"The Gray" by kalquessa (G)

[aurora-novarum.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Samantha Carter
Pairing: None
Categories: Action/Adventure; Drama; Samantha Carter; Daniel Jackson; Jack O'Neill; SG-1; Teal'c; Team friendship
Warnings: minor language and slightly disturbing imagery (no more than on the show)
Author on LJ: kalquessa
Author's Website: LJ entry listing all fanfic

Link: The Gray (link to Part 1 of 3)

Why This Must Be Read:

A wonderful team adventure and mystery written from Sam Carter's perspective. This is Sam when she's still a Captain. Other worlds are all still new and exciting, Teal'c is an enigma, and alien diplomacy is still trial and error. SG-1 encounters a world that is friendly on the surface, but very restrictive in their technology, especially the "Accepted" Guild that controls it.

This fic is wonderful for so many reasons: the richness of the alien world Kalquessa creates, the building of suspense as the team tries to suss out the motivations of these strange people, the fantastic camaraderie and banter that is captured so well.

But the voice she gives Sam is why the fic's being rec'ced in this category. Sam doesn't just move the plot along as a narrative device (which she does); the story is very much viewed from her logical and scientific perspective, but in a way the scientifically handicapped (like me) are just as riveted to the tale. We feel her frustration at not being able to unscrew the alien light bulb (it's something you just have to read for yourself), her excitement and joy and her sadness.

I would praise this fic so much more, but it would give away too much of the plot. I also fully confess, I'm biased since I betaed it, but it was awesome before I laid eyes on it.