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Soap Opera by Yahtzee
I do not watch Alias. I religiously do not watch Alias. Yet a well-written Sydney/Weiss story can suck me in every time. Go figure. Here, Yahtzee offers a sweet, romantic, WAFFy look inside the head of a guy who will never star in a soap opera, but still might get the girl.Yahtzee's Eric is a darling, and the story is delightful and easy to follow, even if you've never watched the series; I love it with a ridiculous passion. (Almost as much as I love Yahtzee's long, plotty, insanely cool Irenicon.) But I still won't watch Alias.
What You Never Knew You Wanted by R.J. Anderson
Continuing to feel the Sweiss love (yet still haven't seen an entire ep). :) This plotty contribution from RJ sets up an intriguing AU, in which Sydney's missing years were more different than she ever believed possible. Now, she has to deal with a situation that's more dangerous to her heart than her life. If I had the chance, I'd skip the very last section of the last part -- I think it wimps out more than a bit and the story stands better without it; YMMV. But the rest of it just rocks my world; the characterization is excellent and the difficult second-person is used to great effect.
In Case of an Emergency by shrift
"Terrorists, Syd. They've taken over your bathroom and they're demanding beer." A short, sweet, funny Sydney and Weiss fic by the ever-wonderful shrift. Written for the Family Ficathon, it's well worth a few minutes of your time.
R. John Burke @ Fanfiction.net
Words cannot express my respect and love for A Final Darkness, an epic novel that is dark and rich with detail that you just wouldn't expect from a man whose specialty in this fandom has been Shakespearean parody. The characterization is dead-on, the writing style wry and ironic, the plot intricate, cohesive, and fascinating. To recover, go read the Shakesperean parodies.
The Green Room
Viridian5 specializes in slash, which I haven't read, but her gen stuff rocks the house down. True Romance is silly, fluffy fic, with dialogue so dead-on perfect I can hear the voices in my head. For a really wild -- and much darker and bloody brilliant -- ride, try Understanding next, then just start reading all of her pre-Andromeda fics, especially Your New Harper: A First-Time Owner's Guide.
Idea No. 8
Jessie's fic specializes in character pieces, ranging from Farscape to The West Wing to Andromeda, and she doesn't seem to be able to put a foot wrong in any of them. Read it all, man.
The Common People Challenge
Christina K reimagined an old X-Men challenge, to take ordinary, everyday people and give a glimpse of their lives in an extraordinary world. Lots of gems, including Rheanna's Calliope and BK the Irregular's Gooney Bird.
Laws of Gravity by Brynn McK.
Beautiful, stunning, gorgeous Lee/Kara backstory, which makes sense of everything we know in canon and never falters for even a single, tiny second. Love. The voices are absolutely perfect, Zak becomes a fleshed-out person, and the relationship between Apollo and Starbuck will break your heart and make you smile at the same time. (Part 2 is here.)
Stolen Moments by snowballjane
"You do realise that this is treating the whole fleet like a kindergarten class?" Roslin and Adam deal with an everyday crisis. A neat little look at the dynamic between the two when nobody is currently trying to kill or arrest anyone else.
Supply and Demand by Sangga
On the surface, this is a simple story about trading supplies, about military regs and getting around them. But underneath, it's about Lee Adama adjusting to the end of the world, about the difference between necessities and luxuries, about friendship and leadership and everything in between. A great Lee POV, complete with Kara/Lee interactions that ring absolutely true. Really, really well done. (Part 2 is here; Part 3 is here)
Twelve by Rheanna
Rheanna is one of the best writers out there, and her first run at Battlestar Galactica is, predictably, amazing. I have to quote Kiki for this: "This long, plotty drama looks at the Cylons, and their humanity-- or aspirations toward it-- and asks the hard questions about what makes someone who they are. Is it their memories or their character? Their origins or their dreams? Her Apollo is dead-on, and Starbuck and Adama are extraordinarily well-done, heroic and flawed at the same time. It'll break your heart and mend it and leave you thinking it's canon." Yeah. Like that. KikiRec
Galatea by RJ Anderson
I've always been a reluctant House/Cameron shipper, drawn more by the potential than the reality given to us by the writers. RJ takes the potential and runs with it. Given a Cameron who has actually grown and learned as a character, the pairing works suprisingly well; RJ keeps the dialogue crackling and the romance light.
Last Rites by Dira Sudis
After the death of Chase's father, House sends Cameron on a mission of mercy. Although very AU, the characterization is excellent; House in particular is dead perfect, and the interactions are more consistent than the show is. Chase's grief is nicely portrayed, and Cameron's fumbling attempts to cope with him and House work well.
Saints and Saviors by EnchantedApril
This is something of a guilty pleasure fic -- a long, detailed, AU House/Cameron romance. Yes, I did just say that, and yes, it is quite good if you like a strong, occasionally sentimental-as-all-hell romance (and are willing to forgive the occasional spot of overwriting). EnchantedApril builds the relationship without ever, ever taking House or Cameron out of character (in fact, she writes Cameron considerably more effectively and consistently than the writers do, damn it). The dialogue rings very true, everybody screws up at least once, absolutely nothing is easy, and it could totally have happened this way. Allow for the somewhat dramatic beginning, please; some characters need really big boots to the head to get them moving, and this gets the job done with the minimum required melodrama.
What Black Magic Can Do by Athenae
A insightful little Season 1 Cameron fic that did quite a lot to reconcile me to her characterization at the time.
Asking the Wrong Questions by TrollPrincess
Most excellent Lost future fic, the story of Charlie and Claire as told by someone who.. really ought to know. Very funny, very sweet, very AU.
Claire's War by Yahtzee
Spinning off from a challenge on lost_100, Yahtzee wrote a series of drabbles based on Babylon 5 episode titles. Then, being Yahtzee, she took it one step further, into a series of drabble-vignettes that lead the survivors into war to rescue one of their own. The constant breakage should be jarring, but instead only adds to the dark, almost creepy atmosphere of the overall arc. We get to see the events from almost everyone, and they're all dead on target. A chilling alternate version of events, and more than up to Yahtzee's usual standards.
Dirty Laundry by Mneumosyne
I've always suspected the inside of Hurley's head is a fun place to be, and this fic confirms it. Mneumosyne nails Hurley's voice as he counsels an over-reacting rock star through his crush on a pregnant Australian. Sweet, on-target, and absolutely hilarious. A must-read.
Home by Megan Reilly
Seriously AU (although less so than it was at the time), and another of those "after the island" fics. Shannon is lovingly and believably drawn, and her relationships with her stepmother and the other castaways is very well-done. Also try Survivor -- five years into the future, Kate has survived... whether she wanted to or not. And now it's starting all over again. Chillingly dark future fic, with some excellent twists and turns.
Under the Twinkling of a Fading Star by Rheanna
Rheanna was one of the first out of the gate of Lost fanfic, and set the standard in the process.
Alone by DawningStar
Surreal, but with a purpose -- a drugged Colby hallucinates, before and after his rescue. But he's got Charlie to tell him what's real or not. Well, sort of. The style and mood will draw you in, and really capture Colby's probable mental state.
The Arms of the Galaxy by Audra Rose
"At first Don's parents thought Charlie might be autistic. Don doesn't think about this very often because by the time Charlie turned three no one could shut him up, but there had been a time before that when the word came up a lot." Charlie through the eyes of an older brother who can't help worrying.
Asymptomatic Behavior by josan
Before heading off to Triple A baseball, Don teaches Charlie to drive; it goes about as one would expect. A short, subtle look at the younger brothers.
Day Has Gone Down by Izhilzha
Megan after Colby's confession, looking for something that hasn't changed on her. A beautiful Megan piece, with Larry used very well.
The Fugitive by Zubeneschamali
Novel-length AU -- Don Eppes winds up on the run for a murder he didn't commit, chased by a determined FBI agent. It's not at all a rehash of the Fugitive movie or series (although there are homages); the plot plays out relentlessly and logically within the NUMB3RS universe, with Don's family and team at home doing their best to clear his name. Javier is a well-drawn original character and Don is beautifully portrayed. (I didn't care for the epilogue, but YMMV; you'll probably be able to see it coming and can decide for yourself whether you want to go there.)
Numb3rs 1 Through 30 by jennamajig
"He was nine when his three-year-old brother could do his math homework." Don's life, the pieces that we have woven together beautifully enough that it works as my personal canon.
Progress Unfolding by elishavah
With Charlie in Budapest, Don goes looking for another math consultant; Amita turns out to be more than he bargained for. Funny and touching and some the best voices I've ever read (Don and Larry are particularly perfect), and Don's relationship with Amita is beautifully done. This is one of my favorite UCs that nobody ever writes; I am gleeful!
Take a Long Line by Derry
[NUMB3RS/Supernatural]
Don Eppes arrests Dean Winchester, but there's a lot more to the story. The universe integration works by not trying too hard; Charlie's math does some of the thinking that you've always wanted the FBI guys on Supernatural to do, and everyone's voices are spot on.
Roswell Underground
The most reliable in updates, and home to some of the best fic out there. Emily and Kara finally moved it off Crosswinds, and redesigned it so it's much cleaner and much less obnoxiously cute. Unfortunately, you still have to wade through reams of the aforementioned teenybopper dreck to get to the good stuff, but it's worth the effort. Oh, and their Roswell Elementary series is pretty entertaining, but take it in very small portions; it's real easy to overdose on the cuteness of it all. Don't miss EmilyLuvsRoswell's Homes R' Us series, Natalie's Turning and Sparks and Elizabeth's brilliant AU Persephone's Footfalls, then try Ossian, Isis, Jessica, Katjen, Loki and Reena. This link is dead; if anyone knows where they relocated, please let me know.
Crashdown
One of the best all-around Roswell sites out there, with an extensive collection of fanfic. Mostly organized by couple, which makes finding particular authors a complete pain in the neck, but some good stuff, including a nice selection of those hard-to-find Alex/Isabel stories. Check out AfterHours for the NC-17. (Also look here for Mnemosyne's Endgame, Hideaway and the awesome Whisper Scream)
From Slayer to Killer
Mala started out writing Buffy/Spike fic, but expanded her archive to include some good Roswell fic. Try her Isabel/Valenti stories (no, I'm serious!), starting with the Before and After series, then read everything else she's got. Much darkness, much angst, but it's all well done. Some slash.
The Maria Filter by S.T. Shimi
A weird Millenium crossover that works spookily well.
A Thousand Miles by Therienne
[Avatar: The Last Airbender]
Brilliantly written backstory on the beginning of Zuko and Iroh's quest for the Avatar. I feel so sorry for Zuko, and Iroh is the Coolest. Person. Ever.
The Conversation in the Car by Yahtzee
[Bones]
"That's the problem with hooking up at a big fancy party, in Booth's opinion: the car ride in-between." Pitch-perfect Bones/Booth that manages to be hotter than actual sex.
Knight in Dented Armor by Hematite Badger
[Bones]
Another club, another fight, but this time, Bones didn't start it -- Zack did. A short but cute Booth POV.
Lock and Keys by Emma DeMarais
[Burn Notice]
The trio is off to the Keys to rescue a girl for Barry the money launderer. Obviously, nothing goes as planned.
The Hand Love Deals You by Cadhla
[Cupid]
Trevor is getting close to his goal, and everything that implies. Short and intense and awesome.
Ninety Nine Point Five by Lovely Poet
[Cupid]
Cupid fic! Cupid fic! Good Cupid fic! Trevor is this close to his hundred couples, and he's got the last one in sight.... A very sweet could-have-been that will remind you why you loved this show.
And Never Lose Affection by Cherry Ice
[Dead Like Me]
A lovely little character study of Rube, the people he is responsible for, and everyone else he has yet to love.
Some People ride the Wave by sweetestdrain
[Dead Like Me]
Somewhere along the way, George has learned how to do something she could never do before. A lovely post-series story that gives a good, strong resolution that still feels exactly like something the show would have done. But probably not this deftly.
Family Portrait by Dira Sudis
[The Dead Zone]
Johnny's power starts hiccuping, and he drags Walt along for the ride as he tries to find a threatened five-year-old girl. Dark, dark themes (and adult ones, since she's setting up Johnny/Walt/Sarah), but well up to Dira's usual standards; the writing will suck you in and everything plays out plausibly and absorbingly. Fabulous Walt characterization, on top of a great Johnny voice.
Auld Lang Syne by Irena K
[The Dresden Files]
Harry gets an urgent phone call from Murphy that ends in gunshots -- and takes place 11 days in the future. Nice characterization and plotting, and a particularly lovely use of Bob.
Dysmas by Salieri (troyswann)
[Due South]
Long months after Fraser left with Victoria, Ray and Dief go to meet him at a diner in the middle of nowhere. A perfect touch with Ray and Fraser's voices; beautiful words and storytelling that kick you hard in the teeth when you're least expecting it, then coax a smile out of you. Breathtaking in every sense of the word. A must-read.
I Take Thee, Carter: A Tale of Several Weddings and an Apocalypse by Deifire
[Eureka]
In an alternate timeline, Jack and Allison got a chance at happiness together. But Eureka was still Eureka....
The Less-Than-Legendary Journeys
[Hercules/Young Hercules]
An entire archive of fanfic that treats the shows and the characters with a deft mix of humor and drama. Anything up here is good; major slash content. In the non-fic section, they skewer the worst of H:TLJ fic with that same humor, and occasionally go off on rants about Iolaus characterization, which is one of my pet peeves.
When Hellmouths Collide by Kimberley Rector and Martha Wilson
Do not -- I repeat, DO NOT -- miss When Hellmouths Collide, the most utterly brilliant crossover I've ever read. Hercules/Buffy and no, I'm not kidding. Go. Read. Now. You will thank me.
Letters Home from the Academy by Liz Sharpe
There's nothing like rediscovering an old fic that reminds you how much you loved a fandom. Letters Home is exactly what it sounds like -- a story told via three letters from Hercules, Iolaus and Jason to their respective families, and it takes all three to get the real version of events at the Academy. Screamingly funny, and it all leads up to one hilarous punchline at the end. I miss Hercules some days....
Apocalypse by SLynn
[Heroes]
Three years into the future, and our heroes are living in a world they never anticipated, on the run from a ruthless organization intent on containing or killing them all. It's not the best writing in the world, but the characterization and the intricate plot will suck you in almost immediately. The sequel is already in progress, thank goodness. Pretty much AU after Fallout.
Clarity by RivkaT
[Heroes]
Picking up where the first half of the season ended, RivkaT got jossed immediately, and it's a shame. Her Claire is beautifully written, 16 years old and trying to figure the whole mess out. There's some good interactions with other characters (one of them unexpected and awesome), and a few observations that are just stunningly accurate. Not better than the show, but definitely as good as, which is high praise right now.
Face in the Crowd by saestina
[Heroes]
Saestina made a logical leap on the consequences of Claire's powers (well before it played out on-screen), then spun the story out with power and poetry.
Ordinary Boy by saestina
[Heroes]
Lyle Bennet, the world's most ordinary boy, has a ring-side seat for the Petrelli Family Circus. AU.
A Lytell Geste by Catherine Boone
[Highlander]
I'd've recced this years ago if I'd known she had it archived somewhere. Methos. Amanda. On the loose and raising hell, as only Cath can write it. Think you know Robin Hood? Methos knows Robin Hood. And so does Amanda.... Snarky, silly, and hilariously funny, it'll remind you why, once upon a time, you loved Highlander.
Even Later by Sanj
[Into the Woods]
A very short, very lovely bit of an epilogue to the Broadway musical.
Geek Love
[Jake 2.0]
Basically the only archive for 'Jake 2.0' fic out there, noteworthy mostly for possession of Tara O'Shea's Geek of Steel , which is silly smut of the finest kind; Tara teased us with this on LJ for days, but it was so totally worth the wait. Jake's nanites act up in a new and unique -- and frustrating! -- way, and only Diane can supply the cure. The banter is hilarious, the situation unreal, and this is just too much fun.
Term Limits by Gale
[Joan of Arcadia]
Grace decides it's time to renegotiate the terms of her contract with Luke... Funny, sweet, in character and a great read (it doesn't incorporate the latest canon, but the story doesn't suffer for it).
Two Decisions Joan Didn't Make For Herself (And One She Did) by sexonastick
[Joan of Arcadia]
God tells Joan to keep a diary, Freidman steals it, and the consequences, as usual, spiral out of control. Great voices on everyone concerned, and the situation is both funny and plausible. This could very well have been an episode, and it would have been a good one.
Bar Hopping With a Sledgehammer by drewbug
[Law & Order: Criminal Intent]
Goren and Eames go looking for trouble, and an entirely different kind of trouble finds them. Reads like a scene from the show, short and tense.
Focus by SA
[Law & Order: Criminal Intent]
Short and sweet, but a very good snapshot of Goren and Eames.
Pound of Flesh by sangga
[Law & Order: Criminal Intent]
Goren and Eames on a stakeout; a straightforward short story about partners told quite well. Sangga invented a few details that clash with canon, but overall, it's a solid read.
Friends Are a Lot Like Plants by amaresu
[Leverage]
Parker tries to figure this whole 'friends' thing out. Hardison... well, he tries to help.
Palm, Switch, Steal by Greensilver
[The Mentalist]
Origin stories.
Clearing the Decks by Lil Shepard
[Primeval]
Tying up the loose ends before the last scene of Season 2 -- and from Lester's POV, no less. I keep forgetting parts of it aren't actually canon.
Logical by piaffe417
[Primeval]
"Scientifically speaking, you shouldn't miss someone who wasn't there in the first place." Nick/Claudia.
Ossian's Fanfic
[Profiler/Various]
I have to plug this site, since I designed the front graphic for the Profiler section, which is a sign of how much I adore Glenna's work. Her Believers series for Sam Waters and John Grant of 'Profiler' is sweet and very true to both characters (all three, actually, since Chloe Waters plays a large role), gradually building a very cool romance.
Conflict Resolution by fearlessfan
[Psych]
Oh, now this just rocks. Lassiter written as an actual real person, forced into therapy for punching a smart-ass psychic detective who almost deserved it. A must-read.
Fortune Is on Our Side by emptythreat
[Psych]
A short little bit of story, totally worth it for the hilariously accurate Shawn voice. This sounds exactly like the inside of his head, and that's a scary, scary thing.
A Whisper to the Living by Xparrot
[Psych]
Certainly not a happyfun!Psych fic, but a thoughtful, sober futurefic, nicely executed. Character deaths, don't read if you can't cope, but they happen offstage.
The Noblest Profession by Scrunchy
[Sports Night]
A fun story with the pace and dialogue of a really good Sports Night episode; Casey's son brings home a girl, and Casey melts down. And tries not to giggle while saying "Bonk" on the air.
Talking Stick/Circle by Macedon and Peg Robinson
[Star Trek: Voyager]
I got on an unexpected Paris/Torres kick, and was disappointed to discover that much of the fic I loved years ago wasn't nearly as good as I remembered. Thankfully, such was not the case with this amazing series of stories and novellas. A true alternate universe, Macedon and Peg took Voyager in directions that TPTB never dreamed of, and so should have. This is Voyager as it could have been, had it lived up to any of its potential, with the conflict, the drama, the blood, and the glory of the interweaving of two separate crews -- and many separate cultures -- played for all its worth. Told alternately from Janeway and Chakotay's POVs, these 8 stories, particularly the incredible last one, are almost certainly the greatest achievement in Voyager fanfic, possibly in all of Star Trek fandom. If you never watched the show... don't. Read this instead. You'll be grateful you did. (Note: Read Kelly's '37 Chevy right before "The Rose and the Yew Tree", for the P/T backstory that's implied, but not shown).
Beyond Good and Evil by obsessive24
[Tru Calling]
Whenever a series is cancelled before its time, someone tries to put right what went wrong; it seems especially appropriate to do so when the series in question is Tru Calling. obsessive24 puts together an intricate set of rewinds involving everyone Tru loves that don't seem to connect to anything else -- yet connect Tru and Jack beyond anything they ever expected. A very good virtual finale, well-characterized and nicely wrapping up the dangling ends.
last beautiful girl (in the world) by mardia
[Ugly Betty]
"The first time Daniel sleeps with Betty Suarez is in his office. No, not like that." This is a lovely fic that encapsulates everything I adore about Daniel's friendship with Betty.
At the Top of the Hour by romanticalgirl
[WKRP in Cincinnati]
A very cute roadtrip with Venus, Andy and Bailey.
The Day After Tomorrow Challenge
[Various]
Annie Sewell-Jennings started it, some really great authors jumped in, and a fairly lame movie gave birth to some excellent fic before it even opened. The challenge was to take any fandom, however unlikely, and set it in the end-of-the-world situation presented by "The Day After Tomorrow". The result: some damn good fic. The link is to the master list on ASJ's LiveJournal; I particularly recommend Goodnight, Moon by Yahtzee (fabulous and heart-breaking Joan of Arcadia), Infinite by Jinx32 (touching and ironic Tru Calling) , and A Great and Noble Quest by Troll Princess (excellent Jake 2.0)
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