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It all really happened! Really
Jun. 21st, 2010 05:36 pmTVtropes.com defines Better than Canon as fans reinterpreting or "fixing" canon (I just linked you to tvtropes. You'll be there all day) Personally, I prefer fics that add to canon, rather than ignoring it. (Although if you can find me a good "Wash didn't die" fic, I won't complain.) On that note, a list of stories that can be inserted into their respective canons (without damaging continuity) to explain, enliven, or otherwise add colour to specific aspects of the overall narrative.
Nameless Faceless by voodoochild
Doctor Who
"There are no Time Ladies on Gallifrey any longer. The entire universe knows of the Weeping Angels. These two facts are connected. Spoilers for "The End of Time 1 & 2"."
According to The End of Time, the only Time Ladies on Gallifrey are either insane seers or mysteriously connected to The Doctor. After all Rassilon seems to have a particular fondness for vapourizing females. This fic seeks to justify that. Also, despite being reasonably unfamiliar with old Who, the behaviour and characterizations of the Time Lords seemed to suggest that RTD is even less so. This fic seeks to justify that as well.
In the end, it is a beautiful, tragic, story told in better prose than most published books. Every time I read this I feel like I'm doing so for the first time.
Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness by Thanfiction
Harry Potter
A fanfic so big, and so epic, it has it's own wiki. And other people write their own fanfic about it. It's the story of Neville and the other DA members during the events of DH. Overall it's very dark, and kind of grisly in parts (there's an alternate version of the battle of Hogwarts chapter for people who get squeamish) which, to be fair, makes a fair bit of sense. The author does an amazing job at introducing us to the barely mentioned characters that make up Hogwarts school, and fleshing out the side characters we thought we knew. He also doesn't shy away from building up and making you laugh with characters we know are going to die (damn you JK). The story grips you by the throat, demands to be read, and leaves you aching for more. (it does have a sequel...)
A Bamboo Joint Cannot Be Cut by Spiralleds
Firefly
Simon, in his search for River, finds himself in what basically amounts to a futurisitic opium den where the clients gamble over the game Go. The game features quite prominently, with metaphors I didn't really get (having never played) woven throughout. That Simon is out of his depth, and his desperation to find his sister are more than evident, but he seems to gain patience and confidence as the night progresses. There are snippets of River-speak scattered in the story, suggesting she is either sensing what Simon is up to (though she doesn't understand it) or has figured out this story after he rescued her (though he didn't tell her). If nothing else, it will make you want to learn to play Go.
A Thousand Miles by Therienne
Avatar: The Last Airbender
While Zuko recovers from his duel, Iroh commissions a ship and prepares for his and his nephew's hunt for the Avatar. This fic is great for exploring Zuko's perspective of the duel, as well as for explaining how the ship's crew, who are all older and more experienced than the prince, came to be serving under him. Perspectives are clear in this one as Ozai is painted as a definite villain, without tarnishing Zuko's ever present desire to please his father. Plus, Iroh is at his best brilliant general/jovial uncle -ness.
Fool's Wisdom by aces
Lord of the Rings
Short and cute, shows how the Hobbits slyly took care of Frodo after their return to the Shire. Something which I'm sure kept him from giving in to his PTSD and thus helped him to stay in the Shire for as long as he did. Merry's narrative is perfect in all it's serious hobbitude, with Pippin of course solving problems the best way he knows how: with a great deal of alcohol.
Nameless Faceless by voodoochild
Doctor Who
"There are no Time Ladies on Gallifrey any longer. The entire universe knows of the Weeping Angels. These two facts are connected. Spoilers for "The End of Time 1 & 2"."
According to The End of Time, the only Time Ladies on Gallifrey are either insane seers or mysteriously connected to The Doctor. After all Rassilon seems to have a particular fondness for vapourizing females. This fic seeks to justify that. Also, despite being reasonably unfamiliar with old Who, the behaviour and characterizations of the Time Lords seemed to suggest that RTD is even less so. This fic seeks to justify that as well.
In the end, it is a beautiful, tragic, story told in better prose than most published books. Every time I read this I feel like I'm doing so for the first time.
Dumbledore's Army and the Year of Darkness by Thanfiction
Harry Potter
A fanfic so big, and so epic, it has it's own wiki. And other people write their own fanfic about it. It's the story of Neville and the other DA members during the events of DH. Overall it's very dark, and kind of grisly in parts (there's an alternate version of the battle of Hogwarts chapter for people who get squeamish) which, to be fair, makes a fair bit of sense. The author does an amazing job at introducing us to the barely mentioned characters that make up Hogwarts school, and fleshing out the side characters we thought we knew. He also doesn't shy away from building up and making you laugh with characters we know are going to die (damn you JK). The story grips you by the throat, demands to be read, and leaves you aching for more. (it does have a sequel...)
A Bamboo Joint Cannot Be Cut by Spiralleds
Firefly
Simon, in his search for River, finds himself in what basically amounts to a futurisitic opium den where the clients gamble over the game Go. The game features quite prominently, with metaphors I didn't really get (having never played) woven throughout. That Simon is out of his depth, and his desperation to find his sister are more than evident, but he seems to gain patience and confidence as the night progresses. There are snippets of River-speak scattered in the story, suggesting she is either sensing what Simon is up to (though she doesn't understand it) or has figured out this story after he rescued her (though he didn't tell her). If nothing else, it will make you want to learn to play Go.
A Thousand Miles by Therienne
Avatar: The Last Airbender
While Zuko recovers from his duel, Iroh commissions a ship and prepares for his and his nephew's hunt for the Avatar. This fic is great for exploring Zuko's perspective of the duel, as well as for explaining how the ship's crew, who are all older and more experienced than the prince, came to be serving under him. Perspectives are clear in this one as Ozai is painted as a definite villain, without tarnishing Zuko's ever present desire to please his father. Plus, Iroh is at his best brilliant general/jovial uncle -ness.
Fool's Wisdom by aces
Lord of the Rings
Short and cute, shows how the Hobbits slyly took care of Frodo after their return to the Shire. Something which I'm sure kept him from giving in to his PTSD and thus helped him to stay in the Shire for as long as he did. Merry's narrative is perfect in all it's serious hobbitude, with Pippin of course solving problems the best way he knows how: with a great deal of alcohol.
