calufrax | Entries tagged with companion: martha

morganfm.livejournal.com

Hello all! This is my first time reccing, like, ever, and I am so excited to share some really excellent stories with all of you! My two ships are Ten/Donna and Doctor/River, but I enjoy anything that's really well written. Fics I enjoy are often of a happier or more emotional persuasion, often containing many giggles and fun banter.
This first fic I'm reccing is by the lovely

starjargon, for whom I am honored to beta and who kindly returns the favor. I think you'll all really like it.

Story: May The Best Woman Win
Author: Starjargon
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2948
Author's Summary: Martha and Rose both care deeply for the same man. So of course, the only logical thing to do is fight for him. With jousting poles. AU, obviously.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Canton Everett Delaware III, Donna Noble, Harriet Jones, Harriet Jones, Jack Harkness, Jack Harkness, Lynda Moss, Martha Jones, River Song, River Song, Rory Williams, Rose Tyler, Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (11th), The Doctor
Warnings: None

Recced because: This is a very fun, enjoyable fic that has pretty much every nuWho companion out there, as well as three different Doctors. Incredibly well written, with a strong, even representation of opposing characters, and some fantastic plot twists. It's one of my favorites that she's written, because she handles the complexity of dealing with so many different characters and emotions all at once in such a masterful and brilliant way.

Current Mood: happy
Current Location: dining room table aka palace of concentration
Current Music: Counting Stars by OneRepublic

nonelvis

Story: A Portrait of Goodbye
Author: Styrofoam monster
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 376
Author's Summary: Strange how one can say so much without uttering a word. The Doctor and Martha converse.
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones
Warnings: none

Recced because: Ever since the Third Doctor greeted Liz Shaw in the eyebrow-waggling language of Delphon, we've known that the Doctor can converse in non-verbal tongues. So when Martha's body language inadvertantly reveals her feelings, the Doctor is compelled to reply in the same manner, even if his companion can't understand what he's saying – which is really for the best from the Tenth Doctor's perspective, as it always was easier anyway for him to hide his most personal thoughts rather than express them outright. This is a short story (too short for an excerpt), but it packs quite an emotional punch for something that doesn't even hit 400 words.

nonelvis

Story: The Pandora Project
Author: Calapine
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 53,658
Author's Summary: At the end of series three, the Doctor and the Master end up travelling together and totally manage not to destroy each other or the universe. More or less. Meanwhile, Martha gets a job offer from UNIT, Jack fails to realise his team are a bit useless, and there's a giant squid for no good reason whatsoever.
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Simm!Master, Jack Harkness, Martha Jones

Recced because: This story has been on my to-be-recced list practically since

calapine first posted it to LiveJournal, but I haven't gotten around to reccing it until now because I wanted to re-read it first, and could never quite find the time to sit and read a 53,000-word fic. But I thought I'd spend a few minutes at least skimming it this weekend ... except that "skimming" suddenly turned into "do nothing else until you finish reading this amazing fic in its entirety."

Seven years after Series 3, fandom has long since turned "the Master survived the events on the Valiant and travels with the Doctor instead" into a well-worn trope, but rarely is it handled as wittily, in-character, and compellingly as it is here. There are cameos from Classic Who characters, endless snark between the Tenth Doctor and the Master, and yes, a giant squid -- a vampire squid, to be exact, because if you're going to have a giant squid in a Doctor Who story, it might as well be a vampire, too. And there is also, of course, a fine plot holding all of this together, one that seamlessly blends the classic series with the new one, but saying more would spoil it. If you didn't have weekend fic-reading plans before, I hope you do now.

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

ffutures.livejournal.com

Next, another story from the Year that Wasn't, in which Gwen gets help from an unexpected source:

Story: The Sound of Running Water
Author: Firefly124
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 9950
Author's Summary: Staying behind to mind the Hub while the rest of the team went to investigate an anomaly in the Himalayas had sounded boring to Gwen, but that was before the Prime Minister announced First Contact, Jack was declared a terrorist and then killed on live television, and a mysterious stranger popped into the Hub from nowhere.
Characters/Pairings: Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Jack Harkness, Martha Jones, Martha Jones, Rhys Williams, River Song, The Master (Simm), Toshiko Sato
Warnings: Explicit Violence, Swearing

Recced because: A lovely story by an author who hasn't been recced here before, in which River Song takes a hand in the events of the Year That Wasn't.

( A short extract )

ffutures.livejournal.com

My next rec is pure Who, featuring Martha and Tish Jones and the aftermath of The Master.

Story: Through the Spaces of the Dark
Author: Twitchbell
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2702
Author's Summary: The present collides head first with the Year That Never Was: Martha and Tish come face to face with the painful memory of a day when the Master changed the rules.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Other Character(s), The Doctor (10th), The Master (Simm), Tish Jones
Warnings: None

Recced because: It's easy to overlook the human cost of the Doctor's career. Here Martha helps Tish Jones deal with some memories of her captivity on the Valiant.

( A short extract )

I'm travelling over Easter weekend so I've set up my remaining recs as timed postings for Friday and Saturday, in case I can't get web access. Apologies in advance if anything goes wrong.

nonelvis

Story: The Pond Continuum
Author: kaydee falls
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 5,407
Author's Summary: Five people who have never heard of the Ponds (but might have met them anyway), and one who has.
Characters/Pairings: Amy/Rory, Amy/Rory/Jack, Martha, Sarah Jane, Rose, Ninth Doctor, Canton Everett Delaware III
Warnings: Swearing

Recced because: "The Angels Take Manhattan" left a giant-sized hole in canon for fic writers to fill: namely, how Amy and Rory spent their years in the past. Kaydee Falls posits quite reasonably that they could have met any number of characters with whom we're already familiar -- Martha during the Depression, Rose during Elizabeth II's coronation, Jack during World War II, and others. The characterization and voices are spot-on, and there's a gentle sense of humor that feels completely in keeping with the Ponds' unconventional relationship to each other, not to mention their unflappability when it comes to accepting the unusual, like a stranger in Barcelona, Spain berating himself for not mentioning something travels in time.

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

annauq.livejournal.com

first of all: a happy new year to everyone!

Story: They
Author: Prochytes
Rating: teen
Word Count: 2295
Author's Summary: Remarkably, the Doctor was the easy one.

Characters/Pairings: Gwen Cooper, Kate Stewart, Martha Jones

Warnings: none

Recced because: What a great year it was for Doctor Who in its fiftieth year. Lost episodes found, regenerations shown and so many new stories told. One of my favourite characters in the fiftieth special was Kate Stewart. After her (re)introduction on the show I immediately went looking for fic, but sadly, there isn't much available. The Teaspoon hosts less than fifteen stories featuring her, of which 'They' is the newest addition. Luckily, it's a great story, featuring not just Kate, but many others, too. The dialogue (and it is mostly dialogue) is truly great, with lots of references and name dropping for the careful reader. It had me smiling, laughing and, at the end, almost crying.

'They' is a heartwarming story about 'them'; the people around the Doctor, those who stay on earth and do the very best they can do. It's about Kate Stewart working to get UNIT back on track, with Martha Jones and Gwen Cooper guiding her along the way. It is about Torchwood and UNIT and all those other people, who sometimes make the wrong choices and cannot travel back in time to put them right. It's also about the Doctor, and how he touches the lives of those around him: both of those who travel with him and those who don't. It's not pretty and it's not forgiving, but it's beautiful regardless (or perhaps because of that).

enjoy!

thisbluespirit

My final rec for these two weeks! Thanks for bearing with me, especially through the bonus anniversary recs, and I hope you found something new to read. And if you did, don’t forget to feed the authors – love and comments make the world go round (or something like that).

Story: days that should have been
Author: lyricalprose
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1584
Author's Summary: He tries not to go back to the places he took Susan. (Or, the Doctor and memory – things remembered, and things forgotten).
Characters/Pairings: First Doctor, Susan Foreman, Tenth Doctor, Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Eleventh Doctor, Clara Oswin Oswald
Warnings: None.

Recced because: It’s a beautifully written fic that’s the perfect blend of old and new. The Doctor now, and at the beginning, Susan and the TARDIS, and his most recent companions, tracing parallels and spaces between them, and memory and forgetting. As I said, it’s really beautiful and a lovely reminder of how this one sprawling series does all connect up in the end.

thisbluespirit

Story: Deus Ex Liborum (The Circle Has Six Sides)
Author: Glinda
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 2672
Author's Summary: The Library contains all possible knowledge. The TARDIS contains all possible time and space. Never the twain should meet.
Characters/Pairings: The TARDIS, Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones
Warnings: None.

Recced because: It’s a gorgeous, wonderfully mysterious, eerie, and beautiful TARDIS POV fic in which the TARDIS battles the Library on behalf of her Doctor and his companion. It explores the two entities, the TARDIS’s relationships with those she carries, and the power of stories and names, and it's an amazing piece.

Excerpt:

Those who created her, had the power to tame stars, to shape time and space to their will. They paid a terrible price for their knowledge, to keep their secrets safe. Safe within their citadel sending their creations and their renegades out among the dreaming stars. Boxes within boxes, knowledge locked one with another like so many Russian dolls. A tiny part of the greater burden shared within each of them, and in each of their creations. She remembers so much that all others have forgotten, if she forgets they will be lost for ever, for good or ill she must remember.

annauq.livejournal.com

Story: Purpose
Author: Kesomon
Rating: All Ages
Author's Summary: Anyone who had chosen to stop and listen, to say a few words, to step inside his frankly magnificent time ship, had been there for a reason, even if they, or he or anyone else had yet to discover what that reason was.
Word Count: 541
Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Adric, Barbara Wright, Evelyn Smythe, Ian Chesterton, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Jo Grant, Katarina, Martha Jones, Mel Bush, Nyssa, Owen Harper, Peri Brown, Steven Taylor
Warnings: None

Recced Because: It is an odd little story, exploring the idea of predestination paradoxes. Usually with this kind of thing, the Doctor is the one who changes the companion. He shows them the universe, and they become a better person because of that. It is quite easy to forget that the companions change the Doctor just as much as he changes them, and that is why I love this fic. It clearly shows the delicate relationship between the two, while also paying homage to the fact that the companions are amazing and usually go on to be amazing after their time in the TARDIS. The last line is a nice touch too, with the Doctor portrayed not as the all-knowing Time Lord, but the wanderer, the traveller who marvels at the beauty and mystery of the universe.

jjpor.livejournal.com

Story: Making It Stranger
Author: Bad_Dickens
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 26,771
Author's Summary: The Doctor arrives in Arkham Asylum while Jack Harkness meets Batman. Cardiff must brace itself for a visit from the Clown Prince of Crime. A Batman/Nolan!verse cross over with Doctor Who and Torchwood.
Characters/Pairings: The Doctor (10th), the survivors of Torchwood S2 (Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Captain Jack Harkness), Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, plus crossover characters.
Warnings: Some violence, both physical and psychological and all of the attendant creepiness and tastelessness you'd expect from The Dark Knight version of the Joker.

Recced because: Who doesn't like a good crossover? Well, some people probably don't, but I'm not one of those people. I love a good crossover, and this is a very good crossover indeed.

Cast your minds back to the distant, heady days of 2008. We'd just picked our jaws up off the floor, for a variety of reasons, after watching Journey's End. We still had the festive rollercoaster thrill-ride that was The Next Doctor to come in a few months' time. How to kill some time while we waited? Well, the announcement that David Tennant would be leaving the role of the Doctor, eventually, and the attendant media scrum did that to an extent, but before that a lot of us, in the UK at least, went to the cinema and watched... Mama Mia. Not me, though - I was in the screen next door watching The Dark Knight and loving it.

This was before it made a squillion dollars at the box office and the fan backlash set in, before last year's rather Marmite-ish conclusion to the Nolan Bat-trilogy muddied the waters still further. At the time, TDK was the hot ticket (it had Eric Roberts from the Eight TV Movie in it!) and the late Heath Ledger's nightmarish Joker was burning up the screen just like Jack Nicholson's had back in 1989 (scarily, I can remember the hype around that one when it came out too). Good stuff. Even better, though, when my enthusiasm for the film and its world was still at its height, this excellent crossover fic was posted to the Teaspoon. I remember following it avidly, checking every day for updates, and generally lapping it up.

Essentially, this story takes the Batman and his rogues' gallery from the Christopher Nolan films and, via a bit of Rift-related jiggery-pokery throws them up against the Tenth Doctor and Captain Jack's much-depleted Torchwood Three team, with Mickey and Martha thrown in for good measure. Everybody's in-character, and gets nice character moments to boot, but it's also all hung on a good, well-plotted story in which everybody gets things to do and a chance to shine. The Joker is, as you would expect, a force of nature, using the villainous plot-armour that is basically his non-super superpower to throw a spanner into our heroes' works and put them through the wringer. And, to be honest, who doesn't think the idea of the Joker versus a Dalek is a good idea? Oh, right. Well, I do.

All this and Weevils too! Seriously, even if you're not a Batman fan, or a fan of the Nolan/Bale movies, go and read this just for the Who and Torchwood characters and their reactions to the off-the-wall situation. You won't regret it. And when you're finished, please leave your words of appreciation for the author.

thanatosx49.livejournal.com

Story: Last of Your Species Support Group http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=10241

Author: Amy_Wolf http://www.whofic.com/viewuser.php?uid=1152

Rating: All Ages

Word Count: 2007 words

Author's Summary: Red Dwarf crossover, more or less.

Characters: Cassandra, Martha Jones, the Tenth Doctor

Recced Because: way back in the dark ages when I was an adolescent (also known as the mid to late 1990's) Doctor Who was on the local PBS station on Saturday nights. Right after, was Red Dwarf. In some ways, the shows were complete opposites, while in others there were a lot of parallels. This story has Mezelponian Mimic-Hawks and polymorphs, yay!

thanatosx49.livejournal.com

Story: The Courtship and Marriage Rituals of Time Lordshttp://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=50276

Author:Lyakahttp://www.whofic.com/viewuser.php?uid=18628

Rating: All Ages

Word Count: 8855 words

Author's Summary:
Or, how the Doctor and the Master finally stopped courting and got married, to the relief of most of the known galaxy and the confusion of the humans in attendance.

Characters: Lucy Saxon, Martha Jones, 10th Doctor/the Master

Warnings: Spew alert! Do not attempt the ingestion of food or liquids while reading this!

Recced Because: This is probably the funniest thing I've ever read, hence the spew warning. I'm not into slash fics usually, but this one is too good to pass up. I laughed until I cried, then laughed some more. Man U, enough said.

brunhilde-1013.livejournal.com

Story: Within A Mile Of Home
Author: sleepismyfriend
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 3924
Author's Summary: Eleven takes Amy to Bannerman Road, only he encounters a few more than he expected once he arrives.
Characters/Pairings: Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Jack Harkness, Jo Grant, Liz Shaw, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Sarah Jane Smith, Tegan Jovanka, The Doctor (11th), Wilfred Mott, Luke Smith, Amy Pond
Warnings: n/a

Recced because: To round off the week, a return to the multi-era ensemble cast - just look at that list of characters! Full disclosure requires me to say that the author is one of my friends, but this is one of those stories that I'd have to admit to loving were it written by my worst enemy. Plot takes a backseat to a beautifully-written interlude of friendships and nostalgia that still manages to feel fresh, and the interactions between the Doctor's former companions and friends are delightfully genuine. I particularly love the portrayal of Amy, who bounces around full of teasing energy but clearly holds a great deal of affection for the Doctor - and, of course, the centre of the story is the eternal relationship between the Doctor and Sarah, which is dealt with in a sensitive and nuanced manner. It really is one of my favourite stories, and one that reminds me just why I love the show so much.

Thank you for having me for the week, guys, and if you enjoy the recs then don't forget to go and tell the authors all about it!

brunhilde-1013.livejournal.com

Story: Resonance
Author: Lurky McLurklurk
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 3533
Author's Summary: 1969 fic. Finding components for the timey wimey detector leads the Doctor and Martha to an encounter with Liz Shaw before she ever met any mysterious men who travel round time and space in a police box.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Liz Shaw, The Doctor (10th)
Warnings: n/a

Recced because: Liz Shaw is one of my absolute all-time favourite companions, and the period of her life before she worked with the Doctor isn't something that often gets explored. Best of all, it's another one of those great era-crossing stories, this time working with the time the Doctor and Martha spent in 1969. Liz is right in her element as a scientist, and the parallels between her and Martha are a bonus. It's the brilliant minor details that make this fic for me, from the Doctor thinking that 'blending in' in the sixties involves dressing as hippies to Liz's unbothered assumption that he and Martha have snuck into the laboratory for sex. Definitely one to enjoy.

redjaywrites.livejournal.com

Hello there! My name is Lamia, and I'll be your reccer for the week! I'm notoriously inconsistent with my interests so there'll probably be a reasonable mixture here of classic Who, old Who, funny Who, angsty Who, and shippy Who. I hope you like the stories, by wonderful people, as much as I enjoyed them.

Story: Trust Me (I'm a Lying Liar Who Lies)
Author:

elisi
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 22,082
Author's Summary: In which River is enigmatic, Martha is frustrated, Mickey is intrigued and the Doctor is a Pond.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Francine Jones, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Other Character(s), River Song, River Song, Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th), Tish Jones
Warnings: Swearing, action

Recced because: This is one author that I go back to over and over again. Seriously! Go give her love. That said, the reason I chose this fic in particular is because of the range of things it covers that just ring 'Doctor Who' in my books. Martha being awesome (another reason is because of her qualification this week in

f_march_madness), the Doctor not being perfect, people being people and difficult and just... real. And warm. It's got laughs, and it's got bits that really take out your heart and stamp on it, but it's also got heart, and really, that's what a fic should be all about... It's a long one to start, but well worth the time to sit down, maybe with a cup of tea, and drink it all in.

paranoidangel

Story: David and the Gorgon
Author: Quean of Swords
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 46,288
Author's Summary: It's been a year since David's girlfriend left to go travelling through time and space with the Doctor. Then one Thursday, David finds a statue that looks a little bit too much like one of his best friends. There's nothing to do but call the Doctor and hope he comes before more fall victim to a mysterious force turning young men into stone.
Characters/Pairings: Barbara Wright, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Original Companion, Original Companion, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (11th), The Doctor (5th), The Doctor (8th)
Warnings: Swearing

Recced because: Although this fic is part of a series, this is the one I read first, so it's not necessary to understand who all the original characters are to enjoy this. And the original characters are a large part of the enjoyment. They're interesting and three dimensional and make you want to know more about them. The other reason I like this fic is the plot. It's a very Doctor Who-like plot, interestingly introduced and unfolded and solved. The fic also has its amusing moments, as in the excerpt, contrasted with the sad moments.

( Excerpt )

If you like this, don't forget to tell the author!

saaammie.livejournal.com

Story: Hallucinations
Author: Aldanon
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 7,616
Author's Summary: It wasn't until Martha was on her way to America that the hallucinations began. A Year that Never Was story.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Amy Pond, Jack Harkness, Mickey Smith, Rory Williams, Tenth Doctor, Eleventh Doctor
Warnings: Sexual assault, violence, general YTNW-stuff.

Recced because: I mentioned earlier this week that I feel Martha was owed so much more by the Doctor for what she was through. I'm quite fond of fics where the Doctor is faced with all the horrors Martha that happened to her in his name, and Hallucinations is an amazing example of that genre. It's timey-wimey and a bit confusing and heartbreaking and a very realistic take of the world under Harold Saxon's rule. The splash of Eleven, Amy and Rory is a bitter-sweet addition.

( I can't, I can't anymore, Doctor. Not after Japan. )

saaammie.livejournal.com

Hi!

I'm

saaammie or as I'm known over at Teaspoon, Cicci Green. I'm a Swedish college student who really should outgrow the whole fanfic thing, but so far I haven't. I'm also a pretty new member to the Who community, in fact, I only discovered DW back in May, but it only took one episode to get me hooked, and here I am.

I've slowly started to watch old Who, but haven't got far, so all my recs will be New Who.

So, let's start my reccing week! Are you excited? I'm excited!

Story: Knocking
Author: Asrai
Author's summary: Martha Jones always knocks.
Rating: G
Spoilers: Human Nature
Word count: 500
Warnings: None
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor and Martha Jones

Recced because: This is a brilliant little fic that totally proves you don't need to use many words to perfectly describe situations and characters. While Martha isn't my favorite companion, I admire her strength and tenacity and I felt very keenly after Human Nature/Family of Blood that she deserved so much more of an apology than she actually got. I also believe the stay in 1913 probably affected her much more than we actually got see.

Asrai remedies this, but does in in a perfectly believable way. This is exactly how the Doctor, clumsy fool that he sometimes is, would act. Asrai proves, in a few short sentences, how much 1913 changed Martha and does it without a single unnecessary word.

ffutures.livejournal.com

I'm

ffutures, Marcus Rowland at the archive, and I'll be reccing this week. My mix this time includes some Torchwood, old school Who, new Who, and crossovers, and a couple of authors who haven't been featured here before.

Due to work problems I may not be around to post every day, so I'm posting all of the week's recs on Sunday night, scheduled to appear at 7AM each day, and hoping nothing goes wrong. Apologies if they all appear at once, or vanish into Limbo - I'll fix any problems as quickly as I can.

Story: The Last Enemy
Author: Prochytes
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 9946
Characters: Gwen Cooper, Martha Jones, Martha Jones, Suzie Costello, The Master (Simm)
Author's Summary: Christmas Day in the Master’s Cardiff. Gwen Cooper is still Gwen Cooper. She doesn’t have much time to work out why.
Warnings: Explicit Violence, Swearing
Recced because: Gwen Cooper was one of the best characters in Torchwood, and I thought it was about time I recced a story that featured her. This one is a beauty, a Doctor Who / Torchwood crossover in which Gwen has to handle the events of The End of Time, with a little help from a very unexpected source.

It didn’t work on cats. The ebony ripple that had pulsed across the road two streets (eighty-seven heartbeats) back was still a feline. Ears flat against its head; eyes staring. Kitty couldn’t know what had just pissed all over the planet.

No hive-mind. The one she had pistol-whipped outside Asda (four streets, nine hundred and sixty-three heartbeats) had looked — briefly — just as surprised to see her as... (don’t remember, mustn’t remember, hold the thought by the rim so it can’t scald) as the first one. They weren’t sharing information telepathically.

He didn’t know she was coming, and this was still her town. Alien mastermind, my arse; you could live in Cardiff for twenty years and still not have a bloody clue what to do there of a Friday night. If she got the drop on him, she could take him.

How many times, though? Three? Ten? A hundred? Cardiff wasn’t a battlefield, now. It was a video-game, and not one where she got to be the shooter. Gwen Cooper had become the obstacle; the adversary; the poorly pixelated mook. Every time she won, he could restart the level. Harold Saxon only had to win the once.

And so Gwen Cooper ran for her life through the December dark (still fast, still very fast — the first trimester hadn’t yet got around to pilfering her pace), measuring out the streets of her city in footfalls and prodigal heartbeats, twisting her options like a blackjack player, and not making it up as she went along. Captain Jack Harkness had made it up as he went along, and hadn’t that ended well for everyone? Jesus fucking Christ, Jack, you had to go and bolt to the stars like the cheap little hustler you always were. Left our town with an exhausted, pregnant basket case for a champion.

ladymercury-10.livejournal.com

Story: The Waiting is the Hardest Part
Author: scarlettgirl
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1181
Author's Summary: Rory and Martha are trapped. It's not nearly as much fun as you'd think.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: None
Recced because: Era crossovers are always neat, and Rory and Martha have so much in common both professionally and in terms of their personalities that it's a lot of fun to see them interact. Scarlettgirl does a great job with the voices and the little details that really sell the story--Rory is very kind but also worried and a bit sarcastic and Martha always tries to stay reassuring and calm under pressure. The story hits all the right notes of professionalism, as Rory and Martha are sort of accidental field medics at a school they are protecting, and they do a wonderful job. Also? It's really funny.

( excerpt under the cut )

aralias.livejournal.com

Story: Terms of Art
Author: Raven
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 4676
Author's Summary: The Doctor learned to draw on Gallifrey.
Characters/Pairings: Ten, Martha, John Smith, Joan Redfern

Recced because: I used to think I didn't like Martha very much, but I'm increasingly coming to believe that I was very wrong, and that I like her a lot.

My all time favourite Martha scene is the bit where she tells the Doctor she's 'getting out', but I also love the bit where she makes him talk about Gallifrey. This fic is a bit like that, except more so and it showcases the way in which Martha is able to help the Doctor get over his massive angst in a completely different way to Rose, a way that is no less viable and is, in fact, incredibly charming and wonderful - because it's about her determination to do what's right and look after people, particularly him, even when it hurts her. My excerpt from this fic is along these lines, because I feel this is mostly a fic about how Martha is really awesome, and awesome for the Doctor, but the bits that aren't about Martha are about the Doctor's massive angst about being John Smith (and Gallifrey)(still not over that, eh?), and that is a lovely and wonderful part of this fic, too (I almost chose to show you a bit about what it was like to open the fob watch instead). I like what a terrible, awkward nerd Smith is and how he is great in a similar way to Martha. I also really like the Doctor in this fic - he has some nice lines towards the end.

And it's written very beautifully. I think you'll like it.

( Excerpt )

thisbluespirit

Story: Alone In a Godless Universe (And Out of Shake’n’Vac)
Author: Doyle
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 2405
Author's Summary: The last human being in the universe is pregnant. Lucky he’s got Martha around. Red Dwarf crossover.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Tenth Doctor, Dave Lister, Arnold Rimmer, Cat, Holly
Warnings: None.

Recced because: It’s a Doctor Who/Red Dwarf crossover, pulled off to perfection and neatly filling in a large gap in the crossover show? Because, faced with the universe of the Dwarfers, a pregnant man, a hologram, and only a slim hope of getting home again (by means of technology that looks suspiciously as if it’s made of cardboard), Martha is as awesome as ever? And then there’s the should-have-seen-it-coming coda - and the Doctor’s reaction… (Definitely one of those stories where I had to check the

calufrax tags at least six times to make sure no one else had recced it first. )

ffutures.livejournal.com

I'm

ffutures, Marcus Rowland on Teaspoon. When I began selecting stories for this week I noticed that the first two were by authors who have never appeared here before. I decided to try an experiment, and go for a full week of all-new authors. That turned out to be a LOT harder than it sounds; again and again I found that a story I liked had either been recced before, or was by an author who has been recced before. In the end I think that I've found seven good stories by previously-overlooked authors, without sacrificing any quality. Apart from that these stories are my usual mix of new-era and multi-era Who, with several crossovers. I hope that you'll enjoy them.

Story: The Orchid Thief
Author: Leviathan
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 14320
Author's Summary: Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin have solved a lot of tough cases in their careers as detectives. But never one like the one that begins with the new arrival in the Plant Rooms. Before it ends, they'll deal with a tattooed lady, miniaturized corpses, and Things from Another World!
Characters/Pairings: Jo Grant, Martha Jones, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (3rd), The Master (Delgado)
Warnings: None

Recced because: I'm a sucker for crossovers, and this is not only a crossover, it's a crossover with one of my favourite detective series, and it's a multi-era multi-doctor story that manages to be faithful to all of the Doctor Who and crossover characters, and pitch perfect for the historical periods in which it's set. A fun romp and one I've enjoyed immensely.

Excerpt:

I was halfway through dialing the Gazette, to ask Lon Cohen if there was a new craze in collecting disused British police phones, when the doorbell rang. I cradled the phone and stepped to the hallway, looking out through the one-way glass panel.

It was a morning for things that appeared not to belong. The two people on the stoop seemed as out of place in New York as the blue box in the alley and the strange thing growing up in Wolfe's plant rooms. It was a man and woman, but they didn't seem to be a couple. The woman was black — apparently “colored” is no longer the acceptable term — and quite lovely, wearing form-fitting denim jeans and a red leather jacket. I don't read fashion magazines, and who knows what's going to come out of Carnaby Street these days, and it certainly didn't look bad, but I'd never seen an outfit that looked quite like it: it had the look of a costume. The man was taller than me, but also a lot thinner, his hands stuffed into the pockets of a brown suit with fine blue pinstripes, a long brown trenchcoat pushed open and back behind him. He had enough brown hair for a Beatle, but it was messier and less defined, more like a Rolling Stone, and large, intelligent eyes that seemed to stare right through the one-way glass into mine. As I looked at him, he raised his fingers and waggled them as if in a childish wave, grinning broadly.

I went and opened the door some ten inches, backstopping it with my foot. “Good morning.”

“Ah, yeah!” the tall man's accent was English, his voice enthusiastic, “lovely morning, really, just lovely! You're Archie Goodwin!”

“Thanks,” I told him. “I wasn't sure.”

He grinned even more broadly, looking over between me and the black girl. “See, Martha, what did I tell you? The wit, the wit, the looks-- Not so much the charm, yet, but you have to like the wit!” He turned back to me. “And young! Not that you look much older, but still, there you are, yeah?”

“Here I am,” I agreed.

“Oh, yes, you are!” he said. “Yes, you really are!”

“Well,” I said, starting to close the door, “thanks for stopping by to straighten that out for me--”

He put an easy hand on the door, his smile somehow chiding me gently, affectionately. “Oh, come on, now, be a sport! Is that any way to treat an, well, someone who will have been an old friend the first time you meet him?”

I frowned, running through the sentence in my head, and the black girl rolled her eyes and stepped forward, offering a hand. “Hello,” she said. Her accent was also English, which always sounds a little strange to me coming from a negro. “I'm Martha Jones.”

shelwass.livejournal.com

Hi! I'm Shelwass, both here and on Teaspoon, and I'm happy to be reccing for the first time! :)

Story: The Physics of Friendship (New London High #2)
Author: TimeLord1
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 6046
Author's Summary: New friends, old enemies, and a tough guy with a secret talent. Oh, and one diagrammed sentence.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Jackie Tyler, Martha Jones, Other Character(s), River Song, Rory Williams, Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (11th), The Doctor (8th), The Doctor (9th), The Master (Simm)
Warnings: Swearing

Recced because: This is the story that made me fall in love with the New London High series. It's one of the most innovative, captivating AUs I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The author seamlessly inserts the characters of Doctor Who into the setting of a teen drama, without losing any of the fantastic characterizations that makes them unique in the first place. It cleverly blends elements of canon, yet re-imagines the show as something entirely new, and entirely wonderful.

There's a blossoming 9/Rose love story, a super-shy and awkward Rory, a flirty teenaged Jack, and even a nod to Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And, because every high school drama needs its villains, there's Harry Saxon and his evil minions, the Dalecki brothers.

( Excerpt )

Before you go off to read it, here's a quick lowdown on the Doctors at New London High. All of the Doctors are related to one another, and all of their names are variants on 'John Smith.'

Evan is Eight, John is Nine, Sean is Ten, and Ian is Eleven. These four, along with the majority of their companions, are high school students. The other Doctors are parents and uncles, and Sarah Jane is Evan and John's mother.

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did, and, if you do, feel free to let the author know!

gncurrier.livejournal.com

I'm caught up! For today, here's another Ten/Rose reunion fic! (sorry! I promise, last one. Reunion!fic, that is, I've got one more Ten/Rose on the cards ;)

http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=24495
Story: Path of Needles
Author: TARDIS_stowaway
Rating: All ages
Word Count:28698
Author's Summary:Once upon a time, she had abided in the world where lives did not begin with ‘once upon a time.’ No more. Rose walks through the woods. Meanwhile, the Doctor deals with an abundance of Bad Wolf references.
Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness, Jackie Tyler, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Pete Tyler, Rose Tyler, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (9th)
Warnings: None
Recced because: Dear God, what can I say about this fic? Not enough! There is such an eerie, dark fairytale aura, and the writing is jawdroppingly gorgeous. I needed to read a particualr chapter a few times to really get it, because I was so caught and entranced by the vivid and rich descriptions. There is tons of bad Wolf in this story, and it's used SO well!

gncurrier.livejournal.com

Back-reccing for Tuesday!

http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=46146
Story: The Wolf and the Mockingjay
Author: HonorH
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 37880
Author's Summary:Rose Tyler is chosen for the Hunger Games. Martha Jones volunteers to save her little sister. When they meet in the arena, something happens that will change the world. Hunger Games crossover.
Characters/Pairings:Ace McShane, Amy Pond, Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Jackie Tyler, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Other Character(s), River Song, Rose Tyler, Sarah Jane Smith, The Doctor (9th)
Warnings: Explicit violence
Recc'ed because: I am not much of a Hunger Games fun, but I was really intruiged to see the concept used in the Whoniverse. Rose here is incredibly strong, and her interactions with Martha are not only adorable, at times they brought me close to tears. 9 and Donna are great as mentors, and Jack as Cinna is just perfect. I also love that this doesn't just tell the Hunger Games by replacing Katniss et al with Whoniverse characers; Honor truly makes the idea live a new life on it's own, and makes magnificent use of the concept.

gncurrier.livejournal.com

*flushes*
Ok, guys I am oh so sorry for being 3 days late. My RL has been nuts!!! However, know that I am actually on the ball now, and I am super-excited to rec for you this week! Hope you enjoy some of my favorities, and I promise to keep the Ten/Rose to a minimum :)

First off:

http://www.whofic.com/viewstory.php?sid=20452
Story: Mysterious Ways
Author: Aenaria
Rating: Adult
Word Count:57076
Author's Summary:She's been lost, found the key, unlocked the door to the universe, wandered about, took a detour, stopped, stopped some more, then started again. Now, finally, Rose Tyler is on her way home. The Sonnetsverse reunion story. Diverges from S4 canon after 'The Unicorn and the Wasp'. Please note rating change for Chapter 15.
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Rose, Donna, Martha, Original Characters
Warnings: Explicit Sex, Swearing
Recced because: This is actually the penultimate story in a 'verse called "Sonnets Writ on Skin," which you don't HAVE to read to get this, but I highly reccomend you do, cause it's amazing. This is my favorite reunion fic of all time. Rose has a little sister named Gemma, and Gemma and a few other original charcters really make everything pop. They way the story unfolds it just gorgeous, and I can't say enough about it.

biancaisabelle.livejournal.com

Hi all! *waves awkwardly*
So my name is Bianca, a whovian hailing from the Netherlands, and I'll be reccing for you this week (:
I understand that for a part of you it's still Sunday, but well.. let's just view this as a bonus than, shall we? ;)

Besides, if you're going to read this fic (and I think you should) you're going to need the extra time...

Story: Terminal Decay
Author: Unslinky
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 3,071,407 ~~(yes, you read that right - this is not a typo)~~
Author's Summary: Set shortly after The Planet of the Dead. AU to everything Doctor Who and Torchwood after that.
Characters/Pairings: Clive Jones, Francine Jones, Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Jack Harkness, K-9, Leo Jones, Luke Smith, Martha Jones, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Sarah Jane Smith, Sarah Jane Smith, The Doctor (10th), The TARDIS, Tish Jones, Tom Milligan, Torchwood ~~(I've only copied the list of characters Unslinky indicated on Teaspoon because I do not want to spoil what happens in the story! :))~~
Warnings: Explicit Sex, Explicit Violence, Swearing

Recced because: This fic took Unslinky nearly two years to complete and it has just over a 1,000 chapters. I came across it when the fic had been growing for some time already, but rapidly caught up and then followed it all the way to the end. I realise three million words may seem rather daunting, but trust me when I say that once you start reading this fic, it becomes part of your life shockingly easily and quickly. (I'm rereading it at the moment - worth every step of the way.)

So what makes this fic so captivating? There is more Doctor!Whump out there in which he (nearly) dies [~~keeping open the outcome so as not to spoil you guys~~], after all, and those are not as epically long as this fic. There are several reasons.
One is that Unslinky's characterisation is amazing. Unslinky knows how people work, what makes them tick, what makes them laugh, and she manages to write the dilemmas that come with being/caring for a dying alien, the last of his kind, in a way that is incredibly realistic. There are no good or bad guys in this story - everyone has two sides. There will be moments when you really hate a particular character (at least I did), but later that will always be put into perspective because the reasons for their behaviour are revealed and you suddenly understand that even though sometimes people say or do things that make you want to punch them in the face, they're not all bad. Every story has two sides and nothing is ever only black or only white.
That brings me to my second reason: realism. The Doctor is suffering from a degenerating disease, which will kill him if nothing is done, and a lot of people (see character list and then some) get involved. That means there are a lot of angles to be written, a lot of point of views, tensions, opinions - not to mention that an illness as seriously as the one from which the Doctor suffers in this story simply can't be fixed in two or three chapters. The illness is described very naturally, over a period of time, and Unslinky gives us readers wonderful medical details and descriptions without making it too brainy too understand - and then of course there is also the psychological side. The Doctor has to accept that he is ill and that he needs help, he bonds to people in entirely new ways, but the other characters are also affected - they have doubts, are hurt, hope, work, scream, cry (everything you might expect of someone with a close friend who is dying). Rather than rush through events towards a happy ending [~~or not!~~], Unslinky isn't afraid of putting the main storyline on hold to be introspective or have a flashback. This doesn't impede the story at all, however, but rather adds to it, shaping the characters and making them incredibly real.
In the end, this didn't feel like a story, but rather as a journey. It has made me look at some characters in an entirely new way and by the time I got to the end I didn't think 'oof, I've finally read it', but rather 'why is this over already?'.

( Preview )

universically.livejournal.com

Whilst I never intended it, I have realised that most of my recs have been on the humorous side this week. This second last rec from me is no exception!

Story: Clash of the Titans
Author: AnneHedonia
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1809
Author's Summary: Four geniuses who're sure they're right, all in the same room. Fandoms: Doctor Who/House/The Mentalist/Sherlock. Fair warning: this is crackier than a Roman ruin.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, The Doctor (10th), Other Character(s)
Warnings: None

Recced because: I can't remember how I stumbled upon this little gem but I am extremely grateful that I did. It combines four separate universes into one so amazingly, I can't believe that it isn't canon. AnneHedonia manages to keep the the characters voice, attitudes and actions intact, which leads to much hilarity. Watch for the appearance of the companions/offsiders of the four main characters because that is so how this bizarre situation would go down.

For those concerned, you need not be a fan of all the other shows, such as House or the Mentalist, to get the gist of what is going on but if you have watched all four shows, you are in for a treat!

universically.livejournal.com

Story: Fire of Ages
Author: AceOnGallifrey
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1266
Author's Summary: Romana's last moments, as she ransoms the universe with her own life and maybe, just maybe, finds something Beyond.
Characters/Pairings: Donna Noble, Martha Jones, Rover Song, Romana III, Rose Tyler, The Doctor (8th)
Warnings: None

Recced because: This haunting yet beautiful piece of work really explores Romana and the impact her thoughts and feelings have after the time war. This fic also opens up the impact the Doctor had on Romana and how things might have turned out if she hadn't seen the universe through another lens other than the Timelord way.

I also love the Eighth doctor and Romana together. I think there should be many more fics exploring that combination in a positive light as the current canon through the BBC books shows quite a deep divide between the two.

Excerpt: Omega and the Other posited that the Fire of Ages, flowing through the veins of a Time Lord, might be a weapon of incredible power- but at the cost of the bearer's life. No one has ever before had the courage to try it, not even now at the end of all things. Except... she does. She and the Doctor.

ffutures.livejournal.com

Ending my week on a light-hearted note - hope you've enjoyed my selections.

Story: Are you dead or just glad to see me?
Author: jinxed_wood
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 896
Author's Summary: Another day at the office for Smith & Jones.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Mickey Smith
Warnings: None

Recced because:
I may have mentioned I like crossovers. This one's a beautiful Highlander cross and does real justice to both fandoms, and does it with style. You don't have to know much about Highlander to enjoy it. Just revel in the extent to which Mickey takes everything in his stride - he's come a LONG way!

( A small sample )

Posted using Livejournal's scheduled post thingy, since I may be off line on Sunday. Hopefully nothing will go wrong go wrong go wrong go wrong...

ffutures.livejournal.com

Story: Appreciation
Author: Persiflage
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2900
Author's Summary: While stuck in 1969, Martha and the Doctor run into some members of UNIT.
Characters/Pairings: Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart, Liz Shaw, Martha Jones, Other Character(s), The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (3rd), UNIT
Warnings: None

Recced because: A little timey-wineyness is always fun, and stories where the different Doctors and companions work together are about as timey-winey as you can get. This one is just fun, and a nicely handled look at the relationships between doctors and companions in different eras. That it's another Liz Shaw story is a bonus.

( A small sample )

Incidentally, there's a Liz Shaw tribute video here:
http://youtu.be/m6H_sakDHeQ

lindenharp.livejournal.com

Here’s the last rec of the week. a Doctor Who/Torchwood crossover.

Story: Pizza and Planets
Author: Eledhwen
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 7365
Author's Summary: When the Doctor arrives in Cardiff, horizons are expanded. Spoilers for DW S4 and TW S2, plus speculative casting spoilers for TW S3.
Characters/Pairings: Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, The Tenth Doctor
Warnings: none

Recced because: I wish we had seen more interaction between Torchwood 3 and the Doctor. In this (mostly) lighthearted story, the Tenth Doctor drops by the Cardiff Hub after the events of “Journey’s End”. There are moments of sadness, as when the Doctor has to explain what happened to Rose and Donna, but also of humor and affection.

( A snippet... )
Read it here.

Current Mood: accomplished

elisi

Hello and goodbye. My week is at an end - hope you've enjoyed the stories I chose, and thanks for having me.

Story: How Lucy Saxon Saved the Day (much to Martha Jones’ disgust)
Author: Darth Loki
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1714
Author's Summary: Lucy Saxon saves the world on a shopping trip to Harrods, in sexy red heels. Martha Jones is disgusted. Harry would be proud. Slight crack!fic.
Characters/Pairings: Lucy Saxon, Martha Jones
Warnings: None.

Recced because: I adore Lucy Saxon and all the ways in which she is broken, and love fic that explores this. The Lucy of this story has been jossed which is a great tragedy - she has an aloofness which strikes me as ringing very true, yet she's also quite, quite brilliant. The author calls it slight crack!fic, and whilst I can see why, the story is so undeniably plausible that part of me will always believe that it happened. A true delight on every level!

pitry.livejournal.com

Story: Moments of Life Unremembered
Author: Rivendellrose
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 2685
Author's Summary: What does a moment mean, if you don't remember it? (Series of connected vignettes)
Characters/Pairings: Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Martha Jones, Handy, Gwen Cooper, Tom Milligan, Sylvia Noble, Wilfred Mott
Warnings: None.

Recced because: If our memories determine who we are (and Time Lords most of all...), what DO the bits we don't remember mean? This story is a beautiful exploration of the people the Doctor left behind, not quite as intact as they used to be, and most importantly - their "regular life" afterwards.

eve11

Last one for the week! I hope folks have enjoyed my choices. Don't forget to feed the authors! :)

Story: Dog and Pony Show
Author: wojelah
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 372
Author's Summary: Martha holds up a hand and shakes her head. "Wait. Never mind. The point is," she continues, "why was he in my bedroom?"
Characters/Pairings: Ten, Martha
Warnings: None

Recced because: Short, sweet, funny: a quick little reminder that the TARDIS can be a bit thick when it comes to sussing out linear time, and that the Doctor picks up all kinds of strays. :D

( Excerpt )

nonelvis

Story: A Game, A Puzzle
Author: radiantbaby
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2,168
Author's Summary: She remembers the feel of his jacket most of all.
Characters/Pairings: Eleven/Martha
Warnings: None

Recced because: Thirteen-year-old Martha, in therapy to deal with issues about her family, finds that a substitute therapist does a much better job understanding what makes her tick than her usual doctor. Sure, he looks silly in that bowtie, but he knows exactly what to say to her: that she's going to be a doctor someday, and brilliant, and someone who saves the world. Whether it's the Doctor who ultimately pushes Martha in the right direction to evolve into a strong and confident woman, or whether she would have become that woman regardless, is left open; but what's not in question is the affection the Doctor and Martha feel for each other years later, when Martha realizes just who'd helped her long ago, or the affection the author obviously has for a character who doesn't always get the respect she very much deserves.

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

sleepismyfriend.livejournal.com

Story: The War of the Roses
Author: Nancy Brown
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 4735
Author's Summary: In which a new flower shop opens across the street from Bloomin' Lovely, Gita's life becomes very strange, and a planetary-wide invasion is thwarted with Tropaeolaceae.
Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Gita Chandra, Haresh Chandra, Jack Harkness, Martha Jones, Mickey Smith, Rani Chandra, and Sarah Jane Smith
Warnings: None

Recced because: There can never be enough stories about Gita Chandra, especially if Ace, Mickey, Martha, and Sarah Jane are involved. I love it! It's a fun story about thwarting aliens set in the SJA universe. Hey, if Craig Owens can kill a Cyberman with love, why can't Gita and the gang give it a shot with flowers!

Excerpt:

Ms. McShane sighed. "You know, this is the third flower shop we've lost this way."

Martha said, "I keep saying we should try a different business. Something less dangerous."

Her husband added, "We could have a pet store. Or shoes. Men's shoes."

"I like flowers," said Ms. McShane.

Sarah Jane placed an arm around her shoulders. "Maybe change the store name?"

Mickey said, "Yeah. 'Sherwood Florist' is unlucky."

Martha said, "I wanted to call it Everything But Roses. I was outvoted."

ffutures.livejournal.com

Story: Bernard's Rules
Author: Beer_Good
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 912
Author's Summary: Black Books crossover: After the Year That Never Was, Doctor Martha Jones buys a book in a shop she's Never visited, and whose owner Never did anything good in his whole life.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones
Warnings: None

Recced because: Some very interesting stories have come out of the "Year that never was," in which The Master conquered the Earth. It's inspired many writers, showing how characters responded to a horrific situation, including this excellent comedy crossover.

reccity-rec-rec

calufrax is sleeping in your mind. One day, it may be brought back in front of your eyes.

April 2018

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A rec comm for A Teaspoon And An Open Mind

Entries tagged with companion: martha

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