Sacrificial Drift by Auburn (mature)

[patk.livejournal.com]

Show: SGA
Rec Category: Team
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Aiden Ford, Carson Beckett, Elizabeth Weir, Bates, Stackhouse, Radek Zelenka, various OCs
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Categories: Slash, Action/Adventure, Drama, Angst
Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence
Author on LJ: auburnnothenna
Author on DW: auburn
Author's Website: Allusions: Fiction by Auburn
Link: Sacrificial Drift

Why This Must Be Read:

It's the second story of a series called "Salt on a Wound" and though this can be read as a standalone I recommend to read the (gen) story "The Taste of Apples" (already recced earlier) first to get the full impact of this slash sequel.

"Apples" has a cool sci-fi plot an its happenings bring the team really close together, in an almost symbiotic relationship.

"Sacrificial Drift" is about relationships and what one might be capable of given the right situation. It revolves mainly around the aftermath of John having lost it and having gone berserk when he discovered that Rodney was tortured.

The things happening here, the development of John's and Rodney's relationship, John's actions etc have a somewhat contrary effect in comparision to "Apples". The team has to struggle with the aftermath of "Apples" - which makes it all the more difficult for them to deal with what happens here - and the story shows how each of them is affected by the developments and what it means for them as a team.

This doesn't sound like much but with an author like Auburn you know it's a fascinating and captivating read, well worth your time. She's just that good.

( snippet of fic )

The Water Grinds the Stone by Auburn (mature)

[patk.livejournal.com]

Show: SGA
Rec Category: Team
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Jennifer Keller, Carson Beckett, Evan Lorne, Radek Zelenka, Chuck, Jeannie Miller, Vala Mal Doran, Samantha Carter, Cameron Mitchell, Daniel Jackson, Jack O'Neill, Clone Jack O'Neill
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Rodney McKay/Jennifer Keller, John Sheppard/OFC, Ronon Dex/OFC
Categories: Slash, Action/Adventure, Drama, Angst, Crossover with SG-1, Alternate Universe
Warnings: Graphic depictions of violence, Major Character Death
Author on LJ: auburnnothenna
Author on DW: auburn
Author's Website: Allusions: Fiction by Auburn
Link: The Water Grinds the Stone

Why This Must Be Read:

It's the third story of a series called "Salt on a Wound", it could completely be read as a standalone though the author considers "Apples" and "Sacrificial Drift" as the past happenings (back in Season 1) for this story.

How to describe this piece - best to use just one word: "epic"

According to the time stamp in the story it begins "11 October 2009, Pegasus, M4T-455 Elbix". The plot diverges from canon and weaves Atlantis and Earth (read: SGA an SG-1) together into a truly huge, epic, adventurous plotline in which, just like in real life, the lines between who are the good guys and who are the bad ones get blurry and depend heavily on the angle from which you watch the situation. There's no black or white in this regard but it's a thousand shades of grey because you can truly understand motivations, ideals and why people act like they do.

For the longest time I didn't dare to read that story because - Auburn. She has no fear of the dark and she's so good that her stories really hurt me when she decides to go darkside or even just ambigous with the plot and the end. I just don't like my heroes dead or portrayed as old geezers. ;-)

So, for the faint of heart (like me): our SGA-team is alive and well in the end though they have to undergo pretty hard times that test their loyalties, break them up temporarily and place them temporarily on opposite sides of the fence.

Though this one actually has a happy end (for our SGA core team though SG-1 doesn't get away so lucky) and throughout it all, you still feel the underlying feelings of being loyal to each other, of not considering the other one(s) as the enemy (on the contrary) - it goes so far that even John secretly ... well, I won't give away too much but Teyla then has to ... *zips mouth shut*

It's a long read, sometimes bittersweet if you think what could have been accomplished years earlier had it not been for the deeds and actions of the one or other person or a situation turning out just *so*. It's pretty much like real life but since our heroes are exactly that - heroes - it's all a size bigger: the love, the loss, the hurt, the happy and it ends in a big relived sigh of "Thank God, it worked out" by the reader.

Make sure to read the coda "The Weight of Water" as well - the story just doesn't feel complete without that one: http://archiveofourown.org/works/152837

It's a rollercoaster ride - brace yourself and: go!


( snippet of fic )

A New Explanation by Bluespirit (NC-17)

[hilde.livejournal.com]

Show: SGA

Rec Category: John/Rodney
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Richard Woolsey.
Pairings: John/Rodney
Categories: Slash
Warnings: None
Author on LJ: bluespirit_star
Author's Website: starshinedreams, on AO3
Link: A new explanation

Why this should be read: Whenever I need to feel better, I read one of Bluespirit's stories. This one is no exception. Set on Earth post-series, relationships and perspectives change. Warm and funny, this is an excellent example of Bkue's stories. I absolutely love the way she writes our boys.