Pre-Series Recs Part 1 (Stanford-Era John)
Title: Good Soldier, Bad War
Author/Artist: montisello
Rating: R
Length/Word Count: Medium...ish?
Warnings/Spoilers: Mild for S3
Summary: Sam celebrates Halloween in 2001 with an all-night party, John celebrates Halloween in 1967 with a trip to the hospital, and Dean gets a new jacket.
Reccer's Comments: With monti's stuff, sometimes I'm not sure where she's going. When I finished this, and looked at the last line, I went "Oh. Ohhhhhhh." And it was like a gut punch.
Title: Till Death Do Us Part
Author/Artist: ficwriter1966
Rating: PG for language
Length/Word Count: 3500
Summary: Shortly after Sam leaves, John isn't doing so well.
NOTE FROM MAYCHORIAN: Somehow I managed to delete the reccer's comments or something, I dunno, they weren't there. :( If it was you, maybe comment here? I'll add them ASAP.
Title: Love Means
Author/Artist: ficwriter1966
Rating: G
Length/Word Count: 1965
Warnings/Spoilers: Route 666
Summary: John deals with a silent Dean in the aftermath of Cassie's rejection.
Reccer's Comments: One of the finest portrayals of John's complicated, equal parts hard/gruff and compassionate/loving personality. Plus it has the added bonus of not talking!Dean too.
Reccer's Caveats: Don't let the references to Cassie or the ep throw you off. This ain't het. What it is is a lovely father-son story. Also, this is Stanford era so Sam's only there in spirit.
Title: Elsebound
Author: whereupon
Rating: PG
Length/Word Count: 1,300
Warnings/Spoilers: none
Summary: John and Dean, gen, pre-S1.
Reccer's Comments: This fic almost hurts to read. With a spare, vivid style, the author gives us John and Dean working a casefile together with Sam an aching absence. I love how John feels so locked away, and yet his love for his sons is so evident.
Title: Living Inside the Box
Author: dodger-winslow
Rating: R
Word Count: 16,000
Warnings/Spoilers: Language, disturbing images
Summary: He had to give it to the soulless bastard: this fear demon certainly knew its shit. Knew exactly what John was afraid of, knew exactly how to put him in the worst of all possible scenarios.
Reccer's Comments: This is all John, and the fight he's so good at, the never-give-up-never-surrender of him.
Title: Silence Cast to Night Skies
Author/Artist: tahirire
Rating: PG-13
Length/Word Count: 4093
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: Pre-series, post Sammy's departure to Stanford. John and Dean are having trouble adjusting to being a 2-man team and trouble, when you're a Winchester, could mean life or death.
Reccer's Comments: John's POV as he copes with a still reeling Dean along with his own guilt and pain over Sam's leaving. Wonderful insight into John's thoughts and fears for both sons while still maintaining his harsh, bad-ass, tough character. Lovely moments between father and son too and, despite Sam's absence, he's here too.
Title: Fire in the Hole
Author/Artist: big_pink
Rating: PG-13.
Length/Word Count: 9 or 10 chapters, very long. Printable version available.
Warnings/Spoilers:Loads of violence and swearing; whiff of sexual content. Genuinely gen. Loopy narrative structure bounces all over the place; put your thinking caps on, gentle readers. Asks the existential question: How much Dean whumpage is too much?
Summary: After Sam leaves for Stanford, Dean falls hard and John doesn’t catch him. Their long bloody year comes to an abrupt end in the silver mining district of western Nevada, where both father and son must face their worst fears.
Reccer's Comments: Long, involving, mind-bending and meticulously researched.
Reccer's Caveats: big_pink has a darker, grittier take on the characters than many fic writers. This particular story is structurally unique, and can be disorienting if you aren't paying close attention to what's happening. References two of her other fics 'Dazzleland' and 'DNR' so maybe read those first.
Title: Tiger Boy
Author/Artist: Pdragon76
Rating: PG-13
Length/Word Count: short-ish
Warnings/Spoilers: Language.
Summary: He knows a way or two around his son.
Reccer's Comments: Wonderful insight into John & Dean's relationship, Stanford-era. John's love for -- and frustration with -- his son is obvious. Nice mix of humor and angst.
Title: Armistice
Author/Artist: may7fic
Rating: T
Length/Word Count: 30 000+ words
Summary: A hunt gone terribly wrong prompts John's first trip to Stanford. Dean's hurt and hurting, father and son angst ensues. Preseries.
Reccer's Comments: Excellent characterization of John as well as the relationship between Dean and John!
Title: When Circles Come Around
Author/Artist: Tassos (Tassosss)
Rating: PG
Length/Word Count: ~2400
Warnings/Spoilers: spoilers for comments in Bugs
Summary: Finding Sam's room freshman year hadn’t been hard; it was in the package of information that was sent to their Nebraska mail drop over the summer.
Reccer's Comments: John stops by some time Sam's second year in Stanford to check up on him and Sam catches him at it. They actually converse in that painfully hard 'I love you but' sort of way.
This week's rec contributors: elrimc, izhilzha, brigid_tanner, sams1ra, riverbella, starrylizard, tanaquific, ambersaigh, faithintheboys, may7fic, july_july_july, ariadnes_string, claudiapriscus, dotfic, caffienekitty, laurie_bug, alphabet26, xyraeliemna, fish_echo, roque_clasique, adrenalineshots, harrigan, and alchemise overflow with an excess of awesomeness that outshines the sun, yea, the sun herself. So say we all.
Help us keep the gen love going! Rec, rec away at the current rec submission post. This week's theme: Free for All.
Current Progress: 28/50
Author/Artist: montisello
Rating: R
Length/Word Count: Medium...ish?
Warnings/Spoilers: Mild for S3
Summary: Sam celebrates Halloween in 2001 with an all-night party, John celebrates Halloween in 1967 with a trip to the hospital, and Dean gets a new jacket.
Reccer's Comments: With monti's stuff, sometimes I'm not sure where she's going. When I finished this, and looked at the last line, I went "Oh. Ohhhhhhh." And it was like a gut punch.
Title: Till Death Do Us Part
Author/Artist: ficwriter1966
Rating: PG for language
Length/Word Count: 3500
Summary: Shortly after Sam leaves, John isn't doing so well.
NOTE FROM MAYCHORIAN: Somehow I managed to delete the reccer's comments or something, I dunno, they weren't there. :( If it was you, maybe comment here? I'll add them ASAP.
Title: Love Means
Author/Artist: ficwriter1966
Rating: G
Length/Word Count: 1965
Warnings/Spoilers: Route 666
Summary: John deals with a silent Dean in the aftermath of Cassie's rejection.
Reccer's Comments: One of the finest portrayals of John's complicated, equal parts hard/gruff and compassionate/loving personality. Plus it has the added bonus of not talking!Dean too.
Reccer's Caveats: Don't let the references to Cassie or the ep throw you off. This ain't het. What it is is a lovely father-son story. Also, this is Stanford era so Sam's only there in spirit.
Title: Elsebound
Author: whereupon
Rating: PG
Length/Word Count: 1,300
Warnings/Spoilers: none
Summary: John and Dean, gen, pre-S1.
Reccer's Comments: This fic almost hurts to read. With a spare, vivid style, the author gives us John and Dean working a casefile together with Sam an aching absence. I love how John feels so locked away, and yet his love for his sons is so evident.
Title: Living Inside the Box
Author: dodger-winslow
Rating: R
Word Count: 16,000
Warnings/Spoilers: Language, disturbing images
Summary: He had to give it to the soulless bastard: this fear demon certainly knew its shit. Knew exactly what John was afraid of, knew exactly how to put him in the worst of all possible scenarios.
Reccer's Comments: This is all John, and the fight he's so good at, the never-give-up-never-surrender of him.
Title: Silence Cast to Night Skies
Author/Artist: tahirire
Rating: PG-13
Length/Word Count: 4093
Warnings/Spoilers: None
Summary: Pre-series, post Sammy's departure to Stanford. John and Dean are having trouble adjusting to being a 2-man team and trouble, when you're a Winchester, could mean life or death.
Reccer's Comments: John's POV as he copes with a still reeling Dean along with his own guilt and pain over Sam's leaving. Wonderful insight into John's thoughts and fears for both sons while still maintaining his harsh, bad-ass, tough character. Lovely moments between father and son too and, despite Sam's absence, he's here too.
Title: Fire in the Hole
Author/Artist: big_pink
Rating: PG-13.
Length/Word Count: 9 or 10 chapters, very long. Printable version available.
Warnings/Spoilers:Loads of violence and swearing; whiff of sexual content. Genuinely gen. Loopy narrative structure bounces all over the place; put your thinking caps on, gentle readers. Asks the existential question: How much Dean whumpage is too much?
Summary: After Sam leaves for Stanford, Dean falls hard and John doesn’t catch him. Their long bloody year comes to an abrupt end in the silver mining district of western Nevada, where both father and son must face their worst fears.
Reccer's Comments: Long, involving, mind-bending and meticulously researched.
Reccer's Caveats: big_pink has a darker, grittier take on the characters than many fic writers. This particular story is structurally unique, and can be disorienting if you aren't paying close attention to what's happening. References two of her other fics 'Dazzleland' and 'DNR' so maybe read those first.
Title: Tiger Boy
Author/Artist: Pdragon76
Rating: PG-13
Length/Word Count: short-ish
Warnings/Spoilers: Language.
Summary: He knows a way or two around his son.
Reccer's Comments: Wonderful insight into John & Dean's relationship, Stanford-era. John's love for -- and frustration with -- his son is obvious. Nice mix of humor and angst.
Title: Armistice
Author/Artist: may7fic
Rating: T
Length/Word Count: 30 000+ words
Summary: A hunt gone terribly wrong prompts John's first trip to Stanford. Dean's hurt and hurting, father and son angst ensues. Preseries.
Reccer's Comments: Excellent characterization of John as well as the relationship between Dean and John!
Title: When Circles Come Around
Author/Artist: Tassos (Tassosss)
Rating: PG
Length/Word Count: ~2400
Warnings/Spoilers: spoilers for comments in Bugs
Summary: Finding Sam's room freshman year hadn’t been hard; it was in the package of information that was sent to their Nebraska mail drop over the summer.
Reccer's Comments: John stops by some time Sam's second year in Stanford to check up on him and Sam catches him at it. They actually converse in that painfully hard 'I love you but' sort of way.
This week's rec contributors: elrimc, izhilzha, brigid_tanner, sams1ra, riverbella, starrylizard, tanaquific, ambersaigh, faithintheboys, may7fic, july_july_july, ariadnes_string, claudiapriscus, dotfic, caffienekitty, laurie_bug, alphabet26, xyraeliemna, fish_echo, roque_clasique, adrenalineshots, harrigan, and alchemise overflow with an excess of awesomeness that outshines the sun, yea, the sun herself. So say we all.
Help us keep the gen love going! Rec, rec away at the current rec submission post. This week's theme: Free for All.
Current Progress: 28/50