Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: [Seigaku] Tezuka Kunimitzu/Fuji Syusuke, [Hyotei] Atobe Keigo/Oshitari Yuushi
Author: anjenue
Website: none.
Length: 34,600 words. 5-part novelette. Complete.
Rating: [R] Sex, head-games.

Why this fic must be read:

The marvel of how old friends and teammates just happen to show up on Tezuka's doorstep in Germany, often seconds after they've announced their impending visits over the cellphone, has become almost a staple feature in PoT fandom, along with how pretty near all the boys turn out gay. This takes a fresh, bright twist in Anjenue's hands as Tezuka is swept back to Japan on a holiday weekend by the rich-as-Croesus, Atobe Keigo, for a reunion with all his old friends, teammates and former rivals except, so it seems, the one he most needs to see. Tezuka sorts his head from his heart from his other organs in this lively story about ambition vs. relationship, conflicting desires and repression, tricks the mind plays, Helmut Lang man-blouses and Freudian psychoanalysis. Strong collegiate undercurrents flow through the various dialogues as these students practice their newfound knowledge each other, sometimes with scary and boggling results, to a fun, sexy ending.

Sausuga Tezuka.

Vidder: Erica and Permetaform
Musical artist: Daniel Bedingfield
Pairing: Kurdy/Elizabeth, Kurdy/Jeremiah
Vidder on LJ: lierdumoa and permetaform
Vidder's website: Unknown and FAQ
Why this vid kicks ass: I've mostly tried to pick songvids for this rec set which stand alone, without any canon knowledge. However, this is one of the exceptions. I loved Jeremiah, and this is a really great encapsulation of Kurdy's journey, especially the way life keeps whacking him about just when he's found a measure of happiness.

The song choice is unexpected for a character like Kurdy (it isn't what you think it is, given the title and artist), but when I first saw this vid, I was amazed at how perfectly the vidders have made it work; the lyric and visuals show how Jeremiah was Kurdy's balance point right from the start, and how everything else follows on from that. And then the ending... *gulps*... oh, that hurts. Because once you've found balance, you can't go back to having nothing. Oh, Kurdy.

Moment Couldn't Break

Fandom: Samurai Champloo
Pairing: Fuu/Jin, Fuu/Mugen, Mugen/Yatsuha
Author on LJ: 3_jane
Author's fic on LJ: 3_jane_fiction
Warnings: implied pre-story sexual assault


Why this must be read:
A sprawling epic reminiscent of the series (with stops in many of the same towns).

Mugen and Jin find out that the Shogunate is planning to kill Fuu, so they track her down (again). At a brothel (again). Because she'd been kidnapped (*again*). After the rescue, they hit the road, trying to find a safe harbor where they can finally be safe. The only problem (aside from the assassins, the lack of funds, and Mugen's inability *not* to get into trouble with the nearest woman other than Fuu) is the fact that both Jin and Mugen have discovered that Fuu has turned into a woman. A beautiful woman. Now it's up to Fuu to decide, but how can she choose one of her companions over the other?

There aren't many epics in the Samurai Champloo universe, much less many that are this well-researched and well-written. Mugen and Jin's voices are probably the best I've ever read, and their interactions with Fuu and each other are perfect. Lots of violence, of course, especially between Jin and Mugen (who couldn't compete over a rice ball without spilling blood), but that's mitigated by the sheer affection between the characters. An intense, moving tour de force.

Nenju

Fandom: EMERGENCY!
Pairing: Johnny/OC, Stoker/OC
Author on LJ: pea_gee 
Author Website: She had one, but Freeservers ate it.
Why this must be read:

The problem with slash in the Emergency! fandom is that it has almost no canon support. No thoughtful glances, few loving touches, no double-entendre. But what it does have is a lot of secondary characters. And when you have secondary characters, they can be anything you want them to be.

Mike Stoker is one of those characters. And in this story, he's gay, and Johnny's confused. But not in the way you might think:

( Excerpt: Johnny confides in Mike his fear that he's gay... and gets an unexpected response: )

Identity Crisis
.
.

Hi! This is Maidenjedi; I previously spent some time here at crack_van reccing X-Files fanfic. I'm a little late with this month's offering of Gone with the Wind fanfic, but I hope you'll forgive me once you've seen what I have in store!

I'll wander over several genres for this, but let's start with a little femslash, shall we?

Fandom: Gone with the Wind
Pairing: Scarlett/Melanie
Author on LJ: prillalar
Author's website: Fan Fiction by Halrloprillalar

Why this must be read:
One of the major themes that often goes unnoticed in GWTW is the grudging friendship between Scarlett and Melanie. In "Somebody's Darling," Halroloprillalar takes the idea of friendship and pushed the limit. Set at Tara after Scarlett has shot the Yankee deserter, Scarlett finds herself thinking of Ashley as Melanie kisses her.

This story captures the desperation from the novel, and Mitchell's tone comes through in Hal's words. It's a beautiful and dark look at how two women, loving one man, might come together in the hours before dawn.

Somebody's Darling

Fandom: LIFE ON MARS
Pairing: Sam Tyler/Gene Hunt
Author on LJ: dorcas_gustine
Author Website: Dorcas's list of fic tags
Why this must be read:

Dorcas, for a very long time, held the record for the longest fic in the community (this is currently being surpassed by two excellent, but unfortunately still Works in Progress, fic) and this one is no exception at over 50,000 words. It's what is commonly known around Manchester as a right rollocking read, full of twists and turns and little side alleys where you're not quite sure you want to go, but are compelled to go.

This is set post 2.08, and contains massive spoilers for the ending of the series. Sam is being transferred back to Hyde, he doesn't want to go. Slash-fic, and there are warnings for Character Death.

( Excerpt )

All These Editions of You

Fandom: DRESDEN FILES (TV)
Pairing: None
Author on LJ: lmd_84
Author Website: Author's stories at fanfiction.net
Why this must be read:

Note: This is AU in that Bob is corporeal.

There's nothing cheery or warm about this fic. It is a bleak, ruthless look at what might happen, but it is very well done. What I like about it is that it isn't just about a single tragic event, but is about the fallout of that event, a tragedy unto itself. What I love is that it shows that Bob's loyalty and affection for Harry run deep, but then has Bob take his feelings and turn them into something dark, becoming something that Harry never would have wanted.

Only the Dead

Fandom: GREY'S ANATOMY
Pairing: Addison Montgomery/Gregory House
Author on LJ: mardia
Author Website: mardia
Why this must be read:

You MUST read this before it's Addison and House, together. Because it's a well done five things story and because it's good. I think it's pretty obvious that I am a fan of the 'strange' or 'unusual' pairings and this is one of the stories that helps explain why. It's just a short, quick look at five aspects of their relationship and, without a doubt, makes you want more.

Excerpt: Sometimes, Addison looks at this relationship and thinks she's as crazy as everyone else believes her to be.

Five True Things About Gregory House and Addison Montgomery

Apologies for the break between posting the overview and my first recommendation. My laptop went into cardiac arrest on Tuesday night, and was in intensive care at my neighbor-the-IT-guy's house ("We can rebuild him! We have the technology!") until Sunday, leaving me with little online time. But this first rec should be the start of a consistent trend.

Fandom: CRIMINAL MINDS
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: matociquala
Author Website: Post tagged with "fanfiction" OR Elizabeth Bear dot com for information on her original published work
Why this must be read:

I'm going to start out with a gen casefile that reads just like an episode. Bear has a marvelous handle on the characters and spreads the focus around in this story, told from the point of view of JJ and Prentiss and Garcia. The case is creepy but satisfying by the end (per the author, "some serious squick factor"), and if you've never read Criminal Minds fanfiction I think this would be a good introduction because it highlights each of the team's strengths and weaknesses.

This story is set towards the end of season two, after Reid was abducted and tortured, and he's had words with Prentiss, so there's conflict carried over from the show, as well as some intra-narrative wrangling with local police.

( 'This case is unusual,' [JJ] said, 'in that we have almost no physical evidence.' )

(One thing I probably should have added to the overview – CM fandom tends to use ratings like "FRAO" and "FRM" instead of "NC-17" or "R". I have no clue why. If you're curious about what they mean, or can never keep them straight, check here for guidelines)

Lucky Part One
Lucky Part Two

Fandom: CRIMINAL MINDS
Pairing: Jason Gideon/Spencer Reid
Author on LJ: Rushlight on InsaneJournal
Author Website: Rushlight's fanfiction
Why this must be read:

I'll be honest, this pairing hits my unequal power squick (teacher/student, adult/teen, military commander/commanded), but this story dragged me into the peril and delivered tense scenes fraught with concern in combination with excellent hurt/comfort. And who doesn't love it when Reid gets captured by a sociopath? I mean, really.

The team's reactions to Reid's disappearance, and their attempts to solve the puzzle, were another highlight. And this is set in the first season, so you'll get a chance to meet Elle.

( An excerpt )

Warning per the author: nonconsensual sexual situation, and some pretty disturbing accounts of a past case Gideon once worked on.

Darkness and Light

Fandom: Lord Peter Wimsey
Pairing: Peter/Parker
Author on LJ:derryderrydown
Author Website: http://derry.anejo.nu/misc/index.shtml
Why this must be read: Whilst you may have run across the author of this fic as the individual responsible for the Wimsey/Lawrence of Arabia crossover (oh, go on then), this piece is less well known. It’s a character study set in a missing scene in Clouds of Witness, shortly after Peter has been shot, and focuses on Peter, Charles Parker and Bunter very delicately negotiating relationships.

( I was shot by a Socialist )

Fandom: EMERGENCY!
Author on LJ: affinity8 
Author Website: http://homepage.mac.com/samcdonald/list.htm (fan fiction)
                               http://homepage.mac.com/samcdonald/ (regular writing)
Why this must be read:

Sandra McDonald has moved on to actual "legit" writing now, but back in the day, she was quite the fan fic writer.  "Hank's Men" is a prime example of her style: a litle angst, a little H/C, a little humor -- and a lot of accurate characterization and tiny slice-of-life details that elevate a story above the "hurt Johnny ad nauseum" genre:

   

Hank's Men