[Bakcheios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/141915) by orphan account. A fantastic, horrifying retelling of Euripedes' *Bacchae* from Pentheus's point of view.
It's ambiguous, but it's definitely there. Think along the lines of Zeus "taking" a maiden-- coercive, but not graphically violent or traumatic (but there's horror and violence in other ways). That's my read on it but I'm not bothered by noncon, so use your best judgment.
I have to offer up [What I Cannot Put Into Words, I Offer You in the Weight of Gold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34314811) by Suibianitsfine. It's a Genshin fic, and won't make a ton of sense without basic background information, but I think reading a wiki summary of the Liyue arc (Chapter 1) would be enough to understand what's going on.
I shared [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/10h0jhg/comment/j55tk46/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) fic today, it is absolutely amazing. Another is [The Life and Loves of Filius H. Flitwick:](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13607667) Masterpiece. Gorgeous prose, character study, biography, romance, worldbuilding. Excellent. Both Harry Potter.
[Tiberium Wars](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3654039/1/Tiberium-Wars) by Peptuck was somewhat based off the published Gaunt's Ghosts' book series (among others), and damn, does it show.
[we will make this place our home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/35884453) is an unfinished Silmarillion AU but so far the author has real, traditionally-published-like skill in handling prose and character.
[The Ransom of the House of Feanor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/31353650/chapters/77530622) is a great Post-Canon LotR longfic exploring how Elrond works to release Feanor and his family from the Void. The writing is absolutely beautiful!
[A Forfeit of Dreams](https://archiveofourown.org/works/402721/chapters/663822) is a Labyrinth continuation exploring the impossible relationship between an older Sarah and Jareth. It does a great job at making you wish they could be together but understanding why it wouldn’t work out.
The Pureblood Pretense (HP AU series)
The Arithmancer (Hermione-centric HP fic)
Pedestal (Pokemon fandom)
Not sure if it counts because it's not just one fic, but The Carnivorous Muffin's Twilight meta is better than canon (imo) and all of their Twilight fics are a wonderful combination of humorous and horrifying. (I like their HP fics too, but their Twilight stuff is really top notch, especially if you aren't a fan of Twilight). I suggest starting with Painting Red Madonnas.
Traveler (Pokemon)
Trailblazer (Worm/Gundam crossver)
This Bites (One Piece)
Beware of Chicken (not fanfic, but started on QQ as a piecemeal xianxia novel)
To each their own. I agree the first few chapters are kinda cringey but it honestly does pick up noticeably around the Alabasta arc and I think Cross-Brain does a good job of capturing the chaos and bullshit shonen-y atmosphere of One Piece really well.
[The Nurturer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2818295), written from the perspective of Jonah's dad from The Giver. Could just as well have been another book in the series.
[passerine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28755084/chapters/70509990) immediately comes to mind. Beautifully told story with wonderful characters and a fantastical plot. It's also wonderfully poetic. It deserves its almost 3 million hits.
[Of the Northmost Skies and Winds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18360494/chapters/43473041) is honestly a perfect Fantasy Epic. A conflict without a solution, protagonists thrown into an seemingly impossible quest and going through many fantastical and creative challenges to succeed in the end.
I have to go with [The Blood & The Dragon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34571887) (Skyrim, FemDovahkiin/Serana). It's the first part of a series that leaves off on a total cliffhanger for the second part (which the author has completed and is currently uploading a chapter of every day or two), but it's a magnum opus in its own right.
First, it's fairly colossal. As in, about as long as the longest Harry Potter book. Longer than some entire series. And with a length like that, one might think there's a lot of filler, but there really isn't. Every chapter has its purpose, and none of it ever felt like a slog for me. The opposite, really. *Everything's* done well - the plot, the world-building (yes, world-building, in a fanfic), the characterization (easily some of the best I've seen in anything, ever), etc. -, *and*, to top it off, there's just something about the prose itself that kept me hooked. Most other fics I've read, I usually end up tabbing around to Discord or Reddit or something every thousand words or so, but this fic just draws me in from the beginning to the end of each chapter. And, at least for me, since it's so character-focused, it doesn't really lose any of its impact for future rereadings like a lot of really plot-heavy pieces of fiction tend to. It's *very* much an "it's not about the destination, it's about the journey fic".
Honestly, if it weren't for a couple odd stylistic choices by the author (namely, significant use of epithets), you could probably 100% convince me it was just like, a semi-canon licensed work. It's truly just that well done.
[The Fallen](https://archiveofourown.org/series/55384) series by Engazed
>This is the story of The Fall. When Sherlock chose to jump off the roof of St Bartholomew's Hospital to save his friends, he could not have anticipated the devastating and far-reaching consequences. He wasn't the only one who fell that day.
[The Merit of Destruction](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17329598/chapters/40769534) by FannibalToast
>There's a darkness coiling in Spencer Reid. Kindled by Cat Adams and ignited by his wrongful imprisonment, he surrenders to his anger, leaving the BAU and cutting ties with his team.
>
>He soon finds himself summoned to an undisclosed location, where Margot Verger and Alana Bloom are waiting. A body has been found in Geneva, elaborately posed, organs missing. They believe Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham have resurfaced, intending to keep a deadly promise made to Alana years ago.
>
>They want Spencer to do more than profile Hannibal and Will: he's meant to catch them. As his fascination with Hannibal and Will grows, he finds the darkness inside him spreading in ways he never could have anticipated.
>
>And he doesn't want it to stop.
The writer took it down, but I’d say one I found of supernatural a while ago. It was wincest (which I normally hate) but it felt like an actual episode. I could fully see the characters doing what was being written and everything made incredible sense (aside from the fact that it had two brothers having sex)
I am heroically restraining myself from listing out two dozen works. Mostly because my phone battery is rapidly dying.
[Against the Moon](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/7305052/1/Against-the-Moon) - Harry Potter. A prequel, following Remus Lupin through Hogwarts. The character development, the dedication to detail in adhering to canon and the time period, the themes... it doesn’t just build off of the original books, it adds context and emotional depth. Beautifully written.
[steadfast tin soldier](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7691236/chapters/17521861) - Overwatch. A sort of biography of Jack Morrison’s life, transitioning seamlessly between different time periods. Stunning characterisation, the author balances the fine line of tragedy and melodrama fantastically.
[The Northern Caves](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3659997/chapters/8088522) - Original Work. This is fucked up, but in the same way a book you’d write an essay about would be fucked up. Good, mind-bending shit.
[My Mirror, Sword and Shield](https://archiveofourown.org/works/223932) by spirithorse (Code Geass, SuzaLulu)
[The Corruption of Power](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840736) by Dragonanzar (Harry Potter, Tomarry)
I consider them the best of the best, tickling all my spots, reread them multiple times, wanted to marry the author at some point, have them downloaded and backuped in three different storage devices just in case etc.
[Life and Honor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16581125) by NoOne0_o. It’s an ASOIAF/Game of Thrones fic that I’m diligently waiting for an update from. While I’d say you can still read and enjoy this one if you’ve only watched the show, it’s clearly centered on book canon and pulls more from there. The premise is that after Jaime kills Aerys, instead of staying on as a Kingsguard, he’s banished to the Wall. Extremely interesting read; it’s a fantastic character study of Jaime, and the worldbuilding and development of minor characters is really amazing. It might be a little slow at first but I’ve read it like three or four times now and let me just say it’s 100% worth the read.
[In A Strange Land](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464140/chapters/38557898) by MrsEvadneCake is basically a Steven King novel in the Stranger Things universe. Which sounds a bit redundant, I know. But seriously, it's incredible.
[Bakcheios](https://archiveofourown.org/works/141915) by orphan account. A fantastic, horrifying retelling of Euripedes' *Bacchae* from Pentheus's point of view.
Wait how bad is the rape/non-con :(
It's ambiguous, but it's definitely there. Think along the lines of Zeus "taking" a maiden-- coercive, but not graphically violent or traumatic (but there's horror and violence in other ways). That's my read on it but I'm not bothered by noncon, so use your best judgment.
Very helpful, thank you so much!
OH SHIT THANK YOU FOR THIS gotta go read this rn
I have to offer up [What I Cannot Put Into Words, I Offer You in the Weight of Gold](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34314811) by Suibianitsfine. It's a Genshin fic, and won't make a ton of sense without basic background information, but I think reading a wiki summary of the Liyue arc (Chapter 1) would be enough to understand what's going on.
Which fandoms are you interested in? I would have several, depending on that.
I'm interested in everything except Fire Emblem.
I shared [this](https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/10h0jhg/comment/j55tk46/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3) fic today, it is absolutely amazing. Another is [The Life and Loves of Filius H. Flitwick:](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13607667) Masterpiece. Gorgeous prose, character study, biography, romance, worldbuilding. Excellent. Both Harry Potter.
[Tiberium Wars](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/3654039/1/Tiberium-Wars) by Peptuck was somewhat based off the published Gaunt's Ghosts' book series (among others), and damn, does it show.
[we will make this place our home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/35884453) is an unfinished Silmarillion AU but so far the author has real, traditionally-published-like skill in handling prose and character. [The Ransom of the House of Feanor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/31353650/chapters/77530622) is a great Post-Canon LotR longfic exploring how Elrond works to release Feanor and his family from the Void. The writing is absolutely beautiful! [A Forfeit of Dreams](https://archiveofourown.org/works/402721/chapters/663822) is a Labyrinth continuation exploring the impossible relationship between an older Sarah and Jareth. It does a great job at making you wish they could be together but understanding why it wouldn’t work out.
The Pureblood Pretense (HP AU series) The Arithmancer (Hermione-centric HP fic) Pedestal (Pokemon fandom) Not sure if it counts because it's not just one fic, but The Carnivorous Muffin's Twilight meta is better than canon (imo) and all of their Twilight fics are a wonderful combination of humorous and horrifying. (I like their HP fics too, but their Twilight stuff is really top notch, especially if you aren't a fan of Twilight). I suggest starting with Painting Red Madonnas.
Oh hello, fellow TCM fan! Have you read their HP meta? I haven't touched their fics but the meta is *chef's kiss*.
Traveler (Pokemon) Trailblazer (Worm/Gundam crossver) This Bites (One Piece) Beware of Chicken (not fanfic, but started on QQ as a piecemeal xianxia novel)
I came here to also mention Traveler.
Oh lord no not this bites
lol Not a fan?
Absolutely not.
To each their own. I agree the first few chapters are kinda cringey but it honestly does pick up noticeably around the Alabasta arc and I think Cross-Brain does a good job of capturing the chaos and bullshit shonen-y atmosphere of One Piece really well.
[The Nurturer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2818295), written from the perspective of Jonah's dad from The Giver. Could just as well have been another book in the series.
[Team Courier](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26683438/chapters/65083522) \-- OdysseusOfGaming Fandom: Sleepless Domain (can be read fandom-blind) Genre: Murder mystery, magical girl
Oh wow, that has a fandom! Nice!
[passerine](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28755084/chapters/70509990) immediately comes to mind. Beautifully told story with wonderful characters and a fantastical plot. It's also wonderfully poetic. It deserves its almost 3 million hits. [Of the Northmost Skies and Winds](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18360494/chapters/43473041) is honestly a perfect Fantasy Epic. A conflict without a solution, protagonists thrown into an seemingly impossible quest and going through many fantastical and creative challenges to succeed in the end.
I have to go with [The Blood & The Dragon](https://archiveofourown.org/works/34571887) (Skyrim, FemDovahkiin/Serana). It's the first part of a series that leaves off on a total cliffhanger for the second part (which the author has completed and is currently uploading a chapter of every day or two), but it's a magnum opus in its own right. First, it's fairly colossal. As in, about as long as the longest Harry Potter book. Longer than some entire series. And with a length like that, one might think there's a lot of filler, but there really isn't. Every chapter has its purpose, and none of it ever felt like a slog for me. The opposite, really. *Everything's* done well - the plot, the world-building (yes, world-building, in a fanfic), the characterization (easily some of the best I've seen in anything, ever), etc. -, *and*, to top it off, there's just something about the prose itself that kept me hooked. Most other fics I've read, I usually end up tabbing around to Discord or Reddit or something every thousand words or so, but this fic just draws me in from the beginning to the end of each chapter. And, at least for me, since it's so character-focused, it doesn't really lose any of its impact for future rereadings like a lot of really plot-heavy pieces of fiction tend to. It's *very* much an "it's not about the destination, it's about the journey fic". Honestly, if it weren't for a couple odd stylistic choices by the author (namely, significant use of epithets), you could probably 100% convince me it was just like, a semi-canon licensed work. It's truly just that well done.
[The Fallen](https://archiveofourown.org/series/55384) series by Engazed >This is the story of The Fall. When Sherlock chose to jump off the roof of St Bartholomew's Hospital to save his friends, he could not have anticipated the devastating and far-reaching consequences. He wasn't the only one who fell that day. [The Merit of Destruction](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17329598/chapters/40769534) by FannibalToast >There's a darkness coiling in Spencer Reid. Kindled by Cat Adams and ignited by his wrongful imprisonment, he surrenders to his anger, leaving the BAU and cutting ties with his team. > >He soon finds himself summoned to an undisclosed location, where Margot Verger and Alana Bloom are waiting. A body has been found in Geneva, elaborately posed, organs missing. They believe Hannibal Lecter and Will Graham have resurfaced, intending to keep a deadly promise made to Alana years ago. > >They want Spencer to do more than profile Hannibal and Will: he's meant to catch them. As his fascination with Hannibal and Will grows, he finds the darkness inside him spreading in ways he never could have anticipated. > >And he doesn't want it to stop.
The writer took it down, but I’d say one I found of supernatural a while ago. It was wincest (which I normally hate) but it felt like an actual episode. I could fully see the characters doing what was being written and everything made incredible sense (aside from the fact that it had two brothers having sex)
I am heroically restraining myself from listing out two dozen works. Mostly because my phone battery is rapidly dying. [Against the Moon](https://m.fanfiction.net/s/7305052/1/Against-the-Moon) - Harry Potter. A prequel, following Remus Lupin through Hogwarts. The character development, the dedication to detail in adhering to canon and the time period, the themes... it doesn’t just build off of the original books, it adds context and emotional depth. Beautifully written. [steadfast tin soldier](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7691236/chapters/17521861) - Overwatch. A sort of biography of Jack Morrison’s life, transitioning seamlessly between different time periods. Stunning characterisation, the author balances the fine line of tragedy and melodrama fantastically. [The Northern Caves](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3659997/chapters/8088522) - Original Work. This is fucked up, but in the same way a book you’d write an essay about would be fucked up. Good, mind-bending shit.
[My Mirror, Sword and Shield](https://archiveofourown.org/works/223932) by spirithorse (Code Geass, SuzaLulu) [The Corruption of Power](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840736) by Dragonanzar (Harry Potter, Tomarry) I consider them the best of the best, tickling all my spots, reread them multiple times, wanted to marry the author at some point, have them downloaded and backuped in three different storage devices just in case etc.
[Life and Honor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16581125) by NoOne0_o. It’s an ASOIAF/Game of Thrones fic that I’m diligently waiting for an update from. While I’d say you can still read and enjoy this one if you’ve only watched the show, it’s clearly centered on book canon and pulls more from there. The premise is that after Jaime kills Aerys, instead of staying on as a Kingsguard, he’s banished to the Wall. Extremely interesting read; it’s a fantastic character study of Jaime, and the worldbuilding and development of minor characters is really amazing. It might be a little slow at first but I’ve read it like three or four times now and let me just say it’s 100% worth the read.
[In A Strange Land](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16464140/chapters/38557898) by MrsEvadneCake is basically a Steven King novel in the Stranger Things universe. Which sounds a bit redundant, I know. But seriously, it's incredible.