I'm really intrigued by the phenomenon. Can't say I have any clue yet, but it fascinates me.
(As for crossovers: For me it depends - like any fic, really - on how well it's done. A well done crossover can be brilliant. I like the idea of connecting several fictional universes - ideally in ways that illuminate them in a new way, or put a new slant on them, or at least on one of them. They need to be somewhat compatible, of course, and there needs to be a point. Life on Mars is extremely compatible with a lot of stuff - from every present-day 'realistic' British drama to all kinds of historical stuff to science fiction/fantasy/horror. In fact, just about the only way I can make myself believe in the time travel interpretation of LoM is if I mentally cross it over with Doctor Who... *g*
But it's a bit like cracky ideas: to really get a good kick out of a crossover - or a cracky idea, for that matter - for me it needs to be treated seriously, i.e. believably. In fact, if treated seriously, I actually love cracky ideas - and cracky crossovers, too *g*. Because a *lot* of really good plots actually are a bit insane if summed up in a couple of sentences - just check the summaries of sf and fantasy novels given in the comments thread here (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/009957.html#009957)!
I just don't have much of a response to the fic equivalent of a joke, which is what crack often seems to end up as. I'll get a laugh out of it, but it won't give me any kind of deeper satisfaction - and I'm in fandom mainly for that satisfaction, which is essentially erotic.)
Doesn't explain why there's more crack here than elsewhere, though, does it?
I'm really intrigued by the phenomenon. Can't say I have any clue yet, but it fascinates me.
(As for crossovers: For me it depends - like any fic, really - on how well it's done. A well done crossover can be brilliant. I like the idea of connecting several fictional universes - ideally in ways that illuminate them in a new way, or put a new slant on them, or at least on one of them. They need to be somewhat compatible, of course, and there needs to be a point. Life on Mars is extremely compatible with a lot of stuff - from every present-day 'realistic' British drama to all kinds of historical stuff to science fiction/fantasy/horror. In fact, just about the only way I can make myself believe in the time travel interpretation of LoM is if I mentally cross it over with Doctor Who... *g*
But it's a bit like cracky ideas: to really get a good kick out of a crossover - or a cracky idea, for that matter - for me it needs to be treated seriously, i.e. believably. In fact, if treated seriously, I actually love cracky ideas - and cracky crossovers, too *g*. Because a *lot* of really good plots actually are a bit insane if summed up in a couple of sentences - just check the summaries of sf and fantasy novels given in the comments thread here (http://nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/archives/009957.html#009957)!
I just don't have much of a response to the fic equivalent of a joke, which is what crack often seems to end up as. I'll get a laugh out of it, but it won't give me any kind of deeper satisfaction - and I'm in fandom mainly for that satisfaction, which is essentially erotic.)