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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Challenge 2023 Reading Challenge!

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by Kit', Jan 3, 2023.

  1. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    9. An intimidating fic you have avoided: Interregnum by @Bel505 – When bel505 started posting this, I knew from the title bar alone that it was right up my alley (post-TLC, action/drama, Luke, Mara, Wedge). Lo, when I finally got around to reading it a few months later, it was already a behemoth and I just couldn't commit the time. Well, now that I can and that I've read it, I confirm that it's the behemothest of behemoths, and it has everything: space battles, lightsaber duels, political intrigue, underworld machinations, a cast of thousands of your favourite Legends characters and, of course, romance. Don't let yourself be intimidated by the sheer size of it; just dive in. And for a bonus, you get a few spin-offs and a sequel that are already posted!
     
    Kit', Kahara, Findswoman and 7 others like this.
  2. Kit'

    Kit' Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 30, 1999
    Sorry everyone for my absence. It's not been a particularly great time down here recently and I've fallen off the fanfic wagon rather badly (writer's block/stress/tiredness/new job) which means I've been avoiding everything. Thank you to you all for keeping this moving :D

    Yes, please - updating when you read something new and exciting is always a good idea :D

    Yeah...sorry about that.
     
  3. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Nothing to apologise about @Kit', it's just the nature of the boards after all, and with so many sign-ups when you posted the thread it was bound to slow down at some point.

    Here's hoping you're feeling better and switching gears back to fanfic mode [:D]
     
  4. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Update time!

    15. A fic whose main character is an OC—Victory by @Vek Talis, the first story in his Kessel Run thread of the same name. It stars his own Jedi character, the gruff but lovable Vek Talis, an OC I haven't seen in a long time... a long time! Vek unfortunately is witness to a sad event in this vignette, but he perseveres, and that is one of his talents.
     
  5. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
  6. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
  7. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    3. A short story/one shot: All I Remember Are The Dreams In The Mist by @amidalachick – Having managed to remain unspoiled about Stranger Things so far (which is no mean feat in this day and age) I rarely get to read amidalachick's work, since that's her preferred fandom. I was therefore really happy to find this story while browsing the SWFF boards this morning. This is a very short, but extremely powerful and poignant ficlet featuring Leia, that achieves what good short stories endeavour to do: to say much with the fewest possible words. And it is extremely successful at that: reading it takes a few minutes, processing it though... it will stay with me for a long time.
     
  8. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    5. A fic starring a non-human character: Sure Looks Strange to Me by @Findswoman – In which a monster with a ridiculous name calls Zeb "my dear chap" and discusses bass quetarra while drinking ales. Yup, you read that right!
     
    Kit', Kahara, Mira_Jade and 3 others like this.
  9. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    5. A fic starring a non-human character children of the many paths by @Mechalich It has references to KotOR and has a great OC revealing more to Luke and his students of the EU
     
  10. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    10. A fic with only canon characters: The Cat, the Kylo and the Wardrobe by @gizkaspice – Or, how Kylo Ren got to meet his Legends family. This is another little piece of gizkaspice's cat madness, featuring everyone's favourite shirtless man-child, his male... female... male... female..., oh, never mind that, his cat Blackie, the Sky/Solo Legends cast and more (including, but not limited to, Merry and Pippin from LOTR and Spock from Star Trek). OK, technically Blackie is an OC, but s/he doesn't get any speaking lines in this story, so it still counts as a canon-character-only fic!

    13. A fic that is outside your favourite time period/show: Beginnings and Learning to Fly by @Vek Talis (I'm listing these two as a single entity since the former is really just the prologue for the latter) – I know very little about the TOR/KotOR era because I don't play video games, but Vek's Kessel Run thread made me want to know more about his protagonist. And here we get to find out everything we want to know about the Master of Snark, including how he came to the GFFA (because he's not from around here), why he's such an unconventional Jedi, and why his favourite word appears to be "stellar".
     
  11. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Vek Talis, Kit', Kahara and 5 others like this.
  12. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    23. A fic that's written from a villain's perspective: "Your Heart Will Catch Its Breath Again" by @Mira_Jade – This is a fic written from the POV of Darth Maul, but, ahem, is he a villain anymore? I dunno, he seems to think so, but the rest of us aren't so sure. Mira did it again with her Song!verse AU where everything gets turned on its head. If you want to read a beautifully written story that makes you think that you have no business caring so much about Maul, this is the one.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2023
  13. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    11. A fic by a new author: Echoes of the Old Republic by @DLR001 – DLR001 is as new to the boards as it gets (they signed up literally less than a week ago) and this story is quite the opening salvo in fanfic. It's beautifully written and edited and features for now some very intriguing OCs in the post-war period of the KotOR era. I say "for now" because we're still on the first chapter of the first story as of the moment I type this, and I'm certainly hoping DLR001 will give us more!

    20. A fic that states a relationship in the title: Allies by @UltramassiveUbersue – I was going to list this story under a different category of the reading challenge, but I think that its rightful place is here. The title implies a relationship between the allies, but that's not the relationship at stake in the story. A beautiful tale of grief and guilt featuring Luke after Mara's death. PSA: keep a box of hankies at hand, you might need it.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2023
  14. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    3:A short story/one shot: Allies by @UltramassiveUbersue – It is touching and full of grief for Luke after Mara's death. Will he pursue another relation as hinted in the story?
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2023
    Vek Talis, Chyntuck, Kahara and 2 others like this.
  15. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    23. A fic that's written from a villain's perspectivedark chasm by @Starith Darth Vader is the main villain who has Luke in his grasp in this beautifully drawn fan-comic

    11. A fic by a new^ author the final battle by @Darth Mortak is a fic with beautiful images and scenes that feels like a movie
     
    Last edited: Feb 15, 2023
    Vek Talis, Kit', Starith and 5 others like this.
  16. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    Just added one! :D

    12. A fic you’ve been meaning to try—Mourning by @vader_incarnate, which has been on my mental list for a while now, though I only just recently got around to reviewing it. A stunning short piece that manages to combine top-drawer angst, razor-keen Anakin/Vader characterization (from a true grande dame in that area), and yes, even linguistic nerdery! :D

    EDIT: And another!

    3. A short story/one shot—A Year in Birthdays, by my excellent mod colleague @devilinthedetails. A beautiful exploration of the relationships between Shmi, Cliegg, and Owen in the first year after Shmi and Cliegg marry that cause me to alternately choke up and go “d’awwww”—and features mouthwatering food descriptions from start to finish!
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2023
  17. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    8. A fic with exactly four words in the title tip of the iceberg by @pronker is a hilarious mixture of Penguins, Star Wars (the Force) and Star Trek TOS catching the old show perfectly
     
    Vek Talis, Kit', Mira_Jade and 5 others like this.
  18. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    3. A short story/one shot - I saw the wolf by the always amazing @Findswoman.

    This one shot is part songfic and features a wonderful look at young Ezra Bridger as he takes a late-night look (from his bedroom window) at Lothal wildlife. It is a perfect blend of curiosity, wonderment and the heartwarming innocence of childhood.
     
    Vek Talis, Kit', Chyntuck and 6 others like this.
  19. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    6. A challenge winner: Two Were One by @devilinthedetails – I loved the Dwarves in general and Durin and Disa in particular in The Rings of Power, and as I read this fic I felt that devilinthedetails went into my head, pulled out all the elements of the show I wanted to see more of and made them into a story. The characterisation is top-notch and the writing is beautiful. Head-canon accepted!

    14. A fic with a great first line: I Ship It! by @Raissa Baiard – Or, how "the Force was bored" (which is the first line) and created AUs. This is actually a fantastic introduction to what Raissa has called elsewhere her "big honkin' multigenerational AU" in addition to being exceedlingly entertaining, occasionally snarky and irreverent, and including some theological considerations you would never expect to find on the boards.
     
    Last edited: Feb 22, 2023
  20. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Feb 27, 2014
    I’m very pleased to add:

    11. A fic by a new^ author—Friends by @DLR001, who just joined this month (February 2023). A poignant and thought-provoking vignette from the viewpoint of what looks like a very young Jolee Bindo!
     
  21. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    18. A fic you meant to read in 2022: To Every Thing There is a Season by @Seldes_Katne – This is a collection of stories written for the 2022 edition of the Kessel Run Challenge, most of which revolve around Seldes_Katne's team of alien scholars. The three words that come to mind to describe it are 'unusual', 'original' and 'creative', with many interesting twists on the prompts, a dazzling variety of alien species, and a sense of humour and self-deprecation that's just the zherry on the cake. Plus, there are a few meta bonus tracks at the end that round it off quite nicely. Make sure you don't miss this thread, there's a truly singular quality to every story and the writing is top-notch.
     
  22. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    8. A fic with exactly four words in the title: Going Within, Going Without by @Thumper09 – This is a spectacular fic featuring two young Revwiens (i.e. sentient plant aliens) and their travails as they find their place in their community. Thumper's rich and detailed worldbuilding made them feel so alien and yet so real that I became genuinely invested in their fate and wanted to give them a hug (or a bit of water and fertiliser!) It's both a masterclass in writing non-Humans and a deeply moving tale of friendship and growth. I heartily recommend it to everyone.

    17. A fic that started in the month of your birthday: A Slight Difference in Leverage by @Mechalich – Ven Morne, a middle-aged policeman by day and revolutionary by night, meets with the new head of Crimson Dawn to renegotiate a funding agreement. Let's just say that things don't quite go as you would expect in this setup and leave it at that :cool: A great little read and an intriguing introduction to Mechalich's little corner of the GFFA, of which I firmly intend to read more, and so should you!
     
  23. Seldes_Katne

    Seldes_Katne Force Ghost star 3

    Registered:
    Mar 18, 2002
    Three months into this challenge, so time for an update:

    1. A fic by your [one of your] favourite* authors: Cargo Hauler, byThumper09. This story follows Bodhi Rook as he works his way from turning a blind eye to the Empire’s activities to becoming someone willing to stand up for a good cause. Provides a plausible development for a background character who finds his courage and makes a difference.

    2. A fic with two or more authors "I've Got a Bad Feeling About This," by Mistress_Renata, Ewok Poet, whiskers, Raissa Baiard, brodiew, Anedon, RX_SITH.
    As someone who used to run Round Robin assignments for a homeschooler group at my library, I know how challenging writing a story piecemeal can be. The story may start in one place, and end up somewhere completely unexpected. I enjoyed following the twists and turns of this story, as each author interpreted (and re-interpreted) what had come before. I’m impressed that this story had an actual ending – that’s often the most difficult part to pull off. Excellent teamwork by the authors, who have crafted both a good story and aliens who are very much not-human. (Transference of personality by digestion? Whoa….)

    3. A short story/one shot: “Protecting Hope”, by earlybird-obl-wan: In the midst of galactic upheaval and grief, an unnamed character (strongly implied to be Obi-Wan Kenobi) reflects on the state of the galaxy, the tasks yet to be done, and the possibilities of the future. Introspection at the crossroads of fate and destiny. In a sense, an act of defiance in the face of great loss.

    9. An intimidating fic you have avoided: The Book of Gand: A most impressive piece of world-building and character development. This story fleshes out a minor background character, and constructs an entire religious system and community, as well as introducing an OC that the author later uses in several other stories. My favorite combination of elements: non-human main characters, a fully-realized spirituality, and an interesting plot line. As the author has stated that she plans to expand and/or finish this story, I will definitely be keeping an eye on this one.

    11. A fic by a new author: “Last Supper," by T4M1-7. Four bounty hunters celebrate their last job together. A charming short story, but make sure you read it with a snack on hand....

    16. A fic whose title catches your attention: “Samhain Symphony,” by Nehru_Amidala. Anything with a Halloween-related title will catch my attention. OC Minerva tells the tale of a woman with a special affinity for plants, who is eventually trained by “The Master” to use her ability to sow fear and develop poisons. (Sounds downright Sithy.) She eventually murders her master, but is cursed by his ghost – she will wander the world in spirit, forgotten by all. However, Minerva knows there is a way out for this ghost.

    19. A fic with love, kiss or hug in the title "Kiss My Wookiee" Posted back in 2005, this poem serves as Han Solo’s mocking challenge to Warlord Zsinj (a Expanded Universe/Legends character who rose to power after the destruction of the Death Star over Endor). Solo notes that Zsinj’s ship has been destroyed and his command infiltrated by New Republic operatives. In the face of Zsinj’s bid for power, Solo invites him to “kiss my Wookiee” (there is no indication of what Chewbacca thinks of this, btw). I can’t tell if the poem has been truncated, but there’s certainly enough here to convey Solo’s sentiment.
     
    Last edited: Mar 21, 2023
  24. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    2. A fic with two or more authors: From Slavery to Aristocracy by @Mira Grau and @Adalia-Durron. This short story was written for the 'Country Mouse, City Mouse' OTP challenge and to say that the authors went for a high-stakes interpretation of the prompt is something of an understatement. It features two OCs brought over from the RPG forum, namely Marie Firestone, an unconventional Dathomiri witch, and Adrian Malek, a progressive Eriaduan nobleman, and their adventures as their budding romance brings them to each other's homeworlds. The combination of character development, well thought-out intrigue and detailed worldbuilding make for a captivating read.
     
  25. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    14. A fic with a great first line: I Ship It! by @Raissa Baiard – "the Force was bored" It created a masive AU and was funny
     
    Kit', Kahara, Mira_Jade and 5 others like this.