Snakeling’s Recs

[Torchwood]

Title: Marking Time
Author: The Atropos atropos-too
Summary: In which Ianto is introduced to some of many things to be done with a stopwatch.
Characters: Jack Harkness, Ianto Jones
Rating: PG-13

Why?

This is first a wonderfully detailed exploration of what it means to be a Time Agent. Jack shows to Ianto how to use his "Temporal Hyper-acuity". Even though the story is set at some point between Cyberwoman and Countrycide, and features a Ianto that still hates Jack and resents him, Ianto is able to ignore his feelings to be fascinated by the new world Jack is helping him discover.

I like detailed descriptions of original concepts (magic in HP, and science in DW/TW) and this story certainly delivers.

[Harry Potter]

Title: Learning to Uncurl
Author: Amorette amorettea
Summary: A decade after hostilities are over, Harry finds his Animagus form to be terribly relaxing and since he thinks Snape needs to learn to relax, suggests Snape learn to be an animal as well. Surprises ensue.
Characters: Harry Potter, Severus Snape
Rating: PG

Why?

This fic features Harry and Snape and their Animagus forms; Harry has found great benefits in spending time transformed and he convinces Snape, who never felt comfortable in his Animagus form, to give it a go.

All too often, Animagus forms are seemingly chosen at random, or for potential hilarity value. Nothing like that here: Harry's and Snape's forms are spot-on, and humour, while indeed present, is restrained and perfectly in character.

Delightful, a little gem of a fic. :)

[Harry Potter]

Title: Games of Skill And Chance
Author: snowballjane
Summary: The war is over and Severus Snape has one more term left to work at Hogwarts. How does he end up running the school games club and how will it affect him?
Characters: Snape, Lupin, students OC
Rating: PG

Why?

If you told me that there was a fic where Snape ends up voluntarily running the games club at Hogwarts, I would laugh it off as so OOC as to share only Snape's name. And yet, Snowballjane makes it work, here.

The war is over, Snape was wounded, and is just tired of teaching. While looking for another job, he ends up, almost by accident, founding and running a games club involving students of all four houses (yes, even Gryffindor).

All the characters are believable and well-rounded, especially the kids. At no point do you get torn out of the plot and say, "wait, it would never happen like that." An excellent feel-good story, even though you might get a little teary at the end.

Enjoy :)

[Harry Potter]

Title: Laughter of the Gods
Author: Llama fluffyllama
Summary: On his last day at Hogwarts, Harry makes more than one mistake… but he's not the only one.
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Rating: NC-17
Warning: dubious consent, underage, caning

Why?

See Snape trying to be more clever and Slytherin than Harry. See Snape fail. Utterly :)

Hot and hilarious!

[Harry Potter]

Title: The Civil War series
Author: Sushi wikdsushi
Summary: Snape and Harry find some common ground and a bit of comfort in the process.
Pairing: Severus Snape/Harry Potter
Rating: NC-17
Warning: underage, incest, rape, violence

Why?

Is it necessary to present the Civil War series? You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll never be the same again. I felt wrung out from all the angst, but the end is surprisingly funny and uplifting.

[Torchwood]

Title: The Discovery
Author: kaneko
Summary: Jack and Ianto go on a trip on a Welsh mountain.
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: PG

Why?

A short, funny story, with amusing interaction between Jack and Ianto. Jack's glee and awe are completely infectious.

[Torchwood]

Title: The Only Sound
Author: crystalshard
Summary: Jack comes back to Torchwood, but the year that never was has affected him more deeply than he’s let anyone see yet.
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: PG-13

Why?

One year in captivity at the end of a homicidal maniac has consequences, even to immortals. The fall-out is treated in a very understated way, mostly from Ianto's point of view, perceptive and understanding as he is. A little gem.

[Doctor Who]

Title: What Was Lost

• Past Life
• Cast a Cold Eye
• Farewell to Innocence

Author: wmr wendymr
Summary: After dropping Jack off on another planet after The Doctor Dances, the Doctor and Rose have an unexpected encounter which leads them into an investigation of what was lost.
Pairing: The Doctor (Nine)/Jack Harkness/Rose Tyler
Rating: NC-17

Why?

wmr is my new favourite author: she writes my OT3, writes it skilfully, with wonderful plots and great smut. These stories are among my favourites of hers. They fit seamlessly in canon and are completely true to the characters.

[Torchwood/Doctor Who]

Title: Stuck in Traffic at the Magic Roundabout
Author: xwingace
Summary: The importance of not running into oneself had been drummed into Jack Harkness from the first day in the academy.
Character: Jack Harkness
Rating: PG-13

Why?

This is what time-travel is all about: paradoxes, people running into themselves, and major fuck-ups. Fascinating and convoluted, and the end will blow you away!

[Torchwood]

Title: The Night Starts Here
Author: Asrai asrai99
Summary: In which Ianto Jones goes to Scotland, finds some closure and Jack comes back. Eventually.
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: PG-13

Why?

A Ianto-centric piece, showing Ianto's growth after End of Day, with an excellent grasp of his character. The OCs are all well-rounded and thoroughly enjoyable. Lovely!

[Torchwood]

Title: Adam
Author: invisible-lift
Summary: Ianto has disappeared, but there's someone, or something, left in his place.
Pairing: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Rating: PG-13

Why?

Totally, completely, heart-wrenching. And if the first five parts don't break your heart, the last one will. The ending is happy, mind.

[Torchwood/Doctor Who]

Title: Left Unsaid
Author: Dune seti_drd
Summary: The stories Martha Jones never told the Torchwood team
Characters: Martha Jones, Jack Harkness, the Torchwood Team
Rating: PG

Why?

Powerful stuff. Both Jack and Martha are still suffering from PTSD after the events of Last of the Timelords, and it shows in their interactions. The external POV is very interesting, too.

[Doctor Who]

Title: The Key
Author: jadesfire2808
Summary: Death is not the only constant in Jack’s life.
Characters: Jack Harkness, the Doctor (Ten), Martha Jones
Rating: PG-13
Warning: moderate violence

Why?

Lovely tale, made of little snapshots of Jack's life, showing how few constants he has, and how much evolves around them.

Make sure to snoop around the comments, too, as there are related drabbles hidden in them.

[Doctor Who]

Title: Worlds in Conjunction
Author: Marylane
Summary: The Doctor makes a slight miscalculation.
Pairing: Ten/Rose Tyler
Rating: PG-13

Why?

One of the best fanfics I've ever read. The plot is tightly held together, the characters are captured perfectly, and if it doesn't make you cry or at least mist up, I'll eat my hat.

[Doctor Who]

Title: Second Chances
Author: Caz the hobbit cazthehobbit
Summary: Jack’s waited a hundred years for the Doctor to say sorry.
Pairing: Ten/Jack Harkness
Rating: PG-13

Why?

There was some unfinished business at the end of The Last of the Time Lords, and Caz shows us the fallout beautifully. The writing is very restrained, and lovely.

[Harry Potter]

Title: The Tao of Diogenes
Author: The Treacle Tart thetreacletart
Summary: The war is finally over and two veterans meet again... for the very first time.
Pairing: Severus Snape/Ron Weasley
Rating: R

Why?

Put two very headstrong men, scarred physically and emotionally by the war, in a situation neither can escape, shake well, and observe the results. Always a favourite plot of mine, especially when it's handled brillantly, like here.

Keep in mind that it was written pre-HBP, so the characterisations might seem a bit off.

[Vorkosigan/Doctor Who]

Title: Two To Make Peace
Author: Kathryn Andersen kerravonsen
Summary: “It takes one to make war, and two to make peace.”
Characters: Miles Vorkosigan, the Doctor
Rating: PG

Why?

Although it helps to have a general idea what Doctor Who is about, it's not necessary to be familiar with the actual show, which helped in my decision to choose to read this story.

Miles' voice was spot on, and from the little I've seen of DW, so was the Doctor's. Very enjoyable story.

[Vorkosigan/New Battlestar Galactica]

Title: Ekphugion
Author: Shaye fourteenlines
Summary: Success isn't how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started. - Greek proverb
Characters: Aral Vorkosigan, Cordelia Vorkosigan, Miles Vorkosigan, Ivan Vorpatril, Gregor Vorbarra, Lee 'Apollo' Adama, William Adama, Laura Roslin, Kara 'Starbuck' Thrace, Sharon 'Boomer' Valerii
Rating: PG-13

Why?

Under Shaye's talented pen, the Vorkosigan and the BSG universe mesh wonderfully. She confronts the characters from both shows, pitting their characterisations subtly. I just wish she could have written more.

[Harry Potter]

Title: Surprised by Harry
Author: RaeWhit joanwilder
Summary: Severus Snape has always thought himself rather immune to surprise. Until one night under an enchanting moon of August, a chance encounter with Harry Potter sets him up for the biggest surprise of his life.
Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape
Rating: NC-17
Warning: rimming

Why?

I like stories when Harry and Severus don't do anything to fall in love. It just happens, and one day they wake up and they've been sleeping together and living together and planning holidays together, and they just are. But acceptance does not mean forgiveness, and the course of true love never did run smooth ;)