Ocean's Pull by Havoc (NC-17)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Het
Pairing: Jack O'Neill / Elizabeth Weir
Category: Het, episode related, Jack O'Neill, Elizabeth Weir, Elizabeth/Jack, crossover sg-1/sga,
Warning: sex
Author on LJ havocthecat
Author's Website: Fanfic Index by Show
Link: Ocean's Pull

Why This Must Be Read:
Havoc gives us Elizabeth after "The Return II" packing her things to return to Atlantis when Jack O'Neill drops by. What starts with the expected somewhat-awkward, part-joking conversation quickly turns into something more serious as their discussion briefly jumps to what Elizabeth experienced during "The Real World."

There's a lot packed into those piece along with the sex - character studies of both Jack and Elizabeth and how lonely it is at the top with just the right mix of humor and seriousness to make it way more than just porn.

( sneak preview )

The Pirate's Prisoner by Eildon Rhymer (PG-13)

[sholio]

Rec Category: John Sheppard & Rodney McKay friendship

Pairing: none
Category: Atlantis, AU, gen
Warning: none
Author on LJ: rhymer23
Author's Website: Assorted Fanfic by Me
Link: The Pirate's Prisoner

Why This Must Be Read: If "because they're pirates!" isn't enough of a reason ...

Rodney McKay, learned 18th-century scholar and inventor, is abducted by the notorious Captain John Sheppard -- second-most-wanted pirate in the Caribbean -- and his crew, to build a very special machine. Rodney tries to adjust to his new, unexpected and unwanted life, hoping for rescue while slowly getting to know the enigmatic Captain Sheppard and crew, who are not exactly the bloodthirsty killers that their reputation suggests. Brisk-paced, funny and exciting by turns, with swashbuckling high-seas action interspersed with quiet moments on the ship, this story builds an AU version of Rodney's friendship with John and the team that's slow, believable and true to their canon characterizations. It could easily have been total pirate crack, and, well, it kinda is, in all the good ways, but it's so much more.

As the icing on the AU cake, the story includes assorted drawings, diagrams, folk songs and other "found" materials from the era, illustrating and embellishing the crew's adventures.

The preview under the cut is probably my favorite of these -- a scrap of Rodney's scientific plans.

( Preview - image plus caption )

Accidents and Understandings by Biblio (NC-17)

[thenightsfall]

Rec Category:  Jack/Daniel
Pairing: Jack/Daniel
Category: First Time; Slash; Romance; Action/Adventure; Drama
Warning: None
Author on LJ:  heyerchick 
Author's Website:  At JD Divas.
Link:  Accidents and Understandings

Why This Must Be Read:  One of my measures for how much I love a story is how often I reread it, and this is one I go back to again and again with as much enjoyment every time as there was the first time.  Long and plotty, the author tells the tale of a Jack and Daniel who stumble into a relationship, almost literally, with life, the universe and everything then conspiring against them after they've decided to, y'know, do something about it.  As always, Biblio's abilities to craft words in ways both stylish and meaningful, as well as to tangle plot and relationship, immutably, are abundantly in evidence.  And the life in and around these two men is full of evocative, tangible detail that's funny, suspenseful, dramatic, romantic and, always, sexy. 

Author's Summary:  "A week in the life of an arthritic colonel and a myopic linguist in pursuit of THE perfect date."

"Breathe" by witchofthedogs

[anuna-81.livejournal.com]

Subject: "Breathe" by witchofthedogs 

Pairing: John Sheppard/Elizabeth Weir
Category: het, drama, angst
Warnings: dark themes
Author on LJ: witchofthedogs 
Author's web site: N/A
Link: Breathe

Why this story must be read: I like the stories focused on darker themes, which push the characters to their limits and provide a different glimpse into who they are and how much it takes for some of them to break. This fic explores Elizabeth's dark side, while John is the person who provides the moral guidance and it's a role reversal I find interesting and somewhat refreshing. The author uses simple, but powerful words to paint a picture everyone can understand and relate to. My favorite thing about this story is the connection between John and Elizabeth the author presents us with - one that runs deeper than interpersonal liking or even love: it's the fact that someone is there to make sure you don't forget who you really are.


( snippet )

"Parallax" by renisanz [G]

[tielan]

Rec Category: Friendship - Other
Pairing: John and Teyla
Category: friendship
Warning: None
Author on LJ: renisanz
Author's Website: http://renisanz.livejournal.com/
Link: Parallax

Why This Must Be Read:

To photograph is to confer importance.

I love the technical detail of this story, the way the author takes us through the steps of Teyla's familiarity with the camera, the way that the relationship between John and Teyla - his importance to her, her importance to him, even after the birth of her child - is shown without ever actually needing to explicitly say the words. It's a great story about their friendship - acceptance and comfort and trust - not only between John and Teyla, but also between Teyla and Keller, and between Ronon and Keller.