Star Trek (all series)
 
 

Star Trek: The Original Series

Good Night, Sweetheart by Rabble Rouser
From the very first paragraph to the last, this story has a unique and haunting quality to it that perfectly captures Kirk's doomed romance with Edith Keeler.

Blood Debt by Djinn
This story draws you in its absolutely riveting character interaction. This is a fascinating look at the intricate relationships between Saavik and Valeris, between Valeris and Spock, and also between Spock and Saavik, written in the framework of a beloved fairytale.

A Moment of Grace by Pinetrees
This Kirk-centric fic is a really lovely look at grief and despondency, and also an excellent example of how well repetition of phrase can work, with each refrain adding layers of meaning and character self-revelation.

The Sound of Drums by Jungle Kitty
This is an incredibly well-written story, with a fine attention to detail and a wonderful ear for dialogue, starting with the opening conversation between Jungle Kitty's intriguing original character, Suzanne Brandt, and Kirk.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Interlude by Rocky
A nice character piece that works on so many levels and gives good insight into the relationship Picard has with his first officer, among others.

The Institute by Ventura33
It's very rare we get such a spot-on characterization of Picard, and this story explores Picard's post-assimilation feelings so many years later. The description is vivid and sucks the reader right in. This is one of the best Picard stories out there.

Imperfection by Ventura 33
Have you ever come across a story that made you want to write? You know the ones, they're often the first story that sucks you into the fandom. Well this is one of those. In a previous story Ventura gave Captain Picard a Borg daughter (The Relevance of Hope, also recommended). Here she revisits the child as a Borg and writes a story from her point of view. It's a delight to read and the voice is perfectly captured.

Not Good Not Good at All by Trexphile
Beverly and Picard get nekkid. But not quite for the reason you'd think. Possibly the most fun ever in a Picard/Crusher fic.

Everybody's Got a Story by Kaite
I don't think I've ever seen Troi done like this, and I can't tell you how refreshing it is. She's complicated, a little crazy and multi-layered. Kaite answers some questions about Troi you've probably asked yourself a few times and she deals with them in an imaginitive and insightful way.

Pistol Packin' Pink by monkee
Both Worf and Troi are written very well here and their budding attraction to each other is very believable. Troi, especially, is portrayed wonderfully.

Too Many Stars and Not Enough Sky by Kaite
Damn, I like the way this girl writes Troi! In fact, I like the way the whole crew is written here. As if the version of them we see in TNG is a facade hiding barely concealed fractured personalities. It changes my whole perspective on them - but especially Troi.

Business as Usual by infiniteviking
The USS Enterprise might seem like a tightly-run ship with a well-mannered and dignified crew, but this hilarious short fic proves otherwise.

Star Trek: Deep Space 9

Free Association by Ventura33
This is a lovely story about the relationship between Lenara Kahn and Jadzia Dax. Beautifully written, lovely descriptions, and a lovely acceptance/realization on Dax's part of just *why* things couldn't work out between them

Five Things that Never Happened to Kira Nerys by Rocky
A terrific AU with some surprises along the way, but regardless of the twists in the tale, the various incarnations of Kira Nerys remain firmly grounded in character.

Gumbo by Yahtzee
A lovely post-series story that uses the second person POV combined with a unique format to create a touching and insightful portrait of the DS9 folks and their relationships in the aftermath of the Dominion War.

You've Never Seen by Aquiel
Short and sweet and written with a lyrical quality that haunts you after the story is read. Shades of darkness in a character we knew just had it in her.

Fly Away by Kyra Cullinan
Second person is so hard to do well, but this is a beautiful vignette that looks at Vic Fontaine in a different and unusual light, written with a lyrical and flowing style.

Pleasantries by Sara
Just a morning like any other, but the undertones between Kira and Bashir are beautifully written and say so much as they adjust to life
after the Dominion War.

Home Again by Tori Morris aka Skywatter
Really pretty writing, but also a prime example of why you can't go home again. A lovely interpretation of the 'future' Sisko might have to face when and if he ever returns.

Three by Sara Goose
Kira analyzes the three different personae of Sisko. This fic provides good insight into the complex relationship between the Emissary and a religious woman, not to mention also between a Captain and his first officer. Nicely done.

Suvival Mechanism by Sara Goose
Trek is well known for leaving unanswered questions in the series and a race that raised a lot of questions were the Trill. Sara attempts to answer at least one. Done in a thoughtful and likeable manner.

An Apple A Day by Nostalgia
It's the Garak voice that gets me here. Spot on. And Garak/ Bashir is just one of those pairings I love.

Mission Within by Sara Goose
A gen DS9 fic is hard to come by, and this one also features a well-characterized O'Brien. The story moves well and is a prime example of character welded to plot.

Figures in the Sand by Sara Goose
A bittersweet Odo/Kira reunion with a completely unexpected but understandable ending.

like she walks by not jenny
Perfectly fucked up - just like the intendant. Startling and shocking and awful and very mirror-verse. 

The Long Haul by Yahtzee
A terrific Odo/Kira friendship vignette, pre-DS9, with pitch-perfect voices and keen insights.

Path Not Taken by Selena
Man, I love the Five Things challenge. This time, we have Five Things That Never Happened Between Garak and Bashir, each of them carrying a ring of terrible plausibility, written in precise, subtle prose. Marvellous.

Dislocation, Condemnation, Revelation, In Temptation by Sabine
I love a well-done second-person POV and this is a fabulously done second-person POV Kira/Dukat, full of anger and despair and longing, with a looping structure that tightens around its characters like a noose. Beautifully done.

Lucifer by Deborah Judge
Stories from the Founders' point of view -- showing them as caring and feeling for their kind are rare -- and Odo's confusion and the Founders' own grief at losing him once again to a world they cannot understand why he prefer is very well articulated. The use of multiple pronouns as a story-telling device works especially well in this story.

Star Trek: Voyager

Survivor's Epitaph by Morgan Stuart
The first person Tom Paris voice in this vignette is an absolute perfect mix of cockiness, confidence and awareness.

The Cutting Edge by Alex Voy
Set after "Unimatrix Zero", this story nicely fills in the blanks re Janeway's recovery and does a beautiful job of showing Seven's growth and compassion.

Unimatrix Minus One by Julie Levin Russo
Janeway/ Seven - a disturbing and unsettling take on the events of "Unimatrix Zero" that riffs on the connection between sexuality, power and control

All of This is Window Dressing by Not Jenny
Reading this fic is like stepping back in time to 1999, when the best writers were flexing their muscles, and Janeway was the queen with feet of clay.  NJ has a lovely way of using the second person narrative to put Janeway under scrutiny, and the results may not be wholly pleasant, but they true to Janeway's nature.

Tales from the Government in Exile by Nostalgia
There's a hint of "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in here and I can't help thinking it's just a perfect allusion. Another insightful portrait of Janeway from Nostalgia.

Porcelain by Firecracker
Another wonderful protrait of Janeway. I can't tell you how much I'm loving the Voyager revival! This is classic, dark and lost Janeway - a little crazy and a little out of control. Irresistable.

Mint Tea by Debra Fran Baker
Chakotay. Tuvok. Slash. But in this fic, the pairing makes so much sense and these two act like themselves. This is a beautifully written fic that tackles both two difficult-to-write characters and an unusual pairing to boot.

tom collins never had one in this bar by Teanna
It's been so long since I've read a decent J/7 that I've forgotten how much fun they could be. Here Teanna writes a Janeway who is spot on and a Seven who is adorable. And the rest of the story will have you plinging and plonging all over the place.

Pot Kettle Black by the stylus
A lovely look at Gretchen Janeway from a perspective often overlooked in Trek fic - the dark side of being married to someone absolutely devoted to Starfleet. A really beautiful piece of writing.

Day of the Dead by Djinn
This story weaves mythology seamlessly through its text. A beautifully descriptive J/C fic with a twist at the end.

A Little Diversion by Penny Proctor
Have you ever had one of those fics that changed your life when you first find them, making such an impression that you're afraid to read them, for fear that it won't live up to the memory?  This is one of those.  But Penny lives up to the hype, and in this tale of shore leave hijinks, reminds us of why she is one of the best Trek writers around.  Janeway is wearing a black dress and looking for trouble, and Chakotay and Neelix witness the whole thing.  A lighthearted, compelling fic that reminds me of how great Trek fic can be.

Stockholm Syndrome by Nostalgia
A spot on Seven voice is a rare and beautiful thing. And the twist of canon is one of those things that reminds me of the glory days of angsty Voyager fic. Talk about Nostalgia...

Chakotay and It by Kelly Chambliss
A charming, bittersweet tale about Chakotay, the women he loves, the love they have for each other, and one alien transplanted from a children's book.  All combined in the perfect kind of harmony that Kelly creates so well.

Resonance by Alex Voy
This story is wonderful because it deals with the complicated relationships between the three women of Voyager -- Janeway, Seven and B'Elanna. It's a quiet, understated story but reveals so much.

A Healer's Hands by Ventura33
This is a lyrical, very touching story. Denara Pel and Kes are two very different individuals and with little in common, but in this story, they forge a connection.

Q and Sympathy by Rocky
This story is just pure fun. For anyone who has ever wanted to see what would happen if Q and Janeway finally got together, here's the answer.

The World is Room by Paula Stiles
This is a pre-Voyager story set in New Zealand and Paula does such a good job with her characterization of Tom Paris and her OC, Sawalha, is engaging as Paris' counterpart.

Perspective by Alex Voy
This is a superb story, told from the perspective of an OC who comes vividly alive. While the story starts out as a rumination on who Janeway might be and her relationship to Chakotay, it's the OC who eventually takes the spotlight and deservedly so, as he's very well written.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Her Strut by monkee
This is a humorous look at T'Pol through the viewpoints of her fellow crewmates. They all have a different take on ths Vulcan science officer, including the Subservient Quadraped.

Vox Iuvenium by Nostalgia
I love the Hoshi in this fic. She's smart, sassy, and can hold her own with Archer. If there was a past romantic relationship between these two, this fic tells exactly how it should have been.

Strangeness by Apocalypse
A wonderful portrait of T'Pol, revealing the facets of her character, and more importantly, the subtle shadings of her inner struggles as she's caught between Vulcans and humans.

The Last Journey Sky by Jane
A beautiful exploration of a relationship between Archer and T'Pol many years in the future. Gorgeous writing and some very nice insights.

Back Home by Kayjay
This is an amazing story, atmospheric, vivid and chock full of imagery.

Herculean Labors by Mara Greengrass
This story reads like an episode and features a strong, competent Sato.

Momentary Distractions by Julie Evans
The characterizations of Trip, T'Pol and Phlox -- along with the dialogue -- are beautifully done and as usual, the story sparkled with Julie's usual attention to detail and exposition.

Salvage by Daria
This story, prominently featuring Tucker and Reed, features good characterizations, realistic relationships between the crew, good use of detail and dialogue, and very nicely paced.