Fandom: STAR WARS: ORIGINAL TRILOGY
Pairing: Anakin/Padme, Han/Leia, Luke/Mara, OC/OC
Author on LJ: No LJ, as far as I know
Author Website: ff.net profile and JC forums profile
Why this must be read: The "Skywalker Prophecy" trilogy is a complicated AU with a simple premise: Anakin doesn't turn to the Dark Side. Normally that's not something I'm at all fond of, since it has a tendency to destroy the original trilogy, which I love, but this AU is unique and exceptionable in that it doesn't. The three fics, "A Destiny Renewed", "Hope and Darkness", and "The Paths of Fate", have events that correspond closely to "A New Hope", "The Empire Strikes Back", and "Return of the Jedi", but while you can recognize what the event is supposed to correspond to, the event is different enough to make things interesting.

I must admit that Luke is my favorite character, and one of the reasons I don't like many "Anakin doesn't turn" AUs is because they tend to idealize Anakin and diminish Luke's importance. This AU doesn't. Anakin is still a very real, very flawed man, though he's definitely grown up from the one we know from the prequels. His life doesn't automatically run smoothly because he didn't turn, and he still makes mistakes in these fics. And while Luke does have to give up some of the "hero" spotlight to Anakin, his role in these fics is really pretty much the same as it is in the movies. And he is still recognizably Luke, despite having grown up in the Jedi Temple rather than on Tatooine, with his parents and siblings rather than his aunt and uncle.

Yes, I said siblings--besides Leia, there are two Skywalker OCs, younger children of Anakin and Padme, but they're very well-crafted OCs, especially Brian, the youngest. They have their own roles to play, and I never felt that they diminished Luke and Leia (which is something I often see with OC Skywalker siblings). There are other OCs, all wonderfully real, as well as characters from the EU, the most prominent of which is Mara Jade. But characterization, along with plot and action, is one of Darth-Lex's specialties, and everyone, no matter how small a part they play, acts like a real person, with their own flaws and virtues.

There is one point that might confuse you: the backstory. These fics were written before the release of "Revenge of the Sith", and the prequel with the backstory that corresponds to the trilogy, called "A Bumpier Road", is an AU based off "Attack of the Clones", and, in my opinion, is not as well-written or well-characterized as the trilogy itself. But recently, Darth-Lex wrote a "Skywalker Prophecy" AU of "Revenge of the Sith", called "The Chosen Future". It is much better written and characterized than "A Bumpier Road" (which I still found an enjoyable read), but, as Darth-Lex acknowledged in an author's note before the beginning of the fic, it creates continuity errors. While the trilogy itself stands on its own (rather like the movies), if you want to read a prequel first, I would suggest "The Chosen Future", and read "A Bumpier Road" if you're confused or have a lot of time on your hands.

Of course, you're going to need a lot of time on your hands--these fics are truly epic, with only the first being less than 100,000 words, and even then, it's not that much shorter. But this AU is amazing, honestly in the spirit of the movies, and I think that anyone who has the time to read these fics will not regret it.

The Skywalker Prophecy Trilogy

Fandom: STARGATE: SG-1
Pairing: None
Author Website: Story found at The Comfort Zone
Why this must be read:

I checked three times to make sure this one hadn't been recced already, because I couldn't believe no one had pointed it out.

"Uh-huh." Jack crossed his arms, unconsciously mimicking Daniel's pose. "So you, what, just wander around at night with a mask and a sword and rescue people?"

Daniel shrugged. "Well, you told me to get a life."

"I didn't mean you should go out and become a ninja!"

"I'm not a ninja," Daniel said primly. "Ninjas were primarily spies and assassins in Japan and they didn't have a real code of honor. I have a code. And it's Mayan."

"You're a Mayan ninja?"

Crouching Linguist, Hidden Ninja

Fandom: STARGATE: SG-1
Pairing: Teal'c/Junior
Author on LJ: carodee
Author Website: Caro Dee's Insatiable Site
Why this must be read:

Caro Dee is better known for her amazing Sentinel fic, which ranges from sweet to very dark, but she also makes forays into other fandoms. I've come back to this piece more than once because the characterization of Teal'c is dead-on: the drabble is a great glimpse into how Teal'c reconciles himself to the presence of the symbiote, using it as it once used him.

The Pleasure of His Company

Fandom: ANGEL
Pairings: Wes/Gunn, mention of Fred/Gunn
Author on LJ: realmitzvah
Author Website: Scroll down for RealMitzvah's stories

Why this must be read:
Warnings for a little S&M and implied bondage, nothing too extreme. I like this story because of the well-handled kink, not in spite of it. RealMitzvah made me believe in a kinky Wes, and the emotional underpinnings are perfect for this pairing. I love the Wesley voice in this, a rather more fcuked-up version of Wes, although he had plenty of issues in canon, no denying that.

Body of Evidence

Fandom: THE WEST WING
Pairing: CJ/Sam
Author on LJ: seanarenay
Author Website: Seana Renay's Fanfiction
Why this must be read:

The most memorable thing for me about the west wing is the quickfire dialogue between the characters, and this fic being comprised of nothing but dialogue captures that brilliantly. Before I carry on I should say that this fic suffers from the problem of most fics of this type in that it's occasionally a little difficult to tell who's speaking. But apart from that the characterisation is great, the dialogue is sharp, and the very idea of CJ/Sam is hotter than a hot thing.


"So you can lock me out? Fat chance."

"I won't lock you out."

"Don't think I wouldn't bang on the door until someone called security. Don't think I wouldn't do that just to spare you and Toby from having to write a press release about my removal from the hotel."

"I don't think that."

"Don't think it, Samuel."

"I think you wouldn't do it to spare yourself the embarrassment of having to read a press release about your removal from the hotel. In front of Danny. How is Danny, by the way?"

"You know, it's funny you asked."

"I won't like what's next, will I?"


This Invisible City

Fandom: The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: veronicaluv
Author Website: here

Why this must be read:

Napoleon shifted forward onto one knee, suppressing a wince as pain lanced down his leg. "It'll do. Damn shame about my cane, though."

"I'll get you another one." Illya clenched his hands in frustration. "We should have checked with the local office before we left."

"And told them what?" Napoleon responded with some asperity. "That the head of Policy and Operations was spiriting off the head of Communications and Security and oh, by the way, could they check and see if there are any newly hatched THRUSH agents in rural Connecticut who may recognize them on sight, drug their coffee and throw them into a barn?"

Good things come to those who save the world, says the summary, and there are definitely good things afoot for Napoleon and Illya. As usual, however, THRUSH interferes in the most heinous way possible - by drugging our heroes' coffee. Veronica's story is told with gentle humour and real affection for the characters, and I was glued from start to finish. I'm not normally a great fan of feel-good stories, but with dialogue and characterisation like this, I was powerless to resist. Read and enjoy - I certainly did!

The Best Is Yet To Come Affair

Fandom: SGA
Pairing: Ronon/John/Rodney
Author on LJ: iamsab
Author Website: fromthesabrary
Why this must be read:
I want to start this rec "because it's hot", but I suppose I should first draw attention to the clever, teasing and somewhat a-typical character voices used in this, in that it is more earthy in tone than is usually seen. The physicality of Ronon and John's rough and tumble relationship is contrasted with Rodney's mental imagery, building through a series of 20 small scenes.

( excerpt )

Pull Back to Reveal

Fandom: CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Pairing: Nick/Greg
Author on LJ: geekwriter143
Author Website: Indulgence
Why this must be read:

It's simply hot sex, a bit of angst and some nice ol' hurt/comfort. It's simply Nick and Greg. This fic just makes me love these two even more, and I don't think I could start to describe why or how. A lot of people enjoy this author's stuff, and it doesn't surprise me at all. Sure know I love it. I'm not sure what else to say about it, so just go read. Their love is so very reassuring.

Slumber