Yuletide 2019 recs!

[raspberryhunter]

I am folding my gifts in because they were SO GOOD, all of them were basically in my Favorites of Yuletide if not My Absolute Favorites :D Trying to get this done in between Family Stuff, so apologies for any inadvertent errors. Have made notes as to whether canon knowledge is needed or not.



18th Century CE RPF

Three Frederick the Great fics which are all lovely, but let me boast about MY TWO AMAZING GIFTS here:

First, the AU where the boy who becomes Frederick the Great in our history dies at his abusive father's hand (instead of his lover Hans Hermann von Katte); and his beloved sister Wilhelmine and Katte avenge him. So great, so full of strong emotion and detail. Probably don't need to know canon history except what I just said, because most of it is explained in the story, although if you don't know much of the history it will be more resonant if you read the historical endnotes first.

Fiat Justitia (10924 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: 18th Century CE Frederician RPF, 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great/Hans Hermann von Katte, Hans Herrmann Von Katte & Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758) & Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758) & Friedrich Wilhelm I von Preußen, Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia & Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria
Characters: Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758), Hans Hermann Von Katte, Friedrich Wilhelm I von Preußen | Frederick William I of Prussia, Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria, Franz Stephan von Lothringen | Francis I Holy Roman Emperor, Friedrich Wilhelm von Grumbkow, Sophia Dorothea of Hanover, Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, POV Female Character, Katte Lives, Brother Feels, Brother-Sister Relationships, Grief/Mourning, Justice, Survivor Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Alternate History, Yuletide Treat, Misses Clause Challenge
Summary:

August 1730: Crown Prince Friedrich attempts to flee his abusive father and dies. His lover, Hans Hermann von Katte, escapes with Friedrich's sister Wilhelmine. Come what may, Wilhelmine is determined to avenge her brother...

Five meetings between Frederick the Great and Maria Theresia, the best of enemies, and each meeting is great! You do probably have to know a little more about canon to appreciate this one, although there are helpful historical endnotes to this one as well.

Five Ways in which Frederick the Great and Maria Theresia did not meet (10362 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 5/5
Fandom: 18th Century CE Frederician RPF, 18th Century CE RPF
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia, Franz Stephan von Lothringen | Francis I Holy Roman Emperor/Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great/Hans Hermann von Katte, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Other(s), Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria & Joseph II, Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great & Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria, Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria / Franz Stephan von Lothringen ×
Characters: Friedrich II von Preußen | Frederick the Great, Maria Theresia | Maria Theresa of Austria (Frederician RPF), Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina, Wilhelmine von Preußen | Wilhelmine of Prussia (1709-1758), Joseph II Holy Roman Emperor, Franz Stephan von Lothringen | Francis I Holy Roman Emperor, Friedrich Heinrich Ludwig von Preußen | Henry of Prussia (1726-1802)
Additional Tags: Rivalry, Enemies, Seven Years' War, Character Study, Developing Relationship, Alternate History, Keep Your Enemies Closer, My Best Enemy, Yuletide, Misses Clause Challenge
Summary:

1740: Two young monarchs ascend to the throne: Frederick II of Prussia and Maria Theresa of Austria. Over the next few decades, the rivalry between them will change Europe forever. Yet they never meet face to face. But there were five times in their lives when they might have done...

In This House of Brede - Rumer Godden

Spare little gem of a fic about two relatively minor characters <3 Probably need to know canon, though could be read as a short story about art if you don't know canon.

Ars Longa (1157 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: In This House of Brede - Rumer Godden
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Characters: Stefan Duranski, Abbess Hester Cunningham Proctor
Summary:

In a gallery in Paris, as a young man, Stefan made his first acquaintance with Abbess Hester Proctor Cunningham of Brede, though at the time he did not know her name.

The Instrumentality of Mankind - Cordwainer Smith

Two Instrumentality stories and they're both quite good, and I might be biased because MY GIFT -- anyway, this story is just amaaaaazing, it's like finding a new Cordwainer Smith story!! I love it sooooo much. I think it can be read without knowing canon, although it would probably help to know that at this point in canon the Underpeople (animal-derived people) are considered as substantially below "true humans."

The Girl Who Failed (5702 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Instrumentality of Mankind - Cordwainer Smith
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Santuna | Lady Alice More, Lord Jestocost
Additional Tags: Underperson, Dubious Ethics, Mass Death, Number-names, Yuletide Treat
Summary:

The expedition succeeded: on that, all the witnesses agree. Even Lady Mmona, who warned so direly at the outset. Even Lord Jestocost, who was personally responsible for the cleanup...

“It went wrong,” said the girl Santuna at the inquest. “And it was my fault it went wrong. If that was a success, I want no more successes.”

This one is the backstory of the cranch and the haberman, and I'm gonna say that you should read Scanners Live in Vain first or else this won't really make much sense.

First They Must Live (2708 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Instrumentality of Mankind - Cordwainer Smith
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Characters: Henry Haberman (Instrumentality), Eustace Cranch (Instrumentality)
Additional Tags: Loss of Multiple Senses, Space Exploration, Callous Treatment of Convicts, animal experimentation, Minor Character Deaths
Summary:

Before Scanners lived in vain, they were vital to the exploration of space by the early Instrumentality of Mankind.

No one knew why everyone who went into deep space suffered, then died. They called it the Great Pain of Space. It was keeping humanity in their own Solar System; it was a prison and a barrier.

The two who broke humanity out of this prison were Henry Haberman and Eustace Cranch. From the depths of the Instrumentality's archives, their story.

A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine

I haven't finished reading all of these yet, but here are two I thought were just amazing. Need to know canon for both.

The summary kind of says it all:

On Lsel, Hope is a False Memory (3641 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Yskandr Aghvin, Mahit Dzmare, Shrja Torel
Additional Tags: Conversations in Bars, Post-Book, minor character pov, POV Outsider, Three Seagrass is here in spirit, Emotions all over the place, including in the endocrine system, No major character death other than the character who's already dead still being dead (sort of), Mahit Dzmare/Three Seagrass (mentioned briefly)
Summary:

In Teixcalaan, these things are ceaseless: star-charts, disembarkments, and Shrja Torel's ridiculous, illogical, impossible-to-get-rid-of envy for her best friend's job and imago.

(Mahit and Yskandr are very similar. Shrja is not.)

This one is worldbuilding and commentary and epilogue through poetry and documents! TEIXCALAANI POETRY. I AM JUST SAYING.

History Talking to Itself (2194 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: A Memory Called Empire - Arkady Martine
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Mahit Dzmare/Three Seagrass, Yskandr Aghavn/Nineteen Adze/Emperor Six Direction, Past Mahit Dzmare/OFC
Characters: Mahit Dzmare, Three Seagrass, Twelve Azalea, Yskandr Aghavn, Nineteen Adze, Original Teixcalaanli Characters, Original Stationer Characters
Additional Tags: fake media, Epistolary, Fake Documents, Canonical Character Death, Worldbuilding, Poetry, Political Verse, Embedded Images (with descriptions)
Summary:

Twelve excerpts from Teixcalaan and from Lsel Station.

The Raven's Tower - Ann Leckie

Both the Raven's Tower fics were awesome -- two very different and interesting looks at the Myriad and her fleet. Need to know canon (although the first works as a vignette about shipworms -- really! -- even if you don't know canon).

The Fish's Palace (1655 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Raven Tower - Ann Leckie
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: The Myriad (The Raven Tower), Original Female Character(s)
Additional Tags: Chemistry, Geology, Shipworms, Perfume
Summary:

I will tell you a story! There was a woman, in a palace near the city known as Therete, who had never seen the ocean. Yet she had a skill needed to build a fleet!

Strength and Patience (are not our strong suits) (2763 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: The Raven Tower - Ann Leckie
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: The Myriad, The Strength and Patience of the Hill, The Raven - Character, The God of the Silent Forest, Stalker - Character, The snake - Character, Mawat (The Raven Tower), Eolo (The Raven Tower)
Additional Tags: Gods, Fictional Religion & Theology, Worship, Blood, POV First Person
Summary:

After the Raven's attack at Ard Vusktia, the Myriad must find a way to rescue her friend.

Slings & Arrows

Oh, pitch-perfect and hilarious. Even funnier if you know Slings & Arrows canon, but even if you just have a passing familiarity with Harry Potter and the Cursed Child it's quite funny :D

Geoffrey Tennant and the Cursed Play (1194 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Slings & Arrows
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Darren Nichols/Geoffrey Tennant
Characters: Geoffrey Tennant, Darren Nichols, David Tennant
Additional Tags: Crossover, Theatre, Humor, I don't know why David Tennant's in there, It just happened, Gen or Pre-Slash, Slash, I can't believe I'm tagging this kinda pre-slash, I feel so old school, can also be post slash!, interpret at will
Summary:

Geoffrey has to direct a production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

He is, you can imagine, thrilled.

Really interesting look at the Henriad (which I, uh, should actually watch and then read this fic again). Need to know canon.

And pay the debt I never promised (9596 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Slings & Arrows
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Geoffrey Tennant & Oliver Welles, Ellen Fanshaw/Geoffrey Tennant, Geoffrey Tennant/Oliver Welles, Darren Nichols/Geoffrey Tennant, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Characters: Geoffrey Tennant, Oliver Welles, Ellen Fanshaw, Anna Conroy
Additional Tags: Henriad, Pre-Canon, Post-Canon, Brief discussion of racism, Complicated Relationships, Jealousy, Devotion, Fade to Black
Summary:

Geoffrey, legacy, and the Henriad.

Star Trek: Rihannsu - Diane Duane

Just pitch-perfect Ael and Arrhae, negotiating a situation. <3 I will add a content note for mild discussion of abortion (though none happens). Need to know canon.

Day Comes Up New (4470 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Star Trek - Various Authors, Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Rihannsu - Diane Duane
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Arrhae i-Khellian t'Llhweiir, Terise Haleakala-LoBrutto, Ael t'Rllaillieu
Additional Tags: Pregnancy, Rihannsu, Politics, Romulan wine
Summary:

"I have done something spectacularly stupid," Arrhae said.

Tanakh

Oh man. A lot of amazing stuff in here this year, check all of the fics out! But I will call out a couple.

This one seems at first like a straightforward retelling of the David story... but... it's not quite, and manages to weave in a lot of details from canon that have always kind of bothered me. Subtle and brilliant. Need to know canon.

(Also: it is marked as F/M and M/M, and that is not inaccurate, but I would consider it gen.)

Easy to Love (1753 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: תנ"ך | Tanakh
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: David | Dāūd/Yehonatan | Jonathan, David/Michal (Abrahamic Religions)
Characters: David | Dāūd, Yehonatan | Jonathan, Michal (Abrahamic Religions), Sha'ul | Saul, Shlomo | Solomon | Sulayman, Bat-sheva | Bathsheba, Mefiboshet ben-Yehonatan | Mephibosheth son of Jonathan
Additional Tags: Musicians, archers, Brother-Sister Relationships, Father-Son Relationship, Love Triangles, Love, Battle, Warrior Aristocrats, iron age Israel, Heroes to Villains
Summary:

David was easy to love, even when you knew what he'd done.

David/Jonathan IN SPACE, brilliant mashup of Iron Age Israel and SPACE and religion, and all of it just works and it's so good! You mostly don't need to know canon, but if you don't the ending will make a little less sense -- but wikipedia-level info is probably fine.

no rebel, no renegade (10315 words) by Anonymous
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: תנ"ך | Tanakh
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationships: David | Dāūd/Yehonatan | Jonathan
Characters: David | Dāūd, Yehonatan | Jonathan, Sha'ul | Saul, Avner ben-Ner | Abner
Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Space, Flashbacks, Tragic Romance, Father-Son Relationship, Royalty, Space Battles, Monsters, Religious Content, Jews In Space, Religious Imagery & Symbolism
Summary:

On a tiny space station far from Benjamin Moon, Jonathan, crown prince of Israel, fights giants in the darkness and speaks to the king.