Fandom: VORKOSIGAN UNIVERSE
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: insptr_penguin
Author Website: Unknown

Why this must be read:
This lighthearted little story is Ivan centric, and in it an amused Miles rescues a sad-and-sorry Ivan after a Very Interesting Night Out with By Vorrutyer. It made me grin as I read it, and I appreciate that in a story.

A Fine and Glittery Mess

Fandom: VORKOSIGAN UNIVERSE
Pairing: None, but there's some slashy UST
Author on LJ: sjkasabi
Author Website: SJ Kasabi's LJ Memories

Why this must be read:
I'm intrigued by the character Bel Thorne and also by the implications of having a third (hermaphroditic) sex to deal with in society. I wish LMB would write a book with more on this theme, but until then, I'll have to make do with stories like this one. You could class this as sort of a holiday story set during Miles' time with the Dendarii Mercenaries, but the story is slashy, especially at the start.

Wrappings

Fandom: The OC
Pairing: Summer/Seth. Summer/Anna. Anna/Seth. Anna/Ryan.
Author on LJ: lalejandra
Author Website: Apostatize
Why this must be read:

Well, general convention is not to rec the same author twice in one set, but ce la vie. This is, without a doubt, the most scorchingly-hot story in this fandom. And with a pairing list like the one above, how can it not be? I can't really reconcile this situation with the OC I know, in particular Lalejandra's Seth, but that's never stopped me from enjoying good, quality porn. Her Anna voice is brilliant, though, and this is a suprisingly long story given the content. I love this story.

Anna Stern absolutely positively one hundred percent does not want to lose her virginity to Seth Cohen. It isn’t that she doesn’t like him or want to fuck him or any of that -- she thinks he’s sexy as hell, funny, attractive, all that stuff. She likes him a lot, and is even a little bit in love with him. But she knows better. Anna knows that on a purely practical level, giving her virginity to Seth would be a bad idea of enormous proportions.


Hell

Fandom: VORKOSIGAN UNIVERSE
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: grey_bard
Author Website: Grey Bard's site

Why this must be read:
Here's another Bel Thorne story, this time gen. Set during Miles' time as Admiral Naismith, this is a Miles and Bel mission. This story is short, but I like the thought of Dendarii adventures that aren't yet documented.

A Diversion

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: LRHB Fiction Site
Why this must be read:

This is hurt/comfort/smarm done right. It has a real plot. The situation is horrific, but believable. The victimized men are vulnerable, but not weak. It doesn't have a pat happy ending where good triumphs completely. There are costs.

While primarily a Sentinel story 'No Center Line' crosses over with Nash Bridges and, to a lesser extent, Millennium, though knowledge of them is not required to enjoy the story.

Blair Sandburg and Evan Cortez of San Francisco are among ten police officers kidnapped by a sadistic businessman who produces live Internet porn and snuff videos. When Sandburg is almost miraculously recovered, Nash observes the power of the unembarrassed care and unconditional support given their traumatized friend by Jim and Simon. The surviving officers are still in danger and only Blair's courage and resourcefulness can rescue them. Even if Evan is recovered Nash wonders if he will be able to give his friend the kind of support he will need, the kind of caring he has observed between Jim, Simon, and Blair.

No Center Line is the sixteenth installment in a long story arc, though each one can be read as a stand alone. If you want to start at the beginning, go here.

LRH Balzer writes with power and sensitivity, building to a breath-taking climax. Don't miss it.

( Read an Excerpt )

No Center Line

Fandom: BATTLESTAR GALACTICA 2003
Pairing: Kara/Lee, Kara/Zak
Author on LJ: brynnmck
Author Website: Home of Brynn
Why this must be read: I was quite shocked to discover this story hadn't been recced yet here because this is one of those pre-series stories that has practically become canon in my mind. It builds up the perfect background for Kara and Lee, and you get to see both their friendship and attraction grow over time. Really, this story is so well written that I'm convinced this is what happened to both characters before we met them for the first time in the miniseries.

( snippet )

Laws of Gravity

Fandom: AFFLECTION
Pairing: Matt Damon/Ben Affleck
Author on LJ: nardasarmy
Author Website: D/A Story Listing
Why this must be read: This is a raw, heart-breaking voyeur fic, and even if that's not your kink this is still worth a read, because tangletoy brings a beautiful subtlety to Casey's yearning.

Half-imagined

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: keerawa
Author Website: Not that I know of

Why this must be read:
This lovely story features one of the best depictions of Joe Dawson I have ever read. This combined with richly detailed descriptions and a wonderfully engaging plot makes for a delightful story that I found hard to put down.

The Price of Interference

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: none
Characters: Josh & Leo
Author on LJ: khohen1
Author Website:fanfiction by KHo"
Why this must be read:

This is a splendid "missing scene" fic inspired by the events we see in flashback in Bartlet for America. Leo falls off the wagon, Bartlet has an MS attack - in short everything appears to be going to hell in a handbasket!
This story concentrates on Leo - what happens after Josh goes looking for him after Bartlet's collapse and it's just wonderful. KHo really "gets" Josh - the references to the things we know about his character are all there - his need to fix things, his stubborness, his view of Leo as a second father... and of course his refusal to leave Leo to drown in self-pity... because, as we know, "Josh doesn't leave people."
Leo's view of Josh is exactly as I've always thought it would be, if we'd seen more of it - Leo thinks he never had a son except for this one right here and he couldn’t have asked for a better one.
There's so much I could pick out and quote, but in the end, just go read it - and take your time, because there's a lot packed in there.

Here ya go!

Like Zeppelin in a Four-Star Resturant

Fandom: VORKOSIGAN UNIVERSE
Pairings: Bel Thorne/Nicol (hints of Miles/Bel UST); femslashy surprise pairing; Byerly Vorrutyer/Roic
Author on LJ: millefiori
Author Website: beware the thorns

Why this must be read:
The first of this trio of romantic ficlets is another story starring Bel Thorne, this time with the quaddie musician Nicol. The second story has two minor characters, but it's fun, and femslash is rare in this fandom. The third piece is my favorite, because it's longer and full of slashy goodness. (Yes, I read gen and het in this fandom, but I do like the slash the best.)

Unexpected Gifts

Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Solo/Kuryakin
Author on LJ:sensine
Author Website: Sensine's FanFiction

Why this must be read:
I had the privilege of seeing this short story in draft form and begged Sensine to finish it before March ended so I could be the person to review it. I wanted to recommend it because it's a little out of the ordinary.

The basic idea is that Illya has been hurt and his memories are mixed-up and confused. However, instead of the usual story, Sensine has given us a stream of consciousness from Illya's point-of-view.

Part of the fascination of the story is watching Illya sort out his sensations; the other part is trying to determine where Illya is and what he is truly seeing. Moreover, as Illya improves and becomes more coherent the feel of the story changes.

But read it for yourself -- I think Sensine's "experiment" has produced a fascinating story.

Heaven or Hell.