Title: Rooms by epigone
Pairing: Dan/Keller, Keller/OMC, Dan/Casey)
Author on LJ: likethesun2
Author Website: Finishing the Hat

Why this must be read: Sports Night has more than its fair share of lightweight, fluffy fics – which are fine in their own way, in the same way that desserts are fine in their own way … but you wouldn't want to live on them all the time. (Those of you who would: hush, now, and eat your greens, or you will get spots.) Much rarer in the fandom are good, meaty, dramatic fics, stories that you can get your figurative teeth into, and which will leave you satisfied for a long, long time after.

The introduction here of a character and some backstory from Oz, a show not noted for its fluff, goes a long way toward remedying this situation. Not every author could have made it work – but likethesun2 is not just any author; she's one of the best in whatever fandom she's currently writing.

Here a restless Dan Rydell goes looking for something to fill a void in his life; finds something more than he had bargained for; and comes altogether too close to not being able to regret it.

Rooms

Back again to drive the Oz van and do a better job this time. We may be a small fanfom, but there are new gems coming along the time, and let's start with a recent post that needs to be on any Oz fan's must read list...

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: mandysbitch
Author website:

Why this must be read: Because it's sad, and it hurts, and some sections kick you right in the belly, and it's an amazing look inside what makes Chris Keller tick. It's hard to pick just one small part to illustrate, but this bit here, at the beginning, gives an idea of what's in store:

( excerpt )

What's true, what isn't? Small wonder we can never know when Chris himself doesn't, and that's what this fic does best, try to capture a little bit of the blank slate that is Chris Keller. Most of it isn't pretty, all of its angsty, the last bit hurts like hell, but it's all good.

Go, read, tell her you want more like it. *g*

Ten Stories

Title: Looking for them by mandysbitch
Pairing: Beecher/Stabbler
Author on LJ: mandysbitch
Author Website:Mindgames
Why this must be read:

I'm quite surprised that this fic wasn't recorded yet. It was written for Oz_magi 2004 (and for me!) and it's the best Oz/SVU crossover I read for a while.
Believable, bittersweet. Very good. Very well written. Read it!

( an exerpt... )
Looking for them

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author's LJ: rileyc
Author's website: My slice of UnitB
Why this must be read

I didn't find much lately in the Oz fandom that brought me as much pleasure as it used to. In the end, you have to rely on the best writers to brush against perfection.
Here's the first one of a few...
It's short, it's perfectly characterized, the voices are good and it's hot. The writing is flawless.
So?

All washed up!

Fandom:;OZ
Pairing:Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: dargie
Author Website:Dargie's outpost
Why this must be read:

Because it's one of the hottest fics Dargie wrote. I called it transgressive once, not because of the sex but because our heroes have a kinky moment -something that's not very often mentionned in fanfic. The writing is perfect, the sex is wonderful, it's both peaceful and sexy. The voices are spot on.

Perfect.

( An exerpt? Yessir! )

So go read Suspended animation

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: cheightsAuthor Website: CatHeights
Why this must be read: Because it's by CatHeights, and she's writing about the NYE reunion, interwoven with memories of the not-so-wonderful path that brought them to that point. So there's angst and introspection and oh so sexy toe-curling smut packed in there. That's plenty reason enough.

But, you know, there's also reasons like this:

( Wanting Keller is easy... )

Or this:

( While his fingers can't get enough of Keller... )

And lots more like it, just click on the happy little link here to go find it.

Stages

Title: Slash Evidence: The Vignettes -- Cakewalk by Saundra Mitchell
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author Website:No ones that I can currently locate. Her stories at Down In The Basement can be found here.
Why this must be read:

Because there are too few Krycek-in-prison stories and this one is a wonderfully hard-edged and unromanticized vision of Krycek paying for the crime of being caught. Everyone is in character here (it's set sometime after Terma in X-Files and in the first couple of seasons of OZ, and in the case of OZ ends up departing from canon) and if you know one show but not the other you'll still be able to follow along just fine. This is definitely more a Krycek character study with Oz providing a background in which the study takes place than a story designed to illuminate both sets of characters equally.

( A little taste of life in OZ. )

Cakewalk

Me again, and off to a late start driving the Oz van here. While I'm waiting for a chance to rec some recent entries in an Oz fic challenge, though, there's no reason not to dig back a ways and pull out a golden oldie that shouldn't be forgotten...

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: B/K
Author on LJ: not that i know of
Author website: author's page at C5 archive
Why this must be read:

Because it hurts so good, and gives an insight into Keller that isn't commonplace. Loranova only wrote a handful of stories in the fandom, bringing a unique touch to them all. Several make you truly laugh out loud. This one, Chris reflecting on Toby and his life as he languishes in protective custody S5, will break your heart.

( click here for an excerpt )

The Other Last Duet

Fandom: OZ
Characters: Tobias Beecher/Mondo Browne
Author on LJ: rustler
Author Website: Author's page at Unit B Archive
Why this must be read:

Dude, it's rustler. What more do you need to know?

Okay, more: Season 4. Toby and Mondo Browne. Oh, boy... so much going on *there*, and Rustler captures all of the layers of it in this terrific fic, which was written for a Hardtime 100 Flashfic challenge. Motivations and recriminations and mind games and power plays and revenge and of course, self-punishment -- how can it be all of these things at once? But it totally is.

Excerpt:

Mondo's eyes are closed, darting movement like REM-sleep flickering under his lids. Fantasizing? Maybe he really is trying to pretend he's with a woman. Which might be interesting, except that it's not. You don't care about Mondo's pathology, only your own.

Go read Abandoned.

Hey guys. *waves* I'm taking the wheel for Oz in December, so let's get started, shall we? I'll start off the month with an "oldie" which remains one of my very favorite stories in the fandom.

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Keller/Beecher
Author on LJ: handful_ofdust
Author Website: Segregation
Why this must be read:

If you read Oz fan fiction at all, it's likely that you are already familiar with the writing of Gemma Files. Even in this fandom, which has more than it's fair share of talented writers, Gemma's stories are unique -- and often unforgettable. Reading her writing isn't really like "reading" at all - it's more like experiencing the story as it unfolds around you, seeing it and smelling it and *feeling* it. Her prose is dense with sensory details, so dense you get lost in it until it's all over -- and if you're anything like me, you then have to go back to read the story again immediately, just to try to figure out how she does it, how she digs *so* deeply into a scene that you forget you're reading a story at all.

"Detente" is a short fic, a post-New Year's Eve lockdown story (someone once said that every Oz writer has one, and I thank the gods for it!), and Gemma tackles it from Chris Keller's point of view. In her typical fashion, she digs deep into her chosen moment and shows it to us from the inside out, with all its blood and glory intact.

An excerpt:
A minute later, it was just mouth on mouth and limb on limb, crammed up against the back of the lower bunk with a blanket between them and any passing hacks--a half-year's worth of poison leaching from them both in one explosive burst, quick and dirty, almost *painful*. A slow-motion nuclear blast, with both of them ridin' that bomb ALL the way down.

Go read Detente.

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: ??
Author Website: ??
Why this must be read:
This story takes place after "You Bet Your Life." Slutty!Beecher gets locked in a room with Killer!Keller, and much smuttiness takes place. Toby seems just a little crazy in this, and Keller is far too sane. This fic is hot, but bittersweet... it's a perfect look at a moment out of time.

Straight

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: rileyc
Author Website: Little Bluebirds
Why this story must be read:
I've always loved stories that look at all the possibilities of what could have happened differently after Beecher and Keller's first kiss in the laundry room. This story does that, and does it better than any I've read. It's wonderfully written, and stays true to the characters the show gave us. And at it's core, despite the darkness of its characters, it's a romance.

This Kiss

Hi, everyone! I'll be your humble Oz recc'er for the month of November.

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: callmerizzo
Author Website: Strange Bedfellows
Why this must be read:

This story is set on the first night of lockdown, post-"Out o' Time." It's everything you'd hope a lockdown story would be... it's hot, it's dark, and does an amazing job of describing the tense air between Keller and Beecher on the first night back together in a pod. It's Chris' POV, and you can't help but feel his fear about what will happen between the two of them. And in the end, this story is just sexy as hell.

First Time for Everything

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: Author Page on Cellblock 5
Why this must be read:
Simply because this is the funniest alternate universe ever created for the Oz boys. The writing is witty, sharp and quick, and the image of Toby as a camp queen is to die for. This was just the first in a hilarious series (there's also Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's fics), but it can be read as a stand alone. O'Reily also makes an appearance, and it's worth the read just for his Halloween costume, which made me snicker like mad the first time I read this.

Happy Halloween

And with that, I sign off as the Oz Crack Van recc'er. Happy Halloween, guys! :)

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: blackchaps
Author Website: Slash Fanfiction by JustBlackChaps
Why this must be read:

Because it's some brand spankin' new Oz fic, that only just got completed, and just in time for me to rec it! Fabulous AU in which Keller is a guard at Oz, rather than an inmate, fucking around with an imprisoned Beecher. This fic is so well-written and fabulous, and the characterisation is perfect. There's a good plot, hot smut, and some truly emotionally intense moments between Beecher and Keller. I don't want to give any more away, because it's so great, you simply must read it. Seriously, please read it, it's such an intriguing concept and a wonderfully told story. Plus blackchaps is incredibly self-deprecating and deluded enough to think her stuff is no good - we must convince her otherwise! :o)

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12 (1/2)
Chapter 12 (2/2)

A double helping of recs tonight, since I've not had time to post lately.

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: rileyc
Author Website: Author Page on Cellblock 5
Why this must be read:
Six words - Chris Keller reading Winnie the Pooh, *g*. This is just an adorably lovely piece of domestic fluff for when you feel like something happy and simple. Plus, it has the standard Riley Cannon banter (which we all love) with Chris and Toby comparing each other to Tigger and Pooh, which may very well be the cutest thing ever :)

Chase All the Clouds From the Sky

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: ??
Author Website: ??
Why this must be read:
This is a nice long AU fic, written for the old B/K movie challenge way back when. Chris is a cop who falls in love with a man in a painting, who everyone believes to be dead. This fic is great for when you're in the mood for something plotty - going beyond the love story with a mystery, a villian, a narrow escape and a happy ending - perfect! :) A very, very enjoyable read.

Tobias

Title: A Series Of Dreams by Abyssal
Pairing: Beecher/Stabler
Author on LJ: ??
Author Website: ??
Why this must be read:

Quite possibly the best ever Beecher/Stabler fic, this is infused with so much passion, emotion, realism, anger, hurt, regret, lust and love, that it captures wonderfully the feelings that the B/K relationship invoked in its fans, and how Beecher deals with this when he meets a man who is his dead lover's double. Watching Toby struggle to see Stabler not as a 'replacement Chris', but just 'Elliot', while Stabler finds himself falling in love with a man who's heart belongs to a ghost, is a thing of aching beauty. It's also a fascinating look at Elliot struggling with his own sexuality - not just the homosexual element, but himself as a sexual being. This fic tore my heart out, then somehow managed to heal it again several times over before the end.

A Series Of Dreams

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: N/A
Author Website: Author Page on Unit B
Why this must be read:

This is great little piece of domestic angst - most stories about B/K as a family paint a harmonious picture with Chris getting along perfectly with Toby's kids (nothing wrong with that, they're very enjoyable). But this fic takes a more realistic view, in a universe where Keller retains his flaws, despite being 'domisticated'. Worth the read, just for the unique take on the usual 'kidfic', and of course Ralu's writing is tailor-made for angst whores everywhere.

Domestic

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: ??
Author Website: ??
Why this must be read:

I can't believe this hasn't been recc'd before. It's an amazing alternate take on Season 3, originally posted before the real Season 3 aired. The emotions in this fic are incredible, with Toby struggling so hard to deny the fact that he still wants Keller even after he betrayed him, and Keller continually screwing up his attempts at winning Toby back. There's some great angsty smut in here, as well as issues related to Keller being a cutter. A lovely piece of classic angst from the old days of the fandom.

Covenant

Eep. Sorry, I got a bit lazy with these recs - but I'm continuing on for October, so here we go! :)

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: lisaluvsblair
Author Website: Author page at Unit B
Why this must be read:
I only found this fic after digging through the TSXF mailing list archive, and when I did I felt like I'd stumbled upon buried gold - which is why I begged Lisa to archive it at Unit B. This fic contains Chris Keller at his absolute best - he's angry, he's mean, he's frightening, but at the same time he's vulnerable, scared, and achingly in love with Toby. The intensity of Keller throughout this entire fic never lets up as he swings between making you afraid of him and making you want to hold him tight. It's his vulnerability and utter fear of Toby's rejection that cuts you to the quick in this fic. There are some beautiful moments of h/c and a truly hot-yet-angsty smut scene which is the icing on the cake. I adore this fic, it's one of the best out there.

Force of Nature

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Keller/Schillinger, Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: N/A (but I'm seekng to remedy that!)
Author Website: Author Page at Unit B
Why this must be read:

This fic gives us a look into Keller's early experiences with Schillinger at Lardner (something which really hasn't been explored enough in fic, I feel), cleverly interspersed with present day moments with Beecher. It's an incredibly interesting look into the mind of Chris Keller (who will forever be one of the most fascinating characters on TV), and leaves the reader with so many different things to think about. There are scenes that are handled so deftly by the author that it's truly inspiring to read. Ralu is a fairly new writer to the Oz fandom, but she's already shaping up to be one of the greats. I know ten chapters seems like a lot, but they're actually fairly short chapters, so please give this a try - you won't be disappointed.

( Excerpt )

Human Touch - Part 1: Lardner Snapshot
Human Touch - Part 2: Unthinkable Tenderness
Human Touch - Part 3: May All Your Dreams Come True
Human Touch - Part 4: Limbo
Human Touch - Part 5: Blood Clot
Human Touch - Part 6: Give Me All You Have, All You Can't Give
Human Touch - Part 7: Readjusting's a Bitch
Human Touch - Part 8: Piece of Shit
Human Touch - Part 9: Given the Right Amount of Time and Practice
Human Touch - Part 10: Salvation, Motherfucking Grace

Title: Luck of the Draw by Kikkimax
Fandom: OZ
Pairing: No real pairings, but Stabler, Keller, Beecher and Benson all make an appearance and some kissing/groping does occur.
Author on LJ: ???
Author Website: Kikki's Multi-fandom Fiction
Why this must be read:

Because Kikki has captured the characters from both shows as perfectly as a fanfic writer could ever hope to - her Stabler and Keller in particular are spot on. This is also a fic that takes the old cliche of 'long lost twins' and actually makes it work realistically. Keller and Stabler are forced to temporarily trade places and dangerous hijinks ensue - the scenes with Beecher and Stabler-pretending-to-be-Keller are particularly wonderful, but the real highlights are the two brothers getting to know and love one another. A lovely read and probably the best Oz/SVU crossover out there. There are admittedly some factual mistakes concerning minor characters, but it doesn't detract from the story at all

Luck of the Draw
and
NEVER BEFORE SEEN (PRETTY MUCH) BONUS CHAPTERS!

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: fanfromfla
Author Website: Author Page at Unit B Archive
Why this must be read:

This is a wondefully brilliant noir AU, closely linked with the canon events of Operation Toby. The way canon and AU has been intertwined here, without disturbing the lovely 'noirish' atmosphere of the fic is masterfully done. This is such a well-written, easy, enjoyable read, that you zip through it and are left wanting so much more of this great tale. If this were a just world, fanfromfla would have a lot more time on her hands to write fic, and we'd have more than just the few choice pieces she has done (although, since some of that time is spent maintaining a truly kick-ass Lee Tergesen website, I'm willing to let it slide....for now. *g*)

Clean Break

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Keller/Alvarez
Author on LJ: dustandroses
Author Website: Breaking Parole
Why this must be read:

Three words: TEH HAWT SMUT! Dusty is one of best smut writers in fandom, not only for the porn aspects but for the sizzling atmosphere she creates with her scenes and the dynamic between the characters. This particular pairing is very unusual for Oz, but somehow Dusty makes it work (better than anyone has ever made Keller-with-someone-other-than-Beecher work, IMHO). This fic started as a PWP, but evolved into so much more - this is not sex without plot; the sex is the plot, and each chapter is hotter and more intense than the last. The ending is also realistic and satisfying for the diehard B/K shippers, *g*

Part One: First Move
Part Two: Alvarez Watches
Part Three: Marked Man
Part Four: Power Play
Part Five: The Workout
Part Six: Playing With Fire
Part Seven: Thrill
Part Eight: Pleasure and Pain
Part Nine: Something To Remember

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: alinewrites
Author Website: Aline's Fanfiction
Why this must be read:

This contains a wonderful glimpse at Keller's childhood, which is always an interesting subject, but unlike most fics this doesn't dwell on parental abuse, but Keller's own memories of being a child and his first love. His story holds a possible key to Keller's future dark nature, and this idea is nicely interspersed with his current behaviour towards Beecher within the fic. Lovely, heartbreaking, and just a little disturbing, this is the Keller we know and fear, but still adore and almost pity.

First Love

Hey, I'm Erin and I'll be the Oz driver for September - wheeeee!!! I'm a total B/K shipper, but I do enjoy reading other pairings and I'll try to rec some of those as well for those of you who don't feel the B/K love as strongly as some of us. But for now, I couldn't call myself Riley Cannon's fangirl if I didn't rec one of her fics first! :)

Fandom: OZ
Pairing: Beecher/Keller
Author on LJ: rileyc
Author Website: Unit B Archive (Her personal website is pretty much defunct).
Why this must be read:

This is the way that pesky 'Keller on Death Row' storyline should have played out - not only is it a realistic portrayal of B/K, but it leaves us with a bittersweet sense of hope. It also looks at some other characters and storylines instead of focusing on just B/K, but without at all detracting from the main story. And for lovers of Keller-Angst (like me!) there is an abundance of it in this fic, reminding us of Keller's humanity, and the inherent vulnerability that co-exists with his darker side.

Reunited, And It Don't Feel So Good

*phew* My last rec for the month; it's been fun, if occasionally confusing. *g*

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: B/K
Author on LJ: mandysbitch
Author Website: Mind Games
Why this must be read: Because it's a long and wonderful fic to kick back with and savor. The author has created a canon based alternate universe, where Toby's is out of Oz on parole, trying to put his life back together, when everything is sent topsy-turvy because Chris can't let him go. Here's a sample...

( to whet your appetite )

Good, huh? *g* It's angsty and sexy and funny, and although the rape warning up front is serious, please don't let that scare you off. The author totally gets the love that is between Beecher & Keller, and nothing in this fic hurts that in any way. And the ending... You'll be begging her for a sequel. ;)

Find the rest of it here:

A Collision on the Road

Well, after messing up on the previous rec, it's probably a good thing this is my last day. :/

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: none
Author on LJ: rustler
Author Website: Rustler's Oz Fic
Why this must be read: This one actually has nothing to do with B/K, the figure at the center of it all is in fact Tim McManus, and this is one of the most unique and intriguing glimpses into his mind that I've seen. Read it and see and I bet you'll agree.

( here's an example )

One note: it was written for a Halloween challenge, but that aspect is wonderfully subtle, and packs all the more wallop for that.

Find the rest of it here:

The Keeper

ETA to correct some major goofs in attribution. Shame-faced apologies to Cat & Rustler for mixing you. :( Thank God ultraviolet730 caught it. *phew*

Fandom: Oz
Pairing: B/K
Author on LJ: cheights
Author Website: CatHeight's Lair
Why this must be read: Because it will make you hurt -- but in that really good way the B/K boys have with angst. This is Keller, S5, longing for Toby, and explores the inspiration of a certain line he delivers at one point.

It was written to answer a wish fic for last year's oz_magi challenge, that request being for angsty masturbation, and I think you will agree this comes up aces on delivering.

( a taste )