Calufrax

Title: A Discourse on the Medical Risks of Regeneration.
Author: pencilguardian.
Characters/Pairings: 3rd Doctor.
Rating: All ages.
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 3058.
Summary: On Gallifrey, the newly-minted Third Doctor gets a checkup.

Recced Because: I find regeneration really interesting, and the transition of the 2nd Doctor to the 3rd is not typical as we all know. This fic occurs after the timelords have forced the 2nd Doctor to regenerate. The 3rd Doctor is in a weakened and precarious state for most of this story, the action focusing instead of the Gallifreyan physician and a guard. The writer is very economical, having so few characters and such a simple plot. This story stands out most for me as a window into Gallifreyan life, as the physician describes all the various ways regenerations can go wrong.

Title: In Captivity
Author: theshoelessone.
Characters/Pairings: 5th Doctor, Tegan Jovanka, 5/Tegan.
Rating: All ages.
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 1760.
Summary: Five/Tegan. The spectators at an alien zoo expect more than they're given when the two humanoids are paraded before them. After all, the sign did read "Mating Couple in Captivity."

Recced Because: Just think about how much Tegan would love being in a situation like this. Hilarious. It's a fluffy story that peeks at a larger plot that is going on just on the edge of the action. It's crack-fic like at times, but what takes it beyond stories of its kind (silly fluff) is just how well drawn the 5th Doctor and Tegan are.

Excerpt:

Mating couple in captivity, indeed. Maybe the female wasn't in season.

Hello! philosophercat here! I too will be reccing fics this week for your reading pleasure. *tips hat*

Title: Serenity's Shadow.
Author: Chryse.
Characters/Pairings: 5th Doctor, Nyssa of Traken, Tegan Jovanka, Adric.
Rating: All ages.
Warnings: None.
Word Count: 28316.
Summary: Set after the events of the novel 'Cold Fusion' and before 'Earthshock'. Nyssa decides she wants to leave the TARDIS crew and make a new life for herself on the Trakenite colony of Serenity. But little does she realise 'there's no place like home'.

Recced Because: This work in progress is a worthy sequel to the serial Keeper of Traken, a powerful story difficult to follow up on. The regular characters are pitch-perfect, those invented by the author well rounded and memorable. Each element slots in nicely, the atmosphere and pacing would fit an actual episode from its era. In addition, it is worth noting that the author avoids many of the pitfalls fan fiction writers very often have in portraying Adric. He's given the same honest treatment as the others, which is just another way of saying the author's done her work well.