Thirty-Day Fic Rec Meme
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.
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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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That is all.
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I do feel like that though, like no one can dislike anything for fear of offending. :)
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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.
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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. ;)
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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.
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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'.
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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.
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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.
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Do you know how much I love that a fic rec spawned this kind of discussion? Can we call it a discussion? lol
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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.
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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.
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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. :)
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And wow, does that show my age. lol
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