Fandom: POPSLASH-NSYNC
Pairing: JC/Chris
Author on lj: wavinggrain
Author's website: pop content is Just So Pretty

Why this really should be read:

To begin with, it's Amber. Already rec'ed here on the van for popslash and for pretty much every fandom she's written for as Elizabeth, I'm so far from the first person to say what an amazing and inventive writer she is.

Popslash is replete with wow-inducing AUs, many from Amber, and I've always thought popslash had so many AUs because so many of us fell in love the boys' interactions, the way they bounced and edged around each other - more than the setting of international fame and untold wealth. This AU is set in Regency times. If you're not familiar with the rules and manners, the story communicates every slight and mis-step without clunky exposition or pedantic notes, it all just works. If you are familiar with the setting, it's just plain awesome how everything is so right.

Add in a scorching hot romance, great Chris and JC and Justin and everyone and the usual every word is exactly right Amber-times and it's three stories that rock. (Old skool!) Plus, it turned a number of my friends into die-hard never say die JC/Chris OTP writers/readers.

even odd out
fold
endgame

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: n/a, includes Boromir, Aragorn, other Fellowship, Faramir -- but keep reading, slash fans...
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: plasticChevy's Fanfiction (but see note at the end)

Why this must be read:

LoTR is a fandom with many AU stories, and no small number of them fall into the category "Boromir lives." The Captain and the King also falls into this category, but unlike most of the AU's that do, this story doesn't forget why Boromir died in the first place -- redemption. From the beginning to the end, this story keeps that theme squarely in the forefront, and it makes for a fascinating journey.

The AU premise is that Saruman believes the heir of Isildur carries the One Ring, and the Uruk-Hai are sent to capture Men rather than Hobbits. Boromir does, indeed, live, but from the outset his life is changed forever. The rest of the tale, from Amon Hen through the end of the War and beyond, is rewritten in this novel-length story.

Slash fans should not bail on this story because it's labelled as gen. Particularly between Aragorn and Boromir in the early chapters, it is very slashy. It's one of those gen stories that's more slashy than a lot of slash, because the characters and relationships are at the heart of it; sex isn't there to substitute (or get in the way of) genuine emotional punch.

I could go on and on about the many things that make this story wonderful, but I will leave them for you to discover. Merry fans in particular will find a lot to appreciate; the friendship between Boromir and Merry is one of my favorite things about this story.

Read the story at one of these two links, rather than on the author's site -- the story is complete, but it hasn't been updated at the author's site. (FYI, the sequel is in progress at ff.net.)

LiveJournal is mangling the links when I try to make them pretty, but here they are:

The Captain and the King at Henneth-Annun Story Archive:
http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?STID=83

The Captain and the King at fanfiction.net:
http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=652532

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Scully UST
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Fanfiction by PD

Why this must be read: I had the hardest time picking just one of PD's fics! She has such a playful and easy writing style! Such a talent for humor! Plus the uncanny ability to make me compose sentences ending solely in exclamation points!

I struggled, but I finally decided to go with this one because it shows more of PD's range. It's got Mulder and Scully fighting and flirting, plus Scully's internal voice is a lot of fun, sarcastic and self-critical, and pure uncensored Scully.

"You sure you're all right, Scully?"

"Shh."

"How 'bout that hug?"

The back of the slightly balding head in front of Scully swiveled ever so slightly. Yes. You, sir, are hearing Something You Shouldn't. Oh, brother.

Shell Shock

Fandom: Pirates of the Carribean
Pairing: Jack/Anamaria
Author on LJ: voleuse
Author Website: The Cavern
Why this must be read:

Written as part of the Behind Every Good Woman challenge, this is a lovely Jack/Anamaria fic: sparse, and stylish, and it feels true to both characters. The fandom needs more Jack/Anamaria--especially fic as good as this one.

i. Love is my sin, and thy dear virtue hate

Anamaria has an understanding with Captain Jack Sparrow.

He treats her like an equal, and she doesn't run him through with a sword.

It works surprisingly well.

Stepping Stones

Fandom: Pirates of the Carribean
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: d_r_o_n_e
Author Website: Fiction: Ladybee
Why this must be read:

While most of PoTC fandom is enchanted by Teh Pretty (and I certainly understand *that*), ladybee took a different direction with most of her fics. Her stories were always original, thoughtful, and intriguing, and this story is no exception.

The concept of this story--what if Jack began life as a female?--is enough to give one pause. However, ladybee has a real talent for mood and magic and as much as I like her Jack, it is her vision of the sea itself that I most enjoy.

She didn't understand this life, with its rough edges and hard fists and sorrow and hunger and strange desperation. Sometimes her mind felt scrambled and messy, like the innards cast rotting in heaps by the fishmarket. The only thing soothing were the sea. On calm clear nights when the galleon moon sailed her star tides slow and careful, she'd give herself up to the gentle hands of the surf. Stretched out in the sand, she smiled as the waves fussed at her clothes like the mother she never knew and the seafoam plaited her hair like a sister, solicitous.

Fandom: KNIGHT RIDER
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: Knight Fic

Why this must be read:

Tomy is another of the Top Five authors, along with elfin and Gryph. I've chosen to introduce her work by beginning with "Homecoming", a strange choice maybe given Tomy's prolific output, but trust that there is a method to my madness. :P Anyway, "Homecoming" is great because it is one of the few KR fics that actually delves into Michael Long's past -- in this case, his family.

This story is very well-written, like all of Tomy's work (not surprising, as she's also been voted the fandom's Best Beta-Reader! :P), but is most memorable for its character interaction. The depth of the friendship between Michael and Kitt is the foundation of this story, and the interesting plot only enhances it. I particularly enjoyed the reactions of Michael's parents when they first meet Kitt -- always a fun moment! :)

Link to Story: Homecoming by Tomy

Fandom: THE O.C.
Pairing: None, really, although there are shades of Ryan/Marissa and Ryan/Theresa
Author on LJ: torchthisnow
Author Website: Riders on the Storm
Why this must be read: Because this story gets inside Ryan’s brain after he lost it in the student rec center and beat up Oliver. Set immediately post-“The Rivals”, Ryan can’t handle his emotions and he runs. It’s written in second person, and beautifully conveys the confusion Ryan must feel, isolated and alone and knowing he’s really screwed up. There’s not a false note in this one.

An excerpt:

You’re not scared. You’re still pissed. You’re still pumped way too full of adrenaline. You could have whaled on Oliver for hours until his face couldn’t have been called a face anymore. Just a wet, pulpy mass of purple-red Play Dough and shards of bone and teeth.

So you have to move. You’re burning and itching and squirming under your skin, and if you don’t run, you’re going to fly into pieces.

It’s almost a shame you’re not on a soccer field, because right now, you don’t think even Beckham could touch you.

If you stay, you’ll have to talk. There’ll be phone calls and explanations and yelling and analyzing and endless rehashing, over and over, but through it all, nobody’s going to believe a single word you say.

You’d rather work it through in your own head first. That’s how you do things.

Everyone talks too much in Newport, anyway.


This Road Before