Good Omens and Fanfiction.net

[louiselux]

Last night I did the thing that always has to happen with any new fandom sooner or later: the fanfiction.net trawl. Trawling fanfiction.net, as far as I am concerned is the ultimate act of fannish devotion, or do I mean masochism? Although I have to say that it's far less confusing, layout wise, than places like Fiction Alley.

There are two techniques I use: flogging myself with the author directory, or punishing myself by going through each story individually. I find using the author directory far easier, because that way you're presented with a finite list rather than a swamp of seemingly endless pages to click through.

There are currently 74 authors listed for Good Omens, and 152 stories.

Some things I noticed were:

Good stories that I'd read already, by authors that I liked.

A handful of stories that I hadn't read before, by people I didn't know, and that I liked enough to save.

A lot of stories where Aziraphale is called 'Zira, complete with apostrophe. It's the sort of idea that could work once, maybe. Any more than that and it's annoying.

Stories in which the characters aren't actually Crowley and Aziraphale.

Quite a few stories where they are very, very soppy with each other and mushily in love. See above.

Stories where Aziraphale is described as lean. This gives me visions of Aziraphale going to aerobics, which is not nice. At least no one has him as muscled, because then I'd have to think of him pumping iron, and that would be even more not nice. ::hits brain::

A few intriguing WIPs that I would be interested to see finished.

Quite a lot of stories that hit a sort of middle ground for me; they had good ideas, but presented in a way I didn't like. I was quite willing to read these, just so I can see what people have done with the characters.

There were only a few stories truly bad enough to be unreadable.

Quite a lot of stories where Crowley is all protective over Aziraphale. I like this idea, but only when it's done in a particular way ie, he pretends that he isn't caring at all.

And there were no pwps. *edit*: the NC 17 ban explains that, but I think I can safely say that generally in this fandom there's no graphic stuff. (If there is some lurking out there, please feel free to contradict me). I saw a comment on CA recently that made me smile, about there being no porn in this fandom. There are actually some fantastic GO stories that do have sex in, but not that many of them, and nothing that's really explicit. I don't know why it should be, except that it would all be faintly ridiculous, and a, they're sexless, b, it took them 6000 years to admit even liking each other and c, it's not that easy shifting the light tone of the book into something a bit hot and steamy without coming across a bit Jackie Collins, or worse, Alan Titchmarsh. The horror!

It's the growing affection and dependency between them that interests me most, especially on Crowley's part because you know that he'd hate to admit it. But perversly, I do keep trying to make them have sex, which is a complete turn around for me because I've never been that interested about writing sex before. I'm not entirely sure what it is about these characters that has inspired this sudden change, but it's...interesting.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_yaddayadda/]

Fanfiction.net really isn't the best place to look for pwps because of the no NC-17 rule but I've yet to actually find graphic angel sex anywhere. Not that I've really been looking. I've got a similar attitude of just wanting to read about them hanging out and slowly growing closer and more dependant. There's something so endearing about them caring and trusting each other (and possibly loving) but never quite admitting it out loud.

I've never really shipped anything quite like C/A before (normally I'm a terrible canon smashing rival slasher) so it's sort of a new experience for me.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Fanfiction.net really isn't the best place to look for pwps because of the no NC-17 rule

Oh yes, I completely forgot about that. That would explain it. *g* But as you say, there isn't any graphic stuff anywhere.

There's something so endearing about them caring and trusting each other (and possibly loving) but never quite admitting it out loud.

Yes, it's the admitting of it, or not, that's so interesting, especially for these two. They admit a lot of stuff non-verbally about their feelings for each other, just by talking to each other and being friends, when such actions go against their 'employers'' wishes. I like the undercurrents that go along with that.

[daegaer.livejournal.com]

I think the last time I looked at fanfiction.net there were 108 stories, so it's probably time to have another look. But all those skinny!Aziraphale ones -- and the 'Zira ones -- make me wary.

it's not that easy shifting the light tone of the book into something a bit hot and steamy without coming across a bit Jackie Collins, or worse, Alan Titchmarsh.

Alan Titchmarsh, sex god (as I once had the misfortune to hear him described)! Has he written steamy novels? Please say no!

I have seen one or two extremely raunchy GO fics, and will try to find them again for you. The steamiest of them had a thin, pretty, golden haired, blue eyed Aziraphale, and got Crowley's eye colour wrong. That was what really threw me - I mean you'd think yellow eyes would be a detail that sticks in the mind!

It's the growing affection and dependency between them that interests me most, especially on Crowley's part because you know that he'd hate to admit it.

This is what I like about them too - they really are friends. Even if they're only prepared to admit to being 'sort-of' friends and it takes the end of everything and imminent death to admit to liking each other. And I have to agree with you about Crowley being protective - it isn't something he should be easily called on (and I hope I make him callous enough :-)

Oh! The Vintner's Luck arrived from Amazon today, and I've been avidly reading it (I've just got to the bit where Baptiste stops Sobran from buying a puppy and explains why). Whee! Wings!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Wings!

That book blew my mind wing-wise, there are so many beautiful descriptions of how Xas uses them, little details of how they fit into rooms or how he leans on them.

And yes, Alan Titchmarsh has apparently (I haven't read them!) written sex scenes. They were nominated in the Bad Sex awards, I think. It doesn't bear thinking about.

And I have to agree with you about Crowley being protective - it isn't something he should be easily called on (and I hope I make him callous enough :-)

What I like about your Crowley so much is that he's horrible to Aziraphale, but then you get a glimpse, through thought or action, that really he loves him to little squashy bits.

The steamiest of them had a thin, pretty, golden haired, blue eyed Aziraphale, and got Crowley's eye colour wrong.

Oh dear. Sounds bad, but dig them out for me, if you can. I was thinking of doing a thing on my recs page of GO stories with yer actual sex in, seeing as how they're a bit rarer in this fandom.

[avariel-wings.livejournal.com]

*wince*

I have actually written C/A sap, which I think is still lurking in the far reaches of the GO section at ff.net. I'm not proud of it, and I'd take it down if I could bring myself to do that to any of my work...