Skating in under the anon deadline...

Yuletide this year was especially great for me, because I requested something very specific in a tiny fandom: sometimes you read a one-off fantasy novel by a not terribly prominent author, and come out thinking "ok this wasn't even a great and necessary book that I can unqualifiedly recommend so that it will get a greater readership; however, I really wish it were because I desperately need the fic where Character A and Character B actually have sex and I really want someone else to write it."

This is to say that two different people wrote me Innisth/Deconniy fics for Winter of Ice and Iron and they are both brilliant and capture exactly what I loved about these characters and their setting:

His Honor With His Clothes: Verè makes a different answer to Innisth's proposition. Really excellent for Innisth's negotiations with his Power and Deconniy feeling his way around his new land and new lord.

His Majesty's Man: post-canon: “ 'Desires change, Innisth. Surely you know that.'” Lovely Kehera and Innisth plus Innisth/Deconniy.

Writing for a tiny fandom is so generous and I'm thrilled people did it for me.

I also got an unexpected but extremely fun epistolary fic for In Other Lands:

Five Letters and A Postscript: letters that fit perfectly into canon and expand on, in particular, Elliott's relationship with elves. It's full of clever touches and I highly recommend.

In fact, there were a lot of good In Other Lands stories:

All I Want Is You: In which Elliot organizes a bachelor party for Serene's fiancé-- on his side of the Border. Chaos, hilarity, and some surprisingly poignant plot and character developments ensue.

The Next Chapter: captures the feel of the book perfectly.

I haven't had a chance to read as much of the collection yet as I wanted, but here are a few more stories I really liked:

Alliance-Union - Cherryh
Relations: a lovely exploration of Justin and Grant and what it means to be "like" family but still azi.

Alpennia
A Twelve Day's Mystery: casefic! Blackmail and Jeanne having to save the reputation of one of her past flings, bringing intrigue and politics for Barbara and a chance for Margerit to employ a working-in-progress. This was extremely fun, beautifully characterized, and had everything I love about the series. 

Imperial Radch
From the Fire: Breq attends a fancy ceramics workshop while tracking down antique-collectors during her search for the Presger gun. Amazing detail and Radchaai worldbuilding (my favorite things!), and excellent supporting characters.

Diana Wynne Jones
A Little More Conversation (Derkholm) Callette invents texting. Funny and very in-character. Made me go and reread the books, I enjoyed it so much.

But Blank Lines Do Not Say Nothing (Chrestomanci) Julia wants to know about her mother's history. This was careful and subtle and beautifully characterized for Janet, Julia, and Chrestomanci.

Mina de Malfois
Mina de Malfois and the Changing of the Guard: another one of those things whose existence seems like a yuletide miracle. I adored Mina and Arc and this fic has exactly the right light touch with them as they get entangled in some of this past year's big fandom kerfluffles and issues.

The Tay Bridge Disaster - William McGonagall
De Tavi Pontis Clade Carminis Fragmenta: Newly Discovered Fragments: well obviously I'm going to rec the one in Latin! But seriously: verse comp is really hard and this is very well done.