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Excultus
[Mystrade Supernatural/Sci-fi AU]
23rd-century London is a divided city. Two hundred years of genetic tampering has fractured humanity into subspecies, not all of whom are willing to get along. The capital's crime-ridden streets are now home to some fairly fantastic variants of human - some of them more dangerous than others.
For DI Greg Lestrade, Cross-Human Relations at Scotland Yard, it's all just part of the day job.
But when a horrifying discovery forces him to seek the help of Mycroft Holmes, Head of Criminal Psychology, Greg might just be tested past his limits. Mycroft is unpleasant, unforgiving, and famously impossible to please.
But if Greg needs anyone right now, it's a vampire expert.
With dangerous forces fast on their tail, Greg and Mycroft must work together to avert the vampire threat - before it's too late.
Words: 314,916 Complete.
23rd-century London is a divided city. Two hundred years of genetic tampering has fractured humanity into subspecies, not all of whom are willing to get along. The capital's crime-ridden streets are now home to some fairly fantastic variants of human - some of them more dangerous than others.
For DI Greg Lestrade, Cross-Human Relations at Scotland Yard, it's all just part of the day job.
But when a horrifying discovery forces him to seek the help of Mycroft Holmes, Head of Criminal Psychology, Greg might just be tested past his limits. Mycroft is unpleasant, unforgiving, and famously impossible to please.
But if Greg needs anyone right now, it's a vampire expert.
With dangerous forces fast on their tail, Greg and Mycroft must work together to avert the vampire threat - before it's too late.
Words: 314,916 Complete.
- GenresFan Fiction
1074 pages, ebook
Published February 28, 2018
3 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 11, 2019
What a magnificent story!!! or it's more correct to say: what a magnificent BOOK, because that's what this is.
And what an incredible tour-de-force, since it grabs you and it doesn't let you go: it compelled me to read and read and just keep on reading until I was too tired to keep my eyes open, because I so wanted to know what was going to happen next.
I will never tire to say that I love how the author portrays Mycroft, Greg and their feelings for each other, and this story is no exception.
I adore all the supporting characters that orbit around the couple: I applaude the accuracy of her characterization, her talent and the fantastic way the author has with words.
And what an incredible tour-de-force, since it grabs you and it doesn't let you go: it compelled me to read and read and just keep on reading until I was too tired to keep my eyes open, because I so wanted to know what was going to happen next.
I will never tire to say that I love how the author portrays Mycroft, Greg and their feelings for each other, and this story is no exception.
I adore all the supporting characters that orbit around the couple: I applaude the accuracy of her characterization, her talent and the fantastic way the author has with words.
May 17, 2022
LONG but so worth it! Strongly recommended for anyone who likes Mystrade and/or casefic in their urban fantasy. Brilliantly emotional and twisty, in a great science-fantasy future London. Fortunately, you can trust that "happy ending" tag to mean it won't permanently break your heart.
(N.b., Sherlock does not exist, and never has, in this 'verse.)
Roughly 500 pages in, I took the unusual step of visiting GR before turning out my light, to write the following comment:
My non-spoilery comment at the end on AO3 is similar, and shows the rest of the story did not fade or otherwise disappoint:
There isn't exactly a sequel, though certain threads were definitely left open for one, and for some reason the author made a *tag* for "The Excultus Universe" instead of a *series* (which means, okay, to be sure I don't miss any possible further updates, I have to subscribe to the author in general, which I wouldn't normally do after just one story read), but there is "The Twenty-Third Century Files": "Short stories, drabbles, extra scenes and ficlets from the Excultus universe—all featuring spoilers from the main story. (Don't go near these unless you've read Excultus.)"
Words: 22,652 Chapters: 12/12— which I will obviously be reading next.
I even considered rounding 4.x up to 5 stars, but there's not *quite* enough satisfaction of justice in the conclusion (the aforementioned "unresolved threads" include not *all* of the baddies getting caught or killed), though the denouement is 👍🤗👌, and there's also the issue of not necessarily giving Mycroft 100% forgiveness, which ties into a bit of ambiguity over how utterly the vampire-secreted chemical McGuffin (can I use that term in this context?) brings a mortal under their unquestioning thrall. ETA: Although, upon reflection, I shouldn't be thinking of Mycroft as hypocritical, when he's as little able to forgive himself.
Oh, P.S.2: Call me Dug, but if I hadn't gotten distracted by realizing that I hadn't quite finished with another fanfic author's backlist (of mainly shorts and short-shorts), I would have read even this massive work in more or less two binges, not "4 days".
(N.b., Sherlock does not exist, and never has, in this 'verse.)
Roughly 500 pages in, I took the unusual step of visiting GR before turning out my light, to write the following comment:
I'm 49% done with Excultus: A LONG story, but truly excellent! I wasn't sure at first I'd warm up to this Mycroft enough — a self-loathing, isolated life (w/o even a troublesome younger brother in this 'verse!) = a lethally bitter tongue when protecting himself, and I felt for Greg! — but it didn't take long. The case, world & secondary characters are just as well-written. The tags promise a happy ending, and I'm glad I decided to dive into it.
My non-spoilery comment at the end on AO3 is similar, and shows the rest of the story did not fade or otherwise disappoint:
This fic is amazingly good, from world- (and species-) building, to character-building (altered-canon and original both) and the various sorts of relationships, to the plotty and emotional twists and turns, revelations and you-only-*thought*-you-had the-facts re-revelations of the developing case/hunt/escape. It is soooo worth the time and deserving of "all the kudos". I am very glad I didn't merely mark it for "later" — and was also very glad at several points for that reassuring "Happy ending" tag! 😰 I saw a couple things coming, wondered but wasn't confident about bits of a couple more, but that still left a lot of things that had my eyes widening — and sometimes running over! — as I tore through it greedily.
There isn't exactly a sequel, though certain threads were definitely left open for one, and for some reason the author made a *tag* for "The Excultus Universe" instead of a *series* (which means, okay, to be sure I don't miss any possible further updates, I have to subscribe to the author in general, which I wouldn't normally do after just one story read), but there is "The Twenty-Third Century Files": "Short stories, drabbles, extra scenes and ficlets from the Excultus universe—all featuring spoilers from the main story. (Don't go near these unless you've read Excultus.)"
Words: 22,652 Chapters: 12/12— which I will obviously be reading next.
I even considered rounding 4.x up to 5 stars, but there's not *quite* enough satisfaction of justice in the conclusion (the aforementioned "unresolved threads" include not *all* of the baddies getting caught or killed), though the denouement is 👍🤗👌, and there's also the issue of not necessarily giving Mycroft 100% forgiveness, which ties into a bit of ambiguity over how utterly the vampire-secreted chemical McGuffin (can I use that term in this context?) brings a mortal under their unquestioning thrall. ETA: Although, upon reflection, I shouldn't be thinking of Mycroft as hypocritical, when he's as little able to forgive himself.
Oh, P.S.2: Call me Dug, but if I hadn't gotten distracted by realizing that I hadn't quite finished with another fanfic author's backlist (of mainly shorts and short-shorts), I would have read even this massive work in more or less two binges, not "4 days".
October 27, 2018
Probably the best fanfic I've ever read, just wonderful.
December 28, 2022
Exception writing and a well-told, well developed story that had me hooked from the first page to the last. It's rare to find a writer who writes dialogue, love scenes, action scenes and exposition equally well, but Mottlemoth is one of those writers. If this were a published book with original characters, I'd be buying it in bulk hard copy and giving it to friends at Christmas and birthdays for the next year.
August 13, 2023
To był kawał dobrej literatury
Trochę za dużo smutu jak na mój gust, ale fabuła>>> i postaci>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I wszystkie moje zauroczenia są razem, 15/10
Jestem w rozsypce tak szczerze
Potrzebuję Kit w swoim życiu, fr
Trochę za dużo smutu jak na mój gust, ale fabuła>>> i postaci>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I wszystkie moje zauroczenia są razem, 15/10
Jestem w rozsypce tak szczerze
Potrzebuję Kit w swoim życiu, fr
May 9, 2022
One of the best things I’ve read this year. A true masterpiece. A much needed story that’s sparked true joy and life back into this depressed soul.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews