20,000 Questions by BadgerGater (PG)

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Jack
Pairing: None.
Category: Gen, some angst
Warning: Set during S7 episode 'Revisions'
Author on LJ: Not known.
Author's Website: O'Neill's House
Link: 20,000 Questions
Why This Must Be Read: This fic shows Jack with his dealing with a young child hat on and captures him perfectly with a lot of humour -- then hits us with a twist of angst because there's a reason Jack's good with kids, after all.

"Let me wear it and I'll show you the shortest way to town."

"You made a bargain, Nevin. You said you'd show us the way to town if I let you wear *that*," Jack pointed at the suit.

"I didn't say I'd show you the shortest way."

O'Neill sighed. "Are you sure your name isn't Nevin Jackson?"

Learning, by Random (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Teal'c

Pairing: none
Category: Teal'c, Daniel Jackson, gen, episode related, angst
Warning: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author's Website:
Link: currently offline

Why This Must Be Read: The trust and friendship that exists between Teal'c and Daniel is one of the most fascinating aspects of the relationships of SG-1. This story is a wonderful example of that, as Daniel comes to Teal'c to try and understand how to deal with the troubling vision/dream that Shifu gave him during Absolute Power.

Random is a relatively new author with a powerful turn of phrase and a wonderful insight into how the characters of SG-1 tick, especially Daniel. This particular story is a wonderful peek at Daniel and Teal'c, at how both characters see each other and the mutual respect that they share.

So many fic tags for Absolute Power involve Jack and Daniel, and there have been many different interpretations as to what, exactly, the dream or vision meant. Random's take, as interpreted by Teal'c, is a highly intriguing one; and the twist of Daniel seeking comfort from Teal'c only adds an extra intriguing fillip to an already excellent story.

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Charades by Aelfgyu (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Gen

Pairing: none
Category: gen, drama, angst, humor,  team, friendship
Warning: some violence
Author on LJ: unknown
Author's Website: Aelfgyfu's Mead Hall
Link: Charades

Why This Must Be Read:  Most of Aelfgyu's fics are set in S9. This story, though, is set in S5 - and there are so many delightful things it that make it a real keeper.

It's told in Sam's POV; as I've mentioned in previous recs, it's very rare to find a good quality Sam-POV story that isn't shippy. It has everyone in character, in situations that range from humorous to dead serious. And, most wonderfully of all, Aelfgyu does an absolutely perfect job of nailing the push-me/pull-you relationship between Jack and Daniel in S5, when they were both absolutely in sync and absolutely at odds at the same time.

The story leaps quickly into crisis, with Daniel the victim of a murderous attack that leaves him unable to speak and the sole survivor of a massacre. His frantic charades to describe events and the culprits leaves Sam at a loss - not only to understand what Daniel is trying to tell them, but at Jack's uncanny ability to interpret Daniel correctly. Later in the fic, back on Earth, we see Sam's frustration at witnessing how the selfsame colonel who "clicked" so seamlessly with Daniel off-world proceeds to drive Daniel utterly insane during his recuperation. And if that's not Daniel and Jack's friendship in a nutshell, I don't know what is!

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Losses, by Jb (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Janet Fraiser

Pairing: none
Category: Janet Fraiser, Daniel Jackson, gen, episode related, angst
Warning: none
Author on LJ: unknown
Author's Website: Jb at The Tablet
Link: Losses

Why This Must Be Read: Any story by Jb is going to run high on emotion and intensity. Losses is no exception to that rule, as Janet, in first-person POV, deals with the painful legacy of, well, Legacy.

Legacy has spawned a thousand fanfics; most of these, naturally, emphasize the hurt/comfort aspect. I like Danny-whumping as much as the next Daniel fan <bg> but I really don't like the "pathetic Danny whimpers" type of fic. This short story, by Jb, is a far cry from pitiful Daniel - and infinitely more powerful for it. The twist of having the story told wholly from Janet's POV gives the familiar territory a fresh flavor.

In this fic, an angry, fully-in-control Daniel confronts Janet in the aftermath of the episode, forcing her to recognize just what she's lost because of that hasty, faulty diagnosis. Jb's characters are always very real, and their small pains seem much more intense and realistic than the enthusiastic over-whumping so many authors like to inflict. Jb clearly shows us Janet's pain, as well as her determination to get back what she's lost.

All of Jb's stories are wincingly good; dialogue is spot-on, characters are drawn finely and surely, and you can't help but feel for them. This story, like all of Jb's fics, is well worth reading.

( Snippet of fic... )