Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: Jethro Gibbs/Ducky Mallard
Length: Medium
Author on LJ: causticquery
Author Website: Gibbs/Ducky Archive

Why this must be read:

For me reading this is like settling next to a roaring fire in the middle of winter – satisfying, hot yet so comfortable which is how these lovers are with each other in Caz’s writing. A steamy piece, full of love and tenderness that shows the years they’ve shared together. Great characterisation, as always Caz really has these boys down. Another favourite story of mine.

The entire story takes place in the shower where the guys reunite after a couple of weeks apart.

( Extract )

In Totidem Verbis

Fandom: FIREFLY
Pairing: Mal/Simon
Author on LJ: ana_grrl
Author Website: Unknown

Why this must be read:

This story is post Serenity the movie and does something rarely seen in Firefly fiction. It digs into the science of the Firefly universe, which is something just often accepted as a truth. What created the worlds and moons of this universe? Terraforming. What would happen if Terraforming failed? You also get a sense of the ruthlessness of the Alliance. Told mainly from Mal's point of view, it is a wonderful, thinking read, with a believable Mal/Simon in the background. Makes me think that even though the world as they know it may be ending, the crew of the Serenity just has to keep living.




WATER IN ONE HAND

Well, as it turns out, I get to do some Newsies recs this month! And since it's summer, I thought I'd start out with the best, and most popular, summer-related fic in the fandom.

Fandom: NEWSIES
Pairing: Jack/David, Kid Blink/OFC, Specs/Dutchy, and a whole ensemble of other characters and pairings
Length: Novel-length (almost 200,000 words)
Author on LJ: queenitsy
Author Website: Underage Smokers
Why this must be read:

Over four years and nearly 200,000 words, this fic became one of the mainstays of the fandom, and for good reason: it's a fantastic AU fic that has something for everyone. Slash, het, plot, humor, angst, hijinks, and drama: whatever you want, it's probably in this story. The author takes a very basic premise - a modern-day David Jacobs is forced to go to summer camp - and turns it into a veritable tapestry of plots and subplots in which nearly every Newsies character, as well as more than a few fully-realized original characters, is given the chance to shine. Yet despite the wide scope of the project, the story never loses its focus; David's character arc (and his love story with Jack) progresses beautifully, and every subplot reaches its conclusion. If you haven't read this yet, I highly urge you to give it a chance; it is, in my humble opinion, what every modern-verse novel-length Newsies fic should be.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Hi, all. I'm ilyena_sylph, and I'm driving the crack van this month for DC comics. I'm mostly a Teen Titans girl, but the Batfamily and the JSA have serious holds on my soul, and I read pretty much anything you put in front of me. I also tend to think of myself as one of the new kids in town (until I realize that no, I'm really not anymore), so I'm really going to try to rec some of the other newer, quality, hopefully previously unrecognized writers in the fandom. I can't guarantee that, but I'm going to do my best to.

Hopefully you all enjoy the ride.

Fandom: DC COMICS
Pairing: none.
Length: ~1,900 words
Author on LJ: lady_sarai
Author Website: master list of fanfic on lj
Why this must be read:

This fic is... a great original Titans fic for the modern age, in a lot of ways. It's Robin, Wonder Girl, Aqualad, Kid Flash, and Speedy (so, the Golden Age team), in New York, very early in their careers. And it's moved them into New York City, into 'a' Tower if not 'the' Tower, and unlike most stories about the original Teen Titans, it's... very real. There's no Golden Age camp to be found here, but it is a team of kids who're still learning how to really be friends. And while it is a team fic, and every one of them is beautifully characterized, really, it's a Roy Harper/Speedy story.

Lady_Sarai managed, beautifully and deftly, to place every single one of the issues that Roy canonically has into this piece, without ever being heavy-handed about them.

It wasn’t anything like a normal mission—not that any missions were normal, but this one didn’t even have any kind of super villain or alien invasion or metas or even mob bosses or pickpockets, for cryin’ out loud—it wasn’t even a mission. No one called them, no one asked for their help. It was just Dick watching the news—and what self-respecting teenage boy watches the news on a Saturday night, anyway?—and Donna, Wally and Garth having powers that actually made them useful in that kind of situation. It wasn’t like arrows—even his best trick arrows—have anything on a fire that consumes three city blocks and half the park and takes six fire departments and the Teen Titans to contain.

Come and read The Smell of Smoke.

Fandom: HIGHLANDER
Pairing: None
Length: Medium
Author on LJ: sef1029
Author Website: Fiction by SEF1029
Why this must be read:

During the Dark Quickening Duncan nearly killed his student Richie. Almost a year later, on his return to Seacouver, Duncan realizes mending bridges will take a lot more than saying he's sorry. Sue explores all the conflicting emotions, miscommunications, and missteps both Richie and Duncan need to work through. The story is told with such honesty and understanding that many readers adopt it as canon for this under-explored but critical transition in their relationship.

Happily Sue wrote a sequel as well.

( Excerpt )

Acceptance of Conflict
Protective Measures

Happy Fourth Of July To Our American Readers!

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Snape/Hermione
Length: 82,342 words
Author on LJ: unknown
Author Website: Ramos at FF.net
Why this must be read:

If you won't read it for the pairing, the characterization, the well handled plot or the unexpected humour, read it for the scene where the ghostly character gets one up on Peeves.


Unfinished Business