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The Cross Purposes Job by solomonara
Fandoms: Leverage, Leverage: Redemption, Batman - All Media Types
30 Oct 2023
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Summary
A con on the verge of success gets sniped by an unknown third party. The Leverage crew traces the interference back to Gotham. Now the con has a new target: shady billionaire Bruce Wayne and the highly suspicious Wayne Enterprises.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 31,976
- Chapters:
- 7/7
- Comments:
- 560
- Kudos:
- 1,083
- Bookmarks:
- 334
- Hits:
- 10,383
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
02 Jan 2025
Bookmarker's Notes
Pitch-perfect (Redemption-era) Leverage caper dropped very neatly into the Batverse when both the Leverage team and the extended Bat-family find themselves trying to keep a particularly nasty software breakthrough from being co-opted by various unsavory interests. Very well-characterized on both sides of the crossfire and remarkably accessible even if the reader is only middling familiar with the nuances of extended Bat-familial comics continuity.
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Tags
Summary
Given Captain America's shield is made of either Vibranium or a Vibranium-Steel Alloy: Vibranium must be a transition metal. Because it doesn't rust - even when lost in the Potomic - it should join silver, gold and platinum as a noble metal.
Ditto for Adamantium.
This is the periodic table that fucks with quantum mechanics to put the marvel elements where they belong. It should work for Marvel-616, the cinematic universe (Marvel-199999) and even the tie-in video games.
Or: the headcannon where the author always was fascinated by Technecium, and knows just enough quantum mechanics to be dangerous.
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Marmalade, Xianese, and Fondue by Jenett for Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
Fandoms: Stealing the Elf-King's Roses - Diane Duane
16 Dec 2023
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Summary
A glimpse at how Lee and Gelert might have become partners.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,991
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 9
- Kudos:
- 17
- Bookmarks:
- 3
- Hits:
- 76
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
27 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
This was the story written for me this year, in the world of what I consider one of Duane's very best novels, where forensic sorcery is as scientifically rigorous as conventional CSI techniques are in our world. For myself, I'm delighted; the author's tone perfectly captures the nuanced, deeply philosophical quality of Duane's worldbuilding - both like and unlike her better-known "Young Wizards* books - and the pre-canon glimpse we're given of how the novel's protagonists might have met is thoughtfully developed. The story may be a little densely written to draw in newcomers, so it's as well that Duane's preferred edition is available from her online ebook storefront.
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Summary
The night of the ball brings new music to the forefront for Edward and we all know how important music is to him.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,081
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 11
- Kudos:
- 60
- Bookmarks:
- 11
- Hits:
- 323
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
The movie shows us Giselle's night at the ball. This story gives us Edward's, in deeply perceptive and surprisingly intimate fashion, yet retains an unmistakably Disney tone through it all. Beautifully done.
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The U.S.S. Cerritos, Sonnet 1 by spiritinthespacebar for Rachael Sabotini (wickedwords)
Fandoms: Star Trek: Lower Decks (Cartoon)
17 Dec 2023
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Summary
T'Lyn is interested in poetry, and Tendi is desperate to impress her. Will this book of alien poems get T'Lyn's attention, or will it just turn life on the Cerritos upside-down?
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,140
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 7
- Kudos:
- 34
- Bookmarks:
- 1
- Hits:
- 190
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
The answer to the above is "Heck yes," since it involves the entire crew being unexpectedly afflicted with the inability to talk except in iambic pentameter - and mostly rhyming iambic pentameter at that. Fortunately, the author's ear for scansion is up to the challenge, so that the results are both highly amusing and technically sound. Moreover, the linguistic trickery that allows our heroes to resolve the problem is executed with proper poetic precision. (And the author demonstrates that one can, in fact, write funny sonnets, which is a rare treat for those of us who are poetically inclined.)
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The Elusive Peaceable by ryfkah for Ione
Fandoms: The Sherwood Ring - Elizabeth Marie Pope
18 Dec 2023
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Summary
Dick's face was white. “Good God – don't you know how the Revolutionary Government feels about Englishmen in disguise these days?”
I tried for a smile. “He speaks French very convincingly.”
Dick groaned and put his head in his hands.
Barbara navigates her way through secrets, spies, smugglers, and several surprising encounters with her own relatives as she seeks her missing husband throughout Revolutionary France.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 9,602
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 7
- Kudos:
- 23
- Bookmarks:
- 5
- Hits:
- 226
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Just as in the original novel, here we have women who outplan and out-intrigue their romantic partners on a regular basis - although the men are getting better at following their wives' leads. In this story, we've moved from the American Revolution to the French, so it's no surprise to find our colonial protagonists crossing paths with those of Orczy and Heyer, and the pace never lags on the way to a suitably successful climax.
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more than just a game for two by onekisstotakewithme for Alixtii
Fandoms: The Parent Trap (1998)
18 Dec 2023
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Summary
After their parents get back together, Annie and Hallie make a pact: no more switching places (except in total, real, actual emergencies).
A pact they keep... for twelve years.
And then, Parker Knoll ends up on the line.- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 6,564
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 8
- Kudos:
- 54
- Bookmarks:
- 14
- Hits:
- 652
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
25 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
I was prepared to be underwhelmed by this movie when it first appeared, but irrespective of anything she's done on- or off-screen since, Lindsay Lohan knocked her dual role here out of the park as far as I was concerned. This sequel does justice to its cinematic parent, allowing both twins to grow up, providing a perfect excuse to revisit the concept, and springing an ingeniously sneaky twist in the process.
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Prime Time by karanguni for nnozomi
Fandoms: Pseudo-Edo SciFi Art - Yamaguchi Akira, Japanese History RPF, Unspecified Fandom
22 Dec 2023
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Summary
Everyone, please gather around – this will be the final briefing for the staff of the Kyuushuu Futuro-Historical Train Station prior to its official re-commissioning. Thank you very much for your kind attention.
Series
- Part 9 of Historical Enough
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,613
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 15
- Kudos:
- 54
- Bookmarks:
- 9
- Hits:
- 325
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
25 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
The subject matter here is completely outside my expertise...but the way it weaves itself through and around and back and forth in history, real and maybe-real, is exceptional. It's one of the strongest time-travel concepts I've seen in any venue, fannish or professional, executed with astonishing skill and a solid and thoughtful eye for its source material.
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Deny thy father and refuse thy name by marcelo for lookatallthemoresigive
Fandoms: Batgirls (DC Comics 2021)
13 Nov 2023
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Summary
It's going to be a day that will change the history of the Hill forever - if they can solve the mystery.
(Don't worry, they got this.)
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,164
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 9
- Kudos:
- 35
- Bookmarks:
- 2
- Hits:
- 340
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
25 Dec 2023
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Even if you're only glancingly familiar with DC comics canon, this is a devilishly hilarious *West Side Story* riff that wholly avoids tragic endings in favor of cleverly sly humor. (It's undoubtedly even funnier if you *do* know deeper Bat-canon, but this is deeply chuckle-worthy all by itself. I promise.)
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A Retreat To Keep by Bethynyc for queenbookwench
Fandoms: Valdemar Series - Mercedes Lackey
16 Dec 2020
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Summary
Post-Oathbreakers.
Possession is nine-tenths of the law, except when Tarma and Kethry are involved!
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,778
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 26
- Kudos:
- 77
- Bookmarks:
- 11
- Hits:
- 419
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
As various commenters have noted, this is a classic Tarma & Kethry tale, filling in a key moment between books in the extended canon. The structure is familiar - which is as it should be for straight-ahead sword and sorcery - and the execution is smooth and assured. Fans will definitely appreciate the nods to series continuity, but this story should also be readable and accessible without detailed background knowledge of the source canon.
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One Piece at a Time by Tiriel for Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
Fandoms: Stargirl (TV 2020)
18 Dec 2020
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Summary
Pat Dugan's family is bigger than he thought. Set between the climactic battle in Stars & STRIPE Part 2 and the Christmas party.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,538
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 5
- Kudos:
- 36
- Bookmarks:
- 8
- Hits:
- 397
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
I can absolutely see the live-action CW version of this, character voices and all; one could very easily film the story pretty much exactly as written. There's something for everyone at JSA headquarters as our heroes begin to bring it back to life. It's a really well-executed ensemble piece in which all the young people get a moment to shine - or not, in one entirely appropriate case - with Pat Dugan as mentor and tourguide.
Written for me (one of three excellent Stargirl stories) in this year's Yuletide.
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Tags
Summary
"Those are—I mean, were, Chuck's. Dr. McNider's," Beth told the owl. "Yes, I know about him. Do you miss him?" She sure did. A pang of loss hit her again, as it often did at times. "I'm sorry, they don't work anymore."
It blinked at her. Then it slowly rotated its head, this time to the right.
And then it took to the air again, heading back toward the still-open window, the goggles grasped in its beak. One, two, three wingstrokes, and it was gone, flying into the night.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 4,282
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 8
- Kudos:
- 26
- Bookmarks:
- 5
- Hits:
- 169
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
The focus here is on Beth - aka the new Dr. Mid-Nite - as she meets her predecessor's companion owl, who's shown up in search of a certain pair of broken goggles. The character work is excellent, the treatment of Hootie is dead flat fascinating, and the resolution is thoughtfully staged. (Also, your friendly bookmarker agrees with Beth: flying via Cosmic Staff Airlines is not a safe or particularly sane mode of transportation for a non-powered superhero.)
Written for me (one of three excellent Stargirl stories) in this year's Yuletide.
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Tags
Summary
Sivao is on its way to joining the Federation, if they can just get through the talks with Eeaiou and the Federation. Stiff Tail is their main representative and the Federation has asked Spock, Uhura, Chekhov, Academy Cadet Brightspot to-Ennien, and Another StarFreedom to Eeaiou to help the Federation delegation. Spock requests the noted diplomat Tail-Kinker to-Ennien as a member of their party.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 5,273
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 10
- Kudos:
- 26
- Bookmarks:
- 5
- Hits:
- 183
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
This story is no mere coda or snapshot; it's a straight-up sequel to Uhura's Song that tackles the ensuing problems in diplomacy head-on -- and brings in both Sarek of Vulcan and Tail-Kinker to-Ennien to help shepherd the process along. That's an ambitious project, and there's not room here either to cover the proceedings in depth or reach a definitive conclusion, but the story does ample justice to nearly all its large ensemble cast and more or less ties off one of the more tantalizing loose ends Janet Kagan left in the original novel. With a sequel from Kagan herself now permanently off the table, this is more than worthwhile as a continuation. And I'm sure many readers, myself included, would welcome further installments in this arc if the author is so inclined.
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Just Your Typical College Experience by NutterZoi for hhertzof
Fandoms: Night World - L. J. Smith
18 Dec 2020
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Summary
"And you're my roommate through sheer coincidence?"
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 2,382
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 9
- Kudos:
- 47
- Bookmarks:
- 6
- Hits:
- 380
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Mary-Lynette's adventure has always been one of my favorites in this series; it's a genuine pleasure to see her starting college, and I can just see Circle Daybreak pulling exactly this stunt while it's in its organizing phase, as this has to be set some time before the gathering at Thierry's several books further along. The MIT atmosphere feels right, and as quickly settled as it is, Rashel's and Mary-Lynette's proper introduction feels equally on the mark. This series, whether in canon or fanfic, is always at its best when it's playing against genre conventions, and this story has that quality in spades.
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The Chinese Silk Murders by Claire_cz for Blueinkedfrost
Fandoms: Judge Dee Mysteries - Robert van Gulik
17 Dec 2020
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Summary
Judge Dee has to solve the murder of a rich silk merchant, find out if the merchant's niece is just a clueless member of the family or much more than she seems and also solve a riddle in form of strange letters and bills. There are many suspects and just one murderer. Or more?
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 5,879
- Chapters:
- 3/3
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 5
- Kudos:
- 9
- Bookmarks:
- 4
- Hits:
- 121
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
Very nice to see another Yuletide story in this very small fandom - especially when it's a cleverly plotted casefic very much in the spirit of Robert van Gulik's own work, complete with reference notes. (Now if someone will just translate the Lenormand novels so that we can have English editions....)
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Hell Bats are Not Just for the Night of the Conjunction of Capricorn With Saturn by thisbluespirit for calliopes_pen
Fandoms: The Kiss of the Vampire (1963), Dracula (Movies - Hammer)
20 Dec 2020
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Summary
Professor Zimmer begins to fear that the acquisition of an army of Bats out of Hell is for life, not just the long-awaited night of the full moon.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,275
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 8
- Kudos:
- 15
- Bookmarks:
- 3
- Hits:
- 102
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
So what do you do with that leftover colony of bats after living through a classic Hammer horror flick? You advertise, of course, and the resulting exchange of correspondence will probably look just like this. A clever bit of epistolary tale-telling very much in the spirit of both Hammer and Stoker (with perhaps just a touch of Fred Saberhagen in the mix).
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Conflagration by april_rainer (tom_bedlam) for sybilius
Fandoms: The Cremation of Sam McGee - Robert Service
22 Dec 2020
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Summary
In the years after he takes Sam McGee on the Christmas mail run to Whitehorse, the narrator dreams of what might have been -- and what might still be.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,074
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 11
- Kudos:
- 22
- Bookmarks:
- 5
- Hits:
- 94
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
An eerily uncanny yarn, this, flipping familiar scenery from the classic Service poem into prose that does a truly startling job of replicating the tone and sensibility of the original - and looks to be grounded in genuine Yukon folklore just as deeply as Service himself was. There's real gold here, though not the spendable kind.
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Summary
Elisa woke King Arthur up early.
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
A thrilling and perhaps timely snapshot that looks two hundred years ahead by the Gargoyles clock, to what might once have been the opening moments of a planned Gargoyles 2198 series. While it's clearly the doorway to a much larger storyline, this crisp narrative lays exactly the right bits of groundwork to work as a free-standing set piece.
And who knows? Given the advent of Disney+ and the rapid evolution of the media marketplace in the wake of current events, perhaps the third- and fourth-hand murmurs I've been hearing are accurate, and we might yet see a new Gargoyles series from Greg Weisman in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, this serves well enough as a foreshadowing of what might be.
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Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Beau by Wereflamingo for RecessiveJean
Fandoms: Enola Holmes Series - Nancy Springer
17 Dec 2020
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Summary
As the siblings Holmes and Enola's good friend Cecily Alistair celebrate their first Christmas hosted by Enola and Cecily in their new home, Sherlock is shocked to discover that Enola has a secret lover! So obviously, he snoops. Who is this man? Why did she not tell her family? Is she secretly MARRIED??? And if she's married, where is the husband??? Perhaps it's best not to tell Mycroft just yet.
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 3,705
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 1
- Comments:
- 32
- Kudos:
- 190
- Bookmarks:
- 20
- Hits:
- 1,591
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
A wonderfully compact yet deeply conceived exercise in triple-strength Holmesian deduction and subtlety, narrated in prose well-pitched to match not just the style and tone of the books, but also their slightly sideways take on Sherlock and Mycroft. The gift recipient has already done an excellent deconstruction by way of comment; what's worth noting in addition is the deftness of the final twist, highlighting the competitive streak in the relationship between Enola's brothers in its assignment of the last word.
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Non-Routine Maintenance by htbthomas for Gray_Cardinal
Fandoms: Stargirl (TV 2020), Batman (1966)
25 Dec 2020
Tags
Summary
The motorcycle was a beauty, kept in great condition, the blue and yellow paint job still glossy, minus the unavoidable insect splatter. "This is a great bike. How long have you had this?"
"Thanks," she said, though her voice was muffled through the helmet she hadn't removed yet, "it's been in the, uh, family, for a while now."
- Language:
- English
- Words:
- 1,239
- Chapters:
- 1/1
- Collections:
- 2
- Comments:
- 8
- Kudos:
- 49
- Bookmarks:
- 6
- Hits:
- 292
Bookmarked by Gray Cardinal (Gray_Cardinal)
26 Dec 2020
Bookmarker's Tags:
Bookmarker's Notes
This is a pitch-perfect fusion of the old Technicolor Adam West Batverse with both Stargirl and what I suppose we have to call the expanded or descended version of the Silver Age JSA, with maybe just a touch of Timmverse animated canon thrown in. The voices are crisp, the blending of sources is deft, and the color palette is right on the mark.
Written for me (one of three excellent Stargirl stories) in this year's Yuletide.