In Praise of the Vulnerable Man
| Fanfiction | |
|---|---|
| Title: | In Praise of the Vulnerable Man |
| Author(s): | Abby |
| Date(s): | 2011 |
| Length: | 89 chapters, 372k words |
| Genre: | slash romance |
| Fandom: | Hanson |
| External Links: | PDF and praise_fic @ LJ  |
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In Praise of the Vulnerable Man is a Hanson slash fanfic by Abby. It was written in 2011 and features an incestuous pairing between Zac and Taylor.
The story begins with Zac cautiously approaching his estranged older brother Taylor after a disagreement with his parents about whether or not he would attend college. Despite being sent away from home when their parents discovered he was gay, Taylor welcomes Zac into his apartment and helps him to get a job at the bakery Taylor manages. Zac soon begins to discover strange feelings for his brother.
Author's notes suggest this was intended to be a quite short story, but it took on a life of its own, with the plot including stalking and other incidents that left things open for a sequel that never materialized.
Reactions and Reviews
I have a theory that every Zaylor author has to write their take on a couple tropes at some point. Abby employs two of them in this fic–the story is not set in Tulsa, and the brothers have been forced apart due to their parents’ homophobia. Zac himself is rather homophobic and generally a shitty person as well, which is a trope in and of itself, I suppose. It’s a little difficult to re-read some of his worst behavior now, even knowing how the story ends. He’s a character that almost needs to come with a disclaimer.
All that said, I do enjoy this fic immensely. Zac is deliciously twisted, which makes for some fantastic scenes when he gets Taylor to let loose and show his dirty side as well. There is a plot binding together all the hot sex scenes, though, and it’s a surprisingly dark and dramatic one considering the fact that this feels like a light, smutty read.[1]
Related Fanworks
Top 10 Favorite Fanfic Couples: Zaylor (In Praise of the Vulnerable Man) by Bethany
Awards
In Praise of the Vulnerable Man won awards in the Thieves and Liars Awards and is featured in the PlaceToHide.net hall of fame.