TGIF!

[rusty_halo]

Queer as Folk fic doesn't seem to be working for me. Probably because most fic is a reflection of the genre of the show itself: schmoopy soapy goo, or melodramatic soapy goo. Ick. I don't like schmoop at all, and I like my angst violent and fucked-up, not melodramatic and ridiculous. *sigh*

The other problem is with pairing. I haven't found a single Brian & Michael friendship story that captured the characters, was written well, and was interesting. And when it comes to relationships, well, Brian/Justin is hot, but their relationship is completely uninteresting to me. And Brian/Michael is incredibly interesting, but not at all hot.

I've enjoyed a few stories, but entirely because the authors are so good that they can make anything work. And (big surprise) they're all authors I know from Buffy fandom, and have in fact archived on my website: Mint Witch, Valerie, Rachel Anton. They all write Brian well, which is great to read. But, alas, I'm just never going to be into the Brian/Justin thing.

The exception to all this is Chase's story. By moving Brian (and Michael, sort of) into the Angelverse, she has free reign to bring in all the violent and supernatural stuff that I love. Plus, she gets rid of Justin (yay!) and makes the angsty stuff about Brian/Michael (yay!). Plus it's also just a really good story; I've probably gotten more enjoyment out of it than I've gotten from the actual show.

So is there any other writers I should be reading? Anyone out there at all who writes dark/angsty/violent Brian/Michael, well?

*sigh*

Yeah, didn't think so.

(I'm such a picky reader. Years of reading almost literally every Spike fic I could find have left me with very little tolerance for bad writing. Misspelled word, cheesy line, too much exposition? Nope, sorry, not wasting my time by reading further. I probably close 90% of the stories I start after the first paragraph. Looking through general QaF archives has reminded me of how lucky we were in Spike fandom, and how much of the vast majority of fanfic sucks.)

Your Birthdate: June 29

Your birthday on the 29th adds a tone of idealism to your nature. You are imaginative and creative, but rather uncomfortable in the business world. You are very aware and sensitive, with outstanding intuitive skills and analytical abilities. The 29 reduces to 11, one of the master numbers which often produces much nervous tension. This is the birthday of the dreamer rather than the doer. You do, however, work very well with people.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

This could all be true, except that last line which is definitely bullshit. "Does not work well with others" is one of those defining Laura traits.

Tonight, jaydk and I are going to dinner and then seeing Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. I'm looking forward to it, though it's gotten mixed reviews. The last time I read the book, I was probably no more than 12, so hopefully I won't remember enough to be disappointed at whatever's lacking.

Tomorrow I'm getting my hair cut. I'm thinking about maybe getting bangs. (I think the last time I had bangs, I was 9.) I feel the need for a change, though. Plus my hair currently looks terrible, the way it's grown out.

Then tomorrow I'm going to see Audioslave. I've never heard them; guess I ought to pick up a CD tonight. All I know is that Chris Cornell sings, and one of the great unresolved issues of my life is the fact that I never saw Soundgarden live. (They were one of my all-time favorite bands.) So I couldn't resist this opportunity, even if it's not really the same thing.

Comments

[fishsanwitt]

I watch 'QaF' on and off - I actually got hooked on the original British series (brilliant!) and I always found the US version a poor second cousin. Except, that 'Brian' is *so* amazing, he's reeled me in :)

I like Brian/Justin, but I find Justin very young. Brian/Michael is not hot for me at all, although I realize that this is probably the most important relationship in Brian's life. I find Michael so dull though - it's hard to stay interested.

I have no recommendations about fics - sorry!

[rockgoddes.livejournal.com]

Then tomorrow I'm going to see Audioslave. I've never heard them; guess I ought to pick up a CD tonight. All I know is that Chris Cornell sings, and one of the great unresolved issues of my life is the fact that I never saw Soundgarden live. (They were one of my all-time favorite bands.) So I couldn't resist this opportunity, even if it's not really the same thing.

I'm so JEALOUS. SO JEALOUS.

I adore Audioslave, they're so freakin' heavy. I wasn't a big Soundgarden fan...didn't mind some of their stuff but I saw them once and they were stunningly boring. Especially with Pearl Jam on right after them.

But I'm dying to see Audioslave...sigh...

Details! I want details!

[aimeelicious]

I am green with envy over your Audioslave plans. Gah. Would love to see them in concert. Write a full report, plsthnx.

On USQaF I just...don't like Michael. I find the character really irritating. Which is too bad because I think there is a lot of room for fanfic to do interesting things with him, but...blerg. I just don't like him. *sigh*

[paratti.livejournal.com]

Enjoy HHG:) I saw it two weeks ago and definitely enjoyed it.

*Tempts* to you New Who. I think you'd like the new Doctor and what Mr QAF's Russell T Davies is doing with it.

[petzipellepingo.livejournal.com]

Then tomorrow I'm going to see Audioslave. I've never heard them; guess I ought to pick up a CD tonight. All I know is that Chris Cornell sings
You lucky thing! Audioslave is great and Chris Cornell is a rock god. Like a Stone is one of my favorite songs ever.

[soundingsea.livejournal.com]

And when it comes to relationships, well, Brian/Justin is hot, but their relationship is completely uninteresting to me. And Brian/Michael is incredibly interesting, but not at all hot.

You've articulated exactly my problem with the ships on that show! That's why I like Chase, I think... she brings the Brian/Michael angst and add her own brand of hotness.

Years of reading almost literally every Spike fic I could find have left me with very little tolerance for bad writing.

Heh. I just started reading just about all the Veronica Mars fanfic I could find (for vm_fic, and my oh my is there a lot of terrible fic out there. I start to see the pain.

[chase820.livejournal.com]

I started The Man Who Wasn't There because I couldn't find any Brian/Michael I liked to read. So much of it was so badly written--mechanical problems, clunky dialogue, and worst of all, unbearably schmoopy plotlines.

I think if you don't try to capture the real darkness in the Michael/Brian relationship--the mind games and possessiveness and shocking co-dependency, you miss a great deal of what makes their relationship so interesting. They love each other almost to distraction, but there's so much else underneath the love, and so little of it is healthy.

Though I am of the opinion that without each other, they'd both be much worse off. Their neuroses mesh so perfectly that they give each other a greater measure of stability than either would have alone. I think this is particularly true in Brian's case. Without Brian, Michael would be a closeted semi-virgin living in his mother's basement. Without Michael, Brian would be dead.

Anyway, I'm glad TMWWT is working so well for you, hon. It's on a brief hiatus while I work out another plot bunny that seized me. But since the bunny in question is a Brian/Michael fic, you should enjoy it.

Thanks so much for the pimpage, by the way! This story is such a strange brew that without my readers reccing it to others, I'd have maybe ten people reading this.