Vidder: Lissie
Musical artist: Coldplay
Pairing: Cuddy/House (& others)
Vidder on LJ: lissie_pissie
Vidder's website: alchemic_dreams
Why this vid kicks ass:

As I told Lissie in my comment to her posting, I don't even like Coldplay and I love this vid. One of Lissie's main strengths, to me, is the deep affection for and understanding of the characters about whom she's telling these stories. This vid is a tale of all the paths Cuddy and House take before finally finding each other. It's about love and fate, and I'm a sucker for both. It doesn't hurt that there's a sneak X-Files reference, either.

Download or watch the vid on YouTube from the LJ entry: Fix You.

Fandom: STARGATE ATLANTIS
Pairing: Gen. (Could be read as McKay/Sheppard pre-slash.)
Author on LJ: neery
Author Website: Neery's Atlantis Slash Fiction
Why this must be read: I love when I can rec a good author who hasn't hit crack_van's SGA list before because it means the possibility of opening up new stories for readers. If ever a fic should be turned into an episode, this is the one. I would pay money to see this episode, and the thing is, it could be done. Neery hits the right balance in the characters and their relationships, and she managed to pre-date the show on something that's now considered canon after mid-S3.

The basic premise is that Rodney's turned into a Wraith, and they've got to find a way to turn him back. The Atlantis personnel have the usual reactions to him - suspicion, hatred, pity - and yet, he's still Rodney with his bluntness and his fears and his in-spite-of-himself courage. Oh, and he's still hypoglycemic ... and he needs to eat. (Cue evil laughter!) The fic is believable, compelling, and I'd argue, not predictable. Neery humanizes the Wraith, and also lets us see what kind of sacrifices the team really would make for one another.

It's a long, satisfying read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's a fan of the show.

( John gestures to the chains. 'Are you going to be okay if I unlock this? No irrepressible urge to suck the life out of me, or anything?' )


Read the Story / Feedback the Author: Not a Threat (but not exactly human)

Fandom: SPORTS NIGHT
Pairing: Casey McCall/Dan Rydell
Author on LJ: paradise_city
Author Website: None known

Why this must be read: It's another post-series fic, another where the buyout and the new regime aren't enough for one or the other or both of the boys and where a decision has to be taken – and then another decision, because where one boy goes, the other will surely follow.

Won't he?

This is the only Sports Night fic by this author, but perhaps if you write one good fic that's all you ever need.

Manifest Destiny

Fandom: XENA
Pairing: primarily Xena/Gabrielle, but some Xena/Callisto and Hercules/Iolaus too
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: Power Plays
Why this must be read:
This story is dark, but compelling. It explores the relationship between Callisto and Xena, which was one of the most interesting parts of the show. What responsibility should Xena take for creating Callisto (during her warlord days, Xena sacked Callisto's village and killed her family, turning Callisto to the dark side)? Are forgiveness and redemption truly ever possible?

The story begins with Xena held captive by Callisto the goddess. The "hurt" in hurt/comfort is quite severe, and please take the author's warnings on the index page linked below seriously. If the first part of the story is too much for you, consider skimming it and continuing with part 2.

The story is part of a larger slightly-AU series by the author, linked from the story below. The story can stand alone just fine, but the AU series explores the evolving relationships between Xena and Gabrielle, and also Hercules and Iolaus, both before and after this story. In fact, "Dark side of my soul" has about as much Hercules / Xena interaction as it does Gabrielle / Xena interaction, and Hercules is shown in a caring way that's quite compelling. Hercules and Xena have some nice moments, as do Gabrielle and Iolaus.

Follow Xena on an emotional and physical journey in this story, which reaches an ultimately satisfying conclusion.

The Dark Side of my Soul

Vidder: Commodorified
Musical artist: Stan Rogers
Pairing: None, (Barbossa/Elizabeth unrequited)
Vidder on LJ: commodorified
Vidder's website: The Scriptorium
Why this vid kicks ass:

A sea-worthy song choice and extremely clever editing combine to twist the narrative of Curse of the Black Pearl just so, offering a compelling AU. Although commodorified put this together after the first Pirates movie, the counter-narrative she weaves for Elizabeth strikes a number of interesting parallels to the characters' ultimate fates in At World's End, and prefigures the solitary power wielded by King Elizabeth. Altogether, a thoroughly convincing and intriguing piece of storytelling.

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