Warning: Tentacles

flypaw

I really love this AU. It’s a futuristic dystopia with the Earth being swallowed by water, and Merlin stuck one of the only bits of land left. This fic is very grand in scale, taking Merlin through a journey of discovering his own magic, discovering a world beyond his simple island, starting to believe in himself and understand the seemingly insurmountable tasks that lay ahead of him. To begin with, this is very much a Merlin-centric story (It is about 100k before Arthur is even mentioned). But the story as a whole is about their combined roles in saving their people. A really fascinating read of complex world-building with a good amount of Merlin and Arthur’s destiny with benefits.

paperlegend

wanderhomeagain

This was a delightful h/c. I enjoyed the exploration of Arthur’s struggles, his self-image issues caused by his amputation. I think the author treated the matter with respect, and paired it well with Merlin who is sensitive and caring, but also not without his own scars. Very good read.

misswinterhill

There are a lot of ‘Quest’ fics out there, and this one without a doubt deserves the title ‘Epic Quest.’ Everything thing in this fic is done on a grand scale: amazing adventures, fascinating OCs, humour and pathos and triumph over adversity. I really appreciated the friendship and love between Merlin and Gwaine that went far beyond sexual attraction to being true partners in every sense and the Arthur factor was dealt with handily. Vague Spoilers: While Arthur was absent for the majority of the fic, he is still a specter between them (certainly from Gwaine’s POV) and not ignored to serve the plot. But rest assured that by the end of the fic Arthur is standing tall and proud with Merlin at his side. And Gwaine where he should be at Merlin’s side. Smiles all around.

aqualillium

amphigoury

new_kate

This is a magical historical AU, taking place during WWI. I love the original take on reincarnation of this fic. There is something very right about the land calling back Arthur every time it needs him, and Arthur just jumping into battle, ready to die (forfeit the new life he’d given) to help his kingdom in a time of need. I also liked how the horrors of WWII are dealt with, not in gratuitous detail, but enough that the reader understands the importance of this war, and what is means to England as well as the rest of the world. Fascinating read.

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i_claudia

chosenfire28

This fic was an amazingly quick read for 75k. I rushed through it, loved the story and the characterization of both Merlin and Arthur. I loved that they were faulted, but still likeable. I still understood where each were coming from and was rooting for them both the whole way. I like that their relationship was bumpy and complicated as any relationship with two people from such different lives and expectations would naturally be. There is some Merlin/Gwaine in this fic, which I know it's a concern for some of you (myself included), but I think it was handled very well. Also, the sex in this fic was panty-melting delicious. Yum!

pathera

I think a lot of people might skip this fic because of the lack of romance. It is pre-slash (or really just Gen) But the Merlin and Arthur's friendship/destiny/budding bond is a key element to this fic and while there are no smooches, there are still plenty of element about M/A that I love. This fic is an excellent, entertaining read. I loved the authors style and humor as well as the intensity of the action scene. It was a very 'easy' 50k to get through and in stalking the comments, I see that the author does have a sequel planned. I'll be looking forward to that because I'm a not ready to leave this verse. Note on the Merlin/Gwaine for those of you that are concerned, it is a very minor part of the fic. let me know if you want spoilers.

nympha_alba

I'm not big on war fics, or war films or really anything to do with war. I'm such a wuss when it comes to the grit and pain of war. So, while this is a historical AU in which WWI happens and affects the characters dramatically, I think it would be selling this story short by calling it a war fic. I would consider it more a journey of Arthur and Merlin's relationship through the many obstacles of school and the class system and politics and, of course, the war that all occur in the early 1900's. That said, the war scenes are incredibly powerful, depicted with respect and realism, yet fleeting enough that I wasn't drowning in the angst of it. There is a lot of wonderful things going on in this fic and in the end, I was left very satisfied on all counts, particularly beauty of the love story. And the writing is nothing short of stunning.

tindu

pallorsomnium

This fic is a brilliant bit of storytelling. I read the summary and the warnings and I really was ready to skip because it's a fusion with a fandom I do not know, the warnings made me nervous and I found the summary overwhelming. BUT!!! Then I decided to read the first 'bit' and I was floored. It's a beautifully written, incredibly compelling, fast paced story. The plot is complex but not convoluted. I had no problem understanding the politics, despite the fusion (I just pretended it was original concepts in the author's head and that worked for me). It felt like a fully fleshed out original novel, but yet the characters were truly Merlin characters. Hmmm... not sure I'm doing it justice. But definitely, if you enjoy politics and world-building and a completely fresh look at Arthur and Merlin's journey towards uniting Albion and bringing Magic back, then I highly recommend this amazing fic. re: warnings, this is a slave fic and Merlin's treatment did make my heartache. There are part that were hard to read, but it was within my tolerance level - feel free to PM me if you want details.

cassie_black12

This is a fun Modern AU. A nice mixture of heartache, humour, UST and friendship. Merlin here is a bit messed up from a previous relationship and has a hard time trusting; Arthur is a player who is hard to trust. Their path to understanding each other isn’t easy. A really lovely read.

fuzzytomato02

teaandtimecake

This is a fantastic adventure. While it is a fairytale, it is not sickly-sweet. It has a modern AU Arthur who lost a bit of himself when his mother died and never seemed to find it again. Then while reading a book, he falls asleep and finds himself in the Camelot canon world – as Camelot would be if there was no Arthur in it. The 'modern' Arthur makes his way through this new world meeting his friends and seeing them all in a new light, finally understanding them (and himself in the process). The Merlin and Arthur dynamic is perfectly delightful and the plot and gang of characters very well done. Excellent read. And gorgeous art.

winterstorrm

savagesnakes

This isn't a fic for everyone. Lots of promiscuity, casual sex and infidelity. Also plenty of heart-wrenching moments with one partner wanting monogamy and the other wanting an open relationship. It’s a really achy, sexy, filthy, deliciously angsty fic. I don’t always like these; in some fics, Arthur can be too cold for me to understand and I end up hating the character and just wishing Merlin with someone else. But this author 'sold' me on this Arthur with all his really fucked up views of relationships and love and sex. While I wanted Merlin to be happy, I also wanted Arthur to be happy too and I actually believed that they could manage that together (when they actually got themselves sorted). And that's what made all the heartache worth it.