Gold discovered on Monday, September 26, 2005

I've let this sit for too long in the interest of not incurring the ire of the 'scaper fandom. But, hell, I'm tired of using my bookmarks, and they are getting WAY out of hand anyway... coming... well, fuck if I know, but something cool.

Gold discovered on Monday, June 1, 2003

Little bit of catch up, then back to work tomorrow. Must reads...

The Scientific Method, by Lenore ::NC17-m/m::
Just too damn funny. Got to add Lenore's journal and/or fic page to the links. I need to reread everything to determine exactly why I adore this writer's style so much. Is it simply the story telling style, the absolutely perfect dashes of humor? What? Whatever it is, it makes Lenore a must read author. Hm. Might be the characterization and character interactons. You just look and them and sigh and grin and otherwise behave completely silly considering these are fictional characters and all. Uh. Sequel to "Asset Management" recc'd on May 22, 2003.

Oh, bitchin'! Finally found Zahra's website. Very purty. Nicely prolific author who writes incredible stories! Big thanks to webdesigners Lar and Kassie! Yes. Read 'em all! Newest; "A Christmas Tale, v. 2.0", is not included yet, but it just went up today at SSA. Read it too. Oh sweet, sweet clexiness.

Gotham Underground, by Dana ::NC17-m/m::
Gotta keep track of all those stories with Bruce Wayne. Oh yeah. This universe has way too many sexy men. Dana gives us a great action story that moves at a nice clip. I'll definitely want to read this again.

Roots, by Kirsten Sea ::PG13::
Just a downright pretty story, right up there with Kitty Fisher's, Mint ::NC17-m/m::.

Gold discovered on Friday, May 22, 2003

Asset Management, by Lenore ::NC17-m/m::
Oh my. Too funny. Like the summary says: Size matters. But not always. Hm. Men can be so pragmatic, and so incredibly hot, all at the same time. It's amusing.

Gold discovered on Friday, May 16, 2003

A Life Less Invulnerable, by RivkaT ::NC17-M/M::
I admit it. RivkaT. One of my favorites. Stories are always well crafted, words, like gems, plot out the ah... plot everywhere, excitement, action, danger! Whoo hoo! RivkaT has one-uped him or herself with this wonderful piece. I found myself thinking, 'uh, what the hell? I mean... this is pretty and all, and incredibly hot... but what the hell is going on? This isn't RivkaT's MO. There's a blandness, it's not right, too one dimensional (insert much Ally whimpering and whining). My eyes kept darting over to the scroll bar just to reassure myself there had to be something more to the story than a couple of hot bodies going at it. I summarily thwap self for ever doubting. Love it when the author lays a trap and I fall right in. Better than average—heh. Oh yeah. Hey! This is my feedback. Get yer own. *g*

Gold discovered on Monday, May 12, 2003

Something a bit new that may come to nothing. Gotta hunt down my favorites amongst the categories.

Favorite ep related —Post-Jitters:

Seize, by mako ::PG13::

Favorite Fluff:

Monopoly Logic, by zahra ::PG::

Gold discovered on Sunday, April 27, 2003

Quartered: Subversion in Four Movements, by Jenn ::R::
Challenge!Fic subverting cannon in four parts. The first is my favorite, setting up so many interesting parallels and creating a desire to know just how this particular subversion came about, although Lionel; certainly not above trading damaged goods for something more pristine. The second creating new and interesting possibilities for a cruelly underused character. The second subverts in a strong way; what if Auntie Nell didn't want to be bothered--although she is already painted in canon as a self-motivated gal, and finally a creepy glimpse of a future for Red!Clark.

The Heart of the Matter, by myownspecialself ::R::

Taking the lamest power in Superman's bag of tricks and making it work as pillowtalk. Warm and funny. But I'll never forgive or forget Jerry and Joel for pulling that particular rabbit out of their hat.

Sparks, by jenn and prufrock ::NC17::
You know it's great when you read it for the third time in a week and it's still incredibly good, still incredibly hot. Good golly, these girls are good. I keep wanting to say that nobody does Clark's first person like jenn, but we'd have to do some research on that 'cause we think there are at least one or two others who also have a great, ahem, handle on the character. Jenn's Clark is smart, sexy, incredibly hot and occasionally just so sweetly clueless. Stumbling around in the dark with a big ol' flashlight. Jenn's Clark sees Lex through a daze of glossy mystery and he lusts deeply, hungrily. Yes. Very hot. Jenn's Clark's Lex is "eye-candy". Oh yeah.

Gold discovered on Monday, March 31, 2003

Vigil, by aelita ::G::
Some things are easy to learn but impossible to forget. Is that beautiful, or what? Inspired baby!fic that comes with much more than a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Four Hours, Last Summer, by Hope ::PG::
Even emperors have to get their licenses renewed.

The Indestructable Truth, by Lenore ::::
So beautiful you simply have to weep. And not just because the author plays the old heartstrings like a master either. It's helpful to read the prequel to this story, Seduction ::NC17:: to get some relevant history. While Seduction was heartbreaking, this one is romantically heartbreaking. Also, parents with young adults should find Seduction enlightening, there's a lot of truth in it-enough to make you horribly paranoid. Anyway, loved this one. Definitely a rereader. Kleenex required. I really like this author.

Flirt, by Te ::NC17::
Purported by the author to be 'just PWP', but Te's way with crafting sentences, paragraphs, stories, it's all 'just fine art'. Observe.

"And for a moment, Clark thinks Lex is going to say... something. Something final and irrevocable in the guise of their teasing, but Lex just visibly relaxes himself and smiles a much gentler version of his usual. The smile of a shark that would only eat you because you were delicious, as opposed to simply eating you. There was a difference."

Gold discovered on Saturday, March 15, 2003

Wow, I wish I could squee and stuff like that, but the BBQ isn't a squee toy. Maybe our squee got mauled by a puppy and now there's just ragged plastic edges where our squee used to be, but I digress. This one. Very squee worthy; quite unique. zahra magic.

The Good Will Out, by zahra ::G::
The truth ambushes Lex in the Kent's barn. Lexian truth that is. Sniplet: "The truth is fucking with Lex's self-esteem." The truth catches Clark Kent out in a storm. Sniplet: "The truth is even stronger than Clark Kent. It can't be contained."

Lost Boy, by Erika ::G::
Too cute. The one where Lex, through an unknown plot device, gets turned into a 5 year old; Clark gets a little brother for a while. Absolutely adorable.

Switch: A Comedy of Terrors, by RivkaT ::G::
More bizarre SV stuff as Clark and Lex get to walk a mile in each other's shoes when kryptonite and lightening combine to give them both a 'mild' shock.

The Restorative Properties of Viscum Album, by Hope ::G::
Clever character interaction between Clark and Chloe. I love the side of Chloe, the one that's analytical and always trying to find a subversive reason to justify everything. Maybe that's why she won't give up on Clark.

Groundwork, by LanningCook ::PG13::
The newest installment in the Identical series. God, I'm a greedy person. Planning on saving this to slowly savor, birthday pressie to self. Then we saw it posted and couldn't help ourselves. Swalled whole. Yummy!

   Gold discovered on Friday, February 21, 2003

THE GREEN FAIRY, by Hope ::R::
Drug induced hypno-tale with a Lexian twist. Lovely.

   Gold discovered on Monday, February 17, 2003

Three Impossible Things, by Jenn ::NC17::

I could easily say that I adore everything this author writes, that I'm always captivated, enthralled, enmeshed, in her words. And truly, that wouldn't be a lie. The Author's Home Page at Illuminated Text: Indulgence

IN THE ABSENCE, by Jenn ::NC17::
Contains scenes of explicit fraternal incest.

So. Why is Ally recc'ing it when the majority won't or can't read it? Well, 1. Jenn. Normally I'd say no more, but… 2. While the erotica is disturbing because of the pairing, the bulk of the story told is a painful examination of the choices made possible by people who are raised in the absence of love, or any other emotionally based doctrine. I found it painful in the extreme, and a valid examination of a couple of highly messed up sibs.

THREE FAIRYTALES OF SMALLVILLE, by Koi ::R::
Inspired by Five Things That Aren't True, and a bit of gratuitous prompting from Te, we get Three Things That Aren't True. Three short vignettes that use the characters and bizarre twists of canon that produce highly enjoyable tidbits that would otherwise never see the light of day. Excellent stuff. My particular favorite is the first out the gate: Julian.

IMMUNITY, by Bren Antrim ::R::
Rated R for language and a bit of horseplay between the boys. This is a short followup to S2's "Heat" that provides a plausible and engaging segue to Clex.

I'm addicted to a clever turn of phrase. They make me linger in a paragraph and just admire the mind that can produce things like that. Here's my latest love.

OBSESSIONS, by Henry Jones, Jr. ::PG::
"Clark tucked his grin behind a stoic mask". I just love that. I've read, probably, all of what's available from Mr. Jones and I gotta say. Uh, wow. This particular gem is a wealth of giggles and makes me go, 'awww' at the end.

AND UNDER STARS, by Brighid ::PG::
A recc shamelessly stolen from Jenn, who, btb, has exquisite taste in fic as well as so much writing talent it should be illegal. And, frankly, I'd happily recc everything available from Brighid, she wields the romance angle with a sweet, angsty edge. Rarely rising to the level of an R rating, mostly PG to PG13. Read and enjoy, this is beautiful stuff.

And in the completely guilty pleasure zone, I'm addicted to Rhiannon's Orbiting Series. Been reading it for a few months now, and yes, sad but true, we actually make time to read installments in the story. And don't give us that look! Each installment stands on it's own; kinda like a lifetime series. Snapshots of a life together in really BIG chunks. And she writes erotica like nobody's business too; little too big on the Lex bashing, but we love to bruise the sweet boy from time to time too. The series in order so far: 101 Ways to say I Love You or, How To Ruin Everything, Constellations, Walmart, Seventeen, Tomorrowland and Amplified Heart (one of my favorite parts), thence Particle by Particle, and Blueprints, brings the story up to date but not complete. With luck, it'll never be complete. *g* Please bear in mind that this story is almost pure romantic fluff. Sure, they have their problems, like any couple… well, almost any couple, given one's a superpowered alien and the other is a gazillionaire and very, very yummy, but mostly... pure romantic fluff. Love it.

For some added bite to the Orbiting Series, Nerodi added a side vignette to give a little insight to a moment in Seventeen. Do not tread casually into this sidebar story as it deals with serious, unsettling issues. It is rated NC17. Here's the author's warning verbatim: Author's Notes: This story is categorized as non-con (non-consensual). If you do not know what that term means, you should not read this story. If you cannot handle non-con fiction, you should not read this story. I kid you not. This story contains graphic violence and non-consensual sex. You have been warned. So, armed with foreknowledge that what you are about to read will be disturbing, and that you are 18 or older, here's the link.

To top it off, the damn thing is being written out of order. We're asked to blame the plot bunnies. They can be unpredictable. 101 Ways was written after Tomorrowland and Amplified Heart and inserted as a sequel. After Particle by Particle the bunnies for Constellations, Seventeen and WalMart stopped by and parked themselves in between 101 Ways and Tomorrowland. Go Figure. The, ah, stories are interlaced with references to other stories, so for complete enjoyment you have to read the whole freakin' thing. *g*

   Gold discovered on Friday, January 24, 2003

I AM THE CHEESE, by Bexless ::R::
Oy! *gigglesnort* I just loved this one. Long comedic vignette based entirely on character interaction, and the humor really works. I'm wondering if that thing about the cheese is true, or what. Too time consuming to research. Good thing I don't really like swiss cheese.

STANDING IN THE COMMON SPACES, by jenn ::NC17/Slash::
I swear. I don't know how she does it. Another enormously plotty piece that switches between future fic and sometime after Heat. AU of course. Non-linear, so hang onto your seats as the switches are abrupt but sublime. This one finally proves that it's just Lex that makes it for me 'cause this one's mostly Peter Parker (aka Spiderman)/Lex Luthor with a dash of Superman for flavor. Impressive read. Jenn needs betas with spelling and english comprehension chops. Those tiny little glitches are really starting to chafe.

Somewhere I Have Never Travelled, by jenn ::NC17/Slash::
This is an awesome tale that we've been reading since it first went up 'in progress' and we absolutely love every word. Not sure if it's most important that it just makes sense, that the characters act exactly as they should as depicted by the author and are utterly engaging. The erotica is intense. Jenn can blow your mind.

   Gold discovered on Monday, January 20, 2003

ANGEL, by WD Hawthorne ::PG13::
Nothing I love more than a kick ass author who gets sucked into a new fandom. It's sort of a cliche fic, but Ally's a sap who can't get enough so… and, who knew winters in Kansas could be so nice? More of that awesome romance Smallville ficcers do so unbelievably well.

   Gold discovered on Thursday, January 09, 2003

Uh, re: Freshman Orientation. How does Punk DO that? And, why can't Punk write the scripts for the show? Why can't Punk come and write for me personally so I'll have a nice little Punk tale everyday after work? Huh? Is life fair or not?! That is characterization to DIE for!

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, January 07, 2003

FRESHMAN ORIENTATION, by Punk ::NC17/slash::
Eeeeeeeee! Or, ahem. Very excited. See. We learn quickly. Gotta read. Now.

Punk writes lines that make me go, "Ah!" in a really good way. Absolutely gorgeous prose. Not as throughly beta'd a I've come to expect from someone who obviously cares about what gets out there, but that's just us. Meticulously picky. hehe. We wonder if Punk would like one of our "it's not then, it's than" emails. hehe

Taste this: "Lex's tongue can tie him in knots and his eyes can undo him and Clark wants Lex so bad that he sometimes forgets he has him."

Mm. Gorgeous. God, I could excerpt this one to death... just one last taste: "Lex stretches out next to him, places a hand flat on his chest. Lex is in love even if he doesn't know it. Clark will tell him one day. He'll explain that this is love, that it's deep and powerful and doesn't mean a thing. It's just a word, and there whether named or not."

And, oh damn, make me cry and laugh and all that in between. Hm. Probably email time. Crap. Don'tcha just hate it when an author 'makes' you write an email? *whine*

   Gold discovered on Sunday, January 05, 2003

RUAT CAELUM, by RivkaT ::NC17::
Snivel. One of those future fic things without an altogether happy ending. It's our inner masochist that likes this kind of fic. Watch out and don't get concussed by the completely valid social commentary.

SMOKE AND MIRRORS, by Celli Lane ::PG::
Looks a bit like a two part vignette... first part Smoke, which could pass for that Lex/inanimate object that Maayan was looking for, and Mirrors; Lionel explores the limits of his world.

BALANCE, by Lenore ::PG13::
Plottish gem/character study. An examination of parental relationships. For Lex, nothing is ever simple.

YELLOW, by RivkaT
Future Fic; plot, action, romance, tragedy! Exceedingly well defined characterizations, excellent dialogue. Story development and pacing are all devine. Author is much too talented for my own good. Yum. All around lovely story.

IT CAME JUST THE SAME, by LanningCook ::G::
Self-described 'shameless schmoop' and Christmas schmoop at that. Ally's pretty much schmoop proof when it comes to these guys and Lanning never disappoints. This one comes with touches of angst and teasers from the 'Identical' Universe, with plenty of giggles and warm fuzzies to go along.

THAT OLD SCHIZOPHRENIC JEALOUSY, by Lenore ::R/Slash::
Like Ally could say 'no' to that title. Second person POV (Clark), beautifully rendered. The title says it all. A taste to whet the appetite: When you hang up, you think spitefully: *See? She's my mother, calling to check on me. Superman doesn't even have a phone.*

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, December 10, 2002

If you hang around for long enough, you'll notice I have a habit of rec'ing the same fics over and over. This time it's jenn's turn (Smallville jenn). Okay, I may be a sap but I love this story.

There is magic in Jenn's, SLEEP WHILE I DRIVE ::NC17::. The pace of the writing sinks into the body and carries you along. The story has a frelling temperature; warm and somnolent; hot and frentic; cooly romantic; love expressed crisp and clear. This is one to read and read and read, and then read some more. There's nothing I've ever read that has woven such an elegant thematic tapestry. And bonus, the thing has the best opening line ever.

REBOUND, by Celli Lane ::R::
This one demonstrates the allure of Lex pretty damn straight forwardly (if that's a word), right down to the tiny plot detail that 'Lex must sleep with any red headed female in his immediate vicinity' in accordance with The Smallville Bible^tm.

And speaking of jenn, brand new a sort of coda to A HANDFUL OF DUST ::NC17::', she gives us CALM IN THE HOUSE ::NC17::. You'll have a sense that you're missing something if you read this before reading AHoD, but it's not really necessary as the author classifies the story as 'cuddle fic'.

   Gold discovered on Monday, December 09, 2002

DO NOT PASS GO, by Hope ::NC17/Slash::
Oy, uh. Lovely erotica. Lex is a beautiful painting. I've mentioned how much I love Hope's writing, right?

A CONVERSATION IN THE SNOW, by zahra ::PG::
Character study. Sweetly uncomplicated.

PUKE, by ren ::PG13::
It's the way the words draw a picture. Plus, kind of a 'scape thing that made me giggle.

FAR FROM ATLANTIS, by Hope ::PG13::
Have I mentioned that Smallville fanfic bears little or no reality to the show itself? Just borrows a bit of the plot and makes it better. This one's more Halloween fun, and there must be some kind of 'kilt' challenge out there, Lex and/or Clark seem to be wearing them an awful lot lately. Hope's delicious.

LILAH'S COFFIN, by durendal ::PG::
The author lists it as drama, but I laughed myself silly throughout.

   Gold discovered on Monday, December 02, 2002

Another installment in the Two Paths AU story. jenn's NO STEP HAD TRODDEN BLACK ::NC17/Slash::, is absolutely punishing, matching well in tone with the earlier parts. It's always darkest before the dawn, however, in fanfic, the BBQ has learned not to expect the dawn.

   Gold discovered on Sunday, December 01, 2002

COMIC BOOKS MAKE YOU GAY, AND OTHER SUBVERSIVE THOUGHTS, by zahra ::PG13/Slash::
Uh-oh, continuity error. The author has Devilicus plotting against Warrior Angel in issue #48, when we now know that Devilicus didn't turn against Warrior Angel until Issue #66. This could be a problem. hehe. I quote:

"Lex loves his comic books. He has a relationship with them that is mutually beneficial and right, and platonic. It's all very platonic, and Lex can't say that about much, but his comic books have been with him for as long as he can remember."

God, I love this author. Getting down to the details and making them sing. *sigh*

   Gold discovered on Friday, November 08, 2002

Lalique, by ingrid ::PG13::
Following the events of Nocturne and Lineage, here's a nice bunny on the complexities of relationships, and frankly if it weren't Lionel and Lex we're talking about here, I wouldn't be as worried about what that means for Martha Kent. Achingly sweet and dark allll at the same time.

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, November 05, 2002

Urban Legend, by ingrid ::R::
Tickled my fancy. Humor is supposed to make you laugh. *g*

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, October 29, 2002

Snow, Poets, Rum and Love, by Mako ::PG13/Slash::
More of that gorgeous SV romance. This one is my favorite Mako story. Read in order, all of Mako's stories reveal a developing writer whose style and imagery just gets better and better as you go along. I just prop my chin in hand and watch them, a goofy smile on my face.

First Aid, by Henry Jones, Jr. ::PG/Slash::
Henry Jones is also amazingly good at the romance. This one's just a short vignette, but contains one of the best kisses ever put to paper. The imagery is intense. Don't deprive yourself of the author's other works.

   Gold discovered on Thursday, October 24, 2002

In a Yellow Wood, by jenn ::PG13::
Mm, jenn. A butterfly flaps it's wings and reality branches off from a moment in time. Beautiful story, beautifully crafted, breathtaking imagery, a vortex of emotion. Gawd, I love this author! Spoilers for Vortex, sorta.

SHIFT.perspective, by Te ::NC17::
Technically, we love porn. Lemme amend that and say we love very good porn. Well executed porn. Porn that goes to paper without a speck of naivete, and with, please God, just a bit of plot, or even just interesting style choices. Te is excellent at the style choices.

Trifecta alert, and oh, lovely the way the POV shifts among the trio. Just love that. Very good porn and a lovely stylistic choice to go with. Plus, I like the way she makes me giggle.

   Gold discovered on Friday, October 18, 2002

Rules of Blue, by Thamaris ::NC17/Slash/FutureFic::
I may have recc'd this one already, but it's going on my 'must read' list. The story is complex with plenty of twists and turns in the plot. I'd like to ask more from a Beta 'cause that just annoys me from time to time, but the writing more than makes up for the occassional goofball slips. Metaphors are sparkling and sharp taking me from warm smiles to the heat of vicarious lust. Thamaris reaches inside with words and just twists your heart until you feel the hot sting of tears. Lovely story.

   Gold discovered on Monday, October 14, 2002

Defects Prove Commodities, by Sara T ::PG::
In the aftermath of Duplicity (Ep 2:03), Sara T gives us a series of tiny looks at Lionel, coming to grips with his remaining senses. The story plays off a somewhat hacknied moment in the ep when Lex states that his father's doctor had indicated that Lionel's 'other senses' were compensating for his loss of sight—and SaraT makes 'hacknied' a beautiful word; and the other, that poigniant moment in the tag when Lionel reached out, touched his son, and Lex didn't evade the contact. Lyrical, beautiful, a joy to read.

Everlast, by paperbkrytr ::R::
Future fic. I wept like a baby. *snif* It raked me over the coals pretty bad so I know I'm gonna want to read it again.

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, October 08, 2002

The Off Season, by livia ::G::
A short story gone a bit AU after the events of Vortex, but I love it. Great character study of the friendship/relationship and that supersized guilt trip Clark struggles with every day.

Divergence, by Lanning Cook ::PG13::
Okay, this one I've read three times now and I've finally gotten around to recc'ing it. Once you can get your mind wrapped around the key plot device that drives the story you can really get down to appreciating this nicely woven tale. The POV shifts between the main four characters and they are very nicely done, plus an original character to die for, so finely developed I could see and hear him in my head. And as an added bonus, here's one of the few authors who knows that 'Damn it' is two words. *the BBQ grins; smugly triumphant*

This may sound a bit odd, but you may want to read Common Ground first and then read Divergence. Accidentally, that's the way I read it and I think it helped me appreciate the story more. This story is completely AU from the series. It's a little UR of it's own. But once you get started, you definitely want to finish the story…

Lord of the Flies, by Lanning Cook ::G::
A short sequel to Divergence.

Common Ground, by Lanning Cook ::R::
The story begun in Divergence continues in Common Ground. Same reasons for reading.

Identical, by Lanning Cook ::G::
Another short bit that finishes off the series. So far.

Here's another for my 'why'd I get so lucky' list:

Psyche's Candle, by Basingstoke ::R:: "Lex is ravenous."
First: Oy, can you handle that pseudonym? Totally cool. Second: Uh, wow. This is an incredible post VORTEX story (EP 2:01), reasonably examining the events from Lex's POV (In that sweetly subtexty 'Lex loves Clark' way), the metaphor tangling with emotion so that we know he feels without crumbling over into dramatic angst-o-rama. God love Basingstoke!

   Gold discovered on Wednesday, October 02, 2002

Alone Together, by Alax ::NC17::
I admit, had a tough time recc'ing this one because I felt horribly manipulated, as it's an AU/deathfic (sorta) story, but on second read I couldn't help but be captivated by the narrative exposure that so carefully, throughly and painfully examines the mechanics of grief. Hey, any fic that can make me cry 'during' the sex is something special.

Needful Things, by Hope ::G::
This is what friends are for. Gotta love that subtext tho. Hope's a genius with the language, and we're very partial to the banter as well. Love the banter.

Jenn reminds me how much I loved a fic, but wrestled with the recc because I actually saw Urban Legend [Michael was brilliant but the writer/director didn't make me believe he deserved to be killed by the insane wacko--and the fate of Hootie--that was just plain mean]. All that notwithstanding, the fic itself is oh so gorgeous, sweet and funny, but I kept sniveling about the dog, and Thamaris made Parker much more obnoxious than he really was [hehe]! Eh. Hell with it, here's the recc, in Jenn's words 'cause hers are so much better! Thanks Jenn:

How to Lose Your Virginity and Other Old Tricks, by Thamiris ::NC17::
"Did you read Thamiris's How to Lose Your Virginity and Other Old Tricks? I did, and I'm glad. As a rule, I avoid crossovers, and this one, with its two different MR [Michael Rosenbaum aka 'Lex'] roles, is just that much weirder, but the second half (okay, the sex half, but still) is really quite nice--somehow, once Parker gets out of the picture and it's just Clark and Lex, the writing gets much less frenetic and more poetic, with some lovely recurring metaphors.

"Lex's skin is like water against his tongue, and Clark wants to drink it." Then, "Lex... freezes like he's a river in winter."

And, you know, happy ending!"

Ahmet, Jenn. (Although, in retrospect, the happy ending part is a bit dicey)

   Gold discovered on Monday, September 30, 2002

No Particular Night or Morning, by The Spike ::NC17::
I believe I've made it clear that I prefer the sweetly romantic stuff in this fandom, but the darkfic tantalizes as well, especially when it's this well done. A short and bitter tale where the melancholy is tangible enough to be served for dessert.

This Year's Love: A Heap of Broken Images, by zahra ::PG::
More of that romantic fluff, all told from Lex's POV. A year in the life. Tiny vignettes strung together like pearls. And, oh dear, this one is gonna make you want to watch the eps you've missed. Sorry.

And rats, score another for the AU/future/darkfic, damn it.

Gold, by RachelRhiannon ::NC17::
Fairy tales can come true. But often they don't? I hate this one. It's lovely.

Patron, by Pearl-o ::PG::
This one's perfect Smallville, complete with mutant-o-the-week. Quirky and funny with just a smidge of romance, plus that perfect moment you hope is coming where the proverbial truth comes out. Oy, this one reminds me of the one with the giant chicken. Gotta find that one and recc it here. Loved it.

   Gold discovered on Sunday, September 22, 2002

Random Walks of Life, by zahra ::PG::
A favorite of mine, zahra puts together a nice character play and z's Lex always seems more tightly wound than would be good for the average human. That brain, never letting up. Post 'Tempest', the S1 finale.

From the author of the incredibly romantic and flavorful Sleep While I Drive ::NC17::, jenn strikes again with The Autumn People ::NC17::
Chloe fic. The only secondary character with even vague promise IMHO. This fic reversing the premise of SWID, not allowing for the happy endings I so prefer in this fandom, but Lex is delicious.

Red Seven, by Hope ::NC17::
God. I never knew pool could be so beautiful.

Bells and a Siren, by HYPERfocused ::R::
Off-hand I can't think why this one needs an R rating, I liked it because it's another story that shows how lives change in a moment. I think that the style used in Sara T's There Will Be Time (recc'd way back on August 30th) works much better, but in this one you also get a nice recap of all the other defining moments for the character up to that point. Nice way to get caught up if you can see S2 but didn't see S1.

Oh, cool. I love cruising blogs 'cause you can usually turn up something tasty. A bit of SV fic in progress by Shrift, Clark/Lex goofy futurefic… I'd give this part about a G for boyish goofyness. It's workin'! I can't link to the archive for the entry so just scroll down the page a bit to September 18, 2002.

   Gold discovered on Sunday, September 15, 2002

Nothing new, much, as I've read this before, but a friend reminds me of how much I loved this story. Redesign on the author's Smallville fic page is a grin a minute, plus there's a tiny little discard bit from the story that made me laugh. Man, I love this thing. It's a banquet of a story.

Interstitial, by Punk ::NC17::

And the discard bit from Interstitial, gives you a nice G rated taste of the author's skill.

Leftovers, by Punk ::G::

   Gold discovered on Saturday, September 14, 2002

Don't Cry, by xovereau ::PG13::
Categorized as humor by the author and actually qualifies. Humor is likely the toughest category to make real, and for me the author scores a hit as I laughed many times through the story which is also sweet and tender.

   Gold discovered on Friday, September 13, 2002

Marry Into The Family, by Julad ::NR::
Love this. Style is non-liniar liniar. Incredible. My head spins just thinking how the author made it work. And happy, happy, as an added bonus, got an Ally kink - happy Lex. Not rated by the author, but it certainly doesn't rise above PG.

You Get Fries With That, by Caroline Baker ::NC17::
And here's that little gem that I told orchid about with the great quotes I couldn't use 'cause they were all... well, NC17 rated. My favorite having something to do with Chicken McNuggets. Hysterical. I love Caroline's stuff.

   Gold discovered on Wednesday, September 04, 2002

The Martinelli Affair, by Linda Seaton ::PG::
Wonderfully funny, excellent dialogue, divine characterization; but you don't even have to watch Smallville to get many laughs from this short fic. Safe for family consumption. Lex, Chloe and a bottle of Martinelli's. The author has two other short stories at Fanfic.net, each one a charming character study with biting dialogue.

Another Such Victory, by Vehemently ::G::
Seems like we're finally getting a lot of post Tempest fic and this one is quite good. Of course I'm facinated because of the perfect way the author reveals just how disturbed and possibly dangerous Lex is. Although, you know, not his fault! The rest of the reason why this one is here is because I couldn't read the first part of the first sentence without erupting into giggles — took me three tries to read the rest of the story. And it's not necessarily a funny story. Very skilled author. Have to search for more.

   Gold discovered on Saturday, August 31, 2002

mmm... grailfic... Unholy Ground. Only four stories, but each one a treasure. Two NC17s, two Rs, all slash, all incredible. Oh, and Immortality will break your heart. Heed the warnings my pretties.

   Gold discovered on Friday, August 30, 2002

There Will Be Time, by Sara T. ::PG13::
Ah, another of those lovely second person pov fics. Love it when there is a purpose for it and that purpose serves the story in a unique way.

   Gold discovered on Wednesday, August 28, 2002

Mint, by Kitty Fisher. ::Rated NC17::
Awhile back orchidcactus posted a tiny vignette from life and brought a particular summer day to vivid reality. Kitty Fisher does the same here in this short SV vignette, lush with the flavors of life.

   Gold discovered on Sunday, August 25, 2002

The Stranger's Always You, by Basingstoke ::G::
If I had a choice, this is the way it would go.

The Presence of Fire, by RivkaT (RivkaT@aol.com)
When you come into the presence of a leader of men, you know you have come into the presence of fire; that it is best not incautiously to touch that man; that there is something that makes it dangerous to cross him. — Woodrow Wilson

OooOOooo! Action, adventure, attempted murder. *g* Okay. I loved this one. What can I say? Authors that can make me laugh and make me so tense my spine pops—all in the same story—are worth more than Gold. Plus... plot and stuff. Rated PG13. Enjoy. Feedback is the food of the gods.

   Gold discovered on Friday, August 23, 2002

We've read a massive sampling of Smallville fanfic over the past two months, enough to say with relative certainty that Jenn is probably our favorite in that fandom. Is that... ironic? Jenn's writing is massive, sweeping, deep and flavorful. Ally loves a good long... read. Heh. Bonus.

The Wasteland, by Jenn ::NC-17::
In the land of Farscape Fic, Jen entrances Ally with a tale with a POV that serves the story in ... interesting ways. Short and sweet. And remember; feedback promotes creativity.

   Gold discovered on Thursday, August 22, 2002

Summer Wine, by Wendi
Last night I was talking to a friend about the romance inherent in SV Fanfic, and here is a small sampling. Short vignette. Clark and Lex on a slow summer day.

   Gold discovered on Thursday, August 15, 2002

Interval In Sunlight, by valentine ::PG::
This—I'll want to read again, once I recover. Is there such a thing as 'rip your heart out and stomp on it' fic? Short, exquisitely painful, but beautiful... so it all evens out.

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, August 13, 2002

Vigil, by Jayne Leitch ::PG::
There's more to a coin than the two sides. Tight and intense character study, Lex and Lionel post Tempest [spoilers]. The all consuming question... is Lionel a goner? Heh.

Cool, by Ruby ::G::
Smallville fic is characterized by warm good humor and Ruby has a nice warmly comic touch in this narrative. A lovely little vignette/character study, I giggled through most of it. Sweetly romantic. See, we're sappy. Yeah.

   Gold discovered on Sunday, August 11, 2002

Breathing Water, by Shrift ::PG13::
Crap. Where'd the words go? Gosh, I suppose I'll have to read it again to put something here. Poor Ally. *g*

   Gold discovered on Tuesday, August 06, 2002

Had a recc but let it go. Long, long, journey. You 'could' say, a nearly plotless character ramble, but the characterization... painfully sublime. Yesterday, I wrote about three paragraphs on why you should read it despite it not being tied up in a neat little package; no closure provided by a red stamp in big block letters. Then I thought, 'god, they'll hate this!' So, deleted it all, not gonna recc it, uh-uh. 24 hours later and no 'scape fic to soothe me, I think, 'Ah, frell it'. I loved this story, many, many words; so bleak at the beginning but growing lighter and lighter, the evolution lovely, nearly blinding to behold. Guaranteed tho. You'll. hate. this. story. ('cause of the whole getting held out over a long drop and just.let.go. thing). I found closure in the story for myself; there are plenty of hints dropped by the author, but unless you can find them. Well. Hate it. You'll hate this story. Promise. *g*

Interstitial, by Punk ::NC17::
Smiled, laughed, worried, wondered. And, well, you know me. I love the words.

Okay, I may be nuts, but this was just too hysterically funny to not share.

Metropolis Confidential, by Hope ::PG::
* 'Here's some advice for you- never stand between a dolly and her dream house, you could lose an eye that way.' *


Like I said: Hysterical. *snort* And, uh, word of advice. If you value your sensitive electronics... no drinking while reading.

   Gold discovered on Monday, August 05, 2002

Hope provides proof positive that it sucks being the savior of the planet. Sucks worse to love one.

In A Season Of Calm Weather, by Hope ::PG13/FutureFic::

Almost nailed why I'm so drawn to SV fic. I'm, man, almost positive it's because of the characterization. So many, mm, similarities to the 'scape character dynamic. Compelling, magnetic, powerfully drawn main protagonists; with tantalizing hints of potential antagonism. My particular favorite, and 'yes' you gotta have one, is Lex. Like diamonds; hard, deeply faceted, edges that cut. Oh yeah. Yum. All this plus similar driving forces-- fate, destiny, karma, secrets and lies, and hope. What's not to love?

SV fanfic is jammed with writing, good; bad; and indifferent with a modicum of great and a smidge of GAH! It's like learning to swim all over again. And the good, and there is quite a bit of it, does all the things good writing is supposed to do: makes you think, makes you feel, makes you read more, makes you read differently.

Although, I guess the main weakness is probably that the SV women are a little too dumb for my taste. Sexy, sweet, pretty as hell, but ... not too smart. Ah, well. It's not a prefect world. *snort*

Sleep While I Drive, by Jenn ::NC17::
The opening line: 'There's a car curled up like a sleeping cat outside the barn.', wonderfully sets the tone for a lovely journey, and like Clark I kept pushing 'Where are we going?', until, like him, I just relaxed into it and enjoyed. An oh so lovely journey. Many, many words. Read it for the second time today. Very happy.

Spin, by Jenn
Lovely, and nicely brief, character piece. Lex and Lionel are both intense here, odd look at the tree from whence the acorn fell.

   Gold discovered on Saturday, August 03, 2002

Te, our personal crown jewel of smart and sexy writing, entertains us beyond words to adequately describe, otherwise, hell, that damn email would already be written wouldn't it?

Robyn reminds us of Te's 'The Project', and I did adore The Project, Lex is such a predator going into the story and the evolution that has him falling into his own trap— too sweet. But, hey, could easily recommend… highly recommend… very highly recommend, anything by the author. Finished rereading Deep Throat today and nearly aspirated my lunch she had me laughing so hard. Story is a rollercoaster ride from witty to erotic and back again. Start there. I highly recommend it. It's like… life! The girl's a wonder. Read, enjoy.

As with all NC17 rated fics, please consider if you are of the age of consent in your area or of sound health before clicking into a story. And if same sex sex makes you squicky… read it anyway, you'll get over it and expand your horizons. Hey, nobody ever thinks they're going to like escargot. *g* Visit Te's Smallville, languish in all the goodness. The disclaimers alone are worth the price of admission. Okay. Not gushing. Not.

Planets Crashing To Dust, by Bridgid ::PG13::
I adore this second person narrative. Only read two like it in any genre and for some reason it just so resonates with me.

   Gold discovered on Wednesday, July 31, 2002

All Human Things::PG-13::, by Livia.
I love the the style of this one-- this is the one I was trying desperately to remember, J. Incredible. Incredibly satisfying. I don't believe you have to have seen the episode that this story draws it's history from, I haven't and I didn't feel a bit lost.

   Gold discovered on Thursday, July 25, 2002

Can't find anything I want to read in Farscape fic land, but wallowing in the riches of Smallville fic… here's a tease from one of Te's greats…

"…fades slowly, almost crumbling on Lex's face and yeah, this is what happens when people die. No one's ever supposed to smile, or laugh, but they do anyway, and then they feel like complete and utter shit about it. At least, that's the way it worked when his grandmother died, and his grandmother had been…

She hadn't been anyone who made loving her complicated.

Read that one dozens of times already. Will read it dozens more. Already added to hardcopy library. And it's… simply awesome. That particular passage always breaks me. The story is beyond intensely good. Author uses words to control the pace of the story-- speeding along, up and down, into a lull of warmth, back down to mind-bending angst and passion. Mind-bogglingly good. If you read, bring tissues.