FANDOM: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
PAIRING: none
Author's website: Marina's homepage
marinarusalka

Why this must be read:
Poor Riley. Stuck as re-bound follow-up guy to the One True Love - both to Buffy herself and to the audience. And it certainly didn't help that he was saddled at first with an unfortunate haircut and not much of a personality. Fortunately, by the end of the fourth season he'd developed somewhat, and then Marina stepped in to give him a long-overdue solo moment.

This is Riley in the weeks following Restless. Riley, who's had his world turned upside down, going home to Iowa to try and pull himself together, and finding, like many a soldier before him, that it's not always that easy.

Another Peaceful War

Fandom:BLAKES7
Pairing:None
Author on LJ:?
Author's Website:?
Why this must be read:

It's a year before The Way Back, and we are presented with two documents. The first supplements our knowledge of Federation popular entertainment (which mostly derives from DeathWatch) with a transcript of an episode of The Weakest Link. The nine contestants are FSA student Tarrant ("top of his class three times in a row'), communication specialist Cally, paamedic Gan, bodyguard Soolin, engineer Blake, free-lance pilot Jenna, "top computer consultant" Avon, weapons-design student Dayna, and "self-employed security systems specialist" Vila.

Gan is the first to be voted off, followed by Dayna, then Tarrant...It's clear they've voted me off because they fear me. I had a bad round this time, but I would have become too much of a danger to them later on. Vila is a coward for voting for me in the previous round! He deserves to go off next. And I'll be waiting for him round the corner!

Blake correctly answers the question about the drug that is considered the greatest threat to mankind ("Shadow"); Vila flubs the question of the hardest known substance in the galaxy (he said "diamonds" instead of "feldon"); Dayna passed instead of knowing the name of the Teal-Vandor convention; Tarrant correctly identifies the ex-captain of the Space Command rugby team invalided out with active-duty injuries ("Travis"). Avon displays the ethical sensitivity you'd expect when there's money on the line.

The second document is a memorandum giving quite a different spin on events...

A Dismal Performance

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Severus Snape/Remus Lupin
Author on LJ: eponis
Author Website: Luminous Whispers: Fanfiction Archive
Why this must be read:

In the middle of the war, Snape and Remus find each. This story really captures how vulnerable each character is, how wary they are of the other. The sparseness in its language really makes you look beyond the surface, giving you insight into both men and everything that they don't say out loud or don't do overtly. It is so delicate and nuanced as it weaves a beautiful, achy (unlikely?) romance that I found myself falling in love, too. This story will be the only non-NC17 rec I make this month - that's how much I recommend it!

Thirteen Ways
Waybackmachine archive

Fandom: MAN FROM UNCLE
Pairing: Possibly Illya/Napoleon *g*
Author on LJ: tgabrielle
Author Website: None, only one story online for now

Why this must be read: Because T. Gabrielle has a real talent for showing instead of telling, and for creating intriguingly ambiguous situations. The aired episodes have nothing on this story when it comes to subtext.

This story takes up where the second season episode, The Children's Day Affair, left off, but you don't really need to know anything about the episode to understand and enjoy the story. Here we see Illya and Napoleon through a third party's eyes - their boss, Alexander Waverly, who finds himself involved in a sort of "bidding war" with another UNCLE chief over one of his top agents. The other chief, highly placed in the European sector, wants Illya for his sector and cleverly plants suspicions that Napoleon and Illya are lovers and should be separated, for the good of the organization.

I find "exterior" pov stories to be fascinating, since what we see is only a refraction, not a direct knowledge of what is happening, leaving the final interpretation very open. The question posed in this story: are the UNCLE chief's suggestions true, or fabricated to help his own case? There is evidence - but what does it mean? How should it be interpreted? And does it matter anyway?

Waverly, frequently ignored in fanfiction, is beautifully drawn here, a complex, shrewd and nuanced man of great experience and wisdom. Napoleon and Illya are equally well depicted, although in a less direct manner. Although the story is Illya-centric, Napoleon's characterization is not lacking at all. The scene between the two of them in the infirmary is simply wonderful. And this story offers a fascinating exploration of the political infighting that occurs within any organization, even among adamantly "do-good" types.

This is a story that draws the reader in and demands active participation. And when you're done, there are no clear answers, only the ones you supply for yourself.

( read some good stuff )

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I do.

The Children's Night Affair

Fandom: The Sentinel
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/Coffeehouse/8590/sAriSlash.html
Why this must be read:

This one is an AU with Jim as a cop, who had to leave the force and is now desperately looking for a job to make a living, and Blair as a profiler, who is stalked by a killer. They learn to know each other when Naomi, who plays a prominent role in this story, looks for a bodyguard for her son.

Guess who gets the job.

( Read more... )

Between

Fandom: THE O.C.
Pairing: Ryan/Seth
Author on LJ: darkeyedwolf
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: So we're gonna start delving into the darker side of The O.C. fics cause there's so much to be found there.

First up is "Not Enough." This is an excellent story and completely fits the dark side requirement. It's a different spin on what a relationship between Seth and Ryan could involve. However, the characterization is dead on, you can believe that something like this would develop between Ryan and Seth based on what we know of them and how DarkEyedWolf lays out the story. I personally like it because it’s a relationship between Seth and Ryan that isn’t all roses and the realization of unrequited crushes, and a change of pace is always good. I’m trying to not give too much away about but I want people to read it. Go, enjoy.

By the by, DarkEyedWolf wrote this story as part of her slashvalentines drabbles. Just follow the link and "Not enough" is the first story posted.

Not Enough

Fandom: ROSWELL
Pairing: N/A
Author on LJ: uhmidont
Author Website: fic-o-rama

Why this must be read:
In retrospect, this is Michael-fic week for me at crack_van. Of all the Michael-centric fics I could recommend, none capture the character as well as this lovely piece by Elizabeth.

Frankly, I was surprised not to find it among the recs in the memories.

This is a Michael future-fic in which he looks back at the relationships that have had an impact on his life. It runs the gamut of his attachments and covers the ties he had to practically every character on the show. As all of Elizabeth's stories, this is beautifully written, but what makes it stand out for me is the way in which she portrays Michael looking back over his life and making all those connections that might have escaped him in the moment. This is a subtle and incisive look into all that makes Michael Guerin who he is, wrapped in an analogy that would make any classics fan happy. *g*

Three is a number he is familiar with. It seems to have figured prominently in his life--all the patterns of it are clearer to him now that he's lived a larger part of it. Three isn't a bad number or a good number. It's just a number, but it's his number. He almost got a tattoo of it once, but in the end decided that it was already on him in so many ways that marking it wasn't really necessary. Besides, he'd never really liked needles all that much.

Moerae

Fandom: Simon & Simon
Pairing: Rick/AJ (incest)
Author on LJ: valarltd
Author Website: Lady Angel's den of Debauchery
Why this must be read:

"The Least Dangerous Game" is also called "The ep that launched a thousand fics."
In this, Rick and AJ are investigating animal deaths at the San Diego Zoo. While stalking the bad guys, AJ gets hit with an animal tranq. And Rick has to wrestle him to the ground before he decides to play with the big kitty. What clenches this for the slashers (and converts the rest of us into them) is that the second AJ hits the ground, his legs wrap around Rick's waist.

Anyway, afterward, Rick takes his badly stoned brother home. This is my take on what might have happened after he poured AJ into bed. Because the line between sex and rape is all a matter of perspective in some cases.

Perspectives

Fandom: Star Wars
Pairing: Han/Luke
Author on LJ: No
Author Website: No

Why this must be read: Some years ago, Mona Ramsey left fandom. She decreed all her works would be removed from the net, except those she gave a special dispensation.

"Stones" is one of these.

In this, Luke returns to Tatooine seeking closure. It dovetails nicely with the Prequels. Han goes with him, silently supporting, constantly loving.


"Leia will understand," Han said, soothingly. "That's the thing about your sister and you -- you've got the unconditional love part down pat."

"It isn't just Leia and I who have that part down," Luke said, and stood up. "I'll go and get things moving, then."


Stones
You have to go to the new fictions and scroll about halfway down the page.

This is the Simon & Simon overview.

( Read more... )