Fandom: SUPERNATURAL
Pairing: Dean/Castiel
Length: 8,300 words
Author on LJ: elementalv
Author Website: Elemental Vision
Why this must be read: Dean is cursed to sing his feelings.

Do you seriously need any more of a salespitch than that? You do? Well then, my favourite part is when he serenades the Impala. *watches the dust swirl in the wake of your click*

Top 40 Nightmare

Fandom: WATCHMEN
Pairings: Dan/Adrian primarily, also Dan/Laurie, Dan/Rorschach, Twilight Lady/Laurie, TL/Dan
Length: ~24k
Author on LJ: quietprofanity
Author's website: quiprofanfics
Why this must be read:

Read this one because it could be the best darkfic you'll ever read. I'm fairly sure it's the best I've ever read. It's a true tragedy, both deeply unnerving and hugely cathartic.

The premise is another alternate ending for the novel: after the showdown at Karnak, Dan remains there because Adrian won't let him leave. Over the course of Dan's imprisonment the story dredges up a lot of unpleasant things that were gestured to in the novel, but never examined with such dedication: Adrian's narcissism and sociopathy; Dan's shameful passivity; his repressed sexual fixations; the delusional nature of Nite Owl and Rorschach's glory days. The canon ultimately put these issues aside in favour of a "happy" ending that distinctly lacked a sense of closure, and this fic takes the opposite approach.

I promise it's not just character-punishment without any emotional payoff. It's dark, but it's a very rewarding read.


The Gilded Cage, part 1, part 2, part 3

Fandom: HARRY POTTER
Pairing: Harry/Daphne, James/Lily, Neville/Luna/Susan
Length: 46,800
Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: Bobmin's Fic (Note, you will have to register at the site in order to view the story, but it is well worth it and the site has numerous other very excellent authors.)
Why this must be read: Picking one Bobmin fic is a difficult task. This fic rests on the premise that the Wizarding World, particularly the light, all trust and believe in Dumbledore's inability to get anything wrong. Harry's life therefore, is a result of James and Lily opting to listen to Dumbledore instead of protecting and loving their child like they should. AU from fifth year onwards, it starts with a bang and immediately throws Harry into a position of independence. After Voldemort taunts him about his parents, he goes to the bank to find out if it is true. From there, he immediately takes charge of his life, seeking to ensure that he and his are protected and that he can't be manipulated any longer. This includes accepting a marriage contract with Daphne Greengrass, though being Harry, it is done on his terms -- he wants her to accept its activation. What makes this a bit of a unique 'Harry taking charge' type of fic is that it presents a mature Harry who is tired of Dumbledore and others running his life as well as of being Potter. And in the end, you can't blame him for acting as he does.

( snippet )


The Fall of the House of Potter

Fandom: STAR WARS
Pairings: Canon pairings
Length: ~37k words
Author on LJ: I don't think she has one.
Author Website: Profile
Why this must be read:

Time travel stories, the best ones, rewrite canon in small increments until the large picture crystallizes into an AU. In this fic, personalities remain the same, motives are as before, yet the altered actions of the characters result in this fact: Anakin doesn't Turn. Just how many AUs in Revenge of the Sith are out there may be discovered by typing 'ROTS AU' in fanfictionDOTnet's search engine, but this one deserves a high rank because the little details such as Bandomeer and Guerra (yes, he's in action here) and another very important EU character play pivotal roles in this fic's most satisfying conclusion. Qui-Gon Jinn's less-than-stellar interpersonal communication skills also contribute to Anakin's revisualizing the man's luster in his memories, which is the best part about the story. That, and the ultimate preservation of the Jedi Order.

Threads of the Past

Fandom: Canadian Actor RPF
Pairing: Paul Gross/Paul Gross (sort of, it'll make sense when you read it)
Length: 1,425 words
Author on LJ: isiscolo 
Author Website: Fic tag on LJ or website
Why this must be read: Because this combination meta-crackfic of Paul drinking and arguing with subconscious manifestations of the characters he's played--while they dispense marital and psychological "wisdom" --will have you laughing from start to finish. And the last character who appears makes for a great ending.

( A preview... )

You can read Superego here on LJ or Isis's website, and please remember to leave feedback for the author.