Beware the Beauty by Naye (PG-13)

[sholio]

Rec Category: John Sheppard & Rodney McKay friendship

Pairing: none
Category: Atlantis, h/c, gen, team
Warning: none
Author on LJ: naye
Author's Website: n/a
Link: Beware the Beauty

Why This Must Be Read: A winter wonderland turns deadly for the team, and for Rodney and John most of all. Good old-fashioned h/c, great character dynamics, engaging banter and a vividly realized, beautifully frozen setting all come together to make this an excellent read.

( Snippet of fic )

It Takes a Week to Form an Ulcer by Paw_Tracks (NC-17)

[partners4life.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Pairing: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Rodney McKay/Katie Brown
Category: Angst, A/U
Warning: Slash, Het (brief)
Author on LJ: paw_tracks
Author's Website: 100 x 100

Link: It Takes a Week to Form An Ulcer

Why This Must Be Read: When Dr. Rodney McKay's girlfriend, Katie Brown, forces him into couples counseling, he accidentally falls in love with his therapist, Dr. John Sheppard. And while that premise might sound hard to pull off, paw_tracks manages to get all of Rodney's insecurities and John's issues into this story and make it work beautifully. Poor Katie, she never had a chance. *g*

Distance From Here to Wherever You Are by Abyssis (PG by reccer)

[sholio]

Rec Category: John Sheppard

Pairing: no important ones, but a few very minor background pairings (Teyla/Ronon, Carson/OC)
Category: Atlantis, drama
Warning: future fic, character death
Author on LJ: abyssinia4077
Author's Website: n/a
Link: Distance From Here to Wherever You Are

Why This Must Be Read: abyssinia4077 is better known for her SG-1 fiction, but she also writes brilliant SGA from time to time. This is the story of how the Atlantis project ends -- well, one way it might end, at least, and one way it might, might, be brought back together. I'm not quite sure if this is dark enough to be considered apocafic; it's more wistful than heartbreaking, and as lovely and uplifting as it is painful. What really makes this story memorable for me, a year after I first read it, is the strength and power of the characters' emotions: fear and love, grief and friendship, heroism and helpless anger -- and, through it all, a strong sense of the bonds holding them together, particularly John, Rodney and Elizabeth.

(Note: this story was written during season 3, and certain plot elements have been jossed by later developments in canon, but I didn't find it jarring on the re-read.)

( Sample of fic )

To Rise Above, by Jb (PG-13)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Jack and Daniel friendship

Pairing: none

Categories: Jack and Daniel friendship, Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, gen, drama, angst, episode related

Warnings: language

Author on LJ: sg1jb

Author's Website: Jb at the Tablet

Link: To Rise Above

 

Why This Must Be Read: In the wake of The First Ones - and, later, Beast of Burden - Daniel turns to a new hobby, one he conceals from his friends. His choice is one in which he believes he can be in control of his destiny, rather than suffering as a helpless bystander while others die. But when Jack comes along for the ride, and events once more spill out of control, can Jack help him recognize the difference between power over circumstances, and command of his own state of mind?

( Snippet of fic... )

Carpe Diem by Helsinkibaby (PG)

[silver_galaxy]

 Rec Category: Janet Fraiser

Pairing: Carson/Janet, Martouf/Sam
Category: AU, episode tag
Warning: het
Author on LJ: helsinkibaby
Author's Website: The Band Gazebo

Link: Carpe Diem

Why this must be read:

Then she looks up at him, sees those blue eyes and those dimples and that smile, and tells the normally reserved, controlled CMO of Cheyenne Mountain Military Base to take a hike. 

It's sad that Carson and Janet were never able to meet, because I've always had the feeling that the two doctors with hearts of gold and the ability to scare even the toughest military man by producing a needle would have gotten along famously. This story brings Carson to the SGC in season 4, and his first weeks are spend dealing with the mess of Divide and Conquer. But instead of helping from a medical perspective, his presence helps Janet to deal with the events as a woman with her guard down, not as a detached military doctor. Although not the focus, Carson is written really well, complete with references to Scotland :)

 

( Sneak peek... )

Float Like a Butterfly, by Pepper (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Jack and Sam friendship

Pairing: none

Categories: Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter, Jack and Sam friendship, gen, humor, team

Warnings: none

Author on LJ: pepper_field

Author's Website: spaceprincess

Link: Float Like a Butterfly

 

Why This Must Be Read: Because this fun little ficlet features a Daniel that apparently includes chittering in his twenty-three languages, a trip to the kitchens for Teal'c that hopefully means working there instead of being eaten, and Sam and Jack - after patiently explaining that they're Air Force officers - ignominiously reduced to being assigned as shepherds...

 

...Or not. :)

( Snippet of fic... )

Jumping In by triciabyrne (PG-13)

[annienau08.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Daniel Jackson/Samantha Carter
Pairing: Daniel/Sam
Category: Sam/Daniel, Sam, Daniel, het, fluff
Warning: none
Author on LJ: triciabyrne1978
Author's Website: Fan Fiction by Tricia
Link: Jumping In

Why This Must Be Read: A sweet little fic that highlights the wonderful friendship between Sam and Daniel and shows us how easily it could become something more. Set sometime during season seven, the author does a great job of portraying Daniel's lingering confusion and awkwardness at being back and his desire to reconnect with Sam. Fluffy with just a touch of angst, this fic is definitely worth a read.