Recommendations

Last updated 2 June 2002

If you're looking for rhyme, reason or a pattern here, don't bother, there ain't none. These are a few of the stories out there on the web that have made an impact on me, or made me go 'Wow!' They're not all slash, hell, they don't even all have sex. If you like them, tell the authors they need to write more.

Harry Potter The Mirror of Maybe by Midnight Blue

To call this story an AU seems wrong, it's more of a future that will never be in the canon world of the Harry Potter novels. Harry is drawn into the Mirror of Maybe and comes back a man who had lived a life that has never been. Knowing one possible future, he sets out to change that future into something less horrifying. Midnight has a good grasp on all the characters; she doesn't fall into the trap where you can tell which characters the writer hates because they're unrecognisable. Well-detailed, each chapter is a joy to read, not just to see where the plot is going but to enjoy the ride. I'll stop babbling now :)

Warning, this is a work in progress, but don't wait 'til it's finished, join the rest of us hanging on the edge of our seats for the next chapter

(Rec added 6/02)

X-files The SlaughterHouse and Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful by Jennifer-Oksana

Saw a new rec page advertised on one of my lists, with the warm and friendly name of The SlaughterHouse. It's a darkfic recommendations site for X-File stories. Not much there yet (and I've already read half of them elsewhere) but I'll keep an eye on the site, if only to revisit the gorgeous picture by the Theban Band on the front page. The M/K relationship is so NOT a fluffy cuddly relationship. It's nasty, dark and ultimately bad for them. Favourite story from the site so far: Don't Hate Me Because I'm Beautiful by Jennifer-Oksana.

(Rec added 3/02)

Harry Potter Standing Circle by Rachael Sabotini

Somehow I managed to miss the whole Harry Potter phenomena until the movie was released last year. Now, with all the books read, I'm tentatively searching the net for fan fiction. Rachael was recommended in a friend's livejournal, so I wandered over. She has a series of three stories, all G-rated or pre-slash; Standing Circle is the one that hooked me. It's not a long story but a hell of lot happens. Snape has the teaching position he's always sought; Harry finds that the way he views Snape has radically changed. Secondary characters are not left to fade into the background, there's Ron and Hermione and Neville, all large as life. Read all three stories and enjoy the work of a master.

Some might read Standing Circle and say there's no slash but to me it's a promise of things to come. I'll be checking this page on a regular basis.

(Rec added 3/02)

Hercules:TLJ Midnight and Dawn by Luthien

It's good to see that Herc/Xena slash isn't completely dead even if both shows are over and us poor suckers in Australia still haven't seen Ares in all his glory in the last season of Xena. Luthien wrote 'Feline Interlude' which would be in my best Xenaverse slash stories section if I could get off my arse and finish it but it's her new story that I want to rave about here. It's Ares and Iphicles but this is not a traditional sex-filled romp. Sex is (heresy!) irrelevant.

This isn't about who's doing what to whose body ; it's about the infinitely more sexy world of the mind. Ares derides Iphicles for his inadequacies, comparing to his brother and yet it's himself that Ares is deriding, the faults he ascribes to Iphicles are his. He calls his lover whore and prostitute but fears admitting that there might be more than lust in himself.

And you do struggle. Constantly. Trying to recapture half-forgotten strength, while you dwindle away into... into a king. You're not much of a prize these days. Look at you, lying there, begging for it even in your dreams as you show off your body as unashamedly as a hetaera. Whore. Tramp. Just begging for it, aren’t you? Where's the soldier that you once were?

The last few lines will reshape your perception of the story.

(Rec added 2/02)

Star Wars Force Bond series by Kitt

Star Wars (the original movies) was my first fandom and it's one I always come back too. It's hard to find great SW fiction on the net, though there's some great stuff published to the Corellian Embassy a year after zine publication. Fanfiction.net has large amounts of dreck but gems like this one make all the rubbish bearable. Kitt has written three AU stories about Luke as a teenager, growing up on Coruscant with Vader. Her characterisation of Luke is very believable; the thought and sheer love that has gone into this series of stories is amazing.

The doors to the conference room hissed open, and Piett straightened in anticipation. However, it wasn't the tall black form of Lord Vader that entered. Instead, it was a short, blonde-haired, unassuming teenager. He looked at Piett in surprise, as though Piett was the one who was out of place.

"Hello," he said, looking the Captain up and down. "I guess you're waiting for my father."

The third story is still incomplete but the end is due out in the next few days. Join the AU side of the Force.

(Rec added 2/02)

Buffy:tVS Extreme, and Scatt'ring Bright by Sarah T

Sarah's stories are as precise as a cut from from a well-honed knife and just as deadly. Read 'Extreme, and Scattering Bright' for Spike's bleak view of life post-Buffy. Great Spike-voice here:

But when the door shuts and he's left alone in the black with nothing but the telly and the news bint and the knick-knack in his head, he can't stand it. Can't stand the silence creeping round the edges of the room. Can't stand the emptiness collecting in the corners. Can't stand the hole in his heart where Buffy used to live.

'The Boy in the Bubble' gives us a glimpse of Oz's life after Willow. Short and extremely poignant, what matters is what's not said, what's not done. Part of Oz's attraction for me was his laconic style; he was a man of few words but they were always the right words. Give Oz his own series, Joss! And lastly, for a damn good laugh, read 'Figuring It All Out'. I dare you not to grin so hard your face aches at the picture painted by this story.

(Rec added 11/01)

Due South Chicago's Most Wanted by Speranza

Benton Fraser as a criminal mastermind and it's not AU? Speranza has crafted a story that grabs you and draws you in, starting with the end, and then moving back to the beginning to lay out an incredible tale. It's as good as an episode of Due South, with a crazy logic all of its own. Fraser is pedantic, lovable and uniquely Canadian; Ray K alternately froths at the mouth and chews the scenery to hide his concern for his friend. One not to be missed by fans of DS or even those who are merely casual watchers. This story transcends fandom affliation. As Ray says - When Good Mounties Go Bad--Next On Geraldo! Go now. Read.

"I might so shoot you!" Fraser sounded annoyed.

"What are you--a killer now?" Ray yelled.

"I didn't say I'd kill you," Fraser objected. "I said I'd shoot you. Please pay attention."

Ray shook his head vigorously. "You wouldn't."

"Really, I might," Fraser insisted. "I could wound you," he suggested, apparently in the spirit of conciliation.

As Fraser says "I'm finding this all exceedingly implausible," but damn it, I want to believe! And I want more.

Buffy:tVS Heart and Soul by Cody Nelson

As a latecomer to the delights of Buffy:tVS, it's the changes to the character of Spike over the last two seasons that intrigue me. Buffy and Spike are *so* wrong for each other but who can resist a leather-wearing badboy? There's reams of Slayerfic out there but few handle this twitchy relationship as well as Cody.

Spike pushed off the wall, shouldering her aside, and strode away, pacing agitatedly for half a dozen steps before coming back to stand mere inches from her, his eyes blazing into hers, his smirk back full force. "You know what I think, Summers? I think the reason you can't admit that I love you is that if you do, then you have to wonder -- if a vampire without a soul can love you, why didn't Angel when he lost his? You have to wonder if maybe Angel didn't dump you because he lost his soul, after all. Maybe you just were that lousy in bed."

This is not a comfortable relationship. Try "Love, Give, Forgive", "Moonrise" and "Take Me to Your Leader" (Buffy/X-files crossover) from Cody's main page.

Response to allegations that homosexuality is an abomination Eros Foundation: reply to Dr Laura Schlessinger

Read it and know that irony is truly alive and flourishing. I'm sure it'd go over the head of the stupid bitch whose comments it targets but I appreciate humour like this; if you can't make them see they're wrong, point out how stupid they are by analogy.

Rant page (slash) The Big List of Small Dogs by resonant and anne

Yes, I must admit, I read rant pages religiously, trying to identify whether I'm guilty of the faults documented. Hey, if people won't say it to your face, then you gotta read it somewhere. I like this rant page because the writers and friends have supplied their hilarious comments for each fanfic faux pas.

On stretching prior to anal sex:

Miriam: One finger. two finger. Red finger. Blue finger. yadda yadda.
resonant: Would you do it with your friend?
resonant: Would you do it in the end?
See also Pet Peeves and Small Dogs

X-files Curtains by Sylvia

Ever read one of those nauseating stories where the slash couple goes all domestic with white picket fences and "Love you, sweetie" every other line? This is *not* one of those stories, trust me. It's about those little accidents that happen even to the best assassins and the lengths to which our heros are willing to go to get the job done right.

Mulder gasped. Very briefly, there was silence. Then, his voice lashed out without a trace of the usual bored-sounding drawl. "Stop that poodle!"

If you don't piss yourself reading this story, then aliens stole your sense of humour. While you're at Sylvia's page, read Partners, an AU that I'd love to see a lot more of, 'The Gift of an Enemy' and everything else she's got online.

Battle of the Planets (Gatchaman) Phoenix Rising by Imajiru

I adored the animated BoTP series as a kid even if it did seem disjointed at times, caused by the translation of a Japanese show into American morality. Imajiru has several stories on her page, all of them great, but my favourite is Phoenix Rising 4. The layout is a series of public and private email (not normally something I enjoy) but it fits the story perfectly, unfolding the complexities of lives of the teenaged heroes of the series and their 'parental units'. These characters have bite - literally in Jason's case.

X-files Sure, Fine, Whatever by Frankie, Niffusa and Dr Ruthless

Alex and Fox go for counselling. I fell off my seat laughing at the story <looks accusingly at the authors> before I'd even got a quarter of the way through. Stories like this should come with a warning! It gets a little serious later on but it's well worth reading.

Try this:

<Therapist>  Alex?  Would you like to tell me a little about yourself?
<FM>  Good luck...
<AK>  No
<FM>  Alex, come on.
<Therapist>  How about you, Fox?
<AK>  What do you wanna know?
<Therapist>  Tell me anything...
<AK>  I'm called Alex.
<FM>  Do you see what I have to put up with?
 

HtLJ Death's Sticky Feet by Thamiris

Tham gives us a gorgeous Ares / Iphicles fairytale with 'Death's Sticky Feet'. I adore the way her storyteller uses a combination of mythological imagery and very earthy language to set the scene and animate the characters in such a relatively short space. The omnipotent narrator bares the emotional extremes of the 'strong, silent type' Ares and the born-to-suffer Iphicles more openly than a tale told from either character's perspective.

There's some unforgettable images here : the Fates and their frequent-sucker points <snicker>, Ares with his black-leather heart as the runt of Zeus' litter, the circle of warriors cheering Ares as he fights for Iphicles's body from Death, Zeus wiping dusty pieces of Semele from his robe.

Do yourself a favour and read it.
 

B:tVS / X-Files crossover Gangland by Te

Te has taken Faith and Krycek and put them together for a purpose that isn't quite clear yet, but I'm sure there'll be blood on the walls, floor and possibly the ceiling before she's finished. The sex is sizzling in this story, and the promise of mayhem to come is seductive. I wish she'd writer faster :(

"So soon? I haven't even started killing off your friends and family members yet."

"Could you start with my Mom?"

"If you're a good girl and eat all your vegetables."

"And kill all your enemies."

Alex grinned at her over your shoulder. "Please don't. I happen to care deeply about quite a few of my enemies."
 

QaF I Like It Like That by Mallory

This is for anybody who's seen the British series Queer as Fuck, and maybe even those who haven't. The story has delightful humour, gorgeous characterisation and makes me wants to scream at the writer for more. Vince is having worse than usual luck with his shags... is that possible? Read it and find out just how bad it can get.
 

X-Files Wrestling with the Devil by Rachel Arlington

Scully and Krycek smoulder in this story by the same talented author of the 'These Men of Honor'. Here's a little excerpt from 'Wrestling' to whet your appetite:

'Scully feels her face flush and a hot ball of anger gets stuck in her throat - which is a mercy, because otherwise she'd be hissing at him 'What is your problem? My God, if I take my shoe off in the car to fix the toe of my stocking Mulder forgets what side of the road to drive on. Surely to God you can make an effort and forget that my greatest ambition in life is to have Mulder set you on fire so I can toast marshmallows'.

Read this story with a bucket of ice water handy and then go for the sequel 'Trick or Treat'.
 

Star Wars Darkshine Rising by ZP Florian

Set after RotJ, this story is completely separate from the pro-fiction novels; it takes Luke Skywalker in strange directions as he discovers life after the Rebellion even harder than when the Empire was trying to kill him . I loved this story when I first read it for its originality compared to what was available on the web at the time; it's still funny, moving, well characterised and thought-provoking.

Luke took a sip of his ale. "Let's say, I used to feel obligated. Sort of. But this is the least part of it. How I feel. The question is, how others feel. Half of the New Government is convinced that it would cause a great political scandal, if word got out that their favorite boy hero was Vader's . . . spawn."

"So don't invite them to diner. Invite the other half."

"Han! "

Hercules/Xena

Why not rec you know best? These recs leaned heavily towards the now defunct KSmithAres list but I can't help being biased. I once gave a list of my favourite stories during an on-list discussion and had a hard time limiting myself to thirty from the several hundred in the archive. That list has been pared down here to give you the best. A work in progress.

Best Gen Imaginary Friend by Marina

If all gen was this good, I'd never have bothered looking for slash. Iphicles is a child, and a fairly annoying child at that (Ah, there's my maternal instincts shining through). He's whiny. He's bratty. But he's the lens through which we view Ares, an Ares who knows exactly how it feels to be in the shadow of a brother or to be helpless, yet doesn't understand why he's drawn to his half-brother's half-brother.

While you're at Marina's site, have a look at The Sword and the Serpent and Serpent's Shadow for two kick-ass plot-driven stories with a little het goodness thrown in the second. You won't regret it.

Best Love Letter As High as His Palace by Foxmonkey

What kind of crappy category is that, I hear you ask? These are my awards and I'll call them what I damn well please. Ares tells the tale of his feelings for Iphicles with a great deal of bluntness, exploring Hercules, Zeus and the whole mixed up family tangle. His imagery has the lethal sharpness of his swordblade.

There's nothing like watching a skilled warrior slicing through the enemy like a sickle through wheat, barely pausing between blade strokes as men drop, bleeding, on either side. It's a thing of beauty.

Yeah, and read Fox's BrotherDance; if I could think of a category for it, I'd give that a guernsey too.*G*

Best Uber Regency Fuck by Jen

This wickedly good slash version of a Regency romance novel has characters you'll love and some you'll love to hate. It's sultry, sweaty and a damn good read. Think Darcy in breeches, riding crop at the ready. You don't need to be a fan of Ares slash to read this, just familiar with Heyer or others of her ilk to enjoy the parallels.

Best Historical Guerradio by Thamiris

What's the difference between uber and historical, you ask? Well, I wanted both these stories in here! Guerradio is one of the lushest stories I've ever read, filled with glorious description, allegorical references and one very flawed antihero. Set in a Renaissance Italy populated with vibrant characters, Guerradio is a cardinal of the Roman Catholic church, a decadent man surrounded by plague and tormented by his past and present. You may hate him, you may love him; there is no middle ground.

Best Murder Mystery Dead Again by Candace

Iolaus is dead again. Whodunnit? An unkind person might say I like this story because of what happens to Hercules. Candace is an extremely talented writer whose take on mythological characters has spawned its own fandom. Visit her web site Fugue and met Thanatos, Deimos and many others.