Wisely, I Say, I Am A Bachelor (Cinna/Finnick) and Running The Spectrum: Orange (Wiress/Beetee)

Hello, everyone; I'm Hannah, and this is my first recommendation on Nightlock. Each week I'm going to be finding the "undiscovered gems" of the Fandom, especially in minor- or rare- pairings.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present:

Title: Wisely, I Say, I Am A Bachelor

Author: Mithrigil

Summary: How Cinna became a revolutionary, and other stories; most notably, how he deconstructed Finnick Odair.

and

Title: Running The Spectrum: Orange

Author: NoStrangerWouldItBe

Summary: "It's easy, being with Beetee. So little in life is easy." He knows what she's thinking and she gives him oranges. Wiress and Beetee through the years. Written for the Caesar's Palace Color Prompts "Orange"

My Reccomendation:

Starting with "Wisely, I Say, I Am A Bachelor": It took me a while after I read this the first time (staying up ridiculously late on a school night because I just had to finish it), to figure out what I actually liked about it; this was hard because there really wasn't a lot that I didn't particularly love. Finally, I came to my decision: the characterization. You get to know all of the characters, both the main ones of the Fanfiction and ones that are a bit more in the background, including OCs, very well by the end of it. I was particularly impressed by this as it's told in first-person. It was all such a brilliantly inspiring portrayal that despite it's length, I've read it several times since I just discovered it a few days ago. In a few words: sophisticated, real, humorous, and addicting.

For "Running The Spectrum: Orange": Wiress/Beetee was always an interesting pairing to me, and this Fanfiction did them both justice, while it was a nice take on the prompt provided: "orange". This, I think, captured what Fanfiction is supposed to: add to the cannon in a new way. Set before The Hunger Games, it's a unique take on the development of this relationship. It sort of makes you say, "Oh, yeah, I could see that happening." The little plot-devices used are not forced and really help move the story: the characters' interests in inventing, oranges, Wiress' habit of trailing off, their relationship with other victors, etc. While nicely detailed, the story is always progressing and keeping you interested. In a few words: adorable, free-flowing, and well-crafted.

That's all for this week!

Sponsors/Game Over (OC)

Allo, allo folks! I'm Polkapop and I'll be rec'ing the more complete side of THG fics. Which means I'll be spending countless hours reading through extensive stories for your enjoyment! And... maybe mine as well.

So let's get started, shall we? My first two fic rec's are by the wonderful gethsemane342. I've chosen this set because of my need to get the full picture of Panem. So today I bring you:

Title: Sponsors
Author: gethsemane342
Summary: So, why would someone actually sponsor a tribute? Twenty-four sponsors and their reason for picking their tribute

&

Title: Game Over
Author: gethsemane342
Summary: We know why someone would sponsor a tribute. But how do they feel when their tribute dies or wins the Hunger Games? Twenty-four oneshots for twenty-four tributes, sequel to Sponsors.

Recommendation: Okay, I know what you might be thinking - how on earth does a capture of one-shots make a complete story? Well, in my pursuit of completion I'm not only searching for stories that are technically complete, according to the authors, but also stories that make the idea of Panem complete. Both "Sponsors" and "Game Over" are outstanding ideas to add to the fanfic of THG. They're well written and are strong in their character development of the sponsors themselves (each one-shot features a different sponsor). In these short stories the reader is given a character who they know nothing about and in less than (typically) 500 words, the reader knows a backstory, scenario and reasoning for why they chose their tributehow they felt post-tribute death. That to me is excellent construction. Further, each story hints at the bigger picture of Capitol residents - they tell of rebellion, pity, selfish pursuit and realization. The author gives a side of humanity to characters that readers often only see as one-dimensional.

Mostly, I just liked the idea of breaking the mold set out by canon. These stories are snapshots of the characters who are the audience - and that viewpoint is strangely intriguing.

Our First Fic Rec!

Ooh la la, first post! It's Little Miss Mionie here - Nightlock has been my idea, and I hope it will grow into something awesome in the coming weeks. Who knows, maybe there will even be segments! 


If you feel the need to be super cool and join Nightlock as a fic recommendation contributor, or maybe even a graphic maker, please fill out this staff form :)


I just adore The Hunger Games and it's fab community - and I'm excited myself to find, through other reccers on Nightlock, some really wonderful HG fics.

Tonight, I present to you my first rec (Mockingjay Spoilers abound!): the first ever HG fanfic I ever stumbled upon: Terrors and Joys by HalfHope.

How exactly did Peeta convince Katniss to have children? What made her change her mind?

Firstly, I must say that I adore HalfHope's plots. She has a great imagination and writes in a very canon-esque fashion, which is something I personally look for in fics.


This three-chapter-long, completed ficlet serves to be a great filler for those who were wondering about the years in between the last chapter of Mockingjay and it's epilogue. I've seen a few 'How did Katniss finally decide to have children after she stressed in the books she wouldn't?' fics, but I think that Terrors and Joys takes the cake. HalfHope really manages to capture Katniss' characterisation by first employing a Katniss who warms to the idea of having children. We see this play out in chapter one through dialogue to Peeta.

He looks at me painfully. "Katniss, can't you just see it though? A child—our child—playing out here? Catching fireflies and picking flowers? Running up to you and hugging you for no reason, besides the fact that you're their mother?"

"Having that child fall and scrape its knee, running to you crying endlessly. Disobeying you when you tell it to get that bug out of its mouth. Stomping through the house with muddy feet. That child growing up and turning against us."

"Sure, there may be some of that," Peeta says. "But wouldn't the rest of it make up for everything else?"

It won't make up watching it die, I think to myself, staring at the primroses.

"I can't do it, Peeta," I say. "I can't lose anyone else."

What I also enjoyed about Terrors and Joys is that while showing our beloved characters true to form, HalfHope does a lovely job of weaving in some tender moments.

It's just like any other night. Peeta and I are in bed, holding each other as we've done for the past seventeen years. No reason why it should be different, why just as I'm drifting off in Peeta's warmth I should feel something startling.

"Katniss?" Peeta asks as I jump out of his arms. "What is it? Is anything wrong?"

I put my hand over my stomach. "I…I think I just…"

There it is again. Like something is thumping inside of me from my middle. Something shifts in me, making me gasp. I throw one hand over my stomach and the other over my mouth to try and stifle the cry coming from my chest.

"Are you in pain? Do you need to go to the doctor?"

I shake my head.

"Are you sure? Katniss, if anything is wrong-"

"I just felt her," I tremble.

All in all, this is a great little ficlet that is sure to create HalfHope fangirls out of the Katniss/Peeta shippers out there.


Until next time,
LMM
xx