Figureheads

Fanfiction
Title:	Figureheads
Author(s):	Victoria Bitter
Date(s):	2001
Length:	4,162 words
Genre:	non-explicit slash
Fandom:	Horatio Hornblower
External Links:	online here
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Figureheads is a slash Horatio Hornblower story by Victoria Bitter.

Reactions and Reviews

• "I'm not really into slash as a rule, and I started your story not knowing that was what it was, but I have to say this is really, really, well written. I was very impressed with the quality of the descriptions and dialogue. I hope you write alot, because you have a real talkent for it."

• "OK! ARCH AND HORATIO ARE SOOOOO NOT GAY! WHAT IS UP WITH U CRAZY PEOPLE! JUST LEAVE THEM ALONE! THEY R JUST BEST FRIENDS! GEEZ!"

• "Lovely! Very well written (as usual). I've never even seen Horatio Hornblower, just knew your pen name from a couple of other fandoms...you made the characters come to life! Jas: If you don't like slash, don't read it!"

• "All I can say is... wow. I'm beyond the point of remembering how many times I've read this story through, but it just gets better every time. Your prose is absolutely gorgeous, and the romance was beautiful in how subtle it all was. Amazing job, mate!

• "Wow. This is a truly excellently-written story. Your progression of the matters at hand, the dialogue, and the characterization seem almost effortless. A wonderful piece of writing."

• "Ohh! I swoon! What a beautiful story -- even if you’re not a Hornblower fan (and if you’re not, what’s wrong with you? Have you *seen* Jamie Bamber and Ioan Griffudd???) Following their release from prison, Archie and Horatio have a long overdue conversation. The true genius of this story is the way Victoria puts into words the simple-yet-so-complex relationship between these two characters that we see on the screen. Do not miss this one."

• "A little bonus fic for literary week! The Horatio Hornblower fandom is necessarily based in part on the excellent miniseries, but the first episodes cleave well to the C.S. Forester books, and this fic takes place during that period. Archie is, understandably, upset and off-balance by his experience at Don Masserado's. I love how this fic lets Horatio help his friend back from his depression, and I adore Archie's character-appropriate confession of affection (which incorporates his past as a stage actor). The underlying metaphor of the sea-legs was well-used, and made an excellent frame for the story as well as a good method of characterization for Horatio and Archie both."