Compiled by the Espresso Addict

Espresso Recommendations

Innovative and stylish fanfiction, showcasing the very best across multiple sf, fantasy & literature fandoms. Good writing in all its forms can be found here, including gen, het, slash, OCs, AUs, crossovers, future fics, humour & pastiche

Contents: 1010 recs in 235 fandoms; 65 links

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Minor

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A Girl Made From Sky by Doyle

'She wasn't a person, then; the idea of her flickered and flared at the edges, and she sat quietly on a cloud as the monk made paper dolls. He had a pair of very shiny scissors, and he would snip the girls (for they were almost all girl-dolls) right from the sky and whisper secret words to them that gave them life.' It's hard to write key-Dawn, and Doyle does a good job of capturing the particular brand of Buffyverse weirdness in this dreamlike snippet (Sandman crossover)

[Added 13/12/2018; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Dawn Summers, the Cheeseman, Sandman characters; Crossover]

The Road to Byzantium by Barb C

'Vampires just didn't get this stuff, she reminded herself. She wished she could see Spike's eyes behind the insectile lenses of his goggles. "Look, if you do good things for people, they'll do good things for you." Honesty compelled her to add, "Sometimes."' A novelette prequel to the Barbverse that explores why the Knights of Byzantium didn't keep coming after Dawn. Like most other works in this series it contains a few annoying tropes, but it's well worth a read for the excellent descriptions and strong characterisations. Barb's competent Anya is particularly enjoyable

[Added 25/05/2012; Drama; 6000-20,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Dawn Summers, Spike, Anya, Brother Orlando, OCs]

With an Alien People Clutching their Gods by Mikelesq

A highly unusual take on the summer when Buffy's dead, 'With an Alien People Clutching their Gods' features excellent characterisations, snappy dialogue, plus a strong, plausible plot that you could almost imagine as an episode. The TS Eliot quotations are a bonus

[Added 28/01/2004; Drama; 20,000-50,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Dawn Summers, Spike, Willow Rosenberg, Xander Harris, Anya, Tara Maclay, Minor]