A Distraction at the Bus Stop

holmestice has come to a close, so I thought I'd just do a few recs. And looking at the fics I've picked, they all seem to have as their underlying theme an examination of friendship.

First of all, there's my own gift fic Five Times Kincaid Encountered a Dog with Disastrous Consequences to All and Sundry, and One Time It Went Slightly Better Than Expected, Do Wipe That Smug Smile Off Your Face, Watson by language_escapes. This is set in the Without a Clue 'verse, and contrasts how that 'Holmes' (Reginald Kincaid - the actor Watson hires to play the part of Holmes) feels about dogs, with the canon Holmes' more positive feelings. Which is done by rewriting the canon adventures that feature dogs with Kincaid as Holmes instead. And it's both hilarious and rather touching - because in the end the fic is really about the friendship that lies underneath Kincaid and Watson's awkward relationship.

( Musings on Without a Clue itself )

Two Shoes for a Hat by rachelindeed: This is Rachel writing in a new ‘verse for her - Ritchie ‘verse in fact. An inspired and very, very funny look at Holmes and Watson’s first meeting(s), with a wonderfully original Stamford. It’s quintessentially Rachel in that the fic appeals equally to heart and head, and is full of fresh ideas. Before reveals, I did manage to guess which was Rachel’s fic (it appears to be an innate ability. Bit of a specific superpower but a pleasing one to have nonetheless ^^) and it was partly the unknowing enthusiasm of my own comment that reassured me I had made the right choice ^_^

The Question by trobadora: I perhaps wouldn’t have expected to enjoy this fic - I prefer to keep away from Moriarty and Reichenbach as much as possible. But this is such an impressive and moving meditation on the power of friendship. And the writer is evenhanded about Moriarty - though this is a fic that examines his positive aspects, the writer never ignores the fact he is a terrible man. At the end of it all, I was left feeling some sympathy for Moriarty - which is something I had definitely never expected.

Nostoi by sanguinity: This is set in the New Russian Holmes ‘verse, and is a crossover with ACD’s The Lost World. Firstly, it’s a marvellous adventure involving Holmes and Watson trying to get the last European pterodactyl back home to South America. But it’s much more than that - it’s a deeply moving look at the renewal of Holmes and Watson’s friendship after Reichenbach.

The Case of the Six Marmalades: This one is also by sanguinity, and is set in the Whitehead Holmes ‘verse. Charming, lighthearted, captures the characters so well and is so funny ^__^ Holmes likes Watson so much he wants him to share in his pleasures, but then he goes too far…


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