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< The Quibbler ~ Short Stories of All Genres |
| Novinha |
 Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:34 pm |
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Joined: 11 Dec 2004
Posts: 12
Location: Northern Poland
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In general, I prefer epfics. The length of around 100.000 words is wonderful; more is even better. I only read one-shots written by authors I know or when recommended. Still, there are some short stories that are like a Bludger straight to the stomach. Emotionally powerful, exteremely funny, highly erotic... One-shots that make you feel humbled. Tales that are so good that they deserve to be read whether you like the pairing/setting/genre or not.
I've noticed that we mainly praise great novel-length stories on Quibbler. How about - name a one-shot, any genre, any rating, that was one of these things I named above?
I will make a try at this.
My first rec is Snegurochka's story "Spy", in which the author explores the possible reason why Lupin was suspected by Sirius. Oh, what a tangled web we weave! This wonderful, slashy story made of four vignettes will make you green with envy and wishing it was you who had written this. The style is exquisite, the PoVs moving and interesting, the characters - in character. It is set some time before Harry's birth - and I don't like Marauder Age fics - but I didn't think about it once while reading this. All Snegurochka's stories are great and powerful reads, but this is a jewel among them.
The link:
http://lumos.sycophanthex.com/viewuser.php?uid=279 (to her author's page, as one needs to be logged in to access it)
My second rec will be - predictably - a SS/HG story, quite well-known "Long Black Coat", written by Bloodcult of Freud. It is set in a post-war world, ruled by victorious Voldemort. The vision of the society is amazing, the style - deliciously dark. The PoV is unique; Snape's chaarcterisation pretty distinuished. There are some scenes that will leave any Snape's fan gasping for breath. I won't be humble and I will say that I had the honour to translate the story to Polish and it was very well received even by those who dislike HG/SS pairing. It got 23 reviews, which is quite an awesome number. And I will just say that my translation wasn't the reason for that.
The link(s):
http://www.lkweb.net/bloodcultoffreud/thelongblackcoat.htm (or)
http://ashwinder.sycophanthex.com/viewstory.php?sid=5376
On the first page you can also find three other stories of hers, two one-shots and an epic story, MLC that is just so wonderfully complex and realistic... A proof that one can write a good MLC response.
Another one-shot that I simply adore is Hayseed's "Machiavellian Apology". The title alone should be enough to lure any Slytherin into reading this... It is, basically, Draco Malfoy's confession about how he sees the world. I made a few friends of mine read it and they all liked it, be they ff-readers or not.
http://www.geocities.com/hayseed_24/Machiavelli.htm
I would also like to recommend Hayseed's humorous story "In Which Voldemort Dies", a parody of the Last Battle fics that is just obligatory for all the Princess Bride readers. It is one of these stories that make you destroy your keyboard or even die, choked with whatever we are all drinking all the time while reading.
http://www.geocities.com/hayseed_24/death.htm
I couldn't write a rec in which pigwidgeon37 wouldn't be mentioned - and she is simply a Mistress of One Shots. My personal favourite is seemingly not available on the Net right now, due to fanfiction.net's nastiness, but I just have to recommend it. "How To Fall In Love With A Dog You Didn't Reall Want" is an answer to wiktt challenge (this means it is HG/SS  "Seducing Severus Snape". But it isn't a PWP. I have no words to describe it - I will just say that it still made me cry when I read it for the third time. And there is one small scene with Sirius that is just a masterpiece in itself.
But, in order to also name a story of hers that is reachable, I will remind about her "Symbolon". Let's just say that Hermione and Severus are destinied to be together. They meet in several lifetimes, in different circumstances... It is both dramatic and funny and has a nice Discworld feel to it.
The link:
http://www.obscurusbooks.org/html/pigwidgeon37/Symbolon.html
Be sure to check her other stories on obscurus - particularly "Die Hard. A Hogwarts Adventure".
And as I've covered both dramatic and funny, I still should name an erotic one. I am not that sure if it can be called a one-shot, but it is only 16000 words, so, why not? Azrael Geffen is most known for her HG/SS HP/DM epic "Objects of Desire". This wonderful writer also concieved "Ghosts". This amazing HP/DM PWP is... well, dramatic and funny, involving and erotic. One that really makes you feel like writing a review with dozens of excalmation marks.
Let's just say that the boys have to spend a weekend together in a Muggle house in order to get full marks for their Muggle Studies. Tupperware, shared bed and why do I feel like something horrible is going to happen?
I am looking forward to hearing about your favourite one-shots. |
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Greetings from Poland,
Novinha |
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| liquidscissors |
| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 3:30 am |
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Joined: 27 Dec 2004
Posts: 164
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Never mind! I'd always considered the two Chixulub stories I'd linked to be single stories staggered out, but that's what you get when you disregard fandom law. 
I'd say 'hey, I write short stories yeah', but I'm not drunk enough to be a fic!whore today. |
Last edited by liquidscissors on Sun May 01, 2005 8:17 am; edited 1 time in total |
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| aphrodeia |
| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 3:40 am |
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Joined: 06 Dec 2004
Posts: 46
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A Practical Girl by Dahlia is a big favorite of mine. A detention ficlet that's hot and moan-inspiring without having the almost-but-not-quite-consentual feel that leaves me unsettled after reading detention fics. HG/SS
Despite its (im?)plausibility, there's something irresistable about Lest the Old Traditions Fail by Quillusion. Lovely build-up. HG/SS
Azazello's Shock and Awe is one of the single funniest one-shots I've ever read. What went on after Snape's notorious Pensieve scene faded out. Marauder-era.
I've got a soft spot for one of my own one-shots, a slightly-angsty number called May the thirtieth. I could say it's HG/SS, and it is, to a point. Of all my one-shots, I go back to read this one the most. Very special to me.
So many great ficlets out there... sigh. |
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| azazello |
| Posted: Sun May 01, 2005 7:02 am |
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Joined: 29 Nov 2004
Posts: 183
Location: Northern UK
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Two of the best:
Letter From Exile One Merciful Morning by Textual Sphinx.
Following his dismissal from Hogwarts, after the exposure of his illicit affair with Hermione, Severus Snape writes a letter explaining, well, just about everything, to Hermione. The letter is read aloud to the packed school hall at breakfast, by a jealous Ron.
This is the second SS/HG ever written (the first one is no longer extant) and something of a writing tour de force. It's probably more about Snape than Hermione, in what is brilliant writing, the sort of which we so rarely see these days in SS/HG. This (longish) one shot (though it had to be split into two chapters to fit the Ashwinder upload issues) will make the discerning reader laugh, cry and wonder.
I have always said I don't like teacher/student SS/HG stories. Bizarrely enough, my two favourites are teacher/student and this is one of them. This is teacher/student for intelligent grown ups (and the reason I do not intend to write an intelligent teacher/student story, being that Textualspinx has already done it all, so the rest of us do not need to say more). It's not all angst, there are some moments of very fine comedy indeed and the closing scene will have you wondering just how pre-destined this pairing really is.
From the same author, something even better. This is my favourite short story in HP fanfiction of all time.
To Sever the Lining of a Cloud.
This short lyrical tale almost defies categorisation. It is essentially a whimsical fairy tale, prefaced by the author herself thus:
Quote: This tale of the teacher whom everyone loathes
Accounts for his anger and elegant clothes.
It dripped through my head when too scantily cloaked,
I got caught in a rainstorm and thoroughly soaked.
and:
Quote: 'One must either be a work of Art or wear a work of Art.' (Oscar Wilde)
Or make a work of Art…
Snape/Lily (unrequited) this one, still my own best loved het pairing. And the one which I believe canon will ultimately reveal to be true. This is a delicate story in the tradition of Oscar Wilde's and Anderson's more heart rending fairytales. It made me cry absolute buckets when I read it, it is beautiful and well-nigh perfect. |
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Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony ~ Monty Python and the Holy Grail |
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