Edited to add: [A few of the other stories I wanted to rec seem to have disappeared from the net, so that's my last one. I had a fabulous time careering wildly driving the van this month - thank you and good night.]

Fandom: LOTR
Pairing: [spoiler]
Author on LJ: adina_atl
Author Website: unknown
Why this must be read:

Looking for underwritten characters in Tolkien fic? Let's talk dwarves. Gimli is sadly neglected, except in a certain slash pairing, and other dwarves almost never appear.

On the great doors through which the Fellowship enters Moria, the words "I, Narvi, made them" are inscribed. Nothing else is known about Narvi the dwarf.

Adina fills in the blanks in this lovingly detailed story of the relationship - for both good and ill - between elves and dwarves, and of a friendship between Narvi, Celebrimbor, and Galadriel, a friendship built on shared craftsmanship that develops into more.

( excerpt )

Fandom: STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Pairing: Spock / McCoy and a whole lot more!
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Karmen Ghia
Why this must be read:In the spirit of saving the best for last, I had to close out the month by recommending Karmen Ghia’s amazing epic, After the Rescue. This is the first story in a trilogy, and it introduces a whole host of original characters and world-building like you wouldn’t believe. It’ll easily take you weeks (or lots of long nights) to read through the entire trilogy. And boy is it worth it! The writing is just spectacular, and gets better and better as the series goes along. It’s also hilariously funny in places, in both obvious and subtle ways (pimp fashions! The seduction of clueless Chekov! Vulcan orgies!).

The first story in the trilogy, After the Rescue, is my favorite because it focuses on Kirk and Spock and McCoy and all the rest from the original series. Everyone gets to play – you’ll see Sarek and Amanda as you’ve never seen them before. The four main original characters are the Talljet brothers, Hobie, Jir, Maja, and Ling, telepathic alien hybrids who grew up on Vulcan with Spock. The scene in part I, where Kirk et al. realize that Spock went to high school with an intergalactic pirate, is priceless.

But the story actually starts before we even meet the Talljets – it begins as a short post-episode story, “How things changed between Spock and McCoy after the rescue” (posted as the prologue). If you don’t remember the episode in question, don’t worry – the basic summary is that Spock, in a burst of non-Vulcan creativity, manages to save himself and McCoy from a fiery death. This changes the relationship between them forever. But don’t worry – Kirk gets to play too! The series really focuses on Spock, though, and he’s not the perfect emotionless alien who’s shown in so many stories. Instead, he’s flawed, and emotional, and doesn’t always act for the best reasons….like the other human (and non-human) characters in this series. The series has something for everyone, from hot sex (mostly slash, but I think there’s one het scene for variety) to swashbuckling space battles to tightly-drawn legal courtroom action. And it takes you across the galaxy, from Klingon artistic communes to telepathic Sargasso space.

I recommend reading this story with the appendices open in another window, especially the first time or two that you read through it. There are a whole bunch of original characters and locations, and most characters have at least three names depending on the context. Keep the appendix open to the list of characters so you don’t get confused as to who is who. There’s also some original vocabulary, but most words are explained in the text. (If you want to get a sense of the breadth of this story, just look at how long the list of characters is!).

The second and third stories in the trilogy, also linked from the main page below, are Dysecdysis and The Talljet Quartet. They mainly focus on Deep Space 9, and the characters of Garak and Bashir, as well as the four Talljets. They’re also excellent and well worth reading.

With this link I’ll relinquish the keys to the next Star Trek driver, and hope that I’ve left you with plenty of reading material!

The After the Rescue Trilogy

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author: Perri Smith
Author website: Seanachais
Author on lj: neonhummingbird
Pairing: Various/gen
Rating: PG-13


Why this must be read:

I'm not sure if this really is one of the first positive Wesley fic but it probably is one of the earliest to see potential in Wesley back when he was running around Sunnydale screaming like a little girl. It was a long time before I liked Wesley, but I suspect that the way was paved with this story. Set post the season three episode Consequences, a wonderfully superior and sneering Wesley who has recently been cut down to size comes across Giles's diaries and starts to read. The diary entries lead to flashbacks and a fascinating and interesting look at Giles-as-patriarch and his interactions with the Scoobies when the relationships were clearly delinated; he the adult, they the children.

One thing I enjoyed about the show was how the relationships altered and changed over time and like a recent set of reruns, this story takes you back to when it was arguably less complicated, where the world of 'Buffy' was more stable and secure because there wasn't a monster who couldn't be defeated and Giles knew all the answers - even when he didn't. The primary relationship of this kind is naturally the Giles/Buffy father/daughter relationship on the show, but this story expands it and takes a look at Giles's relationship with Cordelia and Oz who both got less time with Giles than the main three. There's also a superb and poignant section with Xander.

I think it's the little asides which I love above everything, the way that this story just sort of fills the gaps and Wesley's commentry on each diary entry shows something of the compassion and understanding that he develops in AtS.

And it's worth reading for the last few paragraphs alone.


( Extract )


Toy Soldiers by Perri Smith

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Author: Robyn the Snowshoe Hare
Author website: The Rabbit Hole
Author on lj: unknown
Pairing: None
Rating: PG-13

Why this must be read:

*puts hand up* Okay, I'll admit it. Something Blue is my all-time favourite Buffy episode. It's got witty dialogue, a great plot and very little Riley for a season four episode. Er. Right. On with the rec. Well, Answering Machine Blues is set during Something Blue. It's a short series of messages left on Cordelia's answering machine as the effects of Willow's spell begin to make themselves known.

It's funny. And short. Go read it - your boss will never know.

And the last message is the best.

( Extract )

Answering Machine Blues by Robyn the Snowshoe Hare

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Lois/Lex; Clark/m; Clark/Lex/Lois; CLark/Lex
Author on LJ: justabi
Author Website: Abi's Fiction Archive, but you can also go to her LJ memories

Why this must be read:
I love futurefics with Reporter!Clark and Best Friend/Roomate!Lex and a nonbitchy Lois who plays a big part in the story. This story also features Jealous!Clark and lovely Clark/Lex and Clark/Lois friendships. I liked the humor threading the angst, and Lex and Lois playing jokes on Clark. This Clark is still trying to get a handle on his dual identity, and things do seem simpler for Superman. Also, the story has cross-dressing Clark in one scene, and drunken sex, and a very Alien!Clark. It felt right to rec a story that included many of the classic SV fanfic cliches in a story that still was fresh and amusing. (I liked the Alien!Clark aspect least, but what's a month of SV recs without one story about just how weird a alien could be?)

Such a Pretty Face

Fandom: Gatchaman/Battle of the Planets
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Jane's fanfiction archive
Why this must be read:

I actually recommend absolutely everything written by Jane Lebak, but this is the jumping-off point for her BOTP universe fic, and an excellent story for fans of Jason or for people who sympathize with the kids that society doesn't. The team are still kids, and Jason, fifteen, is screwing up at school and feels like a failure in comparison to his "perfect" siblings, especially Mark, and believes his father figure Anderson doesn't love him. He attempts suicide, and the entire family needs to pull together to help him and to cope themselves.

( Excerpt... )
Scavengers

Fandom: Gatchaman/Battle of the Planets
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Gatchfanfic: Naa-Dei Nikoi
Why this must be read:

Again, I had some difficulty choosing a particular story; Naa-Dei is another author who's almost always worth reading. I chose this particular story because it focuses on a minor character, a character who works for the Spectrans, and because it outlines Naa-Dei's strengths-- a willingness to apply science and logic to her fanfic, a willingness to work out the implications, and sympathy for the villains. This is Lucy the cyborg's story. (Lucy appeared with the same name in both Gatchaman and BOTP; this is the BOTP version.)

Fui. Sum.

My last day! Must catch up.

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Author on LJ: soulcake
Author Website: Good Morning, Sunshine
Why this must be read:

I have to admit to a kind of fascination with hurt!fic. I'm not entirely sure what that's all about and don't really feel the need to delve into my psyche to explain it. There's just something about them. Martha, I've noticed, does an excellent, excellent job with the hurt fic, with the balance between biting the bullet, being the macho guy and screaming because it really, really hurts. It definitely doesn't hurt that she does an awesome job of world/culture building in this fic, providing an excellent backdrop for a poor, hurt little Daniel.

Cold

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Author on LJ: sanj
Author Website: The Broken Bower
Why this must be read:

Aha, for the first line alone.

It was getting harder and harder to look at Daniel and not think about fellatio.

Funny, I have that problem myself. *g* Seriously though, what I love most about the two installments of this story is all the negotiating, the back and forth they keep doing to outline their relationship (the dreaded r word) before they fall into bed. Because sometimes that happens first, instead of after, and I think with these two, especially Daniel, it's a safe bet. Also, there's lots of snappy dialogue.

Policy of Silence

Fandom: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Pairing: Will/James/Elizabeth
Author on LJ: monkeypuzzle
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

This is very much a mood piece. A perfect evocation of a time and place. It's a hot, still Caribbean afternoon and Elizabeth Turner is sitting in her parlor--all the windows open in vain hopes of catching the merest stirrings of a breeze--just resting and reflecting and waiting for her men to come home. This is a beautifully written story, perfectly capturing that almost unreal feeling that "queer lassitude" of a hot summer afternoon. The prequel, Bhimpalasi: Futtock, is also quite good.


Bhimpalasi

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: No, at least not that I'm aware of
Author Website: Not that I'm aware of
Why this must be read:

I admit to having a fondness for drunk Illya, but a drunk Illya who stays in character. I also like angst, and this story has that, but it's light-hearted angst.

Veritas by Nyssa

And thus ends my turn behind the wheel of The Man from UNCLE crack van. It's been fun for me, and I hope you've found some of my recommendations enjoyable.

One more, because I can't end on an odd number...

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Author on LJ: brighidestone
Author Website: http://brighid.lyricalmagic.com/bmain.html
Why this must be read:

Wanted to do this one last because it's the cute (utterly cute), quiet, sweet story of Daniel and Jack just adoring each other, which is everything I love most about this pairing. They snip, they gripe, the get annoyed, but they also care about each other a whole, whole lot. I like them here, I like who they are to each other, I like that Daniel isn't always sure of himself and that Jack recognizes that and shows him who he is. She shows you how they work as a team, even though the only characters she shows are Daniel and Jack. Good times, people. Good times.

That, and what Jack writes on Daniel brings tears to my eyes.

Shape, Shade, and Line

Fandom: SMALLVILLE
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Author on LJ: rivkat
Author Website: RivkaT's Bare-Bones Site

Why this must be read:

There are so many reasons to read this story I can't enumerate them all. Because it's College!Clex, first-time Clex that will melt your panties (or boxers) off. Because there's humor, but the events of the story aren't taken lightly. Because this Clark is adorable. Also, read this because it made me giggle like a mad thing and then glurble incoherently. Because Rivka is one of my favorite writers, maybe even the favorite, and her masterful turns of phrase work perfectly to create a character that's so lifelike and perfectly Lexian, yet there's no feeling of straining for cleverness.

This is one of my favorite fictional Lexes, not benign by any means, but also not evil. (If I could make any fictional Lex my love slave, I think it'd be this one.) I chose to rec this story last during my tour as Crack Van driver for September because I wanted to leave Clex fans feeling good--this season is going to be hard for us. (If/when I get a chance to rec again for this fandom, I'll be focusing on darker stories, because there are so many fabulous fics in that vein.)

Rainbow Sign

Five weeks in September, and I am posting all my Gatch fic recs on two days in it because I suck. Mea culpa, but I would rather get the recs out than avoid double or triple posting in a day.

Fandom: Gatchaman/Battle of the Planets
Pairing: Anderson/f, Mark/Princess
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Gatchfanfic: Nancy Tang
Why this must be read:

I agonized over choosing this. It's another Battle of the Planets fic, and I feel as if I'm shortchanging Gatchaman-- yes, there *is* quite a lot of excellent Gatchaman fanfic out there! It just sort of worked out that I wanted to highlight authors, and most of the most prolific authors on the Web are best known for their BOTP work. (This is a fandom that existed mostly in print up until 1997 or so.) The reasons I choose this particular story to rec as my last Gatch/BOTP rec of the month is that it hits my personal hotbuttons. Anderson is treated as a person, not just a mentor or commander figure. Mala and Zoltar are sympathetic characters, but the team and Anderson aren't blackwashed. It's a story about hunting Zoltar, which is a theme I enjoyed greatly when it cropped up in the show; it's an intelligently written mystery; and it uses my favorite bit of fanon about Zoltar (that Zoltar is a shapeshifter), something that is *not* true of Berg Katse in Gatchaman and is not precisely made clear in the show.

The story is broken out into 8 html files and they aren't linked to each other, so you have to go to Nancy Tang's author page on Gatchfanfic and scroll down to the story.

( Excerpt )

Gatchfanfic: Nancy Tang: The Enemy Among Us

Fandom: WEST WING
Pairing: too spoilery to say, I think, but I should warn people that it's got slashiness.
Author on LJ: Jae - therealjae Luna - tangleofthorns Lydia - thecitylove
Author Website: Luna and Lydia are at http://www.sparkgirls.com/ and Jae is at http://www.jaegecko.com
Why this must be read:

Because I find it very, very hard to believe that West Wing fandom will get anything much better than this.

Many people tend to think that collaborations lead to a kind of dillution of the author's powers. Not so here. This fic is why collaborations should be written: the different talents of the writers come together, and you end up with something that combines the best of each of them.

That's probably also why this fic ended up having something for everyone, too. There's some truly inspired political plottage (complete with the kind of detail that makes a geeky fangirl like me swoon and then offer first born children and so on), there are multiple emotional storylines of a depth and complexity that most published novels can't equal, and there is a gratuitous amount of kick-ass dialogue. It's eerily like channeling Sorkin, or something. And this all comes together in a glorious packaging of some of the best writing I've ever seen. It's really not fair. :)

I think that's all I can say, really. If you haven't read it yet, then go: it's long, but so worth it. Your only problem will be trying to avoid saying "SQUEE!" too much in your feedback.

Bridge The Schism

That's the last rec of the month, so: bye, people, I hope you had fun. I'll probably be back sometime... I've apparently become addicted, as I'm on Sports Night next month, heh.

Fandom: POPSLASH (NSync)
Pairing: Justin/Lance
Author on LJ: synchronik
Author Website: Joe's Eats and Christian Bookshop
Why this must be read:

I almost feel like I'm cheating, reccing this, because it's been recced so many times elsewhere, but I have a deep love for this story (and it's companion piece, Antimatter) because it was the first story I ever read in popslash and it seriously was my gateway drug into the fandom. I adore Synchronik's writing because you can guarantee the boys will never act too girly.

This is Lance, happily screwing his way through some cute boys, and getting blindsided by love. Plus breakfast.

Matter
Antimatter

And that's the last of my recs for this month, hope you all enjoyed them and found a new story or revisited an old favourite.

Fandom: FARSCAPE (crossover with ST:TNG)
Pairing: John Crichton, D'Argo, Aeryn Sun
Author on LJ: astrogirl2
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read:

There were so many outstanding stories written for the Multiverse 2004 challenge that I had a difficult choice making my selection for the "official" crossover fic rec earlier in the month. This story, in particular, is so spot-on, and so engaging and funny, that I just couldn't *not* rec it.

Astrogirl takes a notoriously whimsical and difficult character (Farscape and Star Trek fans should think "godlike alien") and wreaks havoc in two universes. Hilarity ensues. Go, read, laugh yourself silly. It's good for you. :)

( Excerpt )


Res-Q

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: John Crichton (er--sort of), Aeryn Sun
Author on LJ: crankygrrl
Author Website: n/a
Why this must be read:

This is not an easy fic. It is dark and compelling and shattering, and brilliant. It takes familiar characters and places them in a vastly different setting; but the universal themes of love and loss and honor and vengeance and self-sacrifice make it every bit as much a Farscape fic as any set in the Uncharted Territories.

I'm not much into manga or anime, but Crankygrrl's nod to the genre, and to samurai culture, gripped me from the first few lines. This is a beautiful work, sparse and elegant despite its warning for graphic violence. It will reach in and rip your heart out.


( Excerpt )


Mother Wolf, vol. 1: Devil's Bargain

Wow. Who knew a month would fly by so quickly... I've had a blast bringing you some of the best Farscape fic in the fandom. Hope you've enjoyed reading!

Fandom: Angel
Pairing: Lindsey/Wesley
Author's Website: http://bifictionalbedlam.slashcity.net/shrift/index.html
Author's LJ: shrift
Why this MUST be read:

Getting my last recs in just under the wire... *g*

This is just such an incredible story, brutally hot and painful at the same time. Wonderful characterization for both Wesley and Lindsey, it rang true for me, perfectly spot on. Though, while it's about Wesley and Lindsey, Angel is a sort of silent character here. He's present in every word, every action, even when neither of them want to admit it. This is a pairing that's fucked up, tragic and hot at the same time. I highly reccommend it.

A Triangle In Nature

Fandom: Angel
Pairing: Lindsey/Spike
Author's Website: http://www.fanfiction.net/u/37964/
Author's LJ: sullensiren
Why this MUST be read:

Last rec from me...

Lindsey/Spike is not a pairing I find very often, but this fic makes me seriously wonder why the hell not??? It's set post Ats S2 and BtVS S6, so spoilers for those seasons are present, especially the ones that specifically have to do with the boys.

This is your classic "two characters meet in the middle of nowhere, discover they both have an obsession with a character that does not seemingly return said emotion, and hot sex ensues" story. And, might I just say, nobody does it better than Sullen Siren. Both boys are sharply in character, both are scorchingly hot and both have just enough of the tragic in them to keep you on the edge of your seat. A wonderful read.

The Fools We Are As Men