So I Won't Be Afraid Of Anything

She/they, 27, certified not crazy. Formerly dedicated student until I discovered AO3. Have not left it since, not even after getting an actual job. Find my fanfiction at http://archiveofourown.org/users/Arkada

[the-messy-artist]

Has this been done yet

[carys-the-ninth]

If I want to get into vorkosigan, what's you're recommended reading order? Thanks!

The good news is that each book is written to stand in it's own, and it's not a series that much relies on big reveals, so the risk of spoilers is lower. That said, there is more of a chronology than, say, Discworld.

General advice is to read them by omnibus edition, which is Cordelia's Honor (Shards of Honor, short story "Afterwords" & Barrayar); Young Miles (The Warrior's Apprentice, "Mountains of Mourning", The Vor Game); Miles, Mystery & Mayhem (Cetaganda, Ethan of Athos, "Labyrinth"); Miles Errant (The Borders of Infinity, Brothers in Arms, Mirror Dance); Memory; Miles in Love (Komarr, A Civil Campaign, "Winterfair Gifts"); Miles, Mutants and Microbes (Falling Free, Diplomatic Immunity); Captain Vorpatril’s Alliance; The Flowers of Vashnoi (novella); Cryoburn; Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen. Absolutely no one recommends you read them in publication order, btw.

I started with the two novels in Miles in Love, and then went back to the beginning. I do think the very first book written (Shards of Honor) is notably different in tone than the rest of the series, and for the first two Miles novels (The Warrior's Apprentice & The Vor Game), Bujold is still coming into her own as a writer, so the omnibus order is not necessarily the best foot forward. (Barrayar fucks severely tho.) See what your library has. Miles in Love or Miles, Mystery & Mayhem are good entry points, IMO.

[carys-the-ninth]

Also almost all of them are free to read online if you're a phone or computer reading person, or a download-to-ereader person.

[beroebluejeans]

I’m reading Barrayar now and I just keep thinking damn Barrayar does fuck severely tho

[ao3-arkada]

Seconding these recommendations. If you like my writing style, you’ll like reading Bujold as she was a hugely formative experience for me.

[marveladdicts]

IRON MAN 3  2013 | dir. Shane Black

[mistakenlyfoundnico]

I was talking with someone and was saying how I was writing a fanfic and I may have mentioned it was in times new roman font, and they said it was crazy work which had me thinking

What font do you write fanfics in?

Arial

Times New Roman

Roboto

Calibri

Courier New

Lora

Helvitica

Comic Sans

Other

Voting ended onNov 26, 2025

Also could work for original work doesn't have to be fanfiction, I am just curious now

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Prince Thor's masquerade ball is the social event of the season, and Anthony Stark's best chance to free London from the terror of the supernatural; he must hunt down both Thor, a werewolf, and his vampire brother, Loki. But events do not go according to plan, and Anthony is soon fighting a different type of battle - between honor and duty, and the dark, tempting seduction of his foes.

Hunter!Tony takes on vampire!Loki and werewolf!Thor. What could go wrong? (A lot, apparently)

Written alongside Dracula Daily and I hope it shows!

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

And here we earn that E rating...

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Prince Thor's masquerade ball is the social event of the season, and Anthony Stark's best chance to free London from the terror of the supernatural; he must hunt down both Thor, a werewolf, and his vampire brother, Loki. But events do not go according to plan, and Anthony is soon fighting a different type of battle - between honor and duty, and the dark, tempting seduction of his foes.

Hunter!Tony takes on vampire!Loki and werewolf!Thor. What could go wrong? (A lot, apparently)

Written alongside Dracula Daily and I hope it shows!

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

If you like:

The cozy Viking vibes of Frost and Fjords

Friends to lovers where it's sweet and easy to take that step

Happy drunk smut, they're just having a fun time

I have written all of these things - check it out!

[general-sleepy]

Fic writers, put in the tags what the difference in hits is between your most and least viewed fics. Mine is 7,720 (7,779-59).

[pilferingapples]

some say the goat will end in fire some say in ice from what I've read on the Wikipedia page of past Goat-destroying efforts, I'm pretty sure none of us were reckoning on absolute swarms of hungry birds but birds are also great and will suffice

[fremedon]

This is just to say

We have eaten the Goat

That was in your city

And that you were probably saving

To burn for Christmas

Forgive us

It was delicious

So seed

And such goat

[emjee]

My nam is bird

And wen it’s cold

And now the year

Is growing old

I sit on straw

Just lik a coat

With all my friends

I eat the goat.

[ao3-arkada]

The birds

They destroyed the goat

Yes

YES

The birds are out

[universemagicreading]

Someone once said that the titles of jane austen's novels are the name of the problems in the books. For example: in pride and prejudice the biggest problem is the conflict between pride and prejudice. So that makes Emma the biggest problem in Emma and, now that I have started reading the novel, I have never agreed more with something than I agree with this.

[ao3-arkada]

I would LOVE to hear from someone more well-read than me what this means for Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. The stately house is #problematic

[triskeleaficionado]

[instructor144]

ffs ....

[krisatherandom]

Additions from my husband: Bakers wear loafers and Zookeepers wear Crocs

[haveuseenmyhalo]

Excellent additions.

[asirbyanyothername]

Angels wear wingtips.

[triskeleaficionado]

A lumberjack wears Timberlands.

[researcherinblue]

Ice skaters wear slippers

[dorkery]

[chaoticwixtheybe]

Addition from my mom: delivery drivers wear vans

[selfdestructivecat]

VERY good addition!

[perfectly-princely-emo-nightmare]

Achilles wears heels.

[ao3-arkada]

Assassins wear stilettos

[eggsnthings]

[ill-give-you-war]

…

assassin’s cry.

(assassin’s creed revelations/ far cry 3)

holy hell that would be one fucked up thing.

[geeeeeeeeeeeeeeenji]

fire emblem: liberation

fuk

[estcstwtch-deactivated20201004]

bioshock hill

[fuckthisshittbh-deactivated2015]

red dead bioshock

[portraitoftheoddity]

Goose Age: Inquisition

[ao3-arkada]

Lego Assassin’s Creed

[zairaalbereo]

“This is your friend in the Norse countries, I think.” It is not quite a question. “What is his name?” Yusuf looks down at the paper again, and sighs. “Nicolò. Nicolò of Genova.”

— Frost and Fjords by Arkada I’ve been reading @ao3-arkada’s Frost and Fjords and couldn’t help but channel Yusuf.

If you haven’t read it you absolutely should! Plus it has a sequel I’m thoroughly enjoying as well. 🌌

[imaredshirt]

That feeling tho when you find that fic writer that just absolutely fucking

understands the characters to their core

writes so well they–just so–they just—their writing is—-THEY WRITE GOOD

shatters your bad mood with a new update

writes a fic that you can read over again and still clutch at your heart like HOLY SHIT I FUCKING LOVE–I LOVE THIS FIC

writes a scene that has you all giddy in public and that one random stranger asks you like “ooo you are smiling :) :) is that a boy :) you are talking to :)” and you’re like “no I’m reading a Everybody Lives/Nobody Dies AU, please leave”

understands and portrays the characters better than the people who make MOVIES with those characters

amazing. just amazing. fic writers are awesome

[residentweevil13]

Today, that person is @ao3-arkada. I just read Those Sinned Against, and it is one of the all-time best things ever written.

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

[ao3-arkada]

In just under one month, it will be eight years since I posted the final chapter of Those Sinned Against. It makes me unbelievably happy to see how much love it still gets - that people are still finding it for the first time, coming back to reread it, and that my writing holds up well for people to enjoy.

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Yusuf and Nicolò reach Tunis and meet Yusuf’s family at last. 

The final chapter of the Viking AU! This is the end of a two year project to place these characters in that time and place, and I hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Nicolò expects to spend Lady Andrea’s ball in his usual manner: observing from a distance and avoiding any and all social entanglements.

His plans change when he meets a handsome man with a charming smile, a poet’s tongue, and equal disinterest in courting women. Nicolò spends the ball much more pleasantly than anticipated, and if some of it is spent on his knees, that is between him and his new acquaintance.

Regency AU where Nicolò and Yusuf meet at a ball (and promptly get dirty in the billiard room).

[ao3-arkada]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Chapter Four of Viking AU Sequel is up at last! Yusuf and Nicolò reach Alexandria and visit some friends.