More Underrated Sherlock Fics
May. 22nd, 2014 05:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
swissmargBack in October 2013, I posted a rec list of Sherlock (BBC) fics I really liked but that had relatively low kudo counts on AO3. Now, 6 months on, I'm repeating the exercise.
So if you've read all the popular ones and are looking for something to read this Memorial Day weekend, try one of these:
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This is so fun and cute! A great fusion with Real Genius, the Val Kilmer movie from 1985:
My Love, My Game, My Vocation (42691 words) by jaradel
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: Fifteen-year-old John Watson is one of the youngest students to be admitted to winter term at Pacific Tech. That's not all - Professor Moriarty has chosen John as the new lead for his most important project, where he'll be working with young physics genius Sherlock Holmes. But nothing is quite what John expects when he finds out he's rooming with Sherlock... Oh, and there's an evil plot to thwart!
======
This is really cute too, and I can only explain the low kudo and hit count by supposing the title is putting people off. But this really isn't about Kitty Riley. It's a remix of the original Charles Augustus Milverton story and it's lots of fun!
The Adventure of Kitty Riley (12013 words) by Ariana
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/Original Female Character(s)
Summary: Kitty Riley has started using her position as a tabloid journalist to blackmail people. After his return, Sherlock decides to do something about it, embarking on an adventure which amongst other things, involves Sherlock on a date with a girl, and creeping around in the dark with John, holding hands.
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Why have you not read this awesome fic yet? I am leaving the tags in the header for this one so you see what I mean. Go read it!
Remembrance Day (20000 words) by Andersaur
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Additional Tags: Remembrance Day, Poor John's a bit sad, Dating, lots of running, Smut, Frottage, Almost the whole of the last chapter is smut
Summary: Sherlock takes John to a Remembrance Day service.
======
This is the only Femlock fic I have ever tried and liked. (Although Sherlock is not cis-female, he's just in a female body, but he does live as a female.) And he is fantastic with his and John's kids.
Footmarks on the Ceiling (21739 words) by mycake
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John Watson is leaving and Sherlock cannot cope. He has but one wish and that is to have John back. However, when Sherlock is granted his wish and is cast into a dream world where John has returned to him, it isn't exactly what he had hoped for. Be careful what you wish for.
======
This is the second part of a series, and you need to read the first part (which ends with an awesome twist) to understand what's going on. It's worth it, although there is character death. Post-Reichenbach but AU to series 3.
Nutmeg and Mace (15104 words) by standbygo
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Series: Part 2 of Retrograde
Summary: Sherlock returns. Things have changed. And then they change again. And again. And John has to re-evaluate everything that's happened to him for the past five years.
======
A really gorgeous magical realism that could be read as gen or pre-slash:
Breathe (21146 words) by StoneWingedAngel
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock/John pre-slash or just a really strong bromance
Summary: Sherlock knows he has to die. He knows that his job is going to be dangerous, long, exhausting; that he’s going to get damaged. And so, desperate and alone, he gives John his soul, little knowing the consequences will be enough to drive them both to breaking point.
======
A really well done crossover with Inception. Gen with background John/Mary but the focus is on John and Sherlock working together:
Wait for the Ricochet (23103 words) by squire
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: In a world where Mind Heist is a common espionage practice and Sherlock Holmes is one of the best Extractors, the slowly growing threat of Moriarty’s syndicate did not escape the eye of the British Government. Moriarty is captured and Sherlock accepts his brother’s plea to enter the criminal’s mind in order to retrieve a computer code that could possibly endanger the national safety itself. However, Moriarty proves to be more than a match for Sherlock’s abilities, catching him in a multilayered dream and forcing him to play games with him, making him lose round after round. When Mycroft realises that Sherlock is no longer able to wake on his own, lost deep in Moriarty’s snare, he finds one John Watson, former Extractor, who left the job for good after his wife’s death. Mycroft convinces John to enter the shared dream, become Sherlock’s companion, and defeat Moriarty’s schemes.
======
This fic was previously posted on LJ and only recently put on AO3 which may account for the relatively low kudos, as this is a well known and beloved author. Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet:
The Drowning Man Trilogy (26261 words) by irisbleufic
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: Some walk into the fire; others drown.
======
For some reason, Granadaverse isn't as popular, but try this series out. Great angst and pining and dysfunctionality:
An Improvement on a Hatstand (34558 words) by TheRimmerConnection
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 1 of The Hatstand Trilogy
Summary: During investigations into Charles Augustus Milverton, Holmes feels obliged to seek out Watson's help in expanding his knowledge and abilities. The result is rather more intriguing than Watson might have imagined... once they've got the hatstand out of the way, at least.
======
As long as I'm reccing non-BBC versions, I'm going to put in a plug for this ACD series too because it's just fantastic:
Te Spectat et Audit (5070 words) by Violsva
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 1 of Arte Regendus
Summary: Sherlock Holmes’ new fellow lodger is ordinary enough. There ought to be no reason for Holmes to adjust his habits in any way for him. Certainly he shouldn’t require the other man’s presence merely in order to work.
So if you've read all the popular ones and are looking for something to read this Memorial Day weekend, try one of these:
======
This is so fun and cute! A great fusion with Real Genius, the Val Kilmer movie from 1985:
My Love, My Game, My Vocation (42691 words) by jaradel
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: Fifteen-year-old John Watson is one of the youngest students to be admitted to winter term at Pacific Tech. That's not all - Professor Moriarty has chosen John as the new lead for his most important project, where he'll be working with young physics genius Sherlock Holmes. But nothing is quite what John expects when he finds out he's rooming with Sherlock... Oh, and there's an evil plot to thwart!
======
This is really cute too, and I can only explain the low kudo and hit count by supposing the title is putting people off. But this really isn't about Kitty Riley. It's a remix of the original Charles Augustus Milverton story and it's lots of fun!
The Adventure of Kitty Riley (12013 words) by Ariana
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/Original Female Character(s)
Summary: Kitty Riley has started using her position as a tabloid journalist to blackmail people. After his return, Sherlock decides to do something about it, embarking on an adventure which amongst other things, involves Sherlock on a date with a girl, and creeping around in the dark with John, holding hands.
======
Why have you not read this awesome fic yet? I am leaving the tags in the header for this one so you see what I mean. Go read it!
Remembrance Day (20000 words) by Andersaur
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Additional Tags: Remembrance Day, Poor John's a bit sad, Dating, lots of running, Smut, Frottage, Almost the whole of the last chapter is smut
Summary: Sherlock takes John to a Remembrance Day service.
======
This is the only Femlock fic I have ever tried and liked. (Although Sherlock is not cis-female, he's just in a female body, but he does live as a female.) And he is fantastic with his and John's kids.
Footmarks on the Ceiling (21739 words) by mycake
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John Watson is leaving and Sherlock cannot cope. He has but one wish and that is to have John back. However, when Sherlock is granted his wish and is cast into a dream world where John has returned to him, it isn't exactly what he had hoped for. Be careful what you wish for.
======
This is the second part of a series, and you need to read the first part (which ends with an awesome twist) to understand what's going on. It's worth it, although there is character death. Post-Reichenbach but AU to series 3.
Nutmeg and Mace (15104 words) by standbygo
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Series: Part 2 of Retrograde
Summary: Sherlock returns. Things have changed. And then they change again. And again. And John has to re-evaluate everything that's happened to him for the past five years.
======
A really gorgeous magical realism that could be read as gen or pre-slash:
Breathe (21146 words) by StoneWingedAngel
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock/John pre-slash or just a really strong bromance
Summary: Sherlock knows he has to die. He knows that his job is going to be dangerous, long, exhausting; that he’s going to get damaged. And so, desperate and alone, he gives John his soul, little knowing the consequences will be enough to drive them both to breaking point.
======
A really well done crossover with Inception. Gen with background John/Mary but the focus is on John and Sherlock working together:
Wait for the Ricochet (23103 words) by squire
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes & John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: In a world where Mind Heist is a common espionage practice and Sherlock Holmes is one of the best Extractors, the slowly growing threat of Moriarty’s syndicate did not escape the eye of the British Government. Moriarty is captured and Sherlock accepts his brother’s plea to enter the criminal’s mind in order to retrieve a computer code that could possibly endanger the national safety itself. However, Moriarty proves to be more than a match for Sherlock’s abilities, catching him in a multilayered dream and forcing him to play games with him, making him lose round after round. When Mycroft realises that Sherlock is no longer able to wake on his own, lost deep in Moriarty’s snare, he finds one John Watson, former Extractor, who left the job for good after his wife’s death. Mycroft convinces John to enter the shared dream, become Sherlock’s companion, and defeat Moriarty’s schemes.
======
This fic was previously posted on LJ and only recently put on AO3 which may account for the relatively low kudos, as this is a well known and beloved author. Anyway, if you haven't seen it yet:
The Drowning Man Trilogy (26261 words) by irisbleufic
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: Some walk into the fire; others drown.
======
For some reason, Granadaverse isn't as popular, but try this series out. Great angst and pining and dysfunctionality:
An Improvement on a Hatstand (34558 words) by TheRimmerConnection
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 1 of The Hatstand Trilogy
Summary: During investigations into Charles Augustus Milverton, Holmes feels obliged to seek out Watson's help in expanding his knowledge and abilities. The result is rather more intriguing than Watson might have imagined... once they've got the hatstand out of the way, at least.
======
As long as I'm reccing non-BBC versions, I'm going to put in a plug for this ACD series too because it's just fantastic:
Te Spectat et Audit (5070 words) by Violsva
Rating: General Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 1 of Arte Regendus
Summary: Sherlock Holmes’ new fellow lodger is ordinary enough. There ought to be no reason for Holmes to adjust his habits in any way for him. Certainly he shouldn’t require the other man’s presence merely in order to work.
