Fic recs for meeeee?

[raspberryhunter]

So this post started because I'm informed there are SGA fics out there that are better than the actual show, but I'm casting around for things to read and am open to recommendations from any fandom I actually know (including but not limited to SGU, OUAT, Vorkosigan Saga, and ST:DS9) -- or even anything I can read without needing to know canon. I tend to gravitate towards fics that are about more than a particular pairing (I mean, don't get me wrong, it's fine if they're pairing-centric, but I tend to like at least some character backstory/analysis/development and/or rudimentary plot) but I will try anything :) Bechdel Test passing is always a plus :)

Comments

[ase]

SGA fandom is a little - a lot - erratic on Bechdel passes; the longer stuff tends to also be the more pairing-focused stuff. SGA viewing isn't necessarily harmed by spoilers, but there's ep recs mixed in so it's easier to follow what's going on in the fic.

SGA fandom took the S1 premise and joyously expanded on my favorite tropes: comedy, the end of the world and postapocalyptic, adapting to new environments, team and community, wacky technology, deadly technology... so this is what I pulled on a first pass, there's more out there.

The "so you've seen part of S1!" recs are either bubbly or apocalyptic. Bubbly: A Beautiful Lifetime Event, John/Rodney, kidfic, sex all at the end where you can skim or skip it. The sga_flashfic community produced a slew of solid to above average fic. Their Documentation challenge was awesome, producing such joys as SarahT's entry, which may be relevant to your interests. She also wrote The Intergalactic Adventures of Lt. John Sheppard in the 21st Century, short and funny and about 70% gen. Lost in the Post Secret challenge was a snapshot of a kid in a silly gold crown doctored with the caption: "I could've dialed us home any time" (ouch!) that seems relevant to SGU's S1 themes. I wish I could find it, but it's long gone. The Secret Lives of Scientists is McKay/Zelenka, but plotty and funny except when it's horribly not-funny.

Apocalyptic:
LTLJ's Refraction was one of my gateway fics into this fandom ("It's a Quantum Mirror, and it probably wants to kill them." 16k); to this day, I prioritize reading anything tagged "quantum mirror". Auburn's A Taste of Apples is planetary exploration gone wrong. There's more in the series, but it wasn't nearly as good, prioritizing wooby John angst. Legion the Things I Would Give to Oblivion is a S1 hiatus fic and should be read after watching Siege Part 2, but before part 3. Auburn is not always to my taste, especially the way female characters are handled when there's angsty John/Rodney to be written, but these two fics hit my plot and speculative fiction buttons.

Once you're in S2, you may or may not want to start skipping eps. The "must watch" list includes Siege part 3, The Runner, Duet, Trinity (when I talk about Rodney's inability to figure out when to cut his losses? This is that ep). "The Intruder" and "Condemned" weren't very memorable. The Instinct/Conversion 2-parter is optional, but merits a compare-and-contrast to Chloe's SGU S2 arc. "Critical Mass" was poorly received by fandom. Briefly, bomb threat on Atlantis, senior staff decides torturing people is going to be the best way to find out who the bomber is. Hint: their primary suspect is innocent. The actual saboteur is a deus ex machina. "Michael", and "Allies" kicked off several post-S2 fics and later season arcs, which makes them required watching. On a lighter note, "The Long Goodbye" isn't necessary, but it's an episode where Elizabeth gets to do something other than the Angel in the House City thing.

If you've gotten that far, you can read 90% of Atlantis fanfic. Synecdochic's Freedom's Just Another Word For Nothing Left to Lose and M.'s Your Cowboy Days Are Over both were written in response to the S2 Wraith arc, and are two of the best stories to come out of SGA. Freedom is about Rodney post-Atlantis, and for a time beguiled me into thinking grad school was a good idea. Cowboys is about John. It's technically kidfic. But it's also wrenching, and you may need to hug E. at several points, if she'll let you. M. also wrote Intimacy of Man, which is, hmm, explicit without being porny, but if you only read one section, read Forty, Forest moon of Endor. It's a hilarious shoutout to fandom's love for making characters have sex.

Ideally, someone would have written an epic Teyla post-S2 fic for a loose trilogy with Freedom and Cowboys, but no one's done it yet.

Jeannie shows up in S3, "McKay and Mrs. Miller". Once you're through S2, one can skip to the good episodes, or sometimes the good parts of the good episodes, without missing much.

More recs: Cofax did more with SG-1 than SGA, but here is an excellent SGA/Farscape crossover and cute slice-of-life. minnow1212 wrote a bunch of short stuff: Necessary Things is slice of life, Five Ways Elizabeth Weir Leaves Someone Behind is, well. Her fic index is on her LJ.

Oh, I forgot about that time Sam Starbuck lovingly mocked four seasons of SGA. No one is saying this is good TV.

Rave and rant feedback encouraged, so I know where to point you next.

[raspberryhunter]

No doubt I will have more to say later, but I couldn't resist something with the title of "The Secret Lives of Scientists" (oh come on, you knew that was going to be the first thing I jumped at) and it was awesome. Zelenka is awesome. McKay and the other scientists are hilarious. McKay and Zelenka together are gold.

Rodney's having to explain that he values his subordinates had me laughing out loud. Oh, Rodney. Also, science-catalog porn! Also, the protein bar and the fountain pen kind of broke my heart. Among other things.

And they are American, and teenagers, ugh, how they hate their weird, foreign father!

And this.

[ase]

but I couldn't resist something with the title of "The Secret Lives of Scientists" (oh come on, you knew that was going to be the first thing I jumped at)

I didn't, so I'm super glad I threw that in. It's funny and sweet and Radek gave Rodney time, which is adorkable.

[raspberryhunter]

Hee. How could you not think I would not jump at something with that title, especially when described as plotty and funny except when not, especially with ZELENKA!

I have gone through the bubblies and have loved them. Kidfic is awesome. (and even better that Hyp reminds me a whole lot of E. Which is probably unfortunate for her.) I think either we like the exact kind of bubbly or you know exactly what I like, because, yes.

(I have not tried any of the apocalyptic yet; watch this space.)

However, I am seeing a flaw in my plan, that being that now I'm so busy reading fic that I have not managed to watch any more SGA. Which means I cannot read any more of sam's hilarious recaps.

[ase]

Recommending is such fun, I found things I'd half forgotten (like Secret Lives of Scientists). For some reason I was interpreting plot > PWP as not interested in heavily shippy fic, so I was racking my brains for gen-ish stories.

Kidfic! If you like kidfic I can rec Small Primes and Square Roots! AU, no one goes to Atlantis but Rodney's involved with the Stargate program. Um, written around S1 pre-Jeannie, so her characterization isn't entirely in line with later canon. And the Jonas Quinn who shows up peripherally is an SG-1 character, more on that later. More kidfic: the sprawling Children of Lantean Design, breaks off sometime late S2 / S3, apocalyptic and time travel and AU with a bunch of OCs. Have fun.

However, I am seeing a flaw in my plan, that being that now I'm so busy reading fic that I have not managed to watch any more SGA. Which means I cannot read any more of sam's hilarious recaps.

SGA benefited some some sort of fannish perfect storm, it's got a little of everything, and a hefty blessing of funny and affectionate fanwork. Try to get the end of S1 and some S2 in, so the parts with Ronon make more sense. :-)