Yuletide Recs #1
28 Dec 2019 22:17![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
extrapenguinIt's time for the annual Yuletide Recs post! Draws from Main. See also Part 2 for Madness, Guardian, and Untitled Geese.
To start with, I got two gifts:
the desert repenting, Machineries of Empire, Cheris & Jedao hunt down a wild moth. I enjoyed the thoughtful running through of the human-scale consequences of the books' plot.
The Great Goose Heist, Guardian, Zhu Jiu & Ya Qing recruit geese to steal the Hallows. I enjoyed the zany plot and humorous moments.
Other recs:
Chess (Anthropomorphic)
The Message, humans play mail chess whilst on the board, the Black Knight has a message to deliver. I enjoyed the interspersed narratives of the chess players and chess pieces, and of course the femslash.
Anchor Ring, in which the chess board isn't a 2D board anymore and the chess pieces grouse. I enjoyed the topology discussions and the chess pieces full of personality and their views on the world.
Dinotopia
Dinosaur Dentistry: The Tooth Hurts, in which there is a dentist who treats dinosaurs. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and dentistry infodump very much!
The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe
New Constellations, which is post-canon gen. I enjoyed the look at what all the characters got up to after canon, and the final scene packed a punch.
The Goblin Emperor
Gifts for the Wedding, in which Maia receives wedding gifts from a surprising source. I enjoyed the canon-typical slow simmer of politics and Maia wanting to make the world a better place.
a burning coal of kindness, in which Maia and Beshelar get kidnapped by political dissidents. I enjoyed the Beshelar POV and the exploration of his relationship with Maia, and the gift of friendship Maia gave him.
Against a Sure Winter, which is basically Cala's thoughts immediately pre-canon and during it. I enjoyed Cala thinking about the wider implications of all this, and the thread of the slow simmer of in-universe representation (as emperor, as nohecharis) that Cala hoped would make the Ethuveraz a better place to be for the goblin-blooded and for women.
Machineries of Empire
The Musicology of Empire, in which Jedao and Jedao Two try to study music to transcribe the moth language. I enjoyed the Jedao-Jedao Two interaction and the hexarchate musicology discussion.
Speak Revolution, in which Jedao Two sets up his classroom for his ethics instructor stint. I enjoyed the moments of humor, and Jedao Two doing his level best to set up the course.
A Memory Called Empire
your mouth and its flowers, in which there is consent issues E-rated Nineteen Adze/Mahit Dzmare. I enjoyed the sex and the canon-typical intensity and the edgeshine of the knife.
Bone-White and Brilliantine, which is similar to the above, but with more of an emphasis on the Mahit-Yskandr imago machine sense-memory identity confusion. (Full disclosure: I beta'd this one.)
On Lsel, Hope is a False Memory, in which Shrja Torel waits for Mahit to return. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and look to stationer culture.
History Talking to Itself, a narrative of excerpts. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the choice of excerpts and just everything about it. It even has Teixcalaanli glyphs!
Nirvana in Fire
how deep these bright eyed feelings, in which Mei Changsu praises/talks Jingyan into an orgasm. I enjoyed it because it was hot. *g*
Ambitious to the Bone, in which Jingyan declines the honor so Mei Changsu must work on Prince Yu instead and reform him into a moral being. I enjoyed the very plausible canon divergence and different path to similar ends.
Sha Po Lang
Close Your Eyes, I'll Guard the Door, in which Chang Geng pushes the sex ban and gives Gu Yun a handjob. I enjoyed the tender yet fraught tone and lovely relationship.
Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Not my Binghe! in which Shen Qingqiu embarks on a role reversal quest and protects Binghe for a change. I enjoyed Shen Qingqiu's delight at getting to protect Binghe, and Binghe's starry eyes at being protected.
(Guardian, Untitled Goose Game, and Madness will come in a forthcoming post.)
To start with, I got two gifts:
the desert repenting, Machineries of Empire, Cheris & Jedao hunt down a wild moth. I enjoyed the thoughtful running through of the human-scale consequences of the books' plot.
The Great Goose Heist, Guardian, Zhu Jiu & Ya Qing recruit geese to steal the Hallows. I enjoyed the zany plot and humorous moments.
Other recs:
Chess (Anthropomorphic)
The Message, humans play mail chess whilst on the board, the Black Knight has a message to deliver. I enjoyed the interspersed narratives of the chess players and chess pieces, and of course the femslash.
Anchor Ring, in which the chess board isn't a 2D board anymore and the chess pieces grouse. I enjoyed the topology discussions and the chess pieces full of personality and their views on the world.
Dinotopia
Dinosaur Dentistry: The Tooth Hurts, in which there is a dentist who treats dinosaurs. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and dentistry infodump very much!
The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe
New Constellations, which is post-canon gen. I enjoyed the look at what all the characters got up to after canon, and the final scene packed a punch.
The Goblin Emperor
Gifts for the Wedding, in which Maia receives wedding gifts from a surprising source. I enjoyed the canon-typical slow simmer of politics and Maia wanting to make the world a better place.
a burning coal of kindness, in which Maia and Beshelar get kidnapped by political dissidents. I enjoyed the Beshelar POV and the exploration of his relationship with Maia, and the gift of friendship Maia gave him.
Against a Sure Winter, which is basically Cala's thoughts immediately pre-canon and during it. I enjoyed Cala thinking about the wider implications of all this, and the thread of the slow simmer of in-universe representation (as emperor, as nohecharis) that Cala hoped would make the Ethuveraz a better place to be for the goblin-blooded and for women.
Machineries of Empire
The Musicology of Empire, in which Jedao and Jedao Two try to study music to transcribe the moth language. I enjoyed the Jedao-Jedao Two interaction and the hexarchate musicology discussion.
Speak Revolution, in which Jedao Two sets up his classroom for his ethics instructor stint. I enjoyed the moments of humor, and Jedao Two doing his level best to set up the course.
A Memory Called Empire
your mouth and its flowers, in which there is consent issues E-rated Nineteen Adze/Mahit Dzmare. I enjoyed the sex and the canon-typical intensity and the edgeshine of the knife.
Bone-White and Brilliantine, which is similar to the above, but with more of an emphasis on the Mahit-Yskandr imago machine sense-memory identity confusion. (Full disclosure: I beta'd this one.)
On Lsel, Hope is a False Memory, in which Shrja Torel waits for Mahit to return. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and look to stationer culture.
History Talking to Itself, a narrative of excerpts. I enjoyed the worldbuilding and the choice of excerpts and just everything about it. It even has Teixcalaanli glyphs!
Nirvana in Fire
how deep these bright eyed feelings, in which Mei Changsu praises/talks Jingyan into an orgasm. I enjoyed it because it was hot. *g*
Ambitious to the Bone, in which Jingyan declines the honor so Mei Changsu must work on Prince Yu instead and reform him into a moral being. I enjoyed the very plausible canon divergence and different path to similar ends.
Sha Po Lang
Close Your Eyes, I'll Guard the Door, in which Chang Geng pushes the sex ban and gives Gu Yun a handjob. I enjoyed the tender yet fraught tone and lovely relationship.
Scum Villain's Self-Saving System
Not my Binghe! in which Shen Qingqiu embarks on a role reversal quest and protects Binghe for a change. I enjoyed Shen Qingqiu's delight at getting to protect Binghe, and Binghe's starry eyes at being protected.
(Guardian, Untitled Goose Game, and Madness will come in a forthcoming post.)