Line #126 FanficRecs/TortallUniverse


1	Proof that [[SturgeonsLaw the remaining 10% is worth entering the Black God's embrace for]] here.
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3	These are recommendations made by Tropers for ''Tortall Universe'' fanfics (meaning, those set in the universe outlined by the Alanna/Daine/Kel/Aly/Beka series of novels), all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found [[Main/FanficRecommendations here]]. This is specifically for Tortall Universe fics, not Creator/TamoraPierce fanfics in general. Literature/CircleOfMagic fics should be placed on their own page.
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5	You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Administrivia/ConversationInTheMainPage though; that goes in the discussion page.
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7	[[WMG: Authors and Websites]]
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9	None yet.
10
11	[[WMG:[[GenFic General Fics]]]]
12	''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''
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14	[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8523893/1/Lady-Knight-Volant Lady Knight Volant]] [[http://archiveofourown.org/works/511762/chapters/902085 (alternate AO3 link here)]] by Bracketyjack
15	* Synopsis: Continues Lady Knight to the end of the Scanran War. K/D eventually. A long novel of action and manners, completely written, updating Fridays.
16	* Recommended by: tonnocal, @/RoseAndHeather, {{@/Heliomance}}
17	* ''Status'': Complete
18	* Comments: whew! One of those stories you stay up until 6AM reading for the world building loves. A mature and well-rounded view of the realities of the magi-medieval world built by Tamora Pierce, with some very interesting analysis of religion and gender discourses. One of the personal criticisms I have regarding Tamora Pierce is that her characters are, true to genre, written for teenagers and their weaknesses are acknowledged but not fully played out. This flays off the last vestiges of the Mary Sue from the characters. YMMV, regarding the '''triggers''' and the political structuring, but all together worth the lost sleep. Only criticism is that Kel is cast as a bit too egalitarian and 'of the people', but that's true to canon. Relationships are present, but are way off in the background except where they compliment and further the plot and character development. Compare with Raining Ink's ''Out Of the Night'' and Vathara's ''Embers''.
19	** ENTHUSIASTICALLY SECONDED. I actually forgot I wasn't reading a Pierce novel, albeit a Pierce novel intended for a more mature audience than her usual. Characterization is pretty much perfect and the plot is staggeringly complex and comes together beautifully. There are many sequel fics to ''Lady Knight'' but this one outdoes them all.
20	* Heliomance: If you read and enjoyed the Tortall books, read this. No excuses, no exceptions. The author managed to capture Pierce's style so well I regularly forgot it wasn't canon, and he's managed to make the world even richer and deeper than Pierce has. So many details - especially to do with the gods - are expanded upon, all while staying beautifully, faithfully true to the source material. Character voices are near-perfect, in-universe slang seamlessly used, and all in all it's one of the best fanfics it's ever been my pleasure to read. Should be canon.
21	* Geekhyena: STRONG YMMV here. The rape felt really out of place and felt like the author was adding it in to add more drama, and Kel's reactions to it as well as the reactions of everyone else were quite out of character. Serious trigger warning for sexual assault and gore, and in such a way that it feels out of place in Tamora Pierce's universe.
22	* Waywren: A good fic, yes, but as noted, strong YMMV: Bracketyjack Hides The Lesbians again by getting Lalasa married to a guy because he wanted a marriage for his plot but didn't believe a medieval society like Tortall would accept a lesbian couple.
23	[=[[reviews:LadyKnightVolant]]=]
24
25	[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4393712/1/We_Live_in_Awkward_Times_My_Friend We Live In Awkward Times, My Friend]] by Rockstar With a Vendetta
26	* Recommended by Tropers/ThinksTooMuch
27	* ''Status'': Dormant
28	* Synopsis: A series of mutually exclusive one-shots, wherein Kel is engaged in relations of a sexual nature with someone and her friends, through a variety of ''incredibly'' embarrassing but possible circumstances, discover the existence of these relations. Due to all of it being PlayedForLaughs rather than focus on shipping, I'm putting it in GenFic, but the pairings are Kel/Merric, Kel/Seaver , Kel/Thom ([[DeadGuyJunior the second]]), and Kel/[[spoiler:Numair/Daine]].
29	* Comments: [[SugarWiki/FunnyMoments CMOF]]-laden and in-character, especially Neal. Well worth a look.
30	[=[[reviews:WeLiveInAwkwardTimesMyFriend]]=]
31
32	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4907630/1/Broken_to_Bridle Broken to Bridle]]'' by lionesseyes13
33	* Recommended by Tropers/AcrossTheStars
34	* ''Status'': Complete
35	* ''Pairing(s)'': Owen of Jesslaw/Margarry of Cavall
36	* ''Synopsis'': The tale of Owen's years as a squire to Wyldon of Cavall.
37	* ''Comments'': This is... really good. Like, really, really good. The writing itself is thoroughly competent - although not spectacular - and keeps the same general tone of other ''Protector of the Small'' books. The real attraction, however, are the characters. She brings Wyldon and Owen to life so very vividly, managing to convey Wyldon's general approval of Owen as he matures while still keeping him the irascible man most of us loved in the original quartet. Scanra is dealt with believably, and the relationship between Owen and Wyldon develops organically, which in itself is a miracle. Also well done is Owen's journey to adulthood and growing maturity while still keeping him recognizable as the Owen we saw in the books, and equally well done is Owen's romance with Wyldon's daughter Margarry (mentioned via [[WordOfGod Word of Tamora Pierce]] to have married him). Although their romance is an important part of the plot, it does not overtake the main storyline, hence the classification of this story as gen. In short: this is not to be missed for anyone who loved Owen, Wyldon, or both.
38	* Geekhyena: One of the best Tortall fics I have ever read. Owen is spot-on, and his relationship with Wyldon is fleshed out beautifully. Nice perspective on the events of Lady Knight, as well, and Owen's internal conflicts. Also very interesting discussion of the effects of war on people. Highly recommended.
39	[=[[reviews:BrokenToBridle]]=]
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41	''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/34176 Five Worlds In Which Keladry of Mindelan Did Not Become a Lady Knight]]'', by mistresscarlet
42	* Recommended by {{Tropers/Joysweeper}}
43	* ''Status'': Complete
44	* ''Synopsis'': ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin. There's a framing device set in the future of the canon universe, when Kel is forty and is the training master. In one world, Wyldon [[MovingTheGoalposts didn't let her stay]] and she became a Shang warrior; in another, she was found to have the Gift and never went to the Yamani Islands; in the third, Kel was born a man; in the fourth, she died young and her brother Conal tried to take up her task; and in the fifth, she was raised as a lady.
45	* ''Comments'': Typically I hate five worlds/five times X happened/didn't happen fics, but this was good. {{Tearjerker}} moments all around. "Things that never were and will never come to pass. Some good, and some terrible, but none of them now and none of them here."
46	[=[[reviews:FiveWorldsInWhichKeladryOfMindelanDidNotBecomeALadyKnight]]=]
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48	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3493562/1/Leading_Man Leading Man]]'', by sarcastic rabbit
49	* Recommended by {{Tropers/starryblue}}
50	* ''Status'': Complete
51	* Synopsis: A day in the life of King Jonathan in which he meets a certain juggling black mage from Carthak
52	* Comments: The summary listed on ff.net doesn't really do this story justice. A well-written and humorous take on the day Numair and King Jonathan met from the perspective of the King.
53	[=[[reviews:LeadingMan]]=]
54
55	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1448305/1/Welcome_to_Knight_Club Welcome to Knight Club]]'' by Quatre Sama.
56	* ''Recc'd'' by Joysweeper
57	* ''Status'': Complete
58	* ''Synopsis'': Written as a challenge: describe a squire's Ordeal in 800 words. It's a series of drabbles, loosely arranged around the eight rules of Fight Club.
59	* ''Comments'': Despite how it sounds, it's entirely serious. I enjoyed it. Had to fetch it from archive.org, though.
60	** Recently found on fanfiction.net with a new link to match that.
61	[=[[reviews:WelcomeToKnightClub]]=]
62
63	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3271761/1/Fallen Fallen]]'' by Confusedknight
64	* Recommended by Flyndragon, Reads-By-Lamplight
65	* ''Status'': Complete
66	* ''Pairing(s)'': Kel/Dom
67	* ''Synopsis'': Kicked out of Page training, Kel becomes entangled in a bitter struggle for the suffering people of Scanra. Four years later she returns to Tortall, a stranger to those who once knew her, a stranger who has not forgotten the promises she made...
68	* ''Comments'': This is probably the very best fanfiction I have ever read. It is a take on what would happen if Kel was kicked out of page training after her first year. Kel goes through hardship and eventually overcomes it, becoming a warrior and becoming inextricably entangled in the fate of Scanra. This is a story written on a professional level, with great character development and a thick, engaging plot. It also does a very good job of world building, fleshing out Scanra more than we ever see in the books. But be warned, it is very long. Don't start reading this unless you have time to spare.
69	[=[[reviews:Fallen]]=]
70
71	''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/161757 Song of the Seer]]'' by Ankhiale
72	* Recommended by Kestrad
73	* ''Status'': Complete
74	* ''Pairing(s)'': Alanna/Jon, Alanna/Roger, Thom/Liam, Thayet/Buri
75	* ''Synopsis'': What if Thom had refused to switch?
76	* ''Comments'': Told from Thom's point of view, this is so much more than the standard Alanna Goes to the Convent story. A hauntingly beautiful take on what the Tortall universe could have been like if Thom hadn't agreed to switch with Alanna. Quite possibly the best piece of fanfiction I've ever read.
77	[=[[reviews:Song of the Seer]]=]
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79	''[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/19454 Making the Best of Things universe]]'' by Ankhiale (again)
80	* Recommended by Kaza999
81	* ''Status'': Complete
82	* ''Pairing(s)'': Alanna/Francis, Alanna/Jon, Jon/Thom, Delia/Thom, Jon/Thayat, others
83	* ''Synopsis'': Alanna and Thom don't switch. Things go...rather weirdly.
84	* ''Comments'': According to Ankhiale, this was born from a reread of Song of the Seer (above), and Ankhiale decided that they could make the universe go better, and they succeeded. Making the Best of Things is a series of fics, mostly one-shots, and they are all quite excellent. This series isn't nearly as bleak as Song of the Seer but is written just as well.
85	[=[[reviews:MakingTheBestOfThings]]=]
86
87	[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/5131507/1/The-Squire The Squire]] by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/1037297/Sera-dy-Relandrant Sera de Relandrant]]
88	* Recommended by KtheCloud
89	* ''Status'': Complete
90	* Synopsis: "What if Alanna was Tusaine's Lady Knight, instead of Tortall's? What if her mother hadn't died but her father had?"
91	* Comments: Perhaps one of the best A.U's of Tortall I have ever seen, and a very well written Alanna/Alex.
92
93	[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2238985/1/Something-More-Than-Sarrasri Something More Than Sarrasri]] by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/522277/Trickstergal33 Trickstergal33]]
94	* Recommended by KtheCloud
95	* ''Status'': Complete
96	* Synopsis: "Living in a small Gallan village with a name like Sarrasri gives Daine's future a grim shadow. Worried of what will become of her, her grandda takes matters into his own hands, even if it means letting her go to train as a Shang warrior.
97	* Comments: Sadly a one-shot beginning to what sounds like a very good story, but a very well written one-shot nerveless.
98
99	[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/1096013 Sunrose Transplanted]] by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/Laughing_Phoenix/pseuds/Laughing_Phoenix Laughing_Phoenix]]
100	* Recommended by Risaga54
101	* ''Status'': Complete
102	* Synopsis: Saraiyu Hetnim adjusts to a new country, a new life, and worries about those she left behind.
103	* Comments: For anyone curious as to what Saraiyu did [[spoiler: during Trickster's Queen]] this one-shot fills in the gaps really well
104
105	[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/599763 Royal Courtship is a Tricky Proposal]] by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/merriman/pseuds/merriman Merriman]]
106	* Recommended by Risaga54
107	* ''Status'': Complete
108	* Synopsis: Concerning the courtship of Queen Dovasary Haiming Temaida Balitang and other events during the fall of 468 H.E. in the Copper Isles, as compiled by Alianne Crow (nee Cooper).
109	* Comments: Told in letters, this fic depicts the running of the Copper Isles post-Tricksters Queen.
110
111	[[http://archiveofourown.org/series/118546 Miss Atomic Bomb]] by [[http://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash Chash]]
112	* Recommended by Risaga54
113	* ''Status'': Complete
114	* ''Pairings'': Alanna/George, Numair/Daine
115	* Synopsis: Modern AU of made up of many short fics telling the story of Alanna and George starting as a college student and bartender respectively.
116	* Comments: Sweet, funny, heartfelt, and actually really in character. This series is a joy to read.
117
118	[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/3868036 The Things You Carry]] by [[https://archiveofourown.org/users/dirgewithoutmusic/pseuds/dirgewithoutmusic dirgewithoutmusic]]
119	* Recommended by Joysweeper
120	* ''Status'': Complete
121	* ''Pairings'': n/a
122	* Synopsis: Asked to write about what would happen if Kel was executed for treason after the events of Lady Knight, something she feared, the author couldn't do it and instead wrote a long fic of Keladry the fugitive, leading an army of castoffs and people attracted to her cause and legends against the Scanrans while avoiding Tortallan forces.
123	* Comments: Very mythic, very strong on Kel's determination and ability to push on through great hardship. I liked this a lot.
124
125	[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3333119/1/On-the-Emerald-Ocean On the Emerald Ocean]] by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/919485/Sonnet-Lacewing Sonnet Lacewing]]
126	* Recommended by Taleweaver
127	* ''Status'': Complete
128	* ''Pairings'': N/A
129	* Synopsis: Onboard a ship, bound for the Emperor Mage, a few of our favorite characters study their own imperfections.
130	* Comments: Basically follows the head-space of over a dozen different characters from one to another, including Alanna, Numair, Daine, Gary, Hairailt, and Kitten.
131
132	[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/1637195 A Squire With Prospects]] by ineptshieldmaid
133	* Recc'd by Joysweeper
134	* Status: Complete
135	* Pairings: Alanna/Jon, Alanna/George, one sided Gary attracted to "Alan", Gary/Cythera
136	* Synopsis: Learning to think of Squire Alan as Sir Alanna is a bit of a challenge for Gary, who feels he's lost Alan as he knew "him"; he seemed more grounded, more normal, less controversial than Alanna is. Ultimately she is still the same person and still his friend, and the borders break down. Maybe gender is not such a barrier and a difference after all.
137
138	[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26519932/chapters/64638169 The Good Heart]] by Emnot
139	* Recc'd by Joysweeper
140	* Status: Incomplete; it's at 6/7 but it's not hurting too badly for not having that final chapter.
141	* Pairings: Alanna's canon pairings, Baird and his wife (fleshed out into an interesting character), Neal/Yuki
142	* Synopsis: ''Song of the Lioness'' through ''Protector of the Small'' through the eyes of Duke Baird, chief Healer of Tortall. He's has an interesting perspective, his wife Wilina is very involved and charming, and you will feel for Neal.
143
144	[[WMG:[[{{Shipping}} Shipping Fics]]]]
145	''Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.''
146
147	''[[http://beckyh2112.livejournal.com/440559.html Cut]]'', by beckyh2112
148	* ''Recc'd'' by Joysweeper
149	* ''Status'': Complete
150	* ''Synopsis'': Stormwings are infuriating, Daine is exhausted, and holding back takes too much effort.
151	* ''Pairing'': Daine/Rikash
152	[=[[reviews:Cut]]=]
153
154	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4951198/1/Teacher Teacher]]'', by Loten
155	* ''Recommended'' by Sorrows Solace
156	* ''Status'': Complete
157	* ''Synopsis'': A redux of the Immortals series from Numair's point of view.
158	* ''Comments'': The best Numair writing I've seen, all the characters are written accurately, some are fleshed out and the story flows well. The writing's top notch and the author clearly knows the characters and world well, anything new added in for other one shots on Loten's profile are well thought out.
159	** Loten also has reduxes of ''Wolf-Speaker,'' ''Emperor Mage,'' and ''The Realms of the Gods'' completed in similiar good quality, a set of drabbles filling in holes left by the author, and a story about Numiar and Daine after the end of the series. Pretty much anything by her is good.
160	* ''Pairing'': Numair/Daine
161	[=[[reviews:Teacher]]=]
162
163	''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2171908/1/Seducing_Master_Salmalin Seducing Master Salmalin]]'', by Wild Magelet
164	* ''Recommended'' by tenoreyequetis
165	* ''Status'': Complete
166	* ''Synopsis'': A sweet and funny "Daine/Numair first time" fic. Rated T, for obvious reasons.
167	* ''Comments'': Manages to be romantic without becoming mushy, gooey, or just ridiculous in general like some of its sister and brother fics. Quite a few lines that made me smile, or laugh, as well.
168	* ''Pairing'': Same as above.
169	[=[[reviews:SeducingMasterSalmalin]]=]
170
171	''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/153278 Negotiations and Love Songs]]'' by Lisafer
172	* ''Recommended'' by @/RoseAndHeather
173	* ''Status'': Complete
174	* ''Synopsis'': How Lord Wyldon of Cavall met and fell in love with his wife Vivenne during the Tusaine War.
175	* ''Comments'': Adorable. Absolutely adorable. Wyldon's warm heart is easily visible here, without losing the traits that make him the character he was in the novels.
176	* ''Pairing'': Wyldon/Vivenne
177	[=[[reviews:NegotiationsAndLovesongs]]=]
178
179	''Stories by [[https://www.fanfiction.net/u/919485/Sonnet-Lacewing Sonnet Lacewing]]''.
180	* Note: This isn't an official series, (because fanfiction.net doesn't allow for them to be listed that way) but it's very clear that they follow on from each other. (''On the Emerald Ocean'' in the general section should probably be considered the first) It's a lot richer if you read them one after another, so they're listed under one large heading. The three stories set between EM and ROTG in particular expand on a lot of matters and characters only mentioned off-hand in the books, including Daine's short-lived relationship with Perrin the clerk, her bout of unicorn fever, and how Numair got that portrait. Individual stories listed below.
181	* ''Pairing'': Daine/Numair. Starts off as foreshadowing and Ship Tease, continues with each of them very gradually coming to acknowledge it, then their actual pairing.
182
183	In order:
184
185	''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2637100/1/Two-Weeks-in-Carthak Two Weeks in Carthak]]''
186	* ''Synopsis'': ''Emperor Mage'' from Numair's point of view, including what he was doing when Daine wasn't around. Some fluff via dreams and definite Daine & Numair foreshadowing. There are also new powerful spells and a rather nasty execution.
187
188	''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2662654/1/Mitigating-Circumstances Mitigating Circumstances]]''
189	* ''Synopsis'': A tangled story of peace negotiations, seduction, thieves, the death of a beloved character, and undeniable feelings, all subject to mitigating circumstances. Set between EM and ROTG.
190
191	''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2683332/1/ENEMIES Enemies]]''
192	* ''Synopsis'': In a time when Tortall is already suffering plots from Immortals, unseen enemies prepare to destroy Tortall from the inside out. Who are enemies and who are friends? Sequel to Mitigating Circumstances
193
194	''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2708646/1/MAELSTROM Maelstrom]]''
195	* ''Synopsis'': After the barrier fell, Tortall was inundated with a maelstrom of immortal mischief. Ozorne schemes, battles rage, and Daine & Numair struggle to deal with unvoiced feelings. Sequels Enemies.
196
197	''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/2733186/1/TAKEN Taken]]''
198	* ''Synopsis'': ''Realms of the Gods'' from Numair's point of view. Expect big magic, heavy introspection, and a nice, fluffy ending. This sequels MAELSTROM.
199	* ''Recommended by'': Taleweaver
200	* ''Status'': all stories complete
201
202	''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/17045486 The Realms of the Immortals]]''
203	* ''Synopsis'': An AU of ''The Realms of the Gods'' in which the Immortals war dragged out somewhat longer, and Daine didn't meet a (young!) Rikash for several years later than in canon.
204	--> Rikash knew he was signing up for a lot when he became Lord of the Stone Tree Stormwing nation. But joining forces with the extremely dangerous, mysterious, and oddly intriguing Veralidaine Sarrasri, the famous Stormwing Killer, on a road trip through the Divine Realms to assassinate those immortals stupid enough to risk the destruction of the world by working with Chaos? That's - unexpected.
205	* ''Recommended by'': Joysweeper
206	* ''Pairing'': Daine/Rikash (Daine/Numair happened in the backstory and they decided they were BetterAsFriends but that they care deeply about one another is central to the plot).
207	* ''Comments:'' This one's fun and funny and features extensive worldbuilding about the realms of the gods and in particular about Stormwings. Rabbit gods from ''Literature/WatershipDown'' and a shark god who's from ''Literature/SoYouWantToBeAWizard'' show up. It's cool to see a slightly older Daine wrestling with her prejudices against less-lovely Immortals in a different way than canon, too.
208
209	''[[https://archiveofourown.org/works/25698760 The Tourakom-Goldenlake System of Communication]]'' by Emnot
210	* Synopsis: Buri's life, and her relationship with Raoul over the course of twenty years, in bad times and better ones.
211	* Recc'd by: Joysweeper
212	* Pairing: Buri/Raoul
213	* Comments: Slow burn! Lots of dirty talk, but not explicit. Buri's struggles, her grief and loss and anger and the people she's friends with, are pretty central.
214

Context FanficRecs / TortallUniverse