Fandom: STARGATE: ATLANTIS
Pairing: none
Length: ~45,000 words
Author on LJ: cedargrove
Author Website: A Key to Infinite Possibilities
Why this must be read:

"Harm's Way" is the first in Cedargrove's alternate season 5, written before "Search and Rescue" aired. And it's epic. As you read the story, you can practically see everything happening like you're watching it on your TV.

The rescue of Sheppard's team is complicated by the arrival of the Wraith. They commence an all out assault, and the battle scenes are chaos and desperation and adrenalin and frantic energy that has you on the edge of your seat.

I really like the direction Cedargrove takes with Michael in developing his bond with Teyla. This is no cardboard villain just trying to steal Teyla's baby to perfect his experiments. He cares about her, is protective of her, caters to her comfort, but at the same time is determined to fulfill his goals with the hybrids while trying to build a trust between Teyla and himself.

Cedargrove also includes that hypnotic control of Michael's and explores Wraith telepathy. It's fantastic. And her Queen is all kinds of scary awesome. Todd is also featured and is his manipulative, sneaky, Magnificent Bastard self.

Harm's Way

The series is on-going. So far seven episodes are complete and the eighth is half done.

Fandom: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER/ANGEL
Pairing: Buffy/Faith
Length: 2,510 words
Author on LJ: mpoetess
Author Website: Pointy Stakes
Why this must be read: The real shine of this piece is the lovely depiction of Faith. Her history and internal voice and dialogue are all wonderfully effective and ring perfectly true to her character. The attention to detail is also delighful, with just enough of the landscape of Faith's backstory and inner life drawn in that it feels like much more than the actual word count can account for. I doubt I'll ever be able to watch this part of canon again without really believing that this is what really lay beneath the surface of Faith's actions.

( read an excerpt )

Sealed with a Kiss

Fandom: U2 (RPS)
Pairing: Adam/Larry
Length: Multi-chapter (6)
Author on LJ: la_woman
Author's Website: u2slash or Love Is Blindness
Why this must be read:

As a reader of fanfic, one thing I have never been a fan of is first-person stories. I find often they're badly done and I feel like I could be reading anyone's point of view. Even when they're well-written, something about them doesn't fit with me. I know that's a personal preference, but it's been an important one when it comes to fic reading and reccing.

Step forward la_woman with her lovely first-person fic, Reveal. Told entirely from Larry's perspective, this is a fascinating study of how two famous people in a famous band could deal with being together and 'coming out' to the world at large. Although Adam and Larry are already happily together, and their close friends and family know the truth, Adam wants to take their relationship public. Larry, on the other hand, is unwilling, too worried about the consequences this would have on their privacy. It's an accurate representation of Larry here, where he is loyal to the one he loves, and hates himself for being dishonest, but at the same time wants to fiercely guard his and Adam's private lives. Adam in turn is portrayed brilliantly, with his little details and personality quirks that make him seem totally right, both in the reader's eyes and in Larry's.

Told in six beautifully written parts, Reveal is a story I'd recommend to dispel all myths about slash being just writing about sex. It's great writers, writing great stuff.

Reveal

Fandom: HEROES
Pairing: Adam/Monica
Length: 5000 words
Author on LJ: tiptoe39
Author Website: Lower-rated fic here, and pornier stuff here.
Why this must be read: Because it's such a random-sounding pairing, and yet she makes it totally work! There are so many things to love about this. First of all, there's the structure, which is brilliant, like an episode of Lost where there's action in the present interspersed with flashbacks that help explain how the characters got here. Second of all, there's people using their powers in a practical way; Adam and Monica not only fight crime, she's also a Hollywood stunt-woman, which is a perfect way for her to make a living with her ability. Thirdly, there's so much warmth in this story, even while it mixes action-adventure with romance with character study. Adam is obscenely attractive in this---all the details make him fascinating---and Monica's voice is just wonderful. Such a lovely, happy-making fic!

Excerpt:

Now. Let's get one thing straight about Adam. He's an obnoxious, arrogant git.

(He taught me that word. One of the first things he taught me when I met him. "Screw you, Adam," I'd said to him. "You think you know everything and you're nothing but a..."

"Git," he'd said, all crisp and British.

"Git. Yeah, that's exactly it." I never heard the word before, but it sounded just about perfect.)

So there's your question, right? What in the world am I doing with a big old git like Adam?

(Find out!) Finesse

Fandom: THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Pairing: Chris/Buck & Buck/Chris
Length: Pretense - 1141 Compromise - 1753
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website: http://dnf.slashcity.org/viewuser.php?uid=39 and http://all-ezra.com/authors/kitipurr.html
Why this must be read:
We're back to the Old West stories that I wanted to highlight on my turn as driver this month. This time I have a matched pair of stories by Kitipurr. Most of you will know that Kitipurr is a marvelous writer and these stories are no exceptions. They are wonderfully written and a joy to read. I think they capture some of that behind the scene feel that goes so well with canon. Pretense is told from Buck's POV and then we get to see what Chris thinks in Compromise. My only complaint is they are not long enough - more I want more! I hope you will love them as much as I do.

Pretense

Compromise

Fandom: MERLIN
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Length: Novel
Author on LJ: paperclipbitch
Author Website: Masterlists
Why this must be read: I don't even know where to begin with this story -- there is so much! It's an epically long, plotty modern-day AU, in which there's secret magic, and political intrigue and a fight to save the world as we know it. Plus, Arthur being clueless and Merlin being adorable and many, many other wonderful things. *happy sigh* By the time you finish reading this it will have become a dear friend. Go now, you won't regret it.

We're A Storm In Somebody Else's Teacup (links to the series tag, scroll down for chapter one)

Fandom: DOCTOR WHO
Pairing: none
Length: 3,500 words
Author  on LJ: aralias 
Why this must be read: I love  aralias 's writing. This story deals with the aftermath of The Next Doctor. Jackson Lake regained his memories but the Doctor's memories didn't go anywhere. Jackson tries to deal with them and then he meets a mysterious stranger.  The language of  Other Days reminds me of some Victorian authors which suits Jackson Lake perfectly, and it's a fascinating look at  the Doctor from the person who both is and isn't him. It's wonderfully written, wistful, funny and somehow hopeful.

It was another eight days before he awoke as the Doctor again. There was an odd light to the West, and, when he asked around, he found that nobody had seen a single cat for the last fortnight. 

The Doctor did not approve of cats in general, but he found their sudden absence suspicious rather than relieving. The light was equally suspicious. It was a bright, clear white, almost solid in appearance, and certainly did not belong in London town. At least, not yet. The two matters might not be connected, but both were clearly things he should investigate.

Other Days