schneefink

Back in 2017 I made advent calendar recs for DD and I have thought about doing them again since but never really found the right incentive, and especially recently because most of what I read is MCYT, a fandom few people here are into.
Then I got the idea to do it on Tumblr instead since the MCYT fandom there is a lot bigger, and I enjoyed that a lot. Sometimes I could even tag the author of a fic directly, that was nice too.
I slightly underestimated how much effort it took. Fortunately I could copy many recs I'd made here before, that made it easier. The others I'll now copy over here.
Complete list on Tumblr

( 2024 MCYT advent calendar recs, ft. 8 new recs )


I also signed up to rec Life Series art for fanart_recs in the last month of assigned fandoms before it switches to open posting in 2025. Copying those here too:
( 4 Wild Life fanart recs )


Additionally I also did FIAB recs in December, the last of my regular once monthly rec posts, so overall I'm very happy with myself for how many recs I did in 2024, and December in particular. Fingers crossed I'll be able to keep it up in 2025!

I haven't posted anything about Wild Life so far, not because I dislike it – I enjoy it a lot! – but because there is so much, and I don't even manage to watch all the episodes I want to. But I do need to scream about session five so I'll do that, and add some shorter notes about the other episodes that I may or may not expand upon later.
In general I really enjoy the different wild cards every session, the pacing fits, I love the teams, I enjoy all the call-backs to previous seasons, I'm having a great time.

( Episode 1: Size Matters )

( Episode 2: Om Nom Nom )

( Episode 3: HOW many deaths? )

( Episode 4: a little bit slower )

( Episode 5: Do you still remember… )

I very much look forward to the next sessions! :D

I recced the HotGuy Comics Zinethology last month, and that reminded me that there are other similar projects in the Hermitcraft/Life series fandom (if not quite at the same scale.) They are all so cool! I don't recall these being such a big thing in any other fandom I've been in. Maybe that's a coincidence of which fandoms I've been in or maybe they really are especially popular in this corner, but either way I enjoy it.
Have a few recs for some of my other favorites, in addition to HGCZ. They're all made by many, sometimes dozens of people, so I'm not mentioning authors.
As for canon knowledge required, yes to fully enjoy it but the art is gorgeous either way. With the exception of the Scarland art book I think, I would be curious to hear impressions from people unfamiliar with the fandom.

The Art of Scarland – A Community's Imagination
An art book for the theme park Scar built on Hermitcraft season 9. Scarland is a gorgeous build and this is a fantastic art book that covers so many things from history to architecture to festivals to merch. It's so pretty and so well thought out! I want to visit. Finding all the other Hermits (and others from MCYT) with their own roles and/or as visitors was also fun.
You can download it for free, but they even made a physical version benefitting charity that's now on my bookshelf (with bonus pretty stickers and a postcard!)

The Hermit Arcana
A fan-made Hermitcraft tarot deck! The art is gorgeous and very cool and the subject choices are inspired. Each card comes with an explanation of why the motive was chosen. I showed a fannish tarot deck (Hades-inspired iirc) to DD once, who's into tarot, and she said that while it was very pretty the subjects for the cards were chosen for the names of the cards and didn't fit the meanings at all; I don't know enough about tarot to judge these ones but the explanations make sense to me.
(They just started an interest check for a physical edition here.

Hermitzine 9: H is for Hermitcraft
The 9th (!) and latest edition of Hermitzine, a project that has been ongoing since 2019. This edition is structured like a children's alphabet book and features beautiful and cute art from several seasons as well as stories, and poems (!), and more.
For both this one and the next one I haven't read most of the older editions yet but I'm sure they're also very cool.

Traffic Zine 5th Edition | Secret Life
The fifth and latest edition of the Traffic Zine (started back when the series was still more often referred to as Traffic rather than Life series), featuring absolutely fantastic art and good stories about the best moments from Secret Life.

Hermitcraft Season 9 Zine
Absolutely fantastic art and good stories (yes I'm repeating myself but so what), this time about the best moments and builds etc. from Hermitcraft season 9.

There are more than these, e.g. the GeminiTay fanzine, the Hermit Horror Zine and the Hermitcraft Colouring Book - I just discovered these and have not had time to properly look through it yet but they look very cool, especially the horror one. And more are currently being worked on, e.g. HermitPost. So many talented fans in this fandom (including many people great at organizing, clearly, which is a very important skill), it's great.

Wdym leaving fic comments does not count as being productive when I should be studying or doing chores, mean.


For my August recs, first 4 recs of my favorite stories from the MCYTBLR AU Fest Summer 2024, and then the Hotguy Comics zinethology, all of which require no canon knowledge.

( a faerie AU, a mech AU, a cyberpunk AU, and a zombie apocalypse AU walk into a fandom... )


The HOTGUY COMICS Zinethology by the hgcz team and contributors (Hermitcraft)
410 pages of comics fics and art, gen, Scar & Grian et al, superhero AU
Summary:As with all tales, this one is a labor of love; inspired by the character Hotguy from GoodTimesWithScar, HOTGUY COMICS is an original Hermitcraft au told seamlessly across nearly 60 separate contributors. In it, we give you a peek into the life of Scar Goodtimes, a B-list actor aiming for vigilante fame. With his trusty bow in hand, Scar is ready to take on the dazzling metropolitan streets of Hermitopia—and the villains within—while meeting a few allies along the way.
Why I love it: It's finally out!! They decided to call this a zinethology when it became far too big to be called a zine and that was a good decision imo. It's in turns hilarious, warm, exciting, and/or angsty, with great worldbuilding and storytelling and fantastic art and writing, and just overall excellent. I really love the in-universe social media too.
(My new icon is from the additional merch folder btw.)

Various Ways to Victory (Life Series/Hermitcraft)
1.9k, Pearl & Scar gen, post-Secret Life
Summary:

Spoilers for Secret Life

"You let me win, didn't you?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Pearl said immediately.
Pearl and Scar talk about their final fight in Secret Life and about their respective victories.

I wrote something! Quickly, too: first draft in one day, substantial edits on day two after some helpful feedback, and only minor edits in the few days after that. I really wanted this fic to exist so I had to do it myself, and I think it does what I wanted it to.

Number 99 of my fics published on AO3! I wonder what #100 will be...

Fiinally. Took me over a month to finish my notes on the last two episodes. Otoh no wonder, it's over 8k in total. Maybe I'm overdoing it but rereading my favorite parts makes me happy and I had so many favorite parts.
Writing the notes also gave me a fic idea and now a few days later I have a complete first draft already, I hope I can finish that soon.

( Episode 8 – calm before (and after) the storm )


( Episode 9 – Final Battles )


To sum up, that was another fantastic season that I enjoyed a lot. The Roomies are maybe my favorite team of the series so far, contending with the Clockers.
Fingers crossed there will be a next season! Apparently Jimmy said Grian might already have ideas? So far every new season had a completely new mechanic that I would not have anticipated at all so I'm very excited to see what else Grian has in store.

I'm still recovering from being sick, but I wanted to post my notes for the last three SL episodes before the new one (hopefully not the last one) comes out tomorrow.

( Session 5: Be Nice To Bdubs Day )

( Session 6: The Hills Are Alive... With Screams )

( Session 7: The Apocalypse )

Last day for November recs – almost done with the year! Pretty sure none of these require any canon knowledge.

solving counting sheep by Bee_4 (Evolution SMP)
78.5k, gen, Winter Soldier AU
Summary: Blade-Three, also known as Three, is the living weapon of the Watchers. Conditioned to follow orders, it is meant to use its considerable strength, combat abilities, and total loyalty to obliterate the enemies of the Watchers. Of course, the "following orders" part comes first, which is how, when Listener agent Martyn InTheLittleWood comes along with the right command words, he manages to steal it.
Now, instead of missions that make any sense, Three must navigate as Martyn and his roommate Jimmy attempt to teach it how to be human, or at least enough of a person to be itself. It would help if either Martyn or Jimmy knew how to be human either, and if they weren't falling apart at the seams after the death of an old friend.
(And of course, there's the matter of Three's original identity, a question no one thinks to ask...)
Or: in which Evo had a bad end, and five years later, the pieces that were left behind start to accidentally fall back together.
Why I love it: I love Three a lot. Three is the best. It tries so hard! If you have any interest at all in Winter Soldier or conditioned-living-weapons storylines, this fic is for you. It gives me many feelings and I have reread it several times.

TangoTek Evil Incorporated by onawhimsicot (Life Series SMP)
22k, Tango & Jimmy, superhero AU comedy
Summary: As the supervillain Dr. Blaze, Tango has a penchant for oddly named "ificators" and stylistic flair. He spends his days trying to take over the city, shaming superheroes for their basic costume designs, and then sending said heroes home with better equipment that actually matches their aesthetic because clearly, if he wants a cool fight scene to happen, he's got to do everything around here himself.
For some reason, not many people think he’s evil. On the bright side, his nemesis, the superhero Canary, does and has made it his personal mission to bring down Dr. Blaze! But when Canary suddenly goes missing, his superhero partner, Parrot, is convinced that Tango is at fault. Seeing as this is not true at all (kidnapping is so gauche), Tango is offended that someone is trying to steal his nemesis right from under his nose. If Tango wants to get his nemesis back, he'll have to work together with Parrot to find and rescue Canary from whatever danger he's got himself into this time.
Because, after all, what's a supervillain without a nemesis?
Why I like it: Enemies to nemesis to definitely-still-nemesis-and-not-friends comedy, this one makes me smile and laugh every time. Tango has his priorities, and those include being a supervillain with style, and that includes having a cool nemesis. Not his fault nobody else understands.

closer to another shore by remrose (Hermitcraft/Life Series SMP)
56k, Scar/Grian, fake dating, AU – modern with magic
Summary: "Scar?" Grian repeated, more shifting, like he was sitting up. Tired but gentle confusion in his voice. "Are you okay?"
Scar should've hung up. It was bad enough he'd actually called. He should've lied, should've said it was a misdial and pretended to be okay. He should've done a hundred things and he did the one thing he shouldn't, because despite everything that happened between them, Scar felt safest with the one who hurt him. He said, a trembling whisper, "No."
or: fake dating your ex, what’s the worst that could happen?
Why I like it: Great self-indulgent tropey h/c with plenty of angst, with bonus protective big brother Cub, and every once in a while this is exactly what I am in the mood for.

Life series time is exciting, I look forward to every Friday for the new episodes. Though this weekend I'm away on a family crafting weekend so it'll be a long wait to watch.

( So many favorite parts from session 2 )

Hi! Thank you for creating something for me :) This is my first time participating in this exchange and I'm excited.

( General )

( 3rd Life | Last Life SMP series )

( Hermitcraft SMP )

I'm hoping to come back in the next few days to add a few more Life Series prompts too (not that I want Life Series less!, I just picked Hermitcraft to start with because I nominated fewer things), but tbh I might forget. I'm sure I'll enjoy what you come up with.