Fandon: THE PROFESSIONALS
Pairing: Doyle/Kate Ross (yes!!!)
Length: Novella
Author on LJ: brenk (page not updated for a long time)
Author's website: Lost with Geocities, now: The Circuit Archive
Warning: Death of a major character, hint of rape
Why this must be read:

Sorry for reccing two gen stories in a row; a slash one was intended but a technical incident with my printer went in the way and, since I'm not able to read a long text on screen because of my very bad sight, I was obliged to resort to one I had already printed for a while.

Another and better reason for my choice is that Brenda K. is one of my favourite authors of “Pros” fanfiction, and one whose work is not widely represented in crack_van, especially the gen part of it. Actually, this story is not just gen but het! I could have never guessed there would be a time when I would recommend a het story! But a talented writer has the power to make you believe in whatever she sets out to.

And it's not a light task to make acceptable and even touching a love story between Doyle and, not some convenient (and compliant) original character, but a well-known, clear-cut, sharp edged and, to say the least, not precisely popular canon figure such as Kate Ross. Personally I doesn't dislike her; she is, like Cowley, duty-bound, strong-willed, clear-headed and solitary: all qualities that aren't usually associated with passion and tender feelings. Yet, like with Cowley, it's possible to detect in them undercurrents of ...weakness they would say, and to assume there is a human face under the mask. As for Doyle, it's not too difficult to see him attracted by strong women; when you have fallen (hard) for somebody like Ann Holly, Kate Ross would rather appear as an improvement. The author draws of her a nuanced and thoughtful portrait that reveals her sympathy for a too often reviled character.

Before all my potential readers had started to run away at light speed, I must add that the main interest of the story is not there. Still more central than the relationship between Doyle and Ross, there is the friendship between the partners, their mutual commitment, Doyle's trust and understanding, Bodie's loyalty and protectiveness in spite of well hidden bouts of jealousy, the deep-rooted, ever-lasting bond that make them able to overcome the most cruel plights because they stand together. This is love too and maybe of a higher value than the sexual kind, as Doyle is well aware of. This is a significant excerpt:

Bodie had become his strength and his rock. He had come to dread a return to the loneliness he'd known before the partnership, and a loneliness that was also partly the result of his own stubborn, fiery nature, he admitted to himself. Girls came and went, and with few exceptions they couldn't cope with his odd hours or his lack of commitment to anything but his job. Not that they'd have really understood what he did anyway, even if he'd been able to tell them about it. Girls added a little distraction and a fair amount of physical relief, and he didn't have time for much more. Bodie, though, was his partner, the other half of a whole, and for some reason their relationship worked on every level.

This is not just a psychological study though; there's lot of action in it, a well woven plot and an interesting view of a post-Cowley CI5 (Murphy as the new Controller, Cowley in the back stage).

The title, “Reflections”, must be taken with a double meaning: the development, through the on-going action, of the characters' inner thought's but also, the “reflection” of each one in the mirror of the others' points of view, all of which are presented in turn, with a clever use of vivid, evocative flash-backs.


Reflections

Ah, THE GURNIUS AFFAIR: the single episode of MFU that has inspired more fanfiction that any other. It surely wasn't the best episode of the series, but its setup -- with Illya having to masquerade as the son of a Nazi madman prone to the "personal pleasures" of torturing others and then being required to torture Napoleon while in said guise -- is so intriguing, few writers can resist giving their own take/aftertake on the scenario. And this week I'm going to explore some of those.

Fandom: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: None
Length: about 3500 words
Author on LJ: georgiamagnolia
Author Website: http://georgiamagnolia.livejournal.com/
Why this must be read:

As a Napoleon fan first and foremost, I do hate it when takes/aftertakes on THE GURNIUS AFFAIR ignore his side of the event. And, though this piece concentrates on Illya's viewpoint, the writer doesn't ignore Napoleon's. She shows the secret desperation of both men as they find themselves uncharacteristically unable to discern in the other the usual signals about how a mission situation should be played out.

The Illya depicted here might be a little more vulnerable than canon generally shows him, but he is still a strong character who knows his job and does it, even while the horror of what he is doing invades his private thoughts.

Oh, this was too much. This was torture of a whole new description, and he would go through with it for the sake of the mission, for UNCLE, for Good and Freedom and Law and all the other things the guys in white hats did and he would have to find a way to live with himself after. He was overwhelmed in that moment with everything he was about to lose. If this went wrong and Napoleon died, and perhaps even if it didn’t and Napoleon didn’t die by his hand, no matter how unwilling he was to carry on, he may well lose the best thing in his life, the best friend he had, his trusted partner.

Skin

Fandom: STARSKY AND HUTCH
Pairing: none
Length: ~2830 words
Author on LJ: http://kuonji14.livejournal.com/
Author Website: http://kuonji14.livejournal.com/
Why this must be read:
Because Starsky loves his car, but he’s never known how his car feels... until today. :D

A weird, hilarious, and adorable story. Will definitely cheer you up, if you’re feeling down.

Excerpt:


Starsky was paralyzed.

Not by fear or shock -- but literally. He couldn't move. Not even a finger. Couldn't even blink.

He told himself to calm down. Keep his head clear.

He knew he was outside of his house. He lay on the driveway, and he could see around the quiet, residential street, currently empty of other people. It would have been peaceful and idyllic if Starsky weren't close to panic.

It was Hutch's turn to drive today, he suddenly remembered with relief. The early morning sun was already bright in the sky. Hutch would be here soon. They would figure out what had happened together.

He heard a bang as of a door slamming open, followed by a series of tumbling steps, and if he could have moved a muscle, his jaw would have dropped from what he saw.

Tousle-haired, barefoot, dressed in Starsky's own pajama bottoms, the man was a perfect physical double of himself. A big grin split the broad face. Did he look like that when he smiled? No wonder Hutch always thought he was up to no good.


JOY RIDE

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Brendon Urie/Spencer Smith
Length: ~ 52,000 words
Author on LJ: sunsetmog
Author websites: sunsetmog_fics is their fanfiction journal.

Why this must be read: I'm not sure how many times I've read this story. When I looked for stories to rec here I read it again.
Brendon and Spencer try to figure what works for them in their relationship. BDSM and D/s are not easy to read for me, but I really loved this story.
The strength of this story lies not only in the tight and even characterization but the slow build of their relationship. Both Brendon and Spencer are new at this, and the reader goes along their journey. They don't get it right all the time, but they try to make it work, and it does take work to get there.


Here At The Right Time

Fandom: THE OFFICE (US)
Pairing: Dwight/Angela, Jim/Pam
Length: 5 chapters
Author on LJ: neverenoughjam
Author Website: At MTT
Why this must be read:

This is a great example of spotlighting; each installment in this story is done with obvious affection for the character portrayed, and the insights given are alternately funny, thoughtful and sweet. I particularly like Dwight's and Roy's chapters.

ROYGBIV

FANDOM:  DUE SOUTH
Pairing:  Benton Fraser/Ray Kowalski
Length:  nice and long
Author on LJ:  the_star_fish 
Author website:  The Title Pool

Why This Must Be Read:

This has become one of my go-to comfort fics, both because it's a humorous, joyful story and because the characterizations are simply spot on.

Parental Guidance

Vidder: dreamybluemeany
Musical artist: Fleetwood Mac
Pairing: Sapphire & Steel
Vidder on LJ: The Clutterpod is represented on LJ by bluemeanybeany
Vidder's website: dreamybluemany's youtube channel
Why this vid kicks ass:

In a lot of ways vidders have an easier time with Sapphire and Steel than writers: the images are there, ready to be manipulated, atmosphere is built in. The palette may be limited, there are 34 half hour episodes of the show, but with very individual music choices and an expansive imagination, S&S vidders have created some wonderful work, and I'd like to introduce you to some of it this month.

First up is dreamybluemeany's look at Sapphire: a preternaturally elegant creature, alien in her beauty, her skills and her self-possession. Connected to Steel in a way we never quite understand-- in a way that sometimes confounds Steel as well -- the Sapphire of "Rhiannon".


Rhiannon