Underrated Sherlock fics, Part 4
May. 3rd, 2015 08:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
swissmargIt's time for more underrated fan fics in the Sherlock (BBC) fandom!
My qualifications for this list are:
- Fic complete
- Last chapter posted prior to April 1, 2015
- Fewer than 200 kudos as of this posting
- Earned a 'favorite' from me on AO3
In case you are interested, here is Part One from October 2013, Part Two from May 2014 and Part Three from November 2014.
In order of length:
A very well put together casefic with a mature, established relationship between John and Sherlock. The real draw for me is seeing Sherlock and John struggle to overcome the physical and emotional scars they bear from the previous parts in the series (which you should read for this to make sense). Hollowverse is an AU post-Reichenbach with a very different take on Mary. It will be helpful to read at least the first installment of the series prior to this for that reason.
Writing on the Wall (45545 words) by ScopesMonkey
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Molly Hooper/Greg Lestrade
Series: Part 4 of Hollowverse
Summary: Having returned from Wales with John injured and a betrayal looming in the background, Sherlock is refusing cases, until both John and a baffling double murder get the better of him.
======
A faithful fusion with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, with some fun re-casting, tons of action, and a dysfunctional relationship that neither of our two heroes can quit.
The Cup, the Knight, and the Soldier (36794 words) by essential_dreaming
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/Victor Trevor
Summary: Sherlock and John are both Professors of Archaeology. And they have...a history.
======
This is part of a more extensive series that posits Sherlock having an eating disorder. This particular installment has a very good casefic and should appeal to readers who are not just interested in the eating disorder aspect. No need to read the previous installments.
Help us to Survive (34258 words) by solrosan
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 3 of Eating us Alive
Summary: A crime scene involving a dead anorexic woman hits close to home for John and Sherlock, leading John to discover a disturbing pattern and Sherlock to face his eating disorder in new light.
======
A post-series 3 fixit with an original case that’s full of surprises and a beautiful, natural deepening of Sherlock and John’s relationship. Contains infidelity.
M for Marriage (28803 words) by RonaSargent
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John Watson finds out who he is actually married to. It's not who he thought. Beset with marital problems and with distraction in mind, a distressed John Watson helps Sherlock Holmes on a fast paced, high profile case. Unexpected revelations resolve not just the case but all the unanswered questions from S3.
======
The answer to the question posed in the title: they would cope in the most Sherlockian way possible. Very clever if angsty, liberally sprinkled with fluff, and a surprise ending that made everything right again. Not necessary to read the other parts of the series.
What If They Both Had Amnesia? (27342 words) by EinahSirro
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 3 of What Would Sherlock Do?
Summary: John and Sherlock finally have that first, beautiful kiss. Then... Something... Happens.
======
A post-series 3 fic that’s brutal and unrelenting in its honesty. Sort of a fix-it, although the ending hurts too. Infidelity.
Cleaner Air (25512 words) by pandoras_chaos
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Series: Part 2 of Recovery
Summary: All John wants is to have his life back.
======
A yummy post-series 3 fic full of jealousy, pining, hot tempers, hurt, bad decisions, and finally, all the feels. Along with a neat update of the ACD canon tale “Silver Blaze”. Contains infidelity.
Blaze (22450 words) by cadoganwest
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/OMC, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John finds his marriage dissatisfying despite the birth of his daughter, Hannah, and he prizes what time he can spend on cases with Sherlock more than ever. Unfortunately, John has reason to suspect that Sherlock may have a new friend who's going to take up Sherlock's time and attention. As it turns out, there's much more to it than that.
======
A post-series 3 fic in which no one is happy. Then there is even more unhappiness. With pining, stupidity, and altogether too much self-sacrifice. Fair warning: Mary is not a nice person in this.
Things unheard, things unsaid (19968 words) by jamlockk
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John is happily married now, at least that's what everyone thinks. He and Sherlock have drifted apart since the wedding and it hurts, for both of them. What will it take for these two to finally talk to each other, to finally say and hear what needs to be said and heard?
======
A between-the-scenes of series 3 fic that has an interesting explanation for Mary’s actions, with lots of clever links to ACD canon.
Mixed Messages (18838 words) by OpalJade
Rating: Not Rated
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Past John Watson/Mary Morstan
Summary: Sherlock has unravelled the entire 'Mary Morstan' conundrum and has finally shared everything with John Watson. (But that doesn't mean there are no more 'mixed messages' between them.)
======
This is the latest installment of the highly popular Bone Fiddle Appalachian AU series. For some reason, none of the later one-shots have been quite as well received (or kudoed, at least) as the initial novel-length story. This one is quite satisfying in itself, with a nice case/ghost story to complement the hotness of John and Sherlock's relationship.
He's Coming To Us Dead (13397 words) by Vulgarweed
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 8 of The Bone Fiddle
Summary: The war is ending and the troops are returning. They do not always mean well. Their loved ones are not always glad to see them. A case straight out of an old folktale has deep repercussions for Sherlock and John.
======
A fascinating concept bordering on magical realism. Follow along with Sherlock trying to unravel the mystery that John Watson is hiding. With dreamy smut and just a pinch of angst at the end.
Lovers in Captivity (11340 words) by snoozingkitten
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: John is well aware he is a medical impossibility. Sherlock knows something is not-quite-right and he’s physically incapable of leaving secrets tucked away in their boxes (he was a horror on Christmas).
My qualifications for this list are:
- Fic complete
- Last chapter posted prior to April 1, 2015
- Fewer than 200 kudos as of this posting
- Earned a 'favorite' from me on AO3
In case you are interested, here is Part One from October 2013, Part Two from May 2014 and Part Three from November 2014.
In order of length:
A very well put together casefic with a mature, established relationship between John and Sherlock. The real draw for me is seeing Sherlock and John struggle to overcome the physical and emotional scars they bear from the previous parts in the series (which you should read for this to make sense). Hollowverse is an AU post-Reichenbach with a very different take on Mary. It will be helpful to read at least the first installment of the series prior to this for that reason.
Writing on the Wall (45545 words) by ScopesMonkey
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Molly Hooper/Greg Lestrade
Series: Part 4 of Hollowverse
Summary: Having returned from Wales with John injured and a betrayal looming in the background, Sherlock is refusing cases, until both John and a baffling double murder get the better of him.
======
A faithful fusion with Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, with some fun re-casting, tons of action, and a dysfunctional relationship that neither of our two heroes can quit.
The Cup, the Knight, and the Soldier (36794 words) by essential_dreaming
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/Victor Trevor
Summary: Sherlock and John are both Professors of Archaeology. And they have...a history.
======
This is part of a more extensive series that posits Sherlock having an eating disorder. This particular installment has a very good casefic and should appeal to readers who are not just interested in the eating disorder aspect. No need to read the previous installments.
Help us to Survive (34258 words) by solrosan
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 3 of Eating us Alive
Summary: A crime scene involving a dead anorexic woman hits close to home for John and Sherlock, leading John to discover a disturbing pattern and Sherlock to face his eating disorder in new light.
======
A post-series 3 fixit with an original case that’s full of surprises and a beautiful, natural deepening of Sherlock and John’s relationship. Contains infidelity.
M for Marriage (28803 words) by RonaSargent
Rating: Mature
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John Watson finds out who he is actually married to. It's not who he thought. Beset with marital problems and with distraction in mind, a distressed John Watson helps Sherlock Holmes on a fast paced, high profile case. Unexpected revelations resolve not just the case but all the unanswered questions from S3.
======
The answer to the question posed in the title: they would cope in the most Sherlockian way possible. Very clever if angsty, liberally sprinkled with fluff, and a surprise ending that made everything right again. Not necessary to read the other parts of the series.
What If They Both Had Amnesia? (27342 words) by EinahSirro
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 3 of What Would Sherlock Do?
Summary: John and Sherlock finally have that first, beautiful kiss. Then... Something... Happens.
======
A post-series 3 fic that’s brutal and unrelenting in its honesty. Sort of a fix-it, although the ending hurts too. Infidelity.
Cleaner Air (25512 words) by pandoras_chaos
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Series: Part 2 of Recovery
Summary: All John wants is to have his life back.
======
A yummy post-series 3 fic full of jealousy, pining, hot tempers, hurt, bad decisions, and finally, all the feels. Along with a neat update of the ACD canon tale “Silver Blaze”. Contains infidelity.
Blaze (22450 words) by cadoganwest
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Sherlock Holmes/OMC, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John finds his marriage dissatisfying despite the birth of his daughter, Hannah, and he prizes what time he can spend on cases with Sherlock more than ever. Unfortunately, John has reason to suspect that Sherlock may have a new friend who's going to take up Sherlock's time and attention. As it turns out, there's much more to it than that.
======
A post-series 3 fic in which no one is happy. Then there is even more unhappiness. With pining, stupidity, and altogether too much self-sacrifice. Fair warning: Mary is not a nice person in this.
Things unheard, things unsaid (19968 words) by jamlockk
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Mary Morstan/John Watson
Summary: John is happily married now, at least that's what everyone thinks. He and Sherlock have drifted apart since the wedding and it hurts, for both of them. What will it take for these two to finally talk to each other, to finally say and hear what needs to be said and heard?
======
A between-the-scenes of series 3 fic that has an interesting explanation for Mary’s actions, with lots of clever links to ACD canon.
Mixed Messages (18838 words) by OpalJade
Rating: Not Rated
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson, Past John Watson/Mary Morstan
Summary: Sherlock has unravelled the entire 'Mary Morstan' conundrum and has finally shared everything with John Watson. (But that doesn't mean there are no more 'mixed messages' between them.)
======
This is the latest installment of the highly popular Bone Fiddle Appalachian AU series. For some reason, none of the later one-shots have been quite as well received (or kudoed, at least) as the initial novel-length story. This one is quite satisfying in itself, with a nice case/ghost story to complement the hotness of John and Sherlock's relationship.
He's Coming To Us Dead (13397 words) by Vulgarweed
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Series: Part 8 of The Bone Fiddle
Summary: The war is ending and the troops are returning. They do not always mean well. Their loved ones are not always glad to see them. A case straight out of an old folktale has deep repercussions for Sherlock and John.
======
A fascinating concept bordering on magical realism. Follow along with Sherlock trying to unravel the mystery that John Watson is hiding. With dreamy smut and just a pinch of angst at the end.
Lovers in Captivity (11340 words) by snoozingkitten
Rating: Explicit
Relationships: Sherlock Holmes/John Watson
Summary: John is well aware he is a medical impossibility. Sherlock knows something is not-quite-right and he’s physically incapable of leaving secrets tucked away in their boxes (he was a horror on Christmas).
