astridv

Huh, I thought I'd already rec'd this but apparently not:
Chuck vs the Strange Bedfellows by sharpasamarble
83,839 words; Chuck/Sarah/plot; Rating: T; Action/Adventure/Drama
Summary: With Valentine's Day approaching, Chuck decides Sarah's tears on the helipad might indicate a change of heart about the two of them dating for real. But work gets in the way in a new, and possibly permanent, fashion.

This story has references to two previous fics, "Chuck vs Auld Lang Syne" and "Chuck vs Five Men, One with a Knife", which I think you don't need to be familiar with for this one but which are both very good, too. (I rec'd CVFMOWAK here... still one of my fave Chuck fics; in fact I'd probably start with that one.)

Heeey! I finished book #2. I still have to scan everything and format it, and I'll probably be getting a couple corrections for this one, but still... mostly done, with about a week to spare. \o/ And once it's turned in I'll have a whole month to work on my own projects - I have an idea for a kids' book that I think has a lot of potential, fingers crossed. And there's the comic thing. (And I gotta do my bookkeeping.) (And my taxes.) Hopefully some fanart. And post recs.

Uh, also, thanks to all the folks on my flist who brought Leverage to my attention. I had a feeling I'd love the show when I watched The Rashomon Job. That ep got me so curious that I started watching from the beginning and yup, totally love it. The characters are fantastic, and I always had a thing for heist stories. I'm only about six or seven eps in but I might be looking for fic recs later on. :)

It's funny, I used to be the typical fandom serial monogamist, but all of a sudden I'm multifannish? That's new; I kinda like it. Think I'll celebrate a job (hopefully) well done with an ep of Leverage, followed by a Chuck fic and a few pages from my new FMA doujinshi.

In this vein, a couple of multi-fandom recs:
Wait in the Van by Aelfgyfu (Chuck/White Collar)
gen; humor; 6,000 words
Summary: Peter kept telling Neal to wait in the van. Was it Neal's fault he didn't specify which one?
I don't actually know White Collar, but the story worked really well for me. If you're a Chuck fan, all you gotta know is that Neal is played by the same actor who plays Bryce Larkin and you're good to go.

Hyperion by Marcus Rowland (The Saint (novels)/BtVS)
Summary: The 1940s Saint pays a visit to Los Angeles and the Hyperion Hotel.
I'm reccing this fic and its two sequels, all Buffy crossovers. Marcus does a great job linking the two canons... not a small feat, since they're set in different periods in time.

Bigger on the Inside by sentientcitizen (Doctor Who/SG1/SGA)
gen; PG; ~700 words
Summary: Everyone says the same thing when they see the TARDIS for the first time. Well. Ish.
Various SG characters see the TARDIS for the fist time. Hilarious!

another Yuletide rec:
This kid I once knew (Calvin & Hobbes)
(temporary link in case the servers are robust)
gen; Susie Derkins; post-canon; 1786 words
Summary: Daniel sends their whole improv group an e-mail saying "check this out its fun1!1" and a link to a web comic called The Adventures of Spaceman Spiff.

I read quite a few good C&H stories in which the kids grew up. This one from Susie's POV is one of my favorites.

and squeezing in some non-yuletide recs:
Chuck vs Five Men, One with a Knife by sharpasamarble (Chuck)
gen (with Chuck/Sarah UST, emphasis on 'U'); set in S1; adventure/drama; 70,687 words
Summary: On New Year's Day, Chuck contemplates his resolutions. But a group blunder on a simple mission has complex consequences for Team Chuck, leading each member down a road he didn't expect to travel.

It's rare to find a casefile-style fic with such a satisfying plot. The characterization is sharp and the relationship dynamics portrayed in an interesting way. The author captures the season one vibe well, and adds her own touch.

Love is written in Poetry, Marriage in Prose by Santa (SGA)
R; McKay/Keller/ pre-McKay/Keller/Sheppard; 4191 words
Summary: Rodney and Jennifer fantasize about opening up their relationship.

Looks like McKay/Keller/Sheppard has come to be my OT3, thanks to fic like this one. A well-written, fun exploration of the trio's relationship... during the course of which some popular fandom tropes get turned on their head (always a big plus).

fic recs:
The Wicked Age by cornerofmadness (FMA)
gen; PG-13; Pinako, Chris, Hohenheim (and guest spots by little Roy); Timeline/Spoilers: set before the series, spoilers for Christmas’s relationship to Roy; 5,800 words
Summary:Pinako needs help to find something for a friend and a lady spy might just be what the doctor ordered. Written for fma_ladyfest for the prompt of ‘Pinako hanging out with Chris [...]’

This is a very entertaining story, a really fun read. Turns out Pinako, Hohenheim, and Chris make a great team. I love the spy plot and the whole atmosphere, really... and the guest appearances by li'l Roy, alchemist in training.

Chuck vs the one shot by valkrys_fic (Chuck)
mostly gen with a touch of Chuck/Sarah; PG-13; 2,037 words
Summary: Who ever said Chuck was no hero? Casey, probably :-D A little one shot with hurt and some comfort, incl. Chuck, Sarah, Casey and Ellie.

The idea isn't new; it's all in the execution. Well-done take on a standard fanfic theme, with spot-on character voices.
And really, with the way Chuck's been handling himself in the field from the beginning it's surprising something like this hasn't happened on the show yet.

fanart rec:
Tintin meets H.P. Lovecraft in this mind-bending mash-up art
To my shame I must admit that I'm only familiar with Cthulhu through fanart and the like. But, I grew up on Tintin and that artist certainly got Hergé's style down to a t! Make sure to click on the thumbs to get the larger-sized pics.

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in disobey_gravity rydra_wong linked to a fascinating climbing film: Lynn Hill on free-climbing the Nose (part 1, part 2, part 3). The third part is particularly interesting to watch, imho, even for those not familiar with the sport. It covers her 23-hour free climb of 'Nose' route on El Capitan. Very Gripping!

Down Side by penknife (SGA)
gen; John Sheppard; short
Summary: 5 things John hates about Atlantis/being in Atlantis.

Negotiations by wildcat88 (SGA)
Gen; PG; Team; ~14,000 words
Summary: While waiting for Sheppard to recuperate, Rodney finds a reference that hints at a supply of ZPMs on an unexplored world. However, when the team arrives, they find it inhabited by rivals that aren't interested in sharing.

Planetside fic with good plot, lots of teamy banter, and an interesting and plausible exploration of the Travellers' culture.

Casey vs. The Dorks by anenko (Chuck)
gen; ensemble; set in season 1; 2186 words
Summary: "I think that we really bonded."

The dialogue is so spot on, it's like I'm watching the show.

I haven't had the chance to find a lot of longer, action-focused Chuck fic - lack of time, plus good longer plotfic just being harder to find in general. But I lucked out and found this one:
Chuck vs The Pacific Northwest by Nervert (Chuck)
Chuck/Sarah; PG-13; action-adventure; goes AU mid-season 3; 32,893 words
Summary: Chuck and Sarah find themselves alone in Seattle, cut off from their team. They must overcome the Ring, their own past, and the fact that life will never be the same again.

Chuck and Sarah are hunted, have to go into hiding and rely on their combined survival skills. The plot is suspenseful and satisfying: this author writes some of the most visual action scenes I've read, and I really like how they handle both the characterizations and the portrayal of Chuck's and Sarah's relationship too. My only nitpick would be that some of the longer dialogue sequences could use more action/dialogue tags for easier flow. But nevermind that; I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
[eta: fic is currently being reposted. First eight chapters are up, rest should follow soon]

Mine to Use by rawles (FMA)
gen; PG; Riza Hawkeye, Rebecca Catalina; 2740 words
Summary: Riza needs to make it through for a lot of reasons, chief among them being that she has no idea what to do if she doesn’t.

Another one of my favorites from fma_ladyfest. A sensitive portrayal of the way Riza and Rebecca cope with being female cadets in Amestris' predominantly male military, and of the beginnings of the friendship between them. Beautiful.

And this fanart by bob_fish, also created for ladyfest, matches the theme well... :)
Oh, I Get By
gen; G; Riza and Rebecca, bff
Summary: Ten years of sharpshooting, snark, and nakama.

For the past few days megatexas and his cousin crashed on our couch (or rather, in our guest room). The weather chose to play extra nice the entire time the guys were here so my little city could present itself from its best side. I took them to Münster's main attraction: the High Hill indoor climbing center. :O) (I woke up the next morning and my first thoughts were DAMN I FEEL GOOD! I love how both body and mind feel after an evening of climbing. Best drug ever!)

Speaking of: I was browsing Youtube yesterday and ended up watching buildering/street climbing clips all afternoon. I really gotta make a proper post sometime. Right now, check out this guy! Jyati Raju Free (Solo) Climbing

I'm about to hit the gym and afterwards conk out in the sauna, and after that I have to get to work. New project, end of October deadline. Doesn't sound too bad, but I can already see it will be a ton of work so it's best to dive in right away.

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fic recs:
Voyage of the Wraith Hunter by sholio (SGA)
gen; PG; 3200 words
Summary: "We always thought you were a legend," the Traveler captain says.
I love how friendshipper paints a future!verse that feels fresh and original, and the many background details make it feel entirely real. Makes me want to read more stories about the Wraith Hunter!

How Not To Eat An Elephant by tielan (SGA, SG-1)
gen; PG-13; action-adventure, friendship; 1,500 words
summary: In which Teyla and Vala play 'Good Cop, Bad Cop' and Cam muses on the wisdom of biting things that bite back.
Teyla and Vala: They make a kickass team. :)
(I like this fic for the same reason I like the Scar&Miles one I recced the other day: two people who make a good team because of their differences, not in spite of them.)

Chuck vs The Emoticon by Ne71 (Chuck)
Chuck/Sarah and gen; PG-13; humor/romance, 10,844 words
summary: Chuck and Sarah have an IM discussion. Silliness ensues. Now a multichapter! More Casey! More fighting! Seriously, there is.
Not the first messenger fic I've read but one that makes the most of the format. The first three parts in particular are really funny and inventive. (I'd say you need at least a passing familiarity with the characters and the setting for this fic to work.)

vid rec:
"Illyria" Opening Credits by illyrium24 (Angel)
I'm apparently not the only one who thinks that Illyria: the Series would've been a very good thing indeed. There are several Illyria opening credits on youtube and this is my favorite by far. The editing is superb, and it really gets the feeling across... Illyria's personal brand of creepy meets badass, demon meets humanity. Extra bonus points for including Connor! As well as Faith, Spike and Wes!

Man, what a great show that would've been. *sigh*