The Top 5 Fics that Made Me Go Woah

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

All these fics made me think outside the square, sit up and pay attention and/or get lost in a very, very well-written fic. And hopefully I'm also fulfilling some of the requests from the wishlist.

Item Title or Description: Could Times Infinity Plus One
Creator’s Name: doyle_sb4
Rating: R
Pairing: Fred/Anya
Link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/doyle_sb4/399389.html
Why I chose this: Do you like fics that try to predict and explain alternate universes and/or the afterlife? This is one fic that tries and yet doesn’t try, caught in an intriguing stream-of-consciousness and experimental way of writing and at the same time allowing two characters to remain pragmatic and romantic. Just a really amazing read.

Item Title or Description: Untitled/Halloween Fluff
Creator’s Name: spuffyduds
Rating: Mature
Warning: sexy stuff, bad language
Pairing: Jonathan/Harmony (kinda)
Link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/spuffyduds/3097.html#cutid1
Why I chose this: Ever wondered what happened on that fateful Halloween night (when the costumes became the people) to the other members of Sunnydale? This fic is sweet and hilarious exploring an implausible situation between Harmony and Jonathan. In most situations I need at least one of my utmost favourite characters to appear as a main character in a fic, but this story just persuaded me to think outside that sheltered square. Funny with a capital F.

Item Title or Description: Iowa Fields
Creator’s Name: trepkos
Rating: NC-17 overall (though starts off PG-13)
Warnings: m/m sex
Pairing: Spike/Riley
Link: http://www.livejournal.com/community/summer_of_spike/2005/07/25/
and http://www.livejournal.com/users/trepkos/68395.html
Why I chose this: Not having been conversant with the writer’s previous fics in the series and also being a smidge apathetic when it came to Riley could absolutely not stop me from enjoying this fic a whole megabunch. Eloquent, sharp, angsty and romantic the moment you step inside you’re engulfed in a world of extremely good writing. One of the best Spike voices I’ve read this year too. And a very good study of Riley and his own possible path to redemption.

Item Title or Description: Perfect Day
Creator’s Name: deborahmm
Rating: R
Warnings: Non-graphic m/m sex and Spike's language
Pairing: Spike/Wesley
Link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/deborahmm/265083.html
Why I chose this: Amazingly this fic caused a bit of a flutter in readers at the time because of the happy ending. Maybe we’re all just a little Jossed? :) In any case, this fic has wonderful, memorable language and imagery, starts of with a really imaginative premise from canon and follows Wesley around, as he ambles, ponders life and enjoys the company of Spike, on his perfect day.

Item Title or Description: Remember This
Creator’s Name: eloise_bright
Rating: R (but not quite NC17)
Pairing: Wes/Angel/Cordy
Link: http://www.livejournal.com/users/eloise_bright/70427.html
Why I chose this: Stories that carry on from episodes often have a lot to live up to in terms of maintaining the pathos, intensity, humour and/or deep grief evoked by watching the episode. And following such a memorable episode as You’re Welcome seems a hard act to follow. But this fic looms large in my thoughts as to become almost my canon for these three characters. I certainly hope that the events in the fic would have taken place off screen, because, boy, it hits romance, sweetness, angst and hotness and lives up to, if not excedes, the enjoyment of You're Welcome.