Fandom: X-MEN MOVIEVERSE
Pairing: Scott/Gambit, Scott/Jean
Author on LJ: 3jane and thete1
Author Website: Janefic and Teland, respectively.

Why this must be read: Because lots of fanfiction writers attempt to stick Gambit into the movieverse, and not many succeed quite like this one. Alternating between gentle, steamy, and painful, Scott and Gambit's relationship progresses from a hesitant attraction (at least, on Scott's part) into something deeper. Also, there is smut, and it is good. Really, really good. :)

Things Have Changed

Fandom: HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Archie/Bush implied
Author on LJ: versaphile
Author Website: http://versaphile.com/
Why this must be read: You think you know where this one's headed, but don't be fooled. A series of snapshots take the reader someplace, showing just enough of the development of a friendship to make you think that you know where you're headed, and when you get to the end, you find out you were going someplace totally different -- and equally good.

"Slow Growth" is an LKU that deals with Horatio's marriage, and how he and his friends handle it. This is a good example of a relatively rare form of "Hornblower" story -- the LKU that doesn't concentrate a great deal on being an LKU.

(LKU is fenspeak for "Live Kennedy Universe.")

( Excerpt -- )

A Plant of Slow Growth

Fandom: STARSKY AND HUTCH
Pairing: Starsky/Hutch
Author on LJ:
Author Website: http://brothersinarms.tvheaven.com/shfic.html


Why this must be read:
This story reads like a day in the life of Starsky and Hutch -- only with a little extra peril and injury thrown in for good measure. Considering the injuries and frequency with which they outed death in canon, it is entirely believable to think that this could happen, that a simple trip to the bank could go so horribly, horribly wrong. It's not "slash" as such, but the caring between the two is unmistakable. A short, not-so-sweet, but entirely satisfying read.

Holding On

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: lucyhale
Author Website: http://www.squirreltail.net/lucyhale/
Why this must be read:

To adapt the WC Fields quip, "Never work with children, animals, or Due South minor characters."
Due South had a rich array of distinctly quirky supporting characters and if Fraser and the Rays hadn't been so captivating, the minor characters just might have stolen the show (and Dief did for some fans I got into the show). This story focuses on Huey and Dewey when Dewey's abused childhood past catches up to him and he turns out not to be, well, Dewey. Their banter is captured wonderfully throughout the story and in particular the opening is perfectly paced. Fraser and Kowalski are involved because there are no secrets in a police station, the Feds are involved because, obviously, if people aren't who they say they are in Due South, you know the Feds are involved, and Welsh is involved because he's Welsh. The story nicely balances the over-the-top humor combined with serious situations the show did beautifully.


( That was probably the first time someone told him he was lucky for losing his parents.  )



No Name

Fandom: YAMI NO MATSUEI
Pairing: Hisoka/Hijiri, Tsuzuki/Hisoka, Hisoka/OMC, Muraki/Hisoka
Author on LJ: wordsofastory
Author Website: Brigdh on Phantom Moon
Why this must be read:

The Five Things concept has spread far and wide across fandom, and I'm happy to say that YnM is one of the benefitees. Each of the five parts of this story is written with a sense of how events shape character and an eye for telling details. From the impossible to the one-step-from-canon, this is Kurosaki Hisoka. Or not.

Five Things That Never Happened to Hisoka

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: None, gen fic
Author on LJ: icarusancalion
Author Website: icarus.slash.fiction
Why this must be read:

Goodness gracious, it’s a gen fic. I don’t read many gen fics. Unfortunately I’ve always been extremely partial to romantic pairing stories, which means I generally miss little gems like this. Luckily Icarus also writes a lot of slash, excellent stuff, which is why I was tempted to check out this story (and the other two mentioned below).

The premise of this short fic is simple- the title pretty much explains everything. Hermione, at age eight (and three-quarters, Hermione informs us) shows her first sign of being a witch. What's interesting about it is that we get to see the wizarding world through the eyes of Hermione’s parents, who are Muggles. Most of the humor comes from the wizarding world references that the Grangers don’t understand at all- we, as readers, of course, know exactly what’s going on from the beginning. Icarus includes a lot of charming little details; I could easily see JKR writing something like this (not something I get to say about most of the stuff I read).

( Excerpt: The Grangers at St. Mungo’s )

There are two things I really like about this fic. First, it gives an interesting picture of Hermione’s family life, which canon doesn’t tell us much about, besides the facts that her parents are Muggles and both dentists.

Secondly, I think Icarus successfully captures the feeling of the first book, when Harry learns that he’s a wizard. You know, the wonder of a perfectly ordinary person discovering that the world is far more fantastic than they ever thought.

First Signs of Magic: Hermione Granger

(Incidentally, Icarus also has two unrelated but equally excellent takes on Draco and Snape’s first signs of magic: First Signs of Magic: Draco Malfoy and First Signs of Magic: Severus Snape)

Fandom: JAKE 2.0
Pairing: Jake/Diane
Author on LJ: octopedingenue
Author Website: snarky kitty
Why this must be read: I'm a complete sucker for "missing scene" stories. This is no secret. Kawy knows this, and indulges my passion with this lovely little coda to "Middleman" and episode which in and of itself is practically fanfic. Diane's reaction to finding out her new boyfriend was planning to sell her brain to the Russians is pitch-perfect--and Kawy's Jake and Kyle are exactly the Jake and Kyle I know and love from the show. And excellent addition, that fits right in with canon.

( Come on! Star Trek! Ensigns! Death! )

Cavalier

Fandom: JAKE 2.0
Pairing: Jake/Rogue
Author on LJ: trollprincess
Author Website: trollprincess' fanfic stash
Why this must be read: Okay, I admit it. X-MEN Movieverse isn't one of my fandoms. I never read Marvel comics as a kid. But I love this little Jake/Rogue story. I'm familiar enough with the character (thanks to the movies and the Fox cartoon from the 1990s) and I like how these two get along. I'm not 100% wild about spelling out Rogue's accent, but I've been told that this is a comics thing and that I need to just roll with it, so I do, and I have a screamingly good time. The banter is adorable, and perfectly in character, and this is just a delightful romp which manages to blend two universes quite seamlessly.

( The last thing that went through Jake Foley's mind when he was thrown out of the airplane... )

Friday Night Drinking Games

Fandom: JAKE 2.0
Pairing: NA
Author on LJ: misspamela
Author Website: NA
Why this must be read: Miss Pamela takes a good long look into the events of "Whiskey - Tango - Foxtrot" and does a wonderful job examining the stress Jake is under not just during the mission, but afterwards, as he struggles to deal with what happened, and how it changed him. Jake and Kyle's friendship is at the centre of this piece, and showcased to great effect.

( Lou had given him some time off after his first week back on the job.  )

Pack Mentality

Fandom: JAKE 2.0
Pairing: Jake/Diane
Author on LJ: voleuse
Author Website: the cavern
Why this must be read: First off, the emails back and forth between Darin and Jake are just fabulous, and capture the relationship we see in the pilot fabulously. Just pitch perfect. Secondly, the fleshing out of the relationship between Jake and Diane, picking up from "Training Day" is just lovely, and for me it's the subtly that clinches it for this piece. Jake's new life is giving him a new perspective, but he hasn't realised it yet. But the readers can get a sense of it through his thoughts and actions, even if he can't see the writing on the wall yet. Just a lovely little piece all around that captures the spirit of the show and the characters.

( Another hour, another box.  )

Behind the Scenes

Fandom: JAKE 2.0
Pairing: Kyle/Diane, Jake/Diane
Author on LJ: helsinkibaby
Author Website: The Band Gazebo
Why this must be read: If you'd asked me, three months ago, if I would buy Diane and Kyle in a romantic relationship, I'd have asked what crack you were smoking. Seriously. Then helsinkibaby came along with her little series of stories which posit that at one point prior to "The Tech" Kyle and Diane had had a fling, and despite the fact that these two characters rarely share the screen on the series, I find myself drawn to the idea that they have a shared past that binds them together, if not romantically any longer, then at least as close friends beyond what we see week in and out on the series. And the best part? She manages to make me fall in love with the Kyle/Diane without invaldating the Jake/Diane--and in many ways, even supports it. Which makes me just want to hug Kyle and take him out for a beer.

( Any closer and he won't be able to stop himself from taking her in his arms, and that's not his place any more. )


Changes

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: John/Aeryn
Author on LJ: shaye
Author's Website: fiction

Why this must be read:

As most fans of Farscape know, the aftermath of the season 3 twinning arc was both angsty and brutal. Fiction, at the time, tended to go two ways: reuniting John and Aeryn in some way, shape, or form or keeping John and Aeryn apart, exploring their characters with this massive chasm between them.

This story is the of the latter category. It's dark, almost violent look into Aeryn's mind after returning to Moya and the other John. And I loved this Aeryn because she is very Peacekeeper, using physical pain to try and extinguish emotional pain, yet not being able to do so. And I love that it's not all about John. Other fics tend to think that the center of Aeryn's problems are that one John died, the one Aeryn loved, and the other John lived. This one has that but also has Aeryn's anger at her mother, at the lies she's been told.

The John/Aeryn relationship here is not pretty or romantic. It's brutal and unyielding. It has a John who's willing to fight back and an Aeryn who is not afraid of hurting John. A harsh portrait of two people who can't love each other without hurting each other.

Lizzie Borden Took An Axe

Fandom: Angel
Pairing: Puppet Angel/Xander
Author on LJ: nikitangel
Author Website N/A

Why this must be read:

Pretty much one of the best moments ever on television was Spike's absolutle delight at his first glimpse of seeing Puppet Angel. No matter how many times I see it, "You're a Wee Little Puppet Man!" never ever gets old. However, I couldn't help but think that the only thing that could be better than Spike's reaction to Puppet Angel would have been Xander's and this fic manages to create a scene between Xander and Puppet Angel that is absolutely perfect. Yes, it's funny, but what blew me away about this story is that it packs a somewhat bitter-sweet emotional punch and manages to say something about the changes that both Xander and Angel have gone through. I really wish this conversation had taken place on the show. Also there is a great bit with Harmony, nose jokes, Andrew jokes, hair jokes, and really bad puppet related puns.

Body Image