Instant Rec. Generation Kill : Itch in Your Veins.

[hackthis_archive]

Itch in Your Veins by romanticalgirl. Generation Kill. Nate/Brad. Ensemble. NC-17. Timeline in the series.

Generation Kill is a tiny fandom. Our canon is closed. It's war-based. It's not pretty (although our boys are). It's not sweet. Or kind. Or open to mass interpretation. It's hard. And mean. And brutally real. It's offensive and rude and so very honest. It doesn't appeal to a lot of people; it doesn't attract a lot of fans or fanfare. We are very much about word of mouth. We don't have a lot of writers (maybe a dozen). We don't have a lot of artists (one, maybe two), but we have a lot of heart. And when we write this fandom, we try to make our works as epic as our canon. Our version of GK is based on an interpretation of an interpretation of an interpretation, which makes us so far removed, we're pretty much in a cave. But sometimes, in the dark, we make something really beautiful... like this story.

Or, as I said in my comment to the author about Itch in Your Veins:


This is absolutely tremendous... [and] as I carry on reading this now I'm absolutely besotted. This the story that all GK stories dream of being when they get big and start mainlining Ripped Fuel. It's beautiful and poetic and so sharp and smart and astute. God, I'm kind of afraid to read the last section, because then there will be no more. I thought my writing was just in hibernation, but with this, I think it's decided to hang up its spurs entirely. You know sometimes you (okay: I) read a story and you're envious, because you just can't execute in that particular manner, or you're in awe, because it's something you'd never think of? With this story, it seems so definitive that a part of me is like, so...


You know those stories that come along and when you're done you're like, "Well... fuck."

This is that story. It doesn't matter if you don't know the fandom. READ IT. You can thank me after.

Comments

[lazulus]

HOW AWESOME IS THIS STORY?

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

I want to have story envy, but that story is so awesome that mostly I just want polish its boots and have it tell me stories about how one day, if I work very hard I can do something 5/16th as awesome.

[romanticalgirl.livejournal.com]

::flaily hands::

Thank you for such wonderful, sweet words. The way you describe feeling above is very much what I feel when I read a lot of your stuff, so I refuse to let you even think about hanging up spurs at all. Besides, if you think about it, this is all your fault anyway, since you're the one who got me into the fandom in the first place (with a little help from svilleficrecs who might have directed me toward the actual episodes) because, not only did I know you love it, but your name came up on the pinch hit for Yuletide, and I begged her to get me the eps so I could write for you if I got tagged to write the pinch hit.

Thank you so much for all of this. ::hearts::

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Baby, there are no words to describe the awesome of your story. No, really, there aren't. Because I haven't read something I've really really, emphatically loved in fandom in a long time. I like Merlin, it's pretty, but GK is the only thing that seems to make me 'feel' something when I read it, and it's just so small that it doesn't quite fill that gaping maw that fandom seems to require, and I'd been feeling that itch of 'yeah, maybe this hobby is just done and dusted. We really don't have the time anymore, and the interest just isn't there...' but I am totally babbling. What I am trying to say, is that sometimes a story comes along at just the right time to make me feel pity for people who don't get the fandom thing or mock it, because I've read thousands of books (possibly tens out thousands) and probably thousands of fandom stories and a epic, truly heartfelt story like the one that you wrote, this is the kind of thing that you don't seem to get much anymore, in books or printed journalism or blogging or whatever. So, it's just that much more special when it does come along. Well done. Really and truly.

Also, I had no idea you'd just been missing the episodes! Dude, if I'd've known that I've called out the grunts right quick on your behalf.

[romanticalgirl.livejournal.com]

::flails more::

It's funny, because I was recently reading sparky77's fic "On How Sergeant Colbert is Nothing At All Like Winnie the Pooh, and Other Important Lessons That Can Be Learned While Observing the Sergeant Laying under a Jeep", and thinking "Man, I can't ever write *anything* like that! Perspective is a wacky thing.

Suffice it to say, there's always lots of adoration heading your way from Seattle.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

LOL. sparky77's 'Pooh' story is one of my favoritests in the fandom. It's just such a hysterical read, but so incredibly true of their dynamic, because Brad would totally go on strike like that.. and her Ray was dynamite. That story just fills me with glee. My brain is kind of cracky but S is the one who just flings stuff at me until something sticks.. the mob!AU... the professor!Nate

[romanticalgirl.livejournal.com]

The voices are so spot-on in that, and Ray's inner monologue is fabulous too. And, you know, the image of Ray, Brad and Nate being one big happy family (with psycho dog Trombley and cousin Walt visiting from the south - not to mention nosy neighbor Poke) is just perfectly perfect.

[sundappled.livejournal.com]

I think this is one of the most beautiful and heartfelt recs I have ever read. If the story is half as good as your recommendation I will be a very happy bunny. I am most definitely off to read.

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

What can I say, if I like something I generally really like it. What that should say is that 'I like a lot of things, but if I really love something then I want to share it.' And if you've read it, I hope that you enjoyed it too.

[missdunham.livejournal.com]

Oooh i liked what you've wrote and the fic is awesome too xD

<3333

[azdaja-dafema.livejournal.com]

Ok, I watched this a few days ago, and am hooked to the fandom. Thanks for the rec!

[hackthis.livejournal.com]

Welcome to the fandom!

[gravi-girl123.livejournal.com]

After a year+ of seeing you pimp this fandom, I have FINALLY watched Generation Kill and fallen so deeply in love with it. Thank you for having these fantastic recs for me to dive into. This is a fandom full of lots of heart and excellent writing <3