Looking for long, scrupulously & painstakingly in-character, angsty, realistic, post 5-13 fics

[queerasfray.livejournal.com]

(Confession alert!) I'm having trouble finding the "right" post-series fic. I've started several that seemed quite promising at first but then later went off the reservation character-wise. It's a bummer to start a multi-chaptered fic only to have it wander off into the tangled wilderness of OoC land. I'm not particularly a fan of fluff (especially Fluffy!Brian) or nothing but sex-sex-sex 24/7. I'm looking for something gritty and real and angsty, and the longer, the better. I want something that is going to totally engross me and satisfy my bottomless need for The Feels.

Thanks ahead of time!

ETA: Wow! Thank you all for the response! Some great suggestions in the comments!

Comments

[kellydeer.livejournal.com]

Hmmm, I would have to say (just to give the requester a different opinion) that I did not consider this to be IC for Brian at all. In fact, it took me days to get over being pissed about how the story progressed. I don't want to come across as a flamer (since I can't write for shit), but it seemed, to me, like the author was out to antagonize the reader. I just kept feeling myself getting more & more pissed the longer I read it.

I know! I could always have just stopped reading it, but I rarely do that once I start a story & it was VERY well written. I just didn't care for the way the author portrayed Brian (in particular), but hey...that's just my opinion. Like I said, I just wanted to offer another view point to the requester so please don't take my disagreement personally :)

[debv3.livejournal.com]

I agree that Cyn created a Brian that was not totally IC. But she did maintain his overall issues of fear, self-sacrifice, tenacity. I have to say I loved the way Mel and Ted were portrayed. A very good read.

[kellydeer.livejournal.com]

I think for me it was more of the 'who knows Brian best' thing that got on my nerves. I mean, she had people that had known him all of 5 minutes thinking they had some great insight into his soul and, oh never mind...I'll totally start a shit war if I continue on my little rampage about that story. Nope...not even going there. I get myself all in a 'dither' whenever I think about it.

Having said that, I take absolutely nothing away from Cyn as a writer. She is truly phenomenal in that respect and she obviously put a great deal of time & herself into that epic. I just took exception to how the story developed. But, as the author, that was certainly her prerogative to tell it how she wanted to. God knows if I could string a story together I'd have quite a bit to say, but alas, I'm just an accountant. What do I know (LOL!) :)

[chaotic-boom.livejournal.com]

I've not read that story because I've gleaned enough from other postings and her own disclaimers to know that it would leave me in a bad place for days. So, I'm staying away! Just so you know that there are people even more (judgmental?) for lack of a better word. I don't like that fic, and I haven't even read it!! :) But the length and number of times I've seen it rec'd tell me that cyn must be a great writer. Just not my cup of tea...

[kellydeer.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had read some of the replies as well & should have just stayed away, but I am such a 'long fic' whore & this is one of the longest so it was totally 'the flame to my moth' as it were...

I saw other posts from folks who loved it though, so Fray may like it too. Don't want to totally discourage anyone. Each reader should make up their own mind, but just wanted her to have another view so she could form an 'educated opinion' and maybe so she wouldn't wander into it blind.

[queerasfray.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I appreciate receiving multiple opinions on a fic. And I also like being given a heads-up if the fic might bum me out. There's angst and then there's angst (For example, the image of Brian and Justin holding each other at the very end was good old healthy angst - the decision to fade Justin out of the picture was merely cruel).

[kellydeer.livejournal.com]

I know! I felt little puddles in my eyes & my heart just sunk when they pulled that one!

[debv3.livejournal.com]

Didn't think you trying to dis Cyn. You were totally flame free.

[theextrac00kie.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about it, I think it's a good thing that there are two different opinions :)

[queerasfray.livejournal.com]

Me, too. Thank you so much for the rec! The discussion actually made me really curious.

[queerasfray.livejournal.com]

Now I'm even more curious . . . you know what they say about publicity - good or bad.