Of Merlin slash and writing in general

[wiseheart]

Now that German tv has started showing Merlin (the BBC series), I've brought forth my 1st season DVDs, courtesy of the most generous the_wild_iris and re-watched the first couple of episoded to compare them with the dubbed version. I came to the conclusion that German dubbing actually isn't half bad this time. (Unlike in Torchwood where they successfully eliminated some of the really important half-comments, like Jack coming back for Ianto in the first place, and only additionally for all the others; or that he couldn't even *look* at Gwen after the horrors of CoE - but I digress).

I also realised again that Colin Morgan and Bradley James have great chemistry as Merlin and Arthur. So I started looking for some Arthur/Merlin slash. What can I say? I'm a dirty old lady and need my slash/smut fix to deal with the unpleasantries of Real Life. Shoot me.

I found a great deal of the stuff, naturally. Two pretty boys, lots of female hormones... need I say more? Unfortunately, in several days by now I haven't found a single story that I could have enjoyed without restrictions. Most of it was mediocre crap or worse, of course, but so is 99% of fanfic, which doesn't make the crap any less popular. (Yeah, I'm having a serious case of sour grapes here, so what? I'm entitled to it.)

I did find a few promising ones, started to feel happy, started to read - and then was really disappointed. Either they deteriorated to the "one finger, two fingers, three fingers, dick"-routine around the end, after the promising start, or the language couldn't make me really believe I was reading a semi-medieval fantasy story.

Yes, I know the series itself is anachronistic at best. It doesn't really bother me, because it's so much fun otherwise. I know I shouldn't expect the language of a Tolkienfic in a Merlin story. And I don't. Still, I think the original works so well because of the tongue-in-cheek medievalism, which isn't really authentic, but still has an authentic air about it. So, unless someone writes a modern-day AU - which, IMNSHO, is a contradiction itself, because, honestly, Arthur and Merlin in modern day kinda makes the whole point to write about them senseless - certain expressions just don't have any place in a Merlin fic.

When I write Tolkienfic, I consciously try to give it a somewhat older feel. For example, I don't use contractions and try to find old-fashioned words... as well as my limited English allows. When I write Cadfael fanfic, I do the same. When I tried my hand on Merlin fic (and I have, recently), I found that contractions actually went well enough with it, but I kept going for more old-fashioned expressions - although not to the extent I'd do when I wrote Tolkienfic.

And that's what I so sorely miss in the Merlin fic I've come across so far: that small amount of autenticity. Somehow I have the impression that Arthur and Merlin (despite the magic shoehorned into the story) could have been exchanged for any two pretty boys from any other TV-show - and that makes the story a disappointment for me. Even if it is, technically, well-written.

I'm sorry if I've hurt anyone's feelings. That wasn't my intention. But that's how I feel about the whole issue... and, at least, I don't pick on anyone by name. A courtesy other people not always show towards my work, I'd like to add.

Comments

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

I don't read slash or smut and am not into the Merlin series, but I could not agree more about the use of modern language in stories set in ancient times. If I had a pound for every time I've cringed at something like the following."I'm Ok,"said Aragorn. "I guess I'll be fine." I'd be very rich indeed! But if you try telling the writers,they bite your head off!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes, the LOTR fandom has suffered particularly from the modern-language-syndrome. I particularly hate the 4-letter-word that writers seem to feel they've gotta put into every other sentence. Save from the fact that LOTR characters don't swear (unless they are Orcs, but even those are more imaginative), there really are other, older expressions for that particular act, aren't they?

As for slash, when I first encountered it, I was completely bewildered by it. But it's grown on me - however, not the "technical manual" part of it. That's just plain boring. Personal dynamics can be very interesting, though, if well written... which is, sadly, as rare as good hetfic or genfic, in these days. I'm grateful the Interned didn't exist when I was thirteen or so. Imagine the horrors I might have gifted upon innocent readers. ;)

[missyvortexdv.livejournal.com]

I think I feel the same way about new Star Trek slash. I surprised myself by being partial to Kirk/McCoy, which there is tonnes of, but finding fic I like is still really hard because often enough I also find it feels like you could swap the characters with any others.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Isn't it all too often the case?

I avoided new Star Trek, myself. Originally, I wanted to watch the movie, if for nothing else, then for Chris Pine. Btu when I heard that they raped 30 years of canon - again!!! - by destroying Vulcan, I just couldn't be arsed to waste my money and time on it.

I'm a hard-nosed conservative who wants Spock as I first met and loved him. And McCoy. And Uhura. And Sulu. And Scotty. Even Chekov or any of the recurring characters. The only one I always despised was Kirk. *g*

[missyvortexdv.livejournal.com]

I never have been much into the original series because I could not stand Kirk at all. I don't mind William Shatner in Boston Legal or even so much as film!Kirk but he put me off the show completely, hence I suppose why I'm not bothered by the reboot.

[the-wild-iris.livejournal.com]

Have you tried crack_van for Merlin fic recs?

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Not yet. But since you are the one suggesting it, I will. ;))

You know, the other thing I don't understand is people's obsession with putting Merlin, Arthur & Co in a modern-time environment. What the Hell? What does a US Marine/rock star/modern-time drug addict or any of the countless other versions to do with early medieval Britain, wizards and dragons?

Granted, I hate the genre by default, because, for me, the environment/timeframe, etc. is the second most important part of every fandom (after character interaction). Perhaps I'm a little narrow-minded. But if I want to read a modern-day slash story, I turn to a fandom set in contemporary times. Putting Merlin (or LOTR, or Earthsea, take your pic) characters into modern times only increases the exchangeable quality of the whole thing, IMO.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I meant take your pick, obviously. I just can't type.