Fanfic Author Appreciation -- Speranza
Mar. 8th, 2005 10:45 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyMarch 6 through March 13 is Fanfic Author Appreciation Week, where you post to your LJ each day at least one of your favorite fanfic authors and why you love them, their work, and why they need more appreciation.
Except, of course, I didn't do it yesterday or the day before, so I'm posting starting from today. The 8th to the 15th.
Speranza (due South; Queer as Folk (UK))
Speranza's Fiction
Now,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cesperanza is one of the best writers that I have ever read, pro or fan. Her way with words is both magical and very honest and pure -- she never gets caught up in the beauty of her own writing (or perhaps she does, but it never shows, which is the same to the reader). Now, if you're in dS fandom, you probably know all about Speranza, but this isn't a rec, as much as it is a celebration.
The most impressive thing is how very different her stories are from each other. There are common threads running though many, but each is a complete work in itself. She produces a true kaleidoscope of Fraser and Ray, in so many possible shades of where they could go and who they could be. Twist the tube and the world changes, but it was all there to begin with -- we just didn't know it.
And her Fraser is one of the most complex characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading -- watching the show, you see how incredibly thoughtful and complicated Fraser is and Speranza manages to write different shades of him in pretty much every story.
Some of my very favorites:
due South
Beyond Embarrassment
Bleeding--yes, that was the word! Benton Fraser was fucking dirty and hatless and bleeding right here in his hallway at four o'clock in the fucking morning!
Enduring Distance
Which deals with the real-life hassle of capturing a submarine and all the rest. Features some RayV/Stella. And why RayK isn't friends with Fraser.
The Killer Replacements
While up in Canada training recruits, Fraser gets a call from Ray Kowalski, who is being reassigned (ala RayV in Burning Down the House). This, Fraser decides, just won't do.
Kowalski Is Bleeding
Written in an experimental style. If I were about to die and could only ever read one Speranza story ever again, it would be this one, which says so much about Fraser and RayK's love without ever saying it in so many words. RayK's missing and very much presumed dead. Fraser refuses to believe it. Told partly from RayV's point of view, partly from Fraser's. Sorta. You'll see. She does an amazing RayV in this one (and a nice Stella as well).
Mangy Dog
I really haven't the words. It's Fraser and love. It's Ray and Dief and trust. It's what Bob doesn't understand.
"What do you want a mangy dog like that for?"
Queer as Folk
Mere Anarchy
Where Stuart knew that it would go off, but never expected the size of the explosion.
The Decay of Lying
Where both Stuart and Vince are nutters, but who could be shocked by that? Plus, an Irish bar joke.
And all the stories that I didn't mention? Brilliant as well. Seriously -- she experiments with style. She has fascinating plots and incredible characterization. The stories up there? Just the tip of the iceberg. There's two dozen more I could mention, just as good.
She's also got a couple of other fandoms that I don't follow. I don't know if her complete and total brilliance translates to them, but I highly suspect it does.
Ooo. She's just posted a Stargate Atlantis story, her first.
*tries to resist the urge to go read it now*
Except, of course, I didn't do it yesterday or the day before, so I'm posting starting from today. The 8th to the 15th.
Speranza's Fiction
Now,
cesperanza is one of the best writers that I have ever read, pro or fan. Her way with words is both magical and very honest and pure -- she never gets caught up in the beauty of her own writing (or perhaps she does, but it never shows, which is the same to the reader). Now, if you're in dS fandom, you probably know all about Speranza, but this isn't a rec, as much as it is a celebration.The most impressive thing is how very different her stories are from each other. There are common threads running though many, but each is a complete work in itself. She produces a true kaleidoscope of Fraser and Ray, in so many possible shades of where they could go and who they could be. Twist the tube and the world changes, but it was all there to begin with -- we just didn't know it.
And her Fraser is one of the most complex characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading -- watching the show, you see how incredibly thoughtful and complicated Fraser is and Speranza manages to write different shades of him in pretty much every story.
Some of my very favorites:
due South
Beyond Embarrassment
Bleeding--yes, that was the word! Benton Fraser was fucking dirty and hatless and bleeding right here in his hallway at four o'clock in the fucking morning!
Enduring Distance
Which deals with the real-life hassle of capturing a submarine and all the rest. Features some RayV/Stella. And why RayK isn't friends with Fraser.
The Killer Replacements
While up in Canada training recruits, Fraser gets a call from Ray Kowalski, who is being reassigned (ala RayV in Burning Down the House). This, Fraser decides, just won't do.
Kowalski Is Bleeding
Written in an experimental style. If I were about to die and could only ever read one Speranza story ever again, it would be this one, which says so much about Fraser and RayK's love without ever saying it in so many words. RayK's missing and very much presumed dead. Fraser refuses to believe it. Told partly from RayV's point of view, partly from Fraser's. Sorta. You'll see. She does an amazing RayV in this one (and a nice Stella as well).
Mangy Dog
I really haven't the words. It's Fraser and love. It's Ray and Dief and trust. It's what Bob doesn't understand.
"What do you want a mangy dog like that for?"
Queer as Folk
Mere Anarchy
Where Stuart knew that it would go off, but never expected the size of the explosion.
The Decay of Lying
Where both Stuart and Vince are nutters, but who could be shocked by that? Plus, an Irish bar joke.
And all the stories that I didn't mention? Brilliant as well. Seriously -- she experiments with style. She has fascinating plots and incredible characterization. The stories up there? Just the tip of the iceberg. There's two dozen more I could mention, just as good.
She's also got a couple of other fandoms that I don't follow. I don't know if her complete and total brilliance translates to them, but I highly suspect it does.
Ooo. She's just posted a Stargate Atlantis story, her first.
*tries to resist the urge to go read it now*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-08 07:13 pm (UTC)Speranza is one of those writers I read no matter which fandom she writes in. I have to say, though, I lover her dS stories best. She's the main reason I am a dS fan; I read her stories first in this fandom.
It's been hard waiting to read that SG:A story, but I want to catch up on the show first.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-09 08:38 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-09 01:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-03-09 08:41 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-15 04:30 pm (UTC)I'm really surprised that you'd rec a dS author who treats RayV with respect, and who treats Fraser's and RayV's friendship with respect and makes it important to Fraser. Most F/K authors don't do that - they don't care anything about RayV and get him out of Fraser's life.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-06-15 04:41 pm (UTC)