Fic Recs
It took me a year and change to get back to this but whatever...
So, as I've said before, I'm gonna be posting fic recommendations from time to time. There's a ton of fics out there that deserve attention and love but there are too many to list in one post. I'll probably rec about 5-10 stories every other day or so.
Here we go
Star Wars:
Seeker and it's sequel Ward by cathypauline
These are, respectively, #1 and #2 on my list of all-time best SW fics. SW authors are generally very good writers imo and there are a lot of very enjoyable stories out there. Pre-TPM era is my favorite (most recs will be from there) and these two fics represent what I love most about that timeline: young Obiwan Kenobi. Cathypauline's characterization of Obiwan is top-notch, maintaining just the right balance of competency and insecurity that most others seem to miss. Canon characters and OCs are all fleshed out with personalities that humanize them. Seeker is such an engaging thriller that the 60k word count leaves you wanting for more. The author's world-building skills are also in display as you marvel at the nuances and details that have been put into the culture that Obiwan finds himself unwillingly embroiled in. Ward (also in the 60k word count) gives a satisfying conclusion to Obiwan's story and also gives you a taste of what it would be like if Star Trek crossed over into the Star Wars verse. Both verses are handled very well and it's a lot of fun to read about Obiwan interacting with Picard's crew.
Bleach:
Arrow's Target by Jedi Boadicea
This is 200 years before the main Bleach timeline and shows SS as it was before Urahara Kisuke was exiled. The extermination of the Quincy has never been shown in Bleach and is only mentioned whenever the focus of the story is on Ishida. Here, Jedi Boadicea shows us the actual act in full glory. The transitions of POVs between various characters are well done and serves to emphasize the circumstances surrounding that grim period in the verse's history and how each side , the Shinigami and the Quincy, dealt with it. Neither side is spared from the reality of just how necessary and brutal that act was. There is no other story in the Bleach verse that made me feel more awed and horrified at the same time. Extremely well-written and is probably the best Bleach story I've ever read.
Frozen Sky and it's companion Facets by Jedi Boadicea
From the same author as above, this is another story set before the main Bleach timeline. This one is Hitsugaya-centric and shows us the potential that Kubo squandered. Fantastic characterizations and wonderful OCs. In Frozen Sky, we follow Hitsugaya as he rises in the ranks and, along the way, we're shown an interesting journey that we were deprived of in the original manga/anime. Facets takes us to the other side of the mirror and is told from the perspective of the various Captains who have watched Hitsugaya's development. I don't think there's any other Bleach author whose works I've loved more.
Bleach Drabbles by peroxidepest17
Okay... I may have exaggerated a little when I said there wasn't any other author in Bleach that I loved more than Jedi Boadicea. Peroxide is insanely talented and all her drabbles are fantastic! All the genres she dabbles in are flawlessly executed. Comedy, drama, romance (okay, I don't actually read the romance ones), etc... Her take on the 11th division of the Gotei 13 are, in particular, deliriously wonderful! There are hundreds of drabbles in the series now but they're all so entertaining that it really isn't that hard to go through them all. She has a ton of full-sized Bleach stories as well but there are so many that I'll just say this: READ THEM ALL! THEY'RE GREAT!
Note: The Bleach recs all have something in common other than being well-written: they all have the best characterization of Urahara Kisuke that I've ever read. This is important because Urahara is my favorite character and no one in Bleach can touch the coolness of his pimp hat.
Fullmetal Alchemist:
Matters of Loyalty by kishiboujin
Features two of my favorite things about FMA: Roy Mustang and the Ishbal Rebellion plotline (it's set in the relatively present day of the manga/anime, though). I've always found the military faction of FMA to be a lot more interesting than the Elric brothers' angst. This story is so good that it's been a real disappointment that it will, most likely, never be finished. Aside from the fantastic fights and truly engaging plot, it also has the added bonus of being set in the time before Hughes was murdered. The friendship between Roy and Maes has always been a highlight for me and kishiboujin writes them both so beautifully. If you can endure the pain of it being forever labeled WIP, then please read it. One of the best in the FMA fandom.
Stargate Atlantis:
End Game by Kristen999
If you're a fan of Sheppard showing his surprising competency in the art of ground combat (as he did in The Storm and The Eye), then this story is for you. Gripping and thrilling, this story pits Sheppard against a supersoldier with all the toughness and agility of Wolverine. The best part is being there with Shep as he tries to figure out how to defeat a superior enemy while racing against time to save his team (plus Zelenka) from death by radiation poisoning. Shep-centric and the team's barely there but that's how I prefer my SGA stories.
Pavor Nocturnus by Kristen999
I love it when Sheppard gets to interact with people outside of his team and this story gives us a lot of that. Abandoned Outpost+Zombies = Shep Whump. Which is love, btw. Although some authors take it to porn levels and that is just wrong. Very good action scenes and Sheppard being fantastic means one very, very enjoyable story.
Skipping the Angles by T'Pring
Not as smoothly written as Kristen's stories but the world T'Pring built in this story is head and shoulders above most of what can be found in fanfiction. The culture of the people the team encounters is so vibrant and layered that the events in the story just explode in your senses. Her main OC is an actual character that fits in SGA instead of someone who has been tacked on and forced on the readers. It really is a fantastic story and anyone who reads it won't regret it. Well, except for the cop-out at the end. Your mileage may vary, though.
Blood is Thicker by T'Pring
Before the episode Outcast, there was never any mention of Sheppard's family. We had no clue if he even had one. We knew more about the backstories of more minor characters than we did about Sheppard and that was very frustrating. This story is a great read in that it complements the discoveries made from the episode and gives us a chance to learn more about David Sheppard and his relationship with his brother. David's outside POV also makes this story more enjoyable than normal as we look (by proxy) at Atlantis and its people with fresh eyes.
Alright, that's it for now. There's still a LOT more coming and I'll parcel them out together with the book, film, and show recs over the course of the next few weeks. If anyone wants recommendations for a specific category (tv, books, artists, films, etc.), just leave a message in the comments section. If I know it, then I'll probably have something for it.