Question for the Flist

[jasonsnene]

Well insomnia has struck *again* and I have had entirely too much time to spend pondering random silliness.  Last nights ponderance?  I was curious about distinctions amongst fanfic writers in the BTVS/AtS fandom.

You know, some of 'em are nearly famous or something.  I have no clue who they are.  But I hear that there's a bunch of 'em.  They even have different nicknames for them.  Course, my sleep deprivation has rendered it impossible for me to remember the nicknames. But you know who I mean, the ones that nearly everyone has heard of.  (Except me...cause I'm oblivious to these things...which is why I'm asking.)

So, my question to you, dear flist, is two fold.  

One, Who are the "famous" fanfic writers?

And two, Which stories are on the must read list for any BTVS/AtS fanfic reader?  This can be for any pairing, slash or het.  I'm just curious as to which stories are considered "the best of the best".  Give me your top three all-time favorite fics (or more if you have more than three!!)

So come on, help an insomniac out.  I'll need something to read tonight at 3am I'm sure.

*toddles off to ponder something equally silly*

Comments

[silkensky.livejournal.com]

I'm just on my way to bed, so I'll figure out my favourite fics and post later, but best authors are a little easier.

Mind you, of course, this is just my humble opinion, and I am for sure missing some great authors, but these are the ones that automatically came to mind (in no particular order)

Spikedluv
Amejisuto
Tabaqui
Kitty Poker
Authoress Nebula
Echo's Revenge (frequently paired with JamesWalksWithWind
LadyCat
Mad Poetess
Reremouse
Tisienne Blue (I think she goes by tistoo on lj??)

And you're no slacker yourself, missy!
:)

Okay, that list was wayyy longer than I thought. Also I just thought of two great fics you just have to read!! She updates regularly on bc, so I', sure you've seen it, but you have got to read Nothing The Same by orchidluv. It's a great, long read, and she's working on the sequel as we speak!!! And the other one is Hold me Thrill me Kiss me Kill me by Amejisuto.

I will sleep, and come up with a great list for you!!

[ladyvirgo1956.livejournal.com]

Anything by jans_intention. The Seduction Xangelus. The Woods Human AU Spangel. She is currently writing in the QaF Fandom.

amejisuto She writes mostly Spander. Hold Me. Thrill Me. Kiss Me. Kill Me, Wolf Tracks and Lycanthrope, Vampirism, and Magick
These two stories go together. Grief Counseling.

bmblbee She writes Spander. Both Vampire and Human AU. So anything by her.


I hope this gets you started.

[mistress-tien.livejournal.com]

Hey, hon!

"Famous", huh? I guess it depends on what you like. Overall I like Spander, NC-17, and kink is a Good Thing. But, I'm a sucker for a good story no matter who or what it is (although I much prefer slash). Who can't I live without? Jan as in jans_fiction (formerly sexymermaid), lit_gal, stillrose, c_woodhaven are the ones who come to mind quickly. And, I'm sure there are more.

I LOVE long stories. Long, long, long Spander stories with much slashy (NC-17) goodness. So, my favs are:

--Unbreakable by fanbot http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=fanbot&keyword=Unbroken&filter=all
My review: AU six or so years post-Chosen (42 chapters, complete). X is lost in Africa, but some people never stop looking for him. This is his journey home; how he sheds the pain of his time as a slave in Africa, and accepts how he fits into the world he returns to. Xander asks for Spike's help in coming to terms with his experiences, and the two end up as a couple. Spike's voice and attitude are perfect in this story. He's the same vamp we had in the 'verse, trying to reach out to a damaged Xander and not always being successful. I hope more will be written in this 'verse.

--Repossession by lazuicat http://lazuli.kat.users.btopenworld.com/repossession.htm
Post (I think) season five, Xander moves on with his life away from Sunnydale. A horribly damaged Spike tracks him down (major h/c in this story). This fic is a long and twisted trip to new and exciting places. It's not a perfect story, but upon re-reading it (about two weeks ago), I love it even more.

--And, this one is hot p*rn, but not as much Spike as I normally like. Xander's Beast by sexymermaid http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=jans_intentions&keyword=Xander%27s+Beast&filter=all
This one is pure sex and ends with "an unusual sex act" as Jan so cleverly puts it.

I hope that gives you some ideas for long nights awake.

Take care.

[xanzpet.livejournal.com]

I've often found that some of the most popular authors in the fandom aren't necessarily the best, but several of those already recced are indeed quite good.

In my opinion, one of the best is nwhepcat. There is nothing of hers I don't adore, and she makes me like characters I normally wouldn't. You could read anything of hers and see the brilliance, but I can't rec enough Wait for the Beep (http://www.echonyc.com/~stax/Buffy/nwhepcat/waitfor.html) (Xander, post-Chosen) and Lilac City (http://www.echonyc.com/~stax/Buffy/nwhepcat/lilac1.html) (Xander/Faith), which is probably the best post-Chosen fic I've ever read, bar none.

*smooch*

[davinci-1985.livejournal.com]

There's also:
Xanzpet
xanfan27
WillJ (not in LJ, but outside, do you know beyondcannon? You can find her works there, she's also known as Willie Jefferson, lemonychocolate,...)
There's too, in LJ:
lazulykat
reremouse
margarks
xandercordy1
ladycat777
lit_gal
amejisuto
suki_blue (or sukiblue, don't remember right now)
kaygrr
speakingsilence
jans_intentions (previously sexymermaid)
adalisa (who has a few other alias)
pixel
shawna (in beyondcannon)
bronze (also in beyondcannon)
rnrhead (known as josie_h)
A lot more that my mind can't remember now, but maybe later, and of course, yourself.

And, as for my favourite fics? There are so many... but, the fic that 'popped my cherry' in this fandom is Jackson's Sweet Revenge, that still remains one of my all-time favourites.

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

I have to agree with everyone else's suggestions (Jan's Intentions, Kitty Poker, and Spikedluv are all-time faves of mine). But I also need to add two authors who are not on their lists but should be:

Purplefeen and Em North. They are both incredible. Here are their site addys so you can go have a ball: (they both write Spillow and Willow/Angel, Feen also writes Spara, Spangel, Spilliam, Spawn, and one Clem/Faith fic which you have to read to believe).

Amoral Thoughts - Purplefeen's site

What a Lovely Way to Burn - Em North's site


Gabrielle

[angelstoy.livejournal.com]

Well, I can totally recommend:

Anything by 2busy2write on her LJ
Anything by jenny over at lovethatdares.com
Anything by spankspike on her LJ
Anything by spikesfool on her LJ
Anything by incasink on her LJ

if you're looking for a little Willow/Spike with a dash of Angel try Carrie's fic called "Take Your Time and the sequel "It's About Time" - you can find that at redssoulmates.com it's a really good time traveling story

[angelstoy.livejournal.com]

oh, I forgot to add

Em North on her LJ - anything by her
thatotherperv on her LJ - she has some awesome stuff with all kinds of pairings

[silkensky.livejournal.com]

Okay, so apparently I am also rocking the insomnia... *sad face* However, I am now in class. But I promise I'm working on it. I'm thinking about making a recs list and posting it to my journal. Now that sounds fancy, but since only you and one other person are on my friends list, really it's just for you
:)

I hope that this is a good summary. There are always things I'm curious about a fic that I want to know before reading, but people don't normally include in summaries, so I hope this is okay

Nothing the Same by orchidluv
Pairing: Spike and Xander

This is an AU story that deviates from Buffy canon in the very first one or two episodes. After staking Jesse, Xander does not believe Giles when he says that there was nothing of Jesse left, just a demon. He does not eventually accept Giles' theories like in canon, rather he never gets involved with the Slayerettes, saying that he couldn't trust someone who would either lie to him, or was too stupid to see the truth (Giles), and he steals books from Giles, trying to learn more about vampires. When this doesn't yield any information he starts to watch the factory where the Annointed One is staying, where Spike finds him. Spike is intrigued by someone watching vampires instead of running from them, and Xander is trying to learn more about vampires, and so a tentative friendship forms.

Kay, that's the summary, and here are things that I always would like to know.

***Spoilers here though***



Major Willow-abusing-magic situation but not till late in the series, initial Buffy-basing, but it dies down. Xander becomes Spike's consort, and it is a Xander-is-the-light-of-my-unlife relationship instead of a look-at-my-pretty-human-pet relationship. And Angel still loses his soul. Hmm...I forget what happens to Drusilla, but she's not a factor. Most fights and demons and things still happen like in canon, just with different results.

Umm....did I mention I suck at everything? Anyways, that's all I've got, I hope you enjoy it.

[missus-grace.livejournal.com]

I just spent a half-hour trying to give you a nice, pre-coded post, all while attending to cranky children and other distractions, when my thumb hit one wrong button and it was all gone. I don't think I can repeat the process so maybe you can track them all down. So sorry! *goes to cut off offending thumb*

sparrow2000 and her Perceptions trilogy. Set in Season 3 pre-Lover's Walk, Spike happens upon Xander and Willow hashing out their guilt over their betrayal of Cordelia and Oz. His curiosity is piqued and a seduction of Xander ensues, which turns out to be so much more.

I also enjoyed thismaz and her Blood on a Sundial story. Spike seeks revenge on the Scoobies and kidnaps Xander, but again, he ends up having some feelings he didn't bargain for.

herself_nyc is a wonderful writer of both Spuffy and Spander. She has a current Spuffy WIP - Distance features post NFA amnesia!Spike and is hot and thrilling. The slayers find a feral Spike in LA and Buffy is called. She tries to bring back the Spike we all know and love, but several detours mark the way.

Kallysten and nautibitz are among my favorite Spuffy authors. I recommend their entire bodies of work. Kallysten is now on insanejournal and has a website called divagations.

If I can, I'll edit this later to include links, but it was such a wonderful invitation to post that I had to hurry.

[softbluebuddy.livejournal.com]

What a really great question. I have added this journal entry to my *memories* as BtVS/AtS flist recs for jasonsnene.

Now, if I am ever looking for something really good of a particular type, I can always peruse all of the recommendations and be guaranteed that I hit on a winner since you asked for peoples all time favorites. This is much better than the *hit and miss* method of reading. But you find gems that way too.

My personal three favorite completed fics in this fandom are:

Bent Justice by, toobusy2write aka Kat B.

http://toobusy2write.livejournal.com/17533.html

I like reading from Kat’s website, Penetrating Urges better because there is a beautiful picture of James in the top left corner of her website. As you scroll through the story, his gorgeous face stays on the screen. Fabulous enhancement to the already exceptional reading experience.

http://home.centurytel.net/penetrating_urges/

I actually just re-read Bent Justice over this weekend because it was so good and such a satisfying read. 56 Chapters and all of the characters were so well developed. It just sucked me in, both times that I read it.

Pivotal, also by toobusy2write

http://toobusy2write.livejournal.com/59976.html

and

The Second Circle, by ash_carpenter

http://ash-carpenter.livejournal.com/15621.html

Anyone who hasn’t read these 3 fics should definitely give them a go. They are all long fics which are complete so no waiting required.