Favorite Stories of 2022

[amalthia]

Star Wars

Title/Author: alexjanna91 - Obi-Wan Kenobi, Ambassador of Mandalore
Author Summary:
Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi did not take Master Jinn's last rejection lying down. With the Force whispering gleefully in his ear he decided to make his own way through the wide unknown galaxy. He wasn't afraid, though. No, in fact he was a little bit excited. After all, if he didn’t want to be a farmer and couldn’t be a Jedi, maybe being a pirate was his path in life. Either way he knew he was heading for an adventure.
Word Count: 274,783
Review:
I loved seeing Obi-Wan learning how to use the force without the aid of a Jedi Master, finding a new family, and how his choices are having a ripple effect to changing things for the better. I also liked the politics, character voice, plot, and I couldn't stop reading once I started.

Title/Author: K_R_Closson - Strangers Like Me
Author Summary:
When Obi-Wan chose to fight for the Young, he left behind the only life he'd ever known, and the only dream he had ever wanted. On Melida/Daan, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Child of No Clan, finds purpose and finds family, and begins a journey which will change the shape of his life and the galaxy in ways he'll never fully understand.

Or, the one where Obi-Wan is adopted by True Mandalorians off Melida/Daan. Featuring: teenage shenanigans, pet strill, Force teleportation, first love, and found family.
Word Count: 58,771
Review:
Loved seeing how things turned out when Obi-Wan became a Mandalorian instead of a Jedi. Loved the character voices and the ending really worked for me.


The Untamed

Title/Author: metisket - The One-Body Problem
Author Summary:
The good news is that Lan Jingyi has found a mentor, friend, and constant companion through the difficulties in life.

The bad news is that that’s because he’s been accidentally possessed by the Yiling Patriarch.
Word Count: 28,689
Review:
Loved Lan Jingyi's pov, character voice, the pacing, and the story was funny and heart-warming.

Title/Author: esama - Grave dirt
Author Summary:
By his second night in the Yiling Burial Mounds with the Wen Remnants, Wei Wuxian knows he has to do something drastic to make sure the people he's responsible for now not only survive, but thrive.

And since people already condemn the Yiling Patriarch for starting his own sect, well. It might be the way to go.
Word Count: 92,273
Review:
Loved the character voices, pacing, and seeing the Wen's and Wei Wuxian building a settlement in the Burial Mounds and figuring out that they can make money money with Wei Wuxian's talismans. I had so much fun reading.

Title/Author: Netrixie - The Beast of Gusu
Author Summary:
Or, when Wei Ying was told he was going to the lecture at Cloud Recesses, he never expected for his life to change this drastically.

In which Wei Ying is a wolf, Lan Xichen knew first, and Cloud Recesses becomes home.
Word Count: 212,689
Review:
Loved the plot, character voices, concept and seeing how things changed in a little ways with the use of shapeshifters as the source of the Wen's power.

Title/Author: cicer - love, in fire and blood
Author Summary:
In which the Sunshot Campaign ends through an arranged marriage to the Yiling Patriarch, and Lan Wangji suffers the mortifying ordeal of falling in love with his own husband.
Word Count: 360,042
Review:
I loved the premise, plot, character voices, and seeing Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian fall in love

Title/Author: Hobbsy3 - Tragedy is Not the End
Author Summary:
When Sizhui, Jingyi, and Zizhen are captured with Jin Ling at the Guanyin Temple, they're sure that Hanguang Jun and Wei Wuxian will fix everything - until Su She stabs Lan Wangji through the stomach, and everything falls apart around them. In a last, frantic attempt to undo the damage Jin Guangyao has done, Wei Wuxian activates a deadly array to send the four juniors back in time, sending them to the morning of Jin Ling's one-month celebration. With the fate of everyone and everything they love in their hands, Sizhui, Jin Ling, Zizhen and Jingyi race to prevent the ambush at Qiongqi Pass and the subsequent fallout, but Jin Guangyao has returned from the future as well, and he has no intention of letting what he wants fall through his hands a second time.
Word Count: 358,230
Review:
Epic story. I cried a few times, was on the edge of my seat more than once, loved the character voices, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. I liked seeing how the four kids from the future made a difference in the lives of their families.

Title/Author: rikke - a stone to break your soul, a song to save it
Author Summary:
When the entire cultivation world turns against Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng comes up with a plan to save him and arranges a marriage between his brother and the Second Jade of Lan, Lan Wangji.
Word Count: 179,769
Review:
Loved the plot, character voices, pacing, and seeing how Wei Wuxian realized he'd fallen in love with his husband. I also liked that the resentful energy actually had an impact on Wei Wuxian's health.

Title/Author: aubreyli - Absolutely True Story-verse
Author Summary:
In which the junior disciples (namely, Lan Jingyi, Ouyang Zizhen, and a reluctant Lan Sizhui) turn to RPF in an attempt to rehabilitate Wei Wuxian's reputation so that he and Hanguang-jun can get together and get married and live happily ever after. It's... surprisingly effective.
Word Count: 28,477
Review:
I laughed out loud a few times, loved the pacing, character voices, and seeing the lengths the teenagers went through to help rehabilitate Wei Wuxian's reputation.

Title/Author: ShanaStoryteller - Lynchpin
Author Summary:
He can’t get Jin Guangyao’s words out of his head.
If he’d only believed in Wei Wuxian, if he’d only been willing to stand up for him, could it all have been avoided?
Word Count: 103,005
Review:
Loved the concept, Jiang Cheng's character voice, seeing all the changes he made going back in time, the pacing, plot, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. This is one of the best time travel fix-it stories I've found in this fandom. Loved BAMF Jiang Cheng.

Title/Author: vespertineflora - as the sun will rise
Author Summary:
For centuries, the villagers surrounding the Qianlian Forest have been beholden to a fearsome creature. A once loved Prince was long ago cursed into a monstrous form, and ever since has required the sacrifice of maidens to ensure the safety of the forest and the people living around it. This forlorn tradition might have continued for centuries longer... but when it comes time for Lotus Pier to send a maiden as tribute, Jiang Yanli is chosen, and Wei Wuxian won't stand for it. His plan is simple; he'll send Jiang Yanli off to live the long life she deserves with her fiancé, and offer himself as a sacrifice to the Prince instead.
Word Count: 125,858
Review:
I loved the character voices, the pacing, plot, and the sex was incredibly hot. The author did a great job of of using sex as a plot device. I couldn't stop reading once I started.

Title/Author: ShanaStoryteller - Rotten Work
Author Summary:
Jin Ling hadn’t thought to keep track of Wei Wuxian.

Clearly that had been a mistake.
Word Count: 63,907
Review:
I had so much fun reading! Loved the character voices, I laughed out loud a few times, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. I loved seeing Jin Ling ruling his sect and trying to take care of his uncle Wei Wuxian and figuring out how to make time to spend with his friends.

Title/Author: Cerusee, Mikkeneko - refrain; a musical phrase repeating in a song or instrumental piece
Author Summary:
Well after the events of the series, Wei Wuxian develops a groundbreaking new technology: a spell that will send his consciousness back in time to before everything went so wrong, to try to set things right. Unfortunately, he made a little mistake in his spell...
Word Count: 51,605
Review:
I loved the premise, I was on the edge of my seat a few times, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. Loved that everyone else was thrown back in time except Wei Wuxian!

Title/Author: Ariaste - Attempting the Impossible
Author Summary:
Jiang Cheng gathers up his determination in both hands and goes to the Cloud Recesses to embark on one of the most difficult endeavors he can imagine: Repairing his relationship with his brother.

To his surprise, he discovers he's become an uncle again... several times over.

Wei Wuxian, what the fuck?!
Word Count: 36,095
Review:
I absolutely loved Jiang Cheng's character voice, the kids, and seeing Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian raising children.

Title/Author: KizuKatana - Rule Number One: Never get attached.
Author Summary:
Alpha Lan Wangji rapidly rose through the ranks of the Lan crime family to become its youngest enforcer, surpassing even his brother. He had a reputation for being cold and utterly unyielding. He did not make mistakes, and he didn’t forgive those who did. Of all the rules he followed, he was the most strict with himself about Rule Number 1: Never get attached.
---
Wei Wuxian had been waiting for a chance to get Wen Chao outside of the main Wen compound in Nightless City. He lucked out when he discovered an exclusive club outside of Wen territory that the man frequented. The only problem was that the club was run by Hanguang-Jun, rumored to be the top enforcer of the Lan crime family, and it was nearly impossible to get in. The only people who were guaranteed admittance were VIPs (which Wei Wuxian was definitely not), or whichever omega Hanguang-Jun happened to be fucking that month. Wei Wuxian fit his general type, and decided to pose as the newest flavor on a night when the crime lord would be out of town and unable to verify his identity or not.

Unfortunately, their intel was wrong. Hanguang-Jun was not out of town.
Word Count: 130,588
Review:
I loved the character voices, the build up to the sex was really hot, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. Like I lost sleep reading this fic and I don't normally read modern AU fics! But Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian as members of organized crime families really worked for me in a way I didn't anticipate!

Title/Author: timetoboldlygo - Love Song In Reverse
Author Summary:
Wei Wuxian gasps back into life without a single memory left. His friends, his siblings, his home — all lost to the fog in his head, nothing more than a mystery slipping through his fingers. What else was there to do but carry himself around in bits and parts, trying to become whole, a letter waiting to be written? He is – he is Mo Xuanyu, isn’t he? In this body, with these people. This family. He has to be Mo Xuanyu, he didn’t know anything else, even if the name sounded wrong. That was all he had.

Well, that and Hanguang-jun.

Lan Wangji, for his part, has had his taste of love and lost it. In all his grieving and searching, he didn’t expect to find another.
----
Wei Wuxian gets resurrected, loses his memories, and falls in love.
Word Count: 237,233
Review:
I loved the premise, character voices, and seeing how the story changed because of Wei Wuxian's memory loss and seeing him and Lan Wangji fall in love all over again. Wonderful storytelling!

Title/Author: likeafox - Teach Me The Ways
Author Summary:
Rogue Cultivator Wei Wuxian is the stuff of local legends. Some of those legends are even true! The ones about his tremendous experience in bed, on the other hand, are not so true. Which becomes a problem when Lan Wangji, on the verge of an arranged marriage and worried he won’t know how to please his future spouse, enlists Wei Ying's help to teach him the art of love-making. Wei Ying's great at improvisation, though, and is pretty sure he's got this sex mentor thing under control. What could possibly go wrong?
Word Count: 58,307
Review:
I LOVED the concept, character voices, and pacing. The sex was hot, sweet, and relevant to the plot! I couldn't stop reading once I started and parts of the story made me laugh.

Title/Author: KouriArashi - at the end of a storm (is a golden sky)
Author Summary:
the golden core procedure goes wrong, leaving both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian coreless and thrown into the Burial Mounds together
Word Count: 106,033
Review:
Loved the plot, premise, pacing, character voices, and pretty much everything about this story. It was awesome seeing how everything would have turned out if Jiang Yanli became the sect leader.

Title/Author: syrus_jones - The Golden Cutsleeve
Author Summary:
Wei Wuxian's test of mysterious, literally magical sex toy goes awry when Lan Wangji finds him in the woods 'experimenting' with it and it ends up in Lan Wangji's possession.

Unfortunately, neither of them is aware that the toy is anchored to Wei Wuxian's body. Too bad Wei Wuxian invited him to try it.
Word Count: 77,020
Review:
It was funny, the sex was hot, the character voices felt spot on and there were feelings!


Title/Author: Solmae - Alter
Author Summary:
Qishan Wen Sect's power is growing, overshadowing the land like the rising sun.

While other cultivation sects are becoming uncomfortable, they also want to avoid trouble. But Gusu Lan Sect has been a thorn in the Wen Sect's side for years, slowly growing isolated, until even the famous Gusu lectures are closed to outsiders. Until one day, Wen Ruohan decides he's had enough and sends his forces to Gusu.

The Cloud Recesses burns. The Lan Sect is slaughtered. The Twin Jades are taken prisoners, forced into impossible choices to protect each other.

And the uneasy peace shatters.
Word Count: 162,097
Review:
This is one of the best stories I've read in this fandom. Parts of the story are haunting, loved the character voices, the plot, and seeing how things changed but how some things remained the same.

Title/Author: draechaeli - Just as the Snow Melts
Author Summary:
Word Count: 66,613
Review:
Like a snowy mountain top in spring the residents of the Burial Mounds trickled down the mountain and joined the flow of society.

“I went to the Burial Mounds,” Lan WangJi said.

“Ah, yeah… I’m sorry Lan Zhan,” replied Wei WuXian, “I hadn’t thought anyone would come to visit. I am still not sure how it happened; I brought A-Yuan to Yiling to play by the river and then ended up somehow teaching a bunch of children swimming and writing along with him.”

Title/Author: FrameofMind, Jo Lasalle (Jo_Lasalle) - A Narrow Bridge
Author Summary:
Once, Lan Wangji made a choice to step aside. Ten years after Wei Ying’s death, he finds a way back to choose again.
Word Count: 700,193
Review:
I had an absolute blast reading this epic novel. I loved the concept, character voices, the sex was hot, great plot, and so many emotional gut punches. Like I cried more than once and was glued to the story for so many hours.

Title/Author: stiltonbasket - Twelve Moons and a Fortnight Verse
Author Summary:
In which Wei Wuxian spends a year leading the Jiang sect while Jiang Cheng helps Jin Ling claim his rightful place in Lanling, and that makes all the difference.
Word Count: 488,973
Review:
Loved the character voices, the plot, and seeing sect leader Wei Wuxian at work. I liked that the story changed some things from the canon and seeing how those changes affected the characters going forward.

Title/Author: KouriArashi - The Way It Wasn't
Author Summary:
After Jiang Yanli’s death, Jiang Cheng casts a spell to make it so Wei Wuxian never existed, only to find that without him, the Wen clan won the war and subjugated the world. But his sister is alive in the new world, so he's going to have to find a way to make it right.
Word Count: 72,350
Review:
I loved the concept of Jiang Cheng wishing away his brother and then realizing he fucked up and the rest of the story was fixing that fuck up.

Title/Author: edenwolfie - Just Say Yes
Author Summary:
A fluffy canon divergence AU where Lan Qiren realises Lan Wangji is in love with Wei Wuxian and is determined to not let history repeat itself. He sets out to reshape Wei Wuxian into an exceptional cultivator and a good match for Wangji, and along the way changes the course of their lives.
Word Count: 338,112
Review:
I loved the plot, character voices, and seeing how things changed with the betrothal arranged for them at Cloud Recess. I liked Lan Quiren in this story and seeing him mentoring Wei Wuxian.

Title/Author: Murahi - Yearning for Miles
Author Summary:
Wei Wuxian claims he found it. Jiang Cheng learns to trust his brother more than ever. Nie Huaisang is smarter than he looks and Lan Wangji will still pine even if Wei Wuxian knows they’re supposed to fall in love. At least the token is taking care of most problems.
Perhaps we can hope for a happier ending this time.

Or
Wei Wuxian finds a strange artefact while he’s studying in Gusu. Apparently it shows the future.
Word Count: 378,976
Review:
Loved the concept, character voices, and seeing how things change with all the forwarning Wei Wuxian had for upcoming events. I also liked the ripple effects. Lots of happy endings for many people.

Title/Author: thunderwear - myself through someone else’s eyes
Author Summary:
When Wei Wuxian burst through the doors, sitting on Lan Zhan’s lap, chewing on the strings of his forehead ribbon, was a baby.

“Please help me,” Lan Zhan said.
Word Count: 59,000
Review:
This story made me cry a few times. I loved the character voices and parts of it were so sad even if there is some happiness mixed in.

Title/Author: bread_and_tea - This Path We'll Walk Together
Author Summary:
Meng Yao has just been kicked down the stairs of Carp Tower. He's bloody, broken and having the worst day of his life. Then he meets a handsome Lan cultivator and everything changes.
Word Count: 132,424
Review:
I loved seeing how many things changed when Meng Yao joined the Lan sect. I loved the character voices, the plot, and the romance worked for me.

Title/Author: tickertape - A Thousand Things
Author Summary:
Wei Ying has made a fine life for himself. He’s got his jiejies and his talismans; he doesn’t need anyone’s charity. But spending a whole year in Gusu? That’s hard to turn down.
Word Count: 108,237
Review:
I loved the concept, character voices, pacing, and seeing how things would have turned out if Wei Wuxian didn't join any sects as a child. I adore genius with talisman's stories and it was great seeing Wei Wuxian adjusting to living in Cloud Recess and falling in love with Wei Wuxian.

Title/Author: Vathara - A Long Road (Valdemar/Untamed Xover)
Author Summary:
The diplomatic mission went fine, until the white horse yao kidnapped the necromancer's boyfriend.
Word Count: 187,550
Review:
This was such a fun crossover to read. I loved the plot, character voices, and couldn't stop reading once I started.

Title/Author: WithBroomBefore - Company
Author Summary:
Lan Wangji is fourteen when the dying boy comes to stay at Cloud Recesses.
Word Count: 29,830
Review:
I loved seeing Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji become friends and seeing how supportive Lan Wangji is while Wei Wuxian is recovering in Cloud Recess. Loved the character voices, pacing, and that Wei Wuxian found a place for himself.

Title/Author: The Feels Whale (miscellea) - The Wild Geese's Tomb
Author Summary:
Lan Zhan dies two years before canon and promptly wakes up in the library at Cloud Recesses right across from Wei Wuxian, napping facedown in a pile of copywork.

He has a lot of questions. Is this the afterlife? If it's not, then is he alone with his memories? And most importantly, what does he need to do to keep his soulmate alive this time?
Word Count: 66,349
Review:
I had so much fun reading this story! I loved the concept, plot, pacing, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. I loved all the effort Lan Xichen went through to arrange Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian's betrothal. I also loved that it was Lan Wangji that went back in time and was trying to figure out what had happened.

Title/Author: dragongirlG - 忍辱负重 | to bear the burden of humiliation
Author Summary:
When Lan Wangji gives himself up to Wen Xu at the Cloud Recesses, he does not expect Wen Xu to take him as a warprize and turn him into his concubine. After escaping during the Qishan Wen Indoctrination, he sacrifices himself once more to ensure Wei Wuxian's safe return to Lotus Pier. Unfortunately, Wen Chao succeeds in taking over Lotus Pier anyway, claiming Wei Wuxian as his own warprize in revenge for killing his lover. Afterward, Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji do their best to protect each other in the brief moments that they reunite, while working independently to take down Qishan Wen from the inside.
Word Count: 106,188
Review:
I was on the edge of my seat through most of this story to see how Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian would survive. I loved the character voices, plot, and I couldn't stop reading once I started. Heed the warnings.

Comments

[icarus]

Once I finish my fics, I'll start reading fanfic.

[amalthia]

I hope you have as much fun reading these stories as I did! :)

[icarus]

Was there another post that you did on DW? You mentioned you'd made one, but I don't see it here.

[amalthia]

No, I just updated my user profile and the sidebar links, so hopefully people are pointed to the pinboard recs so they don't have to wait so long for the DW recs.

Here is the link to my sticky DW rec lists: https://amalthia.dreamwidth.org/593964.html