Recommendations

On 1 February 2001, this site celebrated its first anniversary. To mark this occasion, and due to the increasing size of the archive, we asked readers to recommend their favourite stories. These are the results.

Remember that if you are registered member of the archive, you can both leave comments on individual stories, and bookmark your favourite authors and stories by 'adding to favourites'. These will show up in your user profile.

On to the recommendations.

General | Adult | Slash

General

The Art of Survival by Jill

'This is great study of the boys in a difficult situation, interspersed with nice little snippets of Backup and Malone's actions back at HQ. There's a lot of detail that makes it seem very real and it flows well without bogging the reader down with unnecessary information. Quite a ride from beginning to end.'

'It was just an all round excellent read; great characterisation, good plot, brilliant dialogue and lots of action. Should have been an episode!'

Watching by Brenda

'It's short,easy to get in to and comic. It's great for anyone who likes CI5 and Stargate! Like me.'

Adult

Dark Angels by Nemisis

'Great imagery, complicated and satisfying plot and the characterisations of Curtis and Keel are superb.'

Instrument of Justice by Nemisis

'The plot could easily have been overly melodramatic but in Nemisis' skilfull hands wasn't... I love Kat. She's as far from the dreaded Mary Sue as is humanly possible, and she didn't even get to have sex with Curtis!'

Flight of the Falcon by Chya

'The whole story is filled with action and adventure and really puts the boys to the test. It is very well written and the plot is throughly enjoyable.'

Smoke and Mirrors by Nemisis

'It is just the sort of thing you wouldn't get in the TV series, you'd need some very good camera work to do so.'

The First Rule by Brenda

'This is a gripping plot with well-rounded and thought out characters and scenes, that has you hooked from beginning to end. It has a little of everything, humour, angst, a tiny hint of romance, etc. and I especially like the delving into the two boys psyche, seeing Brenda's interpretation of what makes them tick.'

The Darkness Within by Nemisis

'I thought this was a wonderful examination of Sam and Chris' relationship, and their darker sides.'

Crossing Paths - An Air of Death by Jill

'This is a wonderful story, and one that I couldn't put down until it was finished. The portrayal of Sam and Chris is spot on, and extremely well-written.'

Inside Out by Chya

'This is an excellent story with plenty of angst, suffering and a beautifully constructed plot. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The secondary characters are extremely believable and additional proof of Chya's imagination and craftsmanship.'

Thoughts from the bottom of a beer bottle by Louise

'A delightful, funny and skilful short story that says a great deal about both Sam and Chris. Lou manages to say a whole lot and suggest a great deal more. An absolute gem not to be missed - like everything else by the same author!'

Taking it Home by Jill

'A missing scene from Tusk Force, and an excellent piece of writing. This story really should have been part of the script, and rounds off the episode with a great deal of talent!'

The Red, White and Blue Series by Louise

'An absolutely marvellous series, full of tension, intrigue, well-drawn secondary characters and Curtis and Keel are spot on.'

Two Little Boys by Chya

'A beautifully observed series of snapshots which gives the reader an excellent insight into the boys past lives and the experiences that made them who they are, as well as giving a peep into what the future might hold for them. Great characterisation all the way through, a lovely balance and symmetry to the portrayal of key events and how they affected each of them. A very satisfying read... '

Betrayal by Rhianne

'This is a wonderful story full of angst and warmth as it examines the ups and downs in Sam and Chris' partnership. Once I read the first paragraph I couldn't put it down until the last full stop. A great read and totally absorbing.'

Dark Star by Jill

'A nightmarishly, grotesque emotional rollercoaster of a fic that drags you in from the first word. A MUST read if you fancy a trip to the dark side.'

Slash

Roulette by Alyse and Chya

'Really well written, flowing plot and kept me reading right to the end.... built up on the different characters and had an especially good use of the "flash-back", to give a coherent background, which made the whole scenario work well together... In short, really enjoyable!'

'Mind-blowing!'

Cooking Lessons by Alyse

'This has got to be the funniest fic I've read all year. A definite must-read, though I don't recommend drinking coffee at the same as reading it. The boys are spot on and in character, it's very well written, and need I mention the good sex?'

Terminator by Brenda

'This is the third part of the Changing Perceptions series, and is one of the best 'angst' stories that I've read. Brenda's portrayal of Chris in particular is wonderfully complex, and the story as a whole is touching.'

North by North East by Alyse

'A topic and thought-provoking story, beautifully crafted and showing tremendous insight into the characters of both Sam and Chris. Don't miss the scene on the boat, and decide for yourself whether Sam gets seasick or not.'

The Cat Tales Series by Claire

'Brilliantly funny, with a delightful eye for detail and a hilarious cat's eye view of Sam and Chris. Wonderful entertainment!'

The Billet Doux Series by Alyse

'YOWZAH! These fics are hot, hot, H-O-T!'

Payback by Louise

'Completely QUACKED!'

See You in Hell by Chya and Claire

'Incredible! A supremely dark and harrowing follow up to Alyse's 'Under Covers' that takes your breath away.'

The Conversations Series by Alyse

'A truly good place to start with New Pros slash. It begins even before-the-first-time and shows a relationship going from all these firsts to problems and emotional difficulties; and all the development is shown in a way the truly makes you hold your breath.'

'The story is episode quality. The attention to detail is very good, I found myself thinking "Yes Malone would say that..". The references to televised episodes added depth. Plenty of tension, gets a bit sad in the middle. Excellent.'

The Shooting Sharks Series by Alyse

'Strip poker is out! Just read this story, it is hot, erotic and sexy. Very nice indeed!'

Blackjack by Alyse and Chya

'As atmospherically beautiful as it is psychologically disturbing. Blackjack's take on the format of the action thriller genre is a winning and highly sexy formula of deep cover espionage, torture, brutality and romance. Conclusive proof, if ever there was any needed, that a gay James Bond's the way to GO! :-)'