Remix Redux IV Recs

[alixtii]

There are remixes of some really wonderful fics in the new Remix round. And that's a real challenge in that even if one produces a well-written story, next to a work of genius it'll be nothing more than a pale imitation. (I'll admit it; I've mostly only read remixes of authors I know so far. I don't have a lot of free time to read stories I know nothing about.) But some managed to pull it off, not telling the same story but using the same events (more or less) to tell a completely new and different story. These remixes are brilliant and amazing in completely different ways than their originals are brilliant and amazing.

First, there's a remix--The Past is a Different Country (The Jumping Off Mix)--of nwhepcat's glorious Xander/Dawn piece Indelible. Indelible is about the slow development of Xander and Dawn's relationship as Oz returns to Sunnydale post-"Chosen." It's long (although not that long) and plotty, and just delightful. [ETA: I just re-read it, and oh, how I love that fic.]

"The Past is a Different Country" isn't about that at all (although it's also delightful). Instead, it focuses on Oz as he comes to terms with friends who live in a world he doesn't remember. It's not the same story told from a different perspective, like most remixes: it's a whole new story, with different themes and narrative arcs, based on the same events. It's shorter, focused more on the immediacy of Oz's experience in individual moments, and more lyrical, playing with both time and language.

Secondly, there's a remix--The Ballad of Charles Whitman (Apocalypse Remix)--of liz_marcs' early Xander fic Revelations. "Revelations" is a rich fic in which a variety of perspectives view a variety of very emotional and powerful scenes spanning a relatively short amount of time (about a day?). Liz is able to capture all the characters so perfectly, and presents some truly beautiful Buffy/Xander and Xander/Faith dynamics.

Unlike starting in media res as Liz does, the remix begins with the events of "Grave" and traces the AU from there, presenting us with the series of events in linear, chronological order, constructing from them a more traditional narrative structure as Xander undergoes a new character arc. The story is told tightly from his pooint of view, and in short the story succeeds (with flying colors) because it never tries to compete with Liz's tale; instead, it does it own completely different thing using the same events.

Another remix of which I'm fond is Learning To Fly (Is Like Falling remix), a remix of danawoods' fic Symbiosis. The remix is Mal/Kaylee, so it shouldn't be any surprise I love it, but I think the remix really captures the sense of longing (not all of it sexual) which fills Serenity and has a great grasp of the characters as they try to continue their lives after the movie.

Apparition No. 12 (The Scientific Method Remix) begins with Hermione and Ginny holding hands, and from that moment I was in for the ride. Okay, it's Remus/Sirius, not femslash, but the Hermione voice is a treat as she views the relationship from outside, and gets her own character arc which structures the remix.

Gravity (Fallen Apple Remix). I didn't quite understand what was happening until I read the original (Gravity by penknife), but the choice of viewpoint character is inspired and the Rogue/Magneto dynamic is wonderfully entertaining as they both bring on the snark.

Okay, I need to go now, but I'll leave more recs whenever I get to read more stories worth reccing.

Comments

correction

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

danawoods (no underscore)

Re: correction

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

*facepalm*! I was uncertain about that, but I figured I do it the one way, see if the link went anywhere, and then fix it if necessary. But then I needed to run as I finished the post, and I forgot to check...

In short, thanks. *goes to fix*

Re: correction

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

:) You're welcome.

(And if you're interested, Penknife has an LJ -- penknife.)

[gloss]

Thanks for these recs; I haven't known quite where to start in reading the remixes. Plus, thoughtful analysis of what the writers chose to do: Bonus!

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

I know the feeling--I guess the thing to do is to read all the fics in the fandoms with which one is familiar, but I certainly don't have the time for that, so I'm living off a) remixes of stories originally written by authors I know, and b) the recs of others. Which creates a sort of mini-BNF effect, as it is the stories which get recced to begin with which keep on getting recced, but I figure the reveal is in a week anyway and I want to help those others who are in the same boat in which I currently am.

Some of the recs from which I am working (musesfool is collecting all the recs posts in her memories) simply give the title and the fandom, so I am trying to be a little more thoughtful in my recs. Also, I'm all thoughtful about my remix and since I can't talk about it until after the reveal, this way I can think about and discuss the art of remixing.

correction the second

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I just noticed that "The Ballad of Charles Whitman (Apocalypse Remix)" doesn't actually have a link.

poking the site, it should be:
http://remix.illuminatedtext.com/dbfiction.php?fiction_id=506

Re: correction the second

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

I won't even bother *headdesk*-ing. My desk isn't strong enough. Thanks a million.

*goes to fix*

[livii.livejournal.com]

Ah, I just had to say thank you again, here - I was pointing someone at your rec and got gleeful over it again. So, thanks so much. :)