Fic rec: Master and Commander and Zombies, by anon

[tree_and_leaf]

There's no way a fic with this premise can't be crack - in the sense of it being a weird idea - but this is very well done; frightening, and remarkably sad (since, unlike zombie movies, we already know and love the characters). Jack and Stephen deal with a horrible plague of revenants which has devastated the British Isles, as well as the terrible strain it puts upon their friendship. Character death, and some very unpleasant moments: but had O'Brian written about zombies, it might have looked like this.

Comments

[undomielregina]

wow. thanks for reccing that, it was unexpectedly powerful. You're right, despite everything it's not exactly crack in the usual sense of the term.

[tree_and_leaf]

Yes, I'm not normally either interested in or frightened by zombies, but that made the horror of it quite clear; and characters are exactly as we'd expect them to be, should something like that happen (which is why, I think, it doesn't come off as crack as such).

[sir_guinglain]

I've not read the O'Brian novels and know little of zombies; but this story not only familiarizes me with both (or at least the characteristics of the canon to which a fan audience are expected to favourably respond) but works in its own right, though the conclusion is a little rushed.

[tree_and_leaf]

As I said above, zombies don't interest me, but this works remarkably well (and is quite upsetting, at least if you're a fan of canon) - though you're right, it is a bit 'with one bound they were free!'

O'Brian is excellent. I still haven't read all of canon, because I want to make them last (though I can still reread them with pleasure, so really I should stop being daft and read them - I just want to put off the evil moment when there will be No More Aubreyad)