Fiction:
Copper Script by K.J. Charles was a delightful historical romance, set in 1920s London, in which a closeted policeman, Aaron, encounters Joel, a graphologist who lost his dominant hand in World War One. Despite attraction, neither trusts the other until they’ve slowly tested each other out. In the course of a semi-scientific test of Joel’s (somewhat fantastical) abilities at determining character from handwriting, they uncover a conspiracy and must work together to save each other. It was very entertaining and soothing. Recommended.
Fanfiction:
Don’t Look Back by acuteneurosis is an epic Star Wars alternate universe series, still unfinished but standing at over 760,000 words. The premise is that when tragedy hits after Return of the Jedi, Anakin Skywalker’s Force ghost sends Leia back in time, where she meets his mother/her grandmother, Shmi, on Tatooine. While grieving Luke, Han, and Chewbacca, Leia is determined to change the future and make sure the Sith Empire doesn’t happen. However, she’s starting with nothing, not even a traceable identity. What I love about this is that is focuses on a host of female characters (Leia, Shmi, Padmé Amidala, her senatorial handmaidens, the new queen of Naboo, Queen Breha Organa, Ahsoka Tano, and more) whose diligent efforts in government slowly shift history. I love that Shmi’s background as a slave on Tatooine directly gives her skills she can use for a refugee organization, and Leia’s training as a princess on Alderaan informs her work as a political aide. While not losing the plot to senatorial minutiae, the story nevertheless includes quite a lot of fascinating machinations and alliance-building while the characters are only gradually coming to realize that Chancellor Palpatine is not what he seems on the surface. The story also addresses elements I felt were skipped over in the movies: exploration of Shmi and Leia’s Force sensitivity, which causes complications but also advantages, and more realistic characterization of junior senator Jar Jar Binks. Meanwhile, Leia’s post-traumatic dread of Darth Vader, who tortured her, is overlaid on her first impressions of padawan Anakin Skywalker, a socially awkward teenager when the story begins. Note that part three ends on a very dramatic cliffhanger with a character death; I wasn’t expecting anything so dramatic at that point! I have no idea how long it will take until the story is finished, but as the writer is still posting, I have hopes an ending will eventually come about. I’ve very much enjoyed the ride so far.
