Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ: elynross
Author Website: The Principality of Whimsy
Why this must be read:

When I was thinking of volunteering to take a turn as the Highlander driver I remember looking over all the past recs to see if there was anything I could add to them. I was shocked to see that so many of my favorite stories had not been rec'd yet. This is one of those that I was utterly baffled by the fact that no one had rec'd it yet. That, however, means that I get to. *grin*

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Hope Chest

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ: ddayspring
Author Website: Dayspring's Desires
Why this must be read:

tessellation def:
a : MOSAIC b : a covering of an infinite geometric plane without gaps or overlaps by congruent plane figures of one type or a few types

I think nothing could describe Methos better than the word tessellation. That's what he is a living mosaic. Five thousand years of history, of life, wrapped up in one man.

( Read More (I got wordy.) )

Tessellation

HORATIO HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Hornblower/William Bush
Author on LJ: rach74
Author's website: I'm not sure
Why this must be read:

Because...even with the *eyepop* of the setup, she still has the characters down.  Brilliantly.  And it's full of William Bush angst...with a hopeful ending.  Just perfect.

Link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/rach74/228222.html#cutid1

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Solo/Kuryakin
Author on LJ: No.
Author website: None, but this story can be found on www.File40.net.
Why this must be read:

L. White is deservedly well known throughout U.N.C.L.E. fandom for her Third Level slash universe. She does angst and light-hearted humor equally well, and she especially loves to write well-plotted mysteries. She also has a unique perspective on canon, namely that the partnered agents are psychically connected. Some of the pairings are two straight agents (April and Mark for instance), or one straight and one gay (some original characters), or both gay (Kuryakin and Solo, who comes to that realization about his orientation, rather poignantly, about a third of the way through her series).

Unfortunately, most of the stories, including some of my favorite ones, are only available in print. The one I offer here, however, will give readers a taste of L’s writing, particularly her facility with original characters. If you like it, go take a look at her Third Level universe site on File 40 and by all means, track down the zines containing her work.

In this affair, it’s Christmas Eve and Solo and Kuryakin are in a small American town, desperately on the run from some Thrush assassins. They’re looking for a vital informant, but the only clue they have is the last words of a dying agent: “Sunset A.” Solo connects the clue with the local Sunset Acres, what was euphemistically called a “rest home” in the 1960s. Predictably, Kuryakin is reluctant to duck into the place: “Let’s not kill any civilians. Mr. Waverly would not be pleased.”

But Solo, ever the optimistic one (and even more so when he’s perversely filled with Christmas cheer) tells his partner not to worry. They’ll probably only encounter “lots of sleepy old folks.”

Boy, are they in for a surprise!

The Merry Christmas to All Affair

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Solo/Kuryakin (implied)
Author on LJ: No.
Author website: None, but this story and others from the same author can be found at the Chrome and Gunmetal Madhouse, http://chromeandgunmetal.com/chrome/
Why this must be read:

I love this story and I have recc'd it repeatedly to both slash and gen fans. It's told from the POV of an original character, a young, unnamed male hooker who is picked up one night by a mysterious handsome man who offers the exorbitant fee of one hundred dollars for a quick rendezvous. The narrator is constantly surprised by his customer - by the man's strange mix of danger and gentleness, by his sure touch and ability to please sexually, but also by the gun he wears and the wicked scars that mark his body.

We're not surprised, of course. It's obviously Napoleon Solo, only one who's harder, darker, bitter and more melancholy. Something is not quite right here, and we, like the young hooker, are almost afraid to ask what's really going on. And we should be.

This is an intense, haunting story that not only paints an incisive portrait of Solo (it's authentic right down to the most minor details), but also offers a realistically voiced and thoroughly convincing OC narrator as well. The story packs an emotional wallop that will stay with you long after it's over. It's worth reading for the dialogue alone:

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Services Rendered

Fandom: ALIAS
Pairing: Vaughn/Sark
Author on LJ: lunasky
Author Website: Perchance to Dream
Why this must be read:

This short fic was written for the GenderBender challenge at clandestine_ops. The goal of the challenge was to have the characters act in a sterotypically "gendered" way while remaining in character and Luna took that ball and ran with it.

( More talky-talky that's cut for the sake of the list )

Portrait of a Man, Three Feet Down

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: None that I know of
Author Website: Audrey's Page on Wolfpup's Den
Rating: G
Why this must be read:

I don't know how many of these kinds of stories are out there, but this was the first one I came across. "Blazing Spirits" retells the scene at the end of "Sentinel Too Pt. 1" through the eyes of Jim and Blair's spirit animals (whom the author named Thor and Nanook). Just as you would expect, the animals have personalities very similar to their human counterparts, and Thor's narration is just downright funny at times.

Audrey is a fairly new author in the fandom, and has been writing fic for it for three years now. Her writing is full of rich characters, snappy wit, and plots that capture your imagination. This story is no exception.

Blazing Spirits

Hi! I'm Dzurlady and I'm driving sailing the Crack Van POTC recs for November. My main pairing is Sparrington, but I'll be reccing other pairings as well.

Fandom: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Pairing: Ultimatly James/Jack; hints of Will/Elizabeth and James/Groves; attempted everybody (and I mean *everybody*)/Jack.
Author on LJ: the_dala
Author Website: None; you can find her other fic in her memories.
Why this must be read:

This fic has many attractions - it's funny, Jack's voice and his reactions to what happen to him are spot on, and it's just plain fun. "Bewigged, Bothered, and Bewildered" is the_dala's (highly amusing) version of the Buffy episode "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered". After Jack complains about his inability to find true love, he is finds himself irresistable to everyone he meets - well, almost everyone. This sets the stage for some hilarious situations and a humourous look at some of the pairing conventions in this fandom.
( For example )

It's unrated; I'd give it an R, although it does vary from section to section.

Posted in 5 parts; go here to find the index of all five and follow the links.

the_dala said that this fic is what happens when she has rice in her taco instead of beans, and after reading this I'm sure you'll agree that she should eat rice more often.

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Author on LJ: arsenicjade
Author Website: Every Rose Has a Thorn

Why this must be read:
This story is a believable Snarry story in that you see why Snape goes from detesting every fiber of Harry's being to shagging him rotten. Those who have trouble with the pairing might find this scenario more credible, and those who like a nice, slow buildup will also enjoy this futurefic. I liked the progression from teacher-student to mutually interested adults, and I also liked the maturation Harry showed; this author did a realistic job of it without tremendous angst and handwringing over the "Boy Who Lived is Gay!" issue.
( more raving about this story )
Mind Games

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Author on LJ: janissa11
Author Website: Emland
Why this must be read:

Casey McCall a pool shark. Who'da thunk it, huh? Em Brunson did, that's who, and this trio of fics while being short, are mighty sweet; the prefect fluffy solution to a rainy afternoon (well, in my soggy part of the world they are.)

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Rack 'Em
Running the Table
Going Penguin

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: John/D'Argo
Author on LJ: not sure if on LJ
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

I think it was ixchup who posted the link to this fic on the Kansas board. I took her advice and wandered on over, and found this lovely humorous fic. John first-person POV always draws me like a moth to the flame, and crisp sardonic humour is always welcome at any time. Some nice dialogue and characterisation showcase the author's handle on the story, set as it is after a particularly angsty stage of the Farscape arc.

The Fantastic Four

( excerpt )

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Jayne/Simon
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Ana’s Fiction
Why this must be read: This is my favorite Firefly fic. Ever. It’s very dark, but also very well written. You simply must go read it. Now.

He can almost imagine he's spending his time with Jayne because he wants to, that he actually cares for the man; that Jayne's not liable to sell him out at any minute.

Assessment