Cards on the Table (Sentinel story)

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Fanfiction
Title: Cards on the Table
Author(s): Mab
Date(s): 2006
Length: 26762 words
Genre(s): slash, Historical and Regency AU
Fandom(s): Sentinel
Relationship(s): Jim/Blair
External Links: Cards on Table at 852 Prospect
Cards on the Table at AO3

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Cards on the Table is a Jim/Blair story by Mab Browne and is part of a series entitled Regency Sentinel. Was lightly inspired by the Georgette Heyer's novel 'Faro's Daughter'.

Also posted in 852 Prospect and Artifact Storage Room 3 archives. The sequels are A Game of Hazard, Kings or Knaves and All's Fair.

Summary:

The year is 1814. Captain James Ellison is called to London to investigate his brother's infatuation with one Naomi Sandburg. But Jim is more concerned with her son, Blair.

Comments by the Author

I have kept all my feedback, something which recent posts in other communities assured me wasn’t that unusual. That enabled me to do a little statistical analysis, relating to my perception of the ideal TS story. The single story for which I have far and away received the most feedback (not counting WIP situations) is ‘Before Sunrise’. (Twenty four, including LJ comments, emails and miscellaneous recs) Which story of mine received nominations in the LMFAs this year? ‘Before Sunrise’. Which other story of mine at least got on to the nominations list? Cloudbusting. Which 2006 story of mine never even appeared on the nominations list, let alone the ballot? Cards on the Table. So by the only objective means of measurement I have, my most popular story is a quiet little case-story romance. Hmmm…

The thing is that I’m not going to stop writing AUs and horror and generally weird stuff, because that’s the way that my brain works, and plenty of people seem to like that sort of story, so I get my fun in writing and my validation in posting. And as I get more confident in my writing, and as the Prozac begins to improve my serotonin uptake, I can happily admit that any story in any fandom is a ‘real’ fandom story if it’s written with love and enthusiasm and if you’re really lucky, skill. It’s interesting to consider the patterns, though.[1]

mab_browne at So What's a Real TS Fic?

Reactions and Reviews

2015

[nadadie]
The lovely and historically accurate mab_browne has finished and posted Cards on the Table to 852. It's Jim and Blair in Regency times, replete with gambling hells, dice, and properly-tied cravats. Mab's got a lovely light touch with the dialog and the language, and she's crafted a story that's both good J/B *and* a good Regency.[2]

2022

[nadadie]
I didn't think I liked AUs very much. This is the story that changed my mind. Even if you don't think you like AUs, you should give it a try. Mab really brings Regency-era England to life, and does an exemplary job of transplanting the Jim and Blair we know and love into that setting. I wish I could write with a tenth of her flair and poetry. Equally worthwhile is the sequel, A Game of Hazard, [...]. And...she's writing a third story in this universe...[3]

References

  1. ^ mab_browne (2006-11-26). "So what's a real TS fic?…". LiveJournal. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29.
  2. ^ nadadie (2012-12-15). "Recs form TS-Fresh-Air". Dreamwidth. Archived from the original on 2015-09-29.
  3. ^ nadadie (2012-12-15). "Recs form TS-Fresh-Air". Dreamwidth. Archived from the original on 2022-05-11.