I figure I'll waste the 100th post on a recommendation that has nothing to do with Harry Potter:

Title: The Spirit of Redemption
Author: Myetel
Rating: M
Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi
Pairing: Garrus V. & Shepard (F) (and lots of OC pairs)
Fandom: Mass Effect 1-2
Status: WIP
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6735812/1/The_Spirit_of_Redemption
Summary: The Spectres fight against threats to both the galaxy and their families on Mindoir. Shepard/Garrus, multiple OCs, largely expanded universe. Includes Redemption, Hunt, Unity, and Victory.

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Largely expanded universe is an understatement of the century. The fic was started just after ME2 (tLotSB), and the plot starts after the Reaper war and slowly introduces new characters, universe details, that capture and hold you for quite a few days - the fic is 147 chapters and 2,772,363 words in length and it isn't complete yet.

It's a slightly interesting choice to post this recommendation, as this fic was one of the best science fictions epics I have ever read, but it had a few things (mind you, only about 1M words in) that I didn't enjoy. There are around twenty chapters left for me to read, but I don't think my opinion is going to change now.

First off, the positive:

• It's quality is good, the writing is solid.
• The cast is huge, original AND well developed.
• The timeline and languages detail remind me of Tolkien. Turian is based on latin, Asari (not sure now) on something form oceania, and have at least a feel of true and consistent languages. Also, the words are introduced in the pace that it doesn't look out of place.
• The Rachni characterization... I'd read buy a book that has an alien civilization alike Rachni just because of the perfectly gotten alien feel.
• There is some focus on romance and families, and all that is done very well.
• There is a romance story that doesn't just end happily with the marriage - five universe years after the marriage it starts to fall apart. Almost with perfect realism. Haven't seen that in any fanfiction.
• Almost fully consistent with ME 1&2 lore. The author takes a few liberties there and here, but everything looks thought out and works.
• The opposition is interesting and varied, yet is similar where it should be.

The bad:

• There's a bit of lack of challenge for the characters. They are scarred physically, mentally, but they usually live. A good death or two would really help feel the dangers they face. of course, some might say that the physical and mental scars take care of everything, but then again, it's my opinion.
• Author likes to give kids for everything that moves and pair every loose character with someone. That's all well and good but a little strange. If you hate kids, don't read it.

The neutral:

• It doesn't have a lot of spotlight on Shepard and Garrus, rather it focuses on the other characters and OC's.
• The before-mentioned fallout after the wedding looks like it came out from nowhere for two or so chapters, but then you are given more and more context and it works. Still, a few more hints before could have softened the surprise, but in hindsight it makes sense - There are a few places in there where you wonder why aren't they happier, or why the turian isn't trying to learn anything human for a change, when finally it hits - the human tried to be as Turian as possible and after five long years of trying to be other than yourself took it's tall.
• In the long run, the faults and disadvantages of certain characters tend to get fixed and there's more good than bad happening.
• There's lots of turian/human pairings.
• The fic probably started out as rated T and turned into M after 500k words. There's a visible difference in some places dues to that.

So far, I have spent two weeks on this fic, and have reached chapter 128, and it's still awesome, and I need to know what is going to happen next.
So, even with a few flaws, it's easily 4.75/5 for me.
If you like Sci-Fi fictions with a well developed technological and cultural aspects, and don't mind to see lots of aliens and their relations with humans, give it a try.

 

So most of this sounds pretty good, but the idea of Shepard/Garrus (or hell, any human/turian pairing) is fairly disgusting to me, to say the least. Is it something easily ignorable in this fic? Also, what's this about kids everywhere? Like lots of little annoying kids doing annoying things in every chapter? I do hate that kind, so should I not read the story?

I'm desperate for a good Mass Effect fic, but several of the things in your description are quite suspect. Is it still worth reading despite the above stuff?

Seriously, who the hell writes about turians and humans having sex? Has the author ever seen a turian?

 

Well, it would be hard for you to filter stuff, because there are lot's of turian/human relations - for me that was an interesting read, but if you can't stand it, mind that it does take a fair portion of the 2,7M words.

The kids are mostly just there - the author, for whatever reason, seems to think that everyone deserves to have one or two. Or three thousand (Ranchi). Humans, turians, asari, hybrids, salarians, batarians, AI-s and all that jazz. The krogan kids on Tuchanka were interesting.
There are few scenes with children as center point, most notoriuos of which was the slightly too sweet christmas celebrations in later chapters (read that one earlyer today). The aren't critical nor annoying, just serve as a binding for the families.

Wellcome to the extranet.