Fandom: GENERATION KILL
Pairing: Walt Hasser/OFCs
Length: 1986
Author on LJ: salvadore_hart
Author Website: Masterlist
Why this must be read:

One thing that it's very hard to forget about Generation Kill is that it's a war story - and that war has consequences. The fandom, as a whole, is really good at exploring consequences - PTSD and all its attendant nastiness - with sensitivity and realism.

This is one of those fics that handles it quietly, without fanfare, and does so in a way that really hits to the heart of the matter. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see Walt's downward spiral, and to be right there with him. It's also surprisingly sensitive to the female characters (OFCs), who are all well-realised despite their brief appearances. For a short fic, this has a lot of punch.


( Excerpt... )


Not With A Whimper

Fandom: HAWAII FIVE-0 (new)
Pairing: Steve/Danny
Length: ~ 5800 words
Author on LJ: giddygeek
Author Website: Fic Tag on LJ; Works on AO3 not currently up-to-date
Why this must be read: I've been less happy with this season of H50 than I was with the first season, and I think that's made me nostalgic. Everything seems simpler in that first flush of a new series - less troublesome back story to deal with, fewer inconsistencies of character, lines of dialogue fandom can pounce on and spin into epic tales. For example, in S1 episode 1 when Danny proclaims, "I swim for survival, not for fun" ... I'm sure the producers had no idea what they were starting.

This was one of the early fics that riffed off that line. Danny and Steve under fire, standing on the edge of a cliff and their only way out is down. Into the ocean. Can Danny really swim?

What I love about this fic (and all of Giddy's) works is that though it starts there--with the seed of an idea from the show--it quickly moves somewhere else, and in this case, it kicks everything up a notch (or ten) and moves them to the bedroom in a post-adrenaline high that just makes everything hotter.

And like all things Giddy, it's got great banter and humor even in the midst of getting down and dirty with one another. If you missed this one, make sure you check it out. It's still one of my favourites.

( 'Listen, okay,' Danny jabs a finger at Steve, 'I have told you I can do this, haven't I told you I can do this? Like, haven't I told you fifty times that I can do this?' )

On LJ: Tell You What (you're gonna do)

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

Fandom: STARSKY & HUTCH
Pairing: none
Length: 10,844 words
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: HERE
Why this must be read: I love Hutch h/c stories and I love post-SR times. Here Starsky in very unusual way learns something about Hutch that he would have never expected and that is only the beginning of a long (overdue) recovery that would reveal even more about them both and the strength of their friendship.

In the long months of recovery after the shooting, Hutch had never left his side, either, nursing him, taking care of him, even learning how to do the therapy with him. It had been what both of them had needed, and it redoubled Starsky's efforts to get better. Once he started getting back on his feet, though, he willingly resigned himself to the fact that it had been a bad scare for Hutch and he'd have a harder time letting go and easing off. Starsky had even silently decided that if the blond wanted off the streets then, he'd agree. There was never any way he could make up to Hutch the ordeal of almost losing his partner except by making him feel safe afterwards.

To his surprise, though, Hutch began to give him space, allowed him to reassemble his individuality, was even willing to let Starsky call the shots and choose their course despite the possibility that it would mean going back to the risks before. Starsky shook his head. How could he do that after going through this? Did something change? Or does he just... love me that much? The courage and sacrifice it must've taken to back off, to swallow his fears and trust Starsky with both their futures, was staggering. It was an incredible gift, one Starsky wasn't sure he could have matched. He had already faced the demon of losing his partner before, but not because of the Job and so had never had to weigh the costs. Starsky sighed shakily. Just when he thought there were no surprises left, Hutch managed to do or say something that left Starsky more amazed than ever at this person he called his friend.

The Other Side by K Hanna Korossy

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Blair Sandburg/Alex Barnes Jim Ellison, Blair Sandburg
Length:39k
Author on LJ Unknown
Author's website: Ophite's Site via theWayback Machine
Why this must be read:

Ophite wrote this story in 1999, and it's one of the first in the genre of Sentinel/Guide bonding. She put a note at the end of her story giving permission for other writers to use the story as they wished, and Susan Foster incorporated the storyline into her GDP series.

The story is well written, and explores what if Alex and Blair had met first, and Alex decided she wanted Blair as her guide? She terrorizes him to gain his compliance, but he reaches out to a detective in Major Crime for help. The hook? He can explain why the detective's senses have become hyperactive.

The story is angsty and the bonding is more on the physical side than soul side, and more predominately shows the sentinel's need for the guide.

Blair does everything for Alex: helps her plot her crimes, is her whipping boy and sex slave. He's learned to do what he needs to in order to survive, and for Jim's part, the feelings he's experiencing regarding “Pet” Barnes are disturbing, even as he feels hopeful that his senses can be controlled .

( An excerpt from An Alternate Route )

An Alternate Route by Ophite

Fandom: Sherlock
Pairing: Both Gen
Length: 860 words, and 836
Author on LJ: triedunture
Author Website: Triedunture on AO3
Why this must be read:

These are two stories that are companions to each other but both can also be read stand alone. Both take place after The Reichenbach Fall (so spoilers). Spring in Marrakesh is a sad sensual piece about a brief encounter between Sherlock and Irene Adler. There are a lot of stories about John post Reichenbach but not many about Sherlock. This one conveys viscerally that Sherlock is suffering too.

Summer in London is about John and how hard it is for him to pick up his life after Reichenbach. This one is also important as an example of a new genre in Sherlock fandom. If you're not on tumblr you may have missed the "I believe in Sherlock Holmes" fan campaign. It was inspired by John's final blog post, here (That's a link to John's actual blog which is a real (fictional) website. It's an official BBC site and has spoilers for every episode and is amazing. Follow the links there to Sherlock's website as well). Suffice to say that there are already quite a few stories that feature yellow spray paint and there will be a lot more by the time series 3 rolls around.

Both these stories are excellent triedunture is one of my very favorite authors. Everything she writes is exquisitely crafted. So once you finish these you may want to take some time and read everything she's ever written. And leave feedback so she'll write more!

Spring in Marrakesh

Summer in London

Hi all; I'm getting a late start this month but I'll be driving the van this month. I promise to return it in the same condition that I got it. I have some catching up to to, so let's get started.

Fandom: MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Pairing: None
Length: 27000 Words
Author on LJ: Not that I know of.
Author Website: http://file40.net/file40g.html
Why this must be read: I actually posted this to short stories recently and got a number of comments about it being a really good story. Very dark and mysterious. I read it, and had a hard time putting it down. Illya Kuryakin has shot Napoleon! What?!? The story starts there and runs. The language the author chooses is very descriptive and you never quite feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Don't worry, there is, but what a ride along the way.

So hop aboard and let's take a ride.

The Terra Incognita Affair

Fandom: FC BARCELONA
Pairing: Carles Puyol/Gerard Pique
Length: 18000 words
Author on LJ: spdfg
Author Website: fic list
Why this must be read:

Dramedy isn't a genre that shows up in Barça fic very often, which just makes it that much more appreciated when it does! This fic balances humor and a serious plot very well, and I really enjoy both the storyline (it's a cop AU) and the madcap shenanigans. Plus, the main character is the criminally underappreciated Carles Puyol, Barcelona's valiant captain, and I would happily read an infinite number of fics about his Odd Couple-ish relationship with Gerard Pique. The ensemble characters are brilliantly characterized as well, sometimes in only a few lines, and the subplot about the Alcantara brothers (I won't spoil it for you) is incredibly touching, at least for me.

The Catalan Opening