Hi everyone! I'm _steelphoenix_, and I'll be driving the van Humvee for Generation Kill this month! This is one of the HBO War Series, following a platoon of Marines of the First Recon Battalion in the first 40 days of the Iraq War; they have an excellent site with info, recaps, and pictures here.

We're going to start off with canon-universe recs, and then move on to AUs. This could be a little belt-fed; I've got a rec for every day of the month. I'll try to rec as wide a variety of styles, authors and pairings as possible, so that you can see the awesome that is GK fandom! Right, we're Oscar Mike!

Fandom: GENERATION KILL
Pairing: Brad Colbert/Ray Person
Length: 4927
Author on LJ: perpet_fic
Author Website: perpet_fic
Why this must be read:

This fic has an excellent voice; it really feels like you're right there with Reporter. It hits all the same notes as the miniseries - the humour, the tension, the banter, and the Marines just being Marines (complete with murderous threats and Very Bad Language). It's also a beautifully clear and subtle portrait of Ray, Brad, and their relationship - showing and letting the reader imply.

You're left with the impression that this could maybe have happened, between the lines that Reporter wrote and the scenes in the mini.


( Excerpt... )


Three Songs Ray Sings Questionably Well (And One He Doesn't)

Hi, all! I'm sprl1199 back for my second turn at the Mentalist van. This month, I'll be focusing on reccing as many pairings and genres as possible, with special focus on those stories that have come out over the last year. Thanks for trusting me to drive!

Fandom: THE MENTALIST
Pairing: Lisbon/Jane friendship
Length: 10,300
Author on LJ: lady_of_scarlet
Author Website: LJ Masterlist
Why this must be read:

Written for the mentalist_bb challenge, this fic does a phenomenal job delving into the Lisbon/Jane relationship from Jane's point of view. It's dark, painful in places, but it feels very, very true to both characters. And, for those of you who would rather not read an angst-fest, it also has--as the author says--"strategically placed fluff."

As expected, this fic contains major character death (uh, 4 out of 5 times), but it's breathtaking and sweet. Definitely not to be missed.

Five Times Jane Watched Lisbon Die (And One Time He Didn’t)

I'm jainamac and I'll be doing the Comic recs this month. I'll mostly be focusing on X-Men: First Class because it seriously just would not get out of my head after I saw the movie. Anytime you have James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender looking like they're completely in love with each other...idek it's just like very good crack. Anyway, hope you enjoy the fics I've got lined up!

Fandom: MARVEL COMICS (X-Men: First Class)
Pairing: Erik/Charles
Length: 20k
Author on LJ: zarah5
Author Website: Fic on AO3 and on her LJ
Why this must be read:
This is the story that I wanted to happen. It goes AU during/after the beach scene and the way the story develops is just fantastic. Erik and Charles form an uneasy truce and start to meet - and everyone but Charles realizes that they're actually dates. It resolves all of the issues that had me wondering at the end of the movie. Go and read, it's funny, angsty and just the perfect fix-it fic.

Time to Grow

Hi! I'm turlough and I'll be driving the van for bandom this month. I read almost exclusively in the My Chemical Romance part of the fandom and Gerard is my OTC so you can expect to get a lot of Gerard-centric My Chem recs.

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Gerard/tentacle!alien
Length: 4,130 words
Author on DW: akamine_chan
Author on AO3: akamine_chan

Why this must be read: Gerard always knew that there had to be life on other planets. He just never planned on meeting it. - The one where Gerard is seventeen and meets an alien and looses his virginity.

I didn't think it was possible to make tentacle!sex lovely and sweet while still being scorchingly hot, but it's exactly what akamine_chan has done in this story. It also has a wonderful teenaged Gerard characterisation and a fascinating alien. I love the excitement and wonder and joy that permeats the meeting between Gerard and Pillow. Their mutual exploration seems so natural and the way it leads to sex almost inevitable. An absolutely lovely story that you all should rush and read right now!

( Excerpt from the story... )

Pillow Talk (on AO3) or here (on DW)

Aloha! I'm Lacey, and I'll be your tour guide for Hawaii 5-0 recs this month. You want to know what the really funny thing is, though? I'm a couple of days late in starting because I literally just got back from Hawaii where I (alas) did not see any of our favorite H50 actors. But I'm definitely in the mood to keep the Hawaiian spirit (and warmth!) going for a little longer! My recs are likely to be team and gen stories, or Steve/Danny slash with the occasional threesome (slash/het) thrown in for fun.

Fandom: HAWAII FIVE-0 (new)
Pairing: Steve/Danny, Chin/Malia (background)
Length: ~ 17,092 words
Author on LJ: ember_firedrake
Author Website: Fic Masterlist; Fic on AO3
Why this must be read: Today is Groundhog's Day, so how could I possibly resist rec'cing a fantastic Groundhog's Day story like this one? It's a trope that, when used adeptly, can reveal a great deal about the characters and their motivations by simply changing a few details. And ember_firedrake has managed to write a piece that flows beautifully; it strikes the right balance of repeated details and changes, and even if Danny feels stuck in his repeating Friday, the reader will recognize his progress.

It's a first season story with all the key players. We get to see Danny as a father, a partner, a cop, a friend, a matchmaker, and in every role he remains someone who's looking for something to ground him, something to call home. You'll love the way he convinces people to believe that he's trapped in a time-loop, and what he learns by having to repeat certain tasks over and over. It's a fantastic character piece and a really good example of this trope done right! Happy Groundhog's Day!

Normally I'd give you an excerpt, but because of the nature of the story, I think it's best if I just give you the links.

On AO3: Ho'oponopono

On LJ: Ho'oponopono

It doesn't matter how old or new or (how popular) a story is, authors love feedback!