Fandom: Blakes 7
Pairing: Blake/Avon in the past, Blake/Vila
Author on LJ executrix
Author Website: No
Why this must be read:

These two linked stories (story and sequel so it isn't really two for the price of one) are probably my favourite E'trix stories ever, because they're among the few that have some admixture of angst. Executrix claims not to like angst. But even when writing about serious themes, she is unlikely to do so in a completely sombre vein. These two, in which the rebels survive and the revolution goes on, are angstier than most Executrix stories. The first is narrated by a computer, the acronymic CORA, which Avon presents by proxy to Blake as a sort of apology for trying to kill him. In the second Avon, though still involved with the revolution, has become a priest. This is in keeping with a long-running Executrix thread about him having been brought up a Catholic. There is no canonical basis for that; in fact the position of religion in the Federation is uncertain, but it fits quite well with his penchant for guilt and remorse. These fics are very much about guilt, about relationships that don't work but can't be laid aside, and the irrevocable nature of the past, the problem being that you can neither go back and change it nor ignore what it has done to you. Yet, autumnal and brooding as it often is, this is the opening of Her Father: ( excerpt )

Later, with Avon now living according to rules of chastity, the fic flashes back to earlier times in his life: ( Read more... )

Perhaps when she says she dislikes angst, she means she dislikes the wallowing in emotion which angst at its worst can be. She is more likely to undercut emotion with humour or colour it with figurative language, as here. Nor will she let her characters brood for long; the characters in this fic, as in most of hers, are not entirely happy with their lives but they get on and live them anyway, as most of us have to in real life. It's arguable, in fact, that for a writer in an SF fanfic universe she is more rooted in real life than most. Her stories are more conscious of the senses, and of sensual pleasures, than many SF-based fanfic stories. The food references in the extract above are typical: such sensual references to foods or materials are a signature in her fics.

By the way, re ratings. I go by what I'd have been happy for my kids to read at 13, but since I'm anti-censorship that's just about anything.

CORA Has Two Daddies
Her Father

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Merry/Pippin
Author on LJ: 3jane
Author Website: Janefic
Why this must be read: A series of five short vignettes about hobbit love, Burrow is a Merry/Pippin classic. The prose is simple and sweet and threaded with hobbity whimsy. This pairing has seen its share of bad treatment, but Jane St Clair gets the tone just right, conveying everything of Merry and Pippin's playfulness, humour and emotionalism without turning them into children. A lovely, happy story.

Burrow

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: florastuart
Author Website: None

Why this must be read:

This is the tale of minor character who we didn't see much of in canon, and as such requires little background information. All you really need to know is that this woman is a Peacekeeper, and that Peacekeepers are meant to value duty above compassion and the objective above their comrades in arms. When Officer Teeg breaks the rules, she knows what her fate will be. But then a Senior Officer who will be familiar to those with any knowledge of Farscape takes an interest in her for reasons of his own ...

This is an intriguing look at the day to day existence of Peacekeepers and the practical effects of living in such a restrictive and dangerous society. I love the level of gritty realism and messy detail evoked as Teeg goes over her failed mission. The ending makes more sense if you've seen the show's first episode, but I think the story stands up without the final click of realisation.

First Loyalty

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: John/Zhaan
Author on LJ: ebonbird
Author Website: ebonbird's fanfiction cache

Why this must be read:

During the first season episode Rhapsody in Blue intrepid human John Crichton shared Unity - a kind of Delvian mindmeld - with his crewmate Zhaan. He described the sensation as being like 'ten years of great sex all at once', or words to that effect. You'd think that this would have lead to a lot of John/Zhaan fanfiction, but John/Aeryn was such a dominant force in the fandom back when Season One was screening that only ebonbird seems to have taken the obvious possibility and run with it.

Fortunately, these are good enough to satisfy anyone craving the pairing all by themselves. I love the wonderful sensuality of these stories - something that feels very right for these two characters. Alien sex that feels alien is another thing Farscape fandom is rather surprisingly short on, and I love the way the author uses Zhaan's perspective to make John's body strange yet wonderful.

Ten Blue

L'azurely