The Fallen Star by velocitygrass [R]

[popkin16]

Show: Stargate Atlantis
Rec Category: Alternate Universe
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Categories: Slash, First Time, Medieval times
Warnings: killing of wild animals/hunting, fake vomit, blood, mention of John/OMC casual sex
Author's Journal: velocitygrass 
Author's Website: Ao3 Account
Link: The Fallen Star

Why This Must Be Read: This is a fun AU set in medieval times where Rodney decides to set out into a dangerous forest to locate a fallen star. John, his neighbor, decides to accompany him to keep him safe. They start the fic as near strangers, as Rodney is a hermit who dislikes company, But as the story progresses, John becomes fond of him and then attracted. It's light reading, which I find I need these days.

An Eleven-Step Guide to Survival by Prince Meredith (ed. John Sheppard) by theravenwrites [PG]

[popkin16]

Show: Stargate Atlantis
Rec Category: Alternate Universe
Characters: John Sheppard, Rodney McKay, minor appearances of Ronon Dex, Jeannie Miller, & Elizabeth Weir
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Categories: Slash, First Time, Alternate Universe
Warnings: None
Author's Journal: N/A
Author's Website: Ao3 Account
Link: An Eleven-Step Guide to Survival by Prince Meredith (ed. John Sheppard)

Why This Must Be Read: This is a fusion with Garth Nix's Abhorsen series. Rodney is the brother of the future Abhorsen, Teyla (the person whose job is to maintain the border between life and death), and the heir to the throne, Jeannie. He's at a bit of a loss as to what he wants to do for the rest of his life when he meets John, a pilot who's plane crash-landed in the Old Kingdom. John's unprepared to survive in the Old Kingdom with his limited knowledge of charter magic (magic that uses symbols, drawn on paper/ in the air, spoken, engraved or embedded in an object, or whistled) and the roaming dead. Luckily, Rodney's there to help him! It's not too long of a read and gives you enough worldbuilding to carry you along. Honestly, I could read about 100k of this, but the author does a good job of crafting a satisfying 8k story. 
John and Rodney are great, and I love their interactions here. It's fun!

A is for Angst, by Mific (PG)

[fignewton]

Show: SG-1

Rec Category: Jack O'Neill
Characters: Jack, Teal'c, Charlie O'Neill, team
Categories: gen, ANGST, quantum mirror, character study, Jack and Teal'c friendship
Warnings: does Charlie need a warning?
Author's Journal: mific
Author's Website: Mific at AO3
Link: A is for Angst

Why This Must Be Read: My first reaction on reading this was, "Break my heart, why don't you?"

Jack's Ancient gene triggers a certain... option on the Quantum Mirror, and he gets too much of an eyeful at what-might-have-been. Or what-is-happening-elsewhere, really.

Teal'c and Jack friendship for the absolute win and Jack's intense grief both make this absorbing, wrenching, and a must-read.


The mirror got shunted off to a remote SGC science department storeroom, safely contained, and started gathering dust. Until the night Jack couldn’t sleep.