Entries tagged with rating: adult

Current Mood: good

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Rec: It's About Choices

Story: It's About Choices
Author: Van Donovan
Rating: Mature
Word Count: 9,056
Author's Summary: Turlough influences some of Tegan's choices.
Warnings: graphic sex

Recced because: I keep saying that fandom needs to be fired for not producing more Tegan/Turlough fic, and this story is my Exhibit A for why the pairing works. The characterization is spot-on, from the snappy dialogue to the perfectly captured mannerisms. Tegan's observations of Turlough, his analysis of her, their reactions to each other all meld into a snarky, bittersweet piece made all the better by the inescapable conclusion. Also: hot like burning.

( Excerpt: )

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Rec: "Not a Love Story"

Story: "Not a Love Story"
Author: rallalon
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 3986
Author’s summary: "It's a partnership and he couldn't care less. It's theirs and nothing, not anything, is ever going to take it away from him."
Characters/Pairings: Captain Jack Harkness/Captain John Hart
Warnings: S2 of "Torchwood," graphic slash-o-rama.

Recommended because: This is a dark, intense, very adult take on the relationship between Jack and John back in their Time Agency days, and the feelings they might have had . . . or not had, or been fooling themselves about. There's a bitter sting in this story's tail, and a genuinely memorable sense of . . . tragedy, I guess you'd call it. Sockets in well with the Jack/John relationship shown in canon. It's worth noting that rallalon has taken on the difficult task of keeping the characters essentially nameless, with the usual attendant problems of tracking which "he/him" is which -- but I think it's handled about as well as it could be.

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rec: timelines and all that

Story: Timelines and All That
Author: Sun @ Teaspoon /

sunstar77 @ LJ
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 4,408
Author's Summary: "I went back to her estate, in the 90s. Just once or twice. Watched her grow up. Never said hello, timelines and all that." What if Jack lied to the Doctor when he said that? What if he did say hello, just once?
Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness/Rose Tyler
Warnings: Explicit Sex

Recced because: Bit of background here: This fanfic is actually a redo of an earlier version. While I liked the original's superb characterizations and the sizzling hot porn, wmr and a couple other readers pointed out a logic flaw in the ending of the original story--and I had to agree with them.
Unlike some lesser fic writers,

sunstar77 did not throw a hissy fit at the constructive criticism but took it into account and came up with this superior version. Like the first draft, this rewrite maintains the wonderful interactions between Jack and Rose and the way the narrative tone changes from burning hot porn (still there) to melancholy regret at the end. Now, this fic is my favorite one-shot Whoniverse story.

Current Mood: tired
Current Music: Hem, "He Came to Meet Me"

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Rec: Hothouse Flowers

Story: Hothouse Flowers
Author: DameRuth
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 6,583
Author’s summary: Most flowers can be made to bloom out of season, with the right tools. (Author self-rating: R for sexual themes.)
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Jack, Gwen
Warnings: Alien sex, swearing.

Recommended because: Recipe for a wonderful Ten/Jack story: take one slight AU where Time Lords and humans not only have vastly different equipment in their trousers but also incompatible pheromones, making them unable to even arouse each other naturally. Subtract one Rose, wait a year that never was, and add a few drops of universal aphrodisiac. Throw in healthy servings of strong characterization, moving hurt/comfort, and fabulous humor. Turn the heat up to high. Season with angst and caring.

DameRuth’s entire Flowers series is well worth a read, but I thought I’d just recommend one favorite to avoid intimidating readers who might lack the time for a lengthy series just now (though I hope you'll be so impressed that you go on to read the whole thing). “Hothouse Flowers” convinced me to love the Jack/Ten ship. The relationship between the Doctor and Jack here is like the best chocolate: rich, dark, and just the right touch of sweet. DameRuth has a talent for the little details that add vibrancy to a story. The dialog is spot-on whether the characters are being witty or tender. The Doctor feels genuinely, fascinatingly alien. The biologist in me loves the unique premise of the series, but it’s the quality of writing that keeps me going back to this story over and over.

( A brief excerpt )

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rec: we'll always have... you know

Story: We'll Always Have... You Know
Author: nostalgia @ Teaspoon /

nostalgia_lj @ LJ
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 1,824
Author's Summary: Inexplicably in love with Donna, the Doctor decides to relive that honeymoon he had with Romana. It goes as well as you'd expect.
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor/Donna Noble, Martha Jones
Warnings: Swearing

Recced because: Nostalgia's crack!fic is the cure-all for everything that's wrong with the universe. I'm convinced of it. At the very least, if

nostalgia_lj's fanfic doesn't solve all that's wrong with the universe, it's the cure-all for everything that's wrong with New Who.

In this fic, the Tenth Doctor realizes that he's in love with Donna while in the shower (yes, like that); calls Martha for advice on seducing human women; concludes that Martha may not have been serious when she suggested "lead her on with mixed signals while making her work as your servant for months at a time"; receives feedback on his Angel/Spike slash fic; tries to recreate that date he had in Paris with Romana by substituting Donna; and comes to recognize that friendship can often be more important (and saner) than passionate love.

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rec: the judas series

Story: The Judas Series
Author: wmr @ Teaspoon /

wendymr @ LJ
Rating: Adult
World Count: 85,560
Author's Summary: The Doctor: betrayer of those he loves, or just irreparably damaged?
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor/Rose Tyler/Jack Harkness
Warnings: None

Recced because: Ever read a series that's so bloody fantastic you wish it were canon? Actually, there was that meme going around a while ago that asked if you were in charge of Season Four, what would you have happen? My answer would be this fic. OK - the beginning would have to be tweaked a bit to fit in with "Utopia," but, except for that, this would pretty much be it. (Taking into account, of course, if I "were in charge," things like "actor availability," "budget restraints," and "pre-watershed hour" wouldn't exist.)

I thought

wendymr captured Ten so well--including his inability to shut up, even during sex. I liked how she portrayed Jack and Rose, individually, (eventually) as a married couple, and as a part of the OT3 relationship. I thought it was also perfect how the Doctor returned to them after losing another companion. I even admired the details in these stories--like making that lost companion, Lauren, a travel agent: someone who sends other people to wonderful places but never went herself. There's more I want to praise, but I think I may have spoiled too much of the series already!
Honestly, this is my favorite Whoniverse fanfic ever and one of my favorite novel-length fics, in any fandom.

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rec: reflections

Here's my second long-story rec.

Story: Reflections
Author:

vandonovan
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 90,812
Author's Summary: Charged with saving the universe, can the Doctor overcome his own darkness to defeat the Daleks?
Characters/Pairings: Second Doctor/Jamie, Victoria
Warnings: Dark AU

Recced because: I should probably start by explaining what this story is really about. Perhaps best summarized by one of it's reviewers, it's a story about a ""Dalek-blighted universe created by a Doctor corrupted by his own heart." This piece is an AU based off of the serial The Evil of the Daleks, which I think is one of the best stories in all of classic Who. Sadly, most of the episodes were burned in the BBC purge of misery and woe, but the storyline is worth suffering through reconstructions for. However, if you absolutely refuse to watch this serial, or simply can't for whatever reason, this recap provides all the information you would need to make sense of Reflections. And Van's story is definitely worth the effort.

Although it's pretty darn long by Who-fic standards, I think this one is absolutely worth the time commitment. Not only is it a brilliant Two/Jamie story, but the plot is completely engaging and seriously intense. Van has an excellent grasp of the characters, particularly the Second Doctor (he also does a great Victoria), and the result is that you really understand the motivations of his AU-self. You can believe that this dark version is someone the Second Doctor could have become. (And did I mention the sex is hot as hell?) But most of all, I love this story because it's just so damn angsty. The first time I read it I was hooked from chapter one through the very last line and yes, I cried.

( a small taste from the first chapter... )

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rec: collected ficlets

Here is the first of my two longer-story recs in honor of making it through to midweek.

Story: Collected Ficlets
Author:

livii
Rating: All Ages through Adult (each ficlet rated separately)
Word Count: 11,828 (most ficlets are under 500 words)
Author's Summary: What it says on the tin - a collection spot for drabbles and ficlets of ~1000 words or less.
Characters/Pairings: Nyssa/Tegan, Jack/Susan, Rose/Adam, Rose/Jabe, Sarah Jane/Benton, Sarah Jane/Benton/Harry, Benton/Yates, Benton/Jo, Harry/Benton, Barbara/Susan, Master/Brigadier, Master/Jo, Third Doctor/Jo, Romana/Duggan, Rose/Nancy, Tenth Doctor/Jo, Tenth Doctor/Martha, Seventh Doctor/Rose, Rose/altverse!Suzie, Rose/altverse!Sarah Jane, Rose/Benton, Jack/Ace, Martha/Harry, Martha/Sarah Jane, Ace/Hex, Fifth Doctor/Nyssa
Warnings: nope

Recced because: These are simply amazing. They just might be my favorite thing in all of Who fan fiction, and I don't say that lightly. I don't know how she does it, but

livii manages to pack so much into these little stories. Entire worlds and relationships and so much emotion in tiny snapshots. And I really think there is something for everyone here. Whatever pairings or characters you prefer, whether you enjoy angst or humor or action, it's all there. And the best part is, it looks like she is going to continue to update the masterlist as she writes more of these ficlets, so bookmark this page, people!

(PS. As an added bonus, Benton stars in a number of the stories and she writes him fabulously.)

( here's a taste from my most favorite of the ficlets... )

Current Mood: cheerful
Current Music: Franz Liszt - Hungarian Rhapsody no.?

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REC: Men Are From Mars

Story: Men Are From Mars
Author: quillofrassilon
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 7862
Author's summary: When Ten and Donna are forced to marry, Donna convinces the Doctor to take her on a honeymoon, complete with sun, sand, and...dinosaurs.
Characters/Pairings: Tenth Doctor/Donna, dinosaurs
Warnings: explicit sex

Recced because: This fic exemplifies everything I love about about the Tenth Doctor/Donna ship: they fight and argue and bicker (and all other sorts of synonyms for quarrel) but at the end of the day, they really do care about each other deeply. Men Are From Mars starts out the way that Doctor and Donna fics usually do: with fate throwing them in an unexpected situation, giving them plenty of room to snark at each other. Then, about midway through the fic, things take a turn for the serious and suddenly it isn't just about the funny bickering. Suddenly there's some real emotional meat to the fic. It's a bit like a good S4 episode, actually—like Fires of Pompeii or Planet of the Ood—but with the chemistry between the Doctor and Donna made actual text (which of course is what fanfic is for.)

And it's got a rather nice sex scene too.

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Rec: Heritage by np_complete

Story: Heritage
Author: np_complete
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 31836
Author's Summary: Half Time Lord, all human. In the future, one extraordinary man lives an almost entirely unremarkable life. (Almost.)
Characters/Pairings: Other Character(s), Jackie Tyler, off-screen Rose/Doctor
Warnings: Explicit scenes in later chapters.

Recced because: This is a lovely series, with compelling and surprisingly normal leads. In Heritage, Rose Tyler’s son navigates the alternate world, meets the wonderful Penny, and has the Earth-bound adventure that the Doctor never could. Heritage is a leisurely and wonderful read, which more than overcomes the concerns usually applicable to stories with original characters. Together with the nuanced original characters, the author writes an affectionate and very funny Jackie.

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Rec: Nothing But Flowers, by Vali

Story: Nothing But Flowers
Author: vali
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 23,066
Author's Summary: There's flowers, sex and breakfast in bed, but the honeymoon's still over.
Characters/Pairings: Martha, Ten, TARDIS
Warnings: Doctor/other non-con and other not-vanilla acts

Recced because:

This beautifully written story presents us with a relationship of complexity and nuance, where oblique dialogue and flashes of insight combine to create an astonishing, if imperfect, mutual understanding between the Doctor and Martha. Nothing but Flowers deals with the themes of loss and persistence with subtlety and sensitivity, without insulting either the characters or the reader by oversimplifying or oversentimentalizing. I love the dialogue, snappy and witty, but beneath that you can see the Doctor and Martha probing, looking for the boundaries of this relationship. In the end, there are no easy answers, but there is connection.

And then of course there are the flowers. And the sex.

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rec: Tastes Like You by StockingSatsuma

Story: Tastes Like You
Author: StockingSatsuma
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 4,695
Author's Summary: Just another little tribute to Ten's lovely habit of licking stuff.
Characters/Pairings: Ten/Rose
Warnings: None

Recced because: If there is one thing I am a complete sucker for, it's funny smut, and this story unquestionably fits the bill. The Tenth Doctor's habit of licking things has long since become a smutfic cliché, but it's used to more clever effect here when Rose discovers that the Doctor can taste her emotions, meaning she'll have to be very careful about not thinking certain thoughts. For someone who claims this is her first Doctor Who fic – and to date, it's the only one she's posted on Teaspoon – StockingSatsuma does a terrific job capturing the Doctor and Rose's voices in some very snappy dialogue.

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rec: High Windows by Paristani

Story: High Windows
Author: Paristani
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 963
Author's Summary: "I know some of you were sceptical about the relationship between the Soup Dragon and the Iron Chicken but it really is necessary that a series made for the posthuman era have that kind of emotional resonance and I just want to reassure you that I’ve allayed the concerns of those critics privately. We won’t be hearing from them again."
Characters/Pairings: Clive Jones, Martha Jones, The Master (Simm), Tish Jones
Warnings: Swearing

Recced because: Fair warning: this is one deeply twisted, disturbing story, and if you didn't already know the Master was a sick bastard, you will by the end of this fic. It's also got some of the blackest humor I've ever seen, so if the concept of "Master TV" appeals to you, this may be your kind of story. It manages to simultaneously horrify me and crack me up, which is pretty impressive for something less than 1,000 words long.

AU, taking place during "Last of the Time Lords," with Martha onboard the Valiant.

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rec: Psycho Savior, qu'est-ce que c'est?

The final rec of my week! This has been a wonderful trip down the memory lane of favorite fics. More importantly, thank you to everyone who read the fics and commented to the authors. Knowing that someone enjoys what you're doing is the most fantastic compliment an author can receive.

Story: Psycho Savior, qu'est-ce que c'est?
Author: Kalima
Rating: Unrated (I would say adult for language and themes)
Word Count: 7692
Charcters/Pairings: Ninth Doctor, OC
Author's Summary: A young woman contemplates suicide by power steering fluid. "'Course you could just eat the gun like Cobain-- wait, what year is this? He done that yet?" No spoilers, except for the Ninth Doctor's vaguish backstory, and an assumption of perfectly justifiable PTSD. Set before the events of"Rose," the Doctor is an angry guy, and damn it, he's got legitimate pain, so move over, suicide girl.

recced because: I admit, I'm punting on this one and re-reccing an author, but I really, really wanted to close this week out with a Ninth Doctor, my Doctor, story. One of my favorite Ninth Doctor sub-genres is post-time war, pre-series and this ranks up there with the best. As usual, Kalima seasons her angst with a light, comic touch but make no mistakes, this one hurts. Putting a fresh spin on "The Doctor Saves Someone From Committing Suicide" trope, this story is told from the viewpoint of an Original Character, the "suicide girl" and turns a human lens onto the Doctor who is torturing himself/making amends for events caused by the time war. Fabulous stuff.

( excerpt )

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rec: ROPE

Story: ROPE
Author: Kalima (

lordshiva)
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 5581
Charcters/Pairings: Fifth Doctor, Tegan, OC
Warnings: Reference to off-screen date rape
Author's Summary: Tegan misplaces her key. She did not have a good time losing it. The Doctor sets out to retrieve it, and, in the process, changes a young man's perception of himself, and his place in the world.

recced because: Kalima has a gift for creating compelling, original characters who are used brilliantly to give us an outsider's perspective on the story. In this case the story is told from the viewpoint of a man who is not directly involved in the conflict and is caught up in the fallout of his room mate's very bad decision. It's an interesting technique to see the conflict of the story observed through two different lenses - the OC reacting to the conflict itself as well as dealing with the Doctor's reaction to the conflict. It's a tricky bit of writing to pull off and Kalima does it with panache. When I first read this story I had not yet seen any Fifth Doctor episodes and this story made me crave them deeply. There is a real sense of "Oncoming Storm" and darkness beneath this incarnations pretty facade - I was actually cringing waiting to see what would happen - yet despite pushing the boundaries, Kalima never breaks character. It's a delicious story.

( excerpt )

Current Mood: nervous
Current Location: home
Current Music: "Billie Jean" ~David Cook

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Rec: Welcome To Your Life/Life As You Know It

So, after the slight disaster that was my first rec, I come bearing a two for one (kinda).

Story: Welcome To Your Life
Author: avoria
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 40,855
Author's Summary: The most important things can be what we don’t see. Clips and companion pieces to every episode throughout the newer Season. What starts with Rose ends with Doomsday; apparently.
Character's/Pairings: Rose Tyler/The Doctor (Ninth), Jack Harkness
Warnings: Swearing but that's about it at this point.

Recced because: Avoria is one of my favorite DW authors and this is one of my favorite of her stories. It shows the progression of the relationship between the Doctor and Rose in small, intimate moments between the episodes of the first new series. It's also a great study of the Doctor and how deeply affected he is by the Time War and the things he had to do. There IS a sequel to this but it's not quite finished yet. It follows them through the second series:

Story: Life As You Know It
Author: avoria
Rating: Adult
Word Count (so far): 24,817
Author's Summary: As the relationship between Rose and the Doctor develops, can he resist the temptation of his own selfishness?
Character's/Pairings: Rose Tyler/The Doctor (Tenth), Mickey Smith

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Recs: april is the cruest month and basic physics

Sorry about the no rec yesterday, I had papers due. So, two stories for you.

Story: April is the Cruelest Month
Author: kiwimouse
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1785
Author's summary: What if the Doctor had gone back for Sarah Jane?
Characters/Pairings: Sarah Jane, 10, 4
Warnings: none

Recced because: It really does go into the definition of cruel: when I first read it, I was blown away with how awful I felt at the end, in that way you feel after a movie with a sad ending. But the ending isn't sad, it's bittersweet and lovely. The last line, actually, is why this fic has to be read. It'll stay with you for a while.

Story: Basic Physics
Author: Louiseifer
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 2294
Author's summary: Insanity isn't something you gain, it's something you mustn't ever lose.
Characters/Pairings: 10/Simm!Master
Warnings: slash

Recced because: Getting inside the Master's head is something many writers have tried, but few have done it quite so well as Louiseifer. The slash is subtle and powerful, too, and compliments the story instead of taking away from it. It also has very interesting insights into why the Master is so angry, and why he acts the way he does to the Doctor.

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Rec: Misconceptions

Story: Misconceptions
Author: taleya
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 627
Author's summary: Desperate to stay aboard the TARDIS, Turlough labours under a tragic misconception.
Characters/Pairings: Fifth Doctor/Turlough
Warnings: graphic sex

Recced because: Rounding out the week, here's a beautifully angsty fic featuring one of my favorite pairings, Five/Turlough. Poor Turlough has jumped to conclusions and thinks he must serve a particular purpose to be allowed to stay aboard the TARDIS. The Doctor, of course, has no idea what Turlough's thinking. If you like this short and powerful story, check out the companion piece, Delusions.

( Short excerpt. )

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Rec: Sweet are the Uses

Story: Sweet are the Uses
Author: Bagheera
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 4156
Author's summary: Depressed by his exile, the Doctor spends a few hours with the Master.
Characters/Pairings: Third Doctor/Delgado!Master
Warnings: PWP

Recced because: The slashy possibilities of Three/Master practically leap off the screen in their serials. Here, that dynamic is captured in a well paced fic. The Doctor, angsting about his exile on Earth, encounters the Master. He stops to have a talk, which turns into more. Why would the Doctor tolerate the Master's presence? Well, his reasoning is plausibly explained and so are the Master's motives. The dialogue is excellent and the ending is just about perfect.

( Excerpt. )