Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown

Why this must be read:

I've come across a number of stories where Jareth torments Sarah in her dreams; this story is one of my favorites that turns those ideas around. It's a good thing the Goblin King is so durable! And I have to say, the mental image of Jareth brought to his knees by pleasure is hot like a hot, hot thing.

"A dream can last a thousand years here, and you dream dangerous things. You dream such sweet and deadly dreams. You threaten to usurp my kingdom, leaving me captured in that moment, vulnerable to any attack that comes along. And I would die, my enemy's sword in my heart, still trapped in your dream. Full of bliss beyond my wildest imaginings."

No Regrets (Lament for a Queen)

Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown

Why this must be read:

Note: If you have issues with knives or blood, stay away from this one.

This story is dark and creepy, full of powerplay, mindgames and obsession, written with a deft hand. As the author notes, "Twisted relationships are fun." Labyrinth fandom is not all charming glitter and waltzing, that's for sure!

She would destroy everything owl-shaped she saw, and in return would find herself dancing in her underwear in the rain while nervous neighbors peeked out their windows in awe and fear. She would curse him until she was blue in the face and then find her windows shattered. She would laugh openly at his offers and find her parents quaking in fear from some horrible accident. She would dream of him broken and humiliated and he would send her dreams that were so unpleasant she awoke screaming aloud. She would burn books of fairytales and he would murmur things into her hair that made her whole body seem devoured by flame.

Eternal enemies, yes, but they both liked it that way.

Addiction

Fandom: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Pairing: not really
Author on LJ: viva_gloria
Author Website: Links in her Userinfo
Why this must be read:

For my last rec, I give you a story written for fabu's 2005 Ghost Story Challenge - a pre-DMC tale of how the young man Jack Sparrow came to acquire the Black Pearl.

Framed by some deliciously snarky Sparrow and Norrington banter, the story is set in a grimy port city, where Jack, a cartographer, is troubled by ghostly midnight visions.

Gloria Mundi does a fabulous job of evoking mood. Her setting is dank, foggy and just a bit creepy – perfect for a ghost story. All the action takes place at night; the darkness adds a claustrophobic feel – one never knows what might be lurking nearby, unseen and dangerous.
And her Jack is Jack - reckless, restless, quick-witted and intelligent, with a sharp eye for the opportune moment.

All in all, a wonderful tale for the dark time of the year.

I Did But See Her Passing By

Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown

Why this must be read:

This story addresses some of the what-ifs which have been rattling around in my mind since 1982 about why Jareth needed Sarah, where the Labyrinth derives its power, and what it may mean to Jareth to be trapped his owl form... very interesting. Yay for miscommunications and angst!

'Look at me now, Sarah. See what I've been reduced to?' Heartless child. He'd begged her, actually _begged_ her to not say those final words which he knew would ruin him. And she had said them. He had no power over her. He never really had.

And now he had no power over anything. He was trapped in her world, in so vulnerable a form, with no kingdom to go home to. It would only be a matter of time before he went mad, in this new existence which he didn't belong in.

Selfish Sarah. Selfish, thoughtless girl.

All 20 parts (yes, this is a long one) are linked at the bottom of this webpage:
Bound

Vidder: Mary Crawford
Musical artist: David Bowie
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Vidder on LJ: marycrawford
Vidder's website: Mary Crawford's Vices

Why this vid kicks ass:

It's no secret that many Labyrinth fans are also Bowie fans and vice versa. Not only is it fun to see film clips set to one of his songs not originally written for the film, but it's wonderful to watch how Mary's managed to get the puppets lip-synching along with the chorus (and even Jareth lip-synching along with Bowie), something I'm only more familiar with in anime music videos. And on top of all of that pure nostalgic enjoyment and display of technical skill, this vid captures the glittering, incongruously bouncy angst of the fandom just beautifully. Ah, poor Jareth.

As Mary says, "You may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting."

Remember... they always let you down when you need 'em...

Right-click, save-as via http://www.squidge.org/~marycrawford/vids/index.html

Vidder: nautacarus
Musical artist: Antonio Vivaldi, Concerto for Oboe and Violin in B-Flat Major (ii. Largo)
Pairing: Edward Pellew/Horatio Hornblower
Vidder on LJ: nautacarus
Vidder's website: NA
Why this vid kicks ass:

Amazing music. And beautiful, beautiful editing. The use of music without lyrics presents a particular difficulty in vidding in that there are no lyrics to guide. But nautacarus doesn't need them to tell this story. It rises and falls with the sound of the instruments. Plus, the ending? *g*

Warning: the vid contains a bit of nudity.

Duet

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Scully implied
Author on LJ: infinitemonkeys
Author Website: No current one that I can find

Why this must be read: It's probably obvious by now that I love original characters, particularly when they have unique voices and points of view. My favorite character of that description: Joe Lipinski, late of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, not to mention Her Majesty's local gaol. This is the story of Joe's encounter with a mysterious redhead, who captures his imagination (not that he'd ever admit it out loud) and maybe, breaks his heart (and he'd sure as hell never admit that).

( 'What can you tell me about Dana Scully, Mr Lipinski?' Chisholm asks. )

A Candle for Katherine by marasmus

Vidder: katycat
Musical Artist: Indigo Girls
Pairing: Mulder/Scully
Vidder on LJ: stellar_dust
Vidder's website: Signs & Wonders - Vids

Why this vid kicks ass: I was always what was called an "end shipper" where M&S were concerned -- I was perfectly fine with keeping the UST going as long as possible. But every now and then, I like a little romance too, and this vid is the most overtly romantic piece I've recced this month. Set in Season 8, it's bracketed by the black & white images that opened the episode "TrustNo1," and, like that sequence, uses clips from previous seasons mixed with a heavy dose of clips from Season 8. There are points where the clip choices used to reflect certain lyrics are both surprising and just right. It's not the only way I see the M&S relationship, and even my preferred way, but every now and then it's fun just to bask in sheer romance of it all. This vid is lush and angst-filled and reflects Scully's S8 experience perfectly.

Scroll down the page - "Ghost" is the 5th link down (.wmv - 9.5Mb). Right click and save as.

http://katycat.net/xfiles/videos.html

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Author on LJ: Not known
Author Website: Marilyn's Index Page at 852 Prospect
Why this must be read:
Blair’s written his dissertation, but he needs to make one last experiment. Quirky in tone, but with a serious question at its heart – just why are our lads together?

The Last Experiment

Fandom: LOTRiPS
Pairing: Billy/Dom
Author on LJ:apple_pi
Author Website: (or a link to where more of their fic is archived)
Why this must be read:http://monaboyd.net/pi/

A very nice Monaboyd AU set in Glasgow where Billy owns a kilt shop and Dom needs one for a special occasion. This is not a serious fic. It's a fun Dom and Billy what if. Great to curl up with a nice cup of tea.



Shop around the corner

Fandom:  Highlander
Pairing:  Duncan/Methos
Author on LJ:  maygra
Author Website:  Maygra's Musings
Why this must be read:  Okay, I confess.  I'm a slut for certain authors - authors who have a real grasp of character, who paint pictures with words, who create breathless moments full of emotional poignancy.  I am especially a slut for Maygra's work, and even though she doesn't write in Highlander any more, as far as I am concerned she has always been and will ever be the Queen of Highlander Fandom.  She was my first in-person fannish friend, and I was overawed by just meeting someone who's work seemed so magical.  Some of her stories have already been recommended and when I went to look, I realized that the reason more had not been offered up here was because several of her larger, longer story arcs were not quite complete, and therefore not eligible for recommendation.  Regardless, I urge any Highlander fan to read everything Maygra has written.  It's always a treat.

Anyway, about Lamentation - it's a post-Engame story that is full of pain and grief, done as only Maygra can do, but with that perfect touch of connection and healing that is also her hallmark.


Oh, it feels so good when it hurts so bad!  And the sex is just....   whew!  (fans herself)  Maygra prefers not to have any links directly to stories, so if you go to her site, and look for the title, you will find much goodness there.

Vidder: silversolitaire
Musical artist: South Park - The Movie OST
Pairing: House/Wilson
Vidder on LJ: silversolitaire at not_gold
Vidder's website: Author's tags
Why this vid kicks ass: This vid will make you laugh so hard you'll fall out of your chair. This is a hit of very good crack right to the veins and it is glorious.

Vid post and download link here.

Fandom: HOUSE
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: jadesfire2808
Author Website: N/A
Why this must be read: Besides the fact that this is sad without being angsty, this is notable for the way the narrative unfolds - it does so gradually, and nothing is out of place. It's delicately written, subtle, and has a sense of grace about it. This isn't a piece that will grab you. It's a piece that simply comes over and sits down next to you. Stories like that are hard to find, and it's a pleasure to come across and share them.

The very beginning:

House decided that there was someone, somewhere who was responsible for designing these plastic chairs. They probably ironed creases in the front of their pants and never, ever went out with girls. In revenge, they created chairs that were only comfortable if you had three buttocks and no shoulder blades. He shifted again, knowing that he wasn’t going to get comfortable, but not giving up hope of finding a position that wasn’t agony for at least one part of his anatomy.

They Also Serve

Vidder: sabaceanbabe
Musical artist: The Eurythmics
Pairing: Kara/Leoben
Vidder on LJ: sabaceanbabe
Vidder's website: on LJ
Why this vid kicks ass: Anyone who knows the fandom knows that Leoben, one of the Cylons, has a bent for mysticism and a fixation with Starbuck. There's torture, there's angst, there's crazy Cylon/Colonial combinations. Through Kara Thrace's interactions with Leoben Conroy in season one and hinted at possibilites with the end of season two, this vid explores the love/hate relationship that's undeniable.

Warning: this vid uses footage from the promos for S3 which starts next week!

Missionary Man

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: thestylus
Author's Website: http://thestylus.gatefiction.com/
Why this must be read:

This is one of my favorite fics involving Janet. It's attempt at giving her backstory and it fits in wonderfully with the very few hints that we get of it in canon. It's an account of her time in the First Gulf War, where she starts out as a doctor, but becomes a soldier and then has to transition back. It's a richly detailed and emotional fic for a character that I love.


Every Art and Artiface

Vidder: Pipsqueaky and Laura Shapiro
Musical artist: Adam Ant
Pairing: Kowalski and his Rays
Vidders on LJ: pipsqueaky and laurashapiro
Vidders' websites: Pipsqueak's Music Videos and The Vanity Project

Why this vid kicks ass:
Fans of due South quickly realize what a central focus Fraser and his quirks have. They are part of the loopy charm of the series, and this vid does the character justice. I like the happy feel of this vid; when I saw it at VividCon 2006, I laughed out loud. And the opening title rocks.

Laura's summary is perfect: Fraser has two Rays...and boy, does he drive them nuts.

Vid post and download link here on Pipsqueaky's LJ and vid post here on Laura's LJ (This link will take you to a page with instructions for getting the password to Laura's vids.)

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Sam/Daniel
Author on LJ: havocthecat
Author's Website:
Why this must be read:

I can't believe that no one recced this before me. This is a Moebius fic where Sam realizes that she does like Daniel, but she doesn't actually follow through. However, Daniel does. Yeah, it's a Virgin!Sam fic, but it fits the universe and it won't make you want to go bleach your eyes out. It's just a nice mixture of everything in this fic.

( Read more... )

Quantum Attraction

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: lyssie
Author's Website: Lyss' Insanity Lair
Why this must be read:

Well, if you want depressing fic about Ripple Effect, this would be the fic you want. It details what blackops!SG1 finds on their return to their own universe. They may not share all of our SG1's morals, but at the core they do share some things. (I know if I don't warn you, someone will complain, but there's character death involved.)

Faith In Life

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: rinkle
Author's Website: FF.net profile
Why this must be read:

Now that you're probably all depressed from the last rec, here's a fic to pick you up. It's a short Sam and Daniel friendship piece about the Jack and Daniel friendship. It involves a fish tank breaking and Jack's attempt at covering it up. It's just a short and fun piece.

“The Colonel killed your fish.”

Daniel waved his hand in my direction. “That was what I thought. So, I drove to his house, but he wasn’t home. I’d brought Snoopy with me as evidence, but I wasn’t going to sit in my car for who knows how long with a dead fish. You might not want to eat anything barbequed when you next visit Jack’s.”

She’d forgotten how well Daniel could build up the anticipation in a story. Of course, most of the time there wasn’t a point to the story, at least one that anyone not-Daniel could understand, but when there was a point, well, he was up there with...some great story telling person.

After Boom

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Author on LJ: agentotter
Author's Website: Faded Press
Why this must be read:

I just found this story this morning and I really like it. They aren't feminized at all, and despite the fact that this is an AU they're perfectly in character.

From the general direction of the bathroom, he hears Jack say, "Fuck, Daniel."

He smiles, lazy and satisfied, and when he says, "Yeeeah," he draws out the single syllable into a whole unspoken paragraph on the subject of sex. He writhes a little against the sheets, and kicks the comforter off the end of the bed.

Incommensurate

Fandom: STARGATE SG1
Pairing: Gen
Author on LJ: juliefortune
Author's Website:
Why this must be read:

This is an excellent team fic, with a focus on Jack and Daniel. It packs an emotional punch at certain points and she manages to show off the characters perfectly. This fic is so detailed and it feels like you are watching an episode. It's has whumping, hurt/comfort, and a fair amount of angst. This has quickly become one of those that I want to re-read.

The Undefended Territory

Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Author on LJ: the_hooded_crow
Author Website: http://www.xothique.com/ and http://www.fanfiction.net/u/80300/

Why this must be read:

Jareth really is a fearsome force of nature, and Sarah is just a schoolgirl. But as she's growing up, his interest isn't waning. It's one thing to have friends from another realm who visit you in your own room when you want them to visit, but it's another thing entirely to have an otherworldly king ready to defend you whether you will it or no, in public where intolerant, narrowminded classmates can see.

It wasn’t her fault, things just happened around her sometimes.

Unexplainable things. Frightening things.

Magical things.

This morning, for example. Tidying away the remains of some unfathomable experiment in the chemistry lab, she had lost concentration for a few seconds, and had reached out with bare hands to grasp the Bunsen burner that only seconds before had been spouting forth its distinctive dancing yellow flame. By rights she should have been horribly burned.

Sarah had felt Jodie’s cruel eyes watching her, had seen the vindictive smile as the girl waited for the inevitable scream. Had watched the perfect cheerleader features twist into an ugly expression of disbelief, and only then had she realised her error and glanced down at the burner in her hand.

It was stone cold.

I Would Be Your Slave

Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth/Sarah
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown, but the author does have a second story archived along with this one at http://www.angelfire.com/film/lwts/authorqz.htm (scroll to the Y section of the page)

Why this must be read:

Ah, the issues when a magical, ageless immortal is in love with a mortal human... in this story, Jareth waits to come to Sarah for the second time until she is near death. Very interesting premise!

One eyebrow raised, and the smile deepened. Jareth cocked his head, moving to face Sarah directly. "You need not fear looking at me. I already know that age has sculpted your features, as it must." He laughed softly as his perceptiveness caused colour to flare in Sarah's lined cheeks, but took pity on her. "Sarah, Sarah, all your beauty is still clear- and quite enchanting- to see. No amount of time could rob you of your charms."

Her face softened at his words. "You haven't changed at all." Sarah pouted briefly, feeling her dreams evaporating. "Has it not been seven long decades since we last met?"

"It has for you. Time flows differently for me." Jareth shrugged elegantly. "But you still haven't answered my question, Sarah: are you pleased to see me?"

Time To Die

Fandom: LABYRINTH
Pairing: Jareth & Sarah
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: unknown

Why this must be read:

Short and interesting, a new version of the final confrontation from the movie. I love the nature of the relationship between Jareth and Sarah in this one.

She was suddenly both very angry and very afraid. This was not supposed to happen. She’d done the whole dangers untold and hardships unnumbered thing. Why was he suddenly changing the rules?

"Then what was the point? Why make me run the Labyrinth? Promise me my brother back if I succeed?"

"No point, my dear girl. Just a little harmless fun. A little terrorising, a little dancing, a little goblin-making..."

White Feathers