Sandy's Neurotic about Slash -- or All Jewels have Flaws, or
* sometimes the Butterfly gets tired...
If you've just found this page: I'm both bitchy and neurotic (yeah, and...?) and this really shows when I try to recommend stories -- I love helping people find new authors and stories, but I hate to have a friend come back with something like, 'You liked *that*?!' So if I've got a caveat, I'm gonna share. Don't like my style? Go see other people's rec pages.
We're all rec'cing the same damn stories, dammit!
Stargate Good Stargate is a pearl of great price; how much do I love Destina for giving me a great one. I'd say that Falling Sky is a story about adult compromise, but that makes it sound dry and stiff, and it's anything but.
HP Unlikely pairings are something Buffy and HP fandom share. Flame and Shadow is the not-particularly-romantic tale of Pansy's eventual true love. Hilarious. And Het, now that I think of it -- though Harry's with a guy, if that helps <g>.(Note, you'll have to go here to register, before you can go to the story -- it's a pretty straightforward process at least.)
Due South
I would have sworn that I'd rec'd Third Party by Pares months ago, so let's all pretend I did. It's a Ray K story but Stella steals the show -- a bravura performance.
The hits from coast to coast!
Smallville
Sad, hot, compelling -- and a rare perfect use of flashbacks --
Incarnadine,
by RivkaT, is what the episode Red could have been -- if the WB lived in
a very kinky alternate universe, anyway.
Added 11/5
Harry Potter All the HP fans are rec'cing it, but tough -- The Familiar, by Resonant, just made me happy. Think how high and how thick Snape's walls are. What if, instead of Harry trying to burst through them or crawl over them, he just sneaks under them...?
Invisible Man Hobbes is an amazing agent, a loyal friend...and a deeply fucked up man. Fawkes does what he can, in Sex, Lies and Star Wars, by Charlotte Ruocco.
Due South Why is Ray Kowalski the man he is? The Teeth of the Hydra traces him from 1971 until now -- Stella, family, becoming a cop, you name it -- while spending enough time in the present to set up an involving case story, and trace the slow evolution of Fraser and Ray's relationship. Another lovely story by Resonant.
Popslash Betty Plotnick puts the Nsync guys in a prison au: Justin doesn't even know what's happened yet, but JC needs a protector, so Justin had better become one. Now. The Bitch is not your typical prison story -- nor your typical popslash story. (Waxjism's domain is down -- thank goodness for the Google cashe! Go here, and then highlight the page to read the text.)
Shame? What Shame?
Popslash
Yes, yes, I've fallen for the weird appeal of badly dressed pre-fab'd fives, but
in my own defense, there's some great stories out in Nsync land:
Two Straight Guys in Wisconsin: The Amazing Adventures of Chris and His Cock
by Rhys,
is Lance'n'Chris, two straightish guys falling into something they never expected.
Coldhearted
maybe the funniest popslash crossover ever -- what happens when the Nsync guys
bet that they can get the Backstreet Boys to sleep with them. Another one by Jae,
Remember,
posits that the morning after the night before is even better when your best friends
taunt the shit out of you for all of the stupid things you did while you were
drunk. Hilarious.
Added 10/23
Buffy
If you're reading the Spuffy, you'll be happy to know the
Noir is back --
Anna's added two new episodes to the most fascinating virtual season I've ever
read, and the story just keeps getting more fascinating. Herself has
a sequel to What She Does called
Lovingkindness that
has a slightly softer Spike than I'm used to, but still keeps the edge that
Spike's got to have. Nice Scoobie characterizations, too. 
Spike/Xander may still be one of the less likely pairings on the show,
but the carefully unfolding plot of
Modus Vivendi
caught me up, and then
made me ache for them.
Lord of the Rings
Merry and Pippin know they're close, but maybe haven't
thought through what that means, in the charming
All That You Can't
Leave Behind by Mary Borsellino. Features a rare clear-eyed look at a
Boromir who understands his temptations, too.
Stolen from Rosa's lovely rec pages! Added 10/20
The countdown continues...
Georgette Heyer
I never cease to be amazed at the richness and creativity of fans. I have read
These Old Shades and Devil's Cub a hundred times, and never thought of them as a
source of slash, but Jat_Sapphire did, and I'm eternally grateful.
The Wages
of Sin takes Hugh Davenant out of his supporting role, shoves him front and
center, and shows us how such a man came to be friends with Satanas. (I think
the story will hold up even if you haven't read the books, but I'm not a good
judge -- I've read these books nearly as many times as I've read LOTR.)
Eternal thanks to hJc, who rec'd this on FCA, 9/17
Buffy Is the word fanwank a derogatory word, or just a descriptor? Read Anna's awesome Xander/Spike romp, Throwing Shapes, then you tell me. Silly, compelling, and sexy, Throwing Shapes is a barrel of monkeys, but also a sharp look at essential characteristics, and what could happen if you could wave your history goodbye.
ST: Deep Space 9 I'm rec'cing a story about a minor character and an OMC, for a show I never watched, in a fandom I never read. All I can say is, it's one heck of a story. Jeu-parti is a three part novel (Orfeo, Eye of the Storm, Anslem) about Jake Sisko, and a Vulcan singer, and it worked on many levels for me: as sociological SF, as a coming of age story, as (natch) slash. People have been recommending this to me for years -- I'm glad I finally gave it a chance.
Metafandom
Definitely the best essay I've read this
month: McSwain is the
Essential Doormat takes on the existential sadness of elfhood, or at least
that of readers faced with yet another elf story.
Thanks Lucy! Added 10/02
The countdown continues...
Smallville I love it when people make cool sci-fi out of Superman's science fantasy. I've heard people call RivkaT's The Presence of Fire dark -- even very dark -- but ultimately, I found it rather cheering. Call me a romantic, but I think it's cool that no matter what these two go through, or do to each other -- their connection to each other is the strongest force in their lives.
WestWing
This is the slash fandom for UST, for some reason. It's got Donna/Josh and
CJ/Toby sex epics of frightening length and explicitness, but generally, Sam and
Josh just look on from afar. But, I'm good with that -- and if you can get into
the pain of looking and (maybe) not having, try
You and Me of the
10,000 Wars by Violet and Ellen M.
On the gen, and somewhat experimental side, try:
What One
Hundred People, Real And Fake, Think About Josiah Bartlett by Violet
rec'd 9/9, thanks to Laura the Wonderful
Buffy
Dawn gets short shrift in fanfic -- at
least partially I'm sure because initially the actress playing her was so young.
But she's growing up, and Self
Same Lore is the first story I've seen that really acknowledges
that. It's an episodic reflection on 6th season from Dawn's pov, and it's
wonderful. If Anna's adorable S/X,
Sidelines, started
you thinking
about the pairing, you might try
Modus Vivendi
by wiseacress
to scratch that itch -- I don't know which part has me more interested: the
slowly unfolding mystery plot or Xander's gradual uncomfortable sexual
awakening.
Warning WIP.
rec'd 9/9, thanks to
mustangsally
Three more weeks till the new TV season
Smallville
The world wants to know who Koi is -- I just want her to keep writing.
A Nice, Friendly Game
is clever for days, but there's some true warmth and caring and potential pain
underneath the clever. And frankly, I'm a sucker for fiction with lines like
this: "It was like babysitting a hyperactive
kid. Who had the ability to make you orgasm any time he wanted."
I also loved
Rings and Sores by Pearl-o; we're never quite sure how bad Lex is, or
just how acquiescent Clark has become...and I liked the uncertainty.
And before I forget -- Lanning Cook has a new installment of her
Identical series out. It's called
Common
Ground, and it's good for what ails ya.
rec'd 9/3
Buffy
Take a step away from completely plausible, and a step into 'wouldn't it be fun
if...', and you'll find yourself on the
Sidelines with
Spike and Xander in a fourth season that never was. Long but fast moving,
hilarious and sad, and by the end, plausible in a way you didn't expect. Story
by Anna.
Over on the Angel side of the force, don't miss DebChan's
Deliverance --
especially if you also think it's about time that Wesley bitchslapped the lot of
them.
Back to the beach reads
Buffy
This season of Buffy's been up, down,
all around, but Herself does an amazing job of making it all make sense
again in What She
Deserves. At one level, it's a Buffy-meets-Spike roadtrip coda to
Grave, on another level it's all about guilt
and pain and forgiveness -- and on another level, it's powerfully erotic writing
-- the kind that makes some Spuffyfic feel almost like slash. Rwoar.
Thanks to Anna, rec'd 8/9
Smallville
Jenn is on a bit of a streak -- three long stories in a month, and I
liked all of them.
Sleep while I
drive is the perfect road trip: no plans, no destination, no deadline, but
ultimately they both find they can't
run away from themselves. I
also liked Punk Maneuverability's
Interstitial -- Future fic, but without the trappings. Lots of things to
love in this, but my favorite was the reminder of how little our Clark
understands about his powers, and how vulnerable that makes him. (I mean,
seriously, for all he knows, the next step is a third eye, or a extra limbs...)
Harry Potter Okay,
believe it or not, I don't actually go looking for the strangest possible
pairings per fandom. But when a strange pairing does show up on my doorstep, I give
it a read...and when it's as fun as this one, I rec it. Size
Queen, by Predatrix, is Snape/Hagrid, but she makes the pairing
work -- she sets it up slow, and shows you why these two most unlikely souls
might suit.
Juice, also by Predatrix, is a little more mainstream (Harry/Snape), but
just as fun (though the first scene made me nervous, I was glad I kept
reading...).
Thanks to Rache rec'd 8/6
Ooh, this is the good pain...
Harry Potter
Gah--HP is the fandom of WIPs. Long, painfully good WIPs that break your heart
as you suddenly bump up against "to be
continued" at the end of part 17. Anyway, I liked
A Brief Interval
Before the Resumption of Play all right -- it had an unusual plot and
was interestingly moody -- but it's the sequel that's I'm finding really
fascinating. It's a little experimental, there's more than a hint of Mary Sue in
Ginny, and there's misery to spare for our teenagers, but the Draco'n'Harry'n'Ginny in
Speak, Desire, (never at the same time <g>) have me checking back every day
waiting for the next part. Other
WIPs I'm following impatiently:
Transeamus's
H/D
Love
Under Will,
LJV's H/S story,
Sorcerer's
Apprentice;
and there's
a tiny bit more of
The
Mirror of Maybe, for the patient and strong.
Thanks to The Serial Bowl
for the links, rec'd 7/29
Smallville
I'm a strange girl -- the right kind of unhappy story can make my fucking month
-- and
Mercy, by Koi, is just that kind of story. Frankly, I could watch Lex
disintegrate all day, and the ending was the cherry on my hotfudge fiction
sundae. If you
need some happyhappy after that, try Julad's charming
Marry Into the Family
-- I'm not sure that the story needed to be told in that order...but I'm not
sure it didn't, either.
Mercy
rec'd by
Franziska on Metropolis-L, Marry stolen from the delectable Rosa
Stargate
In honor of what is likely to be the best episode of the year (Abyss) --
some charming SG stories. Sympathetic
Magic,
from Destina is a hoot -- silly, meta-referential, but still not beyond the bounds of
canonical possibility. I liked
Daniel remembering his younger self, and all of them getting to that silly,
"when correctly viewed, everything is lewd" place... <g>.
Quercus finished The Bhadra Trilogy with
The Cloud
Messenger -- a sweet dessert after the
faint bitterness of
Unsatisfied Desires. Last but not least -- an 'is it gen, is it pre-slash'
episode tag called
Scorched Truth,
by Meridian, that fills in the emotional holes the episode left gaping open.
rec'd by Barkely and others
In praise of the wacky!
Jossverse
One thing is sure about Buffy and Angel fandoms -- they'll never run out of
pairings. And I'm learning not to turn up my nose at even the least credible
sounding ones -- the amazing events that these people have learned to take in
stride have bonded them in ways barely visible but deep and strong.
First, try
Til it Bleeds Daylight.
It's Giles/Oz (and yes, I can here you say 'ick' from here), but it's a great
story -- set in the wishverse before Buffy showed up. While you've got your Oz
on, try Find
the River -- Wesley finds helping another's pain can ease your own. The
Spike's Four Dicks
shows a late 4th season Xander so desperate for connection he can't even trust
himself; Tucker's Brother
by
Jessica Walker --
has a whacked-out amazing idea... that practically turned into canon just a week
after she wrote it;
eclipse
is Julad and Livia's frantic once-more-into-the-breach Xander/Larry story. I
knew, somewhere, there had to be one, and I liked this a lot.
rec'd by
Anna and others, rec'd 7/21
Herc/Buf I don't read much gen, but this one kicked my ass in a good way. When Hell Mouths Collide is long, fun, gen-but-not-narrow, and filled with lovely buddy stuff for almost every character in any of the three shows. It's a lovely romp through the Herc'n'Xenaverse, but it's the Buffy characters that really make the story. (Set: last season Herc, 3rd season Buffy.)
This time of year, we're all looking for some slash beach reads:
The Sentinel
Now that I think of it, Jim and Blair could be considered perfect guys for beach
reading. Fit to be Tied
by Cara Chapel will make you feel the sand in your toes and sunscreen on your
nose. (And if you like Fit, try her
Quarry -- long,
first-time, Brackett-flavored fun.)
A couple of short but sweet ones from Kass: I adored
Fitting Room's
lightness (even if I thought my Jim would have been a bit more upset), and the
painful miscommunication in
Long Day's Journey into Night leads, finally, to understanding.
Added
7/19
Smallville Bleeding edge future fic getting you down?
Take a break from the scary whitewater, and enjoy a delightful float trip down Jenn's
Three Impossible Things -- beautiful sights, memorable occasions, and a
damned happy ending.
Smaller even than a poptart,
Forget, by
Henry Jones, Jr., is a valentine to the sweetness that is Lex.
If you're ready to go back to the edge,
Immortality,
by Grail, posits that it's not easy being Super...
Added 6/28
Due South Kalena has a lovely DS story -- a bit
like a few others you might have read, but sweet and warm... and hot -- called
Surface.
Helping
Hands, from Serge Protector (and the rest of the zine is probably with
looking for, too) is another fun idea, and a
surprisingly hot scenario for me--RayK's got a cast on his, ahem, jerking hand, so
Fraser offers to help. Yum.
Beyond beach reading, in fact, absolutely brilliant, Speranza's
With 6 You Get
Eggroll manages to nail both Rays, Fraser *and* Stella -- while creating six of
the most frighteningly perfect OC children I hope never to be stuck in a
Canadian shack with.
Andromeda For reasons only the fannish Hive mind knows, Harper is the Beloved Adored Object in this fandom -- not that that's a bad thing, I hasten to add. Therefore it follows nicely that there's plenty of wonderfully slow first-time stories of Harper being adored. First a couple of Harper/Dylan fics: the connected Moment by Moment and Magnetism by Viridian, and Slouching towards Bethlehem, by Cassiopeia, each long, richly written and well set into the universe. If you're looking for Harper/Tyr, Kit Mason's The Recreation of the Warrior is even longer, and it's great fun; a wonderfully over-the-top space opera. Enjoy!
Phantom Menace I can't remember the last time I read PM, but these two lovely long meaty stories by Trudy West took me right back to why I adored this pairing: Hidden could be considered a pretty straightforward, "oh, I've fallen for Obi-wan, but he can't possibly love me" Qui-gon story, but it's better written than most and the emotional component is complemented by an charming and solid plot; Forgotten, is a slave story where Qui-gon has completely forgotten who he is -- but still maintains a small spark of his soul as Obi-wan bring him home....
Hmmm...
LoTR Beautiful, dense and suspenseful,
From the other river bank by Dwimordene, has the gravity and
darkness appropriate for a society inexorably preparing for a world-ending war, echoed hauntingly
in a family equally at war with itself. Boromir/Faramir, but don't let that scare you --
this is far from kinkfic -- it's
set firmly within the frame that Tolkien left us.
Added 6/17
Due South Speranza just keeps getting better. Eight Sessions is poignant and hilarious and tense and touching and real and fantasy -- just like the best episodes of the show, but with sex. And best of all, it's chock full of wonderfully true insights into RayK and Fraser -- moments where I just stopped and went, "Yeah, wow -- that's right; why didn't I realize that."
Summertime!
Harry Potter
Bizarrely titled, ridiculously long, PG-rated at most, solidly slash but not all that slashy...well, it's not for everyone. But
since it's also deeply charming and quite clever, I have to recommend Lust over Pendel, by
A.J. Hall. The pairing is Draco/Neville, but the pairing is almost beside the point -- You need to read this
for the plot, the richness she adds to the HP universe, the side characters (especially Draco's mother and Neville's
wonderful Slytherin grandmother), the deftness of the Austen-pastiche...and the most charming Draco I've read yet.
Added 6/12
Stargate SG-1 Quercus
has a new
story,
Unsatisfied
Desires, and I liked it more than anything she's done recently -- possibly
because it so accurately reflects the inherent frustrations of giving your life up
to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. It's a sequel to
Fossil Water,
but I think it would stand fine on its own.
Added 6/10, thanks to Destina
24
I don't expect to see a lot of slash for this show -- considering we only know a
single day in these character's lives -- but I'd happily take more if it were as
good as this. Kass has written a bit of closure, called
Waiting for Rain,
that makes it a little easier to let this season go.
Added 6/6, thanks to X
Eroica The undoubted slash progenitor of Eroica fandom is BT -- pimp extraordinaire, and author of virtually all of the stories that dragged me into this silly fandom. My favorite stories of hers were written in the late 1980's, and are finally available on the web! Just scroll down from here, start with The Caged Flight series, then keep reading until you run out of page. (Maybe this is a sign that some of the other best Eroica slash from that era will stop being available only by email...hint, hint?)
MUNCLE
It's not a fandom that I rec very often -- there's a few too many victimized
Illyas, and he-should-apologize, that-bastard Napoleans over there for my taste, but
Laura rec'd
Friendly Fire by Lyrebird,
and it made me so happy, I've got to rec it too. It's a long slow dance of
equals, with action, adventure, even a bit of intrigue, and just enough Thrush
to be true to the universe.
Added 5/29, thanks to Laura!
Stories to help us survive the season's finales
Buffy
Anna's doing this fab one-woman virtual
Season Noir over in Spuffy space, set a season and a dab
into the future. It's unfinished as a season, but each lovely piece is a full amazing episode, with at least as much resolution as
TPTB are giving us these days. (Honestly, more than once this darn season, I
wished Anna was writing the episodes, instead of Marti.) Make sure you read the
notes and start at episode zero, to get the full setup. While I'm thinking
Spike, go read
Manhattan Nocture, by Herself. It's set before Dru and Spike ever
made it to Sunnydale, but it reads like the Jossverse (if Buffy
aired on HBO, anyway...). And just because AtS is treating Wesley so hard these
days, here's an old-but-yummy Wes/Gunn:
Latency
by Shrift
Added 5/21
Stargate SG-1
I gotta quit whining about the state of SG fiction. First, Anna pointed me
to a pair of stories by Lady of Asheru:
Promises To Keep is simply plotted, but Jack's quiet reactions to the
possibility of loss make the story. Her newer one,
Wanderer from the World, may be even better; a quiet Daniel slowly learning
to let
himself relax and believe that he's loved.
Then Lynn mentioned
One Bare Hour, by
Dorothy Marley, which is painful and angsty and good, with a perfect ending.
Last, I found a lovely set of three:
The Road Between the Walls by Keiko Kirin,
In Common, by Thevetia and Destina's
Farther Than Earth From Heaven. Each story is distinctive, creative and original
-- but they all have in common the grumpy, argumentative, taciturn (but
fabulous) men I see on screen each week, instead of the silly, jammie-wearing
childmen that infest far too much SG fic these days.
Added 5/20
Smallville No one can keep up with SV fandom right now, but Sandy Justine is doing a better job than most. If you like these stories, go check out her
SV rec page for most of the others worth reading.
If you share my love for world
building, consider starting with these, four of my favorites thus far: Demarcation by
Livia,
nicely hopeful future fic; Divergence
by Lanning Cook, part of a series that I can't wait for more of, The
Spike's The
Butterfly Effect, chock full of possibilities...and Prophet of Eden by Destina,
a sharply clever time travel story. Oh hell, one more:
Breathing
Amber by Sarah T. is charmingly creepy.
Thanks to Merry for helping suck me in
Harry Potter Blame Rache for this, but
somehow I've started reading Harry/Snape stories. There's a lot of bad in this
pairing, but I must recommend
Too Wise to Woo
Peaceably by JayKay, cleverly set around the Hogwart's production of
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Telanu's charming set of stories
A Most Disquieting Tea,
Almost, at Times, The
Fool, and Like a
Glass, show it's not easy being Severus -- and they get richer, longer and
more fun with each story. Nym's lovely
trilogy,
Consequences,
Sins of Omission and
No
Greater Sin, shows the pain from Harry's side. She really captures the hell
of falling for the worst possible person in the world. (And if
you're tough enough for a WIP, go try another one from Harry's pov:
The
Mirror of Maybe by Midnight Blue. She's in no hurry -- we're thousands of
words in, and they haven't even kissed -- but sometimes a slow leisurely ride is
exactly what you're looking for, and she's taking us on a fine one.)
With much thanks to Rache
The Sentinel
In a solid extrapolation from canon, here's Blair and Jim seven years after the
finale, in the long and lovely
I still believe by
Dasha. (She's just posted a sequel:
Pilgrimage.)
And since things have been slow
on 852 Prospect recently, it gives me a chance to rec a couple more stories from
Crossroads. First,
A Quiet War,
by Meredith Lynne. It's the dissertation drama, told with the
authenticity and intensity it deserves -- fully fleshed out, showing their
complicated dynamic in its full range of colors. Long, brutally true, and
wonderful.
And don't miss
Sex, by Anna, notable
for many reasons, but especially because of the line, "You never call me your
bitch."
Thanks to Prospect_L for mentioning the
sequel-- Added 5/19
LOTR
Everyone has rec'd They Say About Elves,
by Brancher, because it's amazing that someone could pack so much into 12k, and do it so well.
In the other pairings, I'm not really a pervy hobbit fancier, but I really liked
the maturity of Sam and Frodo in
Waiting for
Courage by Cimorene, and the warmth of true friends in
Foolish Games. And last but not least,
the hilariously funny Nine Men and a Little Lady
by kielle.
Thanks to Dorinda and Jo -- Added 5/1
It's been so long, I don't know where to start!
Stargate SG-1 Quercus is writing in SG these days, and we're all the better for it. Sometimes I think she softens her BSOs a little too much, but in the lovely Truth, Clarity, and the rather sweet The Grave Yields Back Her Robberies, Daniel and Jack are solid and male and loving and warm, all at once. And sadly worthy of note in SG-1 fandom: both stories strongly integrate Sam and Teal'c. Carol just sent me Extreme Wormhole which rides the edge of metahumor, and how our actors might feel about stories about them (not to mention making characters into slashfans, a conceit that's very hard to make work), but stays funny and on the mark. (Special points for starting the story before you even realize you're in it...a rare example of a story that's actually designed to be read on the web.) Carol also reminded me of Somnambulist, which I would have sworn I'd rec'd a million years ago. It's short, and gen, but a perfect Daniel-centered snapshot of a day at the SGC.
Sportsnight is a very hard show to write dialog for. That Way, by Caroline Baker, veered on and off of the Sorkin road a few times near the beginning, but it covers some rough ground and does an solid job showing the darkness than even a close friendship can harbor.
Possibility of a World, by K is beautifully sad, and honestly kept me wondering throughout whether there was a
happy ending coming or not.
Highlander My fav HL story this month was definitely Metempsychosis, by jacquez h. valentine. Cool idea, sparely and precisely
written. I might have liked it better as slash, though honestly it rides the preslash line. On the less fraught side, there's the delightful The Freshest and the Best by Julad. She's given us another squabblefest set in a grocery store, this time with Duncan and Methos, and just as funny as the last one.
If you're still looking for more HL, Futures Without End IV is now on sale. Without a doubt the best ongoing HL slash zine, FWE goes out of print quickly, so buy now.
The Sentinel
Sentinel fandom has slowed down a little, but it's still worth stopping in regularly at 852 Prospect. Kass has a couple of new ones: the Jim-centered A Little Cheesecake, a plausible and entertaining PWP, and the more solid Window of Opportunity, a fresh and engaging look at an oft-told tale. Cara Chapel recently posted
Waiting For Words, which started so slowly I almost bailed, but builds to a wonderful scene near the end that repays all your attention. Words spoken in Winter: cool title, by the unfortunately
named grit kitty. I love the way they're so sexually aggressive and socially tentative, and the story's long, well characterized, and hot -- my only caveat might be that Blair is borderline pissy and grumpy for much of the story (which makes sense, but honestly isn't something we saw a lot of in the show). Don't miss
I'm
Not Saying by Donna Jones. Yum. Lots of fighting
and bickering that felt very in character, as they almost make up, but really just paper over their issues, so that the next annoyance brings the whole damn thing up again....
Kass rec'd Toy
Story by Alana, on Prospect, and I have to agree. Not necessarily the best characterized story out there, but hot, hot, hot, and nothing that really jabbed me in the suspend disbelief keister.
Last and most ambitiously, Olivia's The Meaning of Motion is a post-TSbBS story with love and fighting and making up and remorse, all in the most beautiful language you could ask for.
Thanks to Kristin and Anna, and many others on the wonderful Prospect-L
Buffy and Angel None of the Buffy slash pairings have ever really convinced me, which maybe why I'm rec'ing Buffy-Spike. Or it may just be that RivkaT (sometimes with MustangSally) could convince me of anything: Check out Buffista! for the three-parter: Heart's Filthy Lessons, Allegiances and Serious Moonlight.
Thanks to Lynn
The Zen of small fandoms
Dark Angel I don't watch Dark Angel enough, but I was thrilled when she was joined by other enhanced members of her kind. In To An End, Krit and Logan dance around the truth and each other, until they end up in each other's arms.
God/Satan Yes, I'm not kidding. In fact, I think heresy fic is a growing, if wacky, genre. I suppose it can be considered Biblical litfic, like Holmes and Watson, or LOTR (until recently, at least). Anyway, this one, In Principio, by Thamiris, is an x-rated hoot, with serious ideas and issues tucked here and there among the bon mots and japery.
Sometimes we need the escape
Herc
Damn, Thamiris is good, and The Tribe of Dreams proves it. A solid plot, lovely physical action and momentum, perfect historical details (without the "see how much research I did!" syndrome), poignant emotional arc, and acres of angsty sweaty oil-covered sex between Hercules and Iphicles (and Ares...).
Added September 17th
The Sentinel
Um, yum.
You read enough stories in a fandom, and their relationship starts to seem inevitable; both guys start to be written as far too knowing and sophisticated about each other. Magically enough The Right to Remain Silent, by Justine and Kass, sent me back to the beginning -- when it wasn't inevitable, when they really were two straight (ish) guys living together, and writers worked to make me believe that they'd end up together. And while I was already in that mood, another old fashioned (in a good way) story showed up: Learning Curve by Antimony Hayes. Set early -- soon after The Rig, when he's outstayed the 'week', but is still careful about how he behaves, and not quite comfortable in the loft -- this is a very sweet story, another one where Jim knows what's going on, and Blair, maybe, doesn't. (And don't miss the charming sequel, Truth, Death, and Donuts.)
Added September 10th, thanks to the lovely folks of Prospect-l
HL Fixes and responses to Endgame are still trickling in, and
hafital has a wonderful one: The Space
Between. The plot is simple: Duncan has just come back from burying Connor, to find that he has an unexpected shoulder
to lean on -- but it's the mood and language that carry this low-key but charming story.
Added September 10th, thanks to elyn's reminder
Stargate SG-1 Few writers seem up to the challenge of writing a Daniel who isn't weak, but uses different techniques than Jack would to get his way. Held by Thevetia, is a sizzling example of how it can be done (and a revitalization of a plot type that tends to...suck).
Acts of Consequence by Apocrypha, is a little less successful (my editing fingers itched a little as I read) but there were some very cool things here; I believe in the Jack who would plan this like an assault on a foreign country. I liked this Jack being an abuse survivor who had gotten OVER it (but I hated the moment where he let it slip to Daniel). I would liked more references to the things that actually happened in the episode (for example, actually learning Latin -- day after day after day, he spends *hours* in a room with Daniel (and Teal'c) and yet this isn't mentioned in the story at all?) and who among us really has a favorite wine, anyway? -- but despite my quibbling, I really liked it.
Added September 9th, thanks to Kay, and Barbara T.
Queer As Folks Just when I was missing the Brit version, along comes World's Biggest World by Mallory Klohn (actually that's her page URL, since the story's in two parts). The person who passed this on to me said that Stuart and Vince were a bubble off true, a slight skew away from the aired characters. She's probably right, but it didn't bother me -- the absurdist humor, the energy, and the essential sweetness of Vince carried the story.
Added September 9th
Once A Thief Long, emotionally intricate, and made for an full afternoon's escape, What You Can Get, by Speedo is lengthy and yummy. Boy wants boy, boy hurts boy, boss makes fun of boys, boys torment each other just enough to make us happy, before they inevitably get together -- plus hot, sweaty, and well-characterized sex. Stories like this are why I read slash.
Added September 5th (and thanks to everyone who gave me the author's
name!)
Hornblower I'm noticing a theme in these rec's -- that of old fashioned stories, in the best possible way. Ransom, by Calypso, is another perfect example. Archie, Horatio and Pellew are kidnapped for ransom by the worst kind of rotter, in a deliberately paced but definitely compelling story full of daring-do, gently laced with fear of discovery. Nicely laid out, as well.
Added September 5th
Reading for the long (USian) weekend...
Herc I'm a complete sucker for a Hercules who wants to help and doesn't know how, and an Iolaus who's tough, strong, and competent, but still visibly in pain. Nocture, by Randi DuMois, has them both -- and a lovely resolution too! Also by Randi, Some Enchanted Evening is a missing scene (or two, or three) from the episode Hero's Heart (you have to love a show with canonical amnesia<g>). It starts better than it ends, but it still ends better than most.
Added August 31st, thanks to Susan Angell
West Wing I'm also a sucker for toughhearted sap, even when it's gen, and I adore
perfectly portrayed teamwork -- so Absolutely
Beautiful made me very happy indeed. Story by Pepperment.
Added August 31st, rec stolen from skalab's rec-o-rama
BtvS/Angel It's not exactly the most popular (or even most credible) pairing on the show, but at the hands of Jessica Harris, Giles/Xander isn't Impossible. The story itself is bittersweet and lovely, and her Giles will be cleareyed until the very end. While I'm on unusual Buffy stories, try Witness by Hth. The year is 2019, Faith has redeemed...something, and she's looking up Dark Angel. The mood is carefully created, the language is beautiful, and though I think the story lost its focus just a little bit at the end, it's still excellent (and I say that as someone who's pretty done with Faith). Last and definitely not least, Yahtzee has joined forces with Rheanna to do it again -- create another long and beautiful gen story, compelling enough to engage even a hard core slasher. Linked to Rheanna's site, Splinter is set during the two-part Angel end of season angstfest, and adds touches I wish they'd used in the show.
Added August 31st, thanks to the usual suspects
Stargate SG-1 I almost didn't rec this -- for me, it veers wildly between clever and out of character (and if she uses Space Monkey one more time, it won't be pretty)-- but I Never, by Xochiquetzl, is also engaging and entertaining -- and even Teal'c gets funny lines, which is far too rare in SG fic. The sequel Truth or Dare is even less likely, but still has some nice bits.
Added August 29th, rec stolen from the SG rec-a-thon
I can see the end of summer from here...
The Sentinel
One of the best TS zines ever was Crossroads, and the stories from the zine have started showing up on the web. Of the first ones to appear, my two favorites are Writing on the Wall by Justine -- a lovely Blair-centered look at what the Eye of God really meant to them -- and one of my favorite "what happens after Blair starts the Academy" stories, Folie a Deux, by Sihaya Black, where mistakes can be corrected, and love does conquer all.
Added August 23th, thanks, as ever, to Seah
SN I don't know why I didn't rec Memory of Hurts by Sinead when I first read it, but on rereading, it just gets better and stronger. Set in the last couple of episodes when they're waiting to hear if the station will be sold, it's more about trying to decide if they're staying together come what may, or if they'll let the station trauma be an excuse to end what they have. It's long and nuanced and lovely, and nicely unlike any other story set at this point.
Added August 23th
WW Still more Sorkin
fic, I'm afraid, and as Christy said passing this on to me, "It's in present
tense *and* second person! And I liked it!" Time and the Fates of
Man is really three stories: Written, Percussion and Fraternity, all by
Marguerite. Wistful, set just after the 2nd season opener, Sam, Toby,
and Leo come to grips with Josh's injury.
Added August 23th, thanks to Christy
XF
There's some lovely humor in X-Files, surprisingly enough. Gen, but still worth a read, this story takes me back to the glory days of X-Files: Dear Mr. Mulder.
Added August 21st, don't remember who passed it on (write me for credit!
Due South
A couple more strong entries from the RayK side of the force: The charmingly titled, What We Talk About When We Talk About Wolves by Penelope Whistle, has her trade-marked light humor mixed with some cogent observations of Mountie/cop miscommunication. On the other hand, I thought her Fraser was a little more funny than authentic, whatever that means.
Speranza's Chicago's Most Wanted lived up to an enormous challenge: give Fraser amnesia while undercover as a prisoner, yet keep his characterization solid, when even Fraser himself doesn't know who he is. Hilarious, quoteable, and as Anna would say, full of yummy goodness.
Added August 20th, sparked by a post by HoniSoit, on Chinook
Clever and cunning
Still more SN Masking Tape is
all the things I hope for in a SportsNight story (well written, sharp dialog, compelling angst...) and three alarm fire *hot*, too. Story by Cita Powers. For a much lighter take on Dan and Casey, you might try A Sandwich is a Transitory Thing by Debchan. I'm not completely convinced about the voices, but it's charming, nevertheless.
Added August 10th, and I don't remember who told me about them. Sob!
All... I've found out Valeria did the lovely job reworking Jack Handey in Deep
Fanfic thoughts They're very clever; wait a week or two and go back and reread, and you'll find yourself laughing just as hard. You'll be seeing these in .sig files for years.
Added August 8th, thanks to torch
Sorkin is still eating my brain
SN
Sabine has more than one new story in the SN archive, but Fan Interference is a Stand-Up Double
, by her and SN Kastle, is my favorite. I've been waiting this hot-off-the-presses plot to appear in
SN; thank goodness it was done by writers who understand the way they gossip in the rundown; the way Isaac cares, but doesn't like to talk about it;
the fact that Danny was probably even more adorable at tweny than he is now; and the fact that ultimately,
Casey will always be there for him.
Added August 3rd, thanks to
Te's lovely rec page
WW
I'm having a harder time fighting off West Wing addiction these days -- maybe during the summer, we need the fanfic more?
Here are two wonderful series: First, The Turning Point.
The first stories are not as stylish as West Wing seems to call for, but each story adds depth and richness until the current story,
Tripartison, tries to rip your heart out. Check out her whole site. Then try S.N.
Kastle's The Chance to Make it Real series -- it's
not quite as closely tied to the aired universe (nor does it try to rip your heart out with a spoon), but the writing is better:
sharply elegant and compulsively quotable. And here's my proof that West Wing has
eaten my brain: not slash, not gen, but het -- and CJ/Toby! But Retina Burn
is a lovely story, and CJ's strength and voice couldn't come through any clearer. By Penelopody and august.
Added July 26th, thanks to Susan Smithson
SN
I miss SportsNight. I really do. Even West Wing can't make up for it. And my wistful sadness has nothing on Danny's in Even Sugar Peas Lose Their Snap, by K. Honestly, her Danny doesn't have the speech
pattern that Sorkin's did, but I'm willing to believe the voice in his head has a different rhythm than the one we got to hear -- and the story itself is poignant and
affecting.
Added July 26th, thanks to Christy
I'm almost caught up
HL
Few serials have been so attentively followed as And Then Some, by Loch Ness -- and now it's finally finished: 175,000 words of inventive and original Duncan/Methos, following two intertwined paths through a universe that is always captivatingly different from our own. She doesn't allow her website to be linked to, but she will send either zip files or plain text files, as people request. Send mail to lochness@texas.net. And while you're in a Highlander mood, go read Three Days Down, by Jane St. Clair. Against Methos' age and experience, all Duncan has on his side is patience...but it may be all he needs.
Thanks so much, elyn and skywinder! Added July 19th
QAF (Brit)
Nathan/Christian wouldn't even have occurred to me, but in the rather hot Straight, with a Twist
Sue Walsh shows us Nathan finally starting to reach some more adult understanding of Stuart -- while he's being a bastard himself, of course.
Rec'd by calyrose on FCA, July 15th
IM
The producers of the show could hardly be giving us more buddy action, but the stories are still thin on the ground.
Shortish, and equal parts bitter and sweet, Typology, by Miriam Heddy, may tide me over until more IM stories come out.
Thanks to Quicksilver_L, July 14th
HL
I have no idea why I didn't see this when it was first pub'd back in 1999, but it's still a great story -- a first time Duncan/Methos set in the vague time after Finale, before things got quite so complicated between them. The author's note warns that
The Bark of Dante is part one of eight (and most of the others still unwritten), but this lovely dance of equals stands very sturdily on its own. Story by Taz.
July 13th: Thanks to Jenn -- I should obey you more promptly!
I've been beyond busy lately -- and thankfully, good authors have been too: here's a big update, all at once. I'm afraid to go see other people's rec pages until I finish this -- all I can do is hope there's no scary one-to-one correspondence out there.
Stargate SG-1 I just found Stargate heaven. No matter what your mood, Anna has written an awesome Stargate story for it: For outré Daniel-centered pain, read Meetings; for sharp episode-based angst, Out of Season; end-of-their-world warm fuzzies, No Man is an Angler; deep, dark-dark-dark chocolate-rich Jack angst, The Other Half; for an aliens-made-us-do-it story that transcends kink, Tasting the Earth; and for bone-deep Jack charm with a touch of team fuzzies, there's Lost in Translation. I can't say enough about this set of stories -- the wonderful writing, rich (and sometimes risky) characterizations, pain and sweetness... and the fact that story after story, Jack's voice comes through as sharp as on my set of Region 1 DVDs.
Finally updated July 10th
The Sentinel
The fandom's slowing down, but (thank goodness) it just won't die.
Knoxville, by Resonant, is laugh out loud funny, and 'aww...'
out loud sweet. The cleverly titled Palooka
by Dawn Pares, is my favorite of hers yet; the use of Jim's senses is persuasive and fresh, her Jim is adorably
confused -- and the next time you rewatch an episode after reading this, you'll be thinking about Blair's ass. Betcha.
On the short but yummy side, try
Throwback by Valentin, and
In the Blue Light, by Kass.
Neither of them start where they end up, but it doesn't have to be real, to be very very hot.
I Spy For years, I Spy has been No 1 in my "Buddy shows that ought to have slash, dammit" list. And finally it's coming true -- a small but rabid fandom is establishing itself, trading tapes and trying to convert the masses. But the real proof of a fandom is in the stories, and Wheat from Chaff, by Dorinda, could jumpstart the fandom all on its own. (Click here first if it's been a little too long since you've seen an I Spy episode....)
X-Files Before the first Doggett episodes aired, we were joking about when the first Doggett slash would appear. I wouldn't have laughed, if I'd known it would be this good. Sabine's West Wing fic can seem harsh, but her lack of fictional joie de vivre is perfect for X-files, and Gee, Ma, I wanna go home's Doggett is perfect for Skinner.
And for a horrifyingly demented Doggett/Skinner story, try A Man's Man, by Halrloprillalar.
Thanks to FicBitch Anna.
HL I just realized I never rec'd
Maygra's Shield Brothers Arc. This is an ambitious, sweeping saga, a strongly
romantic (in a good way <g>), and hugely imaginative series of love, betrayal, death and hope, hundreds of pages long; a series you can bury
yourself in. And a short one;
No Stone Unturned by MacNair is gen(ish) but Mac and Methos centered;
a very possible tale of Duncan wanting his friend and his old teacher to get to know each other.
Thanks to MacGeorge.
SN If Danny's your favorite SN character, read The Fog's Lifting,
first. If Casey's your main man, try A Man Can Breath. But make sure you read them both: they're lovely slow pieces about accepting what's coming, and Danny and Casey's voices ring out loud and clear. And who's this Violet babe? I've never heard of her before, but now I'm
hoping she's got a bunch of other stories just waiting to be found.
Another rec from Anna the wonder bitch.
Roswell Six beautiful kids, three girls, three boys, three aliens, three humans...and sigh, there's
next to nothing out there: Thank god for Livia -- she's one of the few putting out good slash.
The Gambler, is Alex/Kyle (a pairing that never would have occurred to me,
but she does it justice) set during Viva Las Vegas; Stronger is a tough and sad
Michael/Max that could only be better if there was more of it. For Max/Kyle, try Meri's 20/20--
finally a good follow up to Blind Destiny! If you read on the het side of the force, there's
some very good Michael/Maria out there: try the short but intense Women and Children
First, by Kate, or Elizabeth's long and fascinating a/u, Persephone's
Footfalls.
Thanks to Franziska for scratching my Roswell itch.
X Men All of the Animals is a two-some, a three-some; sorta het, all slash, everybody
gets what they need, but nobody's getting exactly what they want...it's by Jane St. Clair, and it's Scott, Jean and Logan. It sounds fucked up, but it's all good.
Yet another rec from Anna the wonder bitch.
WW I went back and forth on this rec. The series, Statesmen, by Sabine, is good -- hell, great -- but my personal Josh Lyman isn't quite so dark. But fuck that -- read it anyway, because the writing sizzles, and because Josh deserves a meaty four-part examination of his character. And after you read it, check out Sabine's SN/WW archive, Our Boys; it's chock full o' goodness.
Buffy I say the same things every time: Don't usually read Buffy, don't usually read Gen... but so what. Yahtzee's got a new Buffy, and yes it's gen, but it's long, and wonderful, and she's even put it up on a real page, instead of fanfiction.net.
Phoenix Burning is set after Buffy's death; read it now, before season six comes along and makes it an a/u.
Thanks, Jessica!
YUM...
QaF
Set between the England and US parts of Queer as Folk two,
Salvaged Grace, is a straightforward story
with little artifice, and that's just fine. This story made happy. Made me want to go find someone I loved and tell them I loved them.
Best of all -- this story's the first of a charming series following Vince and Stuart's outing 'round America. Check out the other QaF stories by the Rhipodon society here.
updated 4/10
TS
I think all writers rate their work -- *this* one I liked; this one I just couldn't work on any longer, this one well...
Interestingly enough, Lemon Drop lists Chiromancy as a Failure on her site
and she's never posted it to the TS archive. But it's one of my favorites -- it's slow, it's in no hurry, but there's just enough plot to occupy your
mind while the rest of you is waiting for the main event.
updated 4/10, thanks to P Hurd
Happy = good, but Sad = good, too
Stargate SG-1 Double Jeopardy was a wonderful episode, with one big missing piece: we didn't get to see Daniel's reactions to the return of the Tinmen. In The Cost Of A
Used Spaceship, Marie Blackpool fills that hole in beautifully as Daniel gets a brief chance to get to know the other Jack, and
the true cost of SG-1's win.
updated 3/29, thanks to DHD
Oh My God I don't read N'Sync stories, okay, and I'm not wild about genderswitching stories, and I know you aren't either, and shut up, just go read this, okay? Helen is insane, but who cares, cuz she's writing real stories again, not just Puppies (don't ask), and The Same Inside is hilarious. Just don't think about what you're doing, and wash your hands when you're done.
Due South
In all of this wonderful Fraser/RayK renaissance, I had begun to despair of ever getting any good new Ray V stories. But Cara Chapel has come through
for us. Follow Without Pride is a tense and dark follow up to an alternate Victoria's
Secret -- yes, Fraser really did get on the train, and Ray still wonders if he maybe he should have gone ahead and shot him. Ray has some
unpleasant discoveries, about Fraser and about himself. The story says 'part one', but it comes to a solid conclusion: my take is, I'll be
thrilled if she writes more, and satisfied even if she doesn't.
updated 3/24, thanks to anna
BtVS
I don't read a lot of Buffy; like WestWing, the show pretty much gives me what I need, but Hth's
Twenty-Eight Days puts the spotlight on Tara in a way the show hasn't taken the
opportunity to do. Best of all, I believe this Tara like Joss himself signed off on every line.
updated 3/24, also thanks to anna
All your base...
Stargate SG-1 For a while, new Stargate stories seemed to consist of the sorta crap
you can only read when you're in the first grip of a fannish crush. But we're getting closer to good -- this week alone
there's three lovely stories -- First, a gen tag to Double Jeopardy by Merry, perfectly titled,
The Body Electric, with a charmingly bossy Jack, an
adorably confused Daniel, and an appropriately happy ending. Then the tentatively slashy
After All, by Sar -- it's a little sketchy, a little more tell
than show, but she's got Jack's voice cold, and I love that in a writer.
Last and definitely not least, lady of shallot has a new one, Reveille.
She says it's a PWP based on a cliché, but she's way too hard on it; I'd never thought about what might happen if
Jack and Daniel acquired telepathy with each other, but now I think it might happen just like this.
updated 3/20, thanks to anna
Due South Okay, I can finally admit it. I read both Rays. At least
I do when RayV and Fraser's relationship is treated with respect even when it's RayK who ends up getting his man.
Enduring Distance, the newest story by
Speranza, is her best so far. It's insightful and richly characterized and enormously clever -- and possibly my favorite sequel to Call of the Wild.
updated 3/19
TS Sentinel's still chugging along happily. We've got the
Instinctive Behaviors series by Betty Plotnick
(unusual name, good stuff); Kass's charming first timer,
Open Door;
some lovely but short pieces by Tangent (click here and then page down a
little); and Sex, Drugs, and A Capella proves that Hellesgift
just keeps getting better.
updated 3/14, thanks to prospect_l
Somedays I just love Fandom
Stargate SG-1 I have a soft spot for "aliens are making us have sex" stories (one of
the many repeated story ideas I loved in Phantom Menace fandom, now that I think about it), but even if you're missing that soft spot,
I recommend Objectives, by the lady of shalott.
Yes, it's a short (but sweet) retelling of a fannish cliché, but new as she is to the fandom,
she's already got the voices, and a good start on their convoluted power dynamic.
updated 2/26
Due South Charming, funny, a careful crossover by a deft hand, I find myself
unwilling to say anything else about this sad and lovely Fraser/RayK story for fear I'll ruin some of the surprises. Go read
Their Faces Resemble His by Basinstoke.
updated 2/11 thanks to Chinook
TS
Sentinel just keeps turning 'em out--not just good new stories on a regular basis, but good new authors! I've never heard of this babe before, but
Brokenhearted by Veronica -- it's the good stuff.
updated 2/10 thanks to Prospect
Stargate SG-1 I've got to mention Steak, again, now that I've found out Keiko
has made it a series, and left behind the idea of pre-slash forever. You could consider it a work in progress, but don't avoid it for that reason;
each piece has a beginning, middle and end (how rare <g>) and the relationship just keeps building and getting better.
updated 2/9 thanks to Margie!
HL While I'm re-rec'ing series that have continued to grow and get better and better, I have to mention The Seduction of the Desert Prince. Two and a half years old at this point, continuously updated, and only getting better as the lengthening plots give room for more character depth, Desert Prince is a must read Highlander au.
...And I feel fine...
TS Martha's finally fallen over the edge and written slash!
Night Shift is quite probably my favorite episode of The Sentinel, but it's always cried out for a solid fannish resolution.
In Thicket is that very thing -- angsty, Blair-centered and wonderful.
updated 1/25 thanks to Anna
Can it already be 2001?
Due South There's a lot of momentum in Due South these days;
it's having an honest to god fannish resurgence, at least on the RayK side of the force. Personally, I have
mixed emotions about RayK, but for some reason, the two Rays together just work for me, and Hth, with
Three Kings, has just written my favorite
Ray/Ray yet -- one that's fair to both sides, and insightful as hell.
updated 1/21 thanks to Alex on Chinook
WW I'm nearly certain I don't want to think of this as a slashy
show, and yet, this bittersweet recounting of Josh and Sam on the campaign trail made me want more. Don't miss
Four Speeches and a Funeral, by Anna-Maria Jennings.
updated 1/16, thanks to Dorinda and Jessica
Stargate SG-1 For some reason, Stargate is turning out to be a hard show to slash. We're in our fourth
year already, but there are little two-hour movies and limited-run comic books with more (and better) slash than this solid science fiction show. But that just makes
it all the sweeter when something like Time, by Mandalee, appears. Set off planet,
Jack and Daniel bicker and fuss just like usual, only to suddenly find themselves happy. __________________________________________________ Good stuff I missed? Pass them on at
sherrold@mail.com, mention them
in the guestbook, or just find them on...
Other people's rec pages!: There're more fannish rec pages all the time, and I think it's a great thing. Find someone with tastes either similar to yours -- or diametrically opposed -- and let them do all the work finding stories.
updated 1/12, Lynn, pusher extraordinaire
Looking for the classics? Earlier recs? Last years | 1999 and earlier | Links to archives
Feel free to
send me your rec page.
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