Weird rec request

[rivkat]

Probably as a way of escaping recent events, I find myself really interested in Teen Wolf recs, probably Derek/Stiles, but I'll take anything that is decently plot-heavy, has some angst, and ideally doesn't require knowledge of later seasons' canon. I don't know either, but any help would be greatly appreciated. 

Comments

[ravurian]

Well, now. I can provide you links to things that I've read and reread multiple times, but I am finding wording hard at the moment so the recommendation part is eluding me. These are all long and plotty, and there is certainly angst, but also a lot of transformation, healing, world-building.

1. Hagalaz by TheHatterTheory. I have reread this dozens of times, it feels like. AU from the end of Season 2, this builds an entire world from the scraps and fragments of canon - it is arguably one of the most inventive fics I've read in terms of world-building, history, magical theory, characterisation. It goes deep as well as long.

2. Taking Leave by Coyotl. This is absolutely bravura storytelling, let me tell you, and from an outsider's point of view it is arguably the most specifically American fic I've ever read in this fandom (in the way, way back when candle_beck was still writing, America ran through every turn of phrase). That's probably not the most helpful recommendation, but it is so beautifully done, and so unexpected. I'm not entirely sure it's all the way successful, ultimately - it stretches too far away from its roots - but it is an extraordinary read.

3. Pack Wars by miss_aphelion. This starts off a little bit crack'ish - Derek 'kidnaps' Stiles to teach Scott a lesson - and then becomes something else entirely. This is such good storytelling, and despite the drama I ended up laughing aloud at some bits. I'd also recommend The Beacon Hills Mysteries by miss_aphelion, because these too are excellent, and very different, examples of storytelling. I remember that with both of these recs I wanted six seasons and a movie.


4. From Deep Roots by Anefi. This is still technically a WIP, I'll say up front, but it is being updated, and there's almost 90k of fic before you get to the current end. That 90k of fic is very well worthwhile.

5. You can't go wrong with any of Grimm's Teen Wolf fics. Long, plotty, interesting, every one.

There are more where these came from, but these are off the top of my head. If you need more when you're done with these, hit me up!

[rivkat]

These are wonderful! The comparison to candle_beck has me salivating--you are so right about the Americanness of their fic.

[ravurian]

God, I hope I'm not overstating it, lol. candle_beck was an utter genius, and they just vanished. Not uncommon, in fandom, I know, but it makes me suddenly think of others that I miss - samdonne, eliade, hackthis, ethrosdemon, are just a few.

Anyway it occurs to me that I should also recommend Rats' Alley, by auburn. I really liked her other TW fic, Raised by Wolves, a crossover with Criminal Minds, which does inventive and rational things with canon but could have used a beta. It really situates the action in a real, physical world, too - it has a tremendous sense of place, for me, that is absent in a lot of fiction, and I think that's one of the reasons I loved it. Of course, it also does a reordering of canon in a way that makes it hang together more naturally than the seat-of-pants writing that the actual show devolved into.

Um.

[rivkat]

Great, thank you!