Hi! I'm jainamac and I'll be driving the van for The X-Files this month! This was my first true fandom, the first time I ever went online and actively searched out others that loved the show like I did, so I'm really excited! I have to admit, I am a staunch Mulder/Scully shipper and I am not ashamed ;) You'll mostly see romance this month, with a few UST or friendship thrown in there. I'm going to try my hardest to reccomend some really amazing stories that haven't been posted here. Enjoy the ride!

Fandom: THE X-FILES
Pairing: Mulder/Scully
Length: 5,000
Author on LJ: stablergirl
Author Website: There are links to her fics towards the bottom of her LJ page
Why this must be read: Stablergirl is one of my favorite authors but, very unfortunately, this is the only X-Files fic that she has on her LJ. This is a Scully POV that is poignant and eloquent. Good Scully fic(I think)shows that beneath the veneer of icy calm is just as passionate a soul as Mulder's. Stablergirl portrays that deftly, without turning Scully into a needy, clinging emotional mess. The imagery here is beautiful and the dialogue is spot on. Scully is very much in character, wanting Mulder, but always trying to maintain that emotional wall.

Broken Silence

Fandom: SHAKESPEARE -- KING LEAR
Pairing: gen
Length: 2000 words
Author on LJ: sunfalling
Author Website: http://www.geocities.com/sun_falling/
Why this must be read: For us who live in the modern world, being born out of wedlock isn't such a terrible thing. But in Shakespeare's day, it was an awful fate, one that condemned a child to a lifetime of second-class status, regardless of that child's own wishes or abilities. The Bastard's Portion shows one such child and his growing, futile rage over a destiny that he had no hand in choosing.

( I last saw Cordelia at the wedding celebration for her sister, Regan. )

The Bastard's Portion

Leverage is a show that turns your normal perception of right and wrong on its head. Yes, the crew help the downtrodden, but they often do it by illegal means. "We provide Leverage," says Nathan Ford, and he means that, by hook or by crook (four of 'em), fair means or foul, they will get the compensation or payback that people deserve, whether the courts are on their side or not.

( On to the con... )

Hi, I'm medjai_trowa and I'm driving the small-fandoms crack_van for Leverage this month. I'm hoping to bring you a nice mix of recs, from G right through to the upper ratings, with a variety of pairings and some Gen fic. Those who know me know that I'm not a fan of a certain character, but some people I know write wonderful versions of them, so never fear, all characters will get a fair go at being recced.

(Is now a bad time to mention I got driving tuition from NCIS's Ziva? XD)

Fandom: LEVERAGE
Pairing: None
Length: 1580 words according to the author
Author on LJ: ijemaja
Why this must be read: This fic is a lovely view of the rest of the team from Sophie's point of view through one of her favourite activities - shopping. The relationships are shown in a greatlight and it's one of my favourite "5 things/times" fics.

Five Times Sophie Went Shopping

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair, other pairings
Length: 120K, 80K & short stories
Author on LJ: psykaos42
Author Website:  Martha Christine at 852 Prospect

Why this must be read:   As apocalyptic stories go, this one’s a doozy.  What would happen if the worst hit when Jim and Blair are separated?  What would their instincts tell them to do?  Would they survive without each other? Martha Christine explores these questions and more in her “Tales From The Burn” series.

The Burn is named for the chemical catastrophe that wipes out people and technology alike, leaving isolated groups to fend for themselves. It’s also the name given to the resulting sickness that kills people randomly after the initial disaster. The first story, "And Winter Fast Approaching",  is told mostly from Jim’s POV, as he struggles to protect a tribe that is no longer recognizably human. As you might expect, there is a great deal of misery and sadness in store for our world, including deaths of canon and original characters. But “where there’s life, there’s hope” and we get to see examples of that as well.

The sequel “Waking the Dead” takes place during Halloween, which is why I included the series this month. The last three are small ficlets set at various times in the Universe.  Enjoy. (and don’t forget feedback if you did!)

And Winter Fast Approaching
Waking the Dead
If Only In My Dreams
Merry Christmas From the Family
Homing Instinct