i've heard whispers you're reading a lot of star trek fics atm... if you have any spirk recs, one wouldn't be against that! just sayin' ...
marie, i have only been waiting for someone to ask!
i also want to start off with saying the fics i’m recommending are all based in the stxi/alternate original series, meaning the reboot films where chris pine (best chris!) plays james t kirk and zachary quinto plays spock. some of the fic might be read as either universe, but all in all the recent films have always been the way i roll.
ABSOLUTE EPIC:
Observations, by anon-j-anon
this epic, 400k, fic is hosted on livejournal but with easy click through links for every chapter. basically it takes the first reboot film and then spins it into the original series universe. some of the chapters and parts are based on episodes, some are the author’s original takes and shapes. the spock voice here is outstanding, the kirk characterisation is a masterful one of pine-meets-shatner. i’ve read this fic twice but i think the last time was in 2013. it’s a big undertaking, and some parts are really fucking difficult to read. but all in all it’s a masterpiece. everyone, no matter fandom, should read it at least once.
EPICS:
The Lotus Eaters, by aldora89
THE WORLD BUILDING! what starts off as a regular retrieve-mission turns in to captain kirk and spock stuck on an unknown planet. what looks to be normal and unthreatening takes a different turn as the night creeps in… this will have you wanting more and more and more. with the mystery of the planet and its inhabitants, the growing relationship between the stranded crew members, and also the unexpected help. 93,5k.
Don’t Stop Believing by kianspo
I WAITED SIX YEARS FOR THIS FIC TO BE FINISHED, and fuck if it didn’t pay off. as will become clear from this list i have a thing for very competent genius jim and spock’s fascination with him - this has that in spades. also a very good spock voice, needed as it is his character that we follow. from being a cadet at starfleet, to becoming kirk’s first officer and the enterprise’s five year mission. 200k and a little extra, plus checkout the series tag!
Atlas by distractedKat
when i read this the first time around it was hosted on ff.net, lucky for us the author has put it on ao3! takes place after the narada incident, spock is encouraged by starfleet admirals to get to know kirk and report back, does he deserve the captaincy? and well, that’s only the beginning. 135,5k divided into parts, lots of action.
Leave No Soul Behind by whochick
an au of the first reboot film and a really good one at that. we follow some of the EPAS - emergency personnel ambulance service. and once again, the world building here is exceptional. the narada keeps showing up and getting away, and all the characters we know turn up and play their part, but in unexpected ways. what’s always true is, spock is frustrated and fascinated, and so is kirk. 259k.
FUN EPIC:
Spoctoria - strive seek find yield, by waldorp, screamlet
you’ll like this one marie! in parts based on the film the young victoria (where emily blunt plays the young regent). spock is the heir to the federation throne and as such he needs to married, and to someone fitting at that. james t kirk is the prince of america, because his brother abdicated, and he is not… fitting. another one where the writer manages to marry the reboot films with great world building, as well as turn side-characters into exceptional loveable, and humours, roles. 68k, extras in the series tag.
Bang a Gong, waketosleep
i haven’t reread this recently, but i know that i’ve read it more than once. i remember it as both hilarious and hot. quite the combo. (pon farr ;) ~23k
SEMI-EPIC (BUT STILL EPIC)
Magpie, by waldorph
growing-up-together au of the reboot films. jim’s life is sad and writers in the stxi fandom love to hurt him even more. in this one, at least he has spock. ~58k
Entering Orbit, by museaway
takes place after the narada incident. jim goes back to iowa to get away from the media, a… misunderstanding has spock following. sharing a house in the middle of nowhere, after the destruction of vulcan, leads to the two getting to know each other. 31k
Something Smart to Do, by kianspo
5+1 - kirk and spock keeps ending up married on missions. five times they didn’t mean to and one time… 21k
Helloooo, Nurse! by lalazee
Jim is a nurse with expert knowledge of vulcan biology, 9k
Slightly newer, post st:beyond
Bluebird, by waldorph
BAD. ASS. WINONA. KIRK. another fave trope of mine, sadly not used by many more than waldorph and their friends. winona as a starfeelt engineer, she left her son on earth because other than george her true love was space and her work… jim understands. mostly. that’s not this fic. just partly. but really good. 7k
And Then I Let It Go, by kianspo
the crew gets some time off after the events of star trek: beyond. kirk goes to do something he always meant to. spock tracks him. 10,6k
asymptote, orphaned
i only have vague memories of this one, but i remember liking it, so i will get back to it. (i’m pretty sure it was written by an author with “anna” in their name and they wrote both larry and e/R as well) summery @ ao3: Spock only deserves so much, and Jim is everything. 4,8k
I COULD GO ON EVEN MORE. all-in-all: everything kianspo has written for the fandom is worth checking out. so are things by waldorph, waketosleep, spicyshimmy. lots of others. if you filter ao3 by kudos you’ll find lots of works by littleb*rdtold - i liked these when written but find that they don’t hold up ten years later. anyone is free to check for themselves of course.
for anyone having read all of these, feel free to come back for more! or if you’d like to rec me something, i’m all ears!