Hello, my name is Vague and I’m going to show you some of the best HP fanfic I have read in recent years! Obviously a lot of my all time favourites have been recced already, but I hope I can manage to keep up the good work that has been done so far. I read a lot of pairings, but my favourite couples involve Harry, Malfoy Jr., Snape, Lupin and Ron, so expect them to pop up in most of my recs!

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Harry
Author on LJ: bookshop
Author website: http://www.notquiteroyal.net/topgallant/
Why this must be read:

Aja’s best know fic is probably "Love Under Will", a HP novel she’s still writing. However, as can be seen by “The Reader” (previously recced on crackvan), she’s written quite a few other gems, my favourite of which is “Commencement”. Why – well, I just like the idea of alcohol and sex, really…and it is rather well written!

It’s the evening before leaving Hogwarts, and a lot of alcohol comes into play as Draco and Harry, both changed by the War, actually talk. And find other ways to communicate…

"Commencement" Cover Art (click to read "Commencement")

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Dan Rydell, Casey McCall (friendship), Charlie McCall
Author on LJ: scrunchy
Author Website:  55 Scrunchy

Why this must be read:

They say you can choose your friends, but you can’t choose your family.  Dan finds out differently.

Charlie wants to invite Alexis, a girl from his school, over for dinner.  Casey is nervous about his son dating; Dan is worried because she plays soccer.     

"Sure -- except for the part where he's willingly entering into a relationship that will require him to hang out with … soccer fans." The last words came out a whisper, like Dan was talking about social diseases, or Michael Jackson.

"You know, your reaction is weirdly helping me be okay with this whole thing."

 

The Noblest Profession

Hello all, I'm foxxcub and I'll be your July driver for "Lost". I'll try to mix it up this month, but you should know that a) I'm a smut hound and b) I LOVE Jack/Sawyer, and I don't think there's been a lot of the pairing rec'd so far. So on that note...

Fandom: Lost
Pairing: Jack/Sawyer
Author on LJ: uberaeryn
Author website: GateFic
Why this is a must read:

No other fic I've come across illustrates so beautifully or poignantly the subtleties of the Jack/Sawyer dynamic than "On Being God". The story itself is deceptively simple and stark; Jack is struggling with the responsibilities of life and death as the days pass, yet in the background, always watching and supporting, is Sawyer. Heartbreaking, tender, yet at the same time dark and painful, this fic breaks me every single time I read it.


He also wondered if God did this same thing, rested high on his perch and watched from a distance, not knowing their names and not really caring, either, depending upon his mood. Because the act of salvation was, sometimes he thought, more of an ego stroke than an act of mercy, and more often than not Jack was stroking himself but wearing the hair shirt at the same time.

On Being God

Hello out there!

I'm Kristin, and I'll be driving the Buffy van this month. I promise a lot of long, smutty fics, cause that's what I love. Some het, some slash, some gen. I'll also have to look through my older bookmarks cause I mostly have Angel stories bookmarked now, but not a problem! If there's something you want to see or if I'm screwing something up, just let me know! ;-) Happy reading!


Fandom: BUFFY
Pairing:Xander/Spike/(Anya), Willow/Tara, small amounts of Wes/Gunn
Author on LJ:mpoetess and zortified
Author Website: http://gila.fakingsanity.net
Why this must be read:
Wow. I am really surprised this story and its sequel have not been rec'd here before. This is one of my favorite stories, all time. And considering the rate at which I devour fanfic, that's saying quite a lot.

From the author's website:
Buffy and the Scoobs find an ancient, mysterious, magical artifact that they shouldn't touch. They touch it. Warnings for excessive cuteness.

I completely agree. Too cute!

Link to the first part: http://gila.fakingsanity.net/whedon/smallfry.html
Link to the second part: http://gila.fakingsanity.net/whedon/smallfry2.html

Fandom: BUFFY
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Author on LJ:tesla321
Author Website: not sure
Why this must be read:
This should be read in the daytime. With the windows open and the sun shining in. Barring that, at least with someone else in the house.

It's just that good.

Tesla is a consistently excellent writer, and I invite you to also look at some of her other stories (in her memories).

ETA: I should have left the pairing as Spike/Xander... *shakes head* I need more caffeine.

Cigarette Ends

Hi, I'm Shunda and I've snagged the keys for Farscape this month. My choices will be varied, but keep in mind that I love angst and the occasional sex romp. Now that I've said that, my first rec has absolutely no angst at all...

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: fbf
Author Website: Unknown
Why this must be read:

For such a small fandom, the Farscape fen produces a lot of dramatic fiction, but the humor is often lacking. FBF's contribution helps to balance the scales a bit, and leave you cackling loudly. Don't let the script format turn you off, as it works very much to the story's advantage. This is the Pilot episode of Farscape in a nutshell, with stage directions and a hilarious running gag spoofing The Princess Bride. Enjoy, and feed the author.


( The human doth protest too much )


The Fifteen-Minute Farscape Pilot Episode.

Greetings to all of you, puny earthlings.

My name is cccarioca and I shall be your driver for July for the DC Comics fandom. Well-met! If there are some among you who are still thinking "DC? Comics? What's that fandom again?", I shall sneer haughtily at you and then point you to ficbyzee's excellent fandom overview.

To my greatest despair, my illustrious predecessor also happened to have remarkable instinct for the good stuff, so if you haven't read what she recced, what are you waiting for? It's all certified Delicious Crack.

And now, I do believe I shall get started. For my first rec of the month, I bring you some fabulously creepy gen, because it so happens that for DC comics fans, unhealthy mentoring relationships is love.

Doubt and Awakening by Te (suitable for 15+)

Fandom: DC COMICS
Pairing: no pairing
Author on LJ: thete1
Author Website: Teland
Why this must be read: one of my favorite things about this fandom is how intense some of the characters are. Marvel has loads of angst, but none of the sheer intensity that can be found here. And the two characters in this fic especially are so fantastically intense.

( Why this is a fantastic fic you should absolutely read )


Doubt and Awakening

Fandom: MAN FROM UNCLE
Pairing: Solo/Kuryakin
Author on LJ: shayheyred
Author Website: http://www.chezshay.net/

Hi there. I'm Susan and I'm your Man From Uncle guide this month. I hope to alternate between some humerous works and some works looking at the relationship between the two men. Here's the first.

Why this must be read:
"Napoleon is a slave to his libido." That's Shay's summary on her website and it gives you an idea of how the story is going to go.

Shay has been recommended several times before for some deep, powerful stories in which the characters discover their love and affection for each other. This story isn't one of them. :) Instead, it's a delightful little romp.

( read why the story is great )

Cherchez la Femme

I love my fandom because it's intense, but I also love it because it's whacky.

Fandom: DC COMICS
Pairing: Flash / Spankbot, Flash / Batman
Author on LJ: harriet_spy
Author Website: Sometimes You Need A Story
Why this must be read: Once upon a time, DC writers suffered quietly, trying to be original as they wrote, and it was so difficult. And then one day, thete1 had the genius idea to issue an open challenge: write cliché fic. And the stories came pouring in.

When I made the list of the stories I'd rec this month, I knew I'd have to pick at least one cliché fic, and when I checked the list, I just couldn't resist this one. Because the thing is ... it's actually CANON. Yes, you read it right, the DC fandom has spankbots! How cool is that?

Wally West and the Crack of Doom

Hi! I'm Jetpack Monkey and I'll be your driver for ANGEL this month. I have no particular character or ships that I'm obsessed with, although I think Wesley having sex with anything is hot. Seriously, they could write a Wes/toaster oven fic and I'd probably read it. Twice. So, buckle up kiddies. It's gonna be a wacky month.

Fandom: ANGEL
Pairing: Angel/Faith, Angel/Wes if you turn your head funny.
Author on LJ: liz_marcs
Author Website: Lizbeth on Fanfiction.net (she doesn't archive everything here, though)
Why this must be read:

I thought I'd start out this month with a fic by my all-time favorite fanfic writer, Lizbeth Marcs. You may know her from such fantastic epics as Whisper, Living History, and her WIP Water Hold Me Down. And if you don't? You should.

"Ishmael Sings of the White Whale" is one of Ms. Marcs' few forays into the Angelverse. It's a dark story, set a year after "Not Fade Away," and reminds us that our heroes might not necessarily win the war in their time, if ever. And trying to do it all at once has driven Angel a little nutters. Good thing Faith and Wesley's ghost are there... or is he going to drag them along for his crazy time?

Lizbeth's Faith is impeccable as always (the way she stops herself short of the s-word just before dropping several f-bombs) and her Angel is textured - obsessive, haunted, but still kind and compassionate. The best character here, though, is Wesley. Impotent to affect events, he instead pleads with Faith to walk the line between getting Angel into the world and falling into seclusion. His hope for the world rests entirely on getting Angel back to helping the helpless, something that blinds him to some harder truths.

( Excerpt )

Ishmael Sings of the White Whale

Hey all. I'm solamentenic and I'll be your driver for July in the CSI fandom. I'm strictly an old school Vegas slasher leaning heavily towards any permutation of the Gil/Nick/Greg pairing.

Fandom: CSI
Pairing: Gil/Nick
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown
Why this must be read:

Evan is somewhat of an anomaly in the CSI fandom: a man. Not that it's a bad thing. He never fails to write the characters with such flawless effort and has an excellent grasp on the dynamic that is Gil and Nick. In this story, he also writes a Greg that's goofy, kind, compassionate and intelligent.

The author warns that this story might not be for everyone because of the subject matter but don't let that scare you. It's more of a personal, emotional issue and an in-depth character study than anything else.

Nicky