![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
It's my third Fic Rec Monday installment of the Favorite Authors Project, where I put together a rec list with works by specific fic writers instead of by theme or fandom. This week we're talking about
astolat, who has been writing in most of my favorite fandoms for years (and also helped found the AO3, so whoo!) and still manages to do that while vidding as well as writing and publishing original work. Some people just don't sleep, I guess?
I'm sharing twenty-five of my favorite fics by
astolat. (Keep in mind these are just my favorites. They also fic for fandoms I don't read often, like: Bandom, Supernatural, Person of Interest, etc.) Enjoy!
Fast and the Furious series
Life Sentence (19,123 words)
Dominic Toretto/Brian O'Conner,Luke Hobbs, Letty Ortiz, Alternate Universe, Bonding
Summary: “Sit down,” the doctor said. He took blood, three vials filling up dark red. “Any medical conditions?”
“No,” Dom said, and then his mouth kept going and said, “What if I want to volunteer for bonding?”
The doctor peered at him over the glasses. “Do you want to volunteer for bonding?”
It hung in the air. Dom felt it like a noose around his throat, squeezing. Twenty-five to life. “Yeah,” he said.
Rec Notes: *fans self* Interesting worldbuilding and great F&F-style caper and chase scenes.
The Next Quarter Mile (15,796 words)
Brian O'Conner/Dominic Toretto, Brian O'Conner/Mia Toretto, Luke Hobbs, William Stryker, Charles Xavier, Alternate Universe - X-Men Fusion, Mutant Powers
Summary: “We going to get somewhere anytime soon?” Dom said.
Brian was staring out the windshield. “Do you trust me?”
“What the fuck kind of question is that?” Dom said.
“If you say yes, I’m going to take you on the worst fucking ride of your life,” Brian said. “Do you trust me?”
Rec Notes: They're all mutants and they didn't know until the kids came along. Because of course they didn't.
Harry Potter
House Proud (23,112 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Kreacher, Horace Slughorn, Post-War. EWE, Grimmauld Place, Malfoy Manor
Summary: His house liked Draco Malfoy more than him.
Rec Notes: I have a special fondness both for Grimmauld Place and for post-war fics, so this story about post-war negotiations and Harry's house being overly attached to Malfoy is a treat. Magical homes with personality for the win!
Newts (13,926 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Millicent Bulstrode, Minerva McGonagall, Luna Lovegood, Post Hogwarts (except not), Epilogue What Epilogue, Professor Draco
Summary: “I’m twenty-eight!” Harry said. “I’ve been an Auror for ten years! You want me to go back to Hogwarts now?"
Rec Notes: Short, smart, hot, hilarious.
Reparatio (17,363 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Post-Hogwarts
Summary: Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”
“You want the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said, flatly. He’d half expected as much; it was the only thing he had that Draco could want—
“Don’t be stupid, Potter,” Draco said. “I want my reputation back.”
Rec Notes: As I do with most of
astolat's fics, I screamed with laughter and also needed to fan myself.
Slithering (27,355 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Andromeda Black Tonks, Post-War, aftermath of war, Reconciliation, Courtship, Snakes
Summary: Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.
Rec Notes: Draco finds a snake in the dungeons, a doomsday device in the floor, and a not-so-unlikely ally in one Harry James Potter.
Marvel (MCU)
Athelas (19,324 words)
Loki/Thor, Tony Stark, Dinosaurs, Incest, Cretaceous–Tertiary Extinction Event, Time Travel, Duelling
Summary: There was a sharp and bitter edge crept into the words, a reminder that not all was well: that Thor still had a brother, but not a friend.
Rec Notes: Loki rescues Thor, but things don't quite go to plan. Or anything close to plan. Like, at all.
Maybe Home Is Somewhere I'm Going (11,626 words)
James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson , Natasha Romanov, Family, Road Trip of Justice
Summary: They were about fifty miles from Atlanta when Sam stirred and yawned awake in the passenger seat. “Morning,” Steve said: the sun had come up, but the two-lane road was still pretty empty, a little morning mist hanging low over the asphalt and in the trees.
Rec Notes: The Winter Soldier follow-up I wanted instead of Civil War. Because ugh.
The Prince (19,088 words)
Thor/Loki, Odin, Laufey, Sif, Warriors Three, AU, Loki Raised Jotun, Arranged Marriage, Crack?, Mpreg, Consent Issues
Summary: "So, er," Volstagg said, after several moments of silence. "Is — is — er, he — pretty?"
"He's a frost giant!" Thor shouted.
"Is that a no?" Volstagg asked.
Rec Notes: That One Arranged Marriage AU.
Merlin (BBC)
The Crown of the Summer Court (24,339 words)
Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Morgana, Elves
Summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Rec Notes: That one where it turns out Merlin's dad was part of the summer court and Arthur has to be his champion in an elvish showdown for the crown.
Favorite (13,102 words)
Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Summary: Arthur was tipped back against the wall, his mouth open for breath and staring at the small arrow-slit window over Merlin's head, trying to work out how it could possibly be that good with Merlin, of all people.
Rec Notes: Mostly porn, with a dash of hilarity. But, like, really excellent porn.
Onfindan (15,827 words)
Arthur Pendragon/Merlin, Uther Pendragon
Summary: Arthur didn't speak to him for a week after he found out.
Rec Notes: Still one of my favorite Magical Reveal fics.
Smallville/DCU
Eggplant (9,114 words)
Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, underage
Summary: to the place where your horses run free
Rec Notes: Clark really likes Lex's new car. And Lex in the new car. Or on the new car. There may be something funny about the shiny bits in the paint job.
Moving On (19,160 words)
Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, Lex Luthor/Maxima, Batman, Diana Prince, Wally West, John Stewart, Justice League
Summary: What you do when there are no more worlds to conquer.
Rec Notes: Lex Luthor's taking over the galaxy and that's the worst thing that could possibly happen right up until it isn't. Clark learns to be happy.
Reconcilable Differences (38,799 words)
Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, Kon-El, Conner Kent, Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne
Summary: Luthor Family Values.
Rec Notes: An injured Kon-El finally gets to hang with bio-dad Lex. Things go about as well as you'd expect.
Ulterior Motives (18,924 words)
Lex Luthor/Clark Kent
Summary: Everybody wants to rule the world.
Rec Notes: One of my absolute favorite Lex characterizations. Lex is a Bad Guy, but he's not quite a bad guy. At least not when Clark's involved.
Stargate: Atlantis
A Beautiful Lifetime Event (29,191 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.
Rec Notes: The ultimate 'we accidentally made a baby in a jar' fic, which sort of sums up SGA fandom when you think about it.
The Dark Side (7,497 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: "You're not a very good Jedi, are you?" the Sith Lord said.
"Oh, excuse me, I am an excellent Jedi," Rodney said.
Rec Notes: Rodney's a Jedi, John's sort of a sith. They're both stuck on a backwater world until Rodney fixes up John's ship which may or may not be kinda sorta sentient.
Loves Me Not (4,585 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: It was just such an obvious train wreck in the making. Spoilers through Duet.
Rec Notes: Rodney finds out John has a thing for him. John flirts. Rodney, predictably, is a mess.
No Refunds or Exchanges (10,659 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: It shouldn't have been that hard to get good help.
For the sga_flashfic Harlequin challenge.
Rec Notes: The SGA Harlequin challenge community was a total gift and this 'Rodney gets a mailorder bride and oh, hey, it's John' is one of the best fics to come out of it.
Oblivious (8,100 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: In which Rodney and John fail to pay attention.
Rec Notes: In which Rodney assumes John wants to hook up, but John's pretty sure he's straight. But both of them are sort of oblivious.
Ordinary Life cowritten with
speranza (20,043 words)
Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Action/Adventure, Back to Earth, BAMF John, Romance, Mathematicians, Vacation, Shopping, Slash
Summary: "So, uh," Wharton said, with a little nervous cough. "You're not so much his mathematician as you are his—mathematician."
Rec Notes: Rodney picks up some high-paying consulting work and John tags along. Turns out some guys just can't catch a break, not even on shore leave.
Proof by Contradiction (9,853 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: What sucked most was the sinking feeling that McKay was handling the whole thing better than he was.
Rec Notes: There's a sort of sex pollen situation and then a sort of Flowers for Algernon situation and somewhere in there John and Rodney figure things out.
Time in a Bottle (14,216 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: To see a World in a Grain of Sand / And a Heaven in a Wild Flower / Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand / And Eternity in an hour.
Rec Notes: John and Rodney are put in stasis after an accident. They're also stuck together in Rodney's "secret getaway" simulation. Forced proximity on steroids, basically.
Transcendental (45,137 words)
Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Elizabeth Weir, Teyla Emmagan, Bates
Summary: tran·scen·den·tal (trăn'sĕn-dĕn'tl) adj.
Philosophy. Concerned with the a priori or intuitive basis of knowledge as independent of experience.
Surpassing all others; superior.
Beyond common thought or experience.
Mathematics. Of or relating to a real or complex number that is not the root of any polynomial that has positive degree and rational coefficients.
Rec Notes: Weir's temporarily out of commission and Rodney's in charge. John's really not good with that right up until he is. Part adventure story, part romance, part character study, all awesome.
I'm sharing twenty-five of my favorite fics by
Fast and the Furious series
Life Sentence (19,123 words)
Dominic Toretto/Brian O'Conner,Luke Hobbs, Letty Ortiz, Alternate Universe, Bonding
Summary: “Sit down,” the doctor said. He took blood, three vials filling up dark red. “Any medical conditions?”
“No,” Dom said, and then his mouth kept going and said, “What if I want to volunteer for bonding?”
The doctor peered at him over the glasses. “Do you want to volunteer for bonding?”
It hung in the air. Dom felt it like a noose around his throat, squeezing. Twenty-five to life. “Yeah,” he said.
Rec Notes: *fans self* Interesting worldbuilding and great F&F-style caper and chase scenes.
The Next Quarter Mile (15,796 words)
Brian O'Conner/Dominic Toretto, Brian O'Conner/Mia Toretto, Luke Hobbs, William Stryker, Charles Xavier, Alternate Universe - X-Men Fusion, Mutant Powers
Summary: “We going to get somewhere anytime soon?” Dom said.
Brian was staring out the windshield. “Do you trust me?”
“What the fuck kind of question is that?” Dom said.
“If you say yes, I’m going to take you on the worst fucking ride of your life,” Brian said. “Do you trust me?”
Rec Notes: They're all mutants and they didn't know until the kids came along. Because of course they didn't.
Harry Potter
House Proud (23,112 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Kreacher, Horace Slughorn, Post-War. EWE, Grimmauld Place, Malfoy Manor
Summary: His house liked Draco Malfoy more than him.
Rec Notes: I have a special fondness both for Grimmauld Place and for post-war fics, so this story about post-war negotiations and Harry's house being overly attached to Malfoy is a treat. Magical homes with personality for the win!
Newts (13,926 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Millicent Bulstrode, Minerva McGonagall, Luna Lovegood, Post Hogwarts (except not), Epilogue What Epilogue, Professor Draco
Summary: “I’m twenty-eight!” Harry said. “I’ve been an Auror for ten years! You want me to go back to Hogwarts now?"
Rec Notes: Short, smart, hot, hilarious.
Reparatio (17,363 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Post-Hogwarts
Summary: Draco snorted. “I’m not reduced to penury. I want something considerably beyond money, and I rather think you’re the only one can give it to me.”
“You want the Invisibility Cloak,” Harry said, flatly. He’d half expected as much; it was the only thing he had that Draco could want—
“Don’t be stupid, Potter,” Draco said. “I want my reputation back.”
Rec Notes: As I do with most of
Slithering (27,355 words)
Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy, Narcissa Black Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Andromeda Black Tonks, Post-War, aftermath of war, Reconciliation, Courtship, Snakes
Summary: Draco found the nest down in the Manor’s cellars, while he was clearing them out.
Rec Notes: Draco finds a snake in the dungeons, a doomsday device in the floor, and a not-so-unlikely ally in one Harry James Potter.
Marvel (MCU)
Athelas (19,324 words)
Loki/Thor, Tony Stark, Dinosaurs, Incest, Cretaceous–Tertiary Extinction Event, Time Travel, Duelling
Summary: There was a sharp and bitter edge crept into the words, a reminder that not all was well: that Thor still had a brother, but not a friend.
Rec Notes: Loki rescues Thor, but things don't quite go to plan. Or anything close to plan. Like, at all.
Maybe Home Is Somewhere I'm Going (11,626 words)
James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers/Sam Wilson , Natasha Romanov, Family, Road Trip of Justice
Summary: They were about fifty miles from Atlanta when Sam stirred and yawned awake in the passenger seat. “Morning,” Steve said: the sun had come up, but the two-lane road was still pretty empty, a little morning mist hanging low over the asphalt and in the trees.
Rec Notes: The Winter Soldier follow-up I wanted instead of Civil War. Because ugh.
The Prince (19,088 words)
Thor/Loki, Odin, Laufey, Sif, Warriors Three, AU, Loki Raised Jotun, Arranged Marriage, Crack?, Mpreg, Consent Issues
Summary: "So, er," Volstagg said, after several moments of silence. "Is — is — er, he — pretty?"
"He's a frost giant!" Thor shouted.
"Is that a no?" Volstagg asked.
Rec Notes: That One Arranged Marriage AU.
Merlin (BBC)
The Crown of the Summer Court (24,339 words)
Merlin/Arthur Pendragon, Uther Pendragon, Morgana, Elves
Summary: "The king sent me to get you," Merlin said, with a tone that implied strongly that he wasn't rolling his eyes where Arthur could see, but just wait until his back was turned. "He said you're to get changed into formal clothes and meet him in the Great Hall, there's a delegation coming from the Summer Court."
Rec Notes: That one where it turns out Merlin's dad was part of the summer court and Arthur has to be his champion in an elvish showdown for the crown.
Favorite (13,102 words)
Merlin/Arthur Pendragon
Summary: Arthur was tipped back against the wall, his mouth open for breath and staring at the small arrow-slit window over Merlin's head, trying to work out how it could possibly be that good with Merlin, of all people.
Rec Notes: Mostly porn, with a dash of hilarity. But, like, really excellent porn.
Onfindan (15,827 words)
Arthur Pendragon/Merlin, Uther Pendragon
Summary: Arthur didn't speak to him for a week after he found out.
Rec Notes: Still one of my favorite Magical Reveal fics.
Smallville/DCU
Eggplant (9,114 words)
Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, underage
Summary: to the place where your horses run free
Rec Notes: Clark really likes Lex's new car. And Lex in the new car. Or on the new car. There may be something funny about the shiny bits in the paint job.
Moving On (19,160 words)
Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, Lex Luthor/Maxima, Batman, Diana Prince, Wally West, John Stewart, Justice League
Summary: What you do when there are no more worlds to conquer.
Rec Notes: Lex Luthor's taking over the galaxy and that's the worst thing that could possibly happen right up until it isn't. Clark learns to be happy.
Reconcilable Differences (38,799 words)
Clark Kent/Lois Lane, Clark Kent/Lex Luthor, Kon-El, Conner Kent, Tim Drake, Bruce Wayne
Summary: Luthor Family Values.
Rec Notes: An injured Kon-El finally gets to hang with bio-dad Lex. Things go about as well as you'd expect.
Ulterior Motives (18,924 words)
Lex Luthor/Clark Kent
Summary: Everybody wants to rule the world.
Rec Notes: One of my absolute favorite Lex characterizations. Lex is a Bad Guy, but he's not quite a bad guy. At least not when Clark's involved.
Stargate: Atlantis
A Beautiful Lifetime Event (29,191 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.
Rec Notes: The ultimate 'we accidentally made a baby in a jar' fic, which sort of sums up SGA fandom when you think about it.
The Dark Side (7,497 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: "You're not a very good Jedi, are you?" the Sith Lord said.
"Oh, excuse me, I am an excellent Jedi," Rodney said.
Rec Notes: Rodney's a Jedi, John's sort of a sith. They're both stuck on a backwater world until Rodney fixes up John's ship which may or may not be kinda sorta sentient.
Loves Me Not (4,585 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: It was just such an obvious train wreck in the making. Spoilers through Duet.
Rec Notes: Rodney finds out John has a thing for him. John flirts. Rodney, predictably, is a mess.
No Refunds or Exchanges (10,659 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: It shouldn't have been that hard to get good help.
For the sga_flashfic Harlequin challenge.
Rec Notes: The SGA Harlequin challenge community was a total gift and this 'Rodney gets a mailorder bride and oh, hey, it's John' is one of the best fics to come out of it.
Oblivious (8,100 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: In which Rodney and John fail to pay attention.
Rec Notes: In which Rodney assumes John wants to hook up, but John's pretty sure he's straight. But both of them are sort of oblivious.
Ordinary Life cowritten with
Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Action/Adventure, Back to Earth, BAMF John, Romance, Mathematicians, Vacation, Shopping, Slash
Summary: "So, uh," Wharton said, with a little nervous cough. "You're not so much his mathematician as you are his—mathematician."
Rec Notes: Rodney picks up some high-paying consulting work and John tags along. Turns out some guys just can't catch a break, not even on shore leave.
Proof by Contradiction (9,853 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: What sucked most was the sinking feeling that McKay was handling the whole thing better than he was.
Rec Notes: There's a sort of sex pollen situation and then a sort of Flowers for Algernon situation and somewhere in there John and Rodney figure things out.
Time in a Bottle (14,216 words)
John Sheppard/Rodney McKay
Summary: To see a World in a Grain of Sand / And a Heaven in a Wild Flower / Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand / And Eternity in an hour.
Rec Notes: John and Rodney are put in stasis after an accident. They're also stuck together in Rodney's "secret getaway" simulation. Forced proximity on steroids, basically.
Transcendental (45,137 words)
Rodney McKay/John Sheppard, Elizabeth Weir, Teyla Emmagan, Bates
Summary: tran·scen·den·tal (trăn'sĕn-dĕn'tl) adj.
Philosophy. Concerned with the a priori or intuitive basis of knowledge as independent of experience.
Surpassing all others; superior.
Beyond common thought or experience.
Mathematics. Of or relating to a real or complex number that is not the root of any polynomial that has positive degree and rational coefficients.
Rec Notes: Weir's temporarily out of commission and Rodney's in charge. John's really not good with that right up until he is. Part adventure story, part romance, part character study, all awesome.