“A Twisted, Tangled Yarn” by ACarlGeek (PG)

[sef1029.livejournal.com]

“A Twisted, Tangled Yarn” by ACarlGeek (PG)
Rec Category: Humor
Pairing: None
Category: Humor, drama
Warnings: None
Author on LJ: No
Author's Website: Unknown
Link: http://www.gateworld.net/fanfic/archive/4/atwisted.html
Why This Must Be Read: This charming and original tale is told from the point of view of Daniel's cream-colored sweater. It includes gentle humor, silly puns, and even a climactic action scene, and is ideal for those days when you long for something warm and sweet.

"Do Not Stray" by Otter (PG)

[fhartman.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Angst
Pairing: Daniel/Sha'uri
Category: Angst, Drama
Warning: None
Author on LJ: agentotter
Author's Website: http://www.fadedpress.com/
Link: http://www.fadedpress.com/fiction/sg1_donotstray.html

Why This Must Be Read: This is so beautiful it hurts, and what hurts the most isn't the story itself, it's what comes after the story's done. It's a lovely little look into what things were like between Daniel and Sha'uri, and even though it's short, we quickly get swept into the sweet intimacy that these two shared. We heard all about how much Daniel loved his wife on the show, but rarely got to see it in action - well, we get it here, which is why it's like an icy finger down the spine when we see the beginning of the end happen to this fairy tale couple. This is angst that's all the more powerful and painful because it's all in your own head and heart.

The Elements of Loss by Dragonfly (PG-13)

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Hurt/Comfort
Pairing: Jack/Daniel Friendship
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Jack/Daniel Friendship, Drama, Episode Tag
Warning: Character Death (only from canon: Heroes and Resurrection -- and the deaths don't happen in this story, but are referred to) Also, Jack thinks of Daniel in a fatherly way in this story, so if that bothers you, you might not like this.
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Dragonfly's Ancient Obsessions

Link: The Elements of Loss by Dragonfly

Why This Must Be Read: This story is about one of those intense and emotional moments that sometimes occur between really close friends in difficult times. It is unashamedly filled with emotion, angst, pain, tears, and grieving. It can be uncomfortable to read because the emotions are so raw and at the surface. I feel that it's worth reading because it deals with the aftermath of the episode Heroes (but takes place after Resurrection) in a way that it wasn't dealt with on the show. I also think that it brought together all those elements in a way that was true to the characters and also honored those lost. The story itself is well written. It flows through the grieving process, bringing emotions into the open, and then drifting off--not really bringing closure, but it left me with a feeling that something important that was ignored on the show was finally dealt with in a satisfying way. (Well, perhaps "satisfying" isn't the right word. It's only satisfying to see this dealt with rather than ignored.) This story is sad, but real.

I didn't see a rating for this story, so I rated it PG-13 for angst and content (character death).

"Words" by Alyse (PG-13)

[aizjanika.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Hurt/Comfort
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Slash, Jack/Daniel, Drama, Angst, Smarm
Warning: Slash, non-con, language
Author's notes: "Some mild references to attempted rape and previous rape, both canon and non-canon. Non-graphic."
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Alyse's Page at The Comfort Zone

Link: Words by Alyse

Why This Must Be Read: This story contains a lot of angst but also a lot of comfort that is given in a compassionate but hesitant way. This story is about the aftermath of a difficult mission that included Danny whumping, which is referred to, but not described graphically. It also deals with the odd tension between Jack and Daniel that occurred on the show (I think mostly during season 4). Told from a slash perspective and from Jack's point of view, this is not a traditional slash story with Jack and Daniel in an established relationship or just finding each other and declaring their love. It's more about the tension between them and why Jack thinks it's there. It's about Jack finally realizing that he has to change things, except that he's not quite sure what to do.

I loved this story because it touched me in a way that felt both real and intense. I felt the pain of both Daniel and Jack and yet felt hopeful that they were going to get through this okay. It's one of those stories that I wanted to crawl into and stay for a while.

For this one, I'm including a short excerpt from the story, because this gives a good idea of the tone and mood of the story without giving anything away.

( Excerpt from this story )