Fan Fiction Recommendations
**UPDATED: Nov 10/10**
It's occurred to me that I've been reading and writing fan fiction for over ten years, so I like to think I've got decent taste. Add to this that I've had computer problems the last while and I'm concerned that I'm going to lose my bookmarks. Therefore I've decided to put together this fan fiction recommendation list.
I'm ashamed to say that I haven't reviewed a number of these fics and thus will have to go remedy the situation.
I won't be posting everything up at once since I'm lazy and thus will be updated every once and a while.
As of Nov 10, 2010, I've stopped trying to alphabetize these entries and will start adding the new fics and authors to the bottom of their respective sections.
Animorphs
Title: The Wheel - complete
Author: L. Emmist
Summary: The Animorphs face what may prove to be their biggest challenge yet - Driver's Ed. - PG for action.
Comments: L. Emmist is nicknamed 'He Who Shares K.A.'s Brain' for a reason. He (YES! A definitely male fanfic author! THEY DO EXIST!) seemingly effortlessly emulates Applegate's style especially from the earlier books. He nails the characters and gets a ton of laughs to boot. It's also worthwhile reading 'The Heretic' but alas... it looks like he's long since abandoned it.
Avatar the Last Airbender
Anything by avocado_love
Master fic list is here
Her "Another Brother" is a thoughtfully written AU where Zuko gets adopted by Hakoda which is way better than it seems. Whatever she writes, you'll be sure to find fantastic and seamless world-building. She makes FISHING seem interesting.
Title: Enslaved ***new***
Author: sharkflip
Summary: A triumphant war party returns with an exotic slave, a gift for the ruling house. Katara and Zuko AU
Comments: Let me be blunt: I AM NOT A KATARA/ZUKO SHIPPER!!! While I don't actively hate the ship (I personally feel anti-shippers have way too much time on their hands), I don't like it; it does absolutely nothing for me. This is one is a major exception. It takes the concept of the typical Katara becomes a slave in the Fire Nation and flips it on its head. Well thought-out, wonderful writing and a good sense of pace.
Darker than BLACK
Title: Liquid Honey - one-shot ***new***
Author: VR2LBast
Summary: Written in 2009. Suou-centric. A filler piece set around episodes 4 & 5. A Contractor, set on capturing Suou, disables Hei. They escape, but Suou is left to wonder if she should abandon Hei, help him, or confront the Contractor on her own.
Comments: Suou's one of those characters who hits a few Mary Sue notes (mainly because of that STUPID sequence where she gets her gun that really belongs in Sailor Moon), but if you're willing to be won over, this is the fic for you. Suou is present with both her strengths and her weaknesses and it thoroughly exams her rather complicated relationship with the rest of her 'team'. Primarily, the relationship with Hei is looked at and never does the author shy from touching on the Stockholm Syndrome-like aspect of their connection.
Death Note
Title: Serious - in-progress ***new***
Author: Zerbinetta
Summary: When Misa gets dumped by Light because he wants someone "serious" to pursue a law career at To-Oh, the perky model decides to swap her Lolita outfits for law books and prove to her love that she is more than serious enough. DN crossed with Legally Blonde!
Comments: This fic has no right to work so well. Some how it does. I love how it portrays Misa, ditzy but not stupid - something that there was strong signs of in canon though unfortunately got ignored in later chapters of the manga. *sigh* While still not finished, the last chapter while not the official end is surprisingly satisfying; so, if it never gets finished, I'll live.
Final Fantasy VII
Anything by in_elixile
Master fic list is here
Elixile has a knack for writing neglected characters in FF7 fandom and breathing life into them. She writes a number of rich one-shots. Her version of Reeve has a mixture of idealism, cunning and practicality that is more or less what I picture him and her writing of Veld (Verdot) and Scarlet doesn't exactly disappoint.
One should note that not all her fics are on fanfiction.net and that it's worthwhile to navigate her livejournal as well.
Anything by sister_coyote
Master fic list (for FF7 only) is here
Sister Coyote has a knack for morally ambiguous characters, she can play them light, dark, humorous, dramatic or adventurous successfully, never losing sight of their darker sides. She seems to specialize with the Turks and has put together one of my favourite versions of Elena that I've ever seen, but it's worth looking at how she plays with the other FF7 alumni as well. She does some quite... pleasant smut as well.
Anything by tokyoroadkill
Master fic list is here
I'm especially fond of her "The Things You Never Knew About People" which touches on the backstory of Reno growing up. She gets that Turks while they can be heroes at times, that doesn't necessarily make them heroes. Also her comedy involving Vincent and a baby Chocobo is more than worthwhile if you're feeling down.
Anything by sinnatious
Master fic list is here
One example of her work is "The Fifth Act". There are tons of generic fics where Cloud is sent back in time to the point that at times they all tend to blend into one, but this one definitely doesn't blend in with the crowd. In this particular fic, Cloud is sent back to Crisis Core times as an adult and isn't content to just be best friends with Sephiroth. The characterization is fantastic, the plotting is tight and Sin has an wicked sense of humour that creeps into her text.
Title: Cleansing of the Soul - complete
Author: carrietheninja
Summary: AU You would think going undercover as a housekeeper to gather information on the Turks would be stressful. Granted, it is... but that is the least of my concerns. RenoxElena First Person Elena
Comments: Basically an AU where Elena isn't Turk. It's hard to talk too much about without giving it away. I'll just say that there are VERY few romances in fanfics or in books that I like. This I do.
Title: Gold Glove - one-shot
Author: ellnyx
Summary: Vincent and Hojo. Set during Vincent's captivity in Hojo's labs. Rated for suggestion of gore.
Comments: While most likely an AU to DoC (I didn't like the Hojo backstory that much so I'm not complaining), this story is a way too likely look into Hojo's mind and his thoughts on Vincent.
Title: Last Rites - one-shot
Author: Annwyd
Summary: They are a society unto themselves, even in death. It's almost a religion. Turkfic
Comments: A short story dealing with Vincent and Tseng meeting during the incident at the Temple of the Ancients. No unnecessary words and utterly deceptive in its simpleness.
Title: The One Who Wakes - complete
Author: delladella
Summary: Events between Cloud’s awakening outside Midgar and his arrival at the train station.
Comments: Please note that I've linked to the last chapter since it contains links to all the other ones. This is an awesome fic with beautiful art. Delladella writes the struggle of Cloud piecing together an identity beautifully and features a very disconcerting Sephiroth.
Anything by Tyramir ***new***
Master fic list is here
Another gentleman fic-writer. It should be noted that the description is a little sparse in his earlier stuff, but the ideas and the dialogue are excellent. I love how he writes Rufus, Reeve and the Turks while they don't always mesh with my own vision, they're completely awesome. His version of Rude, is my favourite incarnation of the characters so far. IMPORTANT: He says he may be taking some of his stuff down in the future due to professional projects that he's working on. So if you want to read his stuff, now is the time
Harry Potter
Title: In Blood Only - complete
Author: E. M. Snape
Summary: Snape is Harry's father. No one is happy to hear it. R due to colorful language, dark themes, and nongraphic violence.
Comments: An AU starting after the OotP. Perhaps the only fic where Snape and Harry are family where I really bought their reactions. The story is intelligent, fascinating and caused me to go to bed at a very late hour. The author also writes a very interesting Lucius, Dumbledore and Draco.
Title: Recall Alive When She Was Just Small - complete
Author: Harmonic Friction
Summary: Dudley Dursley: champion boxer, crass chav, cannibal?, bad boyfriend, good son, annoying cousin, best friend. It's hard to keep all the identities straight.
Comments: Arguably the best Dudley story I've ever come across. It takes a for the most part two-dimensional character and breaths life into him. Deals with him growing up and acts as a coming of age story as well.
Title: The Very Secret Diary - complete
Author: Arabella
Summary: 'His d-diary!' Ginny sobbed. 'I've b-been writing in it, and he's been w-writing back all year -' This story was written prior to the release of "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."
Comments: A look at the time where Ginny was writing in Riddle's diary. It's done in letter format back and forth between Riddle and Ginny and succeeds in freaking out this reader. The way Arabella writes a young Voldemort.... *shivers*
Hellblazer
Title: Sailor Hellblazer - complete ***new***
Author: RpM1
Summary: A Sailor Moon/John Constantine: Hellblazer crossover. Co-written with David Tai. Gemma Masters was destined to become a Sailor Scout. But then Destiny ran headfirst into John Constantine first.
Comments: Predictably hilarious just by concept alone, but between the laughs has some geniune character moments and despite the fact that the author hates Sailor Moon, it never goes overboard. Worth reading even if you only have a rudimentary knowledge of Sailor Moon.
Stargate: Atlantis
Title: The Universe Is Not Enough - one-shot
Author: trinityofone
Summary: McKay/Sheppard, Humour, Deadly-calm, deadly-serious: “I’m a spy,” Rodney said.
Comments: Apparently My Home and Native Land of Canada is attempting to take over the universe. I always knew it was true. You shall all bow down to the maple leaf! An utterly hilarious fic.
Stargate: SG-1
Title: walked right out of the machinery - complete
Author: rydra_wong
Summary: Stargate SG-1 season 6 AU. The one where Ba'al's Jaffa got there thirty seconds faster. There is no "both of you," he wants to say; it doesn't work like that.
Comments: I would be sorely tempted to suggest peope to get familiar with SG-1 purely for the sake of reading this fic. It's arguably one of the best fics I've ever read. It's a brilliant mesh of science fiction, action and character drama for both(?) of the main characters. The basic concept is that Jack blended to Kanan of the Tok'ra, but honestly this alone doesn't do the story justice in the slightest.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Title: Internment Camp 317 - one-shot
Author: Jewels
Summary: Julian Bashir spent a month in Internment Camp 317 as a prisoner of the Dominion, and he never really spoke much about it later...
Comments: We've all always wondered what happened when Bashir was a prisoner of the Dominion. (Well, I have. I can't account for the taste of the rest of you.) Jewels finally fills it in. There's a nice reference to Bashir's genetic enhancements for those who have seen the later episodes and the characterization of the Romulan woman makes her essentially Jewel's original character is quite enjoyable. Nice mix of friendship, drama and even gallow's humour.
Title: Snow Doll - complete
Author: jemisard
Summary: Crashed on a frozen world, off course and with no communications, Bashir and Garak just have to survive and stay sane until help arrives. Mild slash. Mild 'adult' themes later.
Comments: While I am most definitely a Bashir/Garak shipper (one of my few OTPs), for the most part I avoid them like the plague since they frequently take one or both of them massively out of character. This one nails there interactions perfectly which is incredibly hard to do with such a complicated character as Garak.
Title: The Traitor - one-shot
Author: babel
Summary: Garak/Bashir, Tain, Korinas, An AU version of season 6 or 7 in which the Obsidian Order was successful during The Die is Cast and took political control of Cardassia.
Comments: babel's one of those authors who isn't afraid to completely dive into the inherent problems surrounding a relationship. Not only is it done very well here, but the rest of the story is well-written too. Not a lot happens, but there's never a dull moment.