Hercules story rec: 'Love's Labors' by Therienne (woohoo!)

[marycrawford]

This is a day to mark with a white stone, because therienne has posted Love's Labors at last. I was a beta for this, and read many versions of it, and had many discussions about stuff I can't explain without giving away the plot (this is a seriously difficult story to rec without giving away the plot, which must not be done), and possibly there may have been some nagging on my part. *cough* And now it's here! Woo!

I love this story. It broke my heart in the best possible way, and it's a tour-de-force that takes my breath away, even reading it for the twentieth time.

It's Hercules/Iolaus, very mild slash (think PG at most), but really, even if you only ever read gen because you had your eyeballs seared by some horrible Aramis story, please. Read this. I don't think you'll regret it.

Love's Labors, by therienne:

Part One
Part Two

Comments

[amorettea.livejournal.com]

I did read it. I'll have to read it again because I was completely baffled as to what the heck was going ON but each segment is wonderfully written, even if I don't know what the overall theme was.

Amorette

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

I do hope that the rereading will help - I am sitting on my hands not to say anything more, because it's the kind of story where spoiling it would just be a shame. It's a very unusual story for this fandom, I think, and I adore it even if it makes me sniffly.

[dragovianknight.livejournal.com]

So glad I'm not the only one. ::feels marginally less stoopid now::

[amorettea.livejournal.com]

I think. . .and I'm not sure. . .that after re-reading. . .Hercules was poisoned by that sweet wine and has gone mad, as he did in myth, although for a different reason. He killed his wife and kiddies and is slaughtering things he shouldn't while Iolaus tries to keep him from doing something really nasty. I think.

Nice writing, even if I am still baffled. I like stories with lots of unsaid and hidden meanings and unexplained back story but this one was bit obtuse for me. Obviously, other folks got it so I assume I'm just missing something and I still think each scene is wonderfully written but it did go a bit over me.

Amorette

[marycrawford.livejournal.com]

I hope nobody reads this before reading the story, but yep, that's what's going on. *g*

[dragovianknight.livejournal.com]

::nods::

Yes, re-reading with your explanation in mind, it did make more sense.