Stargate Fic Recommendations

Rec Category: Hurt/Comfort
Pairing: no pairing
Category: Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Angst, Missing Scene/Episode Tag, Smarm
Warning: No warning
Author on LJ: not known
Author's Website: Arren's Page at Stargate Fan

Link: The Guardian by Arren

Why This Must Be Read: I have a special fondness for episode tags for The First Ones, because there was so much left unsaid and unknown at the end of the episode. This story focuses on what happened after Daniel was rescued--the trip back to the gate. Sam provides most of the comfort in this story, but everyone is overly concerned about Daniel. It's a fun story to read after watching some of the rather antiseptic episodes in season 4 because it goes in the opposite direction, focusing on concern and care for Daniel, more than making up for the lack of it in the episode.

Need by Clair Beaubien (PG-13)

Rec Category: Smarm

Pairing: Jack & Daniel Friendship
Category: Jack & Daniel Friendship, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene/Episode Tag, Smarm
Warning: lots of smarm, Jack thinking of Daniel as a bit of a kid (more immature than child-like), use of "Danny Boy"
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Welcome to Stonehaven
Clair Beaubien's Page at Stargate Fan

Link: Need: Daniel by Clair Beaubien
Need: Jack by Clair Beaubien

Why This Must Be Read: These are two companion stories that tell the same story once from Daniel's point of view and once from Jack's. Need is my favorite episode and when I first began searching out fan fiction, naturally I looked for fics that centered around that episode. This was one of the first SG-1 fics that I ever read, and upon reading it again, I still appreciate how the author captured the emotions from those scenes in Need and carried it through to the next part of the story. I've always felt that Need was partly about Daniel learning to trust, and this is something else the author managed to touch on in these stories. I also felt she captured well how Daniel probably felt humiliated and embarrassed after that incident. These stories don't go too far beyond the storeroom scene, so there's no "Everything's okay now" type of scene. It's all emotion and the aftereffects of that outpouring of emotion.

For once I don't mind saying that these stories are pure, unadulterated smarm (whatever that really is). Daniel doesn't act like a baby in these fics (not really), but both stories focus first on the storeroom scene in Need when Daniel is sobbing and Jack is holding him. In a scene where one guy is comforting another who has completely broken down and is sobbing, it's very difficult for it not to seem a bit like Daniel is sort of a little brother/child and Jack the parent/big brother. Daniel was in a very vulnerable state at that time as well, so I could actually accept that Daniel was feeling more than a little vulnerable and wanting so much to be able to trust Jack.

Prestidigitation by otter (PG-13)

Rec Category: Point of View

Pairing: Jack/Daniel (pre-slash)
Category: Pre-slash, Friendship, Humor, PWP (Plot? What Plot?), Smarm
Warning: Slash (pre-slash)
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: otter's Page at The Alpha Gate Fanfiction Archive

Link: Prestidigitation by otter

Why This Must Be Read: I loved this story because it was just so darn fun to read. The humor is subtle, but gratifying. I thought it was totally Jack & Daniel. Though the author labeled this a PWP it has a great beginning and a very satisfying and fun ending.

Ties by Brionhet (G)

Rec Category: Smarm

Pairing: None
Category: Gen, Team, Christmas
Warning: None really, the author claims "schmaltz," crying Daniel
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Brionhet's Page at Area 52 (Note: Even though this story is archived at Area 52, it is a gen story, rated G.)

Link: Ties by Brionhet

Why This Must Be Read: I know it's a little early for a Christmas story, but my local department store has had the Christmas decorations out for weeks, so I thought it might be fun to kick off the holiday season a little early myself--especially since a lot of Christmas stories tend to have a bit of smarm in them.

At the archive of Christmas stories at Ashton Press, the author's notes are as follows: "This story gimmick has been used a zillion times, but so what ;^) This piece is shamelessly sentimental--a real schmaltz fest. And completely self indulgent. And I don’t apologize even one teensy eensy weensy bit for it ;^) Happy, happy holidays to all of you."

I loved this story because while it was a bit schmaltzy, as the author states, it also had some really sweet moments between the members of SG-1. It also includes Janet and Cassie. The story is told from the point of view of Sam, and focuses most on Sam, Jack, and Daniel. Each member of the team receives one special gift for Christmas, and the author shows an understanding of the characters by the gifts she chose for them to receive. If you're in the mood for a heartwarming Christmas story, this one might just fill the bill.

A Natural Reaction by Scribe (PG-13)

Rec Category: Smarm

Pairing: no pairing, Jack/Daniel friendship
Category: angst, hurt/comfort, episode tag
Characters: Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Teal'c, Harry Maybourne, Janet Fraiser, Svetlana Markov (from the episode Watergate)
Warning: nudity (not sexual), adult themes, vomit warning (not too graphic)
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Daniel's Diaries

Link: A Natural Reaction by Scribe

Why This Must Be Read: This is one of the first SG-1 fics that I ever read, and it's still a favorite. This is part of Scribe's Shower Series. It's an episode tag for Watergate in which Daniel has a reaction to having come into such close contact with the aliens. I thought Scribe did an excellent job with picking up on the mood of that episode and there's a really cute Jack/Daniel banter scene in this fic.

The Astrophysicist and the Scholar by Fiona Wallace (G)

Rec Category: Smarm

Pairing: Sam/Daniel Friendship
Category: Smarm, Sam/Daniel Friendship
Warning: No warning.
Author on LJ: I don't know.
Author's Website: Fiona Wallace's page at Stargate Fan

Link: The Astrophysicist and the Scholar by Fiona Wallace

Why This Must Be Read: This is a beautiful Sam story with Sam reflecting on her friendship with Daniel over the years. It takes place a little ways into season 7. This is what I wish we saw more of on the show. This is Sam, but it's the best of Sam.

If you check out the author's page, you will find several other stories in this series. I haven't yet read them all, but I've really loved the ones I have read.