Espresso Recommendations

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Spike, William

By no means your usual Spike history-fic, 'Dead Man Blues' gives a peek at a possible Spike in the 1920s, with resonances for the Spike of the 2000s. There's also a decent twisty plot, a host of interesting original characters and some rather out-of-the-ordinary settings

[Added 12/02/2004; Drama; >50,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Spike, OC, Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg, Dawn Summers]

Five Things The Chip Was Never Marketed For by Josey

'"I understand," she said, "but would you hurt a poodle because a mastiff once savaged you?"' A disturbing look at the evil that humans might do in the Buffyverse. Not for the faint at heart (BtVS/AtS)

[Added 26/09/2014; Drama; 2500-6000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Spike, Riley Finn, Lorne, Knox, Charles Gunn, Xander Harris, Graham Miller, Drusilla, Croesus, OCs]

The Giles and Spike Collection by Lori

An inventive novel-length AU series, spinning off after BtVS Entropy, set mainly in London. Starts with Giles & Spike, and spirals out from them to add other Buffyverse characters. It's rather 'shippier' than my usual reading, but the ships are more-than-usually plausible, the characterisations are invariably interesting, and Lori adds action to the mix in similar proportions to the later BtVS episodes. Highlights include that rare creature, a well-written Dawn, in 'Every Day I Write the Book', and a more-than-usually interesting Big Bad in 'Waiting on a Friend' (BtVS/AtS)

[Added 12/02/2004; Drama; >50,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Rupert Giles, Spike, Dawn Summers, Buffy Summers, Anya, Willow Rosenberg, Wesley Wyndham-Price, Quentin Travers, OCs]

A Good Man by Indri

One of the very best renderings of William I've encountered, and Indri has clearly done her research on 1880s London

[Added 09/08/2004; Character Piece; 1000-2500; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: William]

Into the Blue by Ascian

'Don't you know by now that running away never solved anything?' Interesting fragmentary structure & nice bleeding together of worlds in this 'Normal Again' AU

[Added 20/03/2006; Drama; 6000-20,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Buffy Summers, Spike, Joyce Summers, Willow Rosenberg]

Mr Grieves and the Fallen Woman by Herself

Magic strands season 6 Buffy in the 1880s. One of the very few 'Buffy meets William' stories that pays any heed to the realities of Victorian life. The Watchers' Council scenes are a highlight

[Added 15/01/2004; Drama; 20,000-50,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Buffy Summers, Spike, William, Minor, OCs]

My Baby Is A Centerfold by Barb C

'Anyway, I know all about The Sex in theory. I also know how sausages are made, in theory. That doesn't mean I'm panting for an up-close at the gooey details of either process.' Hilarious interlude in the Barbverse, Barb C's season 6 AU, with that rare creature, a likeable Dawn. The story should stand alone

[Added 25/05/2012; Humour; 6000-20,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Dawn Summers, Spike, Jonathan Levinson, Willow Rosenberg]

Resurrection by Rowan

'Death is plastic-and-metal, circuitry-and-bone, a cyborg with the Council's logo engraved in its breast.' Highly unusual far-future AU from one of the more inventive writers in the Buffyverse

[Added 25/05/2012; Drama; 1000-2500; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Buffy Summers, Warren Mears, Spike]

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]

Serious Moonlight by RivkaT & MustangSally

Spuffy meets Indiana Jones: sex & plot wrapped into one neat novel-sized packet. Probably my favourite of the Bowiehabarata series, but the others are also worth a try

[Added 07/06/2005; Drama; >50,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Buffy Summers, Spike, Willow, Slayer, OCs; Adult]

The Stranger's Portrait by Rowan

An unusual, haunting little vignette, as memorable as the portrait it commemorates

[Added 28/01/2004; Drama; 1000-2500; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Spike, OC]

Tucker's Brother by Jessica Walker

Andrew and Spike get drunk together. One of the best character studies of Andrew I've read, though I'm not quite so certain of Spike's characterisation. A bit overlong, perhaps, but well worth a try, especially if you're a fan of the supervillains

[Added 28/01/2004; Character Piece; 6000-20,000; Buffy the Vampire Slayer; Characters: Spike, Andrew Wells; Adult]