Recommended BtVS fics
- Thread starter voidseeker
- Start date
And what is it? The only difference between fiction and fanfiction is that the latter borrows concepts that already exist. The composition and structure are identical and as such, they can both be judged using the same criteria.
The real difference is that one is generally crafted by professionals and the other is cobbled together by amateurs. Then, the question becomes: Should all amateurs aspire to become professionals? Or rather, should all the unskilled aspire to be skilled?
I think so. I feel that people should always try to improve upon themselves, and to achieve that, criticism is necessary. If some authors feel content to wallow in mediocrity then that's their choice but if an author writes something simply to reinforce his ego, then chances are that his writing isn't worth reading anyway. Personally, I've always felt that a constructive review, even if negative, was more useful than a review that said 'update nao' or 'I liked it'.
Basically, just because you like something doesn't mean that it isn't okay to criticize it. In fact, the fact that this fic got such criticism is a good thing, because it shows that the idea has potential and that it isn't just shit on a stick. It just needs work.
You say 'It's fine the way it is', 'You shouldn't expect too much'.
I say that The Fanfiction Forum was built for the creation and critique of fanfiction works. If you object to the criticism of those fics you like, simply because you like them, then I can't help but feel that you're missing the point.
The real difference is that one is generally crafted by professionals and the other is cobbled together by amateurs. Then, the question becomes: Should all amateurs aspire to become professionals? Or rather, should all the unskilled aspire to be skilled?
I think so. I feel that people should always try to improve upon themselves, and to achieve that, criticism is necessary. If some authors feel content to wallow in mediocrity then that's their choice but if an author writes something simply to reinforce his ego, then chances are that his writing isn't worth reading anyway. Personally, I've always felt that a constructive review, even if negative, was more useful than a review that said 'update nao' or 'I liked it'.
Basically, just because you like something doesn't mean that it isn't okay to criticize it. In fact, the fact that this fic got such criticism is a good thing, because it shows that the idea has potential and that it isn't just shit on a stick. It just needs work.
You say 'It's fine the way it is', 'You shouldn't expect too much'.
I say that The Fanfiction Forum was built for the creation and critique of fanfiction works. If you object to the criticism of those fics you like, simply because you like them, then I can't help but feel that you're missing the point.
<a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1376496/1/The_Wind_Beyond_the_Walls_of_the_Mind' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>The Wind Beyond the Walls of the Mind</a> by <a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/u/224049/Petronius' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Petronius</a>
An epic BtVS, Angel, Lovecraft crossover. Buffy and Faith battle Nyarlethotep, The Haunter of the Dark, in a Cthulhu mythos novel that brings the entire Scooby Gang to the edge of the end of the world!
Buffy: The Vampire Slayer - Rated: T - English - Horror/Drama - Chapters: 28 - Words: 100,989 - Reviews: 21 - Updated: 10-27-03 - Published: 6-7-03 - Buffy S. & Faith L. - Complete
An epic BtVS, Angel, Lovecraft crossover. Buffy and Faith battle Nyarlethotep, The Haunter of the Dark, in a Cthulhu mythos novel that brings the entire Scooby Gang to the edge of the end of the world!
Buffy: The Vampire Slayer - Rated: T - English - Horror/Drama - Chapters: 28 - Words: 100,989 - Reviews: 21 - Updated: 10-27-03 - Published: 6-7-03 - Buffy S. & Faith L. - Complete
<a href='http://www.echonyc.com/~stax/Buffy/nwhepcat/lilac1.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Lilic City</a>
This story is pretty interesting and a good read.
<a href='http://parrot.moments-lost.org/earchive/viewstory.php?sid=1421&textsize=0&chapter=18' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>False Smile</a>
Its alright, not great.. But Its decent F/X
<a href='http://www.bellatemple.com/fanon.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>FanNon Fodder</a>
Its meh... at best.. but it's worth a couple of laughs..
This story is pretty interesting and a good read.
<a href='http://parrot.moments-lost.org/earchive/viewstory.php?sid=1421&textsize=0&chapter=18' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>False Smile</a>
Its alright, not great.. But Its decent F/X
<a href='http://www.bellatemple.com/fanon.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>FanNon Fodder</a>
Its meh... at best.. but it's worth a couple of laughs..
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-22233-4/DireSquirrel+Yub+Yub+Commander.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Yub Yub Commander</a>
Weird. Very, very weird. But also fun to read. And good. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this.
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-22035-17/joshlamont+Fear+Us+We+Are-.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Fear Us, We Are...</a> updated.
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-23251/BarefootXO+Time+and+Again.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Time and Again</a>
There have to be a million fics with a title like this. Character goes back in time, things change. Nice to read. Not blowing me away with awesomeness, but no real faults either.
Weird. Very, very weird. But also fun to read. And good. I can honestly say I've never seen anything like this.
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-22035-17/joshlamont+Fear+Us+We+Are-.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Fear Us, We Are...</a> updated.
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-23251/BarefootXO+Time+and+Again.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Time and Again</a>
There have to be a million fics with a title like this. Character goes back in time, things change. Nice to read. Not blowing me away with awesomeness, but no real faults either.
I like Xander stories but I can't stand anything written by <a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Author-15773/JCHatten.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>JCHatten</a>. JCHatten is to Xander-centered fanfiction as <a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/u/41527/dswynne' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>dswynne</a> is to Ranma-centered fanfiction, they keep writing a constant stream terrible shit.
Edit: Oops I already wrote something like this 3 pages ago...
Edit: Oops I already wrote something like this 3 pages ago...
<a href='http://www.tthfanfic.org/Story-19827/NotJana+Little+Brother.htm' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Little Brother</a>
Its a decent BtVS/NCIS crossover.. Basically Xander is Abby's half brother..
<a href='http://www.grandt.com/XanderZone/stories/read.php?story=LivingHistory.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Living History</a>
This is a pretty good story..
Its a decent BtVS/NCIS crossover.. Basically Xander is Abby's half brother..
<a href='http://www.grandt.com/XanderZone/stories/read.php?story=LivingHistory.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Living History</a>
This is a pretty good story..
I don't know why but I really enjoy <a href='http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6382117/1/Claws_and_Fangs' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>Claws and Fangs</a> a X-men/Inu-Yasha crossover. Xander meet up with X-23 in New York and through a convoluted series of decisions regains the body of one of his previous incarnations, Sesshomaru.
One thing that upsets me about so many Xander fics that that authors make Xander awesome due to things that happen to him.
Its the same thing in this fic, the first few paragraphs are all about the stuff inside him reacting. Xander doesn't do anything, he's just a container for the important stuff. No mention of training for skills, how he got there, or really expending any effort. Just magic, then he's awesome.
That isn't even a magical powerup, and its still referenced as something separate but inside him.
Xander is basically pschizophrenic with all the voices in his head. But he's awesome, so no worries.
Its the same thing in this fic, the first few paragraphs are all about the stuff inside him reacting. Xander doesn't do anything, he's just a container for the important stuff. No mention of training for skills, how he got there, or really expending any effort. Just magic, then he's awesome.
That isn't even a magical powerup, and its still referenced as something separate but inside him.
Xander is basically pschizophrenic with all the voices in his head. But he's awesome, so no worries.
The above is just a few of the reasons why I like Liz-marcs' Xanderfics. If I was looking for a general fic though, nwhepcat is my favorite by far. His/her character studies are very well done, and are excellent examples of how fiction doesn't need horrendous amounts of action/sex/violence. In fact, the parts where "violence are happening" in most of nwhepcat's works can be probably counted on one hand and remarkably short in comparison to the character interaction and self-examinations.
My favorite nwhepcat work? <a href='http://archive.shriftweb.org/archive/21/thislittle.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>This Little Light</a>, a fic that goes in depth into the "what-if" of the aftermath of S7-Chosen to those who are called. Word of warning: OCs for at least 80% of the fic.
My favorite nwhepcat work? <a href='http://archive.shriftweb.org/archive/21/thislittle.html' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>This Little Light</a>, a fic that goes in depth into the "what-if" of the aftermath of S7-Chosen to those who are called. Word of warning: OCs for at least 80% of the fic.