooster on DNF | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: Chris/Sarah Length: 3501 Author on LJ: winks7985Author Website: Winks7985 fic on AO3. Why this must be read: Chris Larabee can be a hard man to understand until you grasp how much he's had and lost. Winks7985 does a lovely job of giving us a modern AU glimpse of Chris' past from Sarah Larabee's POV, and it's not the scarred, heartbroken Chris we get in canon. The fic is warm and sweet, full of love and family and joy. The tension in the piece comes from following where the author leads and it's hard, very hard, to know how the story will end. She poked her head into to her son’s room, seeing he was still asleep. His breathing was even, and his small face was covered by his favorite blanket so that only the top of his head and a little of his light brown hair was visible. Smiling fondly, she backed out of the doorway quietly. No sense in waking him if he was so content. Besides, she could use the time to have a nice hot cup of coffee and enjoy the silence of the still morning.
With a smile still on her face, she continued down the hall towards the kitchen. Her hand ghosted a touch on her belly, right at the loose drawstring of her pajama pants… When she saw Chris today, she would tell him the news. She snorted to herself, thinking of Buck Wilmington suggesting Eve as a name if it were a girl. It would be just what she would expect from Buck… Adam and Eve. Coffee, in Hindsight on AO3 | | |
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Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: None Length: 237,831 Author on LJ: Author Website: BMP's fic on AO3 and DNF. Why this must be read: BMP has been recommended before but this ATF AU story is arguably her most dense, reading less like fan fiction and more like something you would pick up at a bookstore. JD shoots two minors in a convenience store and what starts as a seemingly open-and-shut case devolves into several plot threads involving family bonds: Blood family, lost family, found family. Chris is caught between doing his job and doing the right thing, Buck is caught between his job and protecting JD from everyone and everything, and JD is caught between the two of them while dealing with his conflicted emotions, a courtroom drama, and the outraged public. The rest of the team try, and fail, to keep out of the widening fault line within their ranks and things will get much worse before they get better. ( Buck really wants to find the gun that will prove JD was acting in self-defense. )Fault Lines on AO3 | | |
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Happy February, everybody! This is my first time driving for Mag7 and I'm excited. If you've never seen the show, all episodes are available for free streaming on Hulu.com (not available in all countries). I'm going to start out slow but not easy, with some missing-thoughts fic from the second season episode "Vendetta". Fandom: The Magnificent Seven Pairing: None Length: 311 Author on LJ: mendaxAuthor Website: Mendax's fic on AO3Why this must be read: It gives gut-wrenching insight to one of the Nichols brothers, minor characters who are rarely painted in fic as anything other than stock-standard villanous. By making Peter so human as he observes our young Casey, Mendax succeeded in making my skin crawl while making me feel badly for him, all at the same time. Impressive. She really is a pretty little thing. Peter almost feels foolish for having mistaken her for a boy, except girls just don’t go around in trousers and beat-up boss hats. At least not in Kansas City.
He grins as he mentally hears the words the way she spoke them, all lit up with a thousand daydreams made of unformed yearning and romantic notions.
He is more interested, of course, in the way she leans toward him as he speaks. Unformed yearning indeed. Pretty Little Thing | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: n/a Characters: Chris, Ezra, Vin, Nathan Length: 27, 144 words Author on lj: phoenix1972Author website: phoenix1972's stories on AO3Why this must be read: Because it's a road trip fic!! What's more, it's a longer story by a lovely newer writer also featuring some hurt/comfort and giving us a great look at a couple of the boys out of town. However you ultimately see the relationship of Chris and Ezra, there is a wonderful and undeniable canon tension between them. In terms of the show this centres mainly around trust and honesty issues and, unsurprisingly, in fiction both platonic and romantic, sparks often fly between them. Who better therefore to send on a mission to Denver together? One way or another, whether through events or personality, of course it won't be straightforward... Chris started pacing back and forth waiting for the gambler to make an appearance. He had specifically told Ezra the stage was leaving in thirty minutes. How long did it take to get dressed? Next time he'd just drag him down here in his nightshirt, kicking and screaming all the way. Chris smiled, an evil glint in his eye at the thought. It'd be no one's fault but Ezra's.
"If it was me, I wouldn't be getting wound so tight at the beginning of a long trip, cowboy." Vin flicked a gaze up the street trying to ignore Chris's obvious tense mood. "You'll have yourself so twisted up by the time you get to Denver, you'll be walking hunched over..."Just Get Me to the Next Town | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Vin/Ezra, Chris/Vin/Ezra Length: 500 Author on lj: loyseofverlaineAuthor website: Verlaine's stories on AO3Why this must be read: First I again beg indulgence for reccing a story written to a prompt from me... Verlaine needs no indulgence though. She's a wonderful, stylish author in several fandoms and the (sad) fact that she doesn't write Mag7 as a general rule should not stop you from reading this and imagining how great it would be if she did... It's a very short 'short' (linked drabbles) featuring, let us say, a combination of Vin, Ezra and Chris - one of those pieces that, despite its brevity, creates such a world and atmosphere that you think you must have read something much longer. In their different ways, Vin and Ezra were both masters of camouflage. For Vin it was grey and brown clothing and movements as silent and supple as a sidewinder; for Ezra it was a flowery mix of language and dress and manners that implied he was a gentleman amusing himself playing a lawman.Where There's Smoke | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: none Characters: Vin, Buck Length: 6,526 words Author on lj: n/a Author website: BMP's stories on AO3Why this must be read: Aside from the lovely writing and characterizations, I like this one for the early-series feel. It's from Vin's pov, and Vin's pov on other members of the seven is always fascinating. He's a character who knows what he thinks but doesn't go around saying it all the time, so it's often revealing to be inside his head. In this case, he's been landed with accompanying Buck on a messenger mission he doesn't much appreciate, and just because he knows by now that he trusts his new compadres, it doesn't mean travelling in close proximity will be a pleasure. It's a warm, humorous and insightful read; by the time we have followed Vin to Red Fork and back to Four Corners we have got to know Vin, Buck, and also Chris that little bit better. And been treated to a wonderful slice of old west. But just as Vin took hold of the reins to turn up the street, that crazy kind of smirk lit on Larabee's face. He nodded once at Wilmington's back, heading toward the end of town. "Have a good trip," Larabee said, and grinned a grin that seemed far more amused than was warranted.A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Red Fork | | |
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Fandoms: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN/THE QUEST Pairing: Chris/Ezra Characters: Chris, Vin, Buck, Ezra, Nathan, J.D., Josiah, Morgan 'Two Persons' Beaudine, Quinton Beaudine Length: 6,233 Author on lj: n/a Author website: istia on A03Why this must be read: Well, because it's a beautifully crafted and intelligent story. And because it's delightful to see the short-lived 1976 western TV show 'The Quest' (which starred Tim Matheson and Kurt Russell as two reunited brothers searching for their sister) remembered and featured in high-quality fic. The show crosses over with Mag7 very neatly; not just because they're both stories of the old west, but very much because of their shared themes. It was written for an 'amnesia' prompt, but it's much more than that - a wonderful look at identity, recognition, insecurity and family. But he should know them, if they were what they said, even if he couldn't bring their names to mind. You had to know who to trust just like you could trust your gun and your horse not to let you down. His gun had slid into his hand with instant familiarity; he felt in his gut he'd know a true friend in the same instinctive way.
He'd known his gun and he needed that same certainty about a man before he'd take a gamble with his life.Fissures | | |
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: none Characters: Ezra, Maude, JD, Buck, OCs Length: 5,523 words Author on LJ: rhymer23Author's website: http://www.rhymer.org.uk/Why this must be read: Because it's lovely backstory, the characterization of the younger Ezra is delightful and resonant, aaaand it features one of the series' great non-human characters! All of the Seven are characterized in part by the guns they carry. Some carry more than one, or use different types of armoury for different situations. Ezra, the "cheater", produces his hidden "pop-gun" in the blink of an eye. But, as this little gem of a story shows, it's a skill, like much of his persona, which is hard won. "A gun is like a crutch," his mother said. "You should rely on your wits, my darling boy. I raised you better than that, surely. Rely on yourself - on nothing and on nobody else."If At First You Don't Succeed | | |
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Hi, I'm JoJo, back to rec Mag7 again after a short hiatus. It so happens that there's lots of lovely new writing coming out of the fandom right now, in all genres and from both established and newer authors, so I'm very pleased (and lucky!) to be kicking off the new year driving the wagon. I'd like to dedicate this month's recs to the memory of Susan Fulton, a shining light and generous spirit in Mag7 fandom who we lost in 2011 and who is sadly missed. Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Chris/Ezra, JD/Casey Length: 10, 673 Author on LJ: randi2204Author website: randi2204's Mag7 stories on AO3Why this must be read: It's very new and so lovely I'm sure you won't mind it's personal to me. The theme is "family" - surely one of the main reasons we love this show and its characters. The story is wonderfully uplifting, with gorgeous characterisations and dialogue; it's both touching and funny without ever losing sight of the potential for heartbreak amongst those who are bound together by all manner of family ties. I'm certain Susan would have loved it as much I do. Of Blood and Water | | |
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Fandom: MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: None Length: 12,910 words Author on LJ: Not that I know of Author's Website: On AO3Why this must be read:Two of BMP's stories have already been recced here, "Aftermath", which is a tremendous work of characterization made all the more brilliant by the fact that it's set in the ATF universe, and "Blood Money", a story set after the traumatic last episode "Obsession". That story is from Buck's POV, and this one is a companion piece to it, set from Chris' POV as he ponders what he's going to do about the mess he's put himself and his friends in. Anyone who has read anything by BMP knows that she's a strong writer, well adapted at balancing plot with character development. In this story, as with "Blood Money", she outdoes herself, addressing the major questions that "Obsession" leaves hanging in the air, not the least of which are how Chris is going to find his way back from the edge of his own catastrophe. ( An Excerpt )
With true talent, BMP weaves us through Chris' confrontation with himself and with the men who, despite all, stand with Chris through this. But mostly, BMP gets into Chris' head in a way that's as close to the canon character as it's possible to be, the story as real as the episode it was based on.
Come Sunrise by BMP
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Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Pairing: Chris/Ezra Length: 41,791 words Author on LJ: solosundance Author Website: On AO3Why this must be read: I actually thought this has been recced before, but I didn't see it when I search through the listings, so my apologies if it's already been recced - it should have been! It's the first story of a wonderful AU, made all the more interesting by the fact that it's an actual AU of the canon Old West! The way the seven come together is very different, and the pasts they have are also different, but JoJo keep the central character qualities. Chris has lost his wife and child, Ezra is still a gambler, Nathan is actually a real doctor, and all the others retain the qualities we love in them from the show. Even though, when we first meet them, they're outlaws, on the run. ( An excerpt )It's a strong story, well put together, with good style and characterization. It's also a wonderful founding story to a universe that has a rich complexity, especially in the pasts of the men we love. I've heard rumor that there's going to be a second story soon, so now's a great time to read the first one!
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Fandom: Magnificent Seven Pairing: none Length: 1o00 Words Author on LJ: graculus Author's website: Graculus on AO3Why this must be read: Graculus is a wonderful author, her style rich and atmospheric. She also writes from the point of view and about one of the characters who doesn't get as much attention as he deserves in the stories, Nathan Jackson, the man who inadvertently starts the process of bringing the Seven together. It is Nathan, the former slave, who is the group's healer and often its conscience, and who is often, because of canon, portrayed with a striking lack of depth or dimensionality. Graculus is among the small group of writers who sees the nuance of the character, the depth of his trust in the other six men, the dynamics of his relationships with them. In "Leave the World to Darkness", she does a role reversal: it is Nathan who is sick and the others who tend him, and it is Ezra, the person with whom he has, canonically, the biggest differences, who is sitting at his bedside when he awakens. ( An excerpt ) I encourage reading everything by Graculus, but this is a lovely introduction to her Nathan. "Leave the World to Darkness"
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