by Will Erixon
10. Castling. Written in the late eighties, this story is fascinating today... both for the never-woulda-thunk-it extrapolations it makes on the days of Anakin's youth, fall, children, and the eerie parallels with later novels and Episode I. (Notice in particular the first proper name that is used in the story.) As with many fanfic readings, strict grammar and editing should not impede your enjoyment of the raw imagination involved here.
9. Meetings. This is just... just... okay, this writer takes up a challenge to write one story with a Darth Vader seduction scene, an encounter between Leia and Han's Mom, and an encounter between Han and Yoda. In ONE STORY. It's even more berserk than it sounds.
8. Ebony and Jade. Brendon Wahlberg is a rare find indeed, a consistently good fanfic writer. This particular story even includes illustrations, which at least show effort. And, neatly sidestepping all the fanfic cliches, he makes this first story about Mara Jade and Darth Vader (as allies... but not friends) defending the Emperor from a Dark-Side-powered assassin. Damn good characterization, even if he couldn't resist repeating a few lines from the film.
7. Descent Into Darkness. Sinead Reilly calls this "the best Vader that I've ever read." Second that. The writer takes a few liberties here and there, but that's a hell of a lot better than slavishly copying the series plot and just filling in a few blanks. Divided into chapters for your convenience, this qualifies as a publishable novel.
6. MST3K: Flight to Bespin. I just had to include one of these. It's a horrible fanfic, but a GREAT MiSTing of same. (MiSTing, n. sarcastic, line-by-line critique of a pre-existing work, after the matter of Mystery Science Theatre 3000. For further reference, see example.) Not all fanfics work so well in the MiSTing format, but this one is one of the best.
5. X-Jedi. and X-Jedi II. An extremely aggressive romp through the X-Files and Star Wars universes. If you know nothing about these two media properties, you'll be confused... and if you do, you'll still be confused. But it's an ENJOYABLE kind of confused. The story was written in 1997, if that helps... X-Files still had an overarching plot, and Zahn's trilogy had just come out. Furiously creative.
4. Portside Girl. Susan Zahn is one of the better fanfic writers, and serious Han-Leia shippers will enjoy her whole archive. However, this particular story is one that you can enjoy even if you, like me, have a violent allergy to sentimental gop. Not to say it's not sentimental, but, well... this one breaks the rule that Han and Leia have to have a happy ending. Susan clearly knows a few things about long-distance relationships.
3. Journal of the Whills. I've already mentioned Brendon Wahlberg as a great fanfic writer. With Journal, he outdoes himself. There is not a single grammatical, spelling, or continuity error to be found, and Wahlberg seamlessly integrates material from the various canonical works into a new story that is profoundly worth telling. The Journal of the Whills has been referenced as early as the first SW novelization, but had little of a story of its own attached to it until now. Apparently it figures in the Star Wars universe as a sort of Bible-history, a holy text that is nevertheless updated for current events. The Emperor decides that the Journal is a threat to his rule, and makes a move to suppress it... provoking a plot that has real questions about the worth of life and the worth of knowledge, the value of religion, and the tyranny of George Lucas over fan-writers (all right, so I'm reaching with that last one. Sue me).
2. The Luke Side of the Force. Some would say this is more humorous essay than fan-fiction... but it presents scenes from the first trilogy (or is it now the SECOND trilogy?) and puts a new spin on them, so I think it counts. Hilarious speculation on speculative fiction by L. Fitzgerald Schöberg.
1. TROOPS -- A Kevin Rubio Film. What need be said? This salute to COPS is flat wonderful... so much better than X-Files's attempt at the exact same thing. Just download it. If you don't have a video program, find someone who does.
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