Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: None. Team Gen Fic
Length: Individual episodes vary from 8,000 to 14,000 words. In total novel length.
Author on LJ:deinonychus_1 lukadreaming,  fififolle, bigtitch, fredbassett, telperion_15, lsellersfic, reggietate, cupidandpsycho, munchkinofdoom,
Author Website: More fic by these authors can be found on primeval_denial
Why this must be read: This is my last rec for the month and as I started by reccing the first of the Virtual Series that have run in primeval_denial, I though the most fitting way to end this series of recs is with the second of the Virtual Serie . Again the episodes are action packed, team based and all very much have the flavour of the show itself. So far as fic is concerned this is the closest you’re going to get to the actual show! And as Primeval returns to UK screens on 1st January 2011, this will hopefully whet your appetite for more dino-adventures. The first VS was great, but the second one is even bigger and better, so don't miss it!

The link to the boxed set of all episodes can be found here.

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Stephen/Ryan
Length: 50,000
Author on LJ:lukadreaming
Author Website: Author’s masterlist on LJ.
Why this must be read: Stephen/Ryan has always been a popular pairing in the fandom and this series depicts their relationship in gritty and always believable detail, showing how they gradually become closer until their lives are thrown into turmoil by Ryan’s near-death experience in the Permian with the Future Predators. The soldier’s struggle to regain his health and maintain his relationship with Stephen is heart-rending in its intensity at times and sucks the reader in and keeps you there with them, every step of the way.


Part 1: A Fire is Burning, Part 2: We Could Leave Right Now, Part 3: This Year Next Year, Part 4: All That Way for This, Part 5: Ways of Holding On, Part 6: Someone You Might Have Been, Part 7: Jump Through the Fire, Part 8: Pain or Paradise, Part 9: Love Vigilantes, Part 10: The Generals Are Born Again, Part 11: Blood Wedding, Part 12: Blood Red Roses

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Connor/Ryan
Length: 1,774
Author on LJ: oddegg
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: oddegg has a wonderful knack of combining humour and hotness and she's at her best when she’s taken up residence in the head of Connor Temple, the team’s resident computer and dinosaur geek. Connor/Ryan is an unlikely pairing at first sight, and on screen they have very little direct interaction, but thanks to several fanfic writers they’ve become one of the fandom’s favourite pairings.

Link here

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: None, but focuses on Nick and Stephen
Length: 6,000
Author on LJ:reggietate
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: The relationship between Nick Cutter and hi assistant, Stephen Hart, is central to the first two series of Primeval, and in this story the author takes a very believable, down to earth, approach to the breakdown of that relationship and explores what might have been if they had been along together long enough to start really talking.

Story link here

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Team gen
Length: 3,000ish
Author on LJ:ladyofastolat
Author Website: None.
Why this must be read: It’s clever and it’s funny! The author has all the team members caught so beautifully that you can practically hear them saying their lines. Stephen is used to meeting strange things via the anomalies, but this one is stranger than most.

I think this excerpt sums it up nicely : "Oh! You mean dinosaurs?" the creature exclaimed. "They're my distant relatives, in a tangled sort of fashion. Though I never liked them much myself. You know what family reunions are like. They're the strange cousins you don't like, but have to invite because Aunty Gladys will be offended if you don't."

Story link here

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Ryan/Lester/Nick, Abby/Connor
Length: Approximately 15,000
Author on LJ:talliw
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: This story was written for the Secret Santa last year in one of the Primeval communities and it’s a perfect seasonal story combining elements of German myth and ancient custom into a story that takes the Primeval team on a trip abroad. The blend of the normal and the supernatural in this story is immensely skilful and the author’s descriptions are always so very vivid that you feel you’re watching a film unfold before your eyes. It really is the perfect story for Christmas Eve.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Jenny
Length: Approx. 10,000
Author on LJ:lsellersfic
Author Website: Here
Why this must be read  This author writes excellent adventure stories and this is a great example of that genre. The team get chance to spend some time on the other side of an anomaly, studying the environment and its inhabitants, but naturally  not everything goes according to plan. Read this one for great action, lovely team interaction, a side order of Nick/Jenny and a very exciting and wholly ingenious escape.

Part 1, Part 2
 

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: None.
Length: 6,300
Author on LJ:tli
Author Website: As above
Why this must be read: As a fandom, Primeval isn’t short of humour, but every now and again a story simply leaps off the page and has you rolling in the aisle laughing and this is what happened to me as soon as I saw this one. There’s a bit of a clue in the title, and I think the author’s summary captures the flavour of this beautifully by saying: Will not give into urge to stamp feet and cry loudly: "Not only have I survived a tour of duty in Afghanistan but I now hunt dinosaurs for a living. I'M SPECIAL TOO!"

The author follows a week in the life of Captain Hilary Becker. Warning, don’t drink while reading or your screen will suffer as a result.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Stephen/Ryan
Length: 6,000
Author on LJ: bigtitch
Author Website: Author masterlist here
Why this must be read:The previous series, Be Careful What You Wish For, which I recced yesterday tears your heart out and stomps on it, but this one goes some way to healing those wounds. The author doesn’t give the readership an easy ride in this series and the great thing about it is the way that the emotional side is explored without wallowing in angst. Stephen’s pain is very raw and very real, but it’s a wonderful read.

Part 1, Part 2, Epilogue

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Stephen/Ryan
Length: 6,500
Author on LJ:bigtitch
Author Website: Author masterlist http://bigtitch.livejournal.com/159301.html#cutid3 here
Why this must be read: Because it rips your heart out and makes you cry and it’s wonderful! Ryan is dead and Stephen is just coming to terms with that when Ryan walks back into his life through and anomaly. The only snag is that this Ryan doesn’t remember that they were ever in a relationship and Stephen has to face the prospect of losing his lover all over again. It’s angsty and painful and an absolute must read. There is a sequel, and I’ll be reccing that as well.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Lester/Ryan
Length: 5,000 – 6,000 ish in total
Author on LJ:telperion_15
Author Website: Author's masterlist on LJ.
Why these must be read: These are three linked stories for the same pairing, and you must read them because they’re HOT! Is there a better reason? Lester is a super-snarky bureaucrat; Ryan is the ever-competent Special Forces leader from series 1. In these stories they’re two alpha males jostling for position. And these stories are HOT. Did I mention the HOT part? OK, I think you get the picture….

Dominance, Submission, Capitulation

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Lester/Danny
Length: Approximately 30,000 in total
Author on LJ: rusty_armour
Author Website: author’s masterlist on LJ
Why this must be read: This story is funny, heart-warming and always entertaining. Lester’s consciousness is transferred into the body of a German Shepherd dog and this is the story of what happens next and how Lester manages his relationship with Danny and the rest of the team. It is beautifully told and quite definitely one of my favourite stories in the fandom. The author has a gift for working humour into the tale (no pun intended) in a way that never crosses the line into crack. I was totally gripped and enchanted by the story from the very first chapter. Needless to say, Lester – always a fandom favourite – very much remains the Lester we know and love, even though he is in the body of a dog.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13

Fandom: PRIMEVAL (crossover with SPOOKS)
Pairing:
Length: 32,315 in 13 parts
Author on LJ: cordeliadelayne
Author Website: Author’s masterlist on LJ
Why this must be read: Spies and dinosaurs might not seem the most obvious fit, but trust me, this author brings the two shows together in a seamless whole, integrating the characters from both into a fascinating story of intrigue and action that gathers pace relentlessly to an explosive climax.

Links to all 13 parts.

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Abby/Connor
Length: Approx. 10,000
Author on LJ:thewritingbug
Author Website: None but a masterlist to the stories in this universe can be found Here
Why this must be read:This story is part of the shared universe which spins out of my last story recommendation, Cloudy with a Trace of Connors, and follows the story of one of those multiple Connors, generally known as Eye Patch Connor. He’s best described in the words of his creator, evenstar_estel , who says: He’s an angry, dirty, lonely, raunchy fucker who's covered in scars, who tastes of cigarettes and despair, with a broken heart, who craves the touch of his long lost Abby (and also a good hard shag). As a bonus he also likes to have sex with his cleaner, younger more idealistic self. I think that pretty much describes exactly why this story must be read! This is the story of how Eye Patch Connor ends up with both Abby and his younger counterpart. It also introduces Eva the dog, who is a great character in her own right.

The LJ links are as follows:  Part 1,  Part 2,  Part 3,  Part 4,  Part 5,  Part 6,  Part 7,  Epilogue

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Abby/Connor
Length: 3,800
Author on LJ:evenstar_estel
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: Every so often a story comes along that really captures people’s imaginations and inspires others to play in the same sandbox, exploring other possibilities inherent in the original, and this is one of those stories. Imagine multiple versions of Connor, all from different timelines, all arriving in the same place at the same time… yep, it’d be pretty chaotic! The characters created by evenstar_estel  have now been picked up by various different authors in the fandom to good effect, but this was the first, so take this opportunity to read and enjoy the one that started it all! I'll be reccing one of the spin-offs tomorrow.

Over here to the fic

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Stephen
Length: 5,685
Author on LJ:elfinessy
Author Website:  None
Why this must be read: The relationship between Nick Cutter and Stephen Hart is central to the first two series and is a very popular pairing in fanfic. This author writes superb Nick/Stephen in a wide variety of stories, with fix-its figuring very heavily, because there’s an awful lot in this part of the canon that needs fixing! This story is told from the point of view of various characters, all in the first person, which works very well indeed and lends a great depth and immediacy.

This way to the fic...

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Claudia
Length: Short
Author on LJ:doylefan22
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: It’s short, it’s funny and it’ll brighten your day. Nick is stuck in a boring meeting and is determined to misbehave via email.

Fic this way...

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Becker/Ryan
Length: 1,089
Author on LJ:kerry_louise
Author Website: Here
Why this must be read: Primeval has two great Special Forces captains, Ryan in Series 1 and Becker in Series 3. They never meet in canon, but most Primeval authors don’t let minor matters like that stand in the way of a good fic, and this one is a very good fic indeed. It’s a nice, simple and very hot PWP. The perfect thing to warm you up on a cold day.

The fic can be found here...

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Team, but with some Lester/Lyle(OC)
Length: 6,200
Author on LJ:steamshovelmama
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: Primeval is a show that needs fix-its. Three character deaths in three series does make that something of a given. Fans were gutted by the loss of Nick Cutter and there have been a wide variety of fix its, but none have explored the subject in quite such visceral detail as this author. She puts her medical knowledge to stunning effect in a fic that had me completely gripped from the beginning. Primeval has given birth to a wide variety of original characters, mainly amongst the soldiers, and this is mostly told from the point of view of a Special Forces medic engaged in a desperate fight for Cutter’s life as he’s rushed to hospital. The story is time-stamped throughout with the inclusion of vivid medical details that add even more urgency to an already breathtaking story.

The story is here

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing:Connor/Ryan
Length: 3,000
Author on LJ:deinonychus_1
Author Website: Author’s masterlist here.
Why this must be read:Although the creators of the show have only made very limited use of timeline changes, fanfic authors don’t bind themselves with the same constraints and this is an excellent example of timey-wimeyness. Captain Ryan made a huge impact on a large number of fans who prefer him alive and well in fic, preferably as often as possible. He’s also quite regularly paired with Connor and this story combines angst and hope into a seamless whole.

The story is here...

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Ryan
Length: 1,088
Author on LJ:fififolle
Author Website: Author’s masterlist HERE
Why this must be read: The moment in the very first episode when the long-suffering Special Forces leader, Captain Ryan, takes direct action to deal with the stubborn scientist he’s been charged with bringing back safely from a trip to the past, is a very popular one with fans. And this story is a lovely look at what might have happened between the two men when they’re safely back in their own time. The author captures both men’s characters beautifully.

The story can be found HERE

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: None. Team Gen Fic
Length: 5,766
Author on LJ: lil_shepherd
Author Website: None
Why this must be read: This story is set in the aftermath of the last episode of Series 2. It’s hard-hitting, gritty and utterly realistic. The author’s portrayal of Lester, a pivotal character in the show in many ways, is an absolute joy. As we saw in the show itself, Lester is a pretty tough cookie, able to handle himself in a tight corner and his determination and self-control really shine through in this story.  This is also a great look at the whole team in very traumatic circumstances.

This way to the story...

Hello, I’m fredbassett and I’m going to be driving the Van this month for the TV show Primeval. The show returns to our screens in the UK on 1st January 2011. It has pretty men and DINOSAURS!  What more could anyone want? I'm primarily a slasher, but I will be reccing some gen and het, and I'll be aiming for a reasonable cross-section of fic, from series to standalones. The fandom overview can be found HERE

So, here's my first rec for the month:

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: None. Team Gen Fic
Length: Individual episodes vary from 8,000 to 14,000 words. In total novel length.
Author on LJ:reggietate , telperion_15 , fredbassett , joereaves , deinonychus_1 , lukadreaming , hestia8 , bigtitch
Author Website:More fic by these authors can be found on primeval_denial
Why this must be read: The two Virtual Series that have been run in primeval_denial rank amongst the most ambitious projects that the fandom has attempted – and pulled off. In the first one, eight authors collaborated to provide 11 episodes varying in length from around 8,000 to 13,000 words, and together they produced the written equivalent of an entire series that runs to a decent sized novel in length. The episodes are action packed, team based and all very much have the flavour of the show itself. If you like Primeval, you will love these! The first episode starts off with a scenario that really can’t be bettered and very definitely kicks the series off with a bang. A very big bang! If you’ve never read any Primeval fic before, this is a great place to start.

The link to the boxed set of all episodes can be found HERE

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Stephen/Ryan
Length: 52,000 words (ten parts)
Author on LJ: fredbassett
Author Website: None – see LJ masterlist
Why this must be read:

I've saved the best until last! We've got some top-quality writing in Primeval, including a number of outstanding series – and The Devil's Crowll is my all-time favourite. It's sustained adventure writing at its finest, with rock-solid plotting, vivid action scenes (you might want to read the caving ones with the lights on!), scary critters and a fantastic team dynamic. It's ostensibly Stephen/Ryan, but the slash takes a back seat to the white-knuckle action.

This is my final rec. Thank you very much for having me and if you want to keep in touch with all the fabulous fiction that's being written in Primeval, subscribe to the anomaly_news weekly newsletter. Happy new year, everyone!

The Devil's Crowll part 1

part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7, part 8, part 9, part 10, author's note

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Connor (mentions Nick/Stephen)
Length: 2500
Author on LJ: deinonychus_1
Author Website: None – see LJ masterlist
Why this must be read:

If you want angst and pretty boys broken, then read deinonychus_1's fic! The Substitute is the beginning of her 'Need' series, which spans series 2 and 3 from the breakdown of Nick's relationship with Stephen to the appearance of Captain Becker. The story stands on its own very well, but if you want to read the others, they're on deinonychus_1's masterlist. Be warned: This is a dark series and not for everyone! But it's a scary and compelling glimpse into the characters' minds. deinonychus_1 gets way beyond Connor as the comedy geek and shows us a bleaker side to him.


The Substitute

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Gen
Length: 20,000 words (five parts)
Author on LJ: munchkinofdoom
Author Website: None – see LJ masterlist
Why this must be read:

If this was a novel, you'd call it a page-turner. It's an exciting adventure five-parter, set on a remote Scottish island that hides a dangerous secret. munchkinofdoom writes great action scenes and is a very sound plotter, so you always know you're in safe hands with her.



A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing part 1

part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Nick/Stephen, Connor/Ryan
Length: Seven parts
Author on LJ: barefoot_starz
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:

There are AUs and there are AUs. This one hurtles in from far out in leftfield – our favourite men and women working in a brothel (there's a lot of black leather attire around!), and Helen, who's the brothel owner, being thwarted all down the line …


Anomaly on 15th Street part 1

Part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6, part 7

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Gen
Length: 5800
Author on LJ: reggietate
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:

The complex relationship between Nick and Stephen is one that will keep the fangirls gainfully employed for years! In A Walk in the Permian, reggietate adds an ill Nick to the mix as two stubborn and pig-headed men finally realise that they might just need to talk . . . As always with this writer, their interaction is totally believable.

A Walk in the Permian

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Hints of Connor/Abby, Connor/Cutter, Cutter/Stephen, Connor/Lester
Length: Four parts
Author on LJ: black_minorca
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:

In which our heroes are transported to Victorian Scotland where young Connor Temple, accompanied by pet lizard Rex, begins studying at the University of Edinburgh under the eminent Professor Cutter and his handsome assistant Stephen Hart . . . What, though, is the suspicious Sir James Lester up to?

The story is in the form of letters sent to Connor's beloved Abigail and also diary entries to his journal, named Nabby! This is AU fanfic that makes you purr with pleasure at just how clever and inventive and witty it is. And black_minorca pitches the 'voice' immaculately.

Dearest Abigail part 1

part 2, part 3, part 4

Fandom: PRIMEVAL
Pairing: Connor/Stephen, Stephen/Ryan, Connor/Stephen/Ryan
Length: 1300
Author on LJ: odsbodkins
Author Website: None
Why this must be read:

It's Christmas Eve, you've got three presents still to buy, a feast to prepare and Uncle Albert's been at the cooking sherry already… So trust me, what you need is funny, smutty fanfic in the shape of Odsbodkins' Connor and Caves where Connor gets more than he bargained for when he's stranded in a cave with Stephen – with Captain Ryan on the other end of the radio. The fic's full of lovely lines, including my favourite I’m trained in covert wanking!

Happy Christmas, everyone!

Connor and Caves