How the Dragon Soars just updated again. It's a Rhaegar lives, Robert dies, story. Yet, doesn't appear to be a Targaryen-wank fic. Seems to be consistently chugging along with a little over three thousand words a month. There's not much there, it's only three chapters in. But it seems to be competently handling the political complexities of the AU, the characterisations are also solid. It's also got nice tensions between the various Targaryens. The inter-relationships have me invested at least, I've been very wary of romance as of late but it's decidedly inoffensive in this.

It looks to be Targaryen-centric, but within that it seems Jon-centric. Jon still suffers the stigma of being a bastard, though legitimised. Which is awesome because it's going to make everything that much more interesting going forward, I think. Blank has been doing a good job setting the scene and planting the seeds for later on. It's too early to rate, but it looks to be very promising and well balanced. I'm looking forward to seeing where this story goes because frankly I'm not entirely sure what it's going to be about yet. Hope this continues to update.

 

I like it. Ned and the Black Pearl was something I had never seen before, and I enjoy the whole "sellsword army changing Essos" vibe. It's more about the events and less about story, though. Still, I like it.

 

The Ned/Brandon interaction wasn't to my taste either, but it's only one chapter. Ned angst a bit about it and related matters going forward, but it didn't set me off and I have very little patience for angst/drama/anyemotioningeneral so it probably shouldn't be too much of a bother for other people.

As to the plot/other impressions in general:

Spoiler

While the Rebels still win overall Rhaegar survives at the Trident because Gerold Hightower was here (Lyanna gave birth earlier or something), then flees to the Free Cities (Pentos) with the remaining Targ family and Kingsguards, some retainers (the Darry) and basicaly the whole royal fleet/houses sworn to Stannis in canon. Robert, in his grief and desire of vengeance, abdicates in favor of Stannis to pursue him.

Ned, banished from the North by a surviving Brandon and not actually married to Catelyn/a father, follows along. Added to that are the Brynden Tully, Jaime (sent to serve Robert's quest for 7 years or until completion by Stannis as punishment for stabbing the Mad King) and some lords wanting to follow the war heroes (Bobby/Ned/Blackfish), some Westerlands knights sent to protect Jaime and some randoms for gold (Robert loots the Royal treasury before giving up his crown).

After securing a loan from the IronBank and an alliance with the Tattered Prince (who wants revenge/to shit on Pentos), they sail for Essos where their quest to end the Targaryen line will later bring them in contact with the endemic slavery of Essos, wich they don't like.

Meanwhile the Seven Kingdoms turn out differently under Stannis and Brandon than under Robert and Eddard.

That was the plot.

As to the lack of conflict: It's pretty much known that Ned and Robert are going to be successful, so it's not going to have a "rocks fall everything nice and everyone that you want to see doing well die" but I don't think it's that bad.

 

Where is the conflict? Everything is basically going along smoothly and it's being told like a middle school history textbook. Where is a reason for me to be worried for the main characters? It's just RobertJesus Frees the Slaves and Whoops Ass. It's just events happening without any emotional connection, as the only attempt (fuck slavery) is so ham handed you could declare it not kosher at 30 paces.

 

Here is a story I'm actually really psyched about sharing with you guys.

Raiders of the Lost City - Tyrion Lannister goes to Sothoryos by CaekDaemon is an AU fanfic of a type that I so rarely see in ASOIAF stories. Premise is basically, that, before canon starts, a year or so, honestly not exactly sure, Tywin has gotten wind that the ship of his long lost brother had been sighted in a place that would mean he was on his way back from the expedition he went on to find Brightroar, the lost ancestral valyrian sword of House Lannister. As such, he is sending Tyrion to return the sword or not come back at all. For that mission, he has assembled a good ship with a solid crew for Tyrion to do so. Crewmembers include Ser Davos Seaworth, Sandor Clegaine, Qyburn, Asha Greyjoy (that's kind of a spoiler but honestly, doubt anyone thought this was another dual ax wielding female Ironborn) and some OCs.

The take on the characters is excellent, it really feels like Tyrion a lot of time and overall, it is a really engaging read and quite a lot of fun overall. The stops at various ports, the character interactions and all. Even the exposition on various cultures and places in Westeros is a lot fun from this adventure perspective. Honestly, it's so much better than most ASOIAF fics, even if the basic premise is that of a D&D adventure and not high brow politics with tons of bad ends.

Not yet finished myself but I enjoyed the first few chapter so much, am rather confident in sharing this. Even if it goes off the rails later on, was worth reading alone for this. Wish more ASOIAF fics were like this.

Only 60k words so far but I'm having a blast with this one, so have fun.

 

The link sent me to part 3, but thanks for the rec, I'll check it out. I was getting desperate for read food.

 

CaekDaemon? As in the same guy who wrote Many Sons of Winter? He of Darkstarks, Swampstarks and so forth?

 

Dunno.

Fic's alright so far. The crew is a bit contrived and the author has a tendency to repeat things, but I'm enjoying it.

 

Yes, he of the run on sentences.

Spoiler

 

Jesus H. Christ, that's a real doozy. I'm 74% sure that fic has been recced before, but that could have been my future sight warning me of this moment.

 

'Hadrian Lannister Lion of the Rock'. As you might guess it's HP/GoT. Pretty much the definition of 'almost' recommended. Suffers from a terrible case of telling over showing, but it's like 400k and it doesn't have any egregious spelling errors. Harry is born as Tywin's firstborn, elder to his canon children. Don't bother if you want realism in your politics or well written fighting. I wouldn't call it guilty pleasure even, but I was able to turn my brain off and follow along. What got me to stick with it was the expansion into Essos by Hardrian and allies, creating a Westerosi Empire and stamping out slavery. What crossover elements there are...they're pretty hamfisted and without explanation/background. We're really looking at HP in name only, but you can say that for almost all fanon Harrys anyway.

Now that I've finished convincing you all not to read it, I don't suppose there's anyone around here who might have their own HP/GoT in the works?

 

That's a very....rough first chapter, I'll have to say.

Classic Harry. He loves to develop business holdings to supplement the family income. Just as he did with the Weasley twins. Remember when he, upon seeing his Gringolts vault, immediately started investing the money in a way that would guarantee him immense profit in the future?

Really, Cersei was already exactly as she would be when she was 30 in canon? Her life in a loveless marriage and powerlessness at court didn't have any impact on her development as a character whatsoever?

This doesn't really read like Cersei, tbh. Feel like Cersei would actually be ecstatic about a cool, competent older brother, especially if she was raised to like him. This seems more like that author had an ax to grind with Cersei.

Second chapter isn't much better.

Yikes.

Classic Varys. I also love he thinks every Lannister is a psychopath, even though he really only should be thinking that about Tywin.

How does he know? Did Harry read the canon books before he found himself in Westeros?

The cancer that is pranks is still plaguing the HP fandom, I see.

Wow, Harry was married and has seven children? Too bad we never see any of this as she so conveniently died before the author had to develop her. He didn't even love her so he is free to shack up with whoever the author wants them to from the canon cast.

This author just gets Harry.

Chapter 3

You know, not counting the Vale and the Stormlands, but who cares about those?

I love how Harry really doesn't give a shit about the people who died in place of Elia and Rhaenys. Yeah, i remember Harry thinking that people of the right bloodlines had inherently more worth than people without.

Yeah, Jon. There is absolutely no one else. Harry believes so and he is really invested in this whole monarchy business we have here. hue Targaryen loyalist, he is.

That's pretty ballsy of the Septa to so relentlessly bitch at and insult the daughter of the Heir of Casterly Rock. Wouldn't have thought that serving class people would have dared that. It's one thing to be more critical with the Stark children as she has known them their entire lives and the parents know the Septa, not so much with her. Just a forced scene, overall.

Also, Tyler's whole character so far is that he loves pulling pranks. And if you guys think I am reading through 400k words of a Tyler Arya romance...

I'll be the first to admit, that I have read some really shitty ASOIAF fics, be it Stark stomp fics, sappy JaimexOC fics, or even ostentatiously self-indulgent SI stories where the SI could create gunpowder and aqueducts and knew a lot about farming for some reason, but at the very least most of them tried to keep some semblance of immersion. This doesn't really try that at all. Just a lot of infodumps and rather terrible and frankly anachronistic dialog and atrocious handle on the characters all around. Harry never feels like Harry, not even for a single line so far. And it's a Harry who grew to be 200, and then grew up for thirty years in Westeros as Tywin's heir and despite those justifications for some alteration to his character, he still feels inexcusably different.

The Westeros stuff isn't handled any better. Writing 400k of a story isn't easy and requires some dedication, so kudos for that but outside of that effort, nothing is there for me to compliment so far. Maybe the story improves after this point, but so far, it's been a trainwreck.

 

Huehue. This bit got me.

 

I remember trying to read that but I just had to stop after Hadrian told the stuff that was basically gonna get said in the small council meeting to Ned yet Ned conveniantly forgot all about that stuff during the meeting so the scene could progress exactly as before.

 

Just once I'd like to see a Lannister Harry decide, now that he has essentially unlimited gold, that it's time to do what he's been itching to do since childhood: Buy solid gold everything.

 

I've been feeling pretty melancholic about Robb's fate. Is there any story where he won? Or at least died fighting and not murdered at the Red Wedding? Maybe The Vale joined his cause and they trampled The Westerlands? Hell, I'll even take a story where he married Maergery or Myrcella or something.

 

Here, let’s just reach into the bag of literally half of all ASOIAF fics.

Kingdoms at War

 

Is this actually worth a read? Because I find myself very hesitant to read anything that starts off with the author posting random commenters quotes kissing his ass.

 

Am at chapter 8 and it's pretty solid so far.