Fandom: SHERLOCK
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 16,400 words
Author on LJ: _doodle
Author Website: doodle_writes or on AO3
Why this must be read:
Sherlock asks John to marry him for a case. This was written before series 2, so no spoilers there. It's a fabulously written romp with just enough case fic thrown in to keep purists happy and it's one of those stories that I can just keep reading over and over again. Do check out this author's other work in the fandom, too, as everything doodle writes is fantastic!

A Silver Sixpence by _doodle

Hi, I'm cloudtrader and I'll be recommending awesomeness for you this month! I recommended comics fandom awesomeness last month and for May I'm driving TWO vans, Sherlock Holmes and Middle-Earth (OMG, who will write me that story!??!). Ahem, anyway, yes. With The Hobbit movie coming soon starring Martin Freeman, the irony and coincidence is delicious. Hopefully, I won't become too mixed up while driving both these vans. Enjoy the fic!

Fandom: THE LORD OF THE RINGS (mostly movieverse, but with definite Silmarillion references and background)
Pairing: Éowyn/Legolas
Length: 128,000ish words
Author on LJ: erinlasgalen (I think? Same name, but there is only Doctor Who fic there and the last update was over a year ago. I believe that this author also wrote DragonBallZ fanfic under another pseudonym, too.)
Author Website: The Awakening, on fanfiction.net, on Stories of Arda
Why this must be read:
DO NOT RUN AWAY SCREAMING AT THE PAIRING. No, really, just don't. This fic is transcendent. It was written in 2003-2004, but even eight years later I can honestly say that it is one of the most impressive stories of Arda that I've ever read. This, coming from someone who isn't that fond of movie!Legolas and thinks that Éowyn/Faramir is romantic and awesome. This Éowyn is strong and competent -- every ounce the woman who killed the Witch-king of Angmar. She rescues Legolas and they form a bond in adversity and it's fun and amazing.

Did I mention the vampires? NO, DON'T RUN AWAY!!! Seriously, it is all woven together with canon explanations and it makes SENSE. This is an author that deeply loves the whole universe that Tolkien created, as see through her exploration of femininity and love in a medieval society, even when she portrays the pain Éowyn experiences when rejecting the traditional role of a woman in her society. Don't believe me about how awesome it is? When I was researching this author for this rec, I found several other people recommending this story, too. This recommendation sums up my feelings pretty well, too.

Author's Summary: In the aftermath of the War of the Ring, Eowyn comes to the painful realization that the wounds of the heart she still bears cannot be healed by going back to the cage, however gilded, however loving the master. Four years and hundreds of leagues later, her past is about to catch up with her in more ways than one.

The Price of Freedom by Erin Lasgalen

alternate link to story
another alternate link to the story

Fandom: INCEPTION
Title: Unclaimed Luggage and Unscheduled Departures
Pairing: Arthur/Eames, Saito/Yusuf, everyone/everyone
Length: 2,105
Author on LJ: psocoptera
Author Website: author's works on AO3
Why this must be read:

One of the staples of Inception fic is that it plays with the idea that the whole movie was just a dream (which, of course, the movie invites us to do). But as this fic's summary asks, if the entire movie was Cobb's dream, what would happen to the rest of the characters (projections all) after Dom leaves them in the airport?

What I love about this fic, apart from the way it handles the basic question of the premise, is how much *fun* it is. It's easy to write angsty, bleak existential fics about the realization that you/your friends are all projections--but I think it's much more difficult to write something wry and sprightly like this, that's playful and metaphorical without getting bogged down in itself.

( They try hedonism, of course. )

Unclaimed Luggage and Unscheduled Departures

Fandom: NCIS
Pairing: none / gen fic
Length: 3000+ words
Author on LJ: mrwubbles
Author website/archives: not known
Why this must be read: I love everything mrwubbles writes (which means I'm beyond frustrated because there isn't nearly enough to read! *grumbles*). I could rec anything and everything by mrwubbles but picked "Half Empty, Half Full" because it's Tony-centric, features whumped!Tony, a wonderful team/friendship feeling...and while it has a happy ending of sorts, it's still bittersweet and tugs at your heart strings. It's brilliantly written, incredibly in character and something that I could easily see happening on the show.

(Half Empty, Half Full)

Welcome to another fun round of the Merlin crack van. Strap in and enjoy tales of our favorite prince and warlock!

Fandom: MERLIN
Pairing: Arthur/Merlin
Length: 1,442 words
Author on LJ: toestastegood
Author Website: LJ fic comm: fic_flail
Why this must be read:

Author's Summary: On the battlefield, Merlin's power grows.

A lovely look at the sheer power reservoirs that exist within Merlin and a Arthur who is both a little uneasy with this BAMF! Merlin and yet is also accepting with all the love his heart can hold. After all underneath it all, Merlin is still Merlin, goofy, disrespectful, loyal, and true. I love a good powerful!Merlin story and this delivers in spades, showing us some of the consequences of that power and the love behind it.

Gold