Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: McKay/Keller, McKay/Sheppard, O'Neill/Jackson, various others
Length: 17,500
Author on LJ: not that I know of
Author Website: KeiraMarcos.com
Why this must be read: Atlantis has been returned to Pegasus, DADT has been repealed, and John Sheppard is not only dealing with both these things but also with his best friend's girlfriend being all kinds of a bitch. (If you're a fan of Jennifer Keller, it's probably best if you skip this one.)

The R rating is more for violence and language; even though the slashy quotient is high, there aren't any sex scenes or even kissing. The characterizations and the dialogue, however, leave the reader in no doubt that the emotional bond between all of the couples in this story are real and deeply felt.

I love the flow of the story. Work is combined with leisure activities, meal times and life in general in the city. It's a wonderfully balanced combination, one that we got in some of the best episodes of the show.

This also has some of my favorite all-time lines in fan fiction. There have even been a few occasions where I was sure some line I was remembering was from an episode, only to realize later the line I'd been obsessing over had come from this story. There are also moments that I can see in my head (and avidly wish had been in the show itself).

Here's a tiny example of her marvelous writing style:

"The eyebrow trash talk had taken on epic proportions at breakfast as their all guy meal had been invaded by Jennifer. She’d tucked in right beside McKay and offered the whole table a smile that John distinctly remembered he’d seen on a Wraith Queen once. It made his feeding scar hurt a little.

Daniel had engaged Jennifer in conversation while O’Neill had shoveled back the Fruit Loops he’d brought with him and looked at Sheppard like he wanted to demote him for ‘failing to properly secure his geek’. It was almost as unnerving as Keller’s smug Wraith Queen smile."

Heck, this is just one of my very favorite pieces of fan fiction from any fandom. It's just a terrific story and if you haven't read it yet, you're in for a treat. Enjoy!

Human Nature

Hi, I'm reccing rpf: Actors and Actress this month. This sprawling fandom can be defined a dozen different ways, and be divided into a hundred specific rpf fandoms (lotr, spn, CW, ect). What I'll be reccing this month will be gems and rare pairings, stories that on the whole don't quite fit, or fall just outside of more defined rpf fandoms. They could be lazily called hipster rpf, but more accurately they're the fandom equivalent of six degrees of separation. As such, my recs will follow the same vague formula. But firstly, let’s start the month with a bang.

Fandom: HIPSTER RPF
Pairing: Zach Condon/Shia LaBeouf,
Length: 21,000 words.
Author on LJ: subterrain
Author Website: masterlist on lj
Why this must be read: This is a non-linear story about two people, Shia LaBeouf and Zach Condon from the indie band Beirut, who maybe love each other but mostly don't know each other except in all the painful ways they do. It’s an emotionally complex and challenging read, but well worth the effort.

( An excerpt )

The Fatherless

Fandom: MERLIN
Pairing: Merlin/Arthur
Length: 21,049 words
Author on LJ: ella_bane
Author Website: Fics on AO3
Why this must be read:

Jealousy is my favorite plot line and this fic does not disappoint. It's set in canon era and there is angst regarding the secret of Merlin's magic. Again, the author sells it better than I do with her summary.

Author's Summary:

When a visiting prince sets his sights on Merlin, Arthur is not amused. A story of love, loyalty, and secrets too-long kept.

A Warlock's Worth

bluewolf458 arriving a couple of days late this month - I lost my broadband connection on Saturday, and just got it back this morning. So here's the rec I'd originally meant to post on Sunday...

Fandom: THE SENTINEL
Pairing: Jim/Blair
Length: 17285 words
Author on LJ: not known
Author Website: http://www.852prospect
Why this must be read: - This is a sort-of post-TSbyBS story. Blair chose not to take the badge, went to England to get his doctorate... and Jim was killed in a shoot-out. Now, twenty miserable years later, Blair dies... and is sent back, in his older persona, with three days to put all that went wrong right again.

For this older Blair, returning to the days before Jim's death is more than bitter-sweet. His mission is a difficult one - somehow he has to persuade his earlier self to be in the right place at the right time, without revealing anything of what he knows...

Romslinger has handled the theme very smoothly, turning a death story into one of hope...


Twice in a Lifetime