Hello, greetings and salutations, Crack Van Passengers. My name is Lydia and I'll be your popslash crackvan this month. I hope you enjoy the popslash I rec, because I enjoy it a lot. "". These are definitely favorites in my fandom.

Fandom: Popslash
Pairing: Justin/JC with supporting roles of Chris, Joey and Lance and cameo appearances by several in the pop world
Author on LJ: kaelie
Author Website: The Ghetto

Why this must be read:Kaelie has a most impressive track record and one of her most creative (and longest) stories is Beneath an Eastern Moon. It brings out the potential of good RPS AU. There's such good taste in this AU, such dimension, with asian influences that help along the story instead of overpowering it.

( More, but mostly the link )

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairings: Rebecca/Casey, Casey/Dana/Dan, Dan/Charlie.
Author on LJ: out_there.
Author Website: Amazed by the Mathematics. Whoo for random Sorkinquotes as site names!
Why this must be read:

Did you read the pairings?

No, seriously.

Go back up there and read them again.

Did you pay attention this time?

Still need a reason?

Okay, okay. Fine.

Because the Rebecca/Casey is scarily plausible, and there needs to be more Rebecca in SN fic. Especially post-show, rejected, vengenificated Rebecca. And vengeful, spiteful, so-jealous-he-could-spit Casey.

( quote. )

Because the Casey/Dana/Dan is hooo-oootttt. In the sticky, uncomfortable, best friends who should not be doing this way. And there needs to be more threesomes in SN fic. Also, because Casey is a jackass in this section. Moreso than when he was doing somebody else's wife/Dan's ex in the previous one.

( quote. )

Lastly, but probably not leastly, because I am going to hell for thinking Dan/Charlie is a woefully unexplored pairing (but then, I also think Elliot dirty-dancing would be hot, so), and you should come with me. It'll be fun. Lake of fire, river of souls, we'll tan.

( quote. )

And so begins our descent, whee.

eta: I am an idiot. The Fic: Protect Me From What I Want. Sorry, folks. *headdesk*

Make sure to leave feedback, people.

ps: I'm back, yeah. Unfortunately, I do not bear much Jeremy slash this time, but as you can see, I've made up for it with wronger things. Continue to fear my candy.

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ:fictionbya
Author Website: Cruciality
Why this must be read:

Huzzah! We're back! *pets the pretty van*

So let's jump right back in, shall we? It's an often-discussed (and often-debated) topic in Oz fandom: exactly when did Keller realize that he had fallen in love with Beecher? Canon gives us little to go on, and what little we *do* have isn't too pretty -- it's hard to watch the bone-breaking scene in the gym without believing that Keller was genuinely pleased with the culmination of Operation Toby.

But then we get that one scene. Just that one, and you know which one I mean, don't you? Late at night in Keller and Beecher's pod, as Toby's broken, battered body lies in the infirmary -- and is that remorse that has Keller pacing the room, touching Toby's bed? Could it possibly be?

"Zero Sum," a gorgeous characterization piece, takes that challenge on, fleshing out the details in a way that makes Keller's shift from heartless betrayer to desperate suitor make perfect sense. Because it's all a game, even when suddenly it just isn't -- and man, there's just something so satisfying about watching the hunter get caught in his own trap.

Keller dries his hands and face, steps away from the sink, and turns around. He surveys Beecher's empty bed, touches it. Keller's feelings should be cut and dry. Life's a competition: fuck or be fucked. Well, Keller had won, Beecher had been fucked. Simple, really.

But... not.

Adastra is, simply put, one of the best writers in the fandom. Please feed her well, so she'll write more.

Zero Sum

Hello, my name is Lilian and I’ll be driving the van for LOTR this month. My main focus on this fandom is Men (and most of all, the Women) and to a lesser extent, Elves, so most of my recs will focus on those two races. Although a hobbit or two might make their way as well! And off we go!

Fandom: LORD OF THE RINGS
Pairing: Aragorn/Legolas/Eowyn
Author on LJ: musesfool
Author Website: Achromatic
Why this must be read:

Surely most of your have already read something by Victoria P. She’s a most prolific writer, and her works span as many fandoms as fans she has. In this particular story, she gives as a glimpse into something that could have happened at Helm’s Deep: as Legolas and Aragorn attempt to find comfort in the eve of battle, Eowyn watches and mourns for something she never really had.

( Read more... )

She Follows

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: http://www.visionsofprettyboys.com/home.htm
Why this must be read: The set-up is why Napoleon chose Illya as his partner. The story is told in the first person from Napoleon's pov to a rapt audience of one, his lover, Illya, from the comfort of their bed. I'm not normally big on stories told in the first person but RAC manages to perfectly catch Napoleon's character and way of speaking. The story itself is sweet without being saccharine. Or maybe that's bittersweet when you realize all it is Napoleon gave that day, so much more than just his partnership. And then there's just the right amount of tartness from Illya to spice things up. I hear there's a sequel in the works; I sure hope so.

The FAO Schwartz Affair

Hello, my name is laughingacademy. I first came to crack_van in 2004 on the trail of readable fanfiction, and for reasons that don't need exploring at this juncture, remained.

I've served as a SW: TPM reccer (August 2004) and wrote the Sherlock Holmes overview. This is my first crack at due South, and boy oh boy have I been looking forward to it, because this is a great fandom. Like many of the previous reccers I'm a big fan of Fraser/Kowalski, so we'll be seeing a lot of them; however, I also have a couple of pieces featuring Turnbull and at least one Fraser/Vecchio story on my list. Also, I feel I should warn everyone that some of the fiction that will be pimped this month is situated on the cracktastic end of the spectrum.

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Fandom: DUE SOUTH
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Author on LJ: [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]
Author Website: http://www.stonesoup.co.nz/chinashop/fic/index.html
Why this must be read:

For my first due South rec, I've picked a first-time Fraser/Kowalski story by china_shop, an author making her crack_van debut. Although she is, I believe, a relative newcomer to the fandom, I think china_shop will be cropping up a lot in future dS recs lists -- the characters' voices (not just Fraser and Ray, but supporting players like Welsh and Frannie) ring true, and her plots rival cesperanza's for ingenuity and hilarity.

"The Vecchio Problem," which is set about a month after Fraser and Kowalski meet, begins with an impromptu make out session in the morgue. Unfortunately, our heroes decide that this new development is a terrible idea.

( This was bad. Bad bad bad bad bad. )

So they decide to take a two-week break from each other. During that period, Ray explores various methods of coping.

( He spends a weekend in a lakeside cabin. )

And when that doesn't pan out, he tries drinking:

( When he got back to Chicago, he stopped off at Jerry's All-Night Liquor Barn on East 75th on his way home )

It doesn't help that Fraser and Kowalski still have to do things together (write a report, chase forgers and makers of psychoactive jello, move a Steinway piano onto the consulate's second floor), or that everyone -- Welsh, Stella, Turnbull, Thatcher, Frannie, a tobacconist Kowalski approaches for information -- keeps asking why they aren’t together.

Poor boys. Fortunately, it all works out with a little help from Santa Claus.

"The Vecchio Problem"

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 2003
Pairing: Leoben Conoy/ofc
Author on LJ: serialkarma
Author Website: stories archived in LJ memories
Why this must be read:


There's been a lot of discussion recently about how the common man would deal with the destruction of his world. It's a topic that I love -- think about it, there are 50,000 stories to tell in the Colonial fleet, and most of them aren't military.

At the same time, I have become endlessly fascinated by the Cylons of the new series. They're smart, sexy, conflicted and on some level, programmed to assist in the destruction of the human race. Yet, at the same time, they are yearning to be human. (Well, maybe not Doral, but the leisure suit could be messing with his programming. Heh.)


serialkarma has an appreciation for the Cylons and their place in the larger BSG story, and an interest in Leoben Conoy in particular. In Survivors she combines the common woman caught in the aftermath with one of the Leoben copies and provides a story that is by turns hot, thought provoking and oddly unsettling.

While written for my birthday, Survivors is a story that serialkarma was destined to write. It's a wonderful example of the variety this fandom is capable of offering -- the galaxy being infinite and all.


Survivors

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ: ddayspring
Author Website: Dayspring's Desires

Why this must be read: Most of Dayspring's Highlander stories have already been rec'd here, but I was very surprised to see that "The Mottled King" hadn't been, as it is my absolute favorite.

Stunning in its originality and scope, Dayspring takes a simple established relationship and revenge plot and makes into into something magical and amazing. Between the Light and Dark imagery and the overwhelming love flowing between Duncan and Methos, the reader is swept up into the story. Truly a classic tale, so don't miss out on reading this.

The Mottled King

Hello there. I'll be your driver for The Professionals this month. I'll start with one of my all-time favourites:

THE PROFESSIONALS:
Pairing: Bodie/Doyle
Author on LJ: helenraven
Author Website: Wasting Time the Helen Raven Way

Why this must be read: Deliciously long at 160,000 words, this is a wonderful AU based on the premise that Doyle is part of a visiting alien delegation to Earth. Doyle, a prince, takes a liking to Bodie, and Bodie is forced to go along with his requests, which includes a relationship/marriage with Doyle. Bodie leaves Earth and travels with Doyle, and you get to follow along as their relationship develops. This novel has everything -- alien!sex, hot sex, hurt/comfort, angst....

Even after years, it's still one of the few Professionals zines that I've kept. I'm thrilled that it's now online.

Read The Cook and the Warehouseman.

Hi! My name's Megan, and I'll be your Gundam Wing small fandom reccer this month. The previous fandom summary by ari_ is here.

Fandom: GUNDAM WING
Pairing: Duo/Heero (2+1)
Author on LJ: sunhawk16
Author Website: N/A
Why this must be read:

Because it's Sunhawk!

( More specifically... (Excerpt inside) )

Being There