The Seventeenth Step

Fanfiction
Title:	The Seventeenth Step
Author(s):	Katie Forsythe
Date(s):	?
Length:	350,000+ words
Genre(s):	Slash
Fandom(s):	Sherlock Holmes
Relationship(s):	Holmes/Watson
External Links:	https://liquidfic.azurewebsites.net/katie.html
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The Seventeenth Step is a Sherlock Holmes fanfiction series by Katie Forsythe, focused on the Holmes/Watson pairing.

Story Summaries

• An April's Journey: Set against "The Reigate Squire", Watson learns Holmes has fallen ill in France, and for another reason than simple exhaustion. 13,600 words.  Adult.
• Birds to a Lighthouse: Every story has a Reichenbach, and this is theirs: what did James Moriarty do to cause Holmes to abandon his family for three years? Adult with warnings for violence, abuse, and explicit sex. 54,000 words.
• The Conductor of Light: When each face subsequent life-threatening attacks, Holmes and Watson begin a series of ill-conceived and mutual deceptions. 8500 words. Mature.
• Four Minor Interludes for the Solo Violin: Wounded and traumatized by the Afghan War, John Watson falls in love with a detective who is also a remarkable violinist. Connected pieces of emotion and movement, all adult. 27,000 words.
• Hallowed Be Thy Name:  A sequel to Four Minor Interludes, this is a intense rollercoaster of a relationship tale including large elements of Holmes's past.  40, 000 with several mature themes as well as explicit sexuality.
• A Hymn to the Endlessly Falling:  In 1927, a funeral, a wedding, and Sherlock Holmes teach John Watson how to let go. 18,300 words. Mature.
• Full of Grace: Oscar Wilde's incarceration, a wedding celebration for Violet Smith, and a pair of dancing men. 19,000 words.
• The Greek Lesson: The real version of "The Greek Interpreter" and the impact of those events. 7800 words. Adult.
• The Lucky One: Some of Watson's observations of Holmes, set during "The Pearl of Death."  6000 words.  Also in mp3 and m4b.  
• A Man of Questionable Morals:  The harrowing aftereffects of Devil's Foot Root poisoning, and how far Sherlock Holmes would go to keep John Watson safe. Warnings for off screen violence and abuse. 16,300 words.  Adult.
• The Morning After: It takes longer than a single night to begin a relationship, and the consequences of throwing Sherlock Holmes into a pile of hay. A prequel. 18,200 words.  Adult.
• The Measure of Happiness: Is it better to have a piece of the man you love than nothing at all? A first time H/W story with a good bit of Inspector Hopkins. 7900 words.
• Sign of Change: Revolving around Watson's marriage and its impact. 18,500 words. Adult.  
• Cauldron: A Love Letter:  the eminently satisfying continuation of Sign of Change. Sherlock Holmes dies, returns from the dead, and fights to get his Watson back.. 26,500 words. Also as mp3 or m4b.
• Some Further Notes on the Roylott Matter: Holmes POV, preslash in which Sherlock Holmes is not, by no means--why should you think such a thing?-- afraid of snakes. 11,000 words. Also in mp3 and m4b audio.
• Splendid Night:  A Christmasy spin on MILV with a heart-warming dose of H/W.   14, 500 words. Mature.
• Softly and Suddenly:  Holmes exacts a terrible revenge on Watson for marrying. Adult, 15,000 words.
• The Presbury Letters: Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, and John Watson battle to survive the Great War.  17,000 words. Also as mp3 or m4b audio.
• That which Gives Extras: Intertwined with "The Naval Treaty", Blackmail and misunderstandings abound when Holmes solves a case for one of Watson's former lovers, Percy Phelps. 10,700 words. Adult. Also in mp3 and m4b audio.
• Thoughts without Words:  A romance set to music, with a special appearence by Miss Adler. 15,200 words. Also in mp3 and m4b audio.
• The Three Favours: mingling "Empty House" and "Norwood Builder" with H/W slash, Holmes is back from the dead and Watson isn't having it, not even when Holmes sends him thrice-daily telegrams and ensnares him in a new murder case. 12,000 words. Also in mp3 and m4b audio.
• Twelfth Night: A parody of Forsythian schmangst: how to explain to Holmes that he is in fact homosexual, the effects of alcohol on Watson, and things that make ineffective lubricants. Adult humour, 6000 words.
• Undiscovered Country: Culverton Smith's poison box fells the wrong victim. 9200 words. Adult.
• The Violet Elephant: Set against NOBL, Lestrade learns something about Sherlock Holmes. 4700 words. Also in m4b audio.
• War Crimes: Set against "His Last Bow", Watson, to Holmes' considerable dismay, volunteers for WWI. 6500 words.

Inspired Fanworks

• Twin binding of The Seventeenth Step

Reactions and Reviews

Mostly X-rated. Yes, these can get pretty smutty, but believe me–by fan fiction standards, it’s super tame, and the sex is always justified. This one isn’t a single fiction so much as a collection, but the sheer quality of the writing merits it a place on the list. Forsythe’s writing seriously ought to be in print, but lucky for you it’s free on the Internet. Some of the stories are one-shots, while others stretch over multiple chapters, but they are all carefully crafted and meticulously paced. Unsurprisingly, considering the sheer volume of academic study on the subject, the stories all feature Doyle-era Holmes and Watson as the central couple. They’ve been slash-shipped since the first time Doyle set pen to paper. What sets The Seventeenth Step apart is the careful attention to detail with regards to the time period and the sensibilities of the era. At no point do Holmes and Watson forget the sheer peril of being homosexual, and the risks they are taking, and what might happen to them if they were outed. Most of the stories center on this theme, approaching it from different angles and with different versions of the characters. Similarly, the stories are intensely respectful of the original canon, often including footnotes to indicate where in the stories the fan fiction fits. Some of them even have Watson admitting that he lied in his public portrayal of the events, in order to conceal their relationship, which is particularly entertaining if you’re familiar enough with canon to see the holes in the original stories.

this isn’t trans holmes but I do need to make sure that Katie Forsythe’s fic lives on for every generation of Sherlock Holmes fans. it’s h/w and written in period style and ranges from just absolutely fucking heartbreaking to goddamn adorable. I’ve read all of these more than once and if there was ever a fanwork I would get bound these would be it. I basically see them as an extension of canon in my mind. please love yourselves and read these

If you want quality ACD fics, start with The Seventeenth Step–a series of fics by Katie Forsythe (wordstrings).

There are 25 stories in this collection, some as long as seven chapters. This ate a whole week of mine once, and I was trying so hard to drag it out when I was out of stories, I so wanted it to go on. This has everything, first-times, mad, mad love, some really quality erotica, angst and then some, and absolutely stunning use of the English language. Just. Go.

Post script to my too long ask: for good canon ACD Johnlock I cannot recommend Katie Forsythe’s entire fanfiction canon enough.

For closure I especially would recommend the two-parter Sign of Change and Cauldron: A Love Letter. This story does what no other Holmes adaptation has ever managed to do. It brings up the two canon events that (if they actually happened) must have wrecked the John and Sherlock relationship the most: John’s marriage and Sherlock’s fall. It ties them together, breaks your heart completely, and then *this is key* ultimately has John and Sherlock walk the difficult path to reconciliation and happiness again. I don’t think a good Series Five of BBC Sherlock could fix me as much as these two fics have honestly.

Once again. Thank you. TJLC Explained was good times, and honestly if I had the chance to tell myself pre-2017 that I was getting my hopes up for nothing and BBC Sherlock would one day not even be my favorite Holmes adaptation anymore I wouldn’t. The journey and excitement though misplaced was just so special and fun I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. I hope I’ll be seeing more projects of yours, Sherlock based or not!