aria: ([highlander] swordporn)
valinor spider party ([personal profile] aria) wrote2010-07-29 03:54 pm

a highlander post

The problem with going out and getting things done is that I now have a backlog of things I want to talk about! Anyway, the best thing I have discovered recently: Six Things from History Everyone Pictures Incorrectly. Dazzlingly glittering pyramids! Technicolor Parthenon! Sneaky historical clothing! It makes me want to write all the fic warms my geeky heart.

My currently-open wikipedia tabs are pretty great. What do the deluge myth, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and the University of Paris have in common? Three guesses, and the first two don't count. I am now tempted to click the 'random article' link and then make myself write Methos fic about it, actually. Trying it, the first article that comes up is on Beryl Davis. I have never heard of Beryl Davis before, but apparently she was a singer during WWII and knew both Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra. The fic writes itself. I could do this for hours.

More importantly, though, because I have talked through my shame for loving Highlander (no more shame! yay id show! \o/) I think it is high time that I recced some fic. Alphabetically and with enthusiasm:

Adam and Joe by [livejournal.com profile] genteelrebel, Methos/Joe & Duncan/Methos. I don't actually know where to begin talking about this one, because it is kind of amazing in its scope: it's a recounting of Methos' life from 1986 to 1998. In certain ways, this fic is downright evil. It blends canon so seamlessly, turns it into such a coherent emotional arc, and explains Methos so damn well, that it is threatening to rewrite all the personal canon in my head. It has a pretty unique and fairly creepy (but awesome, so awesome, and about as kinky as I have never known I always wanted) take of Methos and Duncan's relationship, complete with a really different interpretation of the Double Quickening than is the norm. It also has an OC I am quite a bit in love with, and an actually happy ending for Cassandra. And Joe is the best Joe ever; I want to take him home and keep him. Caveats for this being one of those deliciously long fics (we're talking in excess of sixty chapters here) that are probably best savored over the space of a week or so.

Brothers and Other Strangers by Valentin, Duncan/Methos. After Bordeaux, Methos takes avoidance to really impressive new levels. (On reflection, Methos-with-amnesia is a weirdly more common fandom trope than one might expect.) I love this one because I love stories about Adam Pierson the defense mechanism. Caveats for the usual frustrating treatment of Cassandra and a, ah, early-2000s website background. Can't do much about the former, but setting a blank page style should fix the latter.

The Fourth Son by Lanna Michaels. This is everything I have ever wanted in a fic about Methos and Kronos, and it's just them talking for a few pages. I spent most of it clawing at my face with joy anyway. But then, I can be a bit strange about Methos and Kronos. (Didn't I say? Id show. Also, pairing type. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.)

Sacred Trust by Lanning, Duncan/Methos. All my favourite fics are necessarily ones that I think understand Methos, but this one really gets it; there's such a depth and intricacy to the bits of Methos' past we do see that I've been many things suddenly starts to make sense as a concept. This is another one of those fics that I find difficult to separate from canon; of course this is the true story of Darius' Light Quickening, and of course the Watchers are terrified of this particular Immortal, and &c. Caveats for length, a narrative that is quite angry with Duncan, actually, and for the general unpleasantness of Methos' past.

And lastly, a vid: Commercial for Levi by Gianduja Kiss, wherein she was actually awesome enough to put my Theory of Methos' Boyfriends into vid form. (By which I mean that it feels like she reached straight into my head, not that she actually knows me from, heh, Adam, and did it with any particular intent.) Actually, hell, this is a blanket rec, just watch everything this woman has ever vidded. It's all fabulous.
polarisnorth: a silhouetted figure sitting on the moon, watching the earthrise ([general] alive or dead)

[personal profile] polarisnorth 2010-07-29 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Ohhhh, I am going to have fun with this post. As soon as I actually get around to watching more Highlander, which will hopefully be soon.

I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

Snerk.

Also, random!wiki!prompting is the best fanfic idea ever. There should totally be a 'fest with that conceit.
polarisnorth: a silhouetted figure sitting on the moon, watching the earthrise ([numb3rs] numbers and figures)

[personal profile] polarisnorth 2010-07-29 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I would be really curious to compare our favorite fics in the fandom. Clearly this calls for further research! I'll let you know when I've watched more (though you will probably know by the extensive as-I-watch email) so we can talk about it more.

I think it would also work well for nu!Trek, and maybe SGA. Hitting random, I get: Sasinko (... also in Poland, what's up with Poland today?), Bella Villa (in Missouri), and Hydrogen-4.

... [personal profile] aria, I can't host a fest.

ETA: ... When I read the description for "New Tricks," I thought it sounded like a cute short fic. Then I clicked it and realized you'd linked me to a 40k fic. What is with this fandom?
Edited 2010-07-29 21:39 (UTC)
polarisnorth: a silhouetted figure sitting on the moon, watching the earthrise ([ds] kick em inna head)

[personal profile] polarisnorth 2010-07-30 04:22 am (UTC)(link)
Isn't that just how Methos is supposed to be? IDK, man, but I appreciate having an immortal who does not ANGST over this fact all the goddamn time. (YES THIS. I totally agree with this.)

... we could host a fest together, maybe? I think it's more manageable that way anyway. And it would be fun, it is a totally awesome idea for a fest. The Wiki Fest!

I just think it is hilarious. Also, please never mention Due South and Highlander together, I am picturing some terrible and fascinating crossovers.
polarisnorth: a silhouetted figure sitting on the moon, watching the earthrise ([ds] new language)

[personal profile] polarisnorth 2010-07-30 05:48 am (UTC)(link)
I feel like we've discussed this crossover before. RayK is a pre-immortal, right? Is RayV Fraser's watcher?

I love the internal dialogues thing.
alpheratz: (Default)

[personal profile] alpheratz 2010-07-30 03:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Butting in - you should totally organize the Wiki!Fest. I would read ALL THE FIC.
alpheratz: (dw - goodbye!)

[personal profile] alpheratz 2010-07-30 03:22 pm (UTC)(link)
ETA: It could be a panfandom fest, too, so you'd get a lot more participation that way!

Ok ok I'm leaving now.
rusty_halo: doctor/master: putting the tea back in OTP (dw: doctor/master: tea otp)

[personal profile] rusty_halo 2010-07-29 09:36 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much for all the recs. I've only read a bit of Highlander fanfic over the years, and these all sound great. I'm serially monofannish and stuck in Supernatural mode right now, but I'm bookmarking this and next time I get nostalgic for Highlander I'm going to read everything here. :)
yasaman: Duncan and Methos thoughtfully reading something (duncan and methos)

[personal profile] yasaman 2010-07-29 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
The wiki idea is brilliant. It is so very helpful that Methos has lived through just about all of recorded human history. :D

Random Highlander thought inspired by catching the last five minutes of a rerun last night: you know, when I first watched the show, Jim Byrnes as Joe just got categorized as "old" in my head because I was so young. Last night, I had a moment of going "damn, Joe is hot." Ah, how tastes change.
alpheratz: (Default)

[personal profile] alpheratz 2010-07-29 10:14 pm (UTC)(link)
So the pyramids were sort of like Edward Cullen. Good to know!
alpheratz: (malcolm is ANGRY)

[personal profile] alpheratz 2010-07-29 10:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Also I just totally lost 50% of my respect for the Ancient Greeks.
ext_390514: Donna, with text saying "Hug me. I'm awesome." (Default)

[identity profile] sophia-sol.livejournal.com 2010-07-29 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
...I have watched Commercial For Levi enough times that I have the entire song memorized. Oops?
ext_390514: Donna, with text saying "Hug me. I'm awesome." (Default)

[identity profile] sophia-sol.livejournal.com 2010-07-30 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
YES SO MUCH EXCELLENT.

My favourite part: "I understand the fascination; I've even been there once or twice, or more." THE CHOICE OF CLIPS THERE. SO PERFECT.

Which would be your other top Highlander vids, btw? I need to see them if I haven't already!
ext_390514: Donna, with text saying "Hug me. I'm awesome." (Default)

[identity profile] sophia-sol.livejournal.com 2010-07-30 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
SWEET. Thank you! I will watch all of these as soon as I have the time to do so!
ext_390514: Donna, with text saying "Hug me. I'm awesome." (Default)

[identity profile] sophia-sol.livejournal.com 2010-08-03 10:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh my goddddd I'm Too Sexy is hilarious. Also, bonus, it's super-easy to follow the general story of the vid, so I don't even need to watch it multiple times to understand it!

And as regards the rest -- well. Somehow it still surprises me the way that vids can look so stupid and inconsequential the first time I watch them, and then magically become really good.

Thank you so much for reccing them all to me!
lannamichaels: Half of Methos's face, showing his necklace and the top of his shirt. (methos)

[personal profile] lannamichaels 2010-08-03 04:09 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks for the rec. :) The Fourth Son holds a special place in my heart because it's a very personal fic, and I'm glad other people enjoy it. :D
lannamichaels: Astronaut Dale Gardner holds up For Sale sign after EVA. (Default)

[personal profile] lannamichaels 2010-08-03 04:17 am (UTC)(link)
I tore through most of your fic about a week ago and loved all of it

Thank you. :)