A Pond with no Fish by Rachel500 (PG)

[skydiver119.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Sam Fic
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Category: Adventure, AU
Warning: Het ship fic
Author on LJ: NA
Author's Website: NA
Link:http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2945618/1/

Why This Must Be Read: This is a very lengthy AU fic, about 200 pages once you read all the parts, and it's a different take on season nine. In fact, it's pretty much a rewrite of season nine, but Rachel does a good job of rewriting it without bashing anyone. It starts with the boys at Jacob's funeral and goes from there and sets up the eventual Sam and Jack resolution. Of course, it won't be fast and the obstacles in their way include traitorous Jaffa, Ba'al and even the replicators.
What I liked about this is that Rachel has a good grasp on the characters. She sees them similarly to how I interpret them, so I really enjoy her characterizations. Jack is caring without being sappy, Sam is conflicted without being emotional, Daniel and Teal'c are not forgotten and the whole thing is just one long, enjoyable read.
It's a season nine that we'd never have gotten, yet it is a season nine that I could have seen happen. And, I feel, had something similar to this in plotting and story angles – with or without the ship – have happened, there would probably be a much different feeling about season nine amongst many fans.
The final part ends with – to me at least – clear set up for another part and I kinda hope that she carries it on. I would be very interested to see her take on Vala and how she handles that character's integration into the story.
Definitely a fic that shippers should enjoy, yet, at least to me, enough of a part of Cameron to give his fans something to sink their teeth into, I feel that A Pond Without Fish is a good story and a nice work from an author that has a lot of talent and bears watching as she continues her craft.