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I'd like to start off by saying that it's almost the end of another year for this great fandom. 2019, despite the poor show ending (in my opinion), was fantastic for ASoIaF/GoT fan fiction. Whether it was fix-it fics or people just writing their own ideas, there has been lots of creativity. I'd like to shoutout some of my favorite 2019 stories and authors who have captured my preferred ships and characters (Jon) the best. Keep in mind, this is from the perspective of someone who reads stories where Jon is the central protagonist. In no particular order except for the first three!!!!
"The Cold Remains the Same" - WriterWolfe618 - This one was short but oh was it sweet. Some of the dialogue in this one? Christ almighty, I'm gonna give you guys some sneak peeks of this total badass Jon Snow that WriterWolfe618 constructed: "[...]So be at peace, Ser Alliser, and know that even in death, you will serve me." - I had to close my laptop and take a breather for that entire monologue if you know you know. "[...]But now, I am taking Winterfell because I can and because I want to, and you can't stop me." - HA! Holy shit, go read this fucking fic, please! One more: "[...]You think Guest Rights can help you here? You have knowledge of the enemy, and you will tell us everything you know. First, however, I will hear you scream." - I took all of these from one chapter. I love you WriterWolfe618 and I decided I'd forgive you for not finishing The Fire Burns Just as Bright since you're extending Hear my Silence, I Speak No Vow. Thank you for your stories, you're a legend.
"A trip to the crypts" - Blackwolf2019 - DA KING IN DA NORF! DA QUEEN IN DA NORF! This is hands down a top 3 favorite fic of mine in 2019 and that's a hill I will gladly die on. As a reader who loves Jon Snow stories where he has a pair of bollocks, Blackwolf2019 blew me away with Savage!Jon and I hope he/she sees this (if you do, thank you thank you thank you). Jon Snow/Val is underrated and it makes me sad :( but the way it was done here, masterful and yeah, go read this shit if you haven't already.
"Maester Wolf" - ctc0000 - I'm not entirely sure if you're allowed to link to another fanfic site and I'm not going to take the chance nor am I going to read the terms and conditions but just know this fic is on the OTHER big fanfiction site that is popular. Talk about depth! Holy shit this one goes way way way into depth about war tactics, its fantastic. Once again, Jon is more assertive and knowledge in this one. The writer goes into so much detail that his author's notes could be a chapter for another writer lmao. I doubt they'll see this but you should go and show them love, the top 3 of the year for me.
"In The Shadows Hides The Dragon" - DaeronTheYoungDragon - I don't know the first thing about Spanish even though I got a C in it :/ but I took a chance on this fic and thank God I did. I don't want to spoil it but shoutout to the author for this unique idea. Boot up your google translate if you're trash like me and can only speak English :(
"Lies" - SilverDust09 - Could I write a fic of the year awards without mentioning Lies? Or SilverDust09 at all for that matter? I don't know about you guys but Silver is a writer I trust no matter what he/she is writing. Princess and the Bastard and A Promise are going well too, you should check them out if you haven't already. We haven't forgotten about The Red Door, by the way, Silver. We want that shit back!
"Ashes and Embers" - Sleepy_Moon29 - Fire and Blood. Fire and Blood. Sleepy is pretty great eh? A Time for Dragons was one of my first fics and I've read everything Sleepy has released since including this one. This is pretty fantastic, you should give it a shot.
"A Terrible Resolve" - Longclaw_1_6 - Like SilverDust, it would be rude of me not to mention Longclaw, wouldn't it? Its rather rare for a writer to have Jon embrace his lineage (sadly) but Longclaw did and he always does and I for one, appreciate it. This fic is for those of us who still need help healing from the grievous bodily harm D&D inflicted upon us with their shitty season 8. Shoutout to My Father's Son and Heart of the Blessed too. Also, congrats on finishing Empire, Longclaw, that was one of the first fics I ever read, fun fact.
"The Dragon Cub"- alperez - Tuesdays and Thursdays got alot more lit thanks to alperez. They took a unique concept and hit it out of the park in my opinion. Shoutout to you and keep up that consistency. It still amazes me how you manage to write so consistently but you certainly do it.
"A Heart's Home" - Kurohitenshi - I like my Jonrya how I like my ketchup: a little bit on the side. But holy shit is this fic fire! I took a chance on this one despite me never really having an interest in this ship and I was positively surprised. It was at a time when the show had just ended and I was totally put out by the ending and especially how Jon and Arya basically never interacted the entire fucking season and that Jon's last word when he died was Olly. I don't know about you guys but when I watched Olly's family getting smoked by the wildlings, I was cheering for them lmao. Jon's last word should've been Ghost or it should've been Arya but I digress. Anyway, I'm really enjoying this one. Take a chance on it if you're like me.
"The Dragons Dark and Deep" - ashleyfanfic, justwanderingneverlost - *claps, claps, claps* Just wow, incredible. More Jon with balls! and he's a little bit of a savage too and that shit just captivates me! Who knew how right Dany was when she started calling Jon her 'dragonwolf'? ;)
"Double or Nothing" - Gawdzilla1989 - Idk where you went author but pls come back soon ;-;. R'hllor looked at the monopoly board and said, "Nah play that shit again" or as I like to do, flip the whole board! So imagine Dany in Westeros FAR earlier than she has any right to AND its a time travel fix it and voila! We have Double or Nothing. Utter fire. Jon is probably the best I've seen him in this fic. Fool made friends with Khal Drogo CMON! That's incredible!
"Beasts of Seasons" - simonetta - The first of the Jonsa fics I love. Guess what people, you can like both Jonerys, Jonsa, Jonrya and whatever the hell else at the same time! Who knew?!?! Don't let your dislike of a ship distract you from fantastic writing, Yeah, I'm in love with this one. Whenever someone takes the general theory of Jon staying a bit too long in Ghost post-resurrection, you have me.
"I of the Storm" - Kit_Kat21 - More Jonsa fire. One of the first ones I read when I started reading fanfic post s8. Lord and Lady of Winterfell Jonsa is something I like to enjoy from time to time and this one was great. This fic kinda restored my faith in the Starks after that the show. I hated all of them originally lmao.
"From the Ashes Begin Anew" - bykim0120 - Alternate telling of the Conquest of Westeros with a little (big) twist. Keep killing it.
"A Dream of Two Kings" - Kuldovu11 - Yeah so um, this is brilliant. You know how Jon is the first Stark blooded (warging and greenseeing. Just general ice shit) and Targaryen blooded (dragon hatching, taming and riding and dragon dreaming. Just general fire shit) person in the entirety of ASoIaF history? Imagine that being significant (Fuck you D&D, Arya shouldn't have killed the Night King in 2 trillion years. Eat a dick, that was Jon's entire arc, you twats. I don't care if it was too obvious. Sometimes shit is too obvious because its the only outcome that makes logical sense) and actually used! So yeah, whenever I see the email for a new chapter to this one, I get excited. The magic is ramping up now and I'm giddy! Go read this fire!
"A Dream Of Dragons" - stormandspires - So this is one of the very very very few resurrection fics I can actually stomach post-season 8. Part in reason because I just prefer to ignore s8 but also because a lot of them I simply can't stomach because they act as if Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men didn't annihilate an entire fucking city on dragonback. That was ALOT of people we watched get burned to smithereens on episode 5 and I don't care for her reasoning. I can suspend disbelief in lots of fanfics but that Jon just runs off to be Dany's pet again after she's resurrected? Unless they're gonna go dark together, I can't read it. Also when Daenerys suddenly just runs back into Daario Naharis' arms and he's her king all of a sudden? And Daario raises Jon's children? YUCK *gags* Have fun tho. Anywho, enough rambling. Go read this and shoutout to the cutest boi Daemon Targaryen ;)
"if I look back I am lost" - Magali_Dragon - 8x05 AU. So Varys succeeded in poisoning Dany in episode 5. What happens next? Well, here you have it. Jon goes a little cuckoo in this one but hey! I loved It and you might too. Magali writes great Jonerys as it is but on this one? Outstanding.
"The Conspiracy of Ice and Fire" - vsvera - I don't know how I missed this one off originally tbh but I added it. Though Dany's arc takes a hit in this one, I enjoy it still. The character interactions especially do it for me. Its a bloody long one (560k and counting :o) but its worth it if you like Jon pressing his claim.
"Ink Parchment Quill" - Inks_Prophecy, wxntxr_chxld - I'm wack for missing this one off too, forgive me ;-;. Lots of magic, prophecies and that higher mysteries stuff. Basically, if you're stupid like I, the chapters will entertain your little brain because this fic goes into DETAIL about Ice and Fire. Rhaegar and Lyanna fic too and that just suits me! Iron Throne who? We have more important things to think about! Read it and support it because its pretty amazing so far. Another long one for sure (300k words and Jonny boi isn't even born yet :o)
HONORABLE MENTIONS
"The Once and Future King" - Bettycrocker - So, imagine Brynden Rivers chooses Jon instead of Bran for mentorship? Sound like fire? I thought so too.
"No Northern Fool" - Ayzlynn - I remember when I found this one. I was scouring the Jon Snow I Aegon Targaryen tag at night and it just popped up when it didn't on the Jon Snow tag. I think I sat and read 100k words in one sitting it was that good. The story is angsty as fuck and a slow burn to the max but I adore it even still. Check out Black Cell Boy too if you haven't already, another great concept.
"Godzilla King of Monsters and Father of Dragons" - Zombieking079 - Story is funny as fuck and it generally makes me happy whenever I go back to it. Writer's pups passed away so it hasn't been updated in a while (with good reason) but you should def give it a chance.
"The Wars Yet to Come" - AryaWinter - Time Travel fix its! I love them and I especially like this one. Go read it!
"The Ice Dragon" - Spearshake - Another fic from that OTHER fanfiction site. Yeah, imagine a Rhaegar Won (or did he?) AU and politics is turned up to a hundred and you have this one. Twist after twist and they all make sense. The writer is incredible and I hope they know it. (Now posted AO3 as of 4th Feb 2020)
"What If" - SirChiefDoodle - This fic just makes me happy and I hope it does the same for you. Lots of Targ wank and I support it.
"The Pack Survives" - Youngthundercat67 - Yeah Ned saw what happened to the wolves and was like nah! So yeah, think of Ned but way way way way way more... what's the word... Stark like, well before Jon Arryn infected his mind with "honor before reason" *rolls eyes*. Another fic on that other fanfiction site btw.
"Targaryen Loyalist" - NorthernLights37 - I'm cheating with this one since it was originally posted in 2018 but it was reposted in 2019 and thats when I first read it. If you have an issue, use that energy to go and read this fic!
I've probably forgotten a few of my other favorites but a lot of them began in 2018 or 2017 so I didn't include them.
Shoutout to the smut writers too, you guys write the stories that are my guilty pleasures. I'm looking at you Jess_Targaryen, TheTargaryenHarlot, King_Maegor, Sleepy_Moon29 (sometimes) and House_Targaryen (you're filthy lmao).
Apologies if you weren't listed, I can't list everyone of course but these are just some of the stories I've taken a liking to all year as a newbie to fanfiction and in 2020, I wish for more of the same! I also wish for Winds but I doubt that ;-;. Maybe Daemon_Belaerys will come back in 2020 and finish all of his fire ideas or maybe KadenIV will complete A Prince of the Blood? Will Wyrm and Cub return in 2020? Who knows. House_Blackfyre will continue to bless us I hope as will DerkAndFullOfErrors hopefully. Oh and Wasteman, I have not forgotten about The Reluctant Ruler pal, nor have I forgotten about Queen Myrcella Avery ;-;. Who else do I want to see return next year? Uhmm... ssjmrxi, :(((((. Jujux keep doing what you're doing, please.
Thank you to all the writers who dedicate time and effort to great works for no monetary gain at all and purely for our enjoyment. Remember to leave Kudos and comments on your favorite stories guys. Have a great holiday, I'm gonna go listen to Tory Lanez. Have a great year!
- Trident