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Disengagement by turtle_paced - R - ASOIAF

Discussion in 'Game of Thrones / ASoIaF' started by Halt, Aug 22, 2019.

4/5, 7 votes
  1. Halt

    Halt 1/3 of the Note Bros. Moderator

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    Aug 22, 2019 #1
    Title: Disengagement
    Author: turtle_paced
    Rating: R / Mature
    Genre: Drama
    Status: Complete
    Library Category: ASOIAF
    Pairings: N/A
    Summary: The killing of Mad King Aerys Targaryen by person or persons unknown worked out well for virtually everyone, including Jaime Lannister. Disgraced for failing his king (if only they knew) and tasked with protecting no-longer-a-Princess Rhaenys Targaryen until she can be wed to Robert’s eldest legitimate son (whenever Robert gets around to producing one), Jaime must go north with the Starks (a prickly, judgmental lot) to look after her. Cold, bored, and guarding a five-year-old, Jaime might yet learn to be a truly honourable knight – but even far from King's Landing and Cersei, his dangerous secrets might catch up with him. Worse, his aren't the only dangerous secrets in the North…
    Link: AO3

    This is a Jaime Lannister-centric AU which diverges with 1) Princess Rhaenys' survival, and 2) Jaime being exiled to the North after the Sack of King's Landing. The story follows their (not-romantic) relationship, with a backdrop of the Starks and Cersei occasionally getting the spotlight.

    As stories go, it's a tightly knit narrative focused more on the relationships and how it's tested by the scenario the author has chosen rather than some massive world-shattering change to canon---but it works extremely well for what it tries to accomplish.

    5/5
     
  2. Garden

    Garden Supreme Mugwump

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    Aug 22, 2019 #2
    Big fan of this story but it's abandoned, not Complete, no?

    Jaime and Rhaenys are both characterized well, and the changes that stem from the divergence are quite believable.
     
  3. Halt

    Halt 1/3 of the Note Bros. Moderator

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    Aug 22, 2019 #3
    It's 16 out of 17 chapters, and honestly, by how things have ended, I'm left to believe all that hasn't been posted is an Epilogue summarizing everything that happens afterwards OR a scene showing how the beginning of canon might have changed. None of those would add all that much value I don't think, so I'm happy to call this complete. It doesn't really leave much in terms of loose ends with respect to Jaime and Rhaenys' relationship.
     
    Garden
  4. Otters

    Otters Groundskeeper ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    High Score:
    2005
    Aug 22, 2019 #4
    Five chapters in before I got interrupted by a small fire I need to put out, and I'm really liking this. Characters feel very much like their canon selves, not fanon. The characters have their defining traits, are nuanced beyond oneline stereotypes, and never fall into the mutilated fanon softening.

    I've ignored recs for this fic before because the glorified babysitter saviour trope has worn a bit thin for me after so many Harry raised by X character HP fics. There is none of that here. So far Rhaenys and Jaime have a slightly affectionate but suitably distant relationship. I can see that she's more at plot device to get him to Winterfell than a plot burden so far. That's pretty damn good.

    There are a few other PoVs so far, something I normally dislike intensely. In this, they're tightly controlled and add something to Jaime's story whenever we dip into another character's head. It's done tastefully and with a delicate hand.

    Prose isn't beautiful, but it is efficient and without errors which is good enough.

    I can see why it's getting a 5/5 rating so far. If things continue to warm up as they're being suggested to, I'll likely end up dropping a similar score.