Fandom(s): Sherlock(BBC), Peter Pan, Buffy : The Vampire Slayer, Avatar: The Last Airbender, A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones.
Reccer notes: I've chosen 5 different fandoms where the authors are amazingly in-tune with the character growth of the protagonists in their stories. Each story is AU, which I think helps to really delve into exactly why these characters do what they do rather than following canon.
Summary:



Title: An Avalanche of Detour Signs
Author: Gyzym
Fandom: Sherlock BBC
Pairing: Molly Hooper/Greg Lestrade
Rating: M
Status: One shot.
Summary: In which Molly Hooper gets a job, gets a degree, breaks a heart, has her heart broken, falls in love, keeps a secret, saves a life, runs a morgue, falls apart, pulls it together, and finds exactly what she didn't know she was looking for--not necessarily in that order.
Warnings: AU.


This covers Molly's experiences all through season 1 and 2 of the show, but with a twist. Everything from how she came to work at a morgue and how she fell for Sherlock Holmes to her connection to Moriarty as well as how she finally found a companion in Detective Inspector Lestrade. This really is a sweet story and it gives a great back story to both minor characters, making them main characters easily. Sherlock is in character, John Watson is in character...actually, it is like a typical show with crime, police work and dead bodies all told through Molly's eyes. I'm happy that she got her happy ending via this fic. And there's some lovely art accompanying it too.

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Title: Awakenings
Author: Kimberly-A
Fandom: Peter Pan
Pairing: Peter Pan/Wendy Darling
Rating: M (NC17)
Status: Multi-chapter. Complete.
Summary: When Wendy's thimble stirs confusing feelings in Peter Pan, he finds himself facing an entirely unfamiliar way of relating not only to Wendy, but also to his own body.
Warnings: AU elements.


We all know the story and we all know the ending. This is a very unique way of looking at what happens to Peter Pan after Wendy and the Lost Boys leave, after Wendy gives him her 'thimble'. I would encourage everyone to read this because the author has written this story tastefully, which is a hard thing to do considering the fact that it's a story of how Peter discovers his own sexuality. It might sound like Porn without Plot, but it is so much more. It's the discovery of love between Peter and Wendy and it really is sweet. And don't worry, no underage sex here.

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Title: Forward to Time Past
Author: Unbridled Brunette
Fandom: Buffy : The Vampire Slayer
Pairing: Buffy Summers/Spike
Rating: M (NC17)
Status: Multi-chapter. Complete.
Summary: The victim of a spell gone awry, Buffy finds herself trapped in Victorian London, where she meets a man surprisingly familiar to her.
Warnings: Violence, blood, and a lot of it. AU.


This is a classic story with time travel and magic with the only difference being that it is completely character driven. This is like any other Buffy episode. There is witty dialogue, action, adventure, magic, vampires sucking blood and Buffy kicking ass. If you loved the show you would love this. We follow Buffy as she is transported to the Victorian Era. It makes for a hilarious premise until we find out that she really is stuck there. Then she meets William, the person who Spike was before he was 'Spike' and we see his transformation from lovable human to murderous, evil vampire. Even Angel and Dru make an appearance. I think this might be my most favourite Buffy story because of the sheer amount of work the author has clocked in to help us understand the time period and the characters. It's just one of those stories that should be read if you love a good 'origins' story. Who wouldn't like to read what Spike was like before he became a vampire?

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Title: Beyond the Rising Sun
Author: justcallmefaye
Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Pairing: Zuko/Katara
Rating: M15
Status: Multi-chapter. Complete.
Summary: In the end, it would be about growing up and looking back and moving on and finding out that some things only grow stronger with time.
Warnings: AU.


Yes, this pairing is one of my three OTPs, but that is not why this story is amazing. The story starts off after the finale where Zuko is the Fire Lord and he's working with Katara, Aang and Toph to build a relationship between the four nations after the war. The characterisations are exemplary and the story-line extremely believable. As he tries to bring back the faith people had lost in the Fire Nation, Zuko searches for his mother with a little bit of help from Katara. The story unfolds so naturally that you can't help but find it believable. Zuko, especially, is exactly how he is supposed to be. He is older, mature, more controlled, while underneath it all there's still an anger that burns bright as a result of all that he had been through as a child. All the emotions that he experiences as he continues on this journey are handled splendidly. I especially love the fact that no character is ignored or left behind in this tale. Even the fate of Azula is looked into, which is, I have to admit, heartbreaking.

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Title: No Featherbed For Me
Author: lit_chick08
Fandom: A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones
Pairing: Arya Stark/Gendry Baratheon
Rating: M
Status: Multi-chapter. Incomplete.
Summary: Arya Stark wanted to be a knight; she wanted to find glory and adventure with Needle in her hand. But that is not an appropriate life for a highborn lady, and that was all Arya of House Stark was allowed to be.(or What if Gendry was heir to the Iron Throne and Arya had to go through life as a highborn lady instead of a badass?)
Warnings: AU


This story is amazing a million ways from Sunday. I know what GRRM says but after reading a story like this I just can't bring myself to care. We know that Cersei had a miscarriage and this story utilises that fact to make Gendry Waters a true Baratheon by making him that child. That change of fact combined with Jon Arryn dying from old age makes a story that is AU but completely believable. All characters that have been introduced in the five books play a part.

I've never come across a story that unravels purely by the choices made by the characters; choices that are believable because of their characteristics. Considering that this is centered around politics, it makes sense. And in the heart of this we have the romance of Arya and Gendry which is doomed from the start. This story has everything you would want in a good novel: action, adventure, manipulation, romance, character growth and friendships that could stand the test of time. There are two more chapters until completion and I can't wait until it's conclusion since I have absolutely no idea where this story is going. It's brings one surprise after another. And at the heart of it all is Arya, who tries to be herself in a world that wants her to change.

I think this just might be my most favourite fanfiction. Ever.

A word of warning, don't read this story if you haven't read the five books and don't want to be spoiled because there are too many spoilers utilised in this story to count.