oh god now which book do I read aaaaah

[luciazephyr]

Oh god, the Eighth Doctor Adventures are gay. I have to assume Kate Orman ships Eight/Fitz because, seriously, Year of Intelligent Tigers, ohemgee.

This comes right after MGS and Rodney McKay's behavior in "Sanctuary" for epic gay love.

It's this epic love triangle thingie between the Doctor, Fitz, and this composer on the planet, Karl (who I totally loved until that thing he did at the end, BOOHISS KARRRRL). Karl is head over heels for the Doctor and it's incredibly obvious. There's only so much you can do to keep these things subtext after having Fitz's point out that everyone in this time period is bisexual.

And Karl has this massive crush that I'm not sure was unrequited.

Karl spotted the Doctor from a distance. He was lying at the top of the hill, sprawled on the sward, half vanished into the long, waving grass. Little orange flowers were coming up everywhere, encouraged by the recent rains. For a moment he was absurdly afraid that if he looked away, if he even blinked, the Doctor would vanish like a summertime vision.
[...]
He sank down into the grass, at arm’s reach. The numen had left the Doctor: he was no longer a god of thunder, but only a beautiful man lying in the grass.

All Karl's descriptions of the Doctor are like that. Karl got it BAD and okay I'm fairly certain they did have a fling. Their big blow-out fight early on in the story really rang of a lovers' quarrel, especially both their reactions to it.

Karl watched the Doctor doze. He had flopped back on to the soft grass, his golden-brown hair spreading around his face. The bright sunshine highlighted the exotic whiteness of his skin. His arms were spread out, fingers entwined with the green strands. He seemed to have only two speeds, thought Karl –presto and stop.
He had been worried that the Doctor’s friends might resent him a little. They had been travelling together for a long time; it must seem strange that the Doctor was suddenly so centred on Karl and his concerto. But they seemed able – if sometimes not exactly willing – to accept almost anything, as though travel had broadened their minds to an extraordinary width.

In which Karl is happy the Doctor's friends don't frown upon human/Time Lord interspecies romance. Also, Karl apparently has felt the Doctor's double heartbeat himself and is comfortable basically petting his hair. And hopes that he'll stay in Port Any as a violinist.

Then plot happens and Karl angers the Doctor and it looks like the fun shag times are over.

Then later,

Very quietly, he said, ‘Do you know, I’ve had a tune going round and round in my head for more than a hundred years. I don’t have the slightest idea what it is. I want to know.’
Anji stared at him. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Well, I can hardly work it out with all this fuss going on around me,’ he said, with the hint of a smile. ‘Once things are back to normal, I can get back to the music.’
It’s the concerto, thought Karl. The Doctor wants to play first violin in my concerto. He wants it so much that he’s going to save this planet just so he can do it. It is me, it is about me, after all.

It's not Karl's. It's Fitz's. I mean... I heard that the six notes were important and such from the fandom but the way you go through the whole story reading about the Doctor being mildly fixated on these six notes and not knowing who made them only to discover at the very very end they were from this song Fitz was working on-- I'm actively trying to figure out what that could mean narratively outside the obvious "Fitz and the Doctor are totally gay married in space."

And Fitz is really awesome in this book too. I'm so proud of him. It's obvious he's reached a point where his occupation is pretty much adventurer. The Doctor gives him a mission and he does it. It's brilliant.

And then, after they've been separated for most for the book:

‘Whoah!’
The Doctor whipped around. Fitz was at the top of the stairwell, agape, his sunglasses dangling from one ear. He coughed and straightened them up, leaning casually against the wall. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘There you are. ’Bout time you turned up.’
‘Well,’ said the Doctor, with equal offhandedness, ‘it was a rather long walk.’
Fitz sat down on the top step. ‘Anji’s right, you know. The two of you ought to catch a few Zs. Nothing’s going to blow up overnight: He drummed his fingers on the stair between his knees. ‘Can’t stick around. I’ve got another concert to organise. But I’ve got a little something for you.’ He started to rummage in his pockets. ‘Been carrying this around in case we bumped into one another. [...] You’re all right. Karl?’ said Fitz, as he tugged something out of the inside pocket of his jacket.
‘Yes.’
‘Good. Thought so. Here, Doctor – catch.’
The Doctor’s hand whipped out and snatched the little package out of the air as it arced towards them. He stared at it.
‘Socks,’ he said.
‘Clean socks.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, what else would you need, after traipsing around in the jungle for all that time?’ Fitz uncurled himself from the stairs and strolled down, giving the Doctor’s arm a tap as he went past. He flashed them a smile, peering over the top of his sunglasses. ‘See you round.’
Karl watched Fitz go. The Doctor stood there, staring at the neatly rolled socks clutched in one hand.

Even I was wondering wtf, but just a little later, he's getting back into his customary outfit only to discover he has no socks. Good old Fitz indeed.

I don't know if I can pick what EDA to read next. I think YoIT spoiled me for all the others. It's clever, has very likable supporting characters, and there is no black and white morality- the "villains" have good, reasonable excuses for the things they do. And the whole concept is awesome. Everyone is in top form and so is the story, which takes its time and really follows what's happening.

Kate Orman rocks. ♥

-Lucy

Comments

[aliciaforferris.livejournal.com]

Have you read City of the Dead by Lloyd Rose? I'm reading it now and I love it.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

That's all I need to pick my next book. I'll put it on my PSP and give it a try. Better then what I'm doing now, flipping between about four books. :derp:

[vinylsigns.livejournal.com]

Relevant to my interests? Oh yes this is :3 Damnit, I need to get on reading these.

[lucia-tanaka.livejournal.com]

You really do. I'm enjoying them immensely. As TV Tropes says, come for the HoYay, stay for the What Do You Mean It Wasn't Made On Drugs.

Wait until you attempt "The Blue Angel", a book that is more meta than the most meta-y fanfic in the more post-modern fandom.

[lullabee-lj.livejournal.com]

:D I added that example to TV Tropes! And it's true. After a while, you get like, "Yeah, of course the Doctor and Fitz are pretty much doin' it, cuuute, but holy shit Porky Pig just shot the Doctor!"

[polaris-starz.livejournal.com]

I don't think there's any way to read Karl and the Doctor's relationship as anything but a fling. And oh my god, I love Fitz so much in this. I have a huge thing for dorky-but-competent adventurer Fitz!

Speaking of which I'm sorry I didn't respond to your last email; finals week is somewhat chaotic. I loved it though! Amy and Fitz FTW. Amy calls everyone on their bullshit.