Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: http://www.ckos.net/main.php
Why this must be read:

Silk is another author that is not yet represented on Crack Van. This fic is very short, but it is beautiful. I've read it several times and still get a wonderful feeling from it.

After the Rain

Fandom: LOTRIPS
Pairing: Elijah Wood/Orlando Bloom
Author on LJ: one900
Author Website: One900’s Memories
Why this must be read: I'm a big fan of AU's, and especially those that bring something new to the "Sliding Doors" premise. This story by one900 not only does exactly that, but does it with wonderful style and inventiveness.

Square One

Fandom: POPSLASH
Pairing: Justin/Lance, JC/Joey, past Justin/Nick
Author on LJ: callmesandy
Author Website: Suitable for Framing
Why this must be read:

This story is an AU with a really interesting premise. The idea is that there is no NSYNC, and instead of Justin being a part of that band, he is the sixth member of the Backstreet Boys. I like this idea, because Justin's such a star, that we all know if it hadn't been NSYNC, he would have gotten his break somewhere else.

The story's told entirely from Lance's perspective, though it's littered with snippets from newspaper and magazine articles as well as television retrospectives. Basically, Justin can't take being part of Lou Perlman's meat market anymore, and runs away to Nebraska where he meets nobody Lance at a movie theatre. Lance asks him out because he's hot and JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, and at first he thinks Justin's crazy when he hears his "they're all out to get me" paranoid conspiracy theories. Until everything Justin claims actually happens. Lou freezes all the money in his bank account, goes on television and calls Justin a drug addict, tries to put him in a mental institution, etc.

The only negative thing about this fic is that it portrays some of the Backstreet Boys in a bad light. Two of them are nice, but the other three are just as ruthless as Lou. If you can program your mind into remembering that the Boys are plot devices and very different people in this fic, then it's really rewarding to read.

Eventually, the other three members of NSYNC enter the fic, and though the five of them aren't a band, they're still a team, fighting an intense legal battle for Justin's freedom from the BSB contract.

My favorite part of this fic is Sandy's meta acknowledgement that she knows it's an AU, and that this isn't how it's supposed to be.

For instance:

( Rolling Stone )


It's long and involved, containing a great plot along with the hot sex and romance. Devour it in a day or take a long weekend to luxuriate in it. Either way, you'll love this story.

The Wrong Band

Fandom: Doctor Who
Pairing: 5/Tegan UST, 8/Fitz UST
Author on LJ: edithmatilda
Author Website: Some Things
Why this must be read:

So, Tegan and Fitz walk into a bar. Well, separately, because they don't know each other yet, but they soon find that they have a lot in common. Particularly the refusal of a certain someone of their mutual aquaintance to try to get into their respective pants. It is quite amusing.

Down the Pub

Fandom:The Professionals
Pairing: Doyle/F Other M/F
Author on LJ: brenk
Author Website: www.geocities.com/brenkuebler
Why this must be read:

This is an absolute great case story. Wonderful character descriptions and good use of other CI5 agents besides Bodie and Doyle, with a nice part for Ruth Pettifer.

Doyle goes undercover in an Italian Ristorante, there is suspicion of drug running. He finds evidence about the drug ring, but discovers something even worse going on.

The story is told partly from Doyle's pov, and partly from Murphy's pov. Doyle has entrusted Murphy with the 'looking after' of his girl friend, because he doesn't trust Bodie not to make a pass at her.

( read more )

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 2003
Pairing: Kara/Lee, but not the focus.
Author on LJ: leadensky
Author Website: Hosted at Galactica Fics.
Why this must be read:
How many ways do I love this fic? So many. leadensky paints a future for the fleet that is so very plausibe, and the story unfolds through a variety of characters, all captured perfectly. It’s complex, dark and crisply written, everything Battlestar Galactica is.

An Eclipse, Binary

Fandom: STARGATE ATLANTIS
Pairing: Rodney McKay/John Sheppard
Author on LJ: flambeau
Author Website: The Flambeau Factory
Why this must be read: I'll give you three hints. It starts with P, ends with rn and has a vowel in between.


John moved from dreams to partial awareness when the bed dipped under a second body, and he uncurled himself sleepily into a gentler curve so Rodney could settle behind him, front to back, and wrap an arm around him and go to sleep. He felt Rodney breathe against the back of his neck, warm and steady, and then soft little kisses along his hairline and on the first solid bump of his spine. Rodney pressed closer, and oh. Not about to go to sleep, then.

Call Soft Enough