Fandom: X-MEN MOVIEVERSE
Pairing: Various pairings vaguely implied
Author on LJ: penknife
Author Website: Penknife to Paper
Why this must be read:

This is probably the only holiday fic(s) I've ever loved. A lot of this love is due to the Christmas season being used as a subtle backdrop, rather than as a main focus, or as an excuse for contrived or clichéd situations; to be honest, it's less your traditional holiday fic than it is regular gen. It's certainly more serious than most holiday fic, but not depressingly so.

I'm a huge sucker for interaction between characters who don't see much of each other in canon, and these stories have it in spades. A wide range of characters is featured – including a minor character, and there's a comicsverse cameo that made me squee – so there's something for everyone.

And the characterisations are perfect for an AU: everyone's clearly recognisable and has the same basic personality and drives, while the differences are subtle and believable. Most good AUs provide insight into the characters as we know them in 'reality', and this one is no exception.

Touching, without being sappy, and beautifully written. Check it out.

Four Things that Didn't Happen on Christmas Eve

Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Ray Kowalski/Benton Fraser
Author on LJ: kaneko
Author Website: http://mia.mrks.org/

Hi all! I'm estrella30 and I'll be providing the Due South crack here for the month of September.

When I looked in the memories section to see what had been recced here before, I was completely blown away to find that only 57 Due South stories have been recced on crack_van. 57!! Out of - wow. LOTS of stories available.

Well, rest assured, by the end of September you people will have 12 more, and I'm starting off my stint with one of my absolute favorite Due South stories of all time.

( Why this story must be read: )

Fall

Hello, and I'm brighty, your Pride and Predjudice crack supplier for this month. A lovely overview can be found here thanks to imacartwright

Fandom: PRIDE AND PREDJUDICE
Pairing: Elizabeth/Darcy
Author on LJ: not as far as I know.
Author Website: again, not found.

Why this must be read:
It's based on that epic film adaptation that came out a few years ago. You know, the one with Colin Firth? He jumps into a lake at one point, and there is a clinging shirt. Fangirls rejoiced, and it seems that this author, Spring, was coherent enough to actually write something about it.

If the mental image of "good- looking man, in a wet shirt" has not already sped you towards this fic, then the fact that it's told entirely from a fish's point of view?

Another Fish Story

Fandom: Blakes 7
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: no
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

Hi. Season of mists and mellow angstfulness: yes, it's Hafren again, reccing for B7 in September. It's getting harder to find good ones that haven't been recced but I don't recall much by this author. In one way that isn't odd, because she isn't very prolific, but she's a seriously good, underrated author who does a wonderful line in autumnal moods.

This isn't a fandom for conventional happy endings. Even when they're basically positive, they tend to be hushed and downbeat, and even if the revolution succeeds, things are never that simple. This is a post-Gauda Prime fic, set some time after the final episode, in which most though not all of the rebels have survived and the rebellion looks like winning – is in fact holding victory celebrations, though there are still pockets of resistance from the old regime. Avon is central to it, and trying to come to terms, as are others, with the traumatic events of Gauda Prime and his own part in them. And an old enemy unexpectedly turning up doesn't help. What I like about this fic is its autumnal, elegiac tone, which reminds me of the later parts of the Musketeers cycle. Right from the start, this tone dominates:
( excerpt )

Anti-angsters might care to note that despite the gut-twisting wrench of the ending, it does hold out a possibility of redemption.

Party Peace

hi, i'm doll, and i'll be making the recomendations for september. i am also going to london tomorrow, so i'll be doing two stories today, as i'm not sure of my internet connections in the near future. next one coming right up!


Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: bodie/doyle (mostly)
Author on LJ: none, as far as i know
Author Website: ditto
Why this must be read: oh, i just love this one! it has everything i love in a story: unrequited love, h/c, misunderstandings, hot sex, jealously, angst. . .and it's long! what's not to love? near the end, i think bodie gets a little too talkative about his feelings, but besides that, it's a near perfect story. i especially enjoy how both bodie and doyle are so in love with each other, but each one believes the other does not care as much as he does, and how those beliefs nearly tear the two of them apart. so: go read!

Coming Home

and here's the second one:

Fandom: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: bodie/doyle
Author on LJ: not that i know of
Author Website: ditto
Why this must be read: this story is extremely well-written, with all the characters acting just as you wish they always would have. cowley, murph, mccabe, everyone. it's about bodie's apparent death, the aftermath, and beyond; and even though there is no explicit sex, the love and emotion from ALL the characters makes this a lovely story that i read again and again, especially when i'm feeling down. so: go read!

Phoenix Rising

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Jayne/River
Author on LJ: mosca
Author’s Website: homoneurotica
Why this must be read:

I had an odd reaction to this story--while I can see where this might be a valid interpretation of River, it didn’t *feel* like any River I could believe in. Why, then, am I rec’ing this story? Because, despite my ambivalence towards River in this story, it was, overall, powerful and well-written. The Jayne portrayed in this fic does ring true to my own personal interpretation of the Firefly characters.

This is a thought-provoking, and original, take on these two characters and their relationship.

"You have something I want," she said. "Nobody else would give it to me but you. You give it away so easily, you won't even remember."

"Ain't got nothing you could want," Jayne said. "You go on back to your room now."

She threw back the blankets. He'd stripped down to his undershorts before he'd turned in, and he felt more naked than that. Before he could find a way to cover himself back up, she knelt straddling him, ran a hand down from the middle of his chest to the waistband of his shorts. She stretched the elastic upward, looked inside, and grinned like someone'd handed her the biggest ice cream cone in the 'verse. "Don't be modest," she said. "You know what you have."

"That ain't for you," he said.

"But this is for you," River said. She let go of his shorts so they snapped hard against his belly. The sting didn't bother him half so much as how, when she took off her nightgown, she didn't have nothing else on underneath.

Indelicate

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: Yes, and she can be found here.
Author Website: Keelywolfe's Fanfiction Shoppe
Why this must be read:

First let me introduce myself. I'm bluster and I'll be making recommendations for The Man from UNCLE fandom in September. I'm pretty specific, some might say rigid, in what stories do and don't work for me. Rather than trying to appeal to a broad range of people I'm going to simply rec what I like. Hopefully you'll find at least a few of the stories entertaining. On to the rec.

You should read this story because it's well-written, the characters are recognizable as Illya and Napoleon, and it's really funny and really hot. The humor flows from the situation and because the guys are reacting in character. The sex is hotter than hot for the same reason. So rather than say anything more that might take away from your enjoyment of the story I'll simply say that you should go. Read. If you like the story be sure to drop Keelywolfe a line and let her know you liked it.

The Metamorphosis of Sexually Explicit Paper Cranes

Hello everyone I'm Kijikun and I'll be driving the van this month for Highlander. Since my first one was rec'ed in June here's another wonderful one by Tray.
Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: elistaire
Author Website:http://www.taterville.com
Why this must be read:

Taking the true tale of a the conscription of a young east coast man in the civil war, Tray weaves it beautifully into the Highlander world. I sometimes wonder when reading her works if she hasn't stumbled upon a stack of unused Highlander scripts and this story gives the same feel.

Methos "voice" is dead on here. Duncan too is very much in character very much the man he is in canon and not the often domineering man he's made in fanon.

The Scythe Tree

I'm Elke, and I'm driving for Inu Yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale this month, a fandom devoted to the manga and anime series created by Rumiko Takahashi (if this sounds familiar, it's because she's also the creator of Ranma 1/2).

Inu Yasha is a half-demon living in feudal Japan, during the warring states era, about 500 years ago. Kagome is a modern schoolgirl and the reincarnation of Kikyo, a powerful priestess from Inu Yasha's time. This is their story.



( About Inu Yasha Fandom )

( Character Descriptions )

( Summary of the First Few Episodes )

( Fandom Resources: Major Fic Archives and Links Collections )

If I've missed any significant resources in this fandom, please accept my apologies... and please enlighten me in the comments here!

If anyone is looking for specific genres or pairings or themes in IY stories, please drop me a comment or an email, and I'll keep my eyes open for them as I search out more stories to rec this month. Thanks!

Hi, I'm Katie. You may remember me from such crack_van recs as last month's Blakes 7. Hopefully you'll enjoy this lot - I'm as polyfictional as they come, so there should be something for everyone...

Fandom: WEST WING
Pairing: I like to think there's a hint of Josh/Sam, but none, really.
Author on LJ: um, maybe, but if so I don't know where
Author Website: http://fanficwithfootnotes.com (Ryo) and http://4dw.net/marguerite (Marguerite)
Why this must be read:

My theme for this month's recs (go me, I have a theme!) is 'I can't believe this hasn't been recced before', and this fic is right at the top of the list. Coming from a fandom with such high quality fic, that's saying a lot.

It's an utterly silly little thing, fluff really. However, its spectacular execution and spot-on characterisation transport it to the realms of the gods. Or at least, the gods on a bored workday afternoon when they're feeling prone to the giggles, at least. This is a fic that manages to have our beloved characters acting like teenagers - and succeeds. There's a lot more to it than the sum of its parts, and every moment is a joy. There's nothing here that rings false, and frankly, I find that amazing.

Actually, it's probably a good thing it's only short and fluffy, because otherwise I would quite possibly have died of laughing by now. I'd quite seriously tell you to read it for Toby alone: it'll still be making you laugh next week, I promise.

Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

Hey there, I'm Stars and apparently, I'm a crack dealer. *g* I'm behind the wheel of the crack_van for this month's Farscape fic recommendations--so be alert for the smell of burnt rubber, and wildly erratic skid marks...

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: Talyn, John Crichton
Author on LJ: andrastewhite
Author Website: Blue Shades
Why this must be read:

The biomechanoid (living) ships of Farscape are all-too-often overlooked as complex characters in their own right, with backstories and motivations that aren't always compatible with those of their inhabitants. In this fic, Andraste gives us an unsettling glimpse into one jealous and dangerously moody adolescent gunship. I find it reminiscent--in a non-graphic, entirely non-bloody sense--of Hitchcock's classic, Psycho.

Spoilers for episode 3.7 Thanks for Sharing and beyond.

Reconnaissance

Hello, I'm forodwaith, your friendly Tolkienfic dealer for September. I read nearly every genre in this fandom, but this month's stories are likely to do one of three things: spotlight minor and/or underwritten characters; flesh out the land of Rohan and its people; or make you laugh.

And now, without further ado, on to the first rec...

Fandom: LOTR
Pairing: ...um, all?
Author on LJ: tyellas
Author Website: Ansereg
Why this must be read:

Tyellas is probably best-known within the fandom for writing elfslash, some of it very dark. She also has a wicked sense of humour, however - this story didn't tickle my funny bone so much as whack it repeatedly with a baseball bat.

Prepare to see every elfslash cliche illustrated in glorious techicolour. Added bonus: learn how to say "Hello, sailor" in Elvish!

( excerpt )

Elf Slash Sarcasm

Hi, I'm MissKittie, taking command of the Hornblower jollyboat for the month of September. I'm a devoted Archie-unkilling H/A slasher, but I'll try to branch out a little in my recs this month. I hope all of you enjoy them!

Fandom: HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Archie/Horatio
Author on LJ: nifra_idril
Author Website: Neon Nights
Why this must be read: Most of us Crumpeteers cried whole oceans at the end of Retribution, and if there's one thing at which this fandom excels, it's striving to make it all better. This story is the ultimate fix-it, and on top of that it's poignant, beautiful, romantic, and well-written. Nifra is new to the fandom, but she's written something here that not only takes away the stinging "waahh!" of Retribution, but allays the unbearable Archielessness of HH3 as well.

Come Unto These Yellow Sands

Hi, I'm Bradamante, and I'll be sharing my obsession with Star Trek this month. I like slash, and I have a special fondness for the original series (K/S!), but I'll include some good Voyager stories as well (and maybe some from TNG and DS9).

Fandom: STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Pairing: Kirk/Spock
Author on LJ: killabeez
Author Website: Killa's Adventures in Melodrama
Why this must be read:

Ok, so the last reviewer just posted a story by Killa, but I had to start off the month with my absolute favorite Kirk/Spock story. The author describes this as a "shameless melodrama", but boy is it satisfying! It begins as the Enterprise returns to Earth after its 5-year-mission, and Kirk and Spock suddenly realize that things are never going to be the same. In more ways than one.

If you know the story of the movies, you know what's coming, but you still find yourself rooting for that happy ending. The setting in New Orleans is lushly evoked - the city is practically a third major character in the story. Killa's attention to details is stunning (what would Spock, from a dry desert planet, think of the lush, humid climate of somewhere like New Orleans?).

And luckily, when you get to the end and realize you can't stave off the inevitable, you realize there's a sequel, "Full Circle", which the author describes as "Killa makes it all better". And boy does she!

Turning Point
and Full Circle

'Allo, I'm wyoluvr and I'll be your Alias pimp for the month.

Fandom: ALIAS
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: miladygrey
Author Website: None.
Why this must be read: It's ADOREABLE. Full-throttle 6 year old Sydney and her Daddy cuteness, bring the tissues, and perhaps save a sigh or two for the thought of a younger Jack Bristow. Hmmmmm. Jack. *g*

( Cuteness )

Enjoy.


Daddy's Work