Come into my parlour!
Hey all! This is my first stop on the fangirl tour, and I’m really excited! As any of my close friends would tell you, I love to fic rec; even to the friends who are uninterested in fic. One can hope the tour will quell - or at least, temporarily satisfy - the urge to giddily parade my favourites to bemused, long-suffering eyes. ;)
Sorry this is a bit late; I had Quidditch all morning, and I only now had time to breathe, as I am Keeper for my team. Yes, you read that right, I said Quidditch. Trivia game played on IRC. XD We won, if anyone's interested - 240 to 110.
So, for my recs, I’ll run the gamut between Labyrinth, Harry Potter, Merlin, Stargate (Atlantis & SG-1), Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Transformers. I must preface this by saying that it’s insanely difficult to find a Laby fic no one has recommended before, or a gem that doesn’t seem to be well known. I think (hope?) I succeeded here, but it was quite an undertaking.
Fandom: Labyrinth
Title: The Sharp Edge of Dreams
Author: SGCbearcub
Rating: M
Status: Complete
Summary: Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Ten years after she beat the Labyrinth, Sarah must defend Jareth's right to the Goblin Throne. [SJ]
Why I fangirl this: The real question about this fic is: what’s NOT to fangirl? Delicious Sarah/Jareth sexual tension; Seelie court scheming and manoeuvring; and a deeper plot beneath the surface plot. Labyrinth was my first fandom; I remember being a very young child and scribbling out alternate endings in a notebook before I knew fanfic even existed. So I have very high standards. And with a bit of trepidation (Sarah as a fire-fighter?! What!) I began reading it a few years ago at night, intending to stop after a few chapters to go to bed early. I ended up reading until 6 AM. The whole story is so expertly woven that it sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the last line is read. I can say with utmost confidence that this is everything a Labyrinth story should be; and the author made Jareth and Sarah getting together believable. I dare you to read this and not enjoy it. There is also a sequel, Child of Fire; however, it is incomplete, and the author hasn’t updated it in a while.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Pet Project
Author: Caeria
Rating: M
Status: WIP
Summary: Hermione overhears something she shouldn't concerning Professor Snape and decides that maybe the House-elves aren't the only ones in need of protection.
Why I fangirl this: Hermione’s at her Hermione-est in this fic, yet we also see her undergo remarkable - and plausible - growth. Professor Snape is in character, in spite of agreeing to teach Hermione non-curricular subjects outside of class time. Something I didn’t think anyone could do. Plus you just have to love a fic that has Hermione play dress up in an...unorthodox fashion (shan’t give it away by saying what). Eventual Snape/Hermione we’re told, but no sign of it yet. Strictly student-teacher conduct.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Distractions
Author: Elsha
Rating: Doesn’t say, but I wouldn’t put it any higher than ‘T’, if that.
Status: Part 1 of a completed series
Summary: Theodore Nott would like to forget a future he doesn't want - and music has always provided a distraction. Anne Fairleigh just wants the chance to practice her flute in peace. But a chance friendship between pureblood Slytherin and Muggle-born Hufflepuff soon raises the very questions Theodore has been avoiding and Anne never thought to ask. (Alternate Point of View) This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
Why I fangirl this: I have to say, I don’t normally like OC fic, mainly because I might as well read an original novel for that. And, despite the fact that JKR invented the name “Theodore Nott”, his character is so absent within the HP books that he is almost as good as an OC. Nevertheless, I was bored with my old favourites one day and gave this a try. Well, well - blow me down and call me stupid. Amazingly written fic! Simply fantastic! Anne is so lifelike that I could almost hear one of my RL friends saying her lines. And Elsha’s Theo manages to think and reconsider choices, yet still remain a true Slytherin. This fic restored my faith that some people ARE capable of realising that one can be a “good guy” and not a bleeding heart Gryffindork. ;) If you only pick one fic to read out of these recs, choose this one. It’s a delightfully fun romp, as much as it is philosophical.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Harry Potter and the Enemy Within
Author: Theowyn
Rating: Doesn’t say, but I’d rate it T; sometimes a hard T for dark visions, if you’re squeamish.
Status: Complete
Summary: As Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort's lengthening shadow stretches across the wizarding world and Harry is tormented by the knowledge that he alone can end this reign of terror. Worse, his mysterious mental link to Voldemort is stronger than ever and threatens to overwhelm him. Only Snape can teach him to control the nightmarish visions, but can Harry and Snape learn to trust one another, or will an old grudge that refuses to die destroy the wizarding world's sole hope of defeating the Dark Lord? This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
Why I fangirl this: One of my hobbies is military strategy; reading about it and applying it to situations. This fic presents a plausible alternative to HBP; a way the war could have gone, and how they would fight it. With a competent DADA professor to boot! Until this fic, I had never read a 100% believable plot where Snape and Potter grew fond of one another (not that way, gutterbrains!), in a gen setting. It was simply too difficult to make their personalities get along. Or so I thought. Say hello to the story that proved me wrong. Kicking and screaming every step of the way, Potter and Snape first make an uneasy truce, which slowly evolves into something bordering on friendship; all the while, Lord Voldemort has turned the tie between himself and Potter into a deadly weapon that may shatter Potter’s sanity before the cold war ever becomes outright battle! Theowyn’s Snape is so firmly himself that several times I had to remind myself that this wasn’t canon. Definitely don’t want to miss out.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: The Best Revenge
Author: Arsinoe de Blassenville
Rating: T
Status: WIP, but updated regularly
Summary: AU. Yes, the old Snape retrieves Harry from the Dursleys formula. I just had to write one. Everything changes, because the best revenge is living well. T for Mentor Snape's occasional naughty language. Supportive Minerva.
Why I fangirl this: Yes, yes, we’ve all read them before, I wager - Snape is sent/goes to the Dursley’s before PS begins and delivers Potter from their petty clutches, becoming a hero to all and sundry. But that’s not what this fic does! Taking a tired and clichéd plotline, Arsinoe weaves a darker, and more complex Snape-meets-the-Dursleys story. Thinking like the Slytherin he is, when he discovers Potter’s exact living circumstances, he determines that to have Harry’s eternal gratitude is a perfect form of revenge against James Potter. Bonus: Malfoys in this fic who can think, not just blindly follow.
Fandom: BBC’s Merlin
Title: The Crown of the Summer Court
Author: astolat
Rating: M
Status: Complete
Summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Why I fangirl this: Ah, Merlin. My newest shiny obsession. Firstly, I have to point out that I don’t like slash fic. Really. It just does nothing for me; and I can’t get into it. And Merlin/Arthur especially makes me roll my eyes, because it’s so obvious and overdone - pick a more challenging relationship to write about why don’t you! But this fic grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. Not a M/A PWP, there are enough plot twists to make your head spin. And the boys just sound like themselves here. I laughed out loud several times. I’ll leave it there, because if I said anymore, it’d ruin the surprise.
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Title: Nike (series)
Author: The Prophet
Rating: T?
Status: Complete at the moment, the author may add more
Summary: Jack must fight to maintain his prejudices when a Goa'uld soldier threatens to win his respect through a series of encounters.
Why I fangirl this: As cheesy as it sounds, I grew up on this show. I started watching when it first came out in 1997, when I was eleven. Even now, when I rewatch eps on DVD, it feels like coming home. I have very little to complain about it overall (except how Jack O’Neill left in S9 <.<). Thus it stands to reason that I am very choosy about my SG1 fic. It’s difficult for me to point to an author and say, “excellent job”, because I feel like I know the characters, and to see them portrayed badly - or even slightly off - just makes me want to find the nearest chalkboard and rake my nails over it. So I don’t have many favourites. This is one of the few. Admittedly, I was highly sceptical of the plot at first. Jack and a Goa’uld getting along? Blasphemy! Plus it’d been attempted and done to death. Nevertheless, I always give things a try. I’m so relieved I did. This author absolutely nailed Jack - I felt like Richard Dean Anderson himself was writing this under a pseudonym. The OC Goa’uld character is - stunningly - likeable! Not because she’s “good”; she’s certainly no Tok’ra. But she has honour. This fic is an excellent look at how even enemies can share positive attributes. Before Nike, I would never have believed Jack and a Goa’uld could be comrades. She pulled off such a masterful job that I could almost see this fic being acted out on screen. Superb!
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis/Gilmore Girls crossover
Title: Physics of the Spin
Author: mhalachaiswords
Rating: T/FR13
Status: WIP
Summary: Rory Gilmore always thought she was Christopher Hayden's daughter, but things are a little more complicated than that... (Gilmore Girls/Stargate xover)
Why I fangirl this:I know, I can almost hear the jaws dropping. Seems an unlikely crossover, doesn’t it? Guess again! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this was gospel truth. Mhalachai has Rory, Rodney, John and Lorelai’s “voices” down pat. The humour is refreshingly dry and snarky, just my style! And let’s face it, I’m a sucker for Rodney freaking out about touchy-feely moments and trying to find his compassionate bone. I say this about very few authors, but Mhalachai could write anything, and I’d read it. She could probably get away with selling me a bridge in Brooklyn, too. ;) The Rodney/Rory relationship is sweet, as well as hilarious and awkward at times. I absolutely cannot wait to see Lorelai’s reaction.
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Title: In Aragorn’s Safekeeping
Author: Radbooks
Rating: T
Status: Complete
Summary: Rebecca & Thomas, 2 teenagers from the 1950s end up in ME & become wards of Aragorn. Follows the books closely, but fills in gaps. Some romance, but not a Legomance.
Why I fangirl this: A variation on a worn-out theme: modern OCs are sent hurtling into Middle-Earth to save the day, and usually end up shagging Leggy into next week (the Elf’s gotta be tired by now). I didn’t think I’d live to see the day when a talented author created a credible version of such a story, but I kept reading them all anyway, hoping against hope, because this type of plot is my biggest guilty pleasure. I kept being disappointed, and was on the verge of giving up. Well, it finally arrived! Radbooks has written - in my opinion - one of the best and most distinctive OCs-in-ME stories to appear online. There is some romance, but it is confined solely to either preset book relationships, or to Rebecca and Thomas themselves, and is not the focus of the plot. The author managed to create a tale that is solely hers, yet still stays true to book canon. I even have this fic saved to my HD to read offline over and over again, because it’s crafted so beautifully.
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Title: The Patient
Author: Scribe
Rating: T
Status: Complete, part 1 of a series
Summary: When Dr Aaron Stone is asked to conduct a psychiatric examination of a patient with severe schizophrenia, he becomes the key to unlocking a mystery that alters everything he knows of the world and his own past.
Why I fangirl this: This story is almost the mirror opposite of the above fic. Instead of modern OCs coming to ME, you’ve got Gandalf, Legolas, and a few other old friends, coming to modern-day Earth! There’s a new (or not so new, rather version 2.0) Big Bad on the rise in our neck of the woods, and our world is completely oblivious. With the small exception of Dr Stone, who is dragged into the mess head-first. This fic is extremely well-written, and fun to read to boot! My only lament is that the latest foray into this ‘verse has yet to be completed, and the author hasn’t posted to it in years. That doesn’t affect this fic or its completed follow-ups, though.
Fandom: Star Wars
Title: Force Bond
Author: Kitt
Rating: K+
Status: Complete, part 1 of a finished series
Summary: AU After Owen and Beru are killed by a mysterious stranger, young Luke ends up as an orphan on Coruscant. It's a race against time as Obi-Wan struggles to find Luke before Vader realizes the boy is his son.
Why I fangirl this: Hi, my name is Cal, and I am a Luke-Vader-aholic. I just love to read AU fics on how relationships should have gone, and father/son Vader and Luke are such a good outlet. Kitt has produced such a masterpiece, that I have to pinch myself as a reminder that it didn’t actually happen this way. Vader is just as dark and bitter as he should be, yet almost against his will, develops a soft spot for 12-year-old Luke. Luke is a childish version of his grown movie counterpart, yes, but still adorably and recognisably Luke Skywalker. All our old favourites gradually make an appearance as well, including Artoo, Threepio, Leia, and Han! This is one AU I could definitely see as have happened, and sometimes in watching the movies, I feel a bittersweet ache for this fic and ‘what could/should have been’.
Fandom: Transformers (’07 movieverse)
Title: The Long Road Home
Author: caelum
Rating: T
Status: WIP
Summary: Damaged and unable to communicate with or even find his fellow Autobots, a lone survivor crashes to Earth and must locate Optimus and the others before a dangerous enemy arrives. Who can he trust, if he cannot tell friend from foe?
Why I fangirl this: Never have I read a TF fic so adept at getting inside an Autobot's head (circuitry?). If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that this was written by one of our giant metal friends themselves. No anthropomorphism here! Whiplash is completely likable without acting human, or using human terms for things before even stepping foot on Earth; one of my pet-peeves. Nic, the human protagonist, is also easy to fall in like with; like a real person, there are many facets to her personality, and she is not perfect. I especially love the quick-witted bantering; the jabs and verbal judo are wry and hilarious. I've read this over a dozen times from start to current chapter, and I'm still not bored!
Fandom: Transformers (G1 ‘verse)
Title: Transformers: Juxtaposition
Author: vaeru
Rating: T
Status: WIP
Summary: Transformers AU. She saved his life... and did not even know it. A series of unrelated events results in an earth-shattering meeting between species, cultures, and minds that is merely the beginning of so very much more.
Why I fangirl this: One word: epic. This is apparently just the first chapter in, what the author intends to make, a long series called the Sparkbearer Saga. The author made this fic its own webpage, and a summary for the entire saga is available on there. Right now, it's on chapter 32, and she's barely scratched the surface on what she wants to do. The scope is incredible. I cannot think of any other TF fic that comes close to resembling this plot. Evelyn is one of the most awesome OFCs I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It also helps that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe (aka the Twins) are major players in here, since they are my favourite G1 characters. Although it's frustrating that the author hasn't been able to update in ~9 months, she keeps a journal on DeviantArt that is frequently updated, so I am confident this is just a temporary RL-interference hiatus. I have to say that this is probably my most favourite TF fic in existence, and I check it daily to see if it's been updated.
Sorry this is a bit late; I had Quidditch all morning, and I only now had time to breathe, as I am Keeper for my team. Yes, you read that right, I said Quidditch. Trivia game played on IRC. XD We won, if anyone's interested - 240 to 110.
So, for my recs, I’ll run the gamut between Labyrinth, Harry Potter, Merlin, Stargate (Atlantis & SG-1), Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and Transformers. I must preface this by saying that it’s insanely difficult to find a Laby fic no one has recommended before, or a gem that doesn’t seem to be well known. I think (hope?) I succeeded here, but it was quite an undertaking.
Fandom: Labyrinth
Title: The Sharp Edge of Dreams
Author: SGCbearcub
Rating: M
Status: Complete
Summary: Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Ten years after she beat the Labyrinth, Sarah must defend Jareth's right to the Goblin Throne. [SJ]
Why I fangirl this: The real question about this fic is: what’s NOT to fangirl? Delicious Sarah/Jareth sexual tension; Seelie court scheming and manoeuvring; and a deeper plot beneath the surface plot. Labyrinth was my first fandom; I remember being a very young child and scribbling out alternate endings in a notebook before I knew fanfic even existed. So I have very high standards. And with a bit of trepidation (Sarah as a fire-fighter?! What!) I began reading it a few years ago at night, intending to stop after a few chapters to go to bed early. I ended up reading until 6 AM. The whole story is so expertly woven that it sucks you in and doesn’t let go until the last line is read. I can say with utmost confidence that this is everything a Labyrinth story should be; and the author made Jareth and Sarah getting together believable. I dare you to read this and not enjoy it. There is also a sequel, Child of Fire; however, it is incomplete, and the author hasn’t updated it in a while.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Pet Project
Author: Caeria
Rating: M
Status: WIP
Summary: Hermione overhears something she shouldn't concerning Professor Snape and decides that maybe the House-elves aren't the only ones in need of protection.
Why I fangirl this: Hermione’s at her Hermione-est in this fic, yet we also see her undergo remarkable - and plausible - growth. Professor Snape is in character, in spite of agreeing to teach Hermione non-curricular subjects outside of class time. Something I didn’t think anyone could do. Plus you just have to love a fic that has Hermione play dress up in an...unorthodox fashion (shan’t give it away by saying what). Eventual Snape/Hermione we’re told, but no sign of it yet. Strictly student-teacher conduct.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Distractions
Author: Elsha
Rating: Doesn’t say, but I wouldn’t put it any higher than ‘T’, if that.
Status: Part 1 of a completed series
Summary: Theodore Nott would like to forget a future he doesn't want - and music has always provided a distraction. Anne Fairleigh just wants the chance to practice her flute in peace. But a chance friendship between pureblood Slytherin and Muggle-born Hufflepuff soon raises the very questions Theodore has been avoiding and Anne never thought to ask. (Alternate Point of View) This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
Why I fangirl this: I have to say, I don’t normally like OC fic, mainly because I might as well read an original novel for that. And, despite the fact that JKR invented the name “Theodore Nott”, his character is so absent within the HP books that he is almost as good as an OC. Nevertheless, I was bored with my old favourites one day and gave this a try. Well, well - blow me down and call me stupid. Amazingly written fic! Simply fantastic! Anne is so lifelike that I could almost hear one of my RL friends saying her lines. And Elsha’s Theo manages to think and reconsider choices, yet still remain a true Slytherin. This fic restored my faith that some people ARE capable of realising that one can be a “good guy” and not a bleeding heart Gryffindork. ;) If you only pick one fic to read out of these recs, choose this one. It’s a delightfully fun romp, as much as it is philosophical.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: Harry Potter and the Enemy Within
Author: Theowyn
Rating: Doesn’t say, but I’d rate it T; sometimes a hard T for dark visions, if you’re squeamish.
Status: Complete
Summary: As Harry enters his sixth year at Hogwarts, Voldemort's lengthening shadow stretches across the wizarding world and Harry is tormented by the knowledge that he alone can end this reign of terror. Worse, his mysterious mental link to Voldemort is stronger than ever and threatens to overwhelm him. Only Snape can teach him to control the nightmarish visions, but can Harry and Snape learn to trust one another, or will an old grudge that refuses to die destroy the wizarding world's sole hope of defeating the Dark Lord? This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."
Why I fangirl this: One of my hobbies is military strategy; reading about it and applying it to situations. This fic presents a plausible alternative to HBP; a way the war could have gone, and how they would fight it. With a competent DADA professor to boot! Until this fic, I had never read a 100% believable plot where Snape and Potter grew fond of one another (not that way, gutterbrains!), in a gen setting. It was simply too difficult to make their personalities get along. Or so I thought. Say hello to the story that proved me wrong. Kicking and screaming every step of the way, Potter and Snape first make an uneasy truce, which slowly evolves into something bordering on friendship; all the while, Lord Voldemort has turned the tie between himself and Potter into a deadly weapon that may shatter Potter’s sanity before the cold war ever becomes outright battle! Theowyn’s Snape is so firmly himself that several times I had to remind myself that this wasn’t canon. Definitely don’t want to miss out.
Fandom: Harry Potter
Title: The Best Revenge
Author: Arsinoe de Blassenville
Rating: T
Status: WIP, but updated regularly
Summary: AU. Yes, the old Snape retrieves Harry from the Dursleys formula. I just had to write one. Everything changes, because the best revenge is living well. T for Mentor Snape's occasional naughty language. Supportive Minerva.
Why I fangirl this: Yes, yes, we’ve all read them before, I wager - Snape is sent/goes to the Dursley’s before PS begins and delivers Potter from their petty clutches, becoming a hero to all and sundry. But that’s not what this fic does! Taking a tired and clichéd plotline, Arsinoe weaves a darker, and more complex Snape-meets-the-Dursleys story. Thinking like the Slytherin he is, when he discovers Potter’s exact living circumstances, he determines that to have Harry’s eternal gratitude is a perfect form of revenge against James Potter. Bonus: Malfoys in this fic who can think, not just blindly follow.
Fandom: BBC’s Merlin
Title: The Crown of the Summer Court
Author: astolat
Rating: M
Status: Complete
Summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Why I fangirl this: Ah, Merlin. My newest shiny obsession. Firstly, I have to point out that I don’t like slash fic. Really. It just does nothing for me; and I can’t get into it. And Merlin/Arthur especially makes me roll my eyes, because it’s so obvious and overdone - pick a more challenging relationship to write about why don’t you! But this fic grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. Not a M/A PWP, there are enough plot twists to make your head spin. And the boys just sound like themselves here. I laughed out loud several times. I’ll leave it there, because if I said anymore, it’d ruin the surprise.
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Title: Nike (series)
Author: The Prophet
Rating: T?
Status: Complete at the moment, the author may add more
Summary: Jack must fight to maintain his prejudices when a Goa'uld soldier threatens to win his respect through a series of encounters.
Why I fangirl this: As cheesy as it sounds, I grew up on this show. I started watching when it first came out in 1997, when I was eleven. Even now, when I rewatch eps on DVD, it feels like coming home. I have very little to complain about it overall (except how Jack O’Neill left in S9 <.<). Thus it stands to reason that I am very choosy about my SG1 fic. It’s difficult for me to point to an author and say, “excellent job”, because I feel like I know the characters, and to see them portrayed badly - or even slightly off - just makes me want to find the nearest chalkboard and rake my nails over it. So I don’t have many favourites. This is one of the few. Admittedly, I was highly sceptical of the plot at first. Jack and a Goa’uld getting along? Blasphemy! Plus it’d been attempted and done to death. Nevertheless, I always give things a try. I’m so relieved I did. This author absolutely nailed Jack - I felt like Richard Dean Anderson himself was writing this under a pseudonym. The OC Goa’uld character is - stunningly - likeable! Not because she’s “good”; she’s certainly no Tok’ra. But she has honour. This fic is an excellent look at how even enemies can share positive attributes. Before Nike, I would never have believed Jack and a Goa’uld could be comrades. She pulled off such a masterful job that I could almost see this fic being acted out on screen. Superb!
Fandom: Stargate Atlantis/Gilmore Girls crossover
Title: Physics of the Spin
Author: mhalachaiswords
Rating: T/FR13
Status: WIP
Summary: Rory Gilmore always thought she was Christopher Hayden's daughter, but things are a little more complicated than that... (Gilmore Girls/Stargate xover)
Why I fangirl this:I know, I can almost hear the jaws dropping. Seems an unlikely crossover, doesn’t it? Guess again! If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this was gospel truth. Mhalachai has Rory, Rodney, John and Lorelai’s “voices” down pat. The humour is refreshingly dry and snarky, just my style! And let’s face it, I’m a sucker for Rodney freaking out about touchy-feely moments and trying to find his compassionate bone. I say this about very few authors, but Mhalachai could write anything, and I’d read it. She could probably get away with selling me a bridge in Brooklyn, too. ;) The Rodney/Rory relationship is sweet, as well as hilarious and awkward at times. I absolutely cannot wait to see Lorelai’s reaction.
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Title: In Aragorn’s Safekeeping
Author: Radbooks
Rating: T
Status: Complete
Summary: Rebecca & Thomas, 2 teenagers from the 1950s end up in ME & become wards of Aragorn. Follows the books closely, but fills in gaps. Some romance, but not a Legomance.
Why I fangirl this: A variation on a worn-out theme: modern OCs are sent hurtling into Middle-Earth to save the day, and usually end up shagging Leggy into next week (the Elf’s gotta be tired by now). I didn’t think I’d live to see the day when a talented author created a credible version of such a story, but I kept reading them all anyway, hoping against hope, because this type of plot is my biggest guilty pleasure. I kept being disappointed, and was on the verge of giving up. Well, it finally arrived! Radbooks has written - in my opinion - one of the best and most distinctive OCs-in-ME stories to appear online. There is some romance, but it is confined solely to either preset book relationships, or to Rebecca and Thomas themselves, and is not the focus of the plot. The author managed to create a tale that is solely hers, yet still stays true to book canon. I even have this fic saved to my HD to read offline over and over again, because it’s crafted so beautifully.
Fandom: Lord of the Rings
Title: The Patient
Author: Scribe
Rating: T
Status: Complete, part 1 of a series
Summary: When Dr Aaron Stone is asked to conduct a psychiatric examination of a patient with severe schizophrenia, he becomes the key to unlocking a mystery that alters everything he knows of the world and his own past.
Why I fangirl this: This story is almost the mirror opposite of the above fic. Instead of modern OCs coming to ME, you’ve got Gandalf, Legolas, and a few other old friends, coming to modern-day Earth! There’s a new (or not so new, rather version 2.0) Big Bad on the rise in our neck of the woods, and our world is completely oblivious. With the small exception of Dr Stone, who is dragged into the mess head-first. This fic is extremely well-written, and fun to read to boot! My only lament is that the latest foray into this ‘verse has yet to be completed, and the author hasn’t posted to it in years. That doesn’t affect this fic or its completed follow-ups, though.
Fandom: Star Wars
Title: Force Bond
Author: Kitt
Rating: K+
Status: Complete, part 1 of a finished series
Summary: AU After Owen and Beru are killed by a mysterious stranger, young Luke ends up as an orphan on Coruscant. It's a race against time as Obi-Wan struggles to find Luke before Vader realizes the boy is his son.
Why I fangirl this: Hi, my name is Cal, and I am a Luke-Vader-aholic. I just love to read AU fics on how relationships should have gone, and father/son Vader and Luke are such a good outlet. Kitt has produced such a masterpiece, that I have to pinch myself as a reminder that it didn’t actually happen this way. Vader is just as dark and bitter as he should be, yet almost against his will, develops a soft spot for 12-year-old Luke. Luke is a childish version of his grown movie counterpart, yes, but still adorably and recognisably Luke Skywalker. All our old favourites gradually make an appearance as well, including Artoo, Threepio, Leia, and Han! This is one AU I could definitely see as have happened, and sometimes in watching the movies, I feel a bittersweet ache for this fic and ‘what could/should have been’.
Fandom: Transformers (’07 movieverse)
Title: The Long Road Home
Author: caelum
Rating: T
Status: WIP
Summary: Damaged and unable to communicate with or even find his fellow Autobots, a lone survivor crashes to Earth and must locate Optimus and the others before a dangerous enemy arrives. Who can he trust, if he cannot tell friend from foe?
Why I fangirl this: Never have I read a TF fic so adept at getting inside an Autobot's head (circuitry?). If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that this was written by one of our giant metal friends themselves. No anthropomorphism here! Whiplash is completely likable without acting human, or using human terms for things before even stepping foot on Earth; one of my pet-peeves. Nic, the human protagonist, is also easy to fall in like with; like a real person, there are many facets to her personality, and she is not perfect. I especially love the quick-witted bantering; the jabs and verbal judo are wry and hilarious. I've read this over a dozen times from start to current chapter, and I'm still not bored!
Fandom: Transformers (G1 ‘verse)
Title: Transformers: Juxtaposition
Author: vaeru
Rating: T
Status: WIP
Summary: Transformers AU. She saved his life... and did not even know it. A series of unrelated events results in an earth-shattering meeting between species, cultures, and minds that is merely the beginning of so very much more.
Why I fangirl this: One word: epic. This is apparently just the first chapter in, what the author intends to make, a long series called the Sparkbearer Saga. The author made this fic its own webpage, and a summary for the entire saga is available on there. Right now, it's on chapter 32, and she's barely scratched the surface on what she wants to do. The scope is incredible. I cannot think of any other TF fic that comes close to resembling this plot. Evelyn is one of the most awesome OFCs I've ever had the pleasure of reading. It also helps that Sunstreaker and Sideswipe (aka the Twins) are major players in here, since they are my favourite G1 characters. Although it's frustrating that the author hasn't been able to update in ~9 months, she keeps a journal on DeviantArt that is frequently updated, so I am confident this is just a temporary RL-interference hiatus. I have to say that this is probably my most favourite TF fic in existence, and I check it daily to see if it's been updated.