Gardening at Night, by Torch

[mrshamill.livejournal.com]

Title: Gardening at Night
Author: Torch

Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Q/O

Warnings: ( If any, here )

Author's e-mail, web site and/or LJ id: flambeau@strangeplaces.net, flambeau, http://www.strangeplaces.net/torch/
Link to story: http://www.masterapprentice.org/archive/g/gardening_night.html

Reasons for recommending: This one is a hard one. Yes, Torch is an excellent writer (and her pro stuff is good as well), and this story contains what is, for me, the most beautiful and honestly plot driven sex scene ever. That being said, however, this story, like a lot of Torch's stories, left me wanting more -- not more as in a continuation of the story, but more of something else quite indefinable. It makes me nuts trying to explain that, so I don't think I will, and anyway, it could well be just me.

I commend her for picking one POV and then staying with it; having just tried that myself, I know how hard (and how rewarding) that is. The aliens are fairly well defined within just a few succinct paragraphs, and the situation is clear and strong. I wish I knew why her stories are the equivalent of Chinese food for me, but I can't put my finger on it. At any rate, this is a beautiful story, and well worth the recommendation, regardless of my weird headspace.

Quote from story: ( Go here for that: )

Coruscant Gothic, by Mystique

[glasshouses.livejournal.com]

reccer's note: [hand-wave] it is Friday, June 18. [hand-wave] Glass Houses didn't miss her turn to recommend something. [hand-wave]. Hey, if it can work for Fox...

Hello campers, TGIF, err TGIS! Your "Gloom, Despair, and Agony on Me" recommendation follows directly. You may commence the Happy Dance.

Title: Coruscant Gothic
Author: Mystique
Rating: R
Pairing: umm...
Summary: Padawan Kenobi is not seeing visitors right now.
Warnings: ( Surely you can guess )

Author's e-mail: darthmystique@hotmail.com
Website: http://users.bigpond.net.au/showroom/mystique/
LJ id: diamona, fic LJ darthmystique
Link to story: http://www.ravenswing.com/DPS/fic/gothic.html
Frontpage to the DPS archive: http://www.ravenswing.com/DPS/

Reasons for recommending: Back in the Golden Days, when we all posted to M-A via carrier pigeon, a few geniuses like RavenD and VelmaDoo and Smitty and Dee came up with the idea of marking the occasion of Halloween with the debut of The Dead Padawan Society. I must say, it warmed my little heart, and I bookmarked the site immediately.

One of the "founding" stories was Coruscant Gothic, which truly creeped me out. Mystique is a Master of setting a mood, and her unique POV in this story is equal parts eerie, scary and vulnerable.

Quote from story: none - I really can't without spoiling it. It's short - go read it now.