[identity profile] pyjamapants.livejournal.com
Title: The Montague Street Doctor
Author: The_Circus
Pairing: Gen
Length: 61,488
Rating: Teen and Up
Warnings: None
Verse: Sherlock BBC
Author's summary: Just because Sherlock stopped, doesn't mean the Work has to. London is John's city now and he will keep it together with stitching, string, his healing, the food off his table, and sometimes the clothes off his back. John Watson keeps going. He's good at that.
Reccer's comments: This story is magnificent. John is crushed by Sherlock’s death, of course he is. But this John Watson scrapes himself together to continue what he can of the Work, interpreted through his own skills set, rather than Sherlock’s. He finds a run-down surgery in need of a GP near Montague Street (yes, that Montague Street -- as John says scorch marks never really do come off a ceiling). It’s the sort of surgery that you can imagine John “I also play the clarinet” Watson thriving in, rather than withering from boredom.

The John Watson in this story is a standout against many post-TRF fics. Don’t get me wrong, I love all varieties of post-TRF fic, but it’s refreshing to read a John Watson who still maintains his steely resolve and who cobbles together what pieces he can and takes care of what Sherlock’s left behind. The cast of original characters in this is also fantastic. The story's primarily through John's point of view, but occasionally we get a glimpse through someone else's eyes, through the network of people he surrounds himself with in this new life.
amindamazed: sun from summer panel of Ecocalendar (elementary)
[personal profile] amindamazed
Title: at least you know you were taken by a pro
Author: beanarie
Pairing: Gen, Sherlock/Irene (past)
Length: 3553
Rating: Teen
Warnings: N/A
Verse: Elementary
Author's summary: "Moriarty said you was obsessed with puzzles," Moran had said, his eyes shining. "But he's the greatest puzzle you'll ever come across." And through the rage and growing tendrils of doubt, a distant part of Sherlock had laughed. No puzzle could be more challenging or complex than the one these people had taken from him.

Reccer's comments: In which beanarie is a deductive genius and writes several key aspects of the season one finale months before it aired. The result is now jossed but it's a fascinating alternate finale that sheds light on Sherlock as addict, Irene as both exactly and not at all what she seemed, and Watson as heroine. In the end, Sherlock is saved because of his history and connection with Watson. Their shared past makes understanding possible at a crucial moment, and her caring and anger about what happened carry him through the aftermath until he can pick up the investigative thread himself again. Excellent characterization across the board (including Alfredo and Teddy), with evocative detail in Sherlock's experience of altered mental states and in Watson's effort to help him back to recovery.
Note: the non-con content is for drug use
[identity profile] chapbook.livejournal.com
Title: Goose
Author: [livejournal.com profile] rabidsamfan
Pairing: none
Length: 8,626
Rating: Gen
Warnings: none
Verse: ACD Books
Author's summary: Watson recalls an early Christmas at Baker Street.

Reccer's comments: We are still within the twelve days of Christmas and I am experiencing quite the winter where I am, so this delightful fic feels just right: Holmes and Watson sending Mrs. Hudson off to visit her family and fending for themselves (with a little assistance from the Irregulars), all of them struggling to create a Christmas feast in the midst of terrible weather.

One of my favorite things about this story is how the author demonstrates, without being overtly didactic, how much skilled and unskilled labor goes into running even a modestly sized household in the Victorian period. Without Mrs. Hudson and her countless counterparts, many a British home would have ceased to function. Also superb are Watson's voice and the dialogue, as well as the references to the details of daily living in London, which believably situates the reader in the late nineteenth century.
[identity profile] tanpopo03.livejournal.com
Title: Call for the Doctor
Author: [livejournal.com profile] rabidsamfan
Pairing: Gen
Length: ~22.000
Rating: PG13-ish
Warnings: -
Verse: Books
Author's summary: A drabble series. When Watson is called to help an accident victim he finds that the patient is Holmes -- and that the accident was no accident at all.
Reccer's comments: I'm really in awe of [livejournal.com profile] rabidsamfan for telling this whole story in the form of drabbles. It's packed full of suspense and I literally could not stop reading once I had started! Usually I'm rather a hurt!Watson fan, but this is the exception to the rule. Simply one of the best case fics I've come across, with perfect characterization and A+ writing. It also ties in really well with ACD canon.

ETA: Can also be read here on LJ! (But be careful not to spoil yourself, since the text is not under LJ cuts and the last entry is at the top of the page...)
ETA2: Aaand on AO3 here! Now go read! :)
[identity profile] pyjamapants.livejournal.com
Title: Soldier's Heart
Author: [livejournal.com profile] piplover
Pairing: Holmes/Watson
Length: 85,088
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: physical and mental aspects of PTSD
Verse: Ritchie films and ACD
Author's summary: After his return from his three years' "death," not all is as it should be for Holmes. The road is long ahead, but Watson will always be there to walk it with him.
Reccer's comments: Soldier's Heart gorgeously tells the story of Sherlock's failing health following his return from the Great Hiatus. Interwoven with the story of his recovery is a developing relationship with Dr. Watson and a simply amazing cast of Irregulars and other OCs.

This is one of the only stories I've read that deal with Holmes' PTSD, although there are many (particularly in Sherlock BBC 'verse) that cover Watson's. I cannot say enough good things about this story. [livejournal.com profile] piplover paints Holmes' experience with heartbreaking realism, but it's balanced by so warmth and richness in the original characters. The role of the Irregulars and the insight into Holmes' upbringing truly makes the story special. 

Also available on LJ.
[identity profile] pyjamapants.livejournal.com
Title: Birds to a Lighthouse
Author: [livejournal.com profile] katieforsythe
Pairing: John/Sherlock
Length: 53,656
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: None
Verse: Books
Author's summary: Every story has a Reichenbach, and this is theirs: what did James Moriarty do to cause Holmes to abandon his family for three years?

Reccer's comments:I've been sitting on this rec for MONTHS, terrified that someone would beat me to posting it. No one has, and I'm thrilled to post this.

Mary Morstan gets a varied treatment in fandom, not always favorable in slash fics as she tends to complicate things a bit. Katie Forsyth's treatment of Mary is unique and breathtaking.

There's a fairly memorable sex scene towards the beginning of the story that may ward off readers who fear it's just another PWP. It's far, far, far more than that. The Moriarty plot line is brilliantly suspenseful, and Sherlock's decision to separate from John is literally painful to read.

Also viewable here on her LJ.
[identity profile] brighteyed-jill.livejournal.com
Title: Distractions (WIP)
Author: [livejournal.com profile] fourleggedfish
Pairing: Holmes/Watson UST, Holmes/OMCs
Length: ~80,000
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Graphic non-con, violence, abusive language (including homophobic slurs and internalized homophobia), descriptions of aftercare and post-traumatic stress disorder, including contemplation of self harm. WIP not updated since July 2010 and presumably abandoned
Verse: Unspecified, but my powers of deduction suggest a fusion of Ritchie films and book canon.
Author's summary: This is in response to a kinkmeme prompt: "Ok, so I've read some really nice fills for Watson being raped and Holmes finding out (and taking care of him). But I'd really like it the other way round: Holmes being the victim of rape with Watson finding out and (as usual) having to deal with the aftermath. I want Holmes to be severely traumatized, confused, emotionally shattered and not at all his usual self; you know what I mean."

Reccer's comments: Presumably, if you read the summary and are still here, this sort of thing might be your cup of tea. This story doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff (either the incident itself or the aftermath), so it may be a little rough on the constitution, but I found it completely worthwhile for the in-depth look at a traumatized Holmes and a Watson trying desperately to do the right thing for his friend. There’s no magical shortcut to recovery here, but there is enough heart-breaking hurt/comfort to soften even the hardest of hearts. There’s also great use of supporting characters, including Mrs. Hudson (who’s really a badass), the Irregulars, Lestrade, and Clarky. [livejournal.com profile] fourleggedfish’s writing style is vivid and compelling, and had me staying up late waaaay too many nights clicking feverishly to the next part to follow the next twist in the story.

Now, to spare you the heartbreak I experienced when I got to the end. Yes, this story is unfinished, and likely to remain so. However, there is a degree of resolution in the case, and a few scraps of resolution in regards to the Holmes/Watson relationship. I think if you approach this story knowing that not everything will be neatly tied up, you will be able to enjoy an epic-length WIP of substance and style.
[identity profile] unovis.livejournal.com
Hi!
Just a few words on our tags and tagging your recs.

Tags are useful search tools for grouping the recs by categories: by pairing, genre, content, and sources for the stories or other fanworks.

We ask that reccers attach tags that are relevant to the works they rec. You don't have to add everything that applies-- for example, not a character tag for everyone who might appear in the story, or every theme or content. But if Molly has a significant cameo, say, that you think people searching for her might appreciate, then by all means list her in a tag. Likewise if you think this is the addiction story people should read, then use the content: addiction tag.

The required aspects to tag are pairing (if it applies), relationship genre (i.e., gen, slash, or het*), and verse (the source: ACD books, Sherlock BBC, Granada, etc.).

The easiest place to see all of the tags available is in this list of tags.

Tagging is enabled only for the author of the post and the mods. Only the mods can add new tags. We have a beginning list up now, anticipating likely categories and characters. We'll add more as recs are made, if characters and pairings, for example, aren't covered already. You can request a new tag to be added by commenting here or by contacting one of the mods. Keep in mind, again, that we'll be adding character tags as additional characters appear in recs.

Sherlock Holmes and John Watson have been abbreviated as SH and JW in pairings and some other places (e.g., content: sick jw). Since this recs comm is open to all versions of Sherlock Holmes, it seemed the simplest way to identify the characters. Lestrade, Gregson, and Dimmock are listed as "inspector" following ACD book canon, and Moriarty is listed only once by his (their) surname alone. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is abbreviated throughout as ACD.

*We won't add a category for "slash-if-you-squint" or similar invitations for the reader to see subtext in a story. If the author hasn't labeled her work as slash, then it's genre: gen or genre: friendship.

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