Fandom: ANGEL
Pairing: Wes/Spike (established)
Author on LJ: flaming_muse
Author Website: Adventures in the Jossverse
Why this must be read:

Flaming Muse has a lot of great fics (particularly those of the Spike/Xander variety for those of you who are interested), but there's one in particular that keep me coming back. And each time I reread it, it just gets better (not to mention the end makes me melt with glee every single time).

Puzzles is a short little glimpse into Wes and Spike's relationship on a random Sunday afternoon wherein Wesley solves some puzzles. Often, with short fics, I find myself wondering if I could substitute in different characters and end up with no different in the fic. But here, Flaming Muse utilizes every action, every thought, and makes them so quintessentially Spike and Wes that you can't imaging anything else. The characterizations are just so nicely done (if there's one thing I can't stand, it's OOC-ness) So in the end, you have a wonderful little ficlet that reminds me why Spike/Wes is my favourite pairing ever.

Puzzles

Fandom: STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Pairing: Kirk/Spock
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown
Why this must be read:

I’ve always liked “What If?” stories. “What if” one aspect of canon was changed – how would events have played out instead?

Greywolf asks an emotionally devastating question in this story: What if Spock did not escape the consequences of stealing the Enterprise and taking Captain Pike to Talos IV? What if, instead, he was court-martialed and served 19 years in a Starfleet penitentiary?

The author shows the choices Spock must make to insure his survival, often existing on only his memories of the fragile, never-fulfilled bond between him and James Kirk. This story also shows the consequence of Spock’s absence from the Enterprise during its most important missions. Without Spock by his side, Kirk achieves far less, and many people die who did not die before.

Years later, they meet again. Find out what happens here…

http://www.trekiverse.org/startrek/startrek/adult/tos/FolsomPrisonBlues

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Mal/Simon
Author on LJ: skripka
Author Website: Along The Rim

Why this must be read:

Another recommendation for a story by Skripka. What can I say? I just love how she loves a screwed up relationship between Mal and Simon. And what a screwed up, oh so lovely and dark relationship it is in “Damned”.

But in my opinion Firefly/Serenity has this darkness swirling around in it, especially in the character of Mal. Simon is damaged and drawn to Mal like so many others is the crew. This is another good look at how Mal’s charisma could be interpreted.

Excerpt: ( Read more... )


Damned

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Snape/Harry
Author on LJ:tiranog
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

Part of the snarry_olympics Team Romance entries, Whispers of Intent is set post-war with a Snape and Harry discovering they are more in common then they would have ever thought when they have a chance meeting. It's one of the entries of the Snarry Olympics that I liked best. Interesting twists, romance and enough love to convince me that the relationship worked.


Whispers of Intent

Fandom: DC COMICS
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: paulasj
Author Website: DC Lady.
Why this must be read:

This fanfic must be read because it is one of the very few out there to have attempted to write about the events of Batman: Venom. Most authors (canon and fanfic) seem to have avoided the storyline of Venom entirely whenever Bane is discussed. Without this storyline, Bane more than likely would not have existed.

This fanfic wonderfully captures Batman’s struggle to avoid ever becoming dependant on Venom again. It also shows that he will never allow himself to forget how far he can fall. Wonderful characterization of both Batman and Superman, as the story is told from both points of views.

( Excerpt )

Venom Revisited.

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Harry/Ron
Author on LJ:mad_martha
Author Website:marthas_library
Why this must be read:

Because the Auror series is wonderful to discover and has a very interesting take on Ron as a character. Martha's Ron is a character I just fell in love with. Completely and I haven't found another writer that approaches what I found in Martha's Ron. He's confident, knows what he wants and goes for it.

You start with Circles of Power then go back and read the rest of the stories in the Auror universe. You definitely won't regret it. It has magic, action, love, an enemy that becomes a friend with at the heart of it all a friendship that turned into love.


Circles of Power

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER
Pairing: Spike/Xander
Author on LJ: savoytruffle
Author Website: A Master List
Why this must be read:

It's a very original plotline, with immortal!Xander without all the dreaded no-soul!angst that you have to be in a very specific mood to enjoy. But fear not, fellow fangirls and boys, the angst is there, with Xander not handling his accidental immortality nor his love of Spike very well. Savoy Truffle even said, "I suspect this of being one of my more underread fics, especially considering how much I like it."

So go read it, and make a very good underread fic overread. But not overread so much that it starts to get boring. Just read enough that you can think, "wow...that's... I need to read that again."
Forever, in increments of ten

Fandom: STAR TREK: THE ORIGINAL SERIES
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: http://www.geocities.com/rabble_rouser_st/
Why this must be read:

I’ve been recommending TOS slash stories up until now, but it’s time to visit the “gen side”.

Rabble Rouser really knows her Trek. Every detail in her stories is perfectly chosen to illuminate personal concerns and to connect her characters to much larger realities. She makes the 23rd century feel very real.

“Kith and Kin” is a post-five-year-mission story. McCoy is spending some time in a beach house with his 16-year-old daughter Joanna and his elderly father. Even though he had anticipated returning to Earth, now that he’s there, he’s unsettled over the changes in his life. The Enterprise crew has scattered. Spock has gone to Gol. Kirk is considering accepting the promotion to Admiral. McCoy feels that’s the worst possible choice Kirk could make, and decides the best thing to do about it is write a rude letter to Admiral Nogura.

As he struggles with the wording, the reader understands just how much McCoy feels shut out of Kirk’s life, how much life on the Enterprise has changed him, and how complicated it is to deal with the reality of a teenage daughter in person versus subspace communication. And, in the person of McCoy’s father, we quickly see exactly where the doctor got his temperament.

Rabble Rouser includes a fascinating flashback to McCoy’s first deep space mission, exploring both the beginnings of his friendship with James Kirk, as well as showing how he learns what it’s like to practice medicine in the heat of battle.

Rabble Rouser has written a fine character study; a wonderful insight into the human heart.

http://www.geocities.com/rabble_rouser_st/KithandKin.htm