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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Index Reader’s Choice—The Monthly List of Your Favorite Fics | Updates 1st & 3rd Sunday every month

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by FanficIndex, Jun 12, 2016.

  1. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    READER’S CHOICE: THE MONTHLY LIST OF YOUR FAVOURITE FICS

    This is a thread to recommend your favourite fics to other users of the boards. Everyone is welcome to participate, whether you’re a reader, a writer or a lurker. Please just read the rules below carefully before you jump in with mad enthusiasm :)

    HOW TO GET A FIC ON THE LIST

    PM the details of your favourite fic to this sock every month, using the template below. The list of all recommended fics will be published in the first week of the following month.
    Author
    Title
    Link
    Era
    Why you recommend this fic (maximum 300 words, may include a summary, a quote and a review)
    [Optional] Type (short/epic/series etc), genre (romance/adventure/drama etc), canonicity (Legends/Canon/AU etc), characters, etc.​

    Please DO NOT post your recommendations directly to this thread, send a PM as described above. Any spontaneous recommendation posts will be removed by our friendly neighbourhood moderators.

    THE RULES

    1. You may submit only one fic every month, unless you are recommending a series (e.g. a trilogy), in which case you may list the various stories that compose it.

    2. Only Star Wars fanfics posted on these boards are eligible. For NSWFF, see this thread. Links to the Wayback Machine and the Fanfic Archive are acceptable, links to external websites are not; however, if a fic is truncated on the boards, you can tell other readers where to find a complete version as long as it is ToS-compliant.
    Example: Jane Doe’s story Titles’R’Us is truncated on the boards, but she also posted it under the same user name on fanfiction.net.​

    3. You may not submit fics that you authored or co-authored. If you wish to promote your own fics, see the Fic Promotion Service of the Prolific Writers’ Index.

    4. Three restrictions to ensure that the selection is as varied as possible:

    You may not submit a fic by the same author two months in a row.
    Example: If John Smith recommended Jane Doe’s story Titles’R’Us in January, he may not recommend another of Jane Doe’s fics until March.​

    You may not re-submit a fic that was already recommended by another user last month.
    Example: If John Smith recommended Jane Doe’s story Titles’R’Us in January, no other user may recommend Titles’R’Us until March.​

    You may not submit a fic that won an award or a challenge for 2 (two) months following their win.
    Examples:
    If Jane Doe won the OC Revolution Challenge for her fic Titles’R’Us in January, Titles’R’Us cannot appear on the Readers’ Choice list until 01 April.
    If John Smith won the Word Race and listed My Awesome Story in his advertisement thread in May, My Awesome Story cannot appear on the Readers’ Choice list until 01 August.
    If John Smith won the Best Author award for Beyond in September, no fic by John Smith in Beyond can appear on the Readers’ Choice list until 01 December.​

    5. Recommendations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. If two users submit the same fic in the same month, the second user who sent his/her PM will be contacted so that s/he can recommend another fic.

    6. You may use this thread for questions, feedback and general comments on the monthly selection. Reviews of the month’s recommended fics should be posted in the story thread; if the thread is locked, please ask the mods to unlock it.

    7. All the other rules of the Fanfic Boards apply here as well, so please have a look at the FAQ.

    Remember, the purpose of this thread isn’t to promote the most popular fics over and over, but to unearth the gems that are buried in the depths of the forums. If you’re hesitating between two fics, consider picking the lesser-known one (e.g., the one that got fewer reviews, or that hasn’t been reviewed in a while). Both the author and your fellow readers will be grateful!

    Lastly, a few useful resources to refresh your mind on fics you may have read in the past, or to find fics you might want to read in the future:


    As of 12 June 2016, this sock is run by Chyntuck. As of 22 April 2020, this sock is administered by @Findswoman.
     
    Last edited: Apr 30, 2020
  2. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Index

    January 2021
    February 2021
    March 2021
    April 2021
    May 2021 (WIP Month Special Edition!)
    June 2021—no submissions
    July 2021
    August 2021—no submissions
    September 2021
    October 2021
    November 2021 (WIP Month Special Edition!)
    December 2021 through February 2022—no submissions
    March 2022
    April 2022—no submissions
    May 2022—no submissions
    June 2022
    July 2022
    August–September 2022—no submissions
    October 2022 (WIP Month Special Edition!)
    November 2022–February 2023—no submissions
    March 2023
    April–September 2023—no submissions)
    October 2023 (WIP Month Special Edition!)
     
    Last edited: Oct 1, 2023
  3. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – July 2016

    SAGA

    Kurisan recommends: Rage, Rage against the Dying of the Light by AzureAngel2

    First, it’s well written, with lots of little embellishments that bring the story to vivid life. Second, the main character is an everyday “Mrs. Robinson”, and I like the unusual. The heroine is not a sporty supermodel, or a brilliant scientist, or a plucky princess. She’s a kindergarten teacher. These female characters are everywhere in real life and bring a strength to our society that somehow too often seems invisible to writers. Average Joes heeding the call to adventure and becoming heroes, yes. Mrs. Robinsons, not so much. Finally, it is an attempt to humanise Palpatine – explore a potential lighter side. Whether or not one agrees with such a notion, I think it is a brave endeavour!

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha recommends: The First Apprentice by JD1975

    This introduces a compelling and likeable original character in Katia with a surprising back-story and a sweet connection to Luke, eventually.

    BEYOND

    Chyntuck recommends: Lord Vader’s Limpet by frodogenic1 (truncated on the boards, available in full on the Wayback Machine here)

    This is a five-star humorous fic to save for a day when you need a good laugh. In a zany AU where Darth Vader survived the destruction of the Death Star at Endor and disappeared to the Unknown Regions, he returns to Coruscant some twenty-five years later to find his family as we know it from the Legends-verse. In this context, the unrepentant Sith Lord finds it difficult to assert his authority as the patriarch of the Skywalker family, especially when a very small, very determined and very persistent life form decides that he’s the best thing since sliced bread...

    Kahara recommends: Odd Partnerships by Gahmah Raan

    This looks like it’s shaping up to be a really entertaining adventure story. Lots of humor and interesting details. If you like OC bounty hunters, underworld hijinks, and unique alien species this may be for you. It's also a standalone tie-in to the author’s longer works, so reading it may be a good intro.
    (Quote from a conversation between the main OC's that I thought was entertaining.)
     
    Ewok Poet, Kahara and Sith-I-5 like this.
  4. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Hey everyone,

    I'll be out of town until August 6, so I won't be able to reply to any recommendation PMs you send until then, but be sure that the list for August will be posted as soon as I'm back -- so keep these recommendations coming :)
     
    Kahara likes this.
  5. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – August 2016

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: Han Solo's Taste of Fatherhood (part 1 and part 2) by Hopefulwriter

    This is the funniest thing you will read in a long, long time. Do not let the formatting stop you. If you have ever wondered what kind of a mission will drive a young Han Solo and his faithful companion Chewbacca to the brink of madness, this story has the answer.


    Kahara recommends: The Broken Boy and the Blind Master by gaarastar58
    Okay, so I am recommending this since it's amazingly characterized, and also because I passed it by a few times thinking it would be a bit melodramatic based on the title. This impression turned out to be unfounded. The style of this story is, if anything, the opposite of that. The author does an incredible job of keeping Anakin both in-character and sympathetic, while also portraying the way that he's adapting to a new disability in a very believable fashion. And I find myself liking this version of Yoda much better than the canon PT-era version. Also, Master Forgo avoids a lot of the pitfalls that I associate with the "tough love" sort of mentor. He's a credible portrayal of a good teacher who does no harm but takes no poodoo.

    (Snippet from one of my favorite conversations in the story.)
     
    Ewok Poet, gaarastar58 and Tarsier like this.
  6. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Okay everyone, after an absolutely rotten summer and fall I'm back on track, and it's time to revive this thread :) Please send any recommendations you may have for December 2016 to this sock by Saturday 03 December so that I can post the list on Sunday!
     
  7. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – December 2016

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: Cosmonaut by Venator88

    This is a must for fans of XX century history who are, at the same time, not easily offended by WWII AUs. In a bleak, dystopian future where the Battle of Stalingrad was lost and the 1960s don't look like anything we know, a Yugoslav Partizan from Croatia named Janko Šerić is captured and picked to be a part of the Nazis' space programme. A space abnormality leads him to the Galaxy Far, Far Away where he meets Ahsoka Tano. The story is well-researched for and looks very promising!


    BEYOND

    Kahara recommends: Coldiron Squadron by Dashren2001

    (Work in progress; adventure/military/squadfic/other; takes place in a Legends timeline but includes some references to new canon; features mostly original characters with cameos from some secondary canon characters (Mon Mothma and Rae Sloane so far))

    This story reminds me how much I miss the X-wing novel series, and has a lot of the same things going for it: an ensemble cast of new characters with boatloads of issues, interesting and plausible-seeming space battles, and a more "gritty" view of the Star Wars universe without being depressing. So far there are several intriguing character arcs being set up and the overall plot looks like it has some twists in store.

    Findswoman recommends: Lightforce by Suzannah.Pearce

    A very enjoyable and engaging multi-chapter tale of post-Endor mystery and intrigue, starring Leia and also featuring Han, Luke, Chewbacca, and OCs, including a faithful aide, a bitter former underling, and an Alderaanian duke. The Han/Leia characterization is quite well done, and I also appreciate the way the multiple intrigue threads are clear and followable (which is always an issue for me when reading this kind of story!).
     
  8. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for January 2017 :)
     
    Ewok Poet likes this.
  9. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – January 2017

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: Thy Endless Wait by DaenaBenjen42

    This poem breaks all possible rules that are there to break! First of all, it's a genuine poem, not a songfic. How many of them are there, really? Second of all, it's all over the place. While the verses do follow some sort of a pattern in terms of structure, the timeline is like the Big Bang itself - things have flown to all possible parts of the Galaxy and various times in its history and you never know what may come up next. It's long, but worth going through! And it never ends!

    Notes: Listed as Saga, probably spans both canons and all eras.

    Kahara recommends: Another Galaxy by DarthMarly

    This is a really interesting story set in the TCW time period, where Anakin and Obi-Wan end up being transported to another galaxy (as the title might suggest). Thumbs up for the writer's thoughtful characterization of Obi-Wan and Anakin (neither of whom are perfect or unsympathetic here). The OC's they meet along the way are interesting in their own right, and the Obi-Wan/OC romance subplot is well-written even as it seems to be influenced by a mysterious something else that's going on with Obi-Wan in this story.

    Notes: In-progress medium-length or epic (currently on the 11th chapter); adventure/possible AU/romance/friendship/mystery/introspection; no specified canonicity (at least not where I could find it)
     
    Kahara and Ewok Poet like this.
  10. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for February 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 5 February, so you have until Saturday 4 to send them to me.
     
  11. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – February 2017

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: The Maya Qwan Series by Kurisan

    An incredible series that follows spunky, extremely athletic and compassionate Padawan Maya Qwan across the Galaxy, as she uncovers not one but three mysteries. Excellent protagonist, great action, awesome Clone characters and occasional spotlight on CW-era folk

    Notes: Saga - PT, Canon, Action/Adventure.

    Kahara recommends: Truth by Kaitan ISB021

    It's hard to review this one without giving away the twists, and I should probably note that it contains mild to moderate spoilers for some events of Seasons 2 and 3 of Rebels. What I can say is that the characterization of Kallus here is fascinating, and integrates many of the seemingly contradictory aspects of how he's been portrayed throughout the show. The OC Rebel captain is an interesting character herself, and I liked how the author used her interactions with Kallus to give us an outside viewpoint on a character who can be rather unpredictable in canon.

    Quote:
    Notes: Short story; inter-episode backstory/headcanon; canon-compliant (New Canon, Star Wars Rebels); Characters: Kallus, Ranu (OC)
     
    Kurisan, divapilot, Kahara and 2 others like this.
  12. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for March 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 5 March, so you have until Saturday 4 to send them to me.

    Please note that, with the fanfic awards beginning in the next few days, stories eligible for the awards CANNOT be recommended at this time as this would be akin to campaigning. This means that no story started or updated between 01 January and 31 December 2016 can be recommended, but you still have plenty of options before and after that!
     
  13. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – March 2017

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: Ascendance by The Ascendant

    The summary of the story kind of speaks for itself:
    But on top of this, the story is well-written and the author's friend is also a talented digital painter. The cover art is jaw-dropping. A must-read and a must-see!

    Notes: Saga-ST, epic, canon, possibly AU, action/drama

    BEYOND

    Kahara recommends: The Banks of Claudy by Onderon1

    It's really difficult to summarize this one without spoilering it! But it's a fun standalone short set in one of Onderon1's AU timelines. Rey (Luke and Mara's daughter in this AU) brings back some sad but not unexpected news to the rest of the Skywalker family, but all may not be as it seems. Told from the POV of a Mara who lived to what was the LOTF time period in Legends.

    Notes: Short one-shot; AU, drama, described as angst/fluff in the title bar; Legends-based AU with New Canon elements, also happens to be a universe where Earth exists although this is only briefly referenced; Characters: Mara Jade Skywalker, Rey (Skywalker), Ben Skywalker, OC Skywalker kids, mystery character
     
  14. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for April 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 9 April, so you have until Saturday 8 to send them to me.

    Please note that, with the fanfic awards under way, stories nominated for the awards CANNOT be recommended at this time as this would be akin to campaigning. You can see the list of nominated fics here, but you can still recommend any other story you'd like!
     
    AzureAngel2 likes this.
  15. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – April 2017

    SAGA

    Ewok Poet recommends: An Unseen Force by Snocone (Saga - PT)

    There are many PT rewrites floating around, but this one is really captivating. A long and challenging, but good read, nevertheless.

    Mistress_Renata recommends: Imperial Chronicles by GigaMach (Saga -PT)

    Sometime between RotS and SW:R1. Absolute action/adventure, strong military flavor. Just about all OCs. An Imperial ship is sent to investigate a distress call, and finds a Clone-era command ship with deadly abilities. The Imperial characters are transitioning from duty under the old Republic to the new Empire, and are getting new recruits who are thoroughly indoctrinated with Imperial propaganda. Each one is individual, and competent (not something you always see from the Empire!) There are some twists, but just really good action.

    Onderon1 recommends: Doaba Ke'demii - The Diary of a Young Comradette by Ewok Poet (Saga - OT)

    Ewok Poet has a gift for creating incredibly rich blends of canon and fanon, with characters whom you can't help but be affected by (in a variety of ways).

    Doaba Ke'demii is actually the prequel of sorts to another of EP's stories, The Black Star, with both about a Sacorrian girl facing not just the trials of teenagerdom, but also growing up in a dual-oppressive society - her own, and the wider Empire. And there are cameos by a certain future wife of a certain baron-administrator, but Tendra's just one of an amazing cast of characters.
     
    AzureAngel2, Kahara, Snocone and 2 others like this.
  16. Snocone

    Snocone Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Sep 14, 2015
    Thanks kindly for the recommendation, Ewok Poet [face_blush]:D
     
  17. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for May 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 7 May, so you have until Saturday 6 to send them to me.

    Please note that, with the fanfic awards under way, stories nominated for the awards CANNOT be recommended at this time as this would be akin to campaigning. You can see the list of nominated fics here, but you can still recommend any other story you'd like!
     
    AzureAngel2 likes this.
  18. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – May 2017

    BEYOND

    Ewok Poet recommends: Beyond the Wall by divapilot

    There are no many Legacy-comics era fics on the boards. This one features the main three and a simple plot, supercharged with emotions. I recommend it to everybody who loves this era and to those who would like to explore something new and often overlooked!

    Notes: Short story; drama, romance; Legends; characters: Cade Skywalker, Deliah Blue, Jariah Syn
     
  19. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for June 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 4 June, so you have until Saturday 3 to send them to me.

    Please remember that you can't currently recommend any stories that won in the recent fanfic awards, or authors who won in the author categories. (See the list of winners here.)
     
    Findswoman likes this.
  20. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – June 2017

    MULTI-ERA

    Kahara recommends: Tyrian Purple by AzureAngel2

    The vignettes in this collection all center around characters whose lives intermingle with that of Nagina, an OC who is both a kindhearted regular-person kindergarten teacher and the Emperor's niece. (Yes, that Emperor. :emperor: ) Although these stories are drawn from the history and plot of AzureAngel's other story Rage, rage against the dying of the light, they can be read as standalones. There is no chronological order to the stories, so it's equally easy to start anywhere. One thing that I especially like about this collection is that the POV's rarely repeat. So you're meeting the same character over and over, but through a new worldview every time. It's a really interesting way to explore both the wide-ranging connections of one life and how the same person can mean completely different things to various people around them.

    Notes: Before & Saga; series tie-in (same universe as Rage, rage against the dying of the light); short one-shot stories; drama/introspection/various genres; combination of Legends and New Canon; Nagina (original character), Palpatine, Orson Krennic, various other featured canon and original characters

    SAGA

    Findswoman recommends: The Wind That Shakes the Corley by Mistress_Renata

    A penetrating exploration of love, war, and loss on the eve of the Battle of Yavin. Niall Antilles, a doctor from Alderaan living on Corellia, has many decisions to make in the wake of his homeworld's destruction—including reevaluating his relationship with his fiancé, Ryas, an Imperial engineer. Written for the Celtic Song Challenge in response to the Irish song "The Wind That Shakes the Barley," this story takes the themes of the song in several unique and interesting directions.

    Notes: Saga - OT; multichapter, drama, canon, OCs with a brief EC cameo in a later chapter

    Sith-I-5 recommends: Let the Dice Fall Where They May by GreyBard

    A rare Lando Calrissian story, bringing the character into the Disney Canon, and the author has an amazing grasp of the Maz Kanata character. Captain Phasma also stars.

    Notes: Saga - ST; Phasma, Maz Kanata, Lando Calrissian; complete.
     
  21. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for July 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 2 July, so you have until Saturday 1 to send them to me. The restriction on fics that won in the last Fanfic Awards is now lifted, but the recommendation to go and dig up older/underrated fics still stands!
     
    Kahara and Findswoman like this.
  22. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Reader’s Choice – July 2017

    SAGA

    Chyntuck recommends: The Last Moments of Mace Windu, Jedi Master by CaptainPeabody

    This longish one-shot is CaptainPeabody's only fic posted on the boards and it makes one wish he wrote more often. Here he chronicles the thoughts of Mace Windu as the Jedi Master, after his defeat at the hand of Darth Sidious, falls to his death at the end of RotS. Windu goes through the stages of grief until a final meditation on the nature of the Force brings him to an epiphany of sorts.The punchline is... well, I won't spoil it for you.

    Notes: PT (RotS); one-shot; character study; missing scene; canon-compliant.

    BEYOND

    Findswoman recommends: Our Situations Must Be Dire by Kahara

    Jaina, Jacen, and Tenel Ka are all stuck together on a jungle planet jam-packed of wacky wildlife. A tenderly humorous story where romance among the beauties (!) of nature combines with good-natured (and Force-assisted) sister-brother ribbing. Full of breathtaking and detailed descriptions of fanon wildlife (a Kahara trademark).

    Notes: Legends; three chapters; features Jacen, Jaina, and Tenel Ka; mild AU.
     
    Kahara, Ewok Poet and Findswoman like this.
  23. FanficIndex

    FanficIndex Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Mar 27, 2015
    Hey everyone, it's time to start thinking of the stories you'd like to recommend to your fellow users for August 2017 :) That list will go up on Sunday 6 August, so you have until Saturday 5 to send them to me.
     
  24. DARTH_MU

    DARTH_MU Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2005
    wait they didn't need to be fics from the specific month?
     
    Chyntuck likes this.
  25. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    The fics can have been posted anytime. The recommendation list goes up once a month.
     
    DARTH_MU likes this.