Thirty-Day Fic Rec Meme

[lanalucy]

Day Ten
Fic that convinced me of a pairing that I totally hated - I think hate's a bit too strong a word, but...
Shuffle and Deal - Part I of TRIAD by lizardbeth - the link is to  AO3, but the fic is also here on lj (I think so, anyway), if you prefer to read it here.
Lee Adama/Kara Thrace/Sam Anders
BSG

Before I found this fic, I had been studiously avoiding Kara/Sam, because it just didn't work for me - not on the show, not in fic - it just made my head and my heart hurt.  This fic somehow made it okay.  If I'm going to read Kara/Sam, I still prefer to have a third party in the equation, even if it's not Lee, but I've begun to read a few strictly het fics as well.  Baby steps.

It's billed as Part I of TRIAD, though as yet, there's no second part.  I keep hoping desperately there'll be more to the story.

Comments

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Oh, there's no reason to ever approve of Kara and Sam, not on the show and not in fic. ;P

No, really, I'm of the opinion that it's fine to dislike pairings and characters. Possibly because sometimes I think I dislike more than I like in fandom. I also think it can come across as a bit disingenuous to like everything.

[lanalucy]

I won't go so far as to say I approve, but I'll at least read it now. I guess I just can't not read something with Kara in it. I'm helpless against the pull.

And yeah, there are some pairings that I'm just not interested in reading, but more because I just don't care enough about the characters to want to read them, less because I dislike the characters.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

I will admit to a couple of shipping quirks. One of which is be attracted to both characters, as well as to a certain extent, the arc of the relationship. It limits me. ;)

[lanalucy]

I can understand that. As far as who I 'ship, that's a whole different ballgame than what I'll read. I've read fic in fandoms where I don't even know the characters.

But 'shipping? Yeah, I gotta have some basis for that, even if it's a non-canon basis. And I'll admit to some shallowness. It's a lot easier to 'ship a couple who are both attractive to me in some way - not necessarily physical.

Honestly, most of these recs are going to be K/L, so you're safe. I tried to add some for other fandoms, but I'm just much too mired in BSG/K/L love yet.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

I only read what I 'ship. And I'm not a big reader; I'd much rather write. (and then I'd rather write original fic.)

Actually, I have read this rec. It's one of the better L/K/S fics out there. And would read further installments if posted.

I found recently an email I wrote a while back explaining my five points of shipping. I should turn it into a proper post, but once again original story ;) One of the things it sort of explains is that I don't ship often. I like couples, even root for them, but it takes a lot for me to really ship.

[lanalucy]

I LOVE to read - original, fanfiction, science articles, whatever.

I haven't even been writing a year, though I love doing that, too. Not too much original stuff. I'm still feeling BSG too much.

Truly 'ship? I've loved couples on shows before, but I didn't really, really 'ship until Lee and Kara. I can't get them out of my head. Everyone else pales in comparison. Definitely my OTP out of a lifetime of visual stimulus.

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

HA HA. I LOVE YOU AND THIS COMMENT. <3 <3

That is all.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

hee.

I do feel like that though, like no one can dislike anything for fear of offending. :)

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

I agree. (I also don't see what's "better" about being a multishipper. To me that just means waffling.)

Also--there's always a lot of scolding should you express your strong dislike for a character, which I also don't understand. People should be able to express their hate for certain characters even if it's for a trivial reason. I remember someone once commented on one of my fics expressing that they usually hated character X and when asked why the person just said "Oh I just hate anyone who comes between my ship." I thought that was kind of refreshingly honest and simple.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

I also don't see what's "better" about being a multishipper. To me that just means waffling.

I totally agree. Although sometimes I understand when someone really likes a certain character but not that character's canon ship(s). That makes more sense to me, but yeah, it just seems like waffling or not wanting to take a stand and risk being criticized.

Also--there's always a lot of scolding should you express your strong dislike for a character, which I also don't understand.

This really bugs me too. It's ok to not like characters. They are not real! And they can be disliked for totally reasonable reasons too. And sometimes you can even learn something by talking about why you (or someone) else dislikes a character instead of just getting our nose out of joint.

Not that I haven't gotten my nose out joint plenty.

I also admit to liking difficult characters instead of their easier counterparts. ;)

[callmeonetrack.livejournal.com]

Although sometimes I understand when someone really likes a certain character but not that character's canon ship(s). That makes more sense to me, but yeah, it just seems like waffling or not wanting to take a stand and risk being criticized

Right sometimes you don't really care that much so you're happy enough to see them with whoever--but then I don't consider that shipping at all really? Not in the way I define shipping I guess?

I also admit to liking difficult characters instead of their easier counterparts. ;)

Mmm yes. Similarly I don't like the idea of the Nice Guy who feels he deserves the heroine's love just because he's nice (i.e. Romance Coupons.) I want love interests to earn each other's love.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

No, that's really no where near how I define shipping either, but I get that more than "romance coupons". Yes, earned love, that's the ticket. ;)

[lanalucy]

I have 'shipping and I have 'SHIPPING. I can like a pair together, in a show or a movie or a book, even if I'm not really invested in it, just kind of "oh, it would be fun to see them together," or I can LOVE a pair together, and those have been few and far between. Mulder/Scully, to some degree. John/Aeryn on Farscape. And Lee/Kara, which is my ultimate 'ship and puts the other two to shame. All three of them had long roads and complicated relationships and obstacles upon obstacles, and they had to be really invested in each other, at least in the friendship that was at the basis of the relationship. Not many couples can convince me of that.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Well, I kind of explained my shipping course on Epics the other day. In the full version there are a couple of things that will keep me from shipping a couple. Like I don't ship couples on shows that are largely procedurals anymore - because of Mulder and Scully. I think if the relationship hasn't moved from UST after three seasons it will be fucked up, see Bones and now Castle.

And I have a real issue with characters who aren't equally developed. This is oddly one of my biggest issues with Anders. He was simply never a character with enough 'there' for me to invest. He could have died at the end of season 2 or beginning of 3 and had much the same effect on the story, at least for me. In fact, it could have been better because it would have added a twist to him being a cylon, but that's beside the point. Because I wouldn't have thought beyond 'he frakked my ship' if I hadn't been able to discuss semi-constructively why people did or did not like Anders. I think people miss that opportunity when they want everyone to be 'nice'.

[lanalucy]

That's sort of my biggest problem with Anders, and with Dee, as the story went on. They were attachments to their spouses, not characters of their own. To me, Sam was a guy Kara frakked. I never saw the great-love-of-her-life or frankly, the-great-love-of-his-life, the emotional connection between them, in their relationship, even when Katee was trying so hard to shove it down our throats at the end of season four.

Dee was a great character in the beginning, and she had moments, but mostly, once they had her start chasing Lee and competing with Kara, she was just an obstacle.

I think there's being nice and being able to be adults and have a lively debate with point and counterpoint. The fandom version of "nice" that's enforced a lot of places lets us wax poetic about our favorites, but denies us the ability to share with equal honesty why we dislike a character. Disliking someone else's favorite character should not hurt someone's feelings, for frak's sake. I mean, if someone doesn't like Kara, I might wonder if they're a little tetched in the head, but I can still respect their opinion, Right?

I can respect that Katee Sackhoff saw something in Kara's relationship with Sam that I just didn't get, and I can live in my own little world where Kara's clearly meant to be with Lee. I still adore Katee.

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

I honestly forget about Dee after Sacrifice. Is that bad? hee. Actually gutting Dee is more annoying to me than Sam. They should kept her with Billy and given his enough story that he wanted to stay instead of adding Sam. Hey, there's a plan. :D

And Sam proved that the tag-a-long partner is not disliking the token girlfriend. I dislike the underdeveloped male version just as much. Give me a real character or move on. *waves hand dismissively*

lets us wax poetic about our favorites, but denies us the ability to share with equal honesty why we dislike a character.

Without taking into consideration that someone waxing poetic about a character that drives you up a wall can be just as off putting, if not more when you're kind of not 'allowed' to disagree.

And part of my issue is that I usually know why my favorite characters are dislikable so it's not news to me. Sometimes people act like disliking a character they love or really identify with is a personal insult. It's a frakking character. Just don't be mean.

I have a theory about why Katee preferred Sam to Lee that has a lot to do with how she has crafted her career since BSG. Being half of the young, romantic ship puts her in a league of actresses that wasn't where she wanted to be as an actress. I actually, honestly, respects that.

I also think Katee would have done the hard sell with who ever Kara ended up with. If you read through interviews, esp from S4, Kara's OTP changed a lot for her. ;) So I totally live in a place where Kara and Lee end up together in another life where they've dealt with their issues.

[lanalucy]

:D

Do you know how much I love that a fic rec spawned this kind of discussion? Can we call it a discussion? lol

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

definitely a discussion.

Even funnier one of the L/K/S that I enjoyed. hee.

I have a very specific issue about this trio. I don't think Kara would ever not play the boys off each other.

[lanalucy]

She totally would. I read one once where both of the guys were trying to one-up each other, Lee more than Sam, and it completely blew up in Lee's face. I love Lee, but he got what was coming to him in that one. lol

Even if I read them, though, I'm never gonna be a Kara/Sam shipper. Just not gonna happen. Doesn't make me like my friends any less because they are K/S shippers. :shrugs: To each her own.

[lanalucy]

Well, I love Kara. More than any other character. I love her with Lee, and that's my primary Kara 'ship. I also like her a lot with Helo and with Zak, depending on the fic, or what mood I'm in that day, or when the fic's set. But I can't get enough Kara fic, so I'll read her with just about anybody just to get more Kara. Doesn't mean I like the pairing, just that I miss Kara.

[lanalucy]

On my journal, you can like or dislike whoever you want. I'm grown up enough to agree to disagree, or not. :D

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

See, I assume that people are going to be grown-up enough or at least, civil. I'm frequently wrong. ;)

It should also be noted that I can get my feelings really hurt. People can be really nasty about Lee, and he's my boy. :)

[lanalucy]

I don't see the point in being nasty. Just because I don't like Dee or Sam doesn't mean I have to say mean things about them or tear their characters (or the actors who played them) apart. Hell, I've watched Trucco since Pensacola, and I like him. He seems like a truly nice guy. I don't like Sam. I don't have to. But I don't have to have a screaming, raging fit because someone else thinks he's the bees knees.

And wow, does that show my age. lol

[kdbleu.livejournal.com]

Bee's knees is a great term!

[rirenec.livejournal.com]

Fic! Noted. I'm more a K/S than, Lee shipper.

[lanalucy]

I love you anyway! :D

I'm a multi-shipper as far as Kara's concerned, but I have a hard time with Sam.

The Confessions of a self-declared Kara Thrace Multi-Shipper

[dragoninthecup.livejournal.com]

If I'm going to read Kara/Sam, I still prefer to have a third party in the equation, even if it's not Lee, but I've begun to read a few strictly het fics as well. Baby steps.

You realize, of course, this TOTALLY makes me want to send you my Kara / Sam and Kara / Lee two-part fix-it-for-everyone epic. LOLOL Ahem. I won't spam you with it. Don't worry. I just think it's awesome that you're multi-shipping. It makes me love you even MORE! K :)

(http://photobucket.com/)

#ReadAllTheThings #WriteAllTheThings #MultiShippingSolvesAllTheIssues

Re: The Confessions of a self-declared Kara Thrace Multi-Shipper

[lanalucy]

Well, I would totally read anything you wanted to send me, even if it was your cracky version of a cereal box. :D And yes, when I've had nothing else to read, I've read cereal boxes. :facepalm:

Just another reason to love my Kindle - over three thousand books on one little thing that barely weighs more than a paperback, and is much more durable.

I probably looked like that as a baby. I read *eveyrthing*! Thank gods my parents and grandparents were all bibliophiles. I never wanted for reading material. Ever. Neither did my daughter. I wouldn't buy her toys (she was the only grandchild on either side of the family for nearly twenty years, so why bother?), but I would buy her books. Whatever books she wanted to read. She's pretty strictly a fiction girl, but she loves to read as much as I do.

Re: The Confessions of a self-declared Kara Thrace Multi-Shipper

[dragoninthecup.livejournal.com]

You sound like a PERFECT mom. Your daughter is lucky to have had you. (((HUGS))) <3

Re: The Confessions of a self-declared Kara Thrace Multi-Shipper

[lanalucy]

I wasn't perfect. She'd be the first to tell you that I was the meanest mom in the world. lol But she turned out okay. I wouldn't trade her for anything. :D

:hugs: