Fandom: THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: Napoleon/Illya
Author on LJ: lyrebird
Author Website: Lyrebird Mound
Why this must be read:

This is a public service announcement: I'm going away on holiday on the 21st, so I need to fit in the remainder of my recs before then. This means there will be an increase in posting rate followed by a sudden cessation, for which I apologise. We now return you to our regular feature.

Clare Chew, with her deceptively simple writing, is UNCLE's equivalent of Ian McEwan. Like vanilla ice cream, her prose slips down the throat without ever drawing attention to itself, and yet every sentence is perfectly structured and perfectly placed. Her characterisation is equally fine, drawing you deep into the story until you don't want to come back. Add to this a sly and unobtrusive wit, that can nonetheless lead to laugh-out-loud moments, and you have one of the most pleasurable reading experiences going. "Durian Dreaming" is a perfect example of her style.

On a mission to Malaysia, Napoleon and Illya make the acquaintance of the durian, a vile-smelling fruit that is beloved of gourmets for its fantastic taste (and by "make the acquaintance of" I mean that Illya ends up in hospital after being struck on the head by two, and Napoleon is immersed in a vat of the stuff). When Illya is released into Napoleon's care, Napoleon becomes aware of a growing sexual attraction to him, but sees no way of overcoming his partner's apparent lack of sensuality. But he has reckoned without the effects of the after-scent of durian that still clings to him...

Durian Dreaming

Fandom: FARSCAPE
Pairing: none/gen (Chiana, Rygel, John Crichton, Sikozu)
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: n/a; other stories can be found here at Leviathan
Why this must be read: This clever fic takes a typical Farscape/sci-fi plot of "crew goes to planet, trouble ensues" and twists it a little (the title provides a significant clue as to how). ChiMonkey's story is an ensemble gem, which given its setting - just after, and with spoilers for, 4.01 Crichton Kicks - focuses on Chiana, Rygel, and Crichton, a trio not often found working together in Farscape fic.

( Excerpt )


Three Monkeys

Fandom: Smallville
Pairing: Clark/Everyone, Clark/Lex
Author on LJ estrella30
Author Website: fic memories
Why this must be read: A heart breaking and well written character piece that is an AU of Hidden set 10 years down the road and visits with all the Smallville players.

Author's Synopsis - Clark is a ghost.

( Excerpt )

A Shiver In Autumn

My last new author rec -- the rest of the month will be some fan favorites.

Fandom: Due South
Pairing: Fraser/Kowalski
Author on LJ: n/a
Author Website: http://www.wordsmiths.net/Botta
Why this must be read:

This one starts slow, but once it gets going, it's impossible to stop reading.

It's been fifteen years since Ray and Fraser broke up and Fraser moved up to Canada. He's retired (due to a serious injury in the line of duty) and living close to Maggie's family, playing favorite uncle to Maggie's kids. And then Ray shows up. Fraser's ticked because he hasn't heard anything from Ray in a decade, until Ray explains that Maggie had told him that Fraser was dead.

Wow. There's so many things I like about this story: the premise, the fact that Terri's not afraid to have her characters age, the details behind everything that's happened to Ray in that missing decade. Even the kids are cool, which isn't something I say often, and while Maggie's much more manipulative than you usually see her in fanfic, she's not a two-dimensional bad guy, just a sister doing what she thinks is best for her brother. If nothing else, this fic is a great reminder that life doesn't end at forty and that alone is reason enough to read it.

In His Best Interests