Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: kaethe
Author Website: Katie's Fan Fiction Library
Why this must be read: Written for yuletide, this story reads like a really, really good episode. There's a supernatural thing to deal with that's both sad and scary. There's great insight into the brothers' relationship, and especially Dean's protective feeling for Sam, reaching back all the way to that fateful day of the fire. The author captures the characters' voices and their brotherly closeness so well it's a treat to read. And the way the story ends is just perfect.

Go read and give the author some love:
Chains

Fandom: HORATIO HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Horatio Hornblower/William Bush, Horatio Hornblower/Richard Wellesley, Richard Wellesley/Sharpe universe mystery surprise character
Author on LJ: dastier
Author Website: Black Adios
Why this must be read: This fic is for anybody with a passing familiarity with the later career of Horatio Hornblower and the Napoleonic wars.

No, seriously. It's like dastier took a cup of Horatio Hornblower fandom, 2 liquid ounces of high-quality Richard Sharpe extract, a generous handful of history, threw them into a fandom food processor, and hit the "pulse until delightfully mixed" button. And then, when that was done, sprinkled on top some "hilariously ineffable entitlement of the ruling class" and "Horatio Hornblower gets pwnzrd over a rum keg because he married way, way, way out of his class."

"And does a certain First Lieutenant Bush hold a place among those chosen few?"

Hornblower coughed in bewilderment, the sound much like the one a sheep makes when the shepherd creeps up on it with his shears.

Next of Kin

Fandom: X-Men Comicverse
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: Tragically, the author, Kielle, died last September, of cancer. Her original LJ has not been deleted; it was kielle.
Author Website: Subreality (to find her fiction, go to the subpage Camelot, which features all the fan fiction she and her husband Chris, aka "Laersyn", wrote)
Why this must be read: It created fanon that had a permanent effect on X-Men comic fandom, it is utterly original, and it is a damn good read.


First of all, I am such a scrub.

I was assigned to drive the Crack Van for X-Men Comicverse this month, and then my computer died, thus I lost the email informing me of this fact. I managed to completely forget about it until about a week ago or so, and have been too busy with work and doctor's appointments to do any recs.

And yet I have so many recs to make! Arrgh! Only three days!

Since I usually *get* my Crack Van recs by going back through the memories, I am going to do twelve recs in three days so they can at least be logged to memories, and I apologize to anyone who has this journal friended and really doesn't like X-Men Comicverse.

Now, on to the rec.

In "No Way Up" Kielle took an excessively minor supervillain, Vertigo, who was one of the weaker members of a team of mercenary assassins (the Marauders) that fans generally paid little attention to except as cardboard cutouts, and made her real. I don't know if the idea that the Marauders are constantly being cloned and brought back in new bodies every time they die was actual comic canon, or fanon invented to explain why we saw people come back who had died on panel (these things happen in comic books), but whichever, Kielle ran with it to create a suspenseful story that explores issues of identity and gives personalities and depth to characters no one had really worked with before.


( Quote inside... )

Vertigo: No Way Up

I'm a bad, bad, bad little reviewer whose life got away with her for a few weeks. Mea Culpa. As punishment, I will not be able to post all the stories I planned, but if you lot will forgive a very little bit of spamming, I'll get as many of them in as I can. Never fear, I won't post any back-to-back.

Fandom: BLAKES7
Pairing: Vila/Soolin
Author on LJ: entropy_house
Author Website: Marian's Text-Only Fics
Why this must be read:

Marian is well known in the fandom for her brilliant, short, outrageously funny humour pieces - and her gift for crackfic. While I could have nominated any one of a dozen of those beautiful gems, I chose this because it's something she's not as known for - a deadly serious, quiet, and heartfelt character piece.

This fic takes place after "Sand" - a rather bleak, emotionally charged episode, in which (in addition to Tarrant and Servalan being manipulated into screwing) Vila nearly dies and no one much seems to care. It's a significant episode for Tarrant, and many people have speculated on his aftermath, but "Grit" takes a look at Vila's state of mind in the midst of the bleakest season of the series.

I freely admit I'm a sucker for Vila, and he's at his best here, but this fic also contributes to my growing love for Soolin - not a character I had much time for in my original run through the series, but one which talented ficcers like Marian (and vilakins, who first brought this pairing to my attention) have fostered a deep love for.

( Soolin observed people with the dispassionate fascination of a scientist, and at the moment, Vila had aroused her curiosity. )

And it just gets better from there. So go, read, and find out the true meaning of "Sand".

Sand is Another Word for ‘Grit’

Fandom: X-Men Comicverse
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Lori McDonald on Fanfiction.net
Why this must be read: This is not actually the most representative sample of Lori's work -- she mostly did much more serious stories, and usually focused on the Gambit/Rogue relationship. However, that does not change the fact that this is one of the funniest damn stories I have read, ever.

Magneto, one of the most hated and feared mutants in the Marvel Universe, a man who has dedicated his life to appearing as a proud, dignified Icon of Power, a man who says things like, "So say I, Magneto, Master of Magnetism!" (okay, he only said things like that back in the 60's, but still)... has a cold. That affects his powers. Hilarity ensues.

Ever since his abilities manifested themselves, Magneto had been a name to be feared. Dedicated to preserving mutant life and helping them ascend to their well deserved position of superiority over normal humans, he had been labeled a terrorist, his magnetic powers on a level that threatened the entire world if he chose to use them. He had sunk nuclear subs, destroyed cities. He had defeated almost all who dared to challenge him in combat and his face was an image that haunted human childrens’ nightmares.

Not all children. The place he lived now had never heard of Magneto, and had no reason to balk at the sight of him. Magnus had built his present house high on a mountain twenty miles from the nearest town, which was the only place for him to go within fifty to buy food. Not a gardener himself, he went there once a week for vegetables and meat, once a month for dry stock. He spoke to no one and was quiet and polite, his face hidden wide brimmed hat. No one had ever recognized him in it, but then, he wasn’t normally trying to fight a cold that affected his powers when he came into town.

His head aching and his nose clogged, Magnus walked into the town, sniffing repeatedly as he headed down the sidewalk, very aware of how lightheaded and sickly he was feeling.

The lampposts bending over like pretzels behind him escaped his notice.

Magneto's Cold

Fandom: The OC
Pairing: Ryan/Seth
Author on LJ: glossing
Author Website: glossings
Why this must be read:

This is the beginning of season two, that moment when Ryan and Seth first meet, after months apart and heartache in between. On the screen, that scene had all the evidence of star-crossed lover-ness, the sort of "God, why can't we just be together?" This story takes that emotion and runs with it.

Seth's mind, it's clicking. Click-clack, rope against mast, tacking this way and that, and he's been lost plenty of times. Neiman's in December, hallways every Tuesday after Labor Day, his own goddamned bedroom for most of his pubescence. But he's lost now like he used to know where he was going but he's old. Forgetful. Big black gaps in his mind, in his head, and he's circling around them, sweeping and sliding in the current. Lost, tacking, going nowhere.

But a smile can be faked, and Ryan answers it with one of his own fakes, and this is okay. Grilling's better, just Seth and the meat and if he doesn't take cheese on his burger, well, then, Frank gets that. Frank's *sensitive*, and it's kind of weird, because so is Sandy, but that's different.

It's all different, but the biggest difference is Ryan and Seth needs to concentrate. On Ryan. Tired, kind of ashy-faced, shifting from foot to foot in a way that Seth really should have patented because if he *had*, he'd be sitting pretty. Ryan.

Indifferent

Fandom: AFFLECTION
Pairing: Matt Damon/Ben Affleck
Author on LJ: lardencelover
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: These vignettes are beautifully drawn, with raw, natural dialogue that sucks you right into each scene; Matt and Ben feel so real they pop right off the screen. This is one of my all-time favourites in this fandom.

Five Things That Never Happened to Matt Damon

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: none (gen)
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: K. Ryn's Tales of The Sentinel
Why this must be read:

On the surface The Sentinel is a gritty crime drama with a scifi edge, but it contains many elements for fan fiction writers to explore. One thing a lot of fans wanted to see was more equality between Jim, the Sentinel, with his enhanced senses, and Blair. Blair said the Sentinel typically had a companion who watched his back though he didn't seem to think it required any special abilities. Lee Brackett, the rogue agent who figured out Jim's secret, called Blair Jim's guide. Incacha passed the Chopec way of the Shaman on to Blair. Perhaps these hints would have been explored further had the show lasted longer but many, if not most, fan fic authors have developed them into fanon that makes the Guide as unique and necessary to the partnership as the Sentinel.

Blair's role as Shaman, often with an exploration of the difficulty he has in coming to terms with this role, has been a rich source of inspiration for many authors. I wanted to rec a Blair as Shaman story. Several of the best are by K. Ryn who reaches into the spiritual aspects of the Sentinel while telling compelling, plot-driven stories in powerful prose.

In 'Who Shall Guard the Guardians Themselves', Jim and Blair are just coming off a very difficult assignment, weary, and sick at heart. Blair is experiencing his own version of zones and a demanding internal voice that terrifies him. But instead of getting the downtime they so badly need, they are requested for an urgent Search and Rescue mission to find a busload of children missing in the wilderness.

( Read an Excerpt )

Who Shall Guard the Guardians Themselves

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: Josh/Donna
Author on LJ: dianora2
Author Website: Fanfiction by Dianora

This is my last rec in the Crack Van for West Wing fic. Thanks to those who've been reading - I hope you've enjoyed the fic and maybe found something you hadn't read before, or were reminded of something you wanted to go back to. I hope I can visit again!
Anyway, for my final rec., I've chosen something bang up to date - it was only posted last week, but it's just so fabulous I had to pimp it straight away!
I said before that Dianora is one of the best J&D writers around, and she proves it yet again in this fic. Josh and Donna are "together" in all senses of the word (!) and the fic takes place in the current time-line of the show, more or less. I should probably say that, given that part of it takes place AFTER the upcoming election, there are what I suppose could be considered spoilers for who wins, so if you don't want to know, you'll have to wait a couple of weeks to read!
( Read more... )
Blame it on the Casanova

Fandom: X-Men Comicverse
Pairing: No romantic pairing; story features non-romantic relationship between a young Cable and Stryfe
Author on LJ: aliciam
Author Website: Alicia McKenzie at Comicfic.net
Why this must be read: Alicia McKenzie is the writer who single-handedly turned Cable from a character most fans considered more or less a joke into a fanficcer favorite. Here, she takes the most tragic yet irredeemable villain in Cable's history and writes an AU that offers him the possibility of redemption. Her take on the characters, their emotions and behavior, seems completely realistic -- and the two boys in this story are just so darned *cute*. For a freedom fighter and an emotionally damaged murderous bastard, anyway. :-)

( Quote inside... )

Two Princes

Fandom: X-Men Comicverse
Pairing: Charles Xavier/m
Author on LJ: andrastewhite
Author Website: Altogether Elsewhere
Why this must be read: Because Charles Xavier really *does* have a troubling history of having various former best friends, lovers, and relatives show up to try to kill his X-Men throughout his history, and it is long past time one of his students actually called him on it. And because it's hilarious.

"I don't see what has you so upset. We're a group of mutant superheroes. This kind of thing happens all the time. We still have a budget surplus this year so we can rebuild, and the tents were safe in the basement ..."

"Don't understand why I'm upset?" Cyclops had turned almost the colour of his visor with rage, and he slammed his palms down on the professor's desk. They'd repaired to his office in order to have the illusion of privacy. Not to mention walls that were mostly intact. "You keep hiding things from us! And the things keep trying to kill us! I mean, we've all got deadly enemies from our pasts that we just forget to mention, but this is getting ridiculous! I'm starting to think that our next arch nemesis will be the evil guy you sat next to on a bus once! That's if it doesn't turn out to be you! Again!"


Full Disclosure

Fandom: BLAKES7
Pairing: Avon/Cally
Author on LJ: redstarrobot
Author Website: None I am aware of
Why this must be read:

Because it's the polar opposite of the last fic. Because it's the perfect illustration of why Avon/anybody is doomed, but especially Avon/Cally. Because even though there's no detail and nothing explicit, the sex is painfully real.

( The bunks in Liberator were generous for one occupant, sufficient for one and a half, and inadequate for the comfort of two. This, thought Avon, would logically lead to Vila and Cally's immense popularity as bedmates, were anyone else on the ship as rational as he. )

Because it's a short, brutal, lovely gut-punch of a fic, just the kind redstarrobot is best at. Because you don't know whether to end up hating Avon or pitying him. Because in the end, you might just do both.

Generous For One

Fandom: HORATIO HORNBLOWER
Pairing: Horatio Hornblower/William Bush
Author on LJ: thehappyreturn
Author Website: N/A
Why this must be read: Alternate ending to Flying Colours, the eighth book of the series. It sums up everything that is moving and terrible and wonderful about the Horatio Hornblower series with heart stopping, breathtaking precision. The language is amazing, the charecterization is amazing, and the ending stands alone in this fandom, in my experience, for sheer emotional impact. You think the story is done with its insights and brilliance and fierce commitment to breaking your heart, but oh no, it's not. Even hyper-critical, cynical fandom dogs like me get a little teary.

This is not a fic to miss if you are at all interested in the book versions of either Horatio Hornblower or William Bush.

Each soldier cast a shadow pooling ahead of him over the white ground. Each soldier held a rifle. With the lamps behind them, they were black, identical.

Heroes.

Fandom: QUEER AS FOLK US
Pairing: Brian/Emmett
Author on LJ: [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]
Author Website: relative-virtue
Why this must be read:

I just enjoy the pairing. And it's definitely a rare one. I think this may be the only Brian/Emmett fic I've ever seen, so thankfully it's a good one. It really plays up the odd dynamic between the two of them; not quite friends and not quite enemies. Add sex into the mix and it only becomes more interesting. I also like how the fic, in its own way, actually fits into canon. That's obviously hard to do with a non-canon pairing, but it works here, and that's all that matters. The fic is dark and hot, and poignant. I think that more QAF fans should experience the Brian/Emmett love. Because they're both tall. ;)

Everything Is As

Fandom: STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE
Pairing: Quark, Jadzia Dax
Author on LJ: bethos
Author Website: Not that I could find
Why this must be read:

Because while a lot of people in the fandom seem to think Jadzia should have been with Doctor Bashir rather than Worf, I've always though she should have been with Quark. This is a lovely and sympathetic little look at Quark's feelings for Jadzia, with great Quark characteristion.


He'd always sort of assumed that one day, when he finally felt that his long bachelorhood had reaped enough of its benefits, he'd ask her to marry him. He'd never told anyone about it - who would he tell? She was the only one he told anything to, and he wasn't going to tell her that - but he'd always imagined that they would end up together, when they were both too old to sow any more wild oats. He'd be just another lifetime for her, but that was all right. They would have been a part of each other for so much of it. He'd always felt that there was more time, that someday he'd take her and that she'd be his and that they'd live as happily ever after as a Ferengi and a Trill could live.

But it seemed that someday had come and gone, and he'd missed the opportunity.


Missed Opportunities

Fandom: Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Characters: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown
Why this must be read:
I had meant to recommend this on March 1st but got started late this month and it got past me. Still, I wanted to post it this month. Why March 1st? Because that's St. David's day and St. David is the patron saint of Wales and I'm of Welsh heritage. And this story is set in Wales.

Illya and Napoleon have each been given one-half of an important code, but before they can complete the mission they are separated and don't know each other's condition or location. In addition, Illya now has partial amnesia and is also partially paralyzed from what he has been told was a bad accident. The people in the house have informed him they are UNCLE agents but he's not sure if he believes them. Unfortunately, when he tries to eavesdrop on them he discovers he can't understand their language. Fortunately, he finds an ingenious way to comprehend them without letting them find out.

So, are they friends or foe? And where is Napoleon and how can Illya rescue him if he can't walk? Could Napoleon possibly be free and coming for Illya?

The Compiwter Affair

Fandom: STAR WARS PT
Pairing: mentions of Anakin/Padmé
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: A Gentle Caress, Disco Shop Girl's Fanfiction.net Profile

Why this must be read:

There are very few fics that deal with Padmé's family or their reactions to her death. This relatively unexplored corner of the fandom is rich in possibilities. This fic, naturally, concentrates on Sola's questions about her younger sister and how and why she died. Sola wonders if she had ever really known Padmé. Who was the father of her unborn child? Did Padmé have a serious relationship with him? What happened to him?

Sola, over the protests of her husband, does a little investigating and logical deduction. She finds some answers, but they are incomplete. The language of this fic is spare, but that only adds to the eventual conclusions Sola draws. Vader does not appear in the fic, but his presence overshadows the entire story. The ending is the real kicker. The last paragraph, especially the last line, is ironic in ways Sola cannot possibly imagine, and the layers of meaning are fascinating. Go, read, and enjoy the irony.

* * *

( Excerpt )

Sola's Questions