Calufrax

Happy Saturday! Today we're era hopping.

Story: A Shift in Perspective
Author:
 Persiflage
Rating:
 Teen
Word Count:
 50234
Author's Summary:
 The Tenth Doctor goes missing and it's up to Martha Jones to track him down again, but it proves both harder and more instructive than she expects.
Characters/Pairings: Sarah Jane Smith, The Doctor (All incarnations), The White Guardian, Torchwood, a plethora of companions
Warnings: Spoilers for just about everything. They are warned for in the author's notes of each section.

Recced because: Set a few months after series 4, "A Shift in Perspective" sends Martha on a journey that has her meeting the Doctor - yes, every incarnation of him. What stands out about this particular fic (and Persiflage's writing in general) is her nuanced and strong portrayal of Martha Jones: she's independent, she's strong, and she does what she has to do. Part of the charm of "A Shift in Perspective" is the fact that you get to see glimpses of Martha interacting with all of the Doctors (who are all impeccably characterized) as well as many of the previous companions. Moreover, the fic is fast-paced and features a solid plot alongside the solid characterizations. Overall, a wonderful fic to park yourself and read on a summer day (or on any day, really).

( A small sample... )

How about a fic from the new series for today?

Story: One Long Starless Night, Two Soldiers Met at a Crossroads
Author:
 teacupnosaucer
Rating:
 Teen
Word Count:
 1942
Author's Summary:
 Rory receives an unlikely visitor: a man both like him and not. Someone makes a promise they could never keep. But for a little while, anyway, things aren't quite so lonely. A story in four parts.
Characters/Pairings: Amy Pond, Rory Williams, Jack Harkness
Warnings: Spoilers for the end of series 5.

Recced because: This fic chronicles the adventures of the Lone Centurion during the events of the series 5 finale and his meeting with another man in a similar predicament: one Captain Jack Harkness. It weaves both eras together nicely, dropping small details throughout, and is achingly bittersweet and intimate throughout. This piece captures the pervasive loneliness of those who are fixed in a world that is constantly in flux. The last section, in particular, will leave you with a bit of a broken heart.

( A small sample... )

Happy Tuesday to everyone. Today we have a trip back into the slightly mythical past.

Story: The Old Man and the Police Box, and other impossible tales
Author:
 Rowena Zahnrei
Rating:
 PG
Word Count:
 12,838
Author's Summary:
 In 1913, a British schoolteacher named John Smith wrote a short story destined to become a classic. Entitled "The Old Man and the Police Box," it tells the tale of an eccentric inventor from the land of Gallifrey who steals a miraculous time ship and sets sail for adventure.
Characters/Pairings: Martha Jones, Rose Tyler, Susan Foreman, The Daleks, The Doctor (10th), The Doctor (1st), The Doctor (4th), The Doctor (9th), The TARDIS
Warnings: For purists, Lungbarrow is taken as canon here.
Recced because: This fic uses the framing device of the Journal of Impossible things to great advantage. It is, essentially, a collection of the central stories that make the Doctor who he is related by one John Smith (and cleverly edited by Rowena Zahnrei). Each journal entry comes accompanied by an editorial gloss before continuing on with Smith's parts, which border on elegant stream of consciousness. The effective mix of styles for this collection is just part of its charm, however. The stories themselves weave through canon beautifully, piecing the Doctor together from the strange point of view of the outsider who is relating what we know as the inside. Overall, this is a wonderful collection of stories that you might find yourself reading through in one sitting, like you did with childhood storybooks.

( A small sample... )