Reams of recs.
I never time this right, for ages I think I don't have enough collected, and then I turn around and I have heaps of recs saved to post. Which means doing interminable lj code.
Anyway, these are mainly recs of fics, from drabbles and ficlets, through short stories to multi-chapter novels or even epics. It's practially all het or gen. There's also some meta about the source material, parodies and other oddments. These recs have been getting more and more multifannish (previous recs can be found here.
I rec stuff that I think is exceptional, stuff that may not reach that pinnacle, but just plain made me happy to read, and stuff that I possibly liked because I read it at the right moment (I know I'm subjective according to fandom). I rec because I love and make use of others' recs. It works as a tool for me, too, to find fics I loved, but the idea is to point others to writing that I think is good. If that works and this post sends you to a fic or whatever and you love it too, please send feedback to the writer, because hopefully, the more appreciated they feel, the more likely they are to write more, and we already know that I like their writing, and it's all about me :)
Lecture over. Recs here:
Recs in the folowing fandoms: Alias, Batverse, BTVS, Dark Angel, Dead Like Me, ER, Fantastic 4, Firefly, The Incredibles, Indiana Jones, LOTR/Silmarillion, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The OC, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Supernatural, Willow.
Alias
Celli writes a loveletter to Alias (written after season 3).
Airs, Waters, Places: Vaznetti
Jack-centric fic that takes up after Sydney disappears from the flat at the send of season 2. Great characterisation - Jack is the observant, dangerous, focused creature, driven to find Sydney we know from the show. He turns to Sark and through him, Irina, for help, and his relationship with both is really well-captured. Not to mention, it’s a gripping read.
Winter in Tunisia
A sequel to Airs… An emotionally satisfying coda to the above (Jack/Irina).
Batverse
The reliable insightful Flick Filosopher discusses Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman and female rage (spoilers for Batman Returns).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Shot Through With Green: doyle
Lovely Tara-centric gen fic: The taking and receiving part - that, she understands. That, she learned with the ABCs, her mother’s hands around hers around the dirt.
Something Wicked by speakr2customrs
Giles, Willow drabble. An alternate take on 'Something Blue'.
More assorted Buffyverse drabbles by the same writer: Soul Music (spoilers for After Life.) When the day is dawning (halfdrabble) Spike is being mean to Tara...and I don't want to give too much away. Read the author's notes. Can't Buy Me Love Giles/Anya R-rated.
The Dawn idol_reflection essay by fox1013 which is funny and makes good points about the fannish reaction to Dawn
Moonlight at Whitby by keshoverwind
Very funny Anyanka story, where our favourite vengeance demon crosses path with Dracula.
Dark Angel
Small Comfort: Aletheia
Max/Alec, NC-17. Excellent characterisation, lovely writing, hotness and brokeness.
Dead Like Me
minnow1212 has compiled a non-spoilery list and a spoilery list about why to love Dead Like Me, a great (cancelled) show. Made me nostalgic and thinky, which is a good combo.
ER
Physician, Heal thyself: shadow_diva.
Neela, Ray gen. Post ep (11.14 'Just as I am'), dialogue-driven scene that feels that it could have happened on the show.
12 hours full of grace: Tonya
Great Neela & Ray fic - for anyone who likes this duo's dynamic. Funny and deftly done.
How Come No One Told Me You Were Such A Badass? by fc2001
The Neela/Ray ship manifesto. (Spoilers for 12.18.) This is particularly strong on setting out the time-line of the developing relationship, and if you've only half followed the show, does help to explain the pairing that may have eaten up some of my braincells like so much cereal.
(All the following are Neela/Ray fics.)
Sleep to Dream Her: shadow_diva (rated mature.)
He used to dream about stupid things. Now he dreams about her.
It's the final part of this that got to me, that and the structure adds such an edge to this.
Score: unchallenged_yo Mature-rated drabble.
Anchor: shadow_diva
Post 'You Are Here' fic, that has a very natural flow to it. One of those post ep stories where you go 'that should have happened on the show' (glimses of shippiness, though can be read as a friendship fic.)
The Loneliness of the Long Haul Runner: SpikeDru
Neela runs, metaphorically and literally. This is a great look at what she's always run from and who she could be running to.
TMI: spikedru 12.07 drabble. Hee.
Anonymity: fc2001 (rated mature, more R than anything).
Neela and Ray playing games in a hotel. Sultry, take-charge-Neela meeting her match
Jealous Guy; fc2001
Really well constructed Ray/Neela drabble.
Paper Wraps Stone: SpikeDru
Post 12.10 drabble, great insight into the relationship.
An affectionate look at Neela/Ray fanon (that is, oft-repeated cliches set ups and features of 'Roomie' fic by SpikeDru, whose ER-specific blog, Rapid Infusion is a good place to get episode reviews for the currently-airing season and, thanks to the power of DVDs, older ones.
Fantastic 4
After: inlovewithnight Post the movie.
To quote the author: Genfic! With hurt/comfort! And me having fun with the idea that actions have consequences!
Er, why is there not more Johnny-centric gen out there? (If you know of any, let me know. He was my favourite thing about that movie.) Great character voice here.
Firefly/Serenity
Look surprise on one another: musesfool Kaylee/Mal (rated adult)
Hot, sensual and earthy. As ever with Victoria P. writing Firefly, there's lovely use of language and strong foregrounding of character.
And you will know when you get there: astralis
Kaylee being loveable, set after Serenity, this gives the characters time to grieve, work through it, and for Mal and Kaylee to find each other.
Unwholesome thoughts: srichard R.
Mal/Kaylee fic that deals with 'Objects in Space'.
The Pretty Side of Morning: emeraldswan (mature, general spoilers for the series, not the film.)
Lovely tone to this that is so very Mal/Kaylee. (There's a bit of busy-ness going on with the font and use of brackets in an otherwise conventional style.)
Embracing a life of crime: Macha Wash, Zoe (Wash/Zoe), Kaylee, Mal.) Spoilers for 'Out of Gas', pre-series.
This feels like a flashback that they never got around to showing. Engrossing stry, very funny and on the button Wash.
Untitled Firefly/Alias crossover by Vaznetti
What if Mal Reynolds came Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko's way?
Bristow yanked at the links a moment. "Mr. Reynolds, do you know what the chief cause of death is in men of your age group?"
Mal thought a moment. "Fishing accidents?"
"Stupidity. Please try not to be stupid."
The Incredibles:
Essay-thing by yaldat_shayil
An essay about the symbolic use of food in the Incredibles, but it analyses so much more than that.
Indiana Jones
Theseus and Ariadne Try Again: Vaznetti Post-Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indy/Marion).
Wonderfully in-character adventure story that captures the spirit of Indy's adventures.
Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion
If It Be Her Will: musesfool
Faramir/Eowyn ficlet.
Cold, Clean Steel: musesfool
Perfectly-titled Eowyn ficlet.
Oak and Willow: Marnie Galardriel/Celebron,
Complex and engrossing look at the courtship of Celebron and Galadriel. I’ve always wondered about their relationship, and this novel is a beautiful exploration, with a textured recreation of the Elves' world, politics and the nature of love. One of those fics that makes me excited about fanfiction all over again (it’s probably best if you’ve read the Simarillion, which I had done, but you don't need to remember your genealogy, though, trust me, this'll bring those family trees alive.) It's stayed with me above and beyond anything else recced in this post.
Is This a Kissing Book? (Done proper, by Øystein Bech Gadmar).
LOTR as told through Princess Bride quotes. Very, very funny.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Mr and Mrs Smith Go to New Hampshire: the fourth vine NC-17.
If you loved John and Jane in the movie, go read this now: it's hot and it's vicious (the foreplay is killing).
The O.C.
Blankets, Three Pillows and the Remote: foreign-element
Seth/Summer (the Tijuana episode, missing scene, all dialogue) Very much in character, so it's very funny.
Star Trek
ST DS9:
Everybody Comes To Quark's by Selenak
Quark essay love!
Supernatural
Wild Fire Woman by jwynn
Supernatural/BtVS cross-over. Dean/Faith (1.13 SPN spoilers) R or NC-17.
I've referred to this before, but this absolutely does justice to this delectable pairing.
Willow
How To Handle A Woman by Yahtzee
Post-movie fic with canon het.
Madmartigan didn't need to take advice from a peck. Of course, he didn't need to take advice from anyone, but from a peck least of all.
If you loved the film, this should warm you right up.
Anyway, these are mainly recs of fics, from drabbles and ficlets, through short stories to multi-chapter novels or even epics. It's practially all het or gen. There's also some meta about the source material, parodies and other oddments. These recs have been getting more and more multifannish (previous recs can be found here.
I rec stuff that I think is exceptional, stuff that may not reach that pinnacle, but just plain made me happy to read, and stuff that I possibly liked because I read it at the right moment (I know I'm subjective according to fandom). I rec because I love and make use of others' recs. It works as a tool for me, too, to find fics I loved, but the idea is to point others to writing that I think is good. If that works and this post sends you to a fic or whatever and you love it too, please send feedback to the writer, because hopefully, the more appreciated they feel, the more likely they are to write more, and we already know that I like their writing, and it's all about me :)
Lecture over. Recs here:
Recs in the folowing fandoms: Alias, Batverse, BTVS, Dark Angel, Dead Like Me, ER, Fantastic 4, Firefly, The Incredibles, Indiana Jones, LOTR/Silmarillion, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The OC, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Supernatural, Willow.
Alias
Celli writes a loveletter to Alias (written after season 3).
Airs, Waters, Places: Vaznetti
Jack-centric fic that takes up after Sydney disappears from the flat at the send of season 2. Great characterisation - Jack is the observant, dangerous, focused creature, driven to find Sydney we know from the show. He turns to Sark and through him, Irina, for help, and his relationship with both is really well-captured. Not to mention, it’s a gripping read.
Winter in Tunisia
A sequel to Airs… An emotionally satisfying coda to the above (Jack/Irina).
Batverse
The reliable insightful Flick Filosopher discusses Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman and female rage (spoilers for Batman Returns).
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Shot Through With Green: doyle
Lovely Tara-centric gen fic: The taking and receiving part - that, she understands. That, she learned with the ABCs, her mother’s hands around hers around the dirt.
Something Wicked by speakr2customrs
Giles, Willow drabble. An alternate take on 'Something Blue'.
More assorted Buffyverse drabbles by the same writer: Soul Music (spoilers for After Life.) When the day is dawning (halfdrabble) Spike is being mean to Tara...and I don't want to give too much away. Read the author's notes. Can't Buy Me Love Giles/Anya R-rated.
The Dawn idol_reflection essay by fox1013 which is funny and makes good points about the fannish reaction to Dawn
Moonlight at Whitby by keshoverwind
Very funny Anyanka story, where our favourite vengeance demon crosses path with Dracula.
Dark Angel
Small Comfort: Aletheia
Max/Alec, NC-17. Excellent characterisation, lovely writing, hotness and brokeness.
Dead Like Me
minnow1212 has compiled a non-spoilery list and a spoilery list about why to love Dead Like Me, a great (cancelled) show. Made me nostalgic and thinky, which is a good combo.
ER
Physician, Heal thyself: shadow_diva.
Neela, Ray gen. Post ep (11.14 'Just as I am'), dialogue-driven scene that feels that it could have happened on the show.
12 hours full of grace: Tonya
Great Neela & Ray fic - for anyone who likes this duo's dynamic. Funny and deftly done.
How Come No One Told Me You Were Such A Badass? by fc2001
The Neela/Ray ship manifesto. (Spoilers for 12.18.) This is particularly strong on setting out the time-line of the developing relationship, and if you've only half followed the show, does help to explain the pairing that may have eaten up some of my braincells like so much cereal.
(All the following are Neela/Ray fics.)
Sleep to Dream Her: shadow_diva (rated mature.)
He used to dream about stupid things. Now he dreams about her.
It's the final part of this that got to me, that and the structure adds such an edge to this.
Score: unchallenged_yo Mature-rated drabble.
Anchor: shadow_diva
Post 'You Are Here' fic, that has a very natural flow to it. One of those post ep stories where you go 'that should have happened on the show' (glimses of shippiness, though can be read as a friendship fic.)
The Loneliness of the Long Haul Runner: SpikeDru
Neela runs, metaphorically and literally. This is a great look at what she's always run from and who she could be running to.
TMI: spikedru 12.07 drabble. Hee.
Anonymity: fc2001 (rated mature, more R than anything).
Neela and Ray playing games in a hotel. Sultry, take-charge-Neela meeting her match
Jealous Guy; fc2001
Really well constructed Ray/Neela drabble.
Paper Wraps Stone: SpikeDru
Post 12.10 drabble, great insight into the relationship.
An affectionate look at Neela/Ray fanon (that is, oft-repeated cliches set ups and features of 'Roomie' fic by SpikeDru, whose ER-specific blog, Rapid Infusion is a good place to get episode reviews for the currently-airing season and, thanks to the power of DVDs, older ones.
Fantastic 4
After: inlovewithnight Post the movie.
To quote the author: Genfic! With hurt/comfort! And me having fun with the idea that actions have consequences!
Er, why is there not more Johnny-centric gen out there? (If you know of any, let me know. He was my favourite thing about that movie.) Great character voice here.
Firefly/Serenity
Look surprise on one another: musesfool Kaylee/Mal (rated adult)
Hot, sensual and earthy. As ever with Victoria P. writing Firefly, there's lovely use of language and strong foregrounding of character.
And you will know when you get there: astralis
Kaylee being loveable, set after Serenity, this gives the characters time to grieve, work through it, and for Mal and Kaylee to find each other.
Unwholesome thoughts: srichard R.
Mal/Kaylee fic that deals with 'Objects in Space'.
The Pretty Side of Morning: emeraldswan (mature, general spoilers for the series, not the film.)
Lovely tone to this that is so very Mal/Kaylee. (There's a bit of busy-ness going on with the font and use of brackets in an otherwise conventional style.)
Embracing a life of crime: Macha Wash, Zoe (Wash/Zoe), Kaylee, Mal.) Spoilers for 'Out of Gas', pre-series.
This feels like a flashback that they never got around to showing. Engrossing stry, very funny and on the button Wash.
Untitled Firefly/Alias crossover by Vaznetti
What if Mal Reynolds came Jack Bristow and Irina Derevko's way?
Bristow yanked at the links a moment. "Mr. Reynolds, do you know what the chief cause of death is in men of your age group?"
Mal thought a moment. "Fishing accidents?"
"Stupidity. Please try not to be stupid."
The Incredibles:
Essay-thing by yaldat_shayil
An essay about the symbolic use of food in the Incredibles, but it analyses so much more than that.
Indiana Jones
Theseus and Ariadne Try Again: Vaznetti Post-Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indy/Marion).
Wonderfully in-character adventure story that captures the spirit of Indy's adventures.
Lord of the Rings/Silmarillion
If It Be Her Will: musesfool
Faramir/Eowyn ficlet.
Cold, Clean Steel: musesfool
Perfectly-titled Eowyn ficlet.
Oak and Willow: Marnie Galardriel/Celebron,
Complex and engrossing look at the courtship of Celebron and Galadriel. I’ve always wondered about their relationship, and this novel is a beautiful exploration, with a textured recreation of the Elves' world, politics and the nature of love. One of those fics that makes me excited about fanfiction all over again (it’s probably best if you’ve read the Simarillion, which I had done, but you don't need to remember your genealogy, though, trust me, this'll bring those family trees alive.) It's stayed with me above and beyond anything else recced in this post.
Is This a Kissing Book? (Done proper, by Øystein Bech Gadmar).
LOTR as told through Princess Bride quotes. Very, very funny.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Mr and Mrs Smith Go to New Hampshire: the fourth vine NC-17.
If you loved John and Jane in the movie, go read this now: it's hot and it's vicious (the foreplay is killing).
The O.C.
Blankets, Three Pillows and the Remote: foreign-element
Seth/Summer (the Tijuana episode, missing scene, all dialogue) Very much in character, so it's very funny.
Star Trek
ST DS9:
Everybody Comes To Quark's by Selenak
Quark essay love!
Supernatural
Wild Fire Woman by jwynn
Supernatural/BtVS cross-over. Dean/Faith (1.13 SPN spoilers) R or NC-17.
I've referred to this before, but this absolutely does justice to this delectable pairing.
Willow
How To Handle A Woman by Yahtzee
Post-movie fic with canon het.
Madmartigan didn't need to take advice from a peck. Of course, he didn't need to take advice from anyone, but from a peck least of all.
If you loved the film, this should warm you right up.