Harry Potter: Veiled by GreenGecko

[kerravonsen]

Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters: Severus Snape
Rating: PG
Length: 7222
Author Links: GreenGecko at FFN
Theme: Minor Characters

Summary: Voldemort has set his snake, Nagini, upon Severus Snape, killing him. What will become of him?

Reccer's Notes: This is an afterlife where one makes one's own heaven or one's own hell; will Severus be able to face his uncomfortable truths, or will he stumble and fall? An intriguing post-"Deathly Hallows" character study. But only if you are interested in Snape, of course.

Story Links: at fanfiction.net

Harry Potter: In Shining Armour by CoffeeOnThePatio

[kerravonsen]

Fandom: Harry Potter
Characters/Pairings: Severus Snape/OFC
Rating: Teen
Length: 102304 words
Author Links: CoffeeOnThePatio
Theme: Minor Characters

Summary: Snape's only saving the unborn child of a strange woman. He never signed up for having his house invaded and a stranger and her child caring for him after the snake bite. Rated M for language only.

Reccer's Notes:
The title of this story is wonderfully ironic... at first. Because neither of the rescuers has shining armour; their armour is very tarnished. But they certainly do have armour. Very thick emotional armour. None of this Gryffindorish nobility or gratitude for Snape and Christine, it's all anger and self-defence... at first.

This author again demonstrates that she is the mistress of the slow build, taking two characters that are almost hostile and bringing them together. The characterisation of Minerva is a foil for that of Christine; because Christine had grown up in the same destitute working-class neighbourhood as Snape, she understands him in ways that Minerva doesn't; while as a contrast, Minerva represents snooty middle-class morality and prejudice. That is something that hadn't occurred to me but is obvious once it's pointed out: Hogwarts is very middle-class, and Minerva oozes middle-class privilege. No, Minerva isn't being character-bashed, it's just a weakness that Minerva isn't aware of. She means well. She wants to make it up to Snape, and sometimes she succeeds, and sometimes her meddling makes things worse.

As ever with this author, there is the occasional grammar mistake because English is a second language. But it is worth the stumbles to stick with the story.

Story Links: In Shining Armour

Harry Potter/Sandman: Incarnate by FayJay

[kerravonsen]

Fandom: Harry Potter, Sandman
Characters: Severus Snape, Death
Rating: PG
Length: 6544
Author Links: FayJay
Theme: Minor Characters, Crossover-Fusion

Summary: In which Severus Snape summons Death, and endeavours to bend her to his will.

Reccer's Notes: Like so many good Sandman crossovers, this is light and dark, deep and quirky. Also, hanky warning.

I'm not going to tell you how this ends. Read it and find out.

Story Links: Incarnate

Stargate: Atlantis: Glimpse, by minnow1212.

[thady]

Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Character/Pairings: Sgt. Bates
Rating: PG-13
Length: ~ 2,720 words
Author Link: minnow1212
Theme: Minor characters

Summary: Bates sees dead people. And living ones.

Reccer's Note: This is a very interesting look into a very overlooked person, Sgt. Bates. He's so very real and human and flawed and awesome here. And beside the great characterization there's an interesting and fascinating story. Even after having read it almost 2 years ago, it still stayed fresh in my mind.

Story Links: Glimpse (LJ).

Psych: Five Futures Juliet Could Have After That First Kiss by daria234

[gwynevere1]

Fandom: Psych
Pairings: Carlton Lassiter/Juliet O'Hara; Juliet O'Hara/OMC
Rating: K+
Length: 1,191 words
Author Links: Account at FanFiction.Net / daria234
Theme: Comfortfic; Female characters; Minor characters; Rare pairings

Summary: Juliet/Lassiter het. Five possible ways that she and Lassiter might - or might not- end up together. Romance and friendship.

Reccer's Notes: When I first saw a three-part comment in my Inbox, I was afraid that I had seriously *angered* somebody with something I had posted, if they were writing that much back. So, I was absolutely delighted to discover that it was actually a beautiful and PERFECT fanfic, instead, written for a prompt at at commentathon that I had forgotten I had ever even left. (I am mentioning that it's written from my prompt, for full and fair disclosure, not to suggest that I deserve any credit for the awesomeness of this fanfic.)

This author may be secretly psychic herself and looking around in my brain. This story is everything I could have wanted from that prompt, without even knowing I wanted it. Even if this fic wasn't written for my prompt, I would still have absolutely adored it from the first section/intro, which is both funny and real at the same time. I also love the attention to canon detail in this, like Jules fancying athletes.

#4 is my favorite future. Vick for the state legislature! I would totally go campaigning door-to-door for her. (Well, I live in Pennsylvania, but, if I lived in California, I would. Maybe I could when Vick runs for President.) Then, just when I couldn't imagine a more awesome candidate, daria234 gives me Jules for Mayor! Plus, the Gus and Lassiter wacky private detective agency! It's a great callback to "Feet, Don't Kill Me Now." (I'll assume Gus and Lassie tap dance together in their down time.)

Story Links:
Five Futures Juliet Could Have After That First Kiss at FanFiction.Net
Five Futures Juliet Could Have After That First Kiss at Livejournal [NOTE: This story fills three comments, so make sure to read all parts.]

Psych: Five Times Lassiter Was In Love and One Time He Really Was by a_little_push

[gwynevere1]

Fandom: Psych
Pairings: Carlton Lassiter/Juliet O'Hara; Carlton Lassiter/Burton "Gus" Guster; Carlton Lassiter/Joy Guster; Carlton Lassiter/Adam Hornstock; Carlton Lassiter/Abigail Lytar; Carlton Lassiter/Shawn Spencer
Rating: PG-13
Length: Approx. 4,000 words
Author Link: a_little_push
Theme: Comfortfic; Established relationship; Female characters; Kidfic: has/with kids; Minor characters; Rare pairings

Summary: This fanfic consists of six stand-alone stories: three het and three slash. Each story can be read without reading the others, and the pairing for each is clearly labeled.

Reccer's Notes: As I explained in the summary (since the author did not provide one), this fanfic is a series of six potential Carlton pairings. The first is a wonderful Carlton/Jules. They would totally sit up all night watching romcoms (even if Lassie would never admit it the next morning); and Jules would wake him in the morning by yanking off the covers. Lines like --

"Oh, I'm making your favorite breakfast so you should come out and get some before I eat them all" she said, leaning down and brushing a kiss on his cheek before leaving the room wearing one of his button-up shirts and nothing else

-- are a nice mix of sexy and domestic. Also, how have I never heard of raspberry pancakes before?

Which brings me to: the food porn. I like how Gus makes Carlton feel better with snowcones and how Shawn thinks pineapples are the answer to everything.

My favorite section, though, is Carlton/Abigail (to my own surprise). It's a pairing I've never seen anywhere else, but the author make it feel natural. Plus, that pairing is worth it for Carlton with Abigail's kindergarten class and thinking about Shawn's reaction:

Maybe he would buy him a coffee tomorrow as a thank you, it would be worth it to see his face when he told him why.

I'm amused at the idea of Shawn's brain exploding when he learns of it.

Story Link: Five Times Lassiter Was In Love and One Time He Really Was

Doctor Who/Dollhouse/Primeval/Torchwood/Warehouse 13: Five Uses for a Sonic Modulator by prochytes

[gwynevere1]

Fandom: Doctor Who / Dollhouse / Primeval / Torchwood / Warehouse 13
Characters: Topher Brink, Gwen Cooper, The Doctor, Claudia Donovan, James Lester, The Master, Artie Nielsen, Toshiko Sato
Rating: PG-13
Length: 1,673 words
Author Link: prochytes
Theme: Crossovers/fusions; Female characters; Minor characters; Science fiction

Summary: What echoes might Tosh’s sonic modulator have produced?

Reccer's Notes: This crossover, written for consci_fan_mo, has to be one of the best Toshiko fics I've ever read. I was afraid, at first, that this story was going to end up revealing that Topher or the man "in a leather jacket" was going to be the one who actually invented the sonic modulator, not Tosh, and I was so glad and relieved when the author didn't go there. I admire that it was Tosh's work all along and that her brilliance reverberates across time, even long after she's gone.

I also like the friendship between Gwen and Tosh displayed in this story, since female friendship fics are so neglected across fandom.

This story is worth reading, though, just for Artie and Claudia's conversation about the Trojan horse in Warehouse 13. (Yes, this being Warehouse 13, "Trojan horse" is not just an expression.)

For what it's worth, I believe you do have to be familiar with Torchwood in order for this story to make sense but you don't have to know the other fandoms. Not that I'm the best judge of this, since I watch too much television have seen all these series.

Story Link: Five Uses for a Sonic Modulator

The Sentinel: Remembering the Silences by Tate

[magician113]

Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Veronica Sarris
Rating: PG-13
Length: 12K words
Author Links: at Idol Pursuits

Theme: Minor character, hurt/comfort, telepathy

Summary: Blair wakes as a prisoner with no memory or who he is or how he got there.

Reccer's Notes: This is part of a series where Jim and Blair find they are connected by a psychic link that they can communicate through. However the story can be read on its own.

Story Links: Remembering the Silences

The Sentinel: Indeterminate Territory by Polly Bywater

[magician113]

Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters/Pairings: Naomi Sandburg, Charlie Spring, Joel Taggart, Jack Kelso; Jim/Blair
Rating: Mature
Length: 6K
Author Links: at AO3

Theme: Minor character

Summary: After TSbyBS, Jim overhears a phone conversation and realizes that Naomi arranged for Sid to release Blair’s dissertation on purpose.

Reccer's Notes: This was originally a series of very small stories written for Sentinel Thursday. All of them take place in the time after Blair’s press conference and before they offer him a detective’s badge. If you like a conniving Naomi, this is for you!

Story Links: Indeterminate Territory

The Sentinel: Happy Birthday, Blair by TW Lewis (gardendoor)

[magician113]

Fandom: The Sentinel
Characters: Naomi Sandburg
Rating: G
Length: 1K words
Author Links: at AO3

Theme: Minor character

Summary: Naomi calls Blair on his birthday.

Reccer's Notes: If you like a nice Naomi, this story is for you. And isn’t it fun how differently writers can portray a character?

Story Links: Happy Birthday, Blair

Belgariad: gratia gratium parit by lalaietha

[hagar_972]

Fandom: Belgariad

Pairing: Relg/Taiba

Length: ~33,000 words

Author Links: lalaietha

Theme: minor characters (previously recced for Comfort Fic)

Summary: In which the author examines how a recovering religious fanatic with tactile issues and a former female slave come about to a Happily Ever After.

Reccer's Notes: perma-favorite of mine, one of precious few stories that I would actually reread. Taiba and Relg are entirely a background thing, in Belgariad canon. Here, the author takes them and turns the spotlight on them and, even more importantly, builds them up from the inside out.

Story Links: gratia gratium parit @ AO3

Avatar: The Last Airbender: Of the Fruit (and Not the Flower) by lalaietha

[hagar_972]

Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender

Pairing: none

Length: ~15,000 words

Author Links: lalaietha

Theme: minor characters

Summary: I commanded [fire], like an arm or a leg or a finger. The fire became a part of me. My father would search the archives later and discover that I was the youngest firebender ever who hadn't also turned out to be the Avatar. And my father swept me up into an embrace and said, My Azula, in a voice of so much pride, so much pride.

It was as if I possessed the whole world.

Reccer's Notes: Azula-centric, post canon. I honestly don't know how to describe this fic. It's not a redemption fic, not in any usual sense of the word; it's not a healing fic, not yet; and yet, and yet. Plus extra worldbuilding and, specifically, extra dragons.

Story Links: It's part of a series but, honestly, you don't need to read any other story in the series for this one to make sense. Of the Fruit (and Not the Flower) @ AO3

Criminal Minds: Unbreaking Family, by lalaietha

[hagar_972]

Fandom: Criminal Minds

Pairing: none

Length: ~2,500 words

Author Links: lalaietha

Theme: minor characters

Summary: And [Sean] thought, Why didn't I know? and then thought maybe, maybe he hadn't given Aaron his new cell number, since he moved - but he knew Aaron had the landline, and so there was something brutal about the way he got back to the condo and the light that would tell him he had voicemail wasn't on.

Reccer's Notes: Written from the perspective of Aaron Hotchner's younger brother Sean, the existance of which canon had been neglecting since S1, in the aftermath of the events of "100". It's also readable even without knowing anything about canon; Sean explains it all in the brutal, direct, loving fashion of a brother.

Story Links: Unbreaking Family @ AO3