Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: CJ/Toby
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: hosted on Oddsmakers: http://www.sparkgirls.com/oddsmakers/
Why this must be read:

Before my time driving the van is done, I did want to give a little shout out to the CJ/Toby shippers out there, who seem to not get very much attention from the Van. (At least from what I can see. :))

In that spirit, I bring you "My Back Pages" from the wonderful Oddsmakers archive. Set post-Bartlet administration, Toby has finally written his long-awaited book--and it's Sam who makes sure C.J. gets an invitation to the launch party.

I recommend this fic not only because it's nice to see the characters after their Bartlet days are over, but because this fic managed to stick with me long after I read it. In other words, when I went to hunt down a CJ/Toby story, I thought, "Hey, there's that one with the launch party . . . ." CJ/Toby require a soft, deft hand, and I think Delightfully Eccentric has just such the tone required. The story just unfolds, and in a completely lovely way.

Also, for Sam fans, the Sam here is brilliant. I can't recommend him enough. :) And C.J. and Toby are terrific here, too, especially the wry misanthropic gait of a Toby trying to deal with his "public." And his observations about writing are so very Toby-eque. A Toby who writes a novel is an interesting Toby, indeed.

There's no rating on the story, but I'd place it in the vicinity of a hard R; nothing graphic, but still for adults only.

Go, read, enjoy!

My Back Pages

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: Josh Lyman/Matt Santos
Author on LJ: cruisedirector
Author Website: http://www.littlereview.com/fanfic/index.htm
Why this must be read:

And now for something completely different. :)

I know that I've been heavily recommending the het this month, and while there's certainly nothing wrong with that, I did want to try to rec fics across the fandom, and appeal to other audiences.

Hence, this fic. It's new fic, and the writer took it on as a challenge, but if the talk on my friends list is like the talk elsewhere, Josh and Santos seem to be giving off "the vibe." And more power to 'em. :) Even I, the die-hard Josh/Donna shipper, have to say admit that, yes, I can definitely see where this is coming from.

If you can, too, I thought it at least fair to rec some of the Josh/Matt fic that I've seen. I chose this story because it picks up pretty much where canon leaves off. It takes Josh a while to catch on, but when he does . . . well, his thoughts at the end are excellent, indeed.

So if you're watching West Wing this season and want to try a new pairing on for size, here's a bit of a rec to get you started. Good luck!

Disclosure

Fandom: The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon Solo/Illya Kuryakin
Author on LJ: shayheyred
Author website: no, but she archives her works at The Chrome and Gunmetal Archive

Why this must be read:

Shay's witty and sparkling Napoleon/Illya post for ship_manifesto wasn't an essay - it was a delightful letter from one Thrush baddie to another detailing canonical evidence supporting the hypothesis that Napoleon and Illya are secret lovers. As the letter writer, the femme fatale Angelique is captured in all her vanity and coy charm, as well as her weakness for pretty men. As a slash fan, I could empathise with her. Quite a feat, considering how much I despised her on the show.

Knowing the first season episode Deadly Games Affair gives one a greater appreciation of how well Angelique has been fleshed out, but it's not necessary to enjoy the story. It also works as a fine intro to the pairing for new fans and old fans rediscovering the fandom.

If you want to learn about Angelique, st_crispin has more info in a Napoleon/Angelique essay.

They Made the World Safe for S.L.A.S.H.: Thrush Central Document

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Dan/Casey
Author on LJ: out_there
Author Website: Amazed By Mathematics
Why this must be read:

I’m ending my run as Sports Night driver with one of my favorite writers in the Sports Night fandom. This story is told in past, present, and future breakdowns and the progression works because of the story being told. In his therapy, it’s suggested that Dan might want to stop dating for awhile, but where does that leave Casey?

This story is entirely Dan and Casey and I love the ease of the banter between them. It’s so natural.

Plus, happy endings make me smile, especially when it’s full of possibilities

( an excerpt from the story… )

So go read, enjoy, and leave feedback: Yes, No, and Maybe.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the recs for this month! It’s been fun!

Fandom: SILMARILLION
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: erunyauve_e
Author Website: Fin Vain & Erunyauve on ff.net
Why this must be read:

I've had a great time careering the Van through the Forests of Beleriand, I hope you've enjoyed it too! If you're hooked, nearly all of the authors I've brought to your attention have a wide portfolio of other Silmfics to delight the reader, and loads more Silm goodies are to be found c/o the links at the end of my fandom summary. Oh, and do please remember to send feedback to the authors if you've enjoyed their stories!

For my last recommendation, I'm going with a 'Sillymarillion' story which succintly summarises many of the events of the First Age---as a television news broadcast. It's one of those all-or-nothing ideas that, in the hands of a less-skilled writer, could so easily have been wince-inducing, but Erunyauve really pulls it off, and the result is hilarious from start to finish.

( A sample )

If Your Nightly News Covered The Silmarillion

This is my last rec of the month-- Thanks for letting me drive you around! I've really enjoyed myself, and I hope I've provided some interesting reading material.

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas
Author on lj: Unknown
Author website: Unknown
Why this must be read: Too often, the Aragorn/Legolas pairing is depicted as flawless and pretty, an equal partnership where both sides give as much as they take. But, as Wes from AtS said, "It's not always about holding hands," especially between two warriors in battle. This fic is short but harsh, an unflattering portrait of inequality.

( Excerpt, cut for profanity... )

In Love and War

Hiya guys, just wanted to say that I've had a lot of fun driving the QAF crack van this month. Hope you guys have found my recs useful. ^_^

Fandom: QUEER AS FOLK US
Pairing: Brian/Michael, Brian/Justin
Author on LJ: -
Author Website: -
Why this must be read:

A relatively new author in the QAF Brian/Michael fandom, Anemone created a big splash in our little pool with this whopper of a fanfic. A heart-rending Alternate Universe spin-off after the events in Season One when Michael finds out about David's cheating, this long, angst-ridden story packs an incredibly powerful emotional punch through its poignant exploration of what might conceivably happen to the Brian/Michael relationship if Michael became extremely sick. I especially like Anemone's characterization of Brian and the realistic way he deals with an ill (more than)best friend - he loves Michael, but he's no saint, and still has to struggle with the more selfish and demanding impulses in his nature.

In short, NOT a tale to read if you're already feeling depressed, but if you want a long, well-written piece of Brian/Michael angst that'll make you break out a box of Kleenex? This is it.

( Spit, don't swallow )

Fandom: BLAKE'S 7
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: sallymn
Author Website: none, but she has some stories in the Hermit Library
Why this must be read:

This story follows immediately on the events of Voice From the Past. Orac continues Blake's eradication therapy with the help of Jenna, Avon, and Vila who must take turns helping by sharing Blake's memories--or lack thereof--under Cally's supervision. The story is told by Vila, the only other member of the crew who was also 'readjusted' by the Federation. Although the author is Australian, Vila's third paragraph is disconcertingly American, but apart from that, his voice is perfect and his characterisation is superb.

Vila doesn't want to take part in the therapy, but his pride is hurt when Blake says he doesn't want Vila to do it either. However Orac insists. This is a thoughtful and perceptive story in which we see the others through Vila's eyes. He makes a good narrator as he notices a lot and is devastatingly honest about himself. Avon and Blake in particular are very well drawn, and the centre of the story is the common experience that Blake and Vila share and the subsequent 'fellow feeling' of the title. The following excerpt will give you a taste.

I've seen his nightmares. Hell, I always knew first when they were coming. Like he saw mine. Because we've both been there, haven't we? The place where they come from.

I could always see them, y'know, even when he couldn't feel them yet. When he was going to have one of those nights. White nights. That's what he called them the first time he saw me through, and it fits.

...

So it was always me, the fifth grade ignorant, who went and dug out the strongest drink I'd liberated from our last planetfall and took it down to his cabin and left it there. And later I went back and checked if he'd drunk enough to drown the emptiness, and the pain that was just as bad whether he'd remembered a whole lot of important stuff, like all the names and faces of his followers from before, or a whole lot of nothing, like the colour of his mother's eyes.

When it was my turn, when none of the jokes drowned out the nothingness, Blake would bring one of those bottles he pretended to believe I didn't know about to my cabin. After a while, he didn't seem to get the nightmares so much, or so bad. We didn't talk about it much, it was just one of those things, parting gift from the Federation's best.

Fellow Feeling (complete story)
Fellow Feeling (page 1 of 5)

Fandom: POPSLASH
Pairing: Chris/Justin, JC/Joey, JC/Lance
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: not any more
Why this must be read:

As my final act as your driver for this popslashy crack_van, I give you the AU to end all AU's. Helen always satisfies, and Easy Come, Easy Go is no exception. You know, from the very first line, that there's no way this can end happily, and each word leads you inexorably to your doom, but you can't help it. It's Helen. And it's Gangster!SYNC. It's Joey the mob boss, with his lovely moll JC. It's hitman Chris, and his rentboy Justin. It's bookkeeper Lance, who can't help but fall in love. It's a recipie for trouble.

Easy Come, Easy Go

Thank you for listening as I babble about these wonderful other worlds, and I hope you found something worthwhile in my humble offerings.

Fandom: STARGATE
Pairing: Jack/Sam UST, more or less
Author on LJ: poohmusings
Author Website: poohmusings's scribbles
Why this must be read:

It's kinda like a five things fic, only not. It's the unhappy endings that will happen to Sam and Jack, sort of. It's a future fic, in a way. It's told in a style you wouldn't think would work, but does. It's difficult to describe and not quite like any other shipfic. Go read it.

It gets just one line as a preview, because it's hard to take any of the other lines out of the context where they belong:

Either way, both knew there would be no happy ending for them, regardless of what that actual ending would be.

Fairytales

Fandom: Star Trek: TNG
Pairing: Picard/Guinan, P/Q implied
Author on LJ: _jm_
Author Website: JM's Fanfiction Diversions
Why this must be read:

On the show, Guinan was a deliberately enigmatic character, and as a result had little character development. Most of the time, she was the Nurturer as Crone, the wise, grandmotherly woman who's always kind, always gentle, always listening to others' troubles and dispensing profound advice. We almost never got to see the *human* side of her, her flaws and her passions. All we know is that there is one person she loves, Jean-Luc Picard, who is "closer than friends, closer than family" to her. And one person she hates, Q. JM takes this and weaves a triangle of passion, hatred and betrayal, which shows us a very plausible dark side to this character without falling into the usual trap fanwriters make when they decide to give a "nice" character a dark side. Which is to say, there's no one eeevil here, no one twirling mustachios... just people who love, and people who hate, and people who use the ones they love against people they hate.

( Excerpt )

What Lies Within

This, by the way, is my last TNG rec for this month. Thanks for letting me at the wheel of the van, folks! It's been great!

Fandom: STARGATE
Pairing: Jack/Sam cake-induced UST
Author on LJ: josephides
Author Website: randomleavesdotcom
Why this must be read:

For my last spin in the crack_van (with apologies for backloading the month -- I so didn't mean to do that), here's one that just makes me laugh. It takes place in the first season, not long after Brief Candle. Jack's team -- especially Daniel -- have been telling him over and over never to eat cake again, but ... well, it's hard to say no to alien pink pastry. Jojo really is the master of taking a quirky concept and making it work, and better yet, making you believe these characters would get themselves into these situations.
( Reluctantly, Jack stopped and half turned. )

Just Don't Eat the Cake


Thanks for riding the van this month, and for putting up with all the icky het. ;)

Fandom: HORATIO HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Archie Kennedy/William Bush
Author on LJ: NA
Author Website: http://www.khaleesian.com/hhornblower/rumsodomylash.htm
Why this must be read:

Archie/William is a rare pairing, but I really adore the dynamic between them. Live Kennedy Universe Archie/William is the most common variant and a personal favorite. Here, a recuperated Archie and William sail back to England as Lieutenants on the Renown. The future is uncertain, and privacy is in short supply. Khaleesian presents Archie and William with a stolen bit of privacy for a fic that is fabulously sexy with an undercurrent of comfort and mutual concern that is perfect. Short and very very hot.

Any Port in a Storm

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Krycek
Author on LJ: wunderwesen
Author Webpage: Wunderwesen's new website, currently under construction.
Why this must be read:

The now dearly departed X-Files community The Cube (once upon a time known as The M/K Fight Club) was famous for its trademark twenty-four hour challenges, which often resulted in a number of remarkable stories. This fic was written in answer to one of these, where the task was to use the basic premise of the episode "Monday" and somehow fit Krycek into the story.

Now, "Monday" was the X-Files version of the classic movie Groundhog Day, and thus all about a day that repeats itself over and over. This particular day starts with Mulder waking up soaking wet because his waterbed (or rather, the waterbed procured for his apartment by the man who briefly inhabited his body a few episodes before) has sprung a leak, continues with him running off to do an errand at a bank close to the Hoover building, and ends with him, Scully, and a large number of other people being killed in an explosion when a bank robbery goes sour. And then it all starts over at the beginning. We see the events from Mulder's perspective, but he is not the one who is aware that time is running on a loop. This role falls to the bank robber's girlfriend, who repeatedly tries to bring Mulder's attention to what is about to happen before he steps inside the bank, in the hopes that he might be able to change the outcome. But what if instead, Alex Krycek was the one reliving the day?

Jadzia's Monday No. 57 gives us a vivid, melancholy and beautiful answer to that question. While keeping close to the canon of the episode, what this story offers is a deeply felt portrait of Alex as a man filled with yearning for things out of his reach, so deprived of human closeness that in the end, the smallest kindness means everything. A sad fic, certainly, but ultimately so radiant with warmth that it will make you smile through the tears.

Monday No. 57

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: Josh/Donna
Author on LJ: jo_march
Author Website: http://fwf.healthyinterest.net/
Why this must be read:

Just trying to squeeze this one under the wire.

I wanted to come full circle, or at least book end my recs, and this is the story to do it. Technically this is the third story in a series that is the sequel of sorts to A Winning Strategy, which was my first rec this month.

In any event, the upshot is that it's a few years later, post-Bartlet administration, and Josh and Donna's daughter has conned them into a trip to the mega-corporate goliath of anti-feminism--Disney World. This is a sweet and funny story with, as usual, spot on characterization of Josh and Donna. It's a pleasure to read, and I encourage you to do so, and have fun with it.

And now that I finished more or less than I started, I just wanted to say thanks to all the loyal Wingnuts out there. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

The Disney Version

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Krycek
Author on LJ: Not to my knowledge.
Author Webpage: Mairead Triste's stories at The House of Slack
Why this must be read:

For me, the hallmarks of M/K slash will always be twisted passion and a not-very-healthy blurring of the line between sex and violence, and the story I've chosen for my last rec this month is an excellent example of why these qualities make Mulder/Krycek such an unforgettable pairing.

Mairead Triste is, in all her fandoms and incarnations, a brilliant writer, and The Quality of Mercy makes one wish she had written more XF. A non-con PWP, where Alex forces himself on a perhaps not entirely unwilling Mulder, this story takes us inside Krycek's head and shows us what a dark, desperate place it is, while at the same time revealing the current of madness that runs in the blood of the man he is obsessed with. This is chilling, raw and unforgiving, and completely, devastatingly hot - in other words, everything that makes M/K what it is.

The Quality of Mercy