Title: Magnificent Desolation
Author's LJ/DWJ: abyssinia / grav_ity
Categories: other media, Sam, Jack, Jack and Sam friendship, pre-series, character study
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: : Masterlist of Fanfiction / Gravity Not Included
Link to story: Magnificent Desolation

Why this should be read heard: Abyssis lovingly, eloquently traces the history of space travel on Earth, and how it has intertwined with Sam and Jack's lives. She deftly weaves past events with show canon, showing us the unique bond that they share, with their love of flight and the stars that shine above them. And Grav_ity takes this gorgeous character piece and reads it with all the quiet and powerful intensity that it fully deserves.

One of my all-time favorite Stargate fics, podficced brilliantly. This is just under half an hour of SG-1 at its best.

Title: A Failure of Leadership
Author's LJ/DWJ: trindajae
Categories: other media, episode related, Jack, character study
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: unknown
Link to story: A Failure of Leadership

Why this should be read: This fascinating character study of Jack and how his leadership (or lack thereof) impacts his team was posted back when redial_the_gate did The Other Side, but it's stuck with me ever since. I really like how Trindajae gives us a different perspective on why everyone behaved as they did during this rather fraught episode. Don't forget to browse the comments, too, for further discussion!

Full disclaimer: Why, yes, I was a mod at Redial. :)

Title: Podfic of In Dulci Jubilo; written by Salieri, read by Aces
Author's LJ/DWJ: troyswann / aces
Categories: Sam, other media, character study, original charactesr, team, Janet, friendship
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: Salieri's Outside The Box
Link to story: links to podfic and text

Why this should be heard: This long and lush character study is simply gorgeous: Sam and her perspectives on the world, affected by close contact with a fascinating alien race, and filtered through the comfort and unwavering support of her teammates and friends. It's adult in the best sense of the word: intelligent, thoughtful, challenging. Aces does a stunning job of turning it into podfic, and this is half an hour of quality SG-1 at its best.

Title: J is for Justified
Author's LJ/DWJ: ivorygates
Categories: drama, angst, character study, on the edges of canon
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: Fic Journal Table Of Contents
Link to story: J is for Justified

Why this should be read: Shau'nac deserves so much more than just to be a convenient catalyst for the creation of Tanith as Teal'c's new personal villain. And in this character sketch, stretching literally over nearly a century, Ivorygates highlights the enormity of the tragedy of Tanith's betrayal and Shau'nac's murder.


Shau'nac of the Red Hills had seen ninety-nine years come and go.

She would not see a hundred.

Title: N is for Nondisclosure
Author's LJ/DWJ: magibrain
Categories: on the edges of canon, character study, ep related, Jonas, Kianna Cyr, angst
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: Magistrate on AO3
Link to story: N is for Nondisclosure

Why this should be read: This is a fantastic followup to Fallout: what happened to Kianna Cyr after the Goa'uld was removed, and how she deals with both Jonas, the Kelownans, and the ethical questions in the aftermath. With all the nuance and stellar characterization you expect from Magistrate, this one is a real keeper.

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Story: Field Trip
Author's LJ/DWJ: eponymous_rose
Categories: Jonas, character study, season six
Warnings: none
Author's Website: My Fanfiction
Link to story: Field Trip

Why this should be read: This charming, gentle story treats us to Jonas on his very first solo trip outside the Mountain. The imagery is rich and the characterization is perfect as Jonas enjoys cherry pie, his breath of freedom, and the delightful ordinariness of life on Earth.


Leaning back with his tea, he took stock: here he was, a truly astronomical distance from home, enjoying a peaceful breakfast among the inhabitants of another planet, on his day off work at a thrilling place of employment. Granted, he was still being tailed by his very own personal pair of airmen, and his commanding officer seemed to be waiting for him to screw up every few seconds, but all things considered, the life of Jonas Quinn was taking a turn for the better.

I tried to resist the temptation of rec'ing two Charli Bookers in a row, but my willpower was just not that strong.

Title: This Nest of Sparrows (6 parts)
Author's LJ/DWJ: None
Categories: team, character: jack o'neill, character: daniel jackson, humor
Warnings: None
Author's Webpage/Fic list: n/a
Link to story: "This Nest of Sparrows"
Why this should be read:Charli gives Jack a housekeeper, and uses her to show us what SG-1 looks like from the outside during S2

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Title: Truth in Fiction
Author's LJ/DW: cleothemuse
Categories: value of Vala, female friendship, humor, character study
Warnings: none
Author's Website: www.cleothemuse.net
Link to story: Truth in Fiction

Why this should be read: Vala discovers trashy romance novels on a shopping spree with Sam, and the two women share some unexpectedly serious reflections. Great fun, sparkling characterization, and an excellent read!

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Title: Vala Alphabet Soup
Author's LJ/DWJ: n/a
Categories: valuable Vala, ep related, character study, friendship, humor, angst, drama, pre-series, post-series
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: n/a
Link to story: Vala Alphabet Soup

Why this should be read: It might be cheating a little to rec the Soup as a whole, especially since I organize the Soups and have actually written one of the fics. :) But here's a chance to read twenty-six great Vala fics at once, by 25 different authors! These are funny and painful and insightful and fluffy and thoughtful in turns, and you'll enjoy every last one of them. Don't forget to follow the links to the authors' individual journals and leave them feedback!

Title: Close Encounters
Author's LJ/DWJ: stringertheory
Categories: clone!Jack, character study, crossover
Warnings: crossover with Doctor Who
Author's Webpage/Fic list: Fic list )
Link to story: Close Encounters

Why this should be read: Clone!Jack might be a bit bemused at the sudden appearance of a certain manic Doctor, but I love the choices he makes in this one. This is a Jack who is at peace with his own decisions and the direction his life is taking. Immensely charming, wryly amusing, but so very, very right.


“Your eyes are old,” the man said.

“So are yours,” Jack retorted.

Title: A Long Drawn-Out Breath and an Impossible Sky
Author's LJ/DWJ/AO3: magibrain | magistrate
Categories: character study, character: Sam, character: Daniel, character: Jack, character: Teal'c, drama, theme: awesome women, theme: lost episode, theme: super Sam, theme: things that go *boom*
Warnings: None
Author's Webpage/Fic list: SG-1 fic on DWth by tags | SG-1 works at AO3
Link to story: A Long Drawn-Out Breath and an Impossible Sky
Why this should be read: This is a fic that could have been an episode of the show, except that it's a story that can be conveyed only in prose -- unless, perhaps, you too have been zapped by the gizmo in the story, which adds a nifty layer of meta to an extraordinarily meta-rich, and extraordinary, fic. Like 'ante meridiem,' this had to be a Carter fic, but this one is a classic science-fictional problem-solution story. It's a vehicle for a beautiful look into Carter's mind, both her regular mind and her mind expanded and illuminated by alien technology (and some key input from Daniel, whose empathetic intuition is as important to his contribution as his linguistics expertise).

About 4300 words.

Snippet of fic:

A little piece of alienness always followed them home.

Title: - ante meridiem - before midday -
Author's LJ/DWJ/AO3: agentotter | agentotter | otter
Categories: angst, character study, character: Daniel, character: Sam, character: Teal'c, drama, era: season 8
Warnings: Disturbing topic and images
Author's Webpage/Fic list: faded press (seems to be down, not sure if that's permanent) | SG-1 works at AO3 | Fic at AllDanielFic
Link to story: - ante meridiem - before midday
Why this should be read: A compact, wincingly painful fic that takes the potentially disastrous consequences of gate exploration one vast, harsh step further than 'One False Step.' The characteristic Otterfic twist comes earlier than usual, as the climax of the characterization-rich opening, in stark demonstration of why this had to be a Carter fic. She's efficient, prepared, famously problem-solving -- and this, like the traumatic event in her youth, cannot be fixed.

803 words.

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Title: A Resonant Transliteration
Author's LJ/DWJ/AO3: jenlev
Categories: character study, character: Daniel Jackson
Warnings: None
Author's Webpage/Fic list: Stories
Link to story: A Resonant Transliteration
Why this should be read: A beautiful study of Daniel as the team goes through the gate to explore a planet they haven't been to before. This fic is a sense-of-wonder refresher: a celebration of how fundamentally marvelous gate travel is. It's also a gift to Daniel, who is musing, as the story opens in the embarkation room, that it's been a long time since they met a truly alien race. The fertile Daniel headspace, rich with associations, is portrayed in loving detail. Through Daniel's perceptions and deductions, so is what they find in the new ancient world they step into.

About 1200 words.

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Title: Child, Choice, and Crocodiles
Author's LJ/DWJ: I think magistrate
Categories: Character Study, Friendship, Sha're & Janet, Sha're, episode related (Forever in a Day)
Warnings: none
Author's Webpage/Fic list: http://archiveofourown.org/users/magistrate/
Link to story: Child, Choice, and Crocodiles
Why this should be read: There absolutely need to more fics about Sha're. This one is a real gem. Sha're after being rescued, speaking to Janet, speaking of fears and gods and... crocodiles. It's touching and raw and true.

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Title: Worthy Sacrifices
Author's LJ/DWJ: traycer
Categories: Character Study, Ray's, Bra'tac
Warnings: Character Death
Author's Webpage/Fic list: http://archiveofourown.org/users/Traycer
Link to story: Worthy Sacrifices
Why this should be read: I am on such a Jaffa (and Tok'ra) kick since... well, forever. This is just a little AU snippet with Rya'c and Bra'tac after Teal'c dies, and yet it captures everything in that Rya'c&Bra'tac&Teal'c dynamic that I love so much. Both the anger and the understanding, both Rya'c's youthful struggle for independence and Bra'tac's wisdom.

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