A short series on the final years of Sherlock Holmes.
Better get your box of Kleenex, you’re gonna need it! This is Sherlock’s tale of living after his beloved doctor has passed, accepting the past, and finding a way to leave behind the Holmes and Watson legacy. Sherlock has grown into a very loving and emotional man but it was never described as being an overnight process which I appreciated. He gradually learned to let others into his life, to build a family, and to show sentiment. I really like the little peeks into John and Sherlock’s life but it never became the focus. The focus wasn’t on the past, it was in the moment but looked fondly back on memories. I actually really like the fact that Molly moved in with Sherlock to keep him company in his final years, their friendship had obviously grown and strengthened over the years and they needed each other. However, I really wish the details of Molly’s life were explained a bit more. Yes, the story isn’t about her but she is a major factor of this story and we’re told tiny bits of her marriage and children that leave me with many questions unanswered. What happened to her family? Where are her children now? Just a bit of clarity would leave me at peace with this story. Sherlock’s tribute to John was perfect, I love the praise the book got and the success. There is no better way to honor John Watson than by honoring his adventures with Sherlock. The amount of success in a two year span seemed a little much but I guess I could see it happening. Lily was a great character to bring into the story to show how they all end up. She wrapped up a few questions I had at the end and I’m happy to see her life come out the way it did. It’s a beautiful story, and well written. The only thing I had a hard time connecting to was some of the dialogue, some of it felt unnatural, obvious that it was a story rather than something that might have actually been said. Does that make sense? It’s nothing that hindered my enjoyment, I just didn’t fall completely into the world. All in all a bittersweet tale of a man trying to carry on without his soulmate by his side.
Word Count: 11,599
My Rating: A-/B+
Love is a dangerous disadvantage for the Holmes family, immortals until they’ve given their heart to someone else. Nevertheless, it’s not like Sherlock planned to lose his to John.
I have never used the word ‘pretty’ to describe a fic before, but I feel like that works. The content is not being described, but the fic as a whole. It’s deep and thoughtful with a touch of magic. Sherlock has immortality, but only if he protects himself from ‘giving his heart away’. That way, he can preserve his immortality. Mycroft warns him, but it doesn’t matter once he meets John Watson. As far as the fic goes, I should probably do th actual review part now. Reading about Sherlock’s heart and how he gives it away and trying to know if John will give him his in return is beautiful. On top of that, if he does give his heart away, any injury that comes to John also comes to Sherlock. I somewhat wish that could have been played on more, but I like how it IS revealed. SPOILER there is a scene where LMycroft does something to check on whether or not Sherlock has given his heart to John. I have to say that is my absolute favorite part because it’s a bit not good, but it’s perfect. Of course Mycroft would do something like that. Anyways, I really liked this and I want to read more of this magic idea in the future.
Words: 4,926
My Rating: A-
Review by: Taylor
Everything felt wrong. His hair was going the wrong way. His arms were bent in ways he wouldn’t choose to bend them. His neck hurt and he couldn’t really feel his toes. Something was dripping on his face – and rolling up.
No, this definitely wasn’t right.
“Sherlock? Sherlock!” a frantic and pained voice whispered next to his ear. Sherlock groaned and turned his head, hissing as the muscles at the juncture of his neck and shoulder flared with pain.
“All right, it’s all right, it’s fine.” Sherlock couldn’t finish turning his head for fear of the muscle seizing completely, but the rest of his senses were kicking back in. Metallic creaks and groans, cracking glass, the distinct smell of petrol and burnt rubber.
A car crash. He had been in a car crash.
This is one that I read quite awhile ago actually and just now found in my bookmarks! It’s actually a very heartwarming story that stays, for me, reasonably in character. John also talks about Detroit in this one, so it shouldn’t be a huge surprise that I like it! In this story, Lestrade, Sherlock, and John are in a car crash and John is hurt much more than he’s letting on. What’s interesting to me is that it’s not painfully obvious that Sherlock and John are in a relationship, you catch on very quickly but they never act dramatic. I really like the slow realization of their relationship and how close they actually are. The Detroit part will always be my favorite about this, despite my bias it’s actually a very beautiful parallel to their situation. The buildings John describes are very beautiful in their destruction, much like their crash. It’s scary and exhilarating to be in a place of so much danger but it’s peaceful and beautiful at the same time. While the crash was all destruction, what was happening between Sherlock and John was wonderful. Things from there get a little confusing. John ends up in the hospital but the narrator jumps around too fast. There’s actually a sex scene snuck in there that I missed at first and had to turn around and figure out exactly when Sherlock got on top of him! It was just a little addition that felt out of place and ended up just being confusing. Overall a very well done concept, and if you have the time I definitely suggest googling “Detroit Ruin Porn”!
Trigger Warnings for car crashes and injury
Word Count: 4,256
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by BootsnBlossoms
When Sherlock is forced to share his eyrie, he is determined to make the best of it. However, he has no intentions of ever pair-mating. It’s a pity his body has other ideas.
John Watson cannot believe his luck when he meets Sherlock Holmes. But then, who would ever want a flightless Tiercel with PTSD who can’t even manage a courtship flight?
At this point it should come as no surprise that I’m the one reviewing wing!fic… There’s just something about people with wings that I find utterly fascinating. That being said, I absolutely adored this fic. It was detailed without being overly graphic and descriptive without being too word-heavy or poetic.
I appreciated the characterizations in this story; they seemed pretty spot-on for the universe these characters are placed in. I love how Sherlock doesn’t realize at first he’s responding to John’s advances, and how Mike had to point out to John that Sherlock was making advances of his own… Absolutely clueless, our boys. Sherlock’s reluctance also seemed very in character; he didn’t want to lose himself in the rush of lust/love/heat his body produced whenever John was around, and that seemed right for such a controlled person. John seemed a bit out of character at first, but then I read the second chapter and things made a lot more sense. The author does a great job while telling this story; giving us the relevant details in flash-backs without making the plot drag or providing too much exposition. I also really enjoyed that the characters were modeled off various birds of prey, and had personalities and courting styles to match. The author clearly did her homework, and it makes for a much more engaging and interesting read.
MATURE READERS ONLY FOR SEXUAL CONTENT.
Word Count: 26,646
My Rating: B+
Read it here, fic by JessamyGriffith
Sherlock’s refusal to talk about his past hides far more skeletons than John could ever have guessed at. Halloween-esque AU.
Wow, can I just send a thank you to Maz for telling us about this story? You weren’t kidding when you said it was good! This is a very creative and well told crossover fanfiction, that never once seemed like crack to me. The movie it’s fused with is kept a secret at first(trust me you’ll probably know it) and it really helped to strengthen the story. I knew the crossover because of Maz but I was still unsure of how it was going to come into play and what would happen. The uncertainty of the plot made it a more interesting and invested reading experience for me. So I really recommended you do not try to spoil yourself with this! The story is told very well, it never once dragged and had just enough humor added to lighten the mood, but it was never cheap comedy. Characterization was also very interesting; Sherlock is not exactly how I personally see him but with his background here I understand the choices this author makes. I really do love his background in this story! It was told in such a wonderful way! The only thing I noticed was the way some parts where told almost too fast for me, it skips over the information we already know from the show (which I agree with) but I think it skips over too much too fast. Spending just a bit more time on those parts, not much just a little bit, I think would make it feel more natural and not rushed. Same with the Moran part, it was a really big scene that I would like to have had more time with. Would love to compliment a few more things but in order to avoid spoiling anything I’ll end the review now. Overall this story was told very well and in an interesting way. I’ve been waiting for a crossover like this for a long time! So happy that this was done well!
Word Count: 57,711
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by flawedamythyst
A quiet, warm evening in. Takeaway and tension, so much neither wants to break it.
Seriously loving the imagery here. It’s really really lovely, creating a softness throughout the entire fic. It’s…comforting, is that weird? Like I wanted to curl up with my blankets and kind of just snuggle in. It’s an interesting combination of this beautiful gentle quiet and then wonderful building tension. Usually I’m itching for the tension to break but in this case I was hoping it would last longer. It was so fantastic. They kind of quietly fall into bed together and again that softness is there and I’m glad John noted that it was so unreal seeing Sherlock like that because he’s usually just a flurry of motion and thought. Here Sherlock’s slowed down and I guess you’d say thoughtful. Relishing John in the state he has him in. I think this fic deserves way more reads, it’s wonderful! Mature readers for sexy times.
Word Count: 4810
My Rating: A-
Read it here, fic by scullyseviltwin
When first encountering Sherlock’s ‘black moods’ then John was entirely unprepared, army training be damned.
I really love the characterization in this fic. This, to me, is Sherlock. It often bothers me when he’s just too…sweet and lovely (And you know how much I love fluff, okay?) because it’s really not him. We’ve seen a softer side to Sherlock but ultimately he’s moody and difficult and this fic reflects that very well. Here he’s also sharp and unrelenting; he wants to get a rise out of John. He insults him and wants to argue but also withdraws into himself. I really believe this is spot on. It’s how I picture Sherlock. John, despite his frustration, still understands him on a level that I don’t think Sherlock is used to. I don’t think he’ll ever fully get Sherlock but John knows enough to not give up on him. I love how in this fic John does just that. He gets angry and goes to clear his mind but he still comes back because he knows Sherlock. It’s a lovely, more realistic view on life with Sherlock. We do see a glimpse of sexy times (okay maybe more than a glimpse) and I can definitely see how Sherlock wouldn’t show that vulnerability of asking for the intimacy. He remains guarded and John kind of has to infer and dig a little. It’s so…them. Mature readers for sexy times. Kind of in passing but it’s there.
Word Count: 3454
My Rating: A
Read it here, fic by Kate_Lear
Companion from Sherlock’s POV: Read it here, fic by thirdbird (It’s fantastic!)
John is a mess. Sherlock can’t fix him, but he tries. That’s good enough, John thinks.
This is a lovely, quiet post-Reichenbach fic. Sherlock has come back after his 3-year absence and John tries to adjust to his presence. However, John still suffers from nightmares about Sherlock’s fall. Sherlock steps in to help John cope with the bad dreams by sleeping in his bed, massaging his shoulders and attempting to bring him water.
The core of this fic is the slow build-up and the underlying tension between John and Sherlock. Their relationship unfolds naturally into romantic love—nothing is forced or sudden. Both Sherlock and John come to the same realization, but do not need to say it out loud to know it’s true. As is their style, they both just accept it and move forward.
I really like how the author, teahigh, does not stray too deeply into HOW Sherlock came back, or John’s immediate reaction to it. The slightly non-chronological timeline and the two cases in this fic are deliberate and careful. As a reader, you can tell that the author took a lot of care to make this piece subtle and gentle, much like how Sherlock is with John after his nightmares. As an added bonus, there is humor here and some moments in which Sherlock is so, so human.
Gorgeous and believable fic. Give it a read if you’re wanting to read a post-Reichenbach fic that rings as romantic and true.
Word Count: 11,634
My rating: A
Podfic here, by magicranberries
Reviewed by jedimeg
When Sherlock decides to retire to Sussex, John decides to find out who he is without Sherlock.
I really loved this one, it tore my heart out in a way that fanfic doesn’t usually do to me. Now it’s actually not that sad, but with the way the situation and the characters are written it’s completely realistic and the fact that this could happen to our boys just breaks my heart. It’s a slow and steady burn of longing and sorrow, which ended up being perfect for the characters. Sherlock, as I always say, has so many emotions and he feels so much but doesn’t know what to do with them. This is really apparent in this story. He’s irrational when he’s upset but of course he’s not going to come out and admit he’s hurt. The violin scene killed me, he was hurting so badly. John and Sherlock’s relationship is based on untold feelings and stubbornness, they are both so closed off from their emotions that they won’t admit they feel strongly for one another. What I like in this story is that it’s not lust or attraction that fuels their love, it’s affection and comfort. It’s an unsexual relationship but there’s no way you can deny the love there. Really well done characterization, in my opinion.
I love the OC in this, Cynthia, I can really tell what drew John to her and why they started their relationship. They are both so similar and her backstory really helped me understand her motives in the relationship. I like that Mary was a part of John’s life, but not at this moment. I don’t think this idea would have worked if it had been Mary at this point in John’s life.
They only issue, and it’s not big, is that at some parts the details are passed by. There’s a main thing with Harry that you have to read carefully or else you’ll miss, and Sherlock moving into his Sussex home wasn’t told to us. I wish these things (and a few other bits) had been expanded on, but since they are not vital to the story it did not hinder my reading or my attitude towards the writing. Though I was a bit lost with November, I’m not sure where that section took place and think clarification would help.
I do really like this story. It was rich with emotions while staying realistic. That’s the best kind of story for me, one where you picture the John and Sherlock from the show rather than a fanfic version of them. Alex always says she imagines Reapersun’s Sherlock and John when she reads fanfic, which I agree with, but for this one it was the real deal. I love that it has a happy ending, a loving ending, but not a cheesy ending. Would love to see more of this verse!
Word Count: 17,724
My Rating: A
Read it here, fic by wiggleofjudas
Sherlock’s never dated or been in a relationship and is suddenly showing interest in a young woman he met at a party. Naturally, he goes to John for very personal, intimate, ‘hands on’ advice.
Sometimes, you just need something simple, cute, and sort of sexy. Considering this is the first one from this author, I say kudos. One of the nice tropes you can’t deny that you love: Sherlock gets a date and someone has to show him the basics. The whole idea is very cute, and I love the bits of Sherlock trickery as well as John’s sneaky methods to try to get the best out of the deal that he can, while simultaneously trying to not be a jealous git. Just something cute and nice. Oh, and then a bit of sexy. MATURE READERS ONLY.
Words: 10,258
My Rating: B
Read it here, fic by sherlockandjohnwatson
Review by: Taylor
