Cauterize
Dagger and Rose
Harry Potter and the Boy Who Lived
The Apprentice

 

We've had threads on this in the past.

Depending on the reader, I'd propose some combination of: Nightmares of Futures Past (S'TarKan), Backward With Purpose (Deadwoodpecker), A Black Comedy (nonjon), the Alexandra Quick series (Inverarity), Cauterize (Lady Altair), or pretty much anything by Amerision. All are polished stories that would serve as gateway drugs for someone new to the fandom.

 

...because if we just went by views/reviews, you know it'd be Methods of Rationality, the top Harry/Draco saga, and two crossovers with Twilight.

 

Relevant.

The end of the article seemed to vindicate fanfic, especially with the Aenid example.

But I fucking rolled at the Tetris slash.

 

That's the problem. The deeper you get into HP fanfic the less the best fics actually resemble canon. I can't think of a single story I like that would appeal to a mainstream user just dropped into fanfiction. At least the fics recced in the article seem close to canon and can provide a good jumping point.

 

Barb's stuff - it was unique and to the point back in the day. Power of Time, despite it being unfinished - just enough to get someone hooked and looking for more. Starting out fresh in the fandom, these are brilliant stories, and far from cliche to a fresh pair of eyes.

I think my fics are more of an acquired taste, so I wouldn't recommend them. There are vastly better written stories, such as Santi's work.

 

I wouldn't rec my fics either, but then again, the one thing Santi pulls off remarkably well is accessibility - and say what you want about some of the fics on this site, they are NOT particularly accessible to an outside audience. And despite how good they might be, fics like Wastelands of Time, Renegade Cause, The Skitterleap, Ambient, Oedipus Flower and Equal and Opposite aren't particularly accessible the same way A Black Comedy or The Boy Who Lived are.

 

Or the Denarian Series by Shezza . Which is filled with only the most righteous epicness.

 

There would be one link, plain and simple.

DLP C2

/infinitely answered question.

 

This pretty much sums up how I got into it. Have the n00bs read this, then go to the DLP C2. The redo stories are like heroine to first time readers IMO.

 

This. Psychic Serpent was the first fanfic I'd ever read (I even thought that it was actual canon for the first few chapters) and despite my tastes in style, qaulity etc. having changed drastically I can still go back to this and love it just as much as the first time.

Also, despite the somewhat love/hate relationship I've had with it I'd definitely rec Santis' fic to almost anyone.

Probably Geminio by Portus and Unsung Hero. As much as the endgame sucked it was still a pretty solid fic back when.

 

No, Unsung Hero sucked all the way through. It just got exponentially worse towards the end.

 

And to think we let our Time subscription lapse a few months ago.

First: Fuck you; my weak ass just spent twelve hours reading Top 10 lists on Time.com

Second: I cringe whenever mainstream media shines a light on fan fiction, because I immediately hear thousands of roaches scuttling like mad for the underside of the fridge, making me worry someone will take offense and try to call an exterminator. :fire

 

Funny - coz that's what I said about your mother last night.

/iceburn

OT: people read Time magazine ?

 

LOL at "must read" for this one.

I'm on my phone so I can't check right now, but I'm about 99% sure that Maya pulled all of her fanfic from the net a couple of years ago when she published her original stuff (she had a Ron/Pansy one-shot that was a particular favorite of mine).

/Successful troll is successful, amirite?

 

Consider it the tiniest payback for the countless hours I've spent cursing your name after realizing I have 86 tabs of TVTropes articles open, all because of a link grenade in one of your posts, fucker.

Bitch please.

But seriously, I bought my dad a subscription as a Christmas present a few years back, and it's been possibly the best gift I've ever gotten him, however sad that may be. He essentially takes it from the mailman's hand, and commences to read it cover to cover. If nothing else, I like to think it's taken the edge off his right-wing tendencies, but I've been wrong about that part of him before.

He likes it so much, in fact, that I'm considering adding subscriptions to Smithsonian Magazine and National Geographic, to name just two. He's getting fucking *old*, and helping him keep a sharp mind as well as kill some time is the very least I can do.

 

Fair point and I apologize for re-opening a redundant topic; link to the previous go-round for those curious. Still, if Time was asking for recs, I don't know that I'd say 'A Black Comedy' or Amerision's M-rated work. I definitely see Cauterize as something worthy of wide distribution.

 

Hahahaha!

I had a feeling I'd get called on that; fair enough.

I wonder if the writer for that article is on the same level as the people who wrote all of Time's other HP articles, filled with inaccuracies about the series.

 

Time Magazine may have trolled, but some of those stories are actually on the top 10 lists of different sites. Delicate is on several of Harrypotterfanfiction's top 10 lists.

Is it just me or does every article about fanfiction include at least 'one' story on the top 10 from harrypotterfanfiction.com? I am beginning to think these magazine writers feel they 'must' include one from that site's top 10 list or the article won't be taken seriously.