Direct Link: House Rules
Fandom: The O.C.
Pairing: Seth/Ryan
Author on LJ: ingrid_m
Author website: If she has one, I was unable to track it down.
Why this must be read:

House Rules was posted at the dawn of the O.C. fandom (all the way back in August! *g*), after only the Pilot had aired. Because of that, this fic portrays Ryan and Seth as the viewers were first introduced to them, a fact which I hope will make it particularly accessible to O.C. newcomers.

The story is short, sweet, and full of the slashy promise that was apparent even in the Pilot. Ingrid has a remarkable handle on the Seth and Ryan characters, evidenced by the fact that the portrayals in this fic continue to ring true as the series progresses.

I could blather on for ages, but the story speaks well enough for itself. In addition to being a fun read, I hope that it will whet your appetite for more Seth/Ryan. Enjoy!

Running by Diana

Fandom: Alias
Pairing: Sydney/Vaughn
Author on LJ: dinanimo
Author Website: http://styrofoamfeelings.com/diana/foolosophy.html
Why this must be read:

Another of the stories that made the fandom sit up and pay attention first season, this is the flipside of the Sydney/Vaughn coin I mentioned in my last review. What if Syd's life never returned to normal? In this story, Sloane's still out there, and Sydney's hiding from him. Then one day her hiding place is taken away, and she's running.

This is written in a style that suits the show well: jumping back and forth in time, with paranthetical observations as Sydney's thoughs crash in on her. Very fast-paced, with lots to pay attention to.

There had been explosions, arguments, screams (blood). Sydney lost so much in her life. That one week after she returned from Moscow destroyed nearly everything she’d ever held dear. She was warned against staying in town, but ignored everything she was told. Ignored the fact that she could feel someone watching her every minute of every day. She thought she was fine - that she could survive anything that was thrown her way.

Until something convinced her it was run or die.

Next, we discover what other pairings were available to us first season. *grins* You might be surprised.

Post a comment below to take a turn pimping the Man From U.N.C.L.E. fandom. A week in advance of your assigned month you will be notified with a reply to your comment. During that time, you agree to post a minimum of 1 fic per week in the following format:

Subject: Title by Author (Rating)

Fandom: YOUR FANDOM
Pairing: (no abbreviations, please)
Author on LJ: (if applicable)
Author Website: (author's fics, if available)
Why this must be read:

Emphasis should be on fics that you feel are especially outstanding and accessible examples of your fandom, e.g. it plays on a repeated theme in the show, it's a fandom or a personal favourite, it was a controversial fic, it's good smut. Whatever.

Warnings are not required beyond what the author has posted on their own stories.

Thanks for playing and remember, kids! Without you, the crack_van will run out of gas!!

(snerk)

Fandom: Starsky and Hutch

Pairing: Starsky/Hutch

Fic Link: http://www.squidge.org/~flamingo/eclipse/index.htm

Why this must be read: It picks up after Sweet Revenge and brings back the most hated man in canon, James Marshall Gunther. Long hailed as THE fanfic for Starsky/Hutch, I whole-heartedly agree with that assumption. TEotH has good characterization, wonderful Suzan Lovett illos, a great plot, wonderful Suzan Lovett illos, a believeable shift from gen to slash pairing, wonderful Suzan Lovett illos, a wealth of emotions from the part of the characters, and did I mention wonderful Suzan Lovett illos?:)

Fandom: Starsky and Hutch

Pairing: Starsky/Hutch

Fic Link: http://www.squidge.org/~flamingo/starskyhutchslash/classic/PFL/drought.htm

Why this must be read: This is a story in the Cold Pizza and Butterfly Bones zine. OK, the most simple plotline that means the most of most any other story I read. On the day Starsky was to return to duty after Gunther, Hutch was supposed to pick him up. He simply turned right instead of left and the story goes from there. In a diner down the coast, Hutch is working through who he is and what it means to have Starsky back on duty and in his life.

Fandom: Starsky and Hutch

Pairing: Starsky/Hutch

Fic Link: http://www.squidge.org/~flamingo/starskyhutchslash/classic/Flamingo/DirtPool.htm

Why this must be read: Also in Cold Pizza and Butterfly Bones. Maybe I'm weird, but I really like the image of Starsky/Hutch destroying Huggy's pool table. The teasing of Starsky's butt movements dancing to the beat of the jukebox wasn't bad either;) It's light, it's fun, it's very visual with the red felt scratched and defiled with naked white boys (as Huggy would say).

Salad Days by Ivy Blossom
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Harry/Draco
Author on LJ: ivyblossom
Why this must be read:
Perhaps the funniest HP story ever. Harry and Draco are a couple. Ron has no idea what two men could do with each other, so he asks. Harry is less than thrilled.

Fandom: Blakes7
Pairing: Blake/Avon (not to mention Kerri/Roj...)
Site: It's number 0016 on the Blakes 7. The front page for the library database is
http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/Library/SrchReq.cgi . You can also get a list of all the stories in the Library at http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/Library/Lists.htm.

Why It Must Be Read: B7 canon should be VERY ashamed of itself for including an episode (Ultraworld) in which a group of aliens demand that crewmembers perform "The Human Bonding Ceremony" for their information.

However, gold has been panned out of dross by Belatrix, who posits that Blake and Avon find themselves captured by insect scientists whose very funding depends on producing a mating pair of humans. (Belatrix has been Belatrix since before there was a Potterverse, much less a Potterverse Belatrix.)

I'm sure you'll be touched and inspired by the ingenuity that the scientists show to preserve their grants. (B7 canon, however, is very tough on Grants.) WARNING: Don't read this while you're drinking coffee--fandom disclaims all liability for consequential damages to keyboards caused by spit takes.

Fandom: Blakes7
Pairing: Avon/absolutely everybody
Site: Library #0239, http://www.hermit.org/Blakes7/Library/Lists.htm
Why This Must Be Read: A very high percentage of B7 fan mindspace and libido are devoted to Avon--as in, what was his *damage* anyway? If you'd like to read some Avonsmut, but don't know whether you prefer slash or het, Blake, Tarrant, or Vila, vanilla or BDSM, the answer here is "Yes." Willa's premise is that, after the traumatic events of "Rumours of Death," everybody in the crew wants to help out Avon. The form the assistance takes is largely pharmacological, and so Avon ends up comatose (...which happens a lot in canon, and a lot more in fanfic anyway--what I refer to as the "Big Paperweight Avon" genre...).

Willa's novelette (I have the zine version, which is about 50 double-column pages) takes us on a tour of Avon's subconscious, as his psyche takes advantage of the Time Out to test out a variety of scenarios, just about all of which involve some sort of sex.

Willa is a highly prolific B7 writer and visual artist, with two main strands in her writing. A lot of her work is very funny, anarchic yet sturdily plotted, with some of the worst puns you'll find anywhere.

For Something Completely Differentthen there's sturdily plotted and highly emotional stories. Have a look at Love's Illusions (Library #0240), where Blake and Avon engage in a little virtual reality relaxation on shore leave...and don't have quite as much fun as they expected. Bonus points for a perfectly placed and planted plot twist--i.e., I felt like an idiot afterwards for being surprised, but it's just right.