Link: Times Like These
Author: ariel2me
Rated: Fiction T
Chapters: 34
Words: 56,211
Updated: Dec 29, 2014
Published: Sep, 2012
Status: Ongoing
Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire

Summary:
AU where Robert Baratheon died, Rhaegar Targaryen did not kidnap or run away with Lyanna Stark, and Lyanna Stark married Stannis Baratheon.

This story is refreshing, finally a Lyanna who isn't generic or an author's avatar. The writing is solid, pretty good most of the times, if confusing at times. The updatingrate is a mystery, the author is a serial write and abandon after a few chapters, but keeps coming back to this one. The plot is interesting and it refuses to become a fluff fic, with the author never forgettin the political consequences of what he does to the story.

The real jewel of this story are how he portrays the characters, Stannis and Lyanna are very well written and talentedly explored as people. Minor characters like Aerys and Rickard that got little to no time in canon shine here, being fully formed characters and pretty unique. A 4.5/5. After rereading I think it deserves a .5 for the sheer talent in making Stannis so utterly relatable and Lyanna is great. And Renly is cute.

Edit: Thank you very much.

 

Rickon? I assume you meant Rickard.

But yeah, this has got to be one of my favorite ASOIAF fanfics ever written thus far, but granted ariel2me is one of the best writers in the whole fandom. I strongly advise folks to look at his/hers other ASOIAF stuff, especially the one-shots, of which there are plenty, and most of them are equally good.

What's important for me when I read ASOIAF fanfics is for the author to get the tone right. The mannerisms of characters, their mindsets, their gestures... and this fic has it all.

I liked this Lyanna. She feels real, she's not some phantasm of a rabid fanboy or a fangirl in whose mind she can do no wrong. Of all the Lyannas' I've ever read about in the fandom, this one is probably my favorite.

And as you say, it's not just a fluff story, there's more, there's always more, going on in the background. Just because there was no Rebellion doesn't mean things have improved or would improve sometime in the near future.

5/5

 

Read it all in one go. Excellent, though I see that the last update was in december.

5/5 in any case.

 

I have put it to Almost reccomended before. I still like it.

 

Love this story. As mentioned before, the way the characters are written is excellent. Especially Lyanna. As Odran says, she is not idealized and absolved of everything, creating this perfect "strong woman" character on a pedestal but at the same time, the story does not demonize her in any way. Her strengths and her flaws are human, based on her social status and age and all too understandable. Her developing relationship with Stannis is outstanding.

Similarly, I love how the plot is not a retreat of canon and keeps you guessing, as, even without the Lyanna kidnapping/elopement, the underlying issues and tensions are still present and are developing in a different way. The focus on the Starks is different as well and it is nice to see Lyanna's father scheming and plotting as he does.

Similarly her relationship with her father is interesting as well. She resents him and loves him still, whereas he really doesn't understand her. It kinda reminds me of the relationship and problems between Arianna and Doran, but where the individual mistakes of those two lead up to one big talk where they were able to talk about their tension and reconcile their misconceptions of each other, Lyanna and Rickard have yet to do that here and I doubt they are ever going to do that since Rickard doesn't really seem interested in a change on that front.

It's been half a year since the last update but yeah, really like the story. 5/5

It totally nails the atmosphere of the books.

My one complaint, probably nitpicky, was the portrayal of Varys during that dinner. Like, the way he so clumsily and directly tried to spread discord was just a bit jarring. It was just a bit better than saying "he says he slept with your mother", he was that obnoxious and obvious about his intent with his questions. Varys is a bit more subtle than that. Kinda wish those attempts would have been more organic in a conversation and not so jarring.