Talk Tuesday: Ambivalent Recs

I was prepping some recs for our next Sharing Saturday when I realized that recs themselves can be a pretty interesting topic. What makes you rec something, for example? For example, both of these could be considered ambivalent recs.

The Perfect Scry by DisaLanglois was something I realized partway through I was going to rec. I am always impressed when writers manage to take something the fandom is always doing (magic reveal) and yet give it a new twist. And in this case it was a hilarious one. Let's just say Arthur makes it all about himself. I'm pretty sure virtually anyone reading this will be laughing in points (if not at a lot of it).

The story is also quite satisfying in other ways such as in character progression and suggesting how the larger story might have gone instead. However, I suspect quite a few people will find the ending abrupt. I think the story title indicates this was always the intended arc and I think it does stand alone fine on reflection. But some may find there are still other issues they'd like to have seen resolved.

Next to Die by Footloose is a different sort of ambivalent rec. Merlin is a police detective investigating a multiple murder scene being blamed on an urban legend where Arthur is the only survivor. I think it's well done but it is quite literally a modern horror movie story, which is not really my cup of tea. But if it's yours I don't think you'd be disappointed with it.

What sorts of things make you rec or hold back from reccing something?