The Mal/Inara Fanfic Recommendation Thread

POSTED BY: Arcadia
UPDATED: Thursday, November 9, 2006 22:19
VIEWED: 25604
PAGE 1 of 1

ARCADIA

Tuesday, March 21, 2006 1:06 AM

I noticed that the "why don't people write about anyone except Simon and Kaylee?" Thread got turned into a, "*sigh*, I want to read more M/I thread", so I figured, why not start and M/I recommendation thread? Post your favorite Mal/Inara fanfiction here!

Fics don't need to be strictly Mal/Inara (meaning if there was a M/I subplot in a Jayne/River fic that rocked your socks, feel free to post it, though you may want to mention that M/I is not the main romance in the fic), and of course, non-romance fics (ei, fics that concentrate more on plot, but also have great M/I) are also welcome. And smut :-) There's always room for a little of that in the verse...

Also, links are good. The searching power of the Blue Sun Room leaves a bit to be desire, imo (not complaining -- we have a shiny BSR, but when you compare it wiht places like fanfiction.net...). This way, everyone can read faster!

I'll start.

Bedlum and Bed and Wine Series by Kaynara ( http://www.fireflyfans.net/fulluserbluesunlist.asp?un=Kaynara)
- I think these fics have become some of the most popular M/I stories, and with good reason. The characters and plots are thoughtful developed. These stories have everything -- romance, plot, danger, twista and turns. Also, the delight of the whole crew.

Choices by 2x2 ( http://www.fireflyfans.net/fulluserbluesunlist.asp?un=2x2)
- Again, I like this one because in addition to lovely Mal/Inara angst, it has a plot, interesting original characters, and had room for all of our beloved BDHs.

Ghost by Leighkohl ( http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=7974)
- Part of a larger series that starts and ends with Kaylee and Simon having a child, this is a well-written one-shot (well, out of context of the series of a whole, it is a one shot) that deal with Inara's failure to connect with Mal post-Serenity, and her jealouy of Kaylee.

Okay, recommend away!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Objects in Space"
River: It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...

LEIGHKOHL

Tuesday, March 21, 2006 6:59 AM

Thank you for the recommendation! Although I do focus on Simon and Kaylee, there will be more Mal/Inara coming up. I love their complex relationship and enjoy writing from Inara's perspective. I did write a little series awhile ago that has just as much Mal/Inara as it does Simon/Kaylee. It's more of a humorous tale, called The Retribution Series. I would love to see more Mal/Inara fics because they are fun to read when a good banter is being thrown about. It's a very 30's/40's romantic comedy relationship, but can turn on a dime to the angst and pain. Thanks again for reading and hope to post some more Mal/Inara soon!

ARCADIA

Tuesday, March 21, 2006 8:36 PM

Two more recommendation from me. Both are one-shots.

A Start of things by Syzg ( http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=8830)
-- a fun look at how Mal and Inara might have reacted to each other when they met for the first time, just before the OoG flashback. Added bonud: Mal and Jayne play poker.

Finding Commong Grounf by Syzg
-- a look at Mal and Inara post-Serenity, talking/bickering in the middle of the night. This is one of the better narrative pieces I've read lately, meaning that... well, its just shiny *writing*, and excellent characterization, too. check it out!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Objects in Space"
River: It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...

HAWKMOTH

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 1:48 AM

There's a Mal/Inara community on LiveJournal called Ifs & Maybes.

http://community.livejournal.com/mal_inara/profile

You have to sift through the entries, but there are some terrific stories there.

In the Blue Sun Room, look for "Stay" by goldenthorn. TaraLJC's "That Old Yeh Shen Story" is really a Simon/Kaylee story, but it has some great Mal/Inara interaction.

By Maystone:

"White Knight" -- http://firefly.populli.org/archive/6/whiteknight.shtml

"All Throught the Night" -- http://firefly.populli.org/archive/1/allthrough.shtml

"The Fair" -- http://firefly.populli.org/archive/1/fairthe.shtml

ODDBEAN

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 4:24 PM

Here is one that is kinda old but an interesting look at Inara after she has left Serenity. It does have M/I in it.

"Exile, Part One: A Year and a Day" By ShinyBug

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=5083

"Exile, Part Two: A Thousand Miles" By ShinyBug

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=5095

2X2

Wednesday, March 22, 2006 9:28 PM

Wow! Thanks for recommending my ficton. I'm honoured :o)

In addition to all the other great fics and authors rec'd here, I've got a couple of my own to add.

Five Things That Never Happened When Inara Left Serenity by AgentRouka is five little scenes of what could have been. In fact, check out all her Mal/Inara fic.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=5838

Everything I've read by HawkMoth is amazing. Read it all.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/fulluserbluesunlist.asp?un=HawkMoth

I'll add more later, when I've more time to compile a list.

HAWKMOTH

Thursday, March 23, 2006 2:51 AM

Thank you, 2x2. The Blue Sun Room list is not quite complete; all my Firefly stories are available here:

http://words-in-flight.livejournal.com/15394.html#cutid1

BULLE

Thursday, March 23, 2006 3:18 AM

I love the work of Goldy.
She's one of my favorite writers, she write M/I perfectly.

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=7123

PHAEDRA

Wednesday, March 29, 2006 7:05 AM

There are simply not enough responses to this critical thread. So here's a bump in hopes of getting more responses and to thank ya'll for the reqs. Also, in the name of pimpage and pure self promotion. I exclusively write M/I fic. Lots of people tell me its good, conversely lots of people watch American Idol, proving that it takes all to move a verse.

Phaedra (a bad luck name)

ARCADIA

Friday, April 21, 2006 3:13 PM

Here's a new one (at least for me):

Afterlife vy shinyfly

http://www.fireflyfans.net/showprofile.asp?un=shinyfly

The later chapters have some beautiful M/I moments, but there is also plenty of everyone else, too (especially Zoe dealing with Wash). It's a post-Serenity fic.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Objects in Space"

River: It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think...
http://www.stillflying.net/ <-- Check it out!

ODDBEAN

Sunday, May 7, 2006 11:06 PM

Hey all,

Just another rec I thought I add. I orginally found this rec on Goldy_Dollar's live journal site. Here is Goldy's site:
http://goldy-dollar.livejournal.com/

And the direct link to the rec:
http://firefly.populli.org/archive/4/fineline.shtml

Here is the first line of the story: "He only comes to her when he can't help it."

Enjoy,
oddbean

ODDBEAN

Sunday, May 7, 2006 11:39 PM

Once again,

This is a great action fic that I have been following for awhile. So far 68 parts!
It isn't mainly M/I. It has all nine characters plus. The parts with Mal and Inara are really good. Interesting background on the characters (all of 'em) and on the Firefly 'verse

http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=4790

I hope the author, Screw the Alliance, won't mind if I quote part of his/her story to titilate:

He shuddered. He had left hope in the valley, along with the God who betrayed him. He left hope behind in the mud with the bodies of the young boys and girls who had died outnumbered and outgunned, fighting for a lost cause on soil far from home. He had buried hope there.

And then Inara humped things up.

In a way it had been just as hopeless as anything he had faced. She was a Companion, a glorified whore – a highly respected whore, but a whore. She rented her body and her company to men. She collected a fee for the attention that should have been earned on the honest battleground of romance. That wasn’t right, wasn’t moral. It had nothing to do with the Bible. It had to do with how people should behave in regards to each other. Men and women. In love. Loving each other without the cold, passionless vehicle of cash being involved.

That’s how things should be.

Inara was a beautiful person, inside more than out, her compassion and her own morality – minus the whoring, of course – an inspiration to all she came in contact with. She was the kind of woman for whom Empires were forged. She deserved a man – one man – who would return that kind of radiance with passion, a deep and sustaining passion worthy of her.

That’s what pained him so powerful, inside. Was he that kind of man? Did he have the potential to generate and demonstrate that kind passion, one worthy of her love on its own merits? Or did he leave that possibility in the bloody mud of the valley?

As he wandered through the ship, shutting down unnecessary systems and making certain that everything was put in its place, he also wandered through the possibility that Malcolm Reynolds was alive and well. That he had something to aspire to, even if the realization of that aspiration was impossible.

For no matter how great and passionate he might be able to become, she was still a professional woman, a career woman. A whore who loved the high-class whoring she did. Who reveled in the complex interplay of male and female, the expression of sexuality in the social and psychological realms. No matter how brightly his star might burn, he couldn’t lure her away from what she did without unmaking who she was in some way.

But he still wondered if he had it within him. It was a perplexing question.

LEIGHKOHL

Tuesday, October 24, 2006 8:29 AM

Just wanted to recommend fics by Goldy. She writes some wonderful Mal/Inara!

ASORTAFAIRYTALE

Sunday, November 5, 2006 6:31 PM

Bump.
I also read this one the other day that I really liked, but it was sad too...
http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=12021

---------
Love keeps her in the air when she outta fall down, tells you she's hurting before she keels. Makes her a home.

ASORTAFAIRYTALE

Thursday, November 9, 2006 9:43 PM

I've been reading Kaynara's series now, and they are really good!
It's always good to have a whole bunch of chapters in a series too 'cause then it lasts longer.

---------
Love keeps her in the air when she outta fall down, tells you she's hurting before she keels. Makes her a home.

AGENTRUSCO

Thursday, November 9, 2006 10:19 PM

Well, I'll be all shameless and promote myself. Actually I'm more for Zoe/Wash in the writing, but I've a couple Mal/Inara stories that have some good reviews if you're interested.

"Smell" About Inara's feelings on Mal's coat
http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=13432

"Love at First Sight (round 20)" Inara's first thoughts on Serenity and the captain.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=10964

"A Man and A Woman" Mal's internal dialogue about Inara (and others.)
http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=11187

"Nobody Dies Alone" Closely follows Mal through "Out of Gas" (very subtle M/I)
http://www.fireflyfans.net/sunroomitem.asp?i=11168

K, so that's me promoting myself. Don't hate me.

______________________________
I cannot abide useless people.