June 14th, 2007 
09:01 am First Causes by Marcelo (PG-13)
Fandom: DC COMICS
Characters/Pairing[s]: Bruce Wayne, Clark Kent, and Diana Prince
Author on LJ: [livejournal.com profile] __marcelo
Author Website: http://users.livejournal.com/__marcelo/
Why this must be read:

[livejournal.com profile] __marcelo can fit more story in 100 words than many can in 1000 or 10,000. Not just plot--- story. Characterization, imagery, worldbuilding, wonder, and more. This story is a clear example thereof. It's also shorter than most of my excerpts, and trying to describe it would spoil it. Just go read it.

First Causes
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09:11 am The Ninth Circle by astridfire (G)
Fandom: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN
Pairing: Gen - with a touch of Jack/Elizabeth
Author on LJ: [livejournal.com profile] astridfire
Author Website: Livejournal tags
Why this must be read: I don't see many Barbossa and Elizabeth interactions which don't fall into shippiness, but this one spares us that. They basically spend the entire fic psychologically messing with each other.

Written immediately after the AWE trailer came out, [livejournal.com profile] astridfire took a tiny scene from that trailer and expanded it into fic. This really could have been a scene from AWE. It'd even fit into the rating! Except that [livejournal.com profile] astridfire seems to have a better sense of continuity from CotBP than Gore and company did.

The Ninth Circle
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10:16 am A Cat's Tale Affair by Patricia F (G)
Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: none; Illya-centric
Author on LJ: .
Author website: found on File 40

Why this must be read:

I like stories that view either Solo or Kuryakin or both through an outsider’s perspective. Here’s a short amusing piece that plays with the idea of “The Innocent,” only this one has four legs.

Nothing special about him really, but let that be a warning: the most dangerous of humans are the least impressive looking ones. He wasn’t huge and sweaty like the ones who came for the garbage cans every few days- he was actually smaller than most. His hair (somewhat like my own yellow fur when it is clean) was a bit longer than the other men, also in suits, that passed my alley everyday without a glance in my direction.

In both canon and fandon, Kuryakin does seem to have more of an affinity with cats than dogs. This time, however, our stubborn Russian may have met his match.

The Cat’s Tale Affair
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10:40 am Naked by akane42me (PG-13)
Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: open to interpretation
Author on LJ: akane42me.
Author website:no, but posted to MFU Writers’Survival School

Why this must be read:

Continuing with the lighter side of MFU, this made me laugh out loud several times when I read it. As usual, funds are tight around HQ, so Don Simpson, the head of Section Eight (the Lab) does what any good academic looking for grant money might do: he creates a survey to generate data.

Only the prospective respondents are field agents, who are notoriously cynical and uncooperative, so Simpson decides a gimmick might help. His question:

”I feel naked without my ______________________________”

The responses are hilarious, but hang in there for the clever twist at the end.

Naked
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10:56 am Response to the “Taxes” Challenge by Agent April (G)
Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Solo & Kuryakin
Author on LJ: agent_april .
Author website: no, but posted to The Man From UNCLE Writers’ Survival School

Why this must be read:

Another short amusing piece with a great punchline written for a writers' challenge.

The subject is taxes and manipulative Napoleon tries various strategies to get help filing his.

Taxes
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02:37 pm Phantom Pain Series by April Valentine (NC-17)
Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Author on LJ: [personal profile] aprilvalentine
Author Website: April Valentine's Sentinel Stories
Why this must be read:

The first two stories in this series are very short and not entirely to my taste (I'm not much of a vignette person), but you have to read them to understand what is going on in Phantom Pain 3, which is one of the absolute best epic TS fics I've ever read (with one caveat, below). Blair (for reasons that will not be explained for spoiler purposes) moves to the east coast to try and recover from a huge personal tragedy. Of course, Jim follows, but even more than the h/c and romance aspects of this story, I love the realistic portrayal of the challenges Blair faces and how he builds a happy and whole life. That said, April attached an epilogue to the story that pretty much invalidates the entire premise of the story *and* all of Blair's personal growth. While I still strongly recommend this fic, I also suggest you stop reading just before the epilogue (don't worry, you'll still get a very satisfying ending).

Phantom Pain
Phantom Pain -- Jim
Phantom Pain -- Miracles
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04:52 pm Crossover Day!
Tomorrow is the 15th of the month, which means Crack Van Collisions, a.k.a. cross-over day.

Drivers, you may rec one fic that crosses over your fandom with another (no, this does not count against your maximum). Please post crossovers in the following format:

Subject: Fandom/Fandom (Rating)

Title: Title by Author
Pairing: (no abbreviations, please)
Author on LJ:
Author Website:
Why this must be read:

(link to story)

Thanks, all!
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08:50 pm They Grip the Ground by Giddygeek (G)
Fandom: Torchwood
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones; team fic.
Author on LJ: [livejournal.com profile] giddygeek
Author Website: The Geekdom
Why this must be read:

You know how when you were a kid and played let's pretend and you felt like you could create infinite worlds if you just believed hard enough?

This story is about that. Sort of.

It's utterly charming: a believable portrait of the Torchwood team, an original alien, and some sweet moments between Jack and Ianto (which, you know. I like lots.)

Damn it! I'm calling it Ron!' )


They Grip the Ground
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08:57 pm The Ghost Between Us by Poisontaster(NC-17)
Fandom: Heroes
Pairing: Nathan/Claire, Nathan/Peter, Peter/Claire
Author on LJ: [livejournal.com profile] poisontaster
Author Website: Livejournal Memories
Why this must be read:

This story is INCREDIBLY dark. I state the main pairing as Nathan/Claire, but the real pairings are Nathan/Peter and Peter/Claire. Unfortunately, Peter is dead, and they are trying to deal with their grief and his death. I will state up-front that this is VERY graphic sexually, but it really is no more graphic than the story requires it to be. And for those of you who are squicked by cross-generational incest, that usually is a squick of mine as well. But the power dynamics in this story as such that I believe that Claire is actually the one with more agency, so this actually turned out to be one of the most emotionally moving stories I have ever read. If you can buy Peter/Claire and Peter/Nathan but not Nathan/Claire? I think that this story might change your mind, or at least make you think.

Short Excerpt )

The Ghost Between Us
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09:35 pm Red, Red Wine by Sealie (PG)
HIGHLANDER:
Pairing: None (Duncan Methos friendship)
Author on LJ: jimandblair
Author Website: The Sibilant Storybook
Why this must be read: I had a hard time deciding between this story and her story Clue. However, I find the concept of the quickening fascinating and Red, Red Wine beautifully chronicles a moment when Duncan (with guidance from Methos) better understands the phenomenon.

Red, Red Wine
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11:22 pm 31 December 1995 by Lula Bo (PG)
Fandom: GILMORE GIRLS
Pairing: Lorelai/Luke, Luke/Rachel, Lorelai/Christopher
Author on LJ: [livejournal.com profile] lulabo
Author Website: Lula Bo's Gilmore Girls Fiction
Why this must be read:

The stories I've recced so far have all addressed relationships as a whole. What I love about this fic is its slice of life quality. It feels like such a realistic immersion in the character's lives. Every detail is spot on and feels like a revelation into characters you already know and love.

Excerpt )

31 December 1995
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11:37 pm The Study of Falling by Lesley C. Johnson (PG-13)
Title: The Study of Falling
Pairing: Holmes/Russell
Author on LJ: unknown
Website: archived on The Hive
Why this must be read:

At the beginning of the month I mentioned that there is now a fandom built around Mary Russell and Holmes. I thought I would present one story about them for your reading pleasure.Some people love Laurie R King's character, others feel she's a distraction and would prefer Holmes to stay with Watson. You'll have to make your own decisions.

From “Publisher’s Weekly”: Separately and jointly, Mary and Sherlock utilize familiar tools: research, disguises, trips to London and France and the connections and expertise of Mycroft Holmes to ferret out crimes committed and contemplated. Though some Baker Street Irregulars may humbly beg to differ, King comes close to matching the fine intelligence and wit that informed Doyle's original adventures, providing irresistible entertainment.

Who Is Mary Russell? )



This seven-chapter story is set after their marriage and shows them going out on a case for Mycroft, as well as Holmes continuing to hone Mary's skills. You have to return to The Hive to move to the next chapter.

It was only six weeks after our wedding when Holmes' brother had asked us to look into a little problem for him in Malta. Our investigation was to begin in Sicily, with further travel dependent on our initial findings. At least in the Mediterranean, I thought to myself, we could expect to sleep in something marginally more comfortable than a goat's hair tent. And if time and events permitted, Holmes had promised, we would see the Tuscan villa I had inherited upon attaining my majority.

The Study of Falling
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