we rec fics

Membership Drive

2008-10-07T10:05:45Z

Reccers meitachi and dear_whimsy have decided to take a break from the team due to RL commitments, so I think it's time we got some fresh blood in. To that end... a month-long membership drive, where the current members and watchers can have fun promoting the community in exchange for a small prize.

OBJECTIVES
At least TEN new applicants for the Rec Team, and THIRTY new watchers of the comm to add to the 74 that we have now.

METHOD
Plug bulchibyung wherever and whenever possible, using this banner if you like:

The more people who say they were led here by you, the better chance you have of winning. Plus, if they turn out to be the 10th applicant or 100th watcher, they'll get a little something too!

If they're applicants, they should go here. It doesn't matter whether or not your friends succeed in making the team--as long as they apply and mention your name, you're in the running.

If they're not interested in reccing and just want to watch the comm, they can do so and then drop a (screened) comment at this very post, saying who referred them.

PRIZES
There'll be four winners, and they will each get an LJ gift certificate worth $5:

1. Top promoter for Rec Team applications
2. Top promoter for community watchers
3. 10th applicant for the Rec Team
4. 100th watcher (comment required)

DEADLINE
November 7th 2008, 12.01 a.m. GMT.

So go ye forth and advertise! :D

review: Hope Sings

2008-09-30T02:17:26Z

Title: Hope Sings
Author: ranalore
Summary: "When it clicked."
Rating: PG, I’d say?
Fandom: Chun Sang Ji Hee
Characters: Dana, Lina, Sunday, Stephanie
Pairings: OT4
Warnings: Girl!slash, if you’re not into that kind of thing.
Length: 543 words
Genre: band!fic
Source: Browsing, I guess.

Review:

Time for fic from another obscure fandom! This time it’s Chun Sang Ji Hee The Grace, my favorite girl group ever. These girls are all really great singers individually, but they are absolutely amazing together. Plus, they’re all good dancers, and they’re one of the best groups I’ve seen live, and, of course, they’re hot. (My bias, it shows.)

This ficlet is about the girls’ first meeting as a group through Dana’s eyes. I love beginnings!fic, and since I’ve a big fan of SM artists since 2000 or so, I love that this fic touches on Dana’s, Lina’s, and Sunday’s previous failed attempts to make it in the music industry.

It’s a short fic, but it manages to be both bittersweet and hopeful, and it tugs on the heartstrings, so give it a try.

(… And re-reading this fic makes me miss CSJH a lot. Girls, please come back to Korea soon. T_T)

[review] DBSK: every human love

2008-09-29T04:27:17Z

title: Every Human Love
author: angelacaduca @ writingonawall
summary: n/a
rating: G
fandom: dbsk/tvxq
Character(s): jaejoong, yunho, changmin, yoochun, junsu
pairing(s): multiple, ot5
warning(s): n/a
length: 4655 words (each ficlet is around 400-500 words, give or take)
genre: romance, au, fantasy
source: friends list, hug comm

ahh, what can i say about this series? it was actually the series that i met this author through, so that's plus one already. :) but in all review sense, this was one of those ficlet series that really make you just sit there with this goofy smile on your face, wondering if fairies and human statues exist. fantasy's always been a love of mine, unicorns and the like. the way she brought it out in this series is so subtle, and it works - there's none of that sparkly, in-your-face descriptions, but passing mentions of beauty.

characterization-wise, she brings out the qualities in the boys we all know and love, and then infuses it with others that develop the plotline and make it all come together perfectly. the roles each of boys play are suited perfectly to them, as well. it's pretty hard, i think, to get a good au where you recognize them as if it were real, and this series does that awesomely.

there's not much else i can say without ruining it all, so i'll leave you with the opening lines of the first installment, which i think open it up wonderfully:

Everyone who visits Yoochun's dorm room comments on the figurine that stands at the far corner of his desk.

When asked, Yoochun replies, his fingers just touching the curve of a porcelain cheek, "Oh, that's Jaejoong. He's been my best friend since I was a kid."

In general, people think it's a joke, smile at the whimsy, or decide Yoochun just doesn't want to talk about it, move on to speak about other, safer, things. What they don't know is that after the door's closed behind them, Yoochun takes down the statue, sets it gently on the carpet and says, "They're gone, you can come out now." They don't see the statue grow and stretch, bend the air and become a young man just Yoochun's height, with pale skin, honey-gold hair, and strange eyes that glint brown and blue by turns. (He used to be a boy just Yoochun's height, and then a teenager who grew as Yoochun did. Now, he's this.)

definitely give this series a try, even if fantasy isn't your thing. i promise, you won't be disappointed - and who knows, you might find you actually like the genre, after all. :)

greenie_cgv, i renamed and i think only you can edit my tag?

review [8] - this school isn't big enough for the fifteen of us (plus everyone else) - dokutoku_ai

2008-09-28T20:24:16Z

Title: This School Isn’t Big Enough For The Fifteen of Us (plus everyone else)
Author: dokutoku_ai
Summary: “I don’t know,” said Shindong. “Do you get the feeling that everyone else is just using this as a chance to have sex someplace different than usual?”
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Super Junior/Harry Potter
Character/s: All
Pairing/s: Siwon/Hankyung/Heechul, Kyuhyun/Zhou Mi, Kibum/Donghae, Yehsung/Ryeowook, Sungmin/Henry, others implied.
Warning/s: Cursing?
Length: 4,418
Genre: Comedy
Source: miracle______

So I'm a little sick, and when I'm sick, I like to do things that aggravate my condition. Like eating candy and laughing. Laughing does the job when you've got no voice. But homg, this was so worth all the pain it caused. Because this fic is epic.

Basically, there's no real cause or reason for SJ to be at Hogwarts. But they are, and of course they wreak havoc. Particularly when everyone gets separated into different houses. I mean, there is a meaning, kind of, in why they're there. But mostly this is just crack. And, as the summary states, an opportunity for everyone to have sex someplace new.

HeeChul has a lot of fun. HeeChul may be my favorite character here. He is... crazy and outlandish. And loud. So damn loud.

Draco Malfoy is also pretty funny. Mostly because he gets beat up and mocked and he tries to be as screechy as HeeChul, but, as KyuHyun points out...

This is like watching Ryeowook try to be scary

Anyway, I would keep quoting, but it's so hard to determine my favorite parts. This is a goldmine of a fic, for laughs.

Oh wait. Here's... one hilarious little excerpt that doesn't have anything to do with anything. (Which is basically what this fic is, homg.)

“I don’t know,” Shindong was saying over at the Gryffindor table, as everyone watched Kangin attempt to strangle Heechul. “Don’t you think that this will reflect badly on Korea?”

“Probably not,” said Hankyung. “It’ll probably just reflect badly on Heechul.”

“This is so weird,” Henry said, looking around with wide eyes. “I mean, I’m in Hogwarts. I didn’t think it really existed!”

“Oh my god!” squealed the girl sitting next to him, looking at him with bright eyes. “Are you American?”

“No,” said Henry with an annoyed frown. “I’m Canadian.”

“We’ve never had a Canadian transfer student,” said the girl. “And you’re so hot!”

Henry choked a little and grabbed onto Donghae’s arm. “I don’t want to be a Mary-Sue!” he wailed.

Yeah. GO READ IT NOW.

review: Peace and Quiet

2008-08-31T23:01:52Z

I'm so sorry, I know I really suck. @_@

Title: Peace and Quiet
Author: mirrorspy
Summary: Not provided
Rating: PG?
Fandom: Super Junior
Characters: Mostly Eunhyuk, Donghae, Sungmin
Pairings: Eunhyuk x Donghae x Sungmin? Or maybe Eunhyuk x Donghae with a dash of Sungmin?
Warnings: None, really.
Length: 1690 words
Genre: Humor
Source: Browsing the miracle______ forum.

Review:

Although I don’t think mirrorspy writes anymore, I do remember that she was very good at writing crack!fic. This one happens to be one of my favorites, and never fails to get a huge grin from me.

The fic begins with Eunhyuk trying to get some alone time (a hard thing to do when you’re in thirteen-member boyband), except Sungmin and Donghae come in and interrupt him with their typical good cheer, and then it all goes downhill from there.

The writer does a wonderful job of portraying the insanity that probably goes on in the Super Junior household everyday. Her Hyuk, Hae, and Min are silly and goofy and adorable. And even though the fic focuses on the trio, the other members all make a small appearance, each adding their own special brand of crack. (Because, of course, you can’t accurately portray everyday!crackedout!Suju without all thirteen members making an appearance in one way or another.)

And the breakfast scene at the beginning? A classic.

Overall, a fic that's just tons of fun to read, guaranteed to make you laugh, or at least chuckle.

“Oh, do you want some?” Donghae asked through his mouthful, upon noticing the direction of Eunhyuk’s gaze.

“No, no.” Eunhyuk replied. “It was just my cereal, you know.” He added almost tearfully. Then he opted to look longingly out the window. It seemed appropriate, somehow, the window thing. Shame there was no rain.

review [7] - take your favorite fairy tale and tear it up - meitachi

2008-08-27T07:10:56Z

Title: Take Your Favorite Fairy Tale and Tear It Up [part 2]
Author: meitachi
Summary: N/A
Rating: PG/PG-13
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: All
Pairing/s: N/A
Warning/s: None
Length: 2475
Genre: General
Source: chineseink

Review: So remember what I said about gen!fic? That still applies. Some gen!fic feels you with deep thoughts accompanied by happy feelings, and others... well others explore the darker aspects of humanity.

meitachi is wonderful with dark fiction. This is basically about how messed up SJ are, or how they could be. Basically she takes each SJ member and writes a brief snippet about their deepest, darkest thoughts/secrets.

No one is a good guy here. But her writing is non judgmental, direct and straightforward. I could try to analyze, but since I kinda sorta know her, it would be too awkward.

Nonetheless, this was a very well-written piece dealing with a slew controversial issues from mental illness to destructive behaviors. And it's all involving what we would have thought to be our wonderful SJ boys. She's taken an image of the fandom and, as the title suggests, has flipped it entirely.

review [6] - finding somewhere you belong - ??

2008-08-23T22:32:47Z

Title: finding somewhere you belong
Author: meitachi
Summary: N/A
Rating: G
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: Henry, HanKyung, HeeChul
Pairing/s: N/A
Warning/s: None
Length: 3078
Genre: General
Source: miracle______, haengbok_clock

Review: I really like genfic, because it very often combines realism with deeper introspection. And generally they leave me with a good feeling. Authors who write genfic seem like they aim for an understated drama that goes on in all our lives.

This fic is really good for a lot of reasons. Number one, it's interesting that you can read it as three separate fics. But I like how they combine, I like how each chapter is marked by a change in the months. And I like the common theme - the place you belong is where there are people who care about you. It's not overtly stated, but that's the sense you get, when you complete it.

I also like the characterizations, the HeeChul who is not as shallow and ridiculous as he seems, the Henry who misses home but adapts easily to new environments, the HanKyung coming to terms with his identity as an outsider and someone desired (not sexually).

There are no real transitions between segments, but the flow within the individual installments is very natural. It's pretty fast-paced, and things are kind of listed off as happening, without much commentary. The narration is from the characters' points of view. HeeChul's segment displays this the most apparently, but it's present in Henry's and HanKyung's portions of the fic, too. Though in the HanKyung segment, it starts to feel like there's more of an author's presence, particularly when they talk about how China has shaped HanKyung.

Overall, this was well composed, with a feel good message. It was enjoyable, easy to read, and touching.

EDIT! Question for Greenie or anyone else who's a mod. I just realized that this fic's author has not been revealed yet. 8D; And I can't find comingorgoing on lj, so... I think I misunderstood something, when I found this fic. Um. Is it still okay to post this and add the author later? >>; If not, I can take it down.

[review] Super Junior - Life is hard when you're Canadian

2008-08-23T15:25:02Z

Title: Life is hard when you're Canadian
Author: panpipe
Summary: Henry spends a lot of time on the phone with his friend from high school, trying to convince him that Ryeowook isn't a rapist.
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Super Junior (M)
Character/s: Henry, Ryeowook, SJM
Pairing/s: Henry/Ryeowook
Warning/s: None
Length: 1965 words
Genre: Crack/Humor
Source: I don't remember :(

You know everyone's thought about what Henry's friends back in Canada must think about his newly acquired super-gay skinship skills with Super Junior M - this fic takes that idea and does it spectacularly. I was nearly falling out of my chair laughing throughout this entire fic. Note: don't read this fic in public if you don't want to get funny looks.

There's always a little suspension of disbelief when it comes to crackfics, of course, but I still believe everyone is more or less in character, which makes it all the more hysterical. Henry's friends are awesome and hilarious, and poor Henry and Ryeowook suffer so much.

I'm going to quote a section I hope shows how awesome this fic is without completely ruining it. :D

"I'm sorry," David says the next time he calls.

"Yeah, you should be," Henry replies.

"I still think he's raping you."

"HE'S NOT RAPING ME," Henry shouts. "THEY JUST DO THESE SORTS OF THINGS HERE."

"OH MY GOD," David shouts back. "YOU'RE HAVING GAY ORGIES ALL THE TIME, AREN'T YOU? OH MY GOD."

"Call me back when you're thinking more sensibly, you fucking idiot," Henry says, and hangs up.

Plus, meta-reference to fandom! See if you spot it. ;)

[review] DBSK: what if we went to italy

2008-08-23T10:12:09Z

title: what if we went to italy
author: mormorando
summary: n/a
rating: pg-13
fandom: dbsk/tvxq
Character(s): jaejoong, yunho
pairing(s): yunho/jaejoong
warning(s): n/a
length: 772 words
genre: romance, au
source: friends list.

this was actually done by a friend of mine, whom i've known for almost two years now. but, she only just got into fandom and before then, i'd never really known she could write. then she comes with this and pretty much just blows me away. i'm actually not much for yunjae, but this struck me with its simplicity and how she conveys so much in so little words. every single line says something so much more than what's there, like it's multiplied. you can feel not only jaejoong's emotions, but yunho's as well, if you look hard enough.

not only that, but i have a special love for aus of any kind, and the fact that this is set in italy makes my heart sing with joy. she uses a lot of italian references in the fic, which only makes it so much better than it would have been had she not. her characterization of both boys is spot on, with jaejoong's myteriousness and his held back sort of way, and yunho's blushing, romantic self. it's such a fabulous, wonderful read. i leave you with my favorite bit, and hope you'll check this out.

He hears the man come up the road before he sees him, and paints him through sounds. The man is foreign, just like him, but where he is the dull, dusted colors of a tucked away fresco, this man sounds like he could be the water that could wash it all off.

When they meet –

I get off on wrong stop. I think going to _____.

Your Italian is horrible.

Oh – hi. You speak…

Hello.

– Jaejoong feels like he's had a parched throat all these years and only realises it just now. It's painful and exhilarating all at once.

review [5] - silence - quix_esque

2008-08-22T16:30:41Z

Title: Silence
Author: quixoxotic/quix_esque
Summary: N/A
Rating: PG
Fandom: DBSK
Character/s: JunSu, ChangMin
Pairing/s: JunSu/ChangMin
Warning/s: None
Length: 850 words
Genre: Angst
Source: quix_esque

Review: I can't believe no one's rec'd her yet! Quixy is one of my favorite authors, particularly in DBSK fandom. I really don't read very much DBSK fic (and that's part of the reason this is a review of something kinda old) but I read Quixy's fics.

This is one of my favorites, because it's so touching. What I like about Quixy, is she sometimes takes something tragic, makes it probable, and proceeds to break your heart with her realistic details and insight.

"Junsu!" Changmin tries to call over the noise, forgetting, but of course there is no answer.

That's one of my favorite of her little details, how she reminds you that this is something difficult for all of them to adjust to. And it's here that I realized fully what was going on with her JunSu; because the characters' communication is still necessary, it's easy to forget that JunSu can't hear or speak when everyone else still is.

When it's dark, it's like I don't exist at all.

Another trademark is these little lines that offer so much insight into a particular situation. I had never considered before, what it must mean to lose one sense, and even if momentarily, lose another in an instant. But JunSu has to be in the dark when he goes to sleep, and this line hints that he must have felt this way before, perhaps more than once. It's so sad~

Junsu, you will never be alone again.

And her closing lines are always so open-ended! I, at least, always wish there was more.

[review] Super Junior: should-haves or might-have-beens

2008-08-01T01:28:52Z

Title: should-haves or might-have-beens
Author: glonk (new account at teukie )
Summary: an unfortunate story about how many people in the world deal with love; therefore, there is no happy ending. (more of the author's note, but is apt~)
Rating: PG
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: Kangin, Eeteuk
Pairing/s: Kangin/Eeteuk
Warning/s: None
Length: 2284 words
Genre: Angst
Source: I forget... D:

Review:

July is still not over! *DOES REC* orz I kept forgetting. D: D:

--- This is seriously one of my favourite Kangteuk fics. Seriously seriously seriously. I cried really hard reading it, and for the next few days I was able to like, cry on will if I thought about this fic hard enough. =( I can blame that a lot on the instrumental song linked at the start of the fic. You guys, if you read this (AND DO READ IT), wait until you have time and quiet, and listen to the song while reading. Seriouslyyyy. Don't read without it. =((( It adds a lotttt.

But to the fic! I like it so much; I don't even care about the way the writer chooses to write the character names, and I'm normally really picky about that. 8D It's set in the future, when Kangin revisits some old memories. The genre is best set as angst, but it definitely isn't pretentious. It's a soft kind of sadness--more of a melancholy. =( It made me cryyyyyyyyyy. *repetitive* I loved the characterizations. That's what always gets me--I'm a massive sucker for what I think is believable characterization, and that was especially shown here through the letters. Oh god. Eeteuk's letter? FAVOURITE PART. It's so resoundedly him and so full of his little quirks and idk. I really thought it sounded like he could've written it.

Quote (my favourite part of the letter, idky):

Dear Kang In-ah,

I see you've found the letter. It was silly of me to make you write one to me, wasn't it? Five years, huh? It's been a while. Super Junior is now Super Senior~ Kekeke... Are you married? Do you have children? Are you happy? I hope you're very happy.

;___________;

[review] DBSK: the gods of rain

2008-07-25T01:37:14Z

title: the gods of rain
author: thirdonebetween
summary: n/a
rating: pg-13
fandom: dbsk/tvxq
Character(s): changmin, jaejoong
pairing(s): jaejoong/changmin, past yoochun/jaejoong
warning(s): character death(s)
length: 4639 words
genre: angst, romance
source: browsing someone's memories

this was one of the few fics i read in my early days of fandom, and lost. but even lost, it still left a HUGE impact on me, and i never completely forgot about it. that, in my opinion, is what really good writing is.

angst, for me, is something that has to be pulled of extremely well for me to like it. and this author completely came through. she captures the emotions of changmin perfectly, she captures jaejoong perfectly. he's enigmatic, but with just enough cracks for changmin to see through.

the story is a gradual build-up, with just enough imagery and the tease of emotion that by the end, when it really hits you, you're sitting there thinking, 'wow, i saw that coming, but why is it so hard?'. it's a very real, cutting story, and every scene you can just see play out in your head and never once doubt that it could possibly happen. i honestly don't think any review could do it justice, so i'll stop now and leave you with my favorite bit:

Kim Jaejoong is, as always, unmistakable. He has never been able to blend in, and Changmin sees him without even meaning to. He does not realize it, at first: even after all this time, there is still a part of him that expects to see Jaejoong every day. Then he double-takes, and almost stops breathing.

Despite the heat, Jaejoong is nursing a large mug of black coffee, the steam curling up in wispy tendrils around his familiar features. He looks up, as if on cue, and smiles. "Hi," he says, as if he is not surprised at all to see Changmin standing there, gaping at him. His voice is warm in ways the sun could never quite reach. For a moment, Changmin thinks he might cry; instead he walks over and sits carefully in the chair across from Jaejoong.

if you never read anything else in this fandom, at least give this a try. it's well, well worth the read.

[review] Super Junior: leave a message, after the tone

2008-07-24T15:37:26Z

Title: leave a message, after the tone
Author: themerrier
Summary: "Let's learn English, what is this?"
Rating: n/a
Fandom: Super Junior
Character(s): Kibum, Donghae
Pairing(s): Kibum/Donghae
Warning(s): None
Length: 634 words
Genre: Gen/Introspection
Source: Linkhopping

Review:

I like the incorporation of real life events in this fic: there's learning English from Full House days, Kibum's time in America, Donghae's Mokpo roots. I like the parallel structure of the story's two parts: one from Kibum's point of view and one from Donghae's. The slight stream-of-consciousness nicely reveals their thoughts without being jarring or going off into too many tangents. There's also an interesting wordplay: telephone vs. jeonhwa; I think that's a big part of this fic: the difference between those two words and why that difference matters.

Overall, I think "leave a message, after the tone" is a subtly-hitting and well-crafted fic, and its various facets (KiHae, English, the characters' pasts/memories) are what make it a worthwhile read.

An excerpt from Kibum's POV:

[...] he knows he can speak conversational English especially when he says 'can we have breakfast?' or 'my feet feel weird' or 'you are taller than me now'. It sounds fluid. Maybe it was the message, maybe it was the tone at that point in (the afternoon, his English loses Korean accenting when the sun sets; and he sounds more depressed and regresses it into his sentencing as if he believes it can stop—) time.

[review] Super Junior - Clowns Left, Jokers Right

2008-07-24T13:44:47Z

Title: Clowns Left, Jokers Right
Author: superlover/tokyostory
Summary: N/A
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: Kangin, Eeteuk, Heechul, others
Pairing/s: Kangin/Eeteuk, Heechul/Kangin
Warning/s: Sex.
Length: 9920 words
Genre: Humor, Angst, Romance
Source: stalking her fic directory :)

Review: This is possibly my favorite Super Junior fic - at least for the moment; I am pretty fickle and flighty with good fic. It contains everything a good fic should have: humor, angst, length, empathy for the characters, and development that shows rather than tells.

But those are just words, and I don't think they do justice to how much this fic will make you feel. The author's humor is priceless, her comedic timing is spot-on perfect, and she will have you laughing out loud at certain points, guaranteed. She's also got the pain down - realistic, not overblown, but enough to make you buy into it and hurt with Kangin.

The general premise of this fic is that Kangin falls in love with Eeteuk, but Eeteuk has a girlfriend, is straight, etc. Sounds cliché, doesn't it? But sometimes clichés are my favorite things in the world when they're written so well that they completely transcend the cliché. This fic is like that.

While the focus of this fic is obviously Kangin and Eeteuk and Heechul (who is the most amazing thing since sliced bread, I swear to God, you will think her characterization is perfect even if you don't like him normally because he is a bitch, but he's still vulnerable, and, okay, totally perfect), the other characters all make an appearance. For the little figurative screentime they have, they make a very believable impression. (Hankyung! Sungmin! Donghae!)

As a KangTeuk shipper (OTP, damn it), this fic sort of broke my heart - but I think the true sign of talent is that she had me completely rooting for Kangin/Heechul by the end of this fic, and I was happy with the friendships and relationships at the end. (Confession: KangTeuk BFFery has always been more important to me than KangTeuk couple, because one of these is true IRL and the other is...not.) Also, Heebum. Amazing.

So...read this fic. Then harass this author to write more SuJu fic, y/y? :D

Preview a little bit of the lulz to lure you in:

Regarding the subject of sex there are a few unwritten rules in the house (this is why television crews rarely burst into the house without prior notification). The first is that unless specified, all of their bedrooms are open to all members. There are no locks on their doors. There is trust and understanding of boundaries.

Unless specified. Specified means a number of things. When Heechul has somebody over, he will spell out a specific word on the fridge with alphabet letters. The word changes from month to month but all of the members know that if the word 'crabapple' or 'sandcastle' or 'hoof' appears on the fridge, then Heechul's room is off-limits until the word disappears again.

The only problem with this is that sometimes Kangin uses the alphabet letters to spell out rude words, and people avoid Heechul for days on end in the mistaken belief that he has one of his friends over.

review [4] - incomparable mimi - shieldkitten

2008-07-24T11:08:01Z

Title: Incomparable MiMi [part 2 | part 3]
Author: shieldkitten/kang2urteuk
Summary: Zhoumi strives to be better than average, because living his life any other way would only fill him with regret.
Rating: G
Fandom: Super Junior M
Character/s: Zhou Mi
Pairing/s: N/A
Warning/s: features the sweetest angsty boy ever
Length: 10,748 words
Genre: Gen
Source: shieldkitten

Review: So shieldkitten is one of those writers who recently just... popped up from out of nowhere into the fandom and blew my mind away. I felt she deserved another rec, especially since she wrote my favorite Zhou Mi fic ever (and I adore Zhou Mi).

This fic is epic. As if you couldn't tell from the word count. It's in three parts, and follows Zhou Mi from pre-trainee-days to the 080409 Sohu interview where Zhou Mi cries. It takes real life happenings into account to weave a piece of fiction that one could almost believe to be real. Wonderful author that she is, she decided to share her thoughts and sources - all the facts and all the fiction laid out - on a separate entry here.

I feel that if you are easily touched or influenced by fic, this one is a sure guarantee to make you a Zhou Mi fan.

But all that fangirlism aside, here are some more technical points on her writing.

Zhoumi wants everything, and he's part of a generation that's been promised everything if only he works hard enough for it. He wants to live his life without regrets, and he knows the only way he can do that is to make sure he never stops trying, never stops striving to be better than he is, better than just an average student, better than just an average person.

That is how the fic opens. Straight and to the point. And as you read, this is exactly the image of Zhou Mi you will see. What I really like about that first para, though, is that second sentence. I'm a fan of freeflowing, ongoing sentences myself. Words that drive deep into you, different, but similar, pushing deeper and deeper to a main focus. She has a lot of that in her writing.

Now, lying on his bed, Chemistry homework abandoned for the well-thumbed booklet that came with his first CD, he thinks he's found his next step. There are names listed on every page, lyricists, composers, producers, some names are repeated more often than others. On every page is Wang Lee Hom's name, and on the cover is Wang Lee Hom's face.

The little details you pick up as you go along are also something else about I love about her writing. She never takes anything for granted, dialogue is never just enough.

He goes from warm to cold, from wonton to mandu, from 汉字 to 한글, from Zhoumi to Joomyuk, and it's the loneliest feeling in the world to let himself into his small one-bedroom apartment and listen to his neighbours argue without being able to understand them.

The opening to part two. And it is absolutely heartbreaking. She has good transitions, made more poignant in a story about transitions.

"We are friends?" Zhoumi asks, articulating the words carefully while Kihoon looks through photographs of Zhoumi's classmates from his Korean language class.

"Heck no," Kihoon says, and Zhoumi's smile fades a little. "You're older, you're my hyung. Hey, she's cute. Can anyone sign up for these classes?"

(Mais si tu veux, Kihoon whispers later, because he is the sort of drunk that whispers life's great secrets after two hours of caterwhauling Trot songs, tu peux être mon ami.
(But if you'd like,) (you can be my friend)

Not everyone can write fail English as well as she does. Little nuances like this to language are something else I go mad for. Not to mention she incorporates all the languages as they are relevant, exactly as they are, into her fic. And she is nice enough to offer translations somewhere easy for me to find them.

While we're looking at this line, I want to say that her original characters are not just self inserts, but something amazing and of themselves. If you look at her info post, she even explains further what happens to them, their development, etc. In case you were curious. I know I was!

"Prove it," he says, and standing in his pyjamas, with his hair clipped back, Henry plays the lover's theme from Liangzhu. It reminds Zhoumi of why he doesn't write sad love songs, and it's his turn to sniffle a little and dab at his eyes with his sleeve.

"You're such a girl, ge," Henry says.

And while we're on the topic of other characters! She's got interesting fandom characters, too. I like that she's willing to delve deeper into the unsavory parts of some of their character, and pull out the more interesting bits. Her Henry is precious, and not in a purely cutesy way. Her HyukJae... Well, you'll see.

This fic has a happy ending. Or at least an optimistic one. But even knowing that, going in, you'll most likely still feel for her Zhou Mi and want to cry along with him as he endures all the things he endures. Warning for upsetting anti-fan letters. But they're worth going through, anyway, to understand the motivation for this fic.

[review] DBSK/Super Junior - face value

2008-06-26T02:26:04Z

Title: face value
Author: ouimonsieur
Summary: none provided
Rating: R
Fandom: DBSK, Super Junior
Character/s: Heechul, Yunho, Jaejoong
Pairing/s: Yunho/Heechul, Yunho/Jaejoong
Warning/s: None
Length: 500 words
Genre: Angst
Source: going through ouimonsieur's fic directory

Review:
when he kisses you, you taste smoke, bulgogi, and kim jaejoong.

Honestly, I think that one sentence could sum up this entire fic and why you should read it. It's beautiful writing for an unpretty scene: Heechul realizing that he's not quite to Yunho what he used to be. I think the best way to describe this fic -and the emotion it encompasses - is raw. It's intense, and hot, and tragic. My heart breaks for Heechul, but it breaks for Yunho too, because of how much both of them want something neither of them have.

This is angst at its best: sexy and painful and with a point you won't forget easily.

The ending is a perfect tie-back to the beginning: it's a lovely stylistic touch, and the ending sentence is particularly killer. Oh Rella.

[review] Super Junior: Torchbearer

2008-06-18T01:52:15Z

Title: Torchbearer
Author: shieldkitten
Summary: The Olympic torch is finally in China, and Hankyung's starting to feel the pressure.
Rating: G
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: Hankyung, Donghae
Pairing/s: Hankyung/Donghae (not necessarily romantic)
Warning/s: None
Length: 928 words
Genre: Humour, fluff
Source: miracle______

Review:

I am back from exams, and I has recs!

--- This is one of the sweetest, most heart warming things I've read in a long time. It's about Hankyung, and his upcoming torch relay. This is the only fic I've seen that deals with that particular event, and I have to say I'm really surprised by that. I wonder why it isn't written more - it's a pretty big affair, especially, you know, for Hankyung.

Here, the writer manages to capture and convey the emotions of the situation perfectly. Hankyung is worried, really and genuinely concerned about his run. He's fretting over the smallest details, and that's when Donghae comes in. And this is when I "aw". Both their personalities are written cleanly here, I feel - Hankyung is appropriately anxious without being out of character, and Donghae is believably calm, though childish in his advice. The best thing about this is that the story delivers these emotions as they are, clearly and without being superfluous in the imagery. The sentences and diction are simple, clean, and edged with humour, but there is no loss of impact. There's a strong glow of friendship rather than romance about the piece for me, and that makes it all the better - not only does it look at the Olympic run, but I feel as though it subtly underlines the firm, supportive platonic relationship these boys have. It makes me feel cozy inside. There's not much more I can say about it. Short, but handled very well.

And a quote~

"Thanks, Donghae, thanks." Hankyung collapsed on the ground. "I'm going to drop it. Everyone will be watching and I'm going to drop it. China will exile me. My parents will have to disown me. Heechul will never stop laughing."

Also, I thought it fit in with the SuJu100 challenge, "All the People", perfectly.

[review] Super Junior - The Best Days of Our Lives

2008-06-14T19:00:35Z

Title: The Best Days of Our Lives
Author: dokutoku_ai
Summary: Coming into a strange new world can be strange enough. Unfortunately, someone’s forgotten to tell Hankyung something Very Important.
Rating: PG-13 - R
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: all
Pairing/s: Hankyung/crossdressing!Heechul (main), Kangin/Eeteuk, Kibum/Donghae, Yehsung/Ryeowook, Kyuhyun/Sungmin, bestfriends!Eunhae.
Warning/s: crossdressing
Length: 25 chapters + backstories + drabbles
Genre: High School AU, humor, romance
Source: miracle______ and I tend to read everything she writes :)

Review:
I have always had a weakness for high school AUs, possibly because I started out reading terrible fanfic at a young age and have stumbled across bad HSAUs in almost every fandom I've been in. As I've grown older, my standards have risen, of course, but a well-written HSAU has always made me very happy. I had just been complaining to myself (and possibly others) about how SuJu needed a good high school AU when, voila, dokutoku_ai started posting one. I'd liked what she'd written previously, so I knew I'd definitely give her story a shot. I'm so glad I did.

I've always been a little wary of crossdressing, because it's never been my kink, and I've never gotten super excited about it. It can feel off in so many ways. But the author really pulled it off in this fic, making it a definite part of Heechul without sacrificing or twisting his character to do so. (I suppose it helps that Heenim crossdresses in real life too, haha.)

So, well-handled crossdressing + well-written high school AU? I was hooked.

I truly enjoyed the characterizations and dynamics of all the members in this fic: they're all friends, above and beyond any romantic entanglements, and it's so much fun to see all of them interact. The romantic relationships are slightly unrealistic (four gay couples in a group of friends?), but, hey, it's fic and it makes me happy. I'm perfectly willing and happy to accept it.

Despite the story being mostly focused on Hankyung and his relationship with Heechul (which I love and which I thought was developed well without too much rush), the author gives a generous amount of time to fleshing out the other characters and their relationships as well. They all get proverbial screentime with just enough backstory to give them depth.

I have to spoil you a little and mention the fact that, in the later chapters, there is an original female character - but she's likeable and if that makes her a Mary Sue, so be it. I don't think I'd call her that, though, because I enjoy her as a character too much. :)

In addition to the main story (25 chapters! I love good longfic in SuJu fandom - it's so rare), the author's also written backstories for every main couple and my gigantic bias makes the KiHae story my favorite, though the KyuMin puts a silly grin on my face too. On top of all those, she's now putting out rounds of drabbles: some about friendship, some about relationships, all to do with her HSAU. I personally hope she never stops. I love this fic and this universe and I'm reluctant to leave it.

An example of her hilarious banter (god, I loved the dialogue) from Chapter 4:

“Can I ask a question?” He put down his chopsticks and noodles, and pointed to the badge. “What is that?”

Kyuhyun looked down at himself, and then back at Hankyung. “What?” He asked, perplexed.

“The badge pinned to your tie,” said Hankyung. “It’s been bothering me all week. What is it?”

“That’s Kyuhyun’s family’s symbol,” said Sungmin, and leant over and stole a chip from Shindong’s plate.

Hankyung raised his eyebrows. “Your family symbol?”

“Um,” said Kyuhyun. “Yes?”

“What?” Hankyung asked.

“Kyuhyun’s family is the mafia,” said Sungmin, and patted Kyuhyun on the back as he choked on his own spit and spluttered.

“No, we aren’t,” gasped Kyuhyun. “Don’t lie, Sungmin.”

“Okay,” said Sungmin in a placating tone. “Kyuhyun’s family is the closest you can get without actually being the mafia.” Kyuhyun still didn’t look happy with this – he put his head on the table and groaned.

“The mafia,” repeated Hankyung.

“Yeah,” said Sungmin.

She also deals with some more serious issues in the course of the fic, but quoting those would spoil too much. You realy ought to just read it and see for yourself. :) It's worth the time! I find myself rereading this all the time.

[review] DBSK: interim

2008-05-29T03:02:42Z

Title: interim
Author: scribete
Summary: Junsu, in stages
Rating: PG-13
Pairing(s): Yoochun/Junsu, BFF!Junsu/Hyukjae
Length: ~8700 words
Genre: Drama/Humor/Romance
Source: Linkhopping? I never remember how I find fics, whoops.

What I like about "interim" is that even though it's a long one-shot, it's divided into little sections that give you a greater picture of the story (which pretty much follows the summary). It follows Junsu chronologically from when he first meets Hyukjae to his experiences as an SM trainee to him as a member of DBSK. I love that Hyukjae's in this and that he and Junsu are silly, teasing, and occasionally serious with each other ("Are you sure you weren't looking for the hooker delivery service?" "Yah!" "Hyukjae, ten million. Junsu, zero. [...]"). Other Super Junior and DBSK members also make an appearance, which is nice because the story shows Junsu's interactions/relationships with other people. Even though I put "interim" in a drama/humor/romance-combo genre, it shines by giving insight into Junsu's character/personality. I know for me, Junsu isn't someone I can always identity with, but this story made me care.

The excerpt is about Junsu's infamous voice problem during puberty:

“Isn’t there anything we can do?”

The doctor passes a glance over him sympathetically. “I’m afraid not,” he sighs. “You just have to let the puberty take its course. He mustn’t strain his voice, or he could suffer long-term effects. No singing, no yelling, nothing that will worsen his condition.”

Junsu hopes the old fart’s paunch grows ten times bigger and makes him unable to walk.

When they get home, Junsu goes straight to his bedroom, puts in his demo track, and screams the lyrics, louder and louder under his mom comes in and stops him with her wet eyes. His voice dies out like a snuffed candle.

The CD keeps playing, his younger self hitting the notes effortlessly, clear as the sky.

Ouch, right? Enjoy reading~

[review] Super Junior - Game

2008-05-14T14:49:48Z

Title: Game
Author: luckytart
Summary: "corrupting the innocent"
Rating: PG-13
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: Heechul, Eeteuk, others
Pairing/s: TeukChul, KangTeuk, ShiChul, CinHae, EunTeuk
Warning/s: n/a
Length: short one-shot
Genre: I have no idea how to categorize this. Help?
Source: miracle______

Review:
This fic's not very long, so I can't write too much for my review. I have to confess the reason I clicked on this fic was because I have this huge weakness for TeukChul interaction, as friends or otherwise, and the pairing list contained a lot of my favorites. What I got out of this fic was a lot more than I expected.

This is an amazing piece for its length. The author makes wonderful use of parallel structure, drawing the comparison between Eeteuk and Heechul: she contrasts the different ways they play the game, but also the similar ways in which they “know". Giving away much more would ruin the fic itself, so you'll have to read to fully grasp their game and their interaction.

I think the author did a good job at pinpointing their differences, and the ending in particular makes me happy. Because, eee, everything is heightened by the fact that they share a room. It's great.

Preview a line I like but hopefully doesn't give too much away:

Heechul made no effort to hide behind sweet smiles and comfort and dimples meant for drowning in, and Leeteuk knew this.

(On a far less objective note of fangirly squee: CinHae. ♥)

review [3] - flights of fancy - greenie_cgv

2008-05-08T08:27:20Z

Title: Flights of Fancy
Author: greenie_cgv
Summary: HeeChul wants to fly.
Rating: PG
Fandom: Super Junior
Character/s: KiBum, HeeChul
Pairing/s: KiBum/HeeChul (kind of)
Warning/s: dark themes having to do with insanity & suicide
Length: 1631 words
Genre: Angst
Source: miracle______

Review: I think I have an obsession with angst fics. Or at least fics that are just very touching. Something about this vulnerable!crazy!Chul really drew me in, and I can't help but want to rec this fic even though it was written so long ago.

It's an easy read. Simple sentences, plenty of direct discourse, just enough setting up of certain scenes to get you by. But it totally sweeps you off your feet and takes you by surprise, the way the story moves. It's not complicated, per se, but a lot of things are left vague with clear implications.

The world is seen through HeeChul's, and it's a little scary, but at the same time so innocent and pure. It reflects the state of HeeChul's mind and being.

Every move is so subtle, all the pieces tying in together in a way that I didn't quite recognize until the end. And then I was just kind of staring, wondering if what had just happened really happened.

You'll enjoy it. Trust me. But it might break your heart a little.

[review] Epik High: WHITE NOISE

2008-05-02T23:54:04Z

Title: WHITE NOISE
Author: indistinguish
Summary: N/A
Rating: G/PG
Fandom: Epik High
Character/s: Tablo
Pairing/s: N/A
Warning/s: None.
Length: 612 words.
Genre: introspection
Source: Trawling through her journal. :D

Review:

There are...too few Epik High fics out there. There are too few Tablo fics out there. =(

--- This fic is written in second person, done in a stream of consciousness style, all lowercase. Normally lowercase bothers the heck out of me, but this is a writer who's taught me to appreciate it. It's a short piece, just a look at Tablo and his attitude towards his work - to music. It's difficult for me to say more without giving anything away.

What gets me about this fic is the absolute raw quality of it. There are (too-?)long sentences, there is heavy imagery and brackets; almost standard angst fare, but the way she's written it carries a brutal, frantic passion - the images described very much like something Tablo might actually think. And the ending, very simple, but somehow to me it summed up the entire piece and left me with a feeling of "Yeah. Yes, this is what it is."

And quote (this line really sticks with me, maybe because of the almost 'rap' style - fitting for Tablo!):

your words are not indictments, nor are they the encouragements discouragements compliments arguments disagreements announcements enticements some people mistakenly label them as.

Also, after you read it once, you might like to highlight it and read it again. She uses a great deal of white text in most of her fics, and though that sounds slightly pretentious, I always really enjoy it. It feels like secrets. I recommend reading the piece sans white text first though, and then highlighting on the second time. 'Cause you'll read it more than once. Really.

review [2] - future imperfect - coyotecolored

2008-05-01T03:16:21Z

Title: Future Imperfect
Author: coyotecolored/coyotescribbles
Summary: N/A
Rating: PG
Fandom: Super Junior/DBSK
Character/s: YunHo/HeeChul
Pairing/s: YunHo/HeeChul
Warning/s: dark themes dealing with progression of bad physical conditions
Length: 1170 words
Genre: Angst, Romance
Source: coyotescribbles -- fic journal

Review: If you're not into angst, if you don't like to cry, if you're just looking for something fun to relax you and not break your heart, you really shouldn't read this fic. Because it is so touching and poignant in the most subtle of ways that you won't know what's hit you until it hits you, and suddenly you'll be bawling. There are only six comments to this fic, and I think that's well below what it actually deserves. But the comments say enough.

hoyah: .____________.
I'm blinking so much because I don't want to cry. ._. But I think I'm going to anyway. My heart broke with yours. That's just...
Well, you know just how to hit someone's heart, I suppose.
*crying now*

bloodied_quill: =joins the rest of you in crying=

pieces: Homg. T^T

ddenku: hi, i'm the newest addition to this crying club...
:'(

lille_bean: adlfjaldkfjaldkfjaldkfjaldkjfljkdfa
;-;
*iscompletelyincoherentwithloveandtearsforthisfic*

dear_whimsy: ...Ouch. Ouch.
That was...painfully, breathtakingly realistic. I can see this so clearly, and maybe that's why it jabs so close to my heart.
;~; <|3

Now, for a more in depth review.

Following HeeChul's point of view, it takes you into the future, where he and YunHo are in a relationship but nothing else seems to have really gone right. This was dated back to around the time YunHo was having issues with his legs (remember videos of him being carried around on managers' backs and all that?) and it all seemed very serious, people worrying about how he was going to deal with the issues it might cause for his future. coyotecolored, drawing from events in real life as she tends to do, decided to investigate the possibilities and came up with this fic.

What I liked most about the style, as I've mentioned before, is its subtlety. Though it tracks HeeChul's mind, it still manages to let us see through him what YunHo's life has become.

You're 30, this year, and you can pass for 20 on a good day...

...is how everything starts. Everything is fairly clear -- the point of view is set, the time frame is set. The sentence is so direct, without any flowery words or attempts to describe anything beyond the "facts" relevant to the story.

You're 30, this year, and your lover is 27, but looks closer to 40.

This is how the second paragraph begins. I squeed over the use of repetition, because it enforces the idea that their lives are connected, their years being added along together, one age defined by the other in a way. And the shift of theme is so quiet, from HeeChul to YunHo. It becomes about them together, but with a focus on YunHo. And everyone begins to see him through HeeChul's eyes.

Another thing I really loved is that the relationship between the two is so beautiful without being perfect.

You've become good with your hands, your body in general... You don't dance anymore, of course, but when the muscles in his legs are knotted and cramping, your fingers seem to know where to go, where to press and pull and stroke to release the tension that makes his breath come in sobs.

This is touching in that it is sad, but at the same time sweet. It expresses how much they've affected each other -- HeeChul has changed, or become different somehow because of YunHo. And it's through negative circumstances, but not necessarily negative itself.

And perhaps you had to experience that rage, that pain, in order to know how to portray it convincingly on screen. You have depth, now, they say.

Things have changed in the industry, bit by bit.

I loved this shift, how it goes from their personal lives into their public lives. And it re-affirms how much everything has changed -- not only themselves, but the world they live in.

You sing him to sleep, sometimes.

And the last paragraph is back to them. I think it's a wonderful closer, taking everything back into their relationship, but now again focused on HeeChul. It describes a daily, not particularly unique scene that is still full of meaning and insight.

Seriously. You will cry.

[review] dbsk ;; acts of contrition

2008-05-01T01:27:20Z

Title: Acts of Contrition
Author: butterflyweb and nemesis_cry
Summary: The Imperial Guard is the elite combative force of the Empire. Changmin Shim was lucky to even get recruited. But when a mission goes wrong and he finds himself stranded behind enemy lines, it's up to his former Captain to get him back. No matter the cost.
Rating: NC-17 for explicit male/male sex.
Fandom: Dong Bang Shin Ki/TVXQ!
Character/s: xiah junsu, u-know yunho, micky yoochun, hero jaejoong and max changmin
Pairing/s: all pairings, ot5
Warning/s: none.
Length: 20 chapters, completed series
Genre: sci-fi au
Source: found the first installment through hug______. (there is a sequel to this, but i'm not going to do a review for it. the sequel is acts of insurrection. if you enjoy this, then do read the sequel, and the other little mini-fics they have from this same verse.)

review.

i'll admit now, i have a huge fetish of sorts for au's of any kind. so, when i read the summary, that's what immediately caught my attention. i took a chance and decided to try it out, despite the few i've tried that just weren't pulled off as well. i was hooked within seconds of reading the first few lines. they were sex, and obviously, sex sells. you see that everywhere, and i honestly think it works. but as i continued reading, i realized quickly that not only did they pull off the sex well, their writing was superb. it was short and sweet and to the point, with the help of metaphors to give it a not so in-your-face feel that would have dulled out the emotion in the story. not only that, but as well as brilliant intimacy between the characters, there was, gasp, PLOT.

"Yunho hyung..."

Choking on a gasp, Yunho collapses onto the other boy, burying his face over the thin red line that he bit into, before. Warmth spreads through his limbs and over his stomach, liquid reminder that he shouldn't be doing this, but that he’s doing it anyway, burning him with its clarity.

"Captain, Shim," he corrects, not quite joking, not quite tender.

The hint of coldness in the man's tone steals the heat from Changmin's limbs, turning his head until his cheek presses into dark hair, a tide of bitterness threatening to rise in his heaving chest.

"Captain, of course," he murmurs, jaw setting. Always Captain, even in bed, even when there, if nowhere else, he should be an equal.

i have to say, i lovelovelove the captain and subordinate angst, and they characterize both yunho and changmin to their parts so well, it almost seems like this could be real. that's one amazing thing about a good fic, like this one-- you lose yourself in it. the words, the emotion, the thrill of the climax towards the ending-- it all meshes together wonderfully.

i really do urge every single one of you, whether you like dbsk or no, to go and read this. it'll be worth your time.