calufrax | Recent Entries

Hello, I'm

lost_spook, back for another reccing stint! I'm otherwise known as vvj5 on Teaspoon and I'm very fond of all eras of our show and my recs will hopefully reflect that, with a fair mixture of all fifty years (and counting). So, let's get started...

Story: You Don't Have To Be Mad (But It Helps!)
Author: Roach Patrol
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1045
Author's Summary: "Doctor, it says right there that it's not supposed to do anything," Amy says. "You've been running scans on it for ages! How do we know it's not some lame time traveling archaeologist joke? 'You don't have to be mad to go running about in time and space but it helps'?"
Characters/Pairings: Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond, River Song
Warnings: None.

Recced because: What better than a great piece of humour to start off the week? River gives the Doctor a box with a red button on it, which doesn’t do anything at all. Naturally, this is more than the Doctor’s curiosity can stand. It’s very funny, the explanation when it comes is both beautifully simple and very clever, and it’s all completely in character. I loved it; I hope you do, too.

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Bright Shadow (The Don't Be Alone Remix)
Author: honeynoir
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 2692
Author's Summary: Amy Pond once said, 'Don't be alone, Doctor.' Vastra is the Doctor's best friend during the dark days.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Jenny Flint, Madame Vastra, Strax, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: Angst, Character Study, Drama

We have hit the end of my two-week reccing period here at calufrax - so this will be my last rec. They are all my favorites, but this one is rather close to my heart, so I hope you enjoy it just as much as you have the others. We started off with darkness leading to hope - so let us end it the same way, yes? Thank you for giving these fics a chance - and thank you for letting me share them! But I digress...onto the fiction in question!

Recced because: Once upon a time I wrote a fiction. That fiction was then Remixed by a brilliant author who did such gorgeous work, I should have honestly given her the idea and let her run with it to begin with. This is a selfish rec: honeynoir took a fiction that was semi-adequate (in my mind at least) and made it into a masterpiece of words. She honed and shaped and drew out any beauty within, taking my clumsy attempts at telling a story and creating a world within a world that is just breathtaking to behold.

This fiction is about the Doctor after he lost his Ponds. He has a dark road ahead (long and dark) and he feels no respite from his grief - an unexpected hammer-blow that drives him away from his Girl (also grieving) and into the streets of Victorian London. Lost, angry, confused and overwhelmed, he happens to run into an old friend. A friend that not only understands what he is going through, but also understand the dismay, the crushing surprise of what he has lost. She may not be able to hold the darkness and depression at bay forever, but she can give him a brief rest right now - and maybe someone to talk to when it gets to be too much.

This is a tale close to my heart. This is a fiction that speaks to me on a variety of levels that are difficult to comprehend, because the words used were derived from my own words - and lovingly repainted into a glorious sweep of color, music and vivid image. The author's insight and sympathy to the Doctor's pain is staggering (breath-taking, really), and she guides us on a journey of hope and light when there is none to be had. A hand to hold when the abyss is under your feet. She shows us how even those who are lost can find a way home again. All they have to do is look and one will be found. But don't take just my word for it. Read and know the beauty this author has brought to the page. I guarantee you will wish it never had an end...

( Small taste here... )

Ohhh, just lovely!! Truly awe-inspiring. And one last taste of the Darkness...with a hint of purity, light and hope to round it off gorgeously. Please stop and let the author know how much they have moved you. I know that would thrill them to no end (and of course, there is always the 'they'll make more' as a motivator).

Again, thank you all for allowing me to share with you these last two weeks. I certainly hope you have enjoyed all the fictions and authors I have reccomended here and I hope you have found a gem within all of these recs that speaks to you and keeps you coming back again and again.

Until Next Time!

*HUGS*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Allodynia
Author: Lilith Babylon
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 3696
Author's Summary: The white-hot fire is everywhere, his neurons screaming for relief. And he can't block the signal, he can't shut the chemokines down, but there is one thing he can do.
Characters/Pairings: The Doctor (11th), The Master (Simm)
Warnings: Explicit Sex, Explicit Violence, Non-Con

Recced because: Do you love the Master? Do you love the tight tension, the hint of something more between the Doctor and the Master? Do you love to watch that explode; to come apart (while knitting everything together) in a lovely, twisted, terrible way? Don't lie. Of course you do. That hint of smoky, grinning, joyous darkness in all of us needs feeding now and again - and this tale...ohhh, this tale feeds it for sure! If you've always wanted to see the Master at some of his worst and yet, looking his finest while doing it - this is the fiction for you!

The lovely thing about the Master has always been deadly calm, patience, planning and the long-game as his goals. He displays these gorgeous qualities the best when he is completely focused on his old friend and enemy, the Doctor. Of course, we know a lot of the things he does is to get the Doctor's attention; but when the Doctor actually becomes the main focus of his attention. Well. That's when things get messy. (Unnggghhh!!)

Whereas yesterday's story was (ultimately) about strength, hope and friendship - today's story is about power, despair, pain and a mangled, perverted sense of love (and ownership). Obsessive, horrifying, frightening...and utterly, sinfully delicious. This is all about taking care of that darkness within. That toothy, smiling touch of horror that we all carry within will enjoy it. As will you. You can admit it.

If you are ever going to read a Master/Doctor story, one that touches on all the undistilled resentments and unrequited sexual tensions between them (with a decidedly lovely twist at the end), this is your fiction. This is so, so accurate and horrifying and it has become a personal type of canon for me, because if the Master ever got the chance, well...you'll have to read to find out, yes?

( Small taste of Darkness here... )

Guhhh, yes!! Yes, yes, yes!! That ending...mmmm...*Shivers* I certainly hope you read this delightful fiction - and if you did, please leave the author a review. As you know, I firmly believes this only nets us more Awesome in the end. And who doesn't want more awesome?!

My last rec is tomorrow, guise - I will try to make sure it is a good one. Until then -

*HUGS to All*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Five Days
Author: jinniyah
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 6786
Author's Summary: The Doctor spends five days locked in a prison at the mercy of the very worst of humanity. And when Amy and Rory finally succeed in gaining his freedom, his ordeal is not over. Not by any means.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: Non-Con, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Recced because: Let me start out by saying, this tale is not for the faint of heart. It is not fluffy, it is not pretty, it is not 'cut and dry'. This is gritty, this is terrifying, this is raw and terrible to contemplate. This is a tale of holding on until you can't anymore. It is a tale about trust. It is a damned dark fiction, but there is hope buried within it. There is love. There are bonds and secrets here that could take a lifetime, but it is a tale that tells you of the journey those who love you will make to understand, to help you, to hold it together when you cannot. This is a tale of strength. Of deep and terrible sadness. And it is dark!fic at its finest.

This supposes reality into a fantasy world. This takes the Doctor out of a 'children's show' setting and imposes a very real idea, a very horrifying idea into the universe of Who. We know that he has been everywhere. That he has witnessed a lot of awful things and maybe has even been subjected to some of them. The show has danced around the concept of the Doctor not only knowing, but immersing himself in some of the darkest places, the most heinous of environs. Sometimes you have to shake hands with the devil and all that -

But what if you aren't in a dark, secret, terrible place (just a cell, a jail, something every place, every race, planet and civilization seems to have), but something terrible happens and there is no one to save you? What if you are the one who needs saving, but there is no one there to do so - and you have a reputation for not only saving yourself but others around you? People who expect you to be stronger, to be better (at least, from your POV)? It is just an ordinary misunderstanding, an ordinary situation (for our intrepid heroes), that ends up being very, very awful, very quick. There isn't a lot of graphic description, but one gets the hint rather quickly. And we aren't dealing with an ordinary person going through trauma, but a lonely 'god' who doesn't wish to impose on those who love him and call him their friend, their family.

Honestly, I could go on about this fiction forever. It is raw, real, terrible, wonderful, stark, bleak - and yet there is hope (some of the best dark!fics have that). There is love and friendship and strength. There is understanding and the will to understand. There is the beginnings of healing. There is forgiveness and redemption and lawful retribution. All in under 7000 words. Read this, be blown away - but be prepared. There is pain in there. So please, please, please mind the warnings...

( Small tidbit here... )

An excellent fiction that any person with a taste for the darker side should read. Go, read - and tell the author how they have floored you, how they have made you feel. I'm quite sure they would love to hear from you...

*Hugs to All*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Cyber Souls (and Bleeding Hearts)
Author: 10timelord4ever
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 5935
Author's Summary: AU, Nightmare in Silver. The Doctor gets taken over by the malevolent Cyber-Planner.
Characters/Pairings: Other Character(s), The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: Non-Con, Alternate Universe, Angst, Hurt/Comfort

Well, sorry about the rec-change - but it seems the Awesome I recced was already recced (which was how I found it in the first place, naturally)! Good thing I double-checked! Eeeep! Apologies for that. I have no replace it with the fic-rec that I had originally planned for (and should have stuck with *laughs*) Again. Apologies! Now...onto the rec!

Recced because: I have a weakness for the Cyber-Planner. I'm quite sure a few of us do, actually. He was diabolical and yet we could relate to him. He was funny and sexy and edgy - and terrifying just because he was all those things (and so much more). He was the Doctor and yet he was not. He was a desperate machine that had the upper hand, even as it was the only hand he had to play. He was losing, even as he won - and somehow, that only made him more compelling.

This tale here is part of a larger, darker universe, but stands very well on its own. I must admit, I devoured every chapter as it came, loving the idea of the Cyber-Planner taking over, dominanting the mind that was not made for him, laying claim to that mind, reworking it to suit himself and his purposes. The deeper he burrows, the more horrifying and terrible he becomes: his ruthlessness, his joy in destruction one of those things that makes you wonder if he discovered this on his own (getting a taste of emotion, of something more than mere machine), or if he found that within the Doctor and adopted it for himself.

I have enjoyed (loved, let's just say Loved because that is More Accurate) every tale where the Cyber-Planner either got his revenge or just hung around a little longer than our heroes thought he did. This fiction is no exception - and the author not only nails down the voice of this formidable foe - they do so in a way that somehow makes the creature that much more menacing. I love that. I absolutely adore it, really! There is nothing like a bad guy being a bad guy...and once more, the Cyber-Planner gets the upper hand (and fast)! Watching this fiction unfold is like the grimmest of horror movies. You wish sometimes you could turn away and yet you are compelled to read, to find out if it gets better, if the heroes win - or if it only gets worse.

Of course, I can't tell you the ending. Would spoil the whole thing. But trust me - I think you'll enjoy the ride! Just mind the warnings before you dive in. There are a few bits in here that do a little more than skim the darkness - but if you have a hearty constitution for that (and if you revel in it as I do), you will certainly not let it deter you from reading...

( Small taste here... )

Ohh, see? Wicked Awesome (as well as just WICKED)! I certainly hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed sharing it. Please drop the author a note if you enjoyed - maybe they will grace us with more (which I wouldn't quibble about at all). Until tomorrow!

*Hugs to All*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: She Stole My Heart
Author: MusicMad
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1337
Author's Summary: Rory's having trouble with his wedding vows, and some time later the Doctor is surprised to find them lying around. SPOILERS FOR COLD BLOOD.
Characters/Pairings: Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: Character Study, General, Introspection

Recced because: Anyone who knows me, knows of my love of Rory Williams. He was a fascinating character, if only because he wasn't a typical Companion. Do I long for more glimpses of him? Oh yes, even now I do. Do I wish there had been more friendship shown between him and the Doctor (because trust me, if they didn't eventually become friends, they wouldn't have tolerated each other long, Amy or no Amy). He was steadfast, stable, pragmatic and practical. And yet, he still loved the stars and the adventures in his own quiet way. The loss of him in Cold Blood was rather devastating to me. Here is a character that I'm just getting to know, that is more than he seems to be - just ripped away. And it was the way he died that floored me. It stunned me.

And it stunned the Doctor.

I think up until that point, the Doctor and Rory circled one another, but Amy was their centerpiece. They didn't really bother to know each other: Rory's jealousy prevented it and the Doctor wasn't comfortable with someone who treated him with a low-grade suspicion bordering on hostility. And yet, the Doctor was the one who went and got him, encouraged him to stay, understood Rory in ways even Amy couldn't understand him. I think he was growing rather fond of him and the little tastes of something more (underneath) that Rory displayed. And then he was gone. I loved the fact that the Doctor seemed to mourn him, even as Amy could not. That Rory's death shook his world just a little. I'd also like to think that this fiction happened, because it backs all the beliefs and hopes of mine listed above. It is so very Rory - and Eleven's response is so very Doctor - how can it be anything but canon? Read, enjoy - and I'm sure you'll quite agree with me on this one...

( Small sample here... )

Ahhh, see? HEADCANON. Please leave feedback and let them know how much they Rock. With my Rory obsession, I'm ALWAYS on the lookout for more. And if we give Love, this author just might provide it!

*HUGS*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: First Contact
Author: JJPOR
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 2242
Author's Summary: Crossover with Red Dwarf. Sing along, now: “It’s cold outside/There’s no kind of atmosphere/I’m all alone, more or less…”
Characters/Pairings: Ace McShane, Other Character(s), The Doctor (7th)
Warnings: Crossover, General, Humor

Recced because: Well, we've already established that I love humor. Quirky humor at that. And no one can do quirky like the Boys from the Dwarf. This is just completely silly and utterly delightful. All seen from the POV of the Red Dwarf crew, it immerses you in the fiction before you've half realized you are hooked and it draws you helplessly towards the end, even as Lister, Rimmer and the Cat have you banging your face repeatedly against immovable objects (such as a handy desk). Of course, they do that anyway - so all those familiar with Red Dwarf have learned to have plenty of self-heating sake on hand, a high tolerance for self-inflicted pain and a mild resistance to rib-breakage from laughter.

The author claims to not be on their best form, but I very much beg to differ. This fiction is a good time to anyone with a sense of humor. The basics of the Red Dwarf are laid out for you (if you are unfamiliar with them), as the story goes and even if you are familiar with the characters, they are just funny reminders of the overall situation. Perfectly balanced, silly, hilarious - and the reaction of the Doctor and Ace to the Boys is made even funnier just because...ACE...and SEVEN. If you are ever going to read a cross-over, this is a good one to start with. And if you happen to be fond of the X-Over Genre, this is twice the treat in one fiction.

( Just a small sample... )

As always, the author's sheer excellence shines through, yes? Go and tell them so! Maybe we can get another - I know I certainly wouldn't object!

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Fight Our Own Shadows
Author: apolesen
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 8190
Author's Summary: Something worse than a nightmare haunts Clara’s sleeping mind. [AU of the Clara arc, picking up sometime after 'The Name of the Doctor'. This fic is basically possible to read without previous knowledge of Faction Paradox.]
Characters/Pairings: Clara Oswin Oswald, Faction Paradox, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: Alternate Universe, General, Horror, Mystery

Recced because: Okay, this one will likely not be coherent. At all. There will be a lot of screaming and flailing because Eleventy-Eighth Doctor Adventures. Go look up the Faction Paradox. TARDIS-Wiki. Do this. Because this fiction?! My gods... I had the pleasure of stumbling across this last night and I was so utterly blown away, it immediately hopped the line for reccing Right Nao. If you know the EDAs you have an advantage (and you know how creepy these bad guys are), if not - like I said, TARDIS-Wiki - because this is a fiction every Whovian Needs to Read. I am that serious.

I have often made mirror comparisons between Eight and Eleven. I have reflected one against the other and - everyone knows the Love I harbor for my two 'Es'. I make no small matter of that fact. But this? This fiction makes sooo much sense. The second I started reading, I wanted this as Canon because 'OMG, the Sense-Making!'. I don't understand how no one put this together before, but I suppose it took the genius of this writer to not only draw the concept out, but lay it all out so perfectly. My only problem? THERE ARE NO REVIEWS AT THEIR ELJAY. And only ONE at Teaspoon. This blows my mind. I don't understand how that happened. So I am bringing this here and imploring you all to read. Because this? This is an epic fiction - the sheer concept so grand I felt my brain tilt. And if you read it, you will understand what I mean. Because - PERFECTION.

( Just a small sample... )

Yes. You must read this. EVERYONE MUST READ THIS. Then tell them how genius they are. We might get more excellence like this for it...

*HUGS*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Futures
Author: ClocketPatch
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1058
Author's Summary: An AU take on what might have happened if the Doctor had found and rescued Gallifrey prior to the events which took place in The Time of the Doctor.
Characters/Pairings: The Doctor (11th), The Master (Other)
Warnings: Action/Adventure

Recced because: I love a good AU. I especially love a good AU that remembers the realities of the Doctor's home planet. The place that he loved, but loathed in equal measure. His people stagnant and corrupt; in trouble more often than he was in their good graces.

I also (let's make no bones about this), adore the Master. I love to hate him and I hate that I love him. There is so much between the two of them, a clash that never ends with so much behind it they will never tell. The speculation has fueled many a fanfic over Doctor Who's long history - and I suspect it will for a long time to come.

Now we come to the nitty-gritty, the basics of what would most likely be the Doctor's reality if he does save his people. His people that he loves so much and yet the same people he ran from again and again. The same people who puppet-mastered him on numerous occasions and weren't afraid to use his friends, his loved ones against him. After all, any leverage is good leverage. Even if that leverage may be an old enemy that was once (maybe) a friend, their history muddled and secret, known only between the two of them. Still, it doesn't make that 'enemy' any less of a valuable card, especially when it comes to the High Council. But I digress.

If there was ever a plausible AU of Eleven's Era (where he found his home before regenerating), this is the fiction. The ending? Is the icing on the cake of it all. And that cake? Well...I guess you'd just have to read to find out.

( Small taste of Awesome Here. )

GUH. See? GUH. Now go and tell the author how much they Rock. Gets us more kickass fic and it makes everyone's day brighter!!

*SQUISHES ALL*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Story: Moving Day
Author: eve11
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 738
Author's Summary: "As it happens, my exile has been rescinded."
Characters/Pairings: Liz Shaw, The Doctor (3rd)
Warnings: Drabble, Missing Scene, Vignette

Recced because: I love the Third Doctor. As a toddler, he was one of my clearest memories. Dashing, mysterious, handsome, slightly prickly and debonair. His Doctor always had that disapproving set to his mouth, but his eyes twinkled like he knew a good joke and his sharp tongue covered a big heart (and a lot of sorrow). He was my first 'James Bond' and the best one ever as far as I am concerned.

It's really hard to capture that. It is easier to remember the acerbic tongue and sharp wit that was often used to lash out - and really hard to remember that sometimes, that's the sound of someone who needs a friend. The Doctor of this era had a lot of friends, but not many of them were able to stand up to him. Not many of them had an intelligence to rival his. Liz was one of those people. Sadly, she moved on - for a variety of reasons, though it was more than heavily hinted that her 'bitter rivalry' with the Doctor for head of the science division was one of them. It was all to easy to remember that - and forget that Liz left behind all that she knew, as well as a potential friendship with the Doctor. She moved on and did bigger and better things. But sometimes, it doesn't hurt to have old friends drop by for a visit. And sometimes old hurts can be forgotten and new friendships forged upon the fire of fond absence.

( A small excerpt here... )

Ahh, yes - MARVELOUS. And a perfect way to ease the sting of Liz's departure. This was another goodie, folks - please stop by and tell the author how they made you smile. It will likely make THEM smile (and then...they'll MAKE MORE. *Nods*)

*HUGS*

Mandy

a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com

Hello, hello

calufrax!! *Waves* My name is

a_phoenixdragon (PhoenixDragon at Teaspoon) and I will be your reccer for the next two weeks.

Some of youse guise know me. This being said, you know I lean towards the darker fictions and my main Doctor meanderings are on Eleven (with smatterings of Eight, respectively). I try to keep my recs broader than that though (so much to love in Who Fandom!), and I will definitely try to share fictions that don't lean so hard into the realms of the bleak that I enjoy (probably more than I should). I'll have a few of those, yes - but I'll try to make sure to cover other areas as well. Like with tonight's rec. *Grins*

Story: New York Minute
Author: rutsky
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1086
Author's Summary: Neal Caffrey knows that New York contains a multitude of wonders. But the temptress with the neat ankles and the man with the suspect fashion sense were unexpected even in Central Park. (Crossover with White Collar)
Characters/Pairings: River Song
Warnings: Crossover, Humor, Vignette

Recced because: Humor. No seriously ~~no pun intended~~. I love to laugh - and this story had me laughing harder than I have in a long while. Even if you don't really know White Collar at all, this is not a tale to give a miss based on that little factoid alone. Seeing River in such a...regular...setting just shows you how wild, beautiful, mysterious and apart she is. And yet, she is so very, very clever she gives you the notion she fits in nowhere else. The easy banter between her and Neal, the recognition of the 'from one witty con-man to another' type of give and take is worth a read. Seeing her from Neal's view is startling and she is definitely River. And as for the Doctor - well - that's when things get...odd. *Laughs*

I love my dark!fic. I love it with a mad, insatiable passion. But I'm very serious about my comedy ~~again, no pun intended~~. I like it to be funny. I like it to be engaging, razor-witted and unself-conscious. This fic more than delivers. It's almost like it invented the concept. And who knows? Maybe it did.

( Just a little sample... )

Now go and tell the author how clever and awesome they are! I know they'll love to hear from you!

*HUGS*

Mandy

nonelvis

Posting on behalf of shape-shifter-malcolm-tucker on Tumblr.

Story: Stop Telling Me You're Dead
Author: Quark
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 2753
Author's Summary: A pretty oblique Who story, about what happened to a certain history teacher thirty years after she stumbled, with a colleague, into a junkyard at 76 Totters' Lane.
Characters/Pairings: Ian/Barbara
Warnings: None

Recced because: Mysterious and subtle, oblique is an excellent way to describe it. Although definitely sad, it's an intriguing look at how life for Barbara would be after Ian died. It's not ground breaking or so shocking that it stays in the memory for a long time, but it's certainly sobering.

Excerpt:( after the cut )

nonelvis

Posting on behalf of shape-shifter-malcolm-tucker.

Story: The Body Snatchers (or How the Master finally got inside the Doctor's body)
Author: aralias
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 5478
Author's Summary: Wacky body swap fic. Featuring some plot, and quite a lot of sex.
Characters/Pairings: Tegan Jovanka, The Doctor (5th), The Master (Ainley), Turlough
Warnings: Explicit sex

Recced because: I'm sorry that this is a bit plot-what-plot-ish, but it was too fantastic to pass up. Hilarious, full of ridiculous farce and fanservice for all the Doctor/Master shippers out there. Need I say more?

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

nonelvis

Posting for shape-shifter-malcolm-tucker:

Story: First Steps
Author: Charamei
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 21476
Author's Summary: There's being born, and then there's being born into a world with no adults, no clothes, no food and a terrifying alien Thing upstairs. When their Looms birth them straight into the middle of an emergency, can Our Heroes muddle through?
Characters/Pairings: Irving Braxiatel, The Doctor (1st), The Master (Academy era)
Warnings: None

Recced because: Firstly, this is utterly adorable and completely fantastic. Unfortunately, there aren't an awful lot of accurate Academy - era fics out there, so it's really good to find one. I suppose I should say that, despite this being insanely cute, features some eldritch-y type monsters and a fair amount of suspense for our little Loomlings. Oh, yeah, LOOMS. Which are explained really, really nicely to those who may be unfamiliar with the intricacies of Gallifreyan biology. Which is complex. Plus, the Doctor Who Extended Universe needs a little more recognition.

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

nonelvis

This week's reccer is shape-shifter-malcolm-tucker from Tumblr; I'll be posting on their behalf for the next two weeks. (If you're a Tumblr user who doesn't have an LJ account but would still like to rec, just drop me a note.)

Story: Reunion
Author: sss979
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 57583
Author's Summary: The Doctor hasn't seen Charlotte Pollard for years, and a lot has changed for both of them since they said their goodbyes. It's been said that love conquers all. But can love conquer the Viyrans?
Characters/Pairings: Charley Pollard/Eighth Doctor
Warnings: Explicit sex

Recced because: Extremely well written and plotted, this fic could almost be a direct transcript of a Big Finish audio. The relationship dynamics between Charley and Eight are pretty much spot on, as well as the addition of tension between the two after such a long period of time. If I say too much more I'll ruin it, but just know that you are in extremely safe hands with this fic.

Excerpt: ( after the cut )

eve11

My last rec! I hope you've enjoyed reading as much as I've enjoyed sharing my favorites. Don't forget to feed the authors! For the last rec, let's pick one from last September's EleventyFest:

Title: The Stars May Behold My Tears
Author: Nancy Brown
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 3075
Author's Summary: Megan gets to know the regulars at the coffee shop, even the regulars who don't always know her.
Characters/Pairings: Eleven/River, Amy/Rory, OC/OC
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because:

nancybrown wrote so many awesome stories for EleventyFest. Adventures, humor, slice of life, erotica; she wrote all of it and it was all brilliant. This one is a love story that unfolds from the stories we are more familiar with, turned unfamiliar as they are seen from an outsider POV. We get to know Eleven and the Ponds out of order, as just another few in the progression of regulars at a late-night cafe. And of course the timey-wimey family is a mystery, but they are only one story among many, and not necessarily the most important one for Megan.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: 'Til Ancient Alien Ceremony Do Us Part
Author: aralias
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1798
Author's Summary: Jason accidentally forgets to tell Benny that if she puts on the nice bracelet he's just 'bought' for her, they'll become soulbonded. Possibly forever. And, er, maybe hear each other's thoughts. Possibly forever. Benny is not pleased. (Set around series 3 of the audio series.)
Characters/Pairings: Bernice Summerfield, Jason Kane, Braxiatel
Warnings: Swearing

Recc'ed Because: I feel bad for poor Benny, but I love the humor and snappy dialogue in this story. I am not overly familiar with the audios, but I know Benny enough to tell she is well in character, and

aralias does a good job fleshing enough of the series details out in the story that it still works if you don't know much of the canon. Good intentions go awry in this story, but then again, when Braxiatel is involved, it's never easy to tell what the intentions really are.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: The Man Who Runs, Still Water, and City of Angels
Author: winninghearts
Rating: Teen
Word Count: ~3300 total for the three
Author's Summary: He is the same man he has always been. The same man he always will be.
Characters/Pairings: Duplicate Tenth Doctor, Zeppelin Universe Alt!Amy, TenII/Alt!Amy
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because: I actually read the first two back to front, and then the third much later. But they are good in any order. I love the dark wanderlust that pervades these stories, the sadness that dogs both the duplicate Doctor and Amy's heels as they run, Earthbound, on trains and buses, through the life and dirt of the world. Each of them is running from something, or maybe trying to find something that can't ever be recovered. We see echoes of Amy's fantastical journey but redone in the mundane, and we see the toll that the slow path takes on the Doctor. The earth is a prison for both of them, lost possibilities that only the Doctor can recognize, that shadow this universe's Amy like the forgotten ghost of Rory did in the canon universe. It's painful to think of those they left behind and wonder if those relationships could have survived in the canon universe without the promise of the whole of space and time beyond blue doors. It is sad to contemplate, but this series makes me wonder if the best they can do in the alternate world is to keep running.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: It Gets Better
Author: Cyndi
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 14290
Author's Summary: The Doctor stops a bullied teen from committing suicide.
Characters/Pairings: Eleventh Doctor, original companion
Warnings: Swearing (also as the recc-er, I will add a warning for descriptions of pretty extreme bullying and suicidal thoughts and actions, taken from true events in the author's past, so beware if that is triggering.)

Recc'ed Because: It's a stark story that makes me hate how cruel high schoolers can be, but also amazes me at how resilient, brave, creative, and generous the author is, and how she has used the hurt from her past to help others. It's a story that strikes a chord in too many people, I fear. It's also an unabashed "self insert" story, told in first person POV, that might make readers skip past it on first glance. But while it might be a bit rough around the academic literary edges, it is more important than that. Because it manages to transcend those humble trappings to tell a story that is both deeply personal and difficult to read in parts, but also wonderfully creative and ultimately affirming. More than that, it actually *works* as a Doctor Who story. Eleven is perfectly in character, and the adventure that he and the companion Cyndi embark on is both a proper space opera, and a metaphor for Cyndi's need to find something positive about herself that she can hold on to, how frightening and hard that is to do, and the lifesaving power that it holds, for Cyndi to have faith in herself and know she matters in the universe even if the rest of her schoolmates will never, ever see it.

It makes me desperately wish there was a Doctor and a TARDIS out there for everyone who's faced bullying like Cyndi did, and well, this story is the next best thing :) I've never met the author, and yet I am immensely proud of her, and so glad she made it through, as the world is definitely a better place with her in it. The more people this story reaches, the better.

I'm going to cut and paste the author's note here, because she says it better than I could: This is a self insert because I'm not going to pretend it isn't, and this semi-autobiographical story is about surviving bullying. The incidents I describe did actually happen to me(sans the Doctor, of course!). Names, occasional times of day and places are changed to preserve privacy, and for clarity's sake I gave made-up names to people whose names I forgot.

I've long since forgiven the people who did these things, but it took me almost two decades to reach that point.

This fic is dedicated to anyone who has been or is being bullied right now. I'm thirty three years old, and I almost committed suicide because of severe bullying back in the 1990's. "Bullycide" is not a new thing, but it is worse because of the internet. And if people are going to use the internet to hurt, then I'm going to use it to heal!

I hope this story reaches out to anyone thinking of suicide or self harm. I've been there, and I want you to realize you're not alone. It gets better, so hold on. You're going to make it through this. I care about you because YOU MATTER!

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: Flight
Author: ponygirl
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 1062
Author's Summary: It's not her father's two-seater plane, but it will do.
Characters/Pairings: Tegan, Fifth Doctor
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because: I love how it just throws the user right into the action, telling a much longer story in a few short scenes. The visual style and details bring the action to life, and the characterization is wonderful. It's great to see Tegan's history with aviation, and her fortitude. We all remember the Doctor's words of "Brave Heart, Tegan" but it's nice to be reminded once in a while that she is exactly that.

( First paragraph )

eve11

Title: Tangrams
Author: nonelvis
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 16251
Author's Summary: River Song unexpectedly arrives on Pete's World. What could possibly go wrong?
Characters/Pairings: River Song, Rose Tyler, The Doctor (Duplicate 10th), TenII/Rose/River
Warnings: Explicit sex

Recc'ed Because: It's more than just a hot threesome. Don't get me wrong, it is a hot threesome, but with plot and original characters and relationships that complement and motivate and outshine the hot threesome. River gets catapulted into the zeppelin universe, where the duplicate Doctor is still trying to suss out his humanity, getting used to not having the TARDIS, getting used to being in a relationship. Rose is curious and smart and realistically a bit jealous, but

nonelvis gives this story time to unfold, explore, and believably grow the relationship between River and Rose, whether the Doctor wants it or not. And at the end, he may juuust finally realize he does.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: The Damage
Author: LunaRowena
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1878
Author's Summary: She doesn't want to hurt him. She just doesn't want to be hurt by him. He's too busy running from himself.
Characters/Pairings: Ace Mcshane, Clara Oswald, Eleventh Doctor
Warnings: NOne

Recc'ed Because: It's actually the third part of a series but I read it before the others and I think it stands alone very well. I love Ace and this story touches on how the Time war affected her and how she was hurt when the Doctor left her behind. It is also ambiguous, doesn't pull its punches, and a reminder that the Doctor's brand of running causes damage for himself as well as those left behind.

( Excerpt )

eve11

(Oooh, and I have a great icon for it too! :D )

Title: Moon River
Author: Rangersyl (co-written with Taiamu)
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 46658
Author's Summary: With Lake Silencio inexorably approaching, the Doctor wonders if it's time to fulfill his first and last promise to River. But the River he finds isn't used to being the one who has to say 'spoilers.' So they compromise: an archaeological expedition on a stormy, hostile moon where an ancient danger lurks behind every shadow.
Characters/Pairings: Eleven/River
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because: It's a good old fashioned adventure where the setting is so well-realized and visual, like a character in itself. It's also River and the Doctor against the world, still trying to navigate their relationship among antithetical timelines, looking out for each other and having their version of a good time. I really love the way the story unfolds and gains momentum as it goes; and you can tell that the authors had a blast (and used a good amount of hands-on networking knowledge) writing the alien perspective. Anyway, it's action, adventure, a mystery alien world, with good characterization and a good dose of H/C thrown in. Perfect episode-type fic for the long drought.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Title: With What You Will
Author: Culumacilinte
Rating:Teen
Word Count: 2423
Author's Summary: One must be for ever drunken. With wine, with poetry, with virtue, with what you please, but drunken.
Characters/Pairings: Sixth Doctor, Charley Pollard
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because: It is a really striking character study of both Charley and the Doctor, the one she's still getting to know after being left behind in the Girl Who Never Was. Theirs is kind of a prickly relationship, but not in the way Six and Peri are, more so because Charley has to harbor secrets about the fact that she knows the Doctor in his future, daresay fell in love with him, before the days of the reboot when that was a more common occurrence. I love this story because it is quintessentially Charley and Six in the language and characterization, but you see glimpses of others. In the audios, it's hard to see Charley and Six in the same dynamic as she had with the Eighth Doctor. But Six is a romantic at heart beneath his bluster, and this story reminds Charley as well as us that even this most bombastic of regenerations is still the man she loves.

( Excerpt )

eve11

Hello

calufrax! I am your intrepid recc-er for the next two weeks, and I have ten stories of various lengths, eras and genres to rec for you that all share one common trait: they are all fantastic.

To wit, I'll start with something short and haunting:

Title: Drift
Author: Lady Mercury
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 408
Author's Summary: It's so quiet he's certain the silence will kill him if the lack of air doesn't get him first.
Characters/Pairings: Eleventh Doctor
Warnings: None

Recc'ed Because: To be meta-metaphorical, this whole little fiction is like a balancing act on a precipice; so very short, but you get the sense that any deeper delving is like looking down over a chasm. It's Eleven and the TARDIS: the boy and his box agains the maw of the universe, drifting and holding on to what they can. It's equally logical/mathematical (it is not often outside of mathematics proofs that one uses "suppose" in lieu of a 'being' verb, but I am sure this is deliberate) and emotionally stirring, a perfect character study of Eleven back when it was written in 2011 and now that his run is over as well.

( Tiny excerpt )

ffutures.livejournal.com

I began my recs with an angsty crossover. Let's end with something VERY silly...

Story: Torchwood Goes Watercolor
Author: Canaan
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1207
Author's Summary: A strange being comes through the Cardiff rift. Stranger than usual, even. Torchwood/Looney Tunes crossover.
Characters/Pairings: Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness, Other Character(s), Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato
Warnings: None

Recced because: It's a Looney Tunes crossover and ships Jack with a toon - do you really need more justification than that?

( A short extract )

I hope that you've enjoyed these recs - if so, please show your appreciation of the authors by reviewing the stories!

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.

ffutures.livejournal.com

I mentioned when I began last week that Captain Jack seemed to be in a lot of my recommendations this time. Here he is again, in several crossover universes:

Story: Waking Up Dead In All The Wrong Places
Author: RobotRollCall
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 4664
Author's Summary: As if being immortal wasn't hard enough....Just a little collection of one-shots where Jack fails to die across different fandoms.
Characters/Pairings: Jack Harkness
Warnings: None

Recced because: As I've mentioned, I'm a big fan of crossovers; here Jack Harkness surprises characters from several fandoms with his unusual habit of not staying dead.

( A short extract )

ffutures.livejournal.com

Everyone's always busy on Mondays, so let's start week 2 with something short:

Story: Drabbling Through History
Author: Yamx
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 687
Author's Summary: Five drabbles connecting DW/TW characters with historical events/persons.
Characters/Pairings: The Doctor (9th), The TARDIS, Jack Harkness, Other Character(s), Rose Tyler, The Doctor (10th), The TARDIS, Amy Pond, Other Character(s), The Doctor (11th), The TARDIS, Jack Harkness
Warnings: Explicit Sex

Recced because: 100-word Drabbles are an interesting form of fiction, and are hard to write well - here Yamx has written six in which the Doctor and friends interact with various historical and legendary events. In view of the shortness of the chapters I haven't included an extract.

ffutures.livejournal.com

And for my fifth rec, some light flirtation from Captain Jack...

Story: Unexpected Visits
Author: Betawho
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 500
Author's Summary: What if Captain Jack met River's parents?
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Jack Harkness, River Song, River Song, Rory Williams, The Doctor (11th)
Warnings: None

Recced because: Families are always embarassing, and families with time travellers especially so. This short romp shows why...

( A short extract )

ffutures.livejournal.com

My next rec. is old-style Who, featuring the Fourth Doctor's most memorable companion:

Story: Lost Property
Author: Llywela
Rating: All Ages
Word Count: 7069
Author's Summary: An average, hectic day at UNIT for Harry Sullivan takes a turn for the bewildering when the Doctor unexpectedly drops by with a strange new companion in tow.
Characters/Pairings: 4th Doctor, Harry Sullivan, Leela, Sergeant Benton
Warnings: None

Recced because: One of the fun aspects of this fandom is the ability to mix characters from wildly different parts of space and time, who never met in canon. Here Harry Sullivan meets Leela, and a certain amount of chaos ensues.

( A short extract )

ffutures.livejournal.com

Yesterday's story was about Sky Smith, Sarah-Jane's adopted daughter. I went looking for more, accidentally put an "e" on the end of the name, and found this crossover:

Story: Wound Man
Author: Prochytes
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 1209
Author's Summary: They should never have let Skye find out what she was. (Crossover with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.)
Characters/Pairings: The Rani
Warnings: None

Recced because: I'm a big fan of crossovers, and of the Marvel Cinematic Universe which includes The Avengers, the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., etc. Here Prochytes takes one of the cliches of Dr. Who crossovers, a character who is unknowingly a Time Lord, and shows just how bad it can be. This story does rely to an extent on the reader's familiarity with the Marvel side of the crossover, especially Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but works reasonably well without it.

( A short extract )

nonelvis

It's that time again: we're running low on reccers. If you've been reading this comm for a while but have never stepped forward to rec, please consider it – everyone, new and old reccers alike, is welcome to rec. All you need to do select 4-10 stories that haven't been recced before and that meet the comm's fairly basic rules (well-written/formatted, no bashfic, etc.). Reccing periods last two weeks, and our first open slot begins May 5. Complete rules and sign-up instructions in this post.

Tumblr, Facebook, Google+, and other users reading this: you don't need a LiveJournal account to rec! If you're interested in reccing, you can comment in the sign-up post, leave me an Ask, or email me at nonelvis42 on Gmail.

ffutures.livejournal.com

My second rec is a Sarah Jane Adventures story:

Story: Sibling Secrets
Author: Paranoidangel
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1331
Author's Summary: Sky visits Luke at Oxford and meets new aliens.
Characters/Pairings: Luke Smith, Sky
Warnings: None

Recced because: Sky doesn't get to be the viewpoint character in many stories, which is a shame; in this one she runs into some visiting aliens with Luke, and finds an unusual solution to the problem.

( A short extract )

ffutures.livejournal.com

I'm

ffutures, Marcus Rowland on Teaspoon, and I'll be reccing for the next two weeks. I've gone with an assortment of stories that appealed to me; as usual, this includes some crossovers, old and new Who, Torchwood, and Sarah-Jane Adventures. I should mention that I don't regard Whoverse-only stories as crossovers even if they have characters from different eras, Torchwood, SJA, etc. Looking at this list as a whole there seems to be more Captain Jack than usual, but I don't necessarily regard that as a bad thing.

Let's begin with an angsty crossover...

Story: Home is whenever I'm with you
Author: Poetry
Rating: Teen
Word Count: 16244
Author's Summary: In which our heroes travel the multiverse to find a way back Home, only to discover they'd been Home all along. A fusion with The Homeward Bounders by Diana Wynne Jones, though no knowledge of the book is needed to enjoy the story.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Jack Harkness, Jack Harkness, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (11th), The Doctor (9th)
Warnings: None

Recced because: It's an extremely successful fusion of the Doctor Who characters and some of their background with the universe of The Homeward Bounders, one of the best British YA fantasy novels, with extra wibbly-wobbly multiversal angst.

( A short extract )

doctorxdonna.livejournal.com

Story: 1of1 - New Doctor on the Block
Author: Margaret Price
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1382
Author’s Summary: Series of silliness post Parting of the Ways. No spoilers, just for fun. 5 stories...so far. More to follow? Who knows.
Characters/Pairing: 1st Doctor, 2nd Doctor, 3rd Doctor, 4th Doctor, 5th Doctor, 6th Doctor, 7th Doctor, 8th Doctor, 9th Doctor, Rose Tyler
Warnings: None

Recced because: What’s the fun in being part of a fandom if you can’t laugh at yourself every once in a while? A humorous story that pokes fun at the idea of the Doctor’s previous incarnations being jealous of the attention the other’s get in the fanfiction world, and debates whether certain types of media are or are not, in fact, considered canon.

doctorxdonna.livejournal.com

Story: Should I Stay
Author: valforeverblue
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 41703
Author’s Summary: So many years have passed since she was left behind with a clone of the man she loved. Desperate to return home, Rose Tyler was ready to do whatever it takes to make that happen. But something unexpected happens. She suddenly finds herself back in her own universe on a beach that resembles the very one she was visiting. And there, standing a short distance from her, was the Doctor.
Characters/Pairing:11th Doctor, Rose Tyler, Amy Pond, Rory Williams, Brian, Williams
Warnings: None

Recced because: It doesn’t let the Doctor off the hook for just leaving Rose and the Metacrisis at Bad Wolf Bay without considering whether that was what they wanted, too. It tells a heartbreaking story of what happened to Rose and her family after the Doctor left them there, and how she comes to find him again, albeit in a different body than the one she knew him in. It also gives an interesting look into what Amy and Rory think of this newcomer to their group, and how they feel about her relationship with the Doctor as it relates to River Song.

doctorxdonna.livejournal.com

Story: Spare Parts 'Verse
Author: Fogsblue
Rating: Adult
Word Count: 8888
Author's Summary: Rose and some other companions meet an interesting quirk of Time Lord biology.
Characters/Pairing: 9th Doctor, 10th Doctor, 11th Doctor, the Master (Simm), Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, Jack Harkness, Reinette
Warnings: Explicit sex

Recced because: This is crackfic at its most delicious. There are plenty of fics that deal with the differences between Time Lord and human biology, and this one deals with-you guessed it-a certain talking part of the Doctor's anatomy and the hilarity that ensues when his companions encounter it. Scottish accents...they're not just for Time Lords anymore!

doctorxdonna.livejournal.com

Story: Beyond the Veil
Author: AceOnGallifrey
Rating: All ages
Word Count: 1827
Author’s Summary: The Tenth Doctor discovers that his song isn't ending: it's just leaving to join in a greater melody, above and beyond death itself. Oneshot of various pairings and much joy.
Characters/Pairing: 1st Doctor and Susan Foreman, 2nd Doctor and Jamie McCrimmon, 3rd Doctor and Jo Grant, 4th Doctor and Romana, 5th Doctor and Vislor Turlough, 6th Doctor and Peri Brown, 7th Doctor and Ace McShane, 8th Doctor and Grace Holloway, 9th Doctor and Rose Tyler, 10th Doctor and Donna Noble, 11th Doctor and River Song, 12th Doctor and Michael, 13th Doctor and Inez
Warnings: Just for feels, folks.

Recced because: An interesting look at Time Lord afterlife. What happens to the Doctor we know and love when he regenerates? AceOnGallifrey posits the lovely theory of Timeheart and what it’s like, and if you’re not trickling a tear or two by the time you’re done reading it, then I’d be surprised.

reccity-rec-rec

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

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