Horatio Hornblower - 9 recs

[recsforalloccasions]

Hornblower Recs for All Occasions

Part VII: I just watched Mutiny and Retribution and I can't seem to stop wallowing in the beauty and the tragedy of it all. (Canon-ending Fic)

Passing by dira - Dira's one and only Hornblower story, although if we all make really big eyes at her maybe she'll write some more. *g*. Dira's prose is simple and elegant and her feel for the characters is rock-solid. In the early morning of the day Archie goes before the court martial, William helps him get ready. William is perfectly realized here, frustrated and conflicted as he struggles with his inability to effect events around him through any means but this small act. Everything about this story is perfect, William's frustrated strength, Archie's determination and fierce bright-burning love, the confidences shared between them, the layers of trust conveyed in the act of one man dressing another. And the ending, a favor asked, a promise made, and I find tears in my eyes every time I read it.

Vigil by the_dala - The night before the denouement of the trial, a frustrated and sorrowful William keeps vigil at the bedside of a feverish and restless Archie Kennedy. Although not actually in the room, Horatio's presence is very strongly felt and the web of relationships and potential relationships between the three men is very much in evidence. Dala too shows us an impotent William, offering his friend the only gift he has left. Heartbreaking, painful and true.

Cold Comfort by rach74 - A brief slice of time in a Kingston sickroom, Cold Comfort is a poignant counter to Rach's LKU Kingston Days stories. William and Archie, lay side by side in a prison sickroom thinking about how things could have turned out differently. Rach has a real feel for William, here she captures perfectly what it must feel like to share a room with a dying man, knowing how close you came to sharing his fate, knowing that you may share it even if you survive your wounds. It's a short scene, gently drawn, that feels honestly and painfully real.

Continental Drift by the_dala - Six interlinked drabbles from the perspectives of six different men during and in the moments following the last scene in the infirmary. In only 100 words apiece Dala brings out the essence of this moment and the complexity of relationships and feelings that surround it. This really is an example of fic at it's finest, just absolutely perfect.

The Falling Glass by destina - Horatio and Archie's relationship seen in five moments over the course of Retribution. The intensity of emotion captured in the first two scenes, the heat and intensity of the attraction and love between Archie and Horatio that is laid out so vividly, makes the inevitable heartbreak of the ending hit that much harder. Destina has a vivid sensual writing style that makes for an intense and powerful story.

Rappeller by nifra_idril - A variation on the "five things that never happened to..." concept; four ways Horatio won't remember Archie and one way he will. nifra_idril captures five perfect snapshots of Horatio and Archie's relationship, from their time on the Justinian to that last moment in Kingston. Together they are laid out in a beautiful lyrical style that captures the feel both of their time together and of Horatio's life alone. Simply a gorgeous piece of writing.

Anniversary by nindulgence - A different kind of post-Kennedy fic, It's seemingly a normal day on the Hotspur, except somehow it's not. The Captain's twitchy and foul-tempered, the First Lieutenant's keeping his distance, the crew members who've known the Captain longest are exchanging knowing looks and Midshipman Orrock wants desperately to know why. It's a clever perspective that makes a simple story something much more. As usual, Nin's writing is spare and graceful, not a word out of place and she really makes Orrock - an underused character in fic - come alive.

The Virtue of Fools by versaphile - A story about moving on in the aftermath of Kingston. I have a particular fondness for movieverse Horatio/William writers who don't ignore Archie and his place in Horatio's past. In The Virtue of Fools, Versaphile confronts the (figurative) ghost of Archie Kennedy head on, with a gutwrenching and beautiful story about the price of mourning too much. It's not about letting go of the past, it's about making room for the future. A gorgeous bittersweet love story with strong characterizations and a beautifully spare style that fits perfectly with both characters.

By His Side by oh_kaity - The morning of Horatio's wedding, William remembers the man who should be standing by his Captain's side. A bittersweet reminder that William knows whose place he's taken and yet will never really take. By His Side has rather a unique perspective, William remembering and reflecting on Horatio and Archie's relationship: the parts he saw, the parts he didn't see and the parts he wasn't supposed to see. oh_kaity puts it all together in a story that is touchingly -- tragically -- real.