Snakeling’s Recs

[Harry Potter]

Title: The Only Truth That Sticks
Author: musesfool
Summary: She feels like a foolish old woman, taken in by a man who had probably been laughing up his sleeve at her the whole time.
Pairing: Severus Snape/Minerva McGonagall
Rating: G

Why?

Post-HBP, you can't write Snape/Minerva fic without taking into account that Snape killed Minerva's mentor, boss and friend.

Minerva has been betrayed by her lover, and then betrayed, in a way, by Albus, and both revelations are hard to swallow. The end is slightly hopeful, very bittersweet, and yet... This is not a happy story, but it packs quite a punch.

[Torchwood]

Title: Take Me There
Author: coffeejunkii
Summary:Jack and Ianto get some hands-on experience with The Joy of Gay Sex.
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Jack Harkness
Rating: NC-17

Why?

A deliciously porny story, all in the build-up, with sex made an intrinsic part of the plot. It also happens to be the best fisting fic I’ve ever read, even though there isn’t any fisting in it.

[Torchwood]

Title: Moving In
Author: Calico ukcalico
Summary: Ianto's first day at work. AKA, Oblivious Jack is oblivious!
Pairing: Ianto Jones/Jack Harkness
Rating: NC-17

Why?

I'm firmly of the opinion that Jack and Ianto were fucking well before Lisa died. And thankfully, there are some great writers who agree with me. And of course, any story set at that time would feature a fucked-up Ianto, with complicated feelings and motivations, and a totally oblivious, but curious Jack. Mmmm.

[Harry Potter]

Title: 30 Minutes Over Kandahar
Author: vulgarweed
Summary: Why are flying carpets banned by the British Ministry of Magic?
Pairing: Severus Snape/Minerva McGonagall
Rating: NC-17
Warning: erotic asphyxiation, Animagus bestiality

Why?

This one is kinky, just look at the warnings. And yet, don't let them frighten you off, because even if they're not really things you would normally enjoy, they work amazingly well here.

The little touches of humour are what really makes the story, for me. The flying carpet--because they are on a flying carpet!--is not at all cooperating, and Snape has the strangest thoughts entering his head, at the most inappropriate times.

[Torchwood]

Title: Kingdom of Air
Author: Karen lookninjas
Summary: The Torchwood Team is sent to the Himalayas by Harold Saxon.
Characters: Ianto Jones, Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato
Rating: R

Why?

Absolutely gorgeous, amazing story! It's very difficult to write a team fic, where all the roles are balanced out and nobody's neglected, but Karen pulls it off masterly.

As much as it is a team fic, it's also a Ianto fic: Ianto is thrust into the role of leader, by virtue of being the only one with climbing experience, and he has to cope through horrific situations. The dichotomy between his private emotions and what he lets show is written very well, as unsettling for the reader as it is for Ianto.

Probably one of the best Torchwood fics, highly recommended.

[Harry Potter]

Title: Home Studies
Author: Beth bethbethbeth
Summary: Post-Hogwarts: A Life.
Pairing: Severus Snape/Minerva McGonagall
Rating: PG

Why?

Because the writing is utterly gorgeous! The story is entirely from Minerva's point of view, and we see her relationship with Snape through her eyes. They're first and foremost friends, and their love is just the logical continuation of that friendship.

It's a completely self-aware look at a mature relationship, where the couple is old and ugly, and it's okay.

One of my favourite fics in this pairing, I can only urge you to read it, even if you have little interest in the pairing.

[Harry Potter]

Title: Docet Minervam
Author: Grace/The Reel Lifer doctorv
Summary: Set during Harry's second year: McGonagall, Lockhart, and Snape in the staff room. Is Lockhart, for once, not completely oblivious? (Probably not.)
Pairing: Severus Snape/Minerva McGonagall
Rating: G

Why?

This is short and pure fluff, the kind of fic that leaves you with an awww feeling. It showcases both Snape's and Minerva's humour, especially in contrast to Lockhart's cluelessness.

[Torchwood]

Title: Trying to Communicate
Author: Sam Starbuck sams_cafe
Summary: There's an alien in the Hub, and it's trying to communicate.
Characters: Team, with hints of Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: PG

Why?

Complete and utter crack, but the excellent kind. It will leave you in tears of laughter. You'll need to be familiar with the concept of LOLcats.

Caveat Lector

Spoilers for Dead Man Walking (2x07).

[Torchwood]

Title: Everything Changes but Paperwork
Author: basingstoke
Summary: Orientation will be provided by the administrative staff.
Characters: Gwen Cooper, Ianto Jones, Jack Harkness
Rating: PG

Why?

A quiet little story about Gwen signing her Torchwood contract. Fun and somewhat bittersweet.

[Torchwood]

Title: Nemo Me Impune Lacessit
Author: Derry derryderrydown
Summary: "You let Ianto fall into the Rift," Jack said, with a level of strained calm that had Owen edging towards the door. "Alright." He took a deep breath. "But you should know that nobody sleeps until we find him. And I'm probably going to fire you all."
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: R

Why?

It's no secret that I love Moebius strip plots, and this is a very good example of it. Set in one of my favourite periods of history, to boot.

The contrast between pre-World-Wars!Jack and Torchwood!Jack is what makes the story. Pre-World-Wars!Jack is carefree and careless, charming and annoying. Torchwood!Jack has learnt the meaning of responsibility, and their confrontation is a thing of beauty.

A lovely story, with just the right amount of angst and humour.

[Torchwood/Spooks]

Title: Trespassers Will Be Prosecuted
Author: k_haldane
Summary: A senior British security agent is sent to look into Torchwood; Jack catches him where he shouldn't be and takes matters into his own hands.
Characters/Pairing: Jack Harkness/Jools Siviter
Rating: NC-17
Warning: BDSM

Why?

I'm firmly convinced that Jack has a much darker and more ruthless side than he's letting on on the show. No-one can live as long as he had and see what he's seen and not have. Plus, Time Agents seem to be psychopaths of some sort. So I love it when writers show this side.

K_Haldane writes him excellently, here. I know nothing about the crossover fandom, and yet I was completely sucked in by the characterisation and the use of sex as a plot device.

[James Bond]

Title: All Bets Are Off
Author: Morgane smilla840
Summary: Set post Casino Royale. Bond is being a pain, as usual.
Pairing: James Bond/Villiers
Rating: NC-17

Why?

One trope I really like is two people who get into a purely sexual relationship, and discover too late that they've developed feelings for each other. This story is a perfect example, and keeps both men perfectly in character. Bond especially rings true, as he never becomes maudlin and realises his feelings through jealousy and possessiveness.

[Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey]

Title: The Indiscretion of the Hon. John Fairfield
Author: Dafna Greer dafnagreer
Summary: "If ever there was a fellow so stupid as to not only bugger his valet but to actually fall in love with him, it'd be Fairfield."
Pairing: Lord Peter Wimsey/Bunter
Rating: R

Why?

Another Wimsey/Bunter fic where everything is unspoken, including between the two protagonists, to the point where we're not sure whether it's all in Peter's mind. All characters are captured perfectly.

[James Bond]

Title: Hardly Chastened
Author: Apathy Jane apatheia-jane
Summary: M punishes Bond with endless surveillance missions. He takes matters into his own hands.
Pairing: James Bond/OC
Rating: NC-17

Why?

Short and to the point, this captures the essence of Bond: a man who will do anything to get the job done. Extremely hot to boot.

[Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey]

Title: And The Better Man
Author: obstinatrix
Summary: ‘We were together since the War began.
He was my servant, and the better man.’
Pairing: Lord Peter Wimsey/Bunter
Rating: PG

Why?

Again, not a story written for me, but it could as well have been.

All the unspoken feelings between Bunter and Peter, that I can just imagine being there in canon. Lovely, understated, and somewhat heart-breaking.

[Twelfth Night]

Title: The First Twelve
Author: thingswithwings
Summary: Viola and Orsino work things out. With additional appearances by Feste, Olivia, and, of course, Cesario.
Pairing: Orsino/Viola
Rating: NC-17

Why?

Orsino and Viola both realise that Cesario is much easier to deal with. Hilariously funny.

[James Bond]

Title: Power of Persuasion
Author: Moofoot ramblinwanderer
Summary: If there's one thing Bond can't stand, it's not knowing all the answers, and that's the one thing that Villiers is betting on most.
Pairing: James Bond/Villiers
Rating: PG-13

Why?

I don't know what's up with the amount of Villiers fic we've got this year, but I approve wholeheartedly. We don't see enough of him in the movie to get a good grip of his character, but I really, really like this interpretation.

I also like a lot Bond's characterisation: a bit uncertain, a lot immature, but growing up and learning.

[Vorkosigan]

Title: The Emperor’s Curve
Author: Yuletide Fairy yuletidefairy
Summary: A Barrayaran Political Science Thesis.
Characters: Gregor Vorbarra, Cordelia Vorkosigan
Rating: PG

Why?

This wasn't written for me, but it could as well have been. A defining moment of Gregor's upbringing, that proves a wonderful hindsight into Gregor's relationship with Cordelia.

[Harry Potter]

Title: Fourteen Fathoms
Author: Vain vain
Summary: Snape discovers something disturbing about Harry and acts . . . like Snape.
Characters: Severus Snape, Harry Potter
Rating: R
Warning: implied child abuse

Why?

Very few Harry-was-abused-physically-by-the-Dursleys stories work, for me, because the situation is often too exaggerated to be believable. Yet here, the writing is very sparse and very little is stated outright, and somehow you imagine much worse horrors than what's said.

I'm not sure that the second person, and especially the switch from second person to third, are the best possible choices, stylistically, but they do work rather well.

A dark fic that will leave a shiver down your spine.

[Harry Potter]

Title: An incompletely edited manuscript, for consideration by the Board
Author: Leni Jess leni_jess
Summary: The Board's last chance to decide whether a biography of Severus Snape (even disguised as a collection of essays) is really a good idea.
Characters: Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Lucius Malfoy, OCs
Rating: PG-13

Why?

One of the oddest, most original fics I've ever read. External point of view is tricky to get right, but this is quite brilliantly done. Three different looks at Snape, framed by a letter from an editor to a publisher (and what brilliant voice does the editor have!)