Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: John/Aeryn, Chiana
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author's Webpage: Unknown

Why this must be read:

First, a quick bit of thanks! Thanks for letting me take the keys and drive this month! I hope you enjoyed the recc's from my favorite fandom.

And now, for the last recc, I give you another fic set in the time after Fractures but before I Yensch, You Yensch. I recc'd another story previously from Orchid but couldn't ignore this. So, I'm leaving you with an angsty adventure. Angsty because it's got the big John/Aeryn rift that the show gave us in canon and adventure because...well, when doesn't the intrepid crew get into some kind of adventure?

Some wonderful John/Chiana interaction, making them the two having the adventure but not forgetting about the others on the ship.

This is a pretty long story with good character interaction, good world development and the ability to make you smile and wince and feel for the crew. Enjoy the story and enjoy the New Year!

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: NA, some flirting but nothing more than would be on the show
Author on LJ: maystone
Author Website: The Incurable Disease

Why this must be read:
This rich, full look at how River might navigate the waters of adulthood is utterly, totally believable. maystone's consistently competent characterization is on display here. She not only pins down, but fleshes out one of the most difficult Joss-verse characters. Cute moments amongst other crew members are a pleasant bonus.

Learning Curve

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Inara/Nandi
Author on LJ: unovis_lj
Author Website: Stories by Unovis

Why this must be read:
Because it's Inara/Nandi. Because it's good Inara/Nandi. There's not much more reason than that. Oh, and, it's got a lyrical, on-target Inara voice too.

Plum Blossom Song

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Simon/Inara
Author on LJ: inlovewithnight
Author Website: Exaggeration and Blank Verse

Why this must be read:
A fish has to swim, a bird has to fly and a Simon/Inara shipper has to rec at least one S/I story, even if it's more friendshippy than shippy. It's a good, fun read and I enjoyed it.

Delicacies

Fandom: THE O.C.
Pairing: touches on Seth/Summer, Ryan/Theresa, Seth/Ryan
Author on LJ: sefkhet
Author Website: ???
Why this must be read:

It's been fun driving this fandom this past month and I hope some of you found some new reads out of it!

Anyway, this story starts out with an unique style and works from there. Seth's own feelings about himself and his lack of popularity, friendship with Ryan, etc all through his relationship through the years with Captain Oats. It packs a punch and really makes the reader want to sit Seth down and point out how great he really is (or maybe that's just me?)

( An excerpt for those intrigued a bit... )

So go read! And remember: feedback is every author's friend!

In The Last Days of War

This is the last call for drivers for the Horatio Hornblower and Pirates of the Caribbean fandoms! They will be retired from full-time reccing unless we get volunteers for January and beyond. If you want them to stick around, please sign up and pimp this to your friends!

And speaking of last calls, stopawhile and I want to wish everyone a very happy, and especially, safe New Year. Thanks for making 2004 such a great ride, and we'll see you all in 2005!

Fandom : CLAMP – SERIES: X/Tokyo Babylon
Pairing : Seishirou/Subaru
Author on LJ: rahaeli
Author Website: http://www.midgar.net/
Why this must be read:

It is all the things that might have been... so many possibilities and yet in the end Subaru has to face what actually is.

It is sad, almost painful, but so wonderfully done, another perfect portrayal of Subaru.

CLAMP has always enjoyed luring their readers into becoming fully invested in a character or relationship just to dash our hopes. They specialize in the kind of sad tragedy that is so good to read, just like this fic.

Alternate Universes

Fandom : CLAMP – SERIES: Tokyo Babylon
Pairing : Seishirou/Subaru
Author on LJ: none
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

This fic is oddly hot, yet is still a complete character piece. I know that most of what I have recced has been character driven fic. However the subtlety of these fics captures the stories first presented by CLAMP so perfectly.

This fic is no different.

Subaru is derived of the finer senses of touch due to the warded gloves he wears at the behest of his Grandmother to protect him from the Sakurazukamori. In his warded bedroom Subaru takes a moment to really feel the world. Its sensual how he touches himself, and the imagery the author presents with descriptions of Subaru’s fantasy concerning Sieshirou’s suit is so sexy.

And that is what this fandom is all about, hints, secrets and sensuality. Its very subtleness increases its sexiness.

Bare


This is my last rec for this month. I hope everyone has enjoyed what I have recced so far, and with these beginings can find their way through the various CLAMP fandoms. Again, thanks for letting me share CLAMP (especially Tokyo Baylon and X) with everyone here!

This is my last rec for crack_van! I have very much enjoyed driving the Buffy Van this month and some of you have been kind enough to let me know that you've enjoyed the fics. Thank you for that, as I was worried no one would read such a niche as Trio Fics. :) I'm going to leave you with one of my favourite fics ever. I hope you like it.

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Pairing: Warren/Andrew (some Andrew/Xander)
Author on LJ: emony
Author Website: Emony's Fanfiction
Why this must be read:

Where The Streets Have No Name is the saddest Warren/Andrew love story I've ever read. Set post-Chosen, Xander has finally accepted that he is attracted to Andrew and they are living together in New York. However, somehow, Warren is back, and one brief glance of him on the street throws Andrew's happy domestic equilibrium into serious tailspin. How and why he has returned Andrew does not know, he simply must find him again. But at what price?

( He knew it wasn't possible, not really, but there it was right before him. )

Where The Streets Have No Name
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

Don't forget to leave feedback if you enjoy the story!

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Merry/Pippin
Author on LJ: mimesere
Author Website: mimesere
Why this must be read:

This feels like an appropriate rec for the last day of the year: Merry and Pippin at the end of their days. This makes my heart ache each time I read it. It is lovely and loving, and the emotions ring true. A beautiful little story! I think of it as Merry/Pippin but it could certainly be read as gen.

Love, All Alike

Fandom: CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
Pairing: Nick Stokes/Gil Grissom
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

There isn't a lot of Gil/Nick out there, at least not in comparison with some other pairings, which is strange when you consider the nature of the relationship between them in the early seasons of CSI, with Nick desperate for Gil's approval and Gil being far harsher towards Nick than the other CSIs. It made for a very interesting dynamic, one fraught with need and desperation and in built angst.

It's a dynamic that this story by Franky exploits well, to produce a scenario full of angst and miscommunication and sex. The set up might be considered a tad cliched, but it's a macguffin, only there to start the ball rolling and the story soon develops into one of Nick and Gil negotiating boundaries and learning to give and to take.

The characterisations are well drawn, with a Nick who is recognisably Nick - needy and desperate for Gil's approval - and a Gil who is Gil - alternately repulsed and attracted by Nick's neediness, wrestling with the idea of letting someone close and sending out mixed messages. Things progress nicely, with the angst handled deftly, and the relationship developing logically and realistically, with both characters showing growth that is consistent both with the internal logic of the story and with the characters as presented on the show.

In fact, it's definitely worth a read if only for the rare sight of in character pissy Nick.

The story is in four parts, and you can find all parts listed at the link below:

Rollercoaster

Fandom: CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
Pairing: None - gen, Nick Stokes centric
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: none
Why this must be read:

To continue with the angst theme, I bring you this gen fic by dferveiro. Set post-Stalker, this is an interesting twist on what could have happened if Nigel Crane had reached Nick before Warrick, and is therefore firmly in AU 'what if' territory. However, it's a great piece of solidly constructed hurt comfort; tightly plotted, with consistent characterisation and Nickcentric.

Given that, there's Nick hurt comfort galore, but it's never gratuitous or exceeds the stated rating, and most importantly Nick is never reduced to just a victim; he's a survivor, just as he is on the show. All of the characters are treated even handedly, and even Nigel comes out as being slightly sympathetic. The case holds together nicely, with some interesting twists even if some of them can be anticipated if you're reading closely, and overall it's a very satisfying read.

Distraction

Fandom: CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
Pairing: Nick Stokes/Catherine Willows
Author on LJ: always_winter
Author Website: Follow The Shoe
Why this must be read:

Another fic by Wintertime, and the angst this time is a little lighter. A little. This is a Catherine centric fic, but Nick, as always, is there, smart and sweet. It's a Halloween story, and one that manages to incorporate Catherine's role as mother without resorting to the type of bludgeoning that the writers on the show sometimes indulge in. I think they could learn a thing or two. But most of all this is about Catherine's cynicism and her need to believe and trust in something in spite of that.

( Read more... )

Sharp and Sweet

I'm going to close my recs for this month with my vid rec. I've had fun reccing some of my favourite pieces and I hope that you have had as much pleasure reading them as I have.

Vidder: nickysoneandonly
Musical artist: Evan and Jaron
Pairing: Catherine Willows/Nick Stokes
Vidder on LJ: not known
Vidder's website: none
Why this vid kicks ass:

I think that this was the first Catherine and Nick songvid made, certainly the first that I was aware of, and therefore it has a special place in my heart. It helps, of course, that the vidder is technically proficient, at least to my undiscerning eye; the song is well chosen, with lyrics that just seem to fit Catherine and Nick; and that the scenes selected both fit in perfectly with the song and demonstrate the affection that Catherine and Nick have for each other.

And it's very, very pretty, plus it starts with scenes from my favourite Catherine and Nick flirting episode - Revenge is Best Served Cold. Always a plus :)

Crazy For This Girl - the link takes you to the page on Always Thinking from which you can download a 5mb zip file.