Note: this page is up only temporarily, to make it easier for people to see these specific recs.
They're all also on the regular recs pages, sorted out by fandom.
Batman Begins | Black Adder | Calvin and Hobbes | Callahan's books | Dead Zone | Dogma | The Facts of Life | Fairy Tales | The Fire's Stone | Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy | Indiana Jones | I Spy | Jake 2.0 | Ladyhawke | Little Men | Magnum, PI | Moonlighting | Murphy Brown | Mythology - Classical | Narnia | Northern Exposure | Ocean's 11 | Odyssey 5 | Peacemakers | Peanuts | The People / Dr. Who | Riddle-Master of Hed | Robot books | Singin' in the Rain | The Sound of Music | Veronica Mars | The Virginian | Wiseguy
updated January 1, 2006
One Life From Many Deaths, by Destina
(slash. sorta. - Bruce/Ducard)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
none
Why you should read this
Although I listed this as slash because there definitely is an erotic, highly charged relationship involved, it actually reads more as gen to me. The story isn't about that relationship per se, but about Bruce's lifelong journey to becoming Batman, of which that relationship is only a part.
The writing is clean and wonderfully suited to Batman -- evocative and with just a hint of formality, both in the language itself and in the cadence. The story itself travels the same path as the movie, but getting deeper into Bruce's head as he hones himself -- and is honed by Ducard -- into Batman, adding a perfect layer to what was on screen.
(slash - Alfred/Lucius)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Old men once were young.
Why you should read this
This is a quiet, subtle piece that made me sigh happily over the pair of them. I have a weakness for slash stories that involve restrained yearning, and while the yearning was softened by time here, it clearly never really went away. The flashbacks build the emotional backstory with delicate touches, while the main story hits all my competence kinks, with Alfred and Lucius just doing what needs to be done, and doing it damned well. Watching them rediscover a bond they thought they'd broken decades earlier is a quiet joy.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Lord Edmund Blackadder was concerned about the state of his tights.
Why you should read this
This? Is Black Adder. heeheeheeHEE. It's wacky and surreal and full of bad puns and innuendo that you don't really want to think about, and basically is just wonderful. If you like Black Adder, you must read this. Simply must.
Transmogrification, by Hyperfocused
(slash - Calvin/Hobbes, Calvin/otherHobbes)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
It's all very real.
Why you should read this
There are bits of this I had to squint through, but overall this is a lovely piece, as Calvin grows up and gets a bit more focused, but never forgets who he really is. The author completely nailed 6-year-old Calvin in the opening, and made his growing-up changes believable.
Many Hands Make Light Work, by Rose Fox
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
A newcomer to Callahan's Place leaves a little more lighthearted than she came.
Why you should read this
This captures the feel of the early books -- fresh and hopeful and full of truly dreadful puns. The meta was a bit too meta for me, but not enough to throw me out of the story, and if ever a fandom could support a little fannish meta, it's Callahan's.
Sympathy for the Devil, by Dira Sudis
(slash - Johnny/Bruce)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
"If the devil repented, could he be saved?"
Why you should read this
This is simply wonderful. It has it all: solid mechanics, great voices (and perfect Bruce POV voice), visions that matter -- both on a global scale and just between Johnny and Bruce -- just everything. The style is very straightforward and pulled me right in, and I could hear every word as though it were an ep.
This is the Bruce, and the Bruce/Johnny, I've wanted to see on screen since Zion. I wish this really had been an episode.
The Definition of Stupid, by Tangerine
(slash - Johnny/Walt)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Johnny knows one thing: the definition of stupid just never seems to change.
Why you should read this
This is fantastic. Perfectly in character, perfectly paced, wonderfully gruff and funny and cranky and hot. The author never forgets that Bruce matters tremendously to Johnny and Sarah matters tremendously to both of them, but keeps this entirely about Johnny and Walt in a way I can totally believe. If you're at all a fan of this pairing, you have to read this story.
The Priest That Tastes The Word, by Prosperina
(er - deific?)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Being the Voice of God could be a confusing experience. He was never quite sure which thoughts were his own and which were the speech of God. Usually the distinction was clear, but still—whenever he found himself waxing poetic on the graces of the Almighty, he always found it a bit suspect.
Why you should read this
This is fabulous, with a perfect Metatron voice snarking away irreverently reverent, and wonderfully playful God. I could hear every word (and see every God look *g*) in my head. This made me incredibly happy.
(gen. ish. femslash hints, Bethany/OC)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Set nearly eleven years after the events of the movie, Bethany figures she has most things figured out all right, but sometimes, humans are just thick.
Why you should read this
It's not easy being the single-mom-of-God, but Bethany does a pretty good job of it, with a little help from her friends. This is charming and warm, with enough snark and exasperation to hold true to the movie. And the ending is just perfect.
(femslash - Jo/Blair)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
It wasn't like kissing boys, which was a lot like fighting.
Why you should read this
This was wonderful -- dead-on characterization and voices, in a sweetly prickly story about discovery and friendship, perfect for this fandom.
The mysterious vanishing Mr Bore, by Triskellian
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
An extract from the police file on an unusual missing person case.
Why you should read this
This is a wonderful twist on a well-known fairy tale, but to say more would be to spoil the story. Just give it a shot.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
none
Why you should read this
Another new twist on a traditional tale. This is wonderful -- disturbing and real, and perfectly couched in the rhythm of a lyrical fairy tale. She deftly adds depth to the story by bringing in other elements, the whole thing creepy and beautiful. I loved it.
The First Moving Picture Show, by Parhelion
(threesome - Aaron/Darvish/Chandra)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
(Aaron/Darvish/Chandra) A sword is not always the best tool for rooting up conspiracy.
Why you should read this
This picks up a while after the end of the book, with Aaron, Darvish, and Chandra settled into their relationship but knowing it has to change soon, and politics still happening all around them. It feels like the book, and is a wonderful epilogue -- or, really, next chapter. She's nailed the characters and the universe and has moved everyone forward just enough. And the picture show itself is a wonder.
The Running of the Deer, by Daegaer
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Arthur's not sure why Ford is gatecrashing a friend's stag night, and he rather wishes he weren't.
Why you should read this
This is a wonderful buddy-fic look at Arthur and Ford's friendship before the Vogons arrived, perfectly in character. I grinned my way through the whole thing, and giggled out loud in spots, and if you liked HHGG, you will too.
Theseus and Ariadne Try Again, by Vanzetti
(het - Indy/Marion)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Crete, 1941: because being chased by mad Nazi archaeologists really is Marion Ravenwood's idea of a good time.
Why you should read this
This feels like the second movie that should have been. I could see and hear all of it in my head; she nailed the voices for Indy and Marion and their pushme-pullyou relationship, and added a great OC in George Peterson. The plot had exactly the right level of twistiness and mystery balanced by Indy's pragmatic, straightforward approach; the action played out the way it did on screen; and the supernatural element was present to exactly the right degree. Fabulous.
Home to Peace, by Michelle Christian
(slash - Kelly/Scotty)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
We all need a place to recharge, a place to breakdown.
Why you should read this
This is a wonderful, warm, long, lovely I Spy story. The characterization and dialogue (banter!) are spot-on, and the whole story weaves in and out of canon as Scotty and Kelly go home to Scotty's mom's at intervals throughout their life together. It's a joy watching Kelly get welcomed into the family before he even knows what happened, and watch him treasure that connection down through the years. Add in a healthy dose of Kelly-angst and some matching protective!Scotty, their constant, comfortable awareness of each other, and their eventual slide into a sexual relationship that's just one more facet of their deeper relationship, and this story is a treasure not to be missed.
(slash - Jake/Kyle)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Slash. Jake Foley/Kyle Duarte. First time.
Why you should read this
This is a charmer of a first-time story. It uses a standard slash trope -- going undercover in a gay bar -- but where that often comes across as stale and cliched now, the author pulls it off here, keeping both men in character and making it all work. Jake's confusion and uncertainty, his wish not to seem gauche, is perfectly balanced by Kyle's smooth confidence and experience. The fits and starts by which Jake moves his way toward wanting Kyle feel very real, and very charming.
Brought to Light, by Rana Eros
(het - Etienne/Isabeau)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
"One day, we will know such happiness, as two people dream of, but never do."
Why you should read this
This is so lovely -- it leaves me breathless with how perfectly it suits canon, how much it feels like the epilogue that simply hadn't been filmed, both in tone/voice and in storyline. That's not an easy thing to pull off for a source that's so delicately balanced between fantasy and romance -- many authors would slide over the line into overly sweet writing, looking to prove the happily-ever-after. This author avoids that trap, while maintaining the genuine romance of it. It's happily-ever-after for real people.
I almost didn't read this for fear that it would lose the feel of the movie, but this held to it beautifully while moving forward with the story. She did an amazing job with it.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
On a fine day in June, Jo and her professor are given a holiday.
Why you should read this
This is completely charming, and perfectly in tune with the book, both in language and mood. The little details of the boys' efforts are hilarious and touching at the same time, just as LMA would have written them. Lovely work.
With You in Any Water, by Lucy Gillam
(gen, with slash hints - Higgins/Magnum)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
The hardest part was coming home to the lads. Set during "Limbo."
Why you should read this
This has a dead-on Higgins voice throughout -- a little melancholy, focused on duty and thoughts of the regiment, honest and honorable. The slash is subtle and understated, and all the sweeter and more painful for it. Just lovely.
What Happens on Vega$ Stays on Vega$, by Yahtzee
(er. gen? mostly?)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
After a wild and crazy Vegas Casino Night at the bar, David Addison wakes up married -- to Agnes DiPesto.
Why you should read this
This is the best Moonlighting story ever. The writing is sharp and clean, the voices are dead-on perfect, and the whole thing reads like one of the more brilliantly whacked episodes. And just when you think it's reached its peak, it keeps going, getting better and better. Absolutely brilliant.
All I Want for Christmas, by Amilyn
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
FYI draws names for holiday gifts; stress ensues.
Why you should read this
This is wonderful -- spot-on voices and characterization in a funny, charming story that captures the show perfectly. Reading it made me happy. If you liked Murphy Brown, you'll like this one.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Dionysus would very much like to teach Apollo a lesson.
Why you should read this
This is stunning -- lyrical and gorgeous, moving between the stately order of Apollo's music to the wild earthiness of Dionysus's, and bringing them together in a crescendo. Beautifully done.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
[The Magician's Nephew] Uncle Andrew, before (and perhaps after) his death - a second chance, and a lesson in faith.
Why you should read this
This is a redemption story, for a character I never thought to see redeemed: Uncle Andrew from The Magician's Nephew. The author nailed Lewis's voice and style, making this totally believable.
Too Young, Too Old, by vongroovy
(slash. ish - Edmund/Caspian)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Edmund on the Dawn Treader, and growing up again. Edmund/Caspian.
Why you should read this
The author's summary really does say it all -- that's exactly what this story is. She's nailed the characters and language, and the whole thing is overlaid with a wistful trace of things lost or never known without ever bogging down in it. This is just wonderful. If you're not a slash fan, give this a shot anyway; this is much more a character study of Edmund than a romance.
And Indeed There Will Be Time, by Signe
(gen. ish. het overtones, Lucy/Caspian)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Time isn't the same here, in the real Narnia.
Why you should read this
This could easily have been schmaltzy, and avoids that trap completely while remaining sweet and warm. Lucy as the POV narrator was the perfect choice for this, as she and the others discover the real Narnia and live their deeper, richer lives.
Merry Christmas, Dr. Fleischman, by Isis
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Joel's friends want to give him the perfect Christmas present.
Why you should read this
This is wonderful -- adorable and charming and quirky and sweet, with a briskly pragmatic edge, just like the show at its best. The author nails the voices and characters. I can totally see this happening just like this in an episode.
(slash - Danny/Rusty)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Some things are better if you have to work for them.
Why you should read this
This? Is really hot, and really fun. It's also got spot-on characters and voices, and had me grinning in delight all the way through it. This is everything I like in Ocean's 11 fiction.
(slash - Kurt/Neil)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
[Kurt/Neil] If you're so busy fighting the battle that you forget to live, then you've already lost the war.
Why you should read this
This is a wonderful look at Neil, a grownup forced to live as an adolescent, and the one man who accepts him for exactly who he is. The voices are dead-on and the setup is believable, with just enough angst and tension to make it all real.
This Is Me Breathing, by estrella
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Angela had been missing for over three years when she walked into the diner one late September afternoon.
Why you should read this
This feels very much like the show to me, if the show had kept going. Everyone's a little older, a little wearier, a little more stressed-out and yet dealing. Terrific work.
The Winter Trail, by Keiko Kirin
(slash - Stone/Finch)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
While investigating a case with Detective Finch, Marshal Stone considers where the trail has led him.
Why you should read this
This was written for me for Yuletide 2005, and it made me incredibly happy. The slash is subtle and warm, layered under a case that could have been an episode. The voices and characterization are spot-on, the writing is clean and wonderfully suited to Jared's narrative voice, the case is interesting, and the relationship is real. Watching it develop and thrive in small moments as both men become more consciously aware of what's between them in a joy. Go, read, and give my Santa much praise for this fabulous story.
Every Good Girl Does Fine, by Charli J
(femslash, just barely - Patty/Marcie)
Author's summary
But these are our times, Marcie -- our glory days.
Why you should read this
This is an utterly charming look at the Peanuts gang growing up, through Patty's eyes, Marcie ever at her side. It's not something I ever would have thought to look for, since for me the Peanuts gang are always kids, but this was sweet and wonderfully in-character.
(gen, hints of femslash - Karen/Melodye)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Karen learned a lot from her year Outside. Crossover with implied Karen/Melodye.
Why you should read this
I would never, ever, have believed that Zenna Henderson's People books could have been crossed with Doctor Who -- but this pulls it off and makes me believe it.
On the People side, the language and attitude matches Henderson's, making this feel like a People story. On the Dr. Who side -- well, you should read it to see, but I will say that she manages to get in more than one incarnation of the Doctor, and will surprise you where she goes with it.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
none
Why you should read this
This is a sequel that McKillip never got around to writing, or accidentally cut out of the books, or something. It's that good. Language, imagery, pacing, characters -- everything is dead-on and gorgeous. Her focus is Lyra (the Morgol's daughter), not Morgon or Raederle, and she paints as deep a picture of Lyra as you could want, perfectly in tune with the books. If you like the Riddle-Master books, you must read this.
(slash - Elijah/Daneel)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
After the events on Aurora, Elijah Baley anticipates an uneventful trip back to Earth with R. Daneel Olivaw. But the trip is anything but uneventful, and soon Baley is faced with more mysteries--both professional, and personal.
Why you should read this
If Asimov wrote Robot slash, this is what he would have written. The case is properly twisty, with clues laid out that reason can solve -- and Baley's solution is highly satisfying, both a personal and professional victory. But overshadowing that is his more personal journey, as he realizes just what Daneel means to him.
As always, Dorinda's writing is subtle and warm, evoking reactions in me that are bone-deep satisfying.
Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by Widget
(slash - Don/Cosmo)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
It wasn't exactly a glamorous life, but at least he didn't have to go it alone.
Why you should read this
This is a lovely bit of backstory for Cosmo and Don, and the author nailed their voices and rhythm. The connection and affection between them is just there, regardless of who Don's charming or how grim their surroundings are; it really captures their onscreen relationship for me.
The slash in this is a very subtle thing -- for most of it, it reads as warm gen. If you're a gen-only fan, you should still give this a shot. You won't be disappointed.
Innocent as a Rose, by Annabelle Wrights
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Liesl, far from the eidelweiss.
Why you should read this
This is lovely -- bittersweet both on the larger level of a refugee family struggling in a new land (seen through the filter of Liesl's life) and the more intimate level of Liesl struggling to find an adult identity. It's perfectly balanced on that knife-edge of adolescent tension, as Liesl wavers between feeling, wanting, adult things, and running back to Maria to be babied, wanting the Children to still be the Children, to not lose what they had despite all the changes in their lives. Subtly, wonderfully done.
(gen)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
The Grinch lives in the hearts of every good little boy and girl in Neptune.
Why you should read this
This is a small gem, slotted into second-season canon right around "One Angry Veronica". The voices in this are pitch-perfect, and the whole thing feels like a filmed scene that accidentally got cut. Fantastically done.
A Confidence of the Flesh, by Rush-That-Speaks
(slash - narrator/Virginian)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
This is set after Em'ly and before the introduction of Molly Stark.
And yes, people do really do this with elk. Googling 'elk velvet' is an entertaining experience.
Why you should read this
This was wonderful - subtle and charming and perfectly in tune with the book. I slashed the narrator and the Virginian in my head before I even knew what slash was, so this made me really happy.
(slash - Vinnie/Roger)
added January 1, 2006
Author's summary
Vinnie and Roger, two independent operators who must learn how to trust each other.
Why you should read this
This nailed Vinnie and Roger for me (and Sonny, and Frank). Dead-on voices and characterization throughout.
The way the story weaves in and out through canon works wonderfully for me, adding just the right depth and edge to their relationship. Just so much good stuff in this one.
Info | Fic: What's new | Vids: What's new | Quick recs | Recs by category
Fic recs
Due South | Good Omens | Invisible Man | The Professionals |
Stargate Atlantis | Stargate SG-1
A-D | E-H | I-L | M-P | Q-T | U-Z | Crossovers
Vid recs
Stargate Atlantis | Stargate SG-1
A-D | E-H | I-L | M-P | Q-T | U-Z | Multi-fandom
Stories | Essays: Rants/Rambles | Reference | Recs | Images | Links