Heart in a Riot by Scyllaya
Jul. 27th, 2013 02:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mayalaenI finished reading Heart in a Riot by Scyllaya a bit ago. I really enjoyed this fic!
Alternate links are AO3 and Scyllaya's LJ - and there are no major spoilers below, BTW.
There was this huge plot about slaves and the Five Worlds going on (with details, angst, and other fun stuff), but I liked that the focus was Dean and Gabriel. Gabriel wasn't perfect, cheesy, or sweet, but still wanted to do the right thing, and his relationship with Dean showed that without making Gabriel into Mr. Nice Guy who comes in and sweeps the damsel in distress (i.e. Dean) off his feet and saves him.
Dean being mostly in character was refreshing for a slave fic as well. There were differences, which would have to be there because of how he grew up, but it was still pretty much canon Dean, just a bit more submissive out of the need to survive. And as I typed that, I realized that I'd kinda have to say that part isn't even out of character for him. So yeah, forget that last bit about being slightly OOC.
I almost would've liked to have seen more of Castiel and Sam (in a relationship or not), but I can't even complain about that because the focus of the fic being Dean and Gabriel would be lost, and I really liked that, if I hadn't mentioned it.
It's refreshing when a writer can turn a popular character into a slave, yet not make them into a cowering puppy. There are times I enjoy reading cowering puppy fics, but I love sinking my teeth into a fic with strong characters who have gone through shit and survived, who may have issues mental and physical, but they aren't completely broken.
I also appreciate when there are "bad guys" who aren't actually bad once you get down to the root of their reasoning, their lot in life, etc. Raphael and Michael are mentioned in this fic, and they have their place and duties, strengths and weaknesses, and you can see their reasons for what they do without bashing them and thinking they're horrible creatures.
Same thing with Sam and Castiel. The author could have bashed them, made them seem ridiculous and encouraged a hatred of them, but they were doing what they thought was right.
So I'd definitely recommend reading this fic, especially if you like Dean/Gabriel at all.
~Maya
(Crossposted from LJ)
Alternate links are AO3 and Scyllaya's LJ - and there are no major spoilers below, BTW.
There was this huge plot about slaves and the Five Worlds going on (with details, angst, and other fun stuff), but I liked that the focus was Dean and Gabriel. Gabriel wasn't perfect, cheesy, or sweet, but still wanted to do the right thing, and his relationship with Dean showed that without making Gabriel into Mr. Nice Guy who comes in and sweeps the damsel in distress (i.e. Dean) off his feet and saves him.
Dean being mostly in character was refreshing for a slave fic as well. There were differences, which would have to be there because of how he grew up, but it was still pretty much canon Dean, just a bit more submissive out of the need to survive. And as I typed that, I realized that I'd kinda have to say that part isn't even out of character for him. So yeah, forget that last bit about being slightly OOC.
I almost would've liked to have seen more of Castiel and Sam (in a relationship or not), but I can't even complain about that because the focus of the fic being Dean and Gabriel would be lost, and I really liked that, if I hadn't mentioned it.
It's refreshing when a writer can turn a popular character into a slave, yet not make them into a cowering puppy. There are times I enjoy reading cowering puppy fics, but I love sinking my teeth into a fic with strong characters who have gone through shit and survived, who may have issues mental and physical, but they aren't completely broken.
I also appreciate when there are "bad guys" who aren't actually bad once you get down to the root of their reasoning, their lot in life, etc. Raphael and Michael are mentioned in this fic, and they have their place and duties, strengths and weaknesses, and you can see their reasons for what they do without bashing them and thinking they're horrible creatures.
Same thing with Sam and Castiel. The author could have bashed them, made them seem ridiculous and encouraged a hatred of them, but they were doing what they thought was right.
So I'd definitely recommend reading this fic, especially if you like Dean/Gabriel at all.
~Maya
(Crossposted from LJ)
