For my second story I want to rec one from Trudy West. I have loved the Star Wars movies for years (decades when it's about the original trilogy), but it was one of her stories that sort of unexpectedly drew me into the fandom only last year: Forgotten. I loved it and decided to search for more. Since that story has already been recced, I will rec another one. It was a hard choice, since I love all of her stories, but I've decided on Conflicting Loyalties.

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairing: Qui-Gon/Shmi; Qui-Gon/Obi-Wan, Anakin
Length: long, it's in three parts and they are all three long (happy sigh)
Author: Trudy West
on LJ: unknown
Author Website: her stories are on Masters and Apprentices
WARNINGS: male/male sex, memories of torture and rape, brief references to sexual abuse of a minor

Why this must be read: This story is a gripping retelling of the Prequel trilogy, after Naboo. It's a 'Qui-Gon survived' story, but very different from other takes on this theme. Here everyone thinks he's dead and when Obi-Wan finds out the truth, it's not the happy reunion he would have hoped for.

West tells a story of loss and unrequited love, and of learning to live with mistakes and with traumatic events; she does this in a very beautiful and touching way, rich on emotions, and it even has a happy ending - sort of, because Anakin's turning, the massacre of the Jedi and all that still happens. Besides all that she doesn't shy away from the slavery on Tatooine, something that seemed to have been almost forgotten in AofC and RotS. All in all I can't recommand it enough.


( Excerpt )

Conflicting Loyalties



 

Fandom: HARRY POTTER

Pairing: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape

Author on LJ:   subvers 

Length: approx. 423 words

Author Website: OWL

Why this must be read:
Subversa's stories range from humour to angst and from long to short.  This is a particularly spare and elegant piece of work that's about second chances.  It tells a lifetime in 4 simple paragraphs.

I Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance With You

Hey all! Sorry for the late start, I'm horseriderjen and I'll be driving the van this month!

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER/ ANGEL  
Pairing: Buffy/Angel
Length: long
Author on LJ: tangofic 
Author Website: Tangofic.com
Why this must be read:

Putting the Damage On takes us back to season 4 of BTVS when Buffy and Faith switch bodies. We know that Faith in Buffy's body slept with Riley - and he didn't know the difference.  Of course Spike couldn't really tell the difference either. But would Angel? Being as how they were star-crossed lovers and all that?  Tango believes he would. I love this story because of the way Tango writes Buffy and Angel, their relationship in this (and her other stories)  the humor she adds, and the Riley bashing.

"Hello?" Giles asked in his typical, polite voice.

"Giles, it's Angel."

"Hello...Angel," Giles said staring into Faith's face and trying to see the Buffy he knew to be inside. Buffy inched forward, as if she was actually moving closer to Angel.

"Is Buffy there?"

"Yes," Giles said, after a moment of hesitation, "She's standing right here."

"Um, okay, because I've got her body here but she's not in it."

"Wait," Giles said, shocked, "You knew it wasn't Buffy even though it was her body?"

Putting the Damage On