tani_recs

Fandom: Harry Potter/Psych crossover
Pairings/Characters: Hermione, Shawn, Gus
Rating: PG-13
Author: scifichick774
Website: Fic archive
Summary: Hermione is determined to make people listen to her - even if she has to pretend to be psychic to do it.
Why: I've been all for Hermione-centric fic lately, and this is a product of that obsession. If you are a fan of both the Psych and Harry Potter fandoms, then this might be a good fic for you. I don't know that it would stand alone as well if you're not familiar with Psych though, so reader be warned.

Of course, you could read it just for Hermione, who is pretty lovely. I really liked her in this, taking action and doing things that she wasn't sure she could. I also liked the occasional outside perspective of her that the story gives us through the eyes of the Psych characters. And even though it's 9 chapters long, the story goes quickly, buoyed by good character interactions and the development of the plot.

Visionary by scifichick774

Fandom: House/Angel crossover
Pairings/Characters: Robert Chase, Cordelia Chase
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~4,000
Spoilers for: later seasons of Angel
Author: Roga
Website: Roga on Ff.net
Summary: Where Chase meets his American cousin and New Jersey is surreptitiously mocked.
Why: Welcome to Awesome Ideas 101, where it turns out that Cordy and Chase are actually cousins and become friends. I loved seeing these two characters interact and take part in each other's lives. (Seriously, don't even try to tell me that the idea of Cordelia meeting House is not epic.) Also, the ending of this kind of killed me, in that way that awesome fic has a tendency of doing. Funny in some places and melancholy in others, this is a wonderful story for both Cordy and Chase.

The One With the Chases by Roga

Fandom: Firefly
Pairings/Characters: Zoe-centric ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~1,400
Spoilers for: Serenity
Author: slob_child
Website: sloth on dreamwidth
Summary: It’s a sneak attack that knocks Zoe Washburne down, ropes her wrists, and shampoos her hair.
Why: Obviously the lure of seeing Zoe forcibly given a makeover was a draw in reading this story, however, it wasn't all there was to it. This is a story about moving on and creating a home, and I liked the way that the author showed the crew doing that, each in his or her own way.

Makeover by slob_child

Fandom: Naruto
Pairings/Characters: Sandaime, Asuma, Konohamaru
Rating: PG
Wordcount: ~2,000
Spoilers for: Asuma, post-timeskip
Author: digthenym
Website: Nymbis on Ff.net
Summary: The men of Sarutobi have a long history of nicotine addiction, facial hair, and death in the battlefield. Konohamaru shaves each and every morning.
Why: This is a beautifully written look at the Sarutobi men, starting with the Sandaime, then going down to Asuma and his younger brother, and finally stopping at Konohamaru. It was interesting seeing the cycle that the Sarutobi family had developed, and even better seeing Konohamaru's reaction to that cycle, which is just what you might expect from him. I have to say, I like Konohamaru a lot better after reading this story.

Legacy by Nymbis

Fandom: Vorkosigan
Pairings/Characters: Gregor, Cordelia, Aral
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: 3,179
Author: E. E. Beck
Website: But There's a Devil in the Looking Glass
Summary: Four times Cordelia stepped in for Princess Kareen as Gregor's mother. In her own inimitable way.
Why: When it comes to the Vorkosigan series, my focus tends to be on Miles and Ivan. Gregor is one of those characters who tends to fall by the wayside with me. That's why I need fics like this, to point out when I'm being stupid and ignoring something amazing. In this case, it's the relationship between Cordelia and Gregor. To make up for my lack of attention, E. E. Beck does an absolutely spectacular job with it in these four scenes. This is one of those stories that has been entered into my personal canon, and if you read it I think you'll find the same happening to you.

Keep Talking by E. E. Beck

Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Pairings/Characters: pre-Angel/Xander-ish
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~146,000
Author: lit-gal
Website: Litgal's fanfic
Summary: When Xander has a little heart to heart with Angel, he inadvertantly changes the world by sharing a few truths. The most significant changeis a slowly building relationship between Angel and the boy who taught him a few unpleasant truths about destiny and morality.
Why: First, pairing clarification. This story is, strictly speaking, gen. It features a relationship between Angel and Xander that generally fits into the mentor category, and not the love interest category. However, there are definitely moments where, if you're not comfortable with the idea of an Angel/Xander pairing, you're going to be pretty uncomfortable. This story reads like it's leading to Angel/Xander, even if it never actually happens. So if that's not your pairing of choice, be forewarned. (And likewise, if it is your pairing of choice, please note that you're probably going to be screaming in agony when it ends without getting them together.)

That said, this story kind of ate my brain for a couple of days. It takes on the idea that Angel was so busy idealizing Buffy in the beginning that he never actually realized who and what she was: a teenage girl. This story starts with Xander pointing out that little fact, and then looks at the relationship that develops between Angel and Xander from there. I really love the way that Litgal used this one event to start so many ripples going. It was really fascinating for me to see where things changed and where they stayed the same. I got a huge kick out of the relationship between Angel and Xander. Even though it felt awkwardly in-between in some respects, it worked perfectly for the story that Litgal was telling. I also really liked the moral issues that got brought up throughout the story, as Litgal had some points to make that had never occurred to me before. And none of the characters were villainized in making those points, which I definitely appreciated. Litgal did a spectacular job of creating an alternate path for things to have taken. Really, the only complaint I could possibly have about this story is that there isn't a sequel!

Kin of the Heart by Litgal

Fandom: House
Pairings/Characters: House, Chase (maybe hints of House/Chase, but not too much)
Rating: G-PG
Wordcount: 1,091
Author: supacat
Website: !supacat online
Summary: House likes solving mysteries.
Why: Chase is my favorite character on House, so I've really missed him in his current 'there but not really' role. That's definitely a huge part of why I enjoyed this as much as I did. The other part is just that it's so perfectly in character for Chase and the way that House sees him. The author's style of writing is also great, short and to the point with no unnecessary words.

Six Ways of Looking at Chase by supacat

Fandom: Gundam Wing
Pairings/Characters: 1x3, but really Duo gen
Rating: G
Wordcount: ~4,000
Author: Anria Lalumin
Website: Anria on Raygun Works
Summary: Let me tell you, it was the hardest mission I was ever assigned when I swore to myself that I would get that genuine smile out of all the pilots.
Why: I liked this for the insight that it gave into all of the pilot's characters, but especially for the insight into Duo. Anria writes him with a good introspective voice, and even though the concept is simple, it works really well. I also kind of liked the twist at the end, although I haven't personally been able to get into the sequel that it leads into.

True Smile by Anria Lalumin

Fandom: Final Fantasy 8
Pairings/Characters: Seifer, Zell
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 500
Author: joyeuxnoel
Website: The Thin Blue Line
Summary: "I can't believe I'm stuck in this crappy elevator with you!"
Why: Pretty simple reasoning here: It makes me laugh. It's written all in dialogue, which could be annoying, except the author pulls it off perfectly, nailing Seifer and Zell's voices. And wouldn't you just love to see Seifer and Zell in this position for real?

Misery and Company by Gen X

Fandom: Yugioh
Pairings/Characters: Kaiba-centric ensemble
Rating: PG-13
Wordcount: ~35,000
Author: xparrot
Website: xmagicalx.net
Summary: According to popular belief, going more than three days without sleep means you're legally insane. Mokuba's kidnapped, Kaiba's losing it, and Yugi and his deck are just trying to help...
Why: I love X-parrot's Kaiba fics. She has a really great grasp on his character and she always makes me think. She also does a great job with the relationship between Mokuba and Kaiba. This story in particular is one of my favorites of hers. I love the balance of humor and drama, and the pacing kept me interested the entire time.

Legally Insane by X-parrot