Pandora's Box
a fanfiction recommendation archive
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Last Updated: October 28, 2011
Märchen: Midwest Arc by Labyrinth1n3
Fandom: South Park
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Kyle/Eric, slight Cartman/Wendy, Cartman/OC, Stan/Kyle, others
Length: ~312,500 words
Warnings: violence, slight dub-con
Summary: 'Eric finds himself at odds when he's forced to decide between leading his own army of Neo Nazis and pursuing a very vulnerable Kyle who is determined to fight for his independence after his turbulent break up with Stan.'
>>: Märchen needs some heavy editing and frequently contains German dialogue that's left untranslated until the end of the chapter, but it's a fascinating story and well worth the read. The relationship between Kyle and Eric is complex and becomes increasingly intense, and watching them bond over German lessons and a mutual hatred for Stan is pretty damn entertaining. XD It took me a while to get into the plot (which involves Cartman leading a Neo Nazi hate group with the foremost goal of preventing them from targeting Kyle) but it's nearly as gripping as the development of Kyle and Eric's relationship, and plays a very important role in it. The characterization is fantastic, and although the story begins with Kyle an emotional wreck, he ultimately becomes one of the strongest characters; he and Cartman are both crazy and ruthless and occasionally very sweet, bringing new depths to the epitomical love/hate relationship. The parts about Nazism and the German language are pretty interesting, too!
Meet the Moon by YoungBoho
Fandom: True Blood / Southern Vampire Mysteries
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Eric/Sookie, (anti-) Bill/Sookie, slight Sam/Sookie
Length: ~97,000 words
Warnings: m/f, wip
Summary: 'Eric throws a wrench into Bill's plans, causing him to seek the ultimate vengeance, which puts Sookie in the crossfire. Now Eric has to choose between Sookie and the life he loves.'
>>: This story begins after the Fellowship attack in Dallas. Sookie's struggling with the new feelings inspired by Eric's blood, and it isn't helping that Bill's acting strange while Eric seems much more approachable than usual in the wake of Godric's death. This sets the stage for an emotional roller coaster involving a (genuinely creepy!) haunting and an unconventional but devastating curse that may change Sookie's life forever. Also included are some very steamy scenes between Eric and Sookie. ;)
Three Can Keep a Secret by daniel
Fandom: Harry Potter
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: gen
Length: ~2,400 words
Summary: 'Harry Potter. Antonin Dolohov. And a Secret.'
>>: Takes place several years after the series. Can I just say oh snap?
Abbott and Costello Meet the Rainbow Coalition by shrift
Fandom: Farscape
Rating: R
Pairing: D'Argo/John, others
Length: ~2,300 words
Warnings: m/m, f/f
Summary: 'It seemed like a good idea at the time.'
>>: This is a weird little piece in which John and D'Argo get wasted and are led astray by a pair of hot alien party girls. Check out her website for more John/D'Argo and a few other things.
Fool Me Twice by makokitten
Fandom: Kurotsujishi
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Sebastian/Ciel
Length: ~81,500 words
Warnings: au, noncon, chanslash
Summary: It’s obsession at first sight when Sebastian, an ordinary student attending university on a basketball scholarship, glimpses 12-year-old Ciel Phantomhive in a crowded airport. Against his better judgment, Sebastian starts stalking the youth and waiting for an opportunity to do more than look. However, there’s more to the young Phantomhive than meets the eye, and Sebastian may have bitten off more than he can chew.
>>: This is an interesting modern, all human interpretation of Kurotsujishi. Despite the differences, the essence of Kurotsujishi is almost perfectly captured and the balance of power between Ciel and Sebastian gets very interesting. Obviously, this is a fairly dark and disturbing story, though I expect mileage to vary quite a bit on exactly how disturbing you find it.
You Get Your Life Back by Speranza
Fandom: True Blood / Southern Vampire Mysteries
Rating: PG
Pairing: Eric/Sookie, slight Bill/Sookie
Length: ~8,300 words
Warnings: m/f
Summary: Some days it's hard to feel good about the vampire rights movement, but one thing's for sure: the vampires sure saved radio.
>>: One of the only unqualifiably good True Blood stories I've found, this is a lovely one-shot that mishmashes the essence of True Blood and comes back with Sookie and Eric and monsters and late night radio. And there are zombies! Check it out; you won't be disappointed.
People Lie by Nugar
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: R
Pairing: Naruto/Hinata
Length: ~290,800 words
Warnings: au, wip, m/f
Summary: Lies have power. They can change a simple-minded believer into a two-faced schemer and a timid follower into a fanatical devotee. They can change a child angry at the world into a man consumed by more than vengeance. But that power is a lie as well.
An event early in Naruto's childhood leads him down a dark path, resulting in a very different Naruto. This is the story of a Naruto who always has a plan, never shows all his cards, and is always prepared to be the lesser man if it'll give him an advantage over his opponent. Will this smarter, more capable Naruto be able to prevent the terrible events fated to take place in the near future, or will he become a threat to Konoha himself?
>>: This … is an odd one. Stories like this can be found in every large fandom: due to changes in the hero's past (and the whims of the author), he ends up with a completely different personality than in canon. If it's a dark story (or at least a dark protagonist), expect him to be ruthless, extremely intelligent and/or powerful, and willing to do just about anything to achieve his goals.
This story is one of those. It's unbetaed. It's OOC: Naruto is a ruthless master of manipulation, Hinata is scary as hell, and most shockingly of all, Sasuke actually has a sense of humour.
But you know what? It's actually … pretty good. The characterization is fun, the setting is darker and grittier, and the fight scenes are really interesting. I was unimpressed by the author's increasingly frequent references to common memes, but forgave it because the story unexpectedly becomes really funny. And dark as it can be, People Lie is basically about following your dreams and the power of friendship.
So, incredibly badass Team 7; hilarious dialogue; a good balance of genres; and strategies both in and out of battle that are more interesting than a lot of those in the manga. Follow Team 7 as they run mind games on their enemies, encounter a mind-breakingly terrifying shoggoth, and learn about teamwork!
Bringing the Walls Down by Tangles
Fandom: Supernatural and Dr. Horrible
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Sam/Dean/Billy
Length: ~20,900 words
Warnings: m/m
>>: So, this is the story of how Dr. Horrible helps the Winchester brothers fight the apocalypse. It takes itself a bit too seriously, I felt (not much of the Joss spirit in it), and the pairing is kinda weird. But it’s still pretty awesome, and Dean’s excitement when Dr. Horrible built him a cool gun (it stops people in time) was adorable. I wish there were more of this, because it’s actually a pretty cool idea.
The Ghost and the Darkness by Daystar Clarion
Fandom: Naruto
Rating: R
Pairing: gen
Length: ~114,500 words
Warnings: wip
Summary: 'Sasuke and Naruto become friends at a young age, but will Naruto's paranoia and mental instability draw Sasuke down into madness, or will Sasuke's own demons bring them both into the dark?'
>>: This story is ... interesting. The combination of his hostile upbringing and the demon living in his head have made Naruto extremely unstable. At the age of six, he's already showing symptoms of paranoid schizophrenia, OCD, and severe social anxiety, maybe even autism. Sasuke, still struggling to deal with the massacre of his entire family, is ill equipped to deal with this level of mental illness ... but Naruto's all he's got, so he does his best and the boys end up forming an extremely codependent relationship. Be warned, this not H/C and there are no warm fuzzies to go around. Naruto is so unstable that he is unable to function in day-to-day life without Sasuke's help, and Sasuke ultimately grows into even more of an antisocial jerk than he is in canon. If anything, it's a horror story. Between the ghosts, demons, and rampant paranoia that haunt Naruto, prepare to be creeped out. Clarion even managed to make the revelation about Naruto's seal genuinely disturbing with little more than simple ambiance.
Stray by the Hoyden
Fandom: DC
Rating: PG
Pairing: Clark/Lex
Length: ~6,400 words
Warnings: smallville-verse
Summary: 'Stray pets and stray Luthors are both up for adoption.'
>>: This is super cute. It juxtaposes Lex's lonely childhood with his relationship with Clark (which is considerably more pleasant and homosexual than in canon).