The Case of the Unwelcome Owl (Sherlock/Harry Potter Crossover Fanfic)

Author: FayJay

AO3 ID: 120495

Status: Complete (oneshot)

My rating: 4.5 of 5

John Watson finds himself awakened in the middle of the night by the looming form of his flatmate Sherlock Holmes at his bedroom doorway . . . demanding John hand over his gun to him. Because apparently, there’s an owl in the flat, and Sherlock wants to shoot it. And oh, look, there’s a fancy envelope the looks an awful lot like a wedding invitation that definitely shows signs of being held in said owl’s beak (John’s been learning to pay more attention to the small details). Only, since when do owls deliver correspondence? And who on earth would be brave enough to invite Sherlock to their wedding?

Oh my, The Case of the Unwelcome Owl was a delightful find for me. Basically, Sherlock receives a wedding invitation from his cousin Luna Lovegood, and John finds out about the whole wizarding world and (yay!) gets to meet Luna. Bordering on crackish (okay, it may have tipped rather far past the border at some points), it manages to be a charming character study. Really, as John says once he figures out what’s going on (sort of), it explains so much! And while it is remarkably quirky, this story also manages to be true to the characters in the essence of who they are, even while bringing in some very unorthodox backstory. I actually quite loved the way the author brings out the characters’ personalities through all sorts of little details, as well as the way the plot unfolds gradually with Sherlock holding on to his secrets as much as he can. On a side note, crossing other fandoms over with Harry Potter is basically the most done thing in the world . . . but this managed to be something unique and special. I love Luna, and she really doesn’t get enough attention–she’s got so much potential as a fanfic character, too, as is clearly shown in this fic. Also, kudos to the author for bringing so much humor into this story; The Case of the Unwelcome Owl had me laughing at every turn. Definitely recommended.

Note: You can find The Case of the Unwelcome Owl at https://archiveofourown.org/works/120495.

Advertisements

The Freshman (Visual Novel)

Pixelberry Studios

Status: Complete (4 books)

My rating: 4 of 5

It’s the start of your freshman year at Hartfeld University, and the future is bright. You’ve got a suite full of fun, interesting people who seem to want to be friends . . . maybe even more than friends. Hey, maybe this will be the year you find love! Either way, there are great relationships to build. But not everything is perfect–you’ve got sorority drama, financial crises, a cranky mentor/boss who wants to use your personal drama for his own ends. In fact, things get pretty complicated pretty quickly.

The Freshman is a choose-your-own-adventure sort of visual novel available through Pixelberry’s Choices app. I have to say, I really enjoyed this game. It brings out both the drama and the excitement of college, the thrill of defining yourself, building friendships, and making choices that will determine your future. I feel like they did a good job of making the main character–the girl you play–both developed as a character and open to interpretation based on the choices you make. That’s a hard line to determine, but I think the way they did it works. I definitely enjoyed the other characters as well; you’ve got some strong personalities, but it makes for an enjoyable mix. Although yes, also waaaaay more drama then I ever had at college, thank you very much. The creators manage to keep it fun though, mixing in humor and sweet moments in the midst of the drama and angst. In addition to all the school activity and drama going on with your group of friends, this is also a romance story (some might say it’s primarily a romance story, although I think it’s possible to stay single throughout if you so choose) with three dating choices. Again, I felt like this was fairly well-balanced against the rest of the game. The art and music were well done, and the text/interface are easy to interact with. Honestly, my only complaints are the main complaints I have with the Choices app itself–primarily that certain choices cost diamonds, and it’s impossible to get enough diamonds to afford all the choices you want to make without spending actual money. But I found I was able to enjoy the game in spite of not having the diamonds to choose everything I wanted to, so it doesn’t negatively affect the story too much. I would recommend The Freshman to anyone who enjoys a slice-of-life sort of story and to those who like western (as opposed to Japanese) visual novels.

White Collar (2009-2014 TV Series)

USA Network

Status: Complete (6 seasons/81 episodes)

My rating: 4.5 of 5

Notorious con artist and forger Neal Caffrey has been caught again after escaping from a high-security prison with only months to go on his sentence. Caught, no less, by FBI agent Peter Burke, the only one who has ever been able to get in Neal’s head and track him down. Now, Neal has talked Peter into making a deal, letting him out of prison on an ankle tracker for having him help Peter on his cases. An insider’s view, if you will. And although trust between them comes at a premium for a while, these two unlikely partners quickly develop a close working relationship and one of the highest close rates in the bureau.

White Collar is one of those shows that I would have (did, actually) write off as another of those boring police procedural shows–probably still wouldn’t have watched it if it weren’t for some awesome fanfic writers who love other shows that I enjoy also writing fic for this one. And I am so glad that I decided to give it a try. (And not just because Matt Bomer’s gorgeous, although yes, he is that.) Seriously, the show manages to be smart and funny and angsty and full of the best sort of bromance. It wrestles with issues like trust and true friendship. The characters grow and develop over the course of the show. And they’re pretty awesome right from the start, whether you’re talking about Neal’s suave, smart, sharp-dressed culture or Peter’s baseball-loving, down-home feel that will surprise you with moments of absolute brilliance or Mozzie’s conspiracy theories and undying friendship or Elizabeth’s warmth and insight. I can honestly say that I fell in love with these characters within the first episode, and that love only grew with time. The bromance between Neal and Peter warms my heart, the way they pick at each other incessantly, yet have each others backs when it counts, the adorable little-boy smiles they get when they’re together. It’s fabulous and heartwarming. The individual episode plots are more your standard procedural stuff, but they manage to be smart and interesting, allowing the characters’ individual traits to shine and grow, while also mixing in bigger long-term plot elements in the midst of each individual episode’s plot. I would highly recommend White Collar, and not just to those who like police shows, but to those who enjoy intrigue, great characters, bromance, angst, high-class suits, and guys who look great in them.

Created by Jeff Eastin/Produced by Jeff Eastin, Jeff King, Mark Goffman, Nick Thiel, Margo Myers Massey, Matt Bomer, & Tim DeKay/Starring Matt Bomer, Tim DeKay, Willie Garson, Marsha Thomason, Tiffani Thiessen, Natalie Morales, Hilarie Burton, Sharif Atkins

Giant Days, vol. 3 (Graphic Novel)

Author: John Allison/Illustrators: Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin/Colorist: Whitney Cogar/Lettering: Jim Campbell

My rating: 4.5 of 5

School politics and a mysterious individual who won’t show his (her?) face manipulating the players behind the scenes. Relationship drama on multiple fronts. Camping trips! Old friends stopping in to visit. The wonky world Susan’s brain enters after too many days with nearly no sleep. Find all that and more in the third volume of Giant Days!

As with the first two volumes, volume 3 of Giant Days delivers quite the charming, quirky slice-of-life drama as it looks into the daily lives of Susan, Daisy, Esther and their friends Ed and McGraw. It consistently follows the first two volumes in the delightfully odd look at college life, the relatable and fabulous characters, and the wonderful art that so characterize the series as a whole. I enjoyed especially that the first chapter is an Ed-centric one, giving us a closer look into his life, as well as McGraw’s. Also, although it was totally random, I loved the “Night World” visuals when Susan, and later Esther, get to that point where reality warps due to lack of sleep–the trippiness of the art there is really fantastic. And, while much of the story in this volume is pretty episodic, with the characters kind of scattered at points, the last chapter where the three girls go on a camping trip together loops us back to the beginning, to that wonderful connection and relationship that these three have. This volume managed to be relatable, full of feels, and also laugh-inducingly funny, sometimes within the same page. Recommended. (Warnings for a major cliffie at the end, though!)

Giant Days, vol. 2 (Graphic Novel)

Author: John Allison/Illustrators: Lissa Treiman & Max Sarin/Colorist: Whitney Cogar

My rating: 4.5 of 5

The holidays are here! Which means it’s time for the ball–vintage dresses and relationship faux pas abound. Then the university is closed, and everyone is supposed to be at home resting and celebrating with family. But Esther and Daisy received an emergency text from Susan, and they have made their way to Northampton to rescue her, from what, they know not. And when the girls get back to university after the holidays, what awaits but the dreaded exams . . . it would probably help if Esther had actually bothered to attend class for most of the previous semester. Meanwhile, Susan is keeping secrets from her friends, and Daisy has developed a weird Texan alter-ego. Naturally, zaniness ensues.

The second volume of Giant Days follows faithfully in the steps of the first volume, dealing a strong combination of relatable, cute slice-of-life story with some pretty hilarious comedic randomness. I would say that I liked this volume slightly less than the first volume, but that’s a matter of levels of brilliance rather than of good versus not good. The characters are strong, developing their personalities even more and branching out to show us more of each of the girls on their own, while still giving us a good chunk of page-time with them together. (Personally, I would have preferred more time with them together, since that’s when they really shine, but it’s neat to see them developed individually as well.) We also get more involvement and character growth for both McGraw and Ed, both of whom I’m growing to love almost as much as I do Susan, Esther, and Daisy–which is quite an accomplishment. Seriously, at the risk of sounding repetitive, the level of character development for all five of these characters is just stunning. It makes me very happy to read it. So does the art, which is just perfect for the story–bright and expressive and kind of casual. Highly recommended.

Frau Faust (Manga)

Mangaka: Kore Yamazaki

Status: Ongoing (Currently 3 volumes available in the U.S.)

My rating: 4.5 of 5

The old stories tell of a man named Faust who sold his soul to the demon Mephistopheles in order to gain his heart’s desires . . . but what if the stories don’t tell the whole tale? Marion finds himself intrigued when he encounters a mysterious woman by the name of Johanna Faust who first rescues him and then blackmails him into helping her in her search for a piece of, yes, the demon Mephistopheles. It’s impossible, but this vivacious, smart woman claims to actually be the Faust, the one who sparked all the old legends. Only, even if she were, she should have been dead ages ago. Intrigued, Marion finds himself unable to let her go, so he follows her as she continues on her journey to reclaim Mephistopheles from the inquisitors.

I’ve only fairly recently discovered Kore Yamazaki’s work, but this mangaka’s writing is rapidly becoming some of my favorite. It reminds me a lot of the things I love most about Fullmetal Alchemist–great characters, interesting plot, a sense of mystery, vibrant art.  It has a josei flavor, and I like that it’s a bit more mature without being unnecessarily M rated; it’s actually pretty clean. It’s more that Johanna herself is old, like impossibly old–while still appearing young and having an insatiable curiosity about the world–so you get some of that depth that comes from experience playing out in her character. I enjoyed having Marion placed alongside her character, since he is in many ways like a young version of herself; their characters sort of mirror each other and provide some interesting character insights. Overall, I’ve really enjoyed the characters that have shown up in this story, and much like Fullmetal Alchemist, it looks like we may end up with a pretty extensive cast. I’m interested to see how that develops, since this series is still in its early stages (I hope, since it certainly has potential to be pretty long). So far, there’s a nice balance of present-day action and flashbacks/explanation of things that happened in Johanna’s past. There’s a lot of mystery involved in said past, which is pretty interesting; I’m very curious to see how that is developed in future volumes. Also kind of random, but I liked the author’s choice of setting for the story–a somewhat medieval Germany (of a country based off of that). European settings just work really well for Yamazaki’s stories, or rather, Yamazaki does European settings quite well. In any case, I’ve enjoyed Frau Faust a lot so far, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this story goes.

Psych: The Movie (2017)

USA Network

Sequel to Psych

My rating: 3.5 of 5

Shawn and Gus have properly settled in to life in San Francisco (having been there for three years already). They’ve opened a new office in Chinatown, which Shawn has cleverly (in his own opinion) named psychphrancisco. Yeah, not the most successful psychic detective agency ever, but whatever; Gus has a full-time job to help support their rent and such when they don’t have cases. Oh yeah, and Shawn and Juliet still aren’t married . . . which may actually have something to do with why Shawn is snooping around shady areas of town wearing Gus’s Hagrid costume. Looking for a stolen ring perhaps? But it quickly becomes clear that the gang have more important (or at least more immediate) issues to handle when Juliet becomes the target of a mystery killer–one that will require all their combined skills to bring to justice.

The best way to describe Psych: The Movie is that it’s an extended episode of the show. So if you like the show, you’ll probably like the movie and vice versa. I have to say, it’s fun to see the gang back together again. The Shawn/Gus dynamic is going strong. I honestly think they sat down and figured out how they could cram as many of the classic running gags for the series into one episode as possible–and include some new plays off the old bits as well. As such, the movie is funny. Very funny in a goofy Psych kind of way. And did I mention random? Because it’s definitely random, right from the get go. On the negative side, I really, really wish we had gotten more of Lassiter than a video call offering support. I miss having him be a part of the gang–if for no other reason than that no one else is as good at picking on Shawn. But we did get a good cast, including Shawn, Gus, Jules, Chief Vick, Shawn’s dad, and (randomly but welcomely) Woody. The villains were kind of annoying more than actually menacing (other than the whole kidnapping thing), and the main plot didn’t really stand out to me. But let’s be honest, how many of us watch Psych for the plot, anyhow? We do get some cute Shules action here–including some resolution to the end of the TV series. Yay! So yeah, basically if you like the show, I would recommend the movie.

Written by Steve Franks & James Roday/Directed by Steve Franks/Starring James Roday, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson, & Corbin Bernsen