Dark Shadows: Blood Levy by Susan Rains/Carey Kasdot
Nov. 2nd, 2025 09:02 amFandom: Dark Shadows
Pairings/Characters: Barnabas Collins, Roger Collins, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, Angelique Bouchard Collins, Elliot Stokes, Julia Hoffman, David Collins, Hallie Stokes, Maggie Evans, Willie Loomis
Fanwork Links:
Blood Levy (Dark Shadows 1971) Book 3 - Chapter 1 - Carey Kasdot (SusanRains) - Dark Shadows (1966) [Archive of Our Own]
Pairings/Characters: Barnabas Collins, Roger Collins, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, Angelique Bouchard Collins, Elliot Stokes, Julia Hoffman, David Collins, Hallie Stokes, Maggie Evans, Willie Loomis
Theme: Mystery & Suspense
Summary: Four strangers converge on Collinsport. But maybe one of them is coming home.
The vicious killing of two young boys has Barnabas convinced that a vampire preys upon Collinsport. His suspects are four newcomers: three strangers, and an enemy from his own past, long believed dead.Summary: Four strangers converge on Collinsport. But maybe one of them is coming home.
Reccer's Notes: Though it may be read separately without much fuss, this fic follows Lunatic Yarn, recc'd a few days ago. Blood Levy details the goings on of the ever-put-upon Collins family as they struggle to maintain their reputation while wringing a little love and enjoyment out of ~Life. It's a fine mystery using all the familiar TV show performers, the main ones in their regular roles, while various supporting performers Author has envisioned as original characters. Beginning with sudden action, continuing in an eerie atmosphere, well, could we expect anything else?
Blood Levy (Dark Shadows 1971) Book 3 - Chapter 1 - Carey Kasdot (SusanRains) - Dark Shadows (1966) [Archive of Our Own]
Sherlock Holmes: Bad Dog by Unpainted Canvas
Nov. 1st, 2025 08:47 pmFandom: Sherlock Holmes (tagged both books and Granada)
Pairings/Characters: Holmes/Watson
Rating: T
Length: 11,539 words
Creator Links: Unpainted Canvas (RatTale)
Theme: mystery & suspense, casefic
Summary: During a hard case Holmes and Watson part ways after an argument, and now Holmes suddenly has more to worry about than missing children.
Reccer's Notes: After they have a terrible row, Watson is kidnapped by bad guys to prevent Holmes from pursuing a case. The entire story is from Holmes POV, and there is a lot of worry and tension as Holmes tries to solve the disappearance of his friend. It's a good casefic, as well as the circumstances leading to realization of feelings by Holmes.
Fanwork Links: AO3
Pairings/Characters: Holmes/Watson
Rating: T
Length: 11,539 words
Creator Links: Unpainted Canvas (RatTale)
Theme: mystery & suspense, casefic
Summary: During a hard case Holmes and Watson part ways after an argument, and now Holmes suddenly has more to worry about than missing children.
Reccer's Notes: After they have a terrible row, Watson is kidnapped by bad guys to prevent Holmes from pursuing a case. The entire story is from Holmes POV, and there is a lot of worry and tension as Holmes tries to solve the disappearance of his friend. It's a good casefic, as well as the circumstances leading to realization of feelings by Holmes.
Fanwork Links: AO3
Round 180: Mystery & Suspense
Nov. 1st, 2025 09:49 am
Spooky season's not over yet because our theme for November is mystery & suspense!
The tag for this round is: theme: mystery & suspense
If you're just joining us, be sure to check out our policy on content notes. Content notes aren't required, but they're nice to include in your recs, especially if a fanwork has untagged content that readers may wish to know about in advance.
( Rules! )
( Posting Template! )
( Promote this round! )
Dark Shadows: The Lunatic Yarn by Susan Rains/Carey Kasdot
Oct. 31st, 2025 10:51 pmFandom: Dark Shadows
Pairings/Characters: Barnabas Collins, Julia Hoffman, Elliot Stokes, David Collins, Elizabeth Collins, Roger Collins, Angelique Bouchard Collins, Harry Johnson, Willie Loomis, Maggie Evans
Rating: T
Length: 37,304
Creator Links: archiveofourown.org/users/SusanRains/pseuds/Carey%20Kasdot
Theme: Uncommon settings
Summary: A dumbwaiter system found in the house unleashes a baffling illness which turns pleasant friends into infatuated screwballs. Meanwhile, games with the dumbwaiter bring Hallie and David nights of terror. With the addition of an afghan that roams the house at will and a houseguest no one wants, Collinwood hits the height of mayhem.
Reccer's Notes: You'd be pretty hard put to discover a stranger, more unsettling setting than a dumbwaiter in which an intrepid soul or two ventures to travel. Add to this Halloween rec the inimitable spookiness of the great estate of Collinwood and you've discovered a delightful read with stellar characterizations and the usual undercurrent of Things Unseen in the fandom.
Fanwork Links: The Lunatic Yarn (Dark Shadows 1971) Book 2 - Carey Kasdot (SusanRains) - Dark Shadows (1966) [Archive of Our Own]
Pairings/Characters: Barnabas Collins, Julia Hoffman, Elliot Stokes, David Collins, Elizabeth Collins, Roger Collins, Angelique Bouchard Collins, Harry Johnson, Willie Loomis, Maggie Evans
Rating: T
Length: 37,304
Creator Links: archiveofourown.org/users/SusanRains/pseuds/Carey%20Kasdot
Theme: Uncommon settings
Summary: A dumbwaiter system found in the house unleashes a baffling illness which turns pleasant friends into infatuated screwballs. Meanwhile, games with the dumbwaiter bring Hallie and David nights of terror. With the addition of an afghan that roams the house at will and a houseguest no one wants, Collinwood hits the height of mayhem.
Reccer's Notes: You'd be pretty hard put to discover a stranger, more unsettling setting than a dumbwaiter in which an intrepid soul or two ventures to travel. Add to this Halloween rec the inimitable spookiness of the great estate of Collinwood and you've discovered a delightful read with stellar characterizations and the usual undercurrent of Things Unseen in the fandom.
Fanwork Links: The Lunatic Yarn (Dark Shadows 1971) Book 2 - Carey Kasdot (SusanRains) - Dark Shadows (1966) [Archive of Our Own]
Goldenberry and Tom Bombadil by nimphelos (SFW)
Nov. 1st, 2025 02:43 amFandom: Tolkien: Lord of the Rings
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Goldenberry/Tom Bombadil
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: digital art
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: nimphelos on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: A lovely tableau of Tom Bombadil with his great love, Goldenberry. I like the almost Klimtian art style, and the details.
Link: Goldenberry and Tom Bombadil
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Goldenberry/Tom Bombadil
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: digital art
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: nimphelos on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: A lovely tableau of Tom Bombadil with his great love, Goldenberry. I like the almost Klimtian art style, and the details.
Link: Goldenberry and Tom Bombadil
due South: Academic Punk by thehoyden
Nov. 1st, 2025 01:29 amFandom: due South
Characters/Pairings: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Diefenbaker, Victoria Metcalfe, original characters
Rating: Explicit
Length: 19,093
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings
Creator Links: thehoyden on AO3, luzula on the Audiofic Archive
Themes: Uncommon settings, Friends to lovers, First time, Working together, Complete AU: academia
Summary: "What the hell is this, an Austen novel?"
Reccer's Notes: Complete AUs are unusual in due South, and this is that rarity, a dS AU set in academia. Fraser is a new professor, looked down on by his colleagues as he's from the University of Guelph, and only Ray Kowalski, a punky, nonconformist professor, befriends him. They both have offices on the unpopular top floor (Fraser as he's bottom of the pecking order, and Ray as he likes to get away from the rest of the department), which helps kickstart their friendship. The story is about the highs and lows of academic life and there are some great sections showing Ray's unconventional teaching style which the students love, and Fraser's more traditional, but solid, approach. There's academic politics and also drama with the return of Victoria, Fraser's ex and his academic rival. It's about character development, and about Fraser and Ray's friendship which blossoms gradually into much, much more. The fic's beautifully written, and an extremely good read - highly recommended.
Fanwork Links: Academic Punk on AO3, and the excellent podfic by luzula is here
Characters/Pairings: Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski, Diefenbaker, Victoria Metcalfe, original characters
Rating: Explicit
Length: 19,093
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings
Creator Links: thehoyden on AO3, luzula on the Audiofic Archive
Themes: Uncommon settings, Friends to lovers, First time, Working together, Complete AU: academia
Summary: "What the hell is this, an Austen novel?"
Reccer's Notes: Complete AUs are unusual in due South, and this is that rarity, a dS AU set in academia. Fraser is a new professor, looked down on by his colleagues as he's from the University of Guelph, and only Ray Kowalski, a punky, nonconformist professor, befriends him. They both have offices on the unpopular top floor (Fraser as he's bottom of the pecking order, and Ray as he likes to get away from the rest of the department), which helps kickstart their friendship. The story is about the highs and lows of academic life and there are some great sections showing Ray's unconventional teaching style which the students love, and Fraser's more traditional, but solid, approach. There's academic politics and also drama with the return of Victoria, Fraser's ex and his academic rival. It's about character development, and about Fraser and Ray's friendship which blossoms gradually into much, much more. The fic's beautifully written, and an extremely good read - highly recommended.
Fanwork Links: Academic Punk on AO3, and the excellent podfic by luzula is here
The Friday Five for 31 October 2025
Oct. 30th, 2025 03:03 pmThese questions were originally suggested by
twirlandswirl.
1. Did you vote in your most recent applicable election? (If you're not yet old enough, do you plan to vote in the future?)
2. Have you ever protested or attended a march?
3. What political issue is the most important to you?
4. Are you a member of a party in your country? If so, which?
5. Do you ever plan to run for office?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
1. Did you vote in your most recent applicable election? (If you're not yet old enough, do you plan to vote in the future?)
2. Have you ever protested or attended a march?
3. What political issue is the most important to you?
4. Are you a member of a party in your country? If so, which?
5. Do you ever plan to run for office?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
Hamlet: Rosemary for Remembrance by Gehayi
Oct. 27th, 2025 05:05 pmFandom: Hamlet (William Shakespeare)
Pairings/Characters: Ophelia, Hamlet, Laertes, Polonious, Claudius (genderflipped to Claudia), Gertrude, Fortinbras, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (genderflipped to Rosie and Goldie), Claudia/Gertrude
Rating: Teen
Length: 11,174
Creator Links: AO3 profile.
Themes: Uncommon Settings, IN SPACE, Murder Mystery, Alternate Ending
Summary: Hamlet in space, starring sensible and heroic Ophelia, genderswapped Claudius, clones Rosencrantz and Guilderstern and alien Fortinbras. (Alas, there are no sharks in space riding motorcycles, nor is there a time machine.) (Taken from AO3)
Reccer's notes: This is just an extremely well-done sci-fi take on the classic play, with Ophelia as the protagonist. I really enjoy the species changes to certain characters, and the way the author plays with the well-known story beats to create something unique. The author's notes at the end also have some interesting insights into the writing choices they made.
Fanwork links: Rosemary for Remembrance
Pairings/Characters: Ophelia, Hamlet, Laertes, Polonious, Claudius (genderflipped to Claudia), Gertrude, Fortinbras, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (genderflipped to Rosie and Goldie), Claudia/Gertrude
Rating: Teen
Length: 11,174
Creator Links: AO3 profile.
Themes: Uncommon Settings, IN SPACE, Murder Mystery, Alternate Ending
Summary: Hamlet in space, starring sensible and heroic Ophelia, genderswapped Claudius, clones Rosencrantz and Guilderstern and alien Fortinbras. (Alas, there are no sharks in space riding motorcycles, nor is there a time machine.) (Taken from AO3)
Reccer's notes: This is just an extremely well-done sci-fi take on the classic play, with Ophelia as the protagonist. I really enjoy the species changes to certain characters, and the way the author plays with the well-known story beats to create something unique. The author's notes at the end also have some interesting insights into the writing choices they made.
Fanwork links: Rosemary for Remembrance
SGA: Living Will series by Toomuchplor
Oct. 27th, 2025 12:32 amFandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: Gen
Length: 1133 & 700
Content Notes: No AO3 warnings apply. There are explicit details about a normal full-term delivery in Plus Ça Change.
Creator Links: toomuchplor on AO3
Themes: Uncommon settings, Friends to lovers, Complete AU: hospital, Humor
Summaries: Technically he *wasn’t* Dr. Sheppard, not for another two months, but it was standard for medical students to introduce themselves that way. It reassured the patients. It didn’t do anything for John’s sense of inner calm.
“Unh,” said McKay, and folded his arms under his face before flopping down again. The position pulled the sleeves of his scrubs top taut around his biceps. “If I hide here it’s harder for the interns to find me.”
Reccer's Notes: For a fandom rich in AUs, there are very few medical AUs in SGA. This is an excellent two-part series and I recommend reading it in reverse series order, as the second part is a prequel. In Plus Ça Change, John blunders into an unexpected ER situation as a 4th year medical student doing an ambulance ride-along, and meets Rodney, a medical resident. The other story, Living Will, is set 3 years later by which time they know each other well and John's an ER resident, Rodney now being chief medical resident. The stories are funny, with great characterisation and snark, and accurate medical details. Very much recommended!
Fanwork Links: Plus Ça Change, and Living Will
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Rating: Gen
Length: 1133 & 700
Content Notes: No AO3 warnings apply. There are explicit details about a normal full-term delivery in Plus Ça Change.
Creator Links: toomuchplor on AO3
Themes: Uncommon settings, Friends to lovers, Complete AU: hospital, Humor
Summaries: Technically he *wasn’t* Dr. Sheppard, not for another two months, but it was standard for medical students to introduce themselves that way. It reassured the patients. It didn’t do anything for John’s sense of inner calm.
“Unh,” said McKay, and folded his arms under his face before flopping down again. The position pulled the sleeves of his scrubs top taut around his biceps. “If I hide here it’s harder for the interns to find me.”
Reccer's Notes: For a fandom rich in AUs, there are very few medical AUs in SGA. This is an excellent two-part series and I recommend reading it in reverse series order, as the second part is a prequel. In Plus Ça Change, John blunders into an unexpected ER situation as a 4th year medical student doing an ambulance ride-along, and meets Rodney, a medical resident. The other story, Living Will, is set 3 years later by which time they know each other well and John's an ER resident, Rodney now being chief medical resident. The stories are funny, with great characterisation and snark, and accurate medical details. Very much recommended!
Fanwork Links: Plus Ça Change, and Living Will
Fic: Wanted (Modern AU), gen
Oct. 26th, 2025 12:20 pmTitle: Wanted (Modern AU)
Author: Nicky Gabriel
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005)
Word Count: 32K (WIP)
Rating: M
Category: gen
Characters: Suki, Hakoda, Bato
Relationships: Bato & Suki, Hakoda & Suki, Bato & Hakoda, Sokka/Suki (very background)
Tags: Father-Daughter Relationship, Adoption, Friendship, Family, Platonic Bed Sharing, Platonic Cuddling, Fluff, Angst, No Romance, Modern Setting
TW: in the description of the series, rather heavy stuff
Summary: It’s a story about how Suki has fallen in love with Sokka’s Family.
Link: Wanted
(Some parts of this series are locked and available only for registered users on AO3)
Author: Nicky Gabriel
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005)
Word Count: 32K (WIP)
Rating: M
Category: gen
Characters: Suki, Hakoda, Bato
Relationships: Bato & Suki, Hakoda & Suki, Bato & Hakoda, Sokka/Suki (very background)
Tags: Father-Daughter Relationship, Adoption, Friendship, Family, Platonic Bed Sharing, Platonic Cuddling, Fluff, Angst, No Romance, Modern Setting
TW: in the description of the series, rather heavy stuff
Summary: It’s a story about how Suki has fallen in love with Sokka’s Family.
Link: Wanted
(Some parts of this series are locked and available only for registered users on AO3)
LotR sketches by kaifarikus (SFW)
Oct. 26th, 2025 11:38 pmFandom: Tolkien: Lord of the Rings
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Legolas & Gimli & Aragorn, Boromir & Faramir, Arwen/Aragorn
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: traditional art (coloured pencils)
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: kaifarikus on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: These lively sketches have a great style - based on book canon, I think. Also I love that Arwen is taller than Aragorn!
Link: LotR sketches
Characters/Pairing/Other Subject: Legolas & Gimli & Aragorn, Boromir & Faramir, Arwen/Aragorn
Content Notes/Warnings: none
Medium: traditional art (coloured pencils)
Artist on DW/LJ: n/a
Artist Website/Gallery: kaifarikus on tumblr
Why this piece is awesome: These lively sketches have a great style - based on book canon, I think. Also I love that Arwen is taller than Aragorn!
Link: LotR sketches
The Friday Five for 24 October 2025
Oct. 23rd, 2025 03:23 pmThese questions were originally suggested by
akarii.
1. What do you see when you are looking out of the window closest to you?
2. Who was the last person coming into your room?
3. What is the most predominant colour around you?
4. What is right behind you?
5. What is on today's calendar sheet?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
1. What do you see when you are looking out of the window closest to you?
2. Who was the last person coming into your room?
3. What is the most predominant colour around you?
4. What is right behind you?
5. What is on today's calendar sheet?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
