Torchwood/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying (and dying and dying) for here.

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Torchwood fanfics, all of which have to be signed to stay on the page. Feel free to add a fanfic of your own to the list, but remember to use the template found here.

You can also add to the current recommendations if you want. Refrain from posting Conversation in the Main Page though; that goes in the discussion page.

Authors and Websites
Torchwood House
 * Recommended by Kristee
 * Vetted recommendations for "as broad a spectrum of works as possible" including fiction, vids, art and meta
 * Organised by tags, reccer, genre, length, etc.

dmarley's Torchwood Recs
 * Recommended by Kristee
 * Over 1,500 Torchwood story recs arranged by pairing and genre

Helen Pattskyn's AU'Verse
 * Recommended by Joan
 * An AU series that originated from a series of Jack/Ianto fics (Short Stories) and expanded from there. Now in two sections: a primarily Jack/Ianto collection of fics with numerous crossovers to other shows and a collection of future fic set many centuries afterwards that is the work of both Helen Pattskyn and Sidlerocks. It captures the humour and themes of Torchwood extremely well while branching out from on the original 'verse at the same time.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

"What's Wrong With the Captain?" by estelgreenleaf
 * Recommended by Its-Janto-Time
 * "Synopsis": Jack falls ill, and the Torchwood team is left to take care of him.
 * "Comments": This story does have a bit of Janto romance, but it's mostly the team trying to nurse Jack back to health. It's shaping up to be a really good story. This author actually has a decent amount of Torchwood stories, but in my opinion this is the best, but do check those out as well.

Second Star to the Right by SnarkyHunter
 * Recommended by FoolofaTook
 * Synopsis: The Tenth Doctor rescues Ianto Jones from the basements of Canary Wharf and takes him on as a companion. Follows in episode format, starting from the end of Doomsday.
 * Comments: Lighthearted overall with snarky!Ianto at his finest and plenty of banter, but well-characterized and a well-rounded emotional range. Eventual Jack/Ianto to follow Jack's appearance in Utopia. Downplays the unrequited Martha/Ten in favor of Ianto/Ten/Martha friendship.

Second City Torchwood by Sam the Storyteller. (AU)
 * Recommended by Lavanya Six
 * Synopsis: When Mayor Daley's special investigation unit, Torchwood, steals Chicago PD Officer Gwen Cooper's crime scene, she decides to find out everything she can about them. But she may get more than she bargained for when Captain Harkness—who isn't even American!—sends his errand boy Ian to scare her off.
 * Comments: What if Torchwood were an American primetime TV show? A very meta fanfic, predicated on the idea that neither the original Torchwood nor Doctor Who exist in this universe; it is speculation about how Torchwood would be handled by an American network, albeit an American network with a reasonably intelligent producer at the helm.
 * Seconded by User:Cinna The Poet: One of the most unique fanfics I've ever read. Fantastic.
 * It has a sequel too, which can be found on the author's masterlist/

A_Tree_Grows_in_Cardiff by someinstant
 * Recommended by Goodwrench
 * Synopsis: "Better get going, sir," Ianto said. "You've a tree to catch, after all."
 * Comments: An unusually well-written story and a very funny alien encounter.

And Seven For A Secret by Aeshna
 * Recommended by Voila Viola
 * Synopsis: If you are reading this then I am dead, and with my death dies a promise I made a long, long time ago... When Ben Haldane is left a cryptic note in his grandfather's will, it leads him to a story far stranger than he could ever have imagined.
 * Comments: 1940s Torchwood. This is an excellent action-oriented story that is evocative of WWII films like The Dirty Dozen. Jack Harkness goes undercover to investigate alien activity in a Nazi prisoner-of-war camp. There are many original characters here, and they are written as interesting, well-rounded people. Still, the only Torchwood native here is Jack, so if that turns you off, this may not be the story for you. While this is very much Jack's story, it's told entirely through an outsider's perspective, taking the POV of both a WWII soldier and his grandson. Highly recommended.

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Jaded Golden Threads by Jaded.
 * Recommended by HG131
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto/Dawn, hints of Spike/Xander
 * Synopsis: What happens when the Buffyverse and the Whoniverse cross over? This does. Dawn, Jack and Ianto centric... and anything more would be a spoiler.
 * Tags: Some slash, mostly implied. Massively Multiplayer Crossover later on, involving Bones, Castle, Glee, Charmed, and several others.

The Theory of Two Centres by Sam the Storyteller. (slash)
 * Recommended by Lavanya Six and seconded tons by godborn (also seconded by onesmallpigeon- Amazing!)
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Ianto Jones woke up in a bed that wasn't his, in a flat that wasn't his, wearing clothing that definitely wasn't his. Post-S2, memory-loss.

The Day I Stopped Dreaming by x-Athenea-x. (slash)
 * Recommended by Galadriel1010
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Torchwood action mixed with tortured stream of consciousness. X-Athenea-x takes us inside Ianto's mind in the aftermath of Cyberwoman and during his suspension as he struggles to come to terms with what has happened and what he feels and as he tries to make amends.

Get Loved, Make More, Try To Stay Alive by dsudis. (slash)
 * Recommended by godborn and seconded hard by jaimie2i
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Ianto get pregnant with Jack's child and is forced to place it in stasis. Later, Ianto (with the help of The Doctor) is time traveled several hundred years in the future to meet his lover and son.

Season Three Scriptverse by Obfuscate.
 * Recommended by Troper Anon
 * Pairings: Various over the course of the season, but starting with Season 2 canon
 * Synopsis: Written before "Children of Earth," this fic is an AU written in the form of TV scripts for the series. It has 13 "episodes," each of which have a self-contained plot within a season-long arc, just like the show.

Everthing That Rises Must Converge by Teachwriteslash
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Status: Ongoing
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Prior to the battle of Canary Wharf Jack Harkness and Ianto Jones' paths cross and they embark on a journey neither of them could have been prepared for.

Shades Of Ianto by Sarcastic Chick
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto, past Ianto/Others
 * Synopsis: Ianto is much more than just a teaboy.

The Windhovers by Sarcastic Chick
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Status: Ongoing
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Ianto Jones is not going crazy, but even he can't begin to fathom what is going on. . .

Proof Of Your Existence by Sarcastic Chick
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: "Can you offer me proof of your existence? How can you? When neither modern science nor philosophy can explain what life is."
 * Tags: What Measure Is a Non-Human?.

Resonating Throughout Time by Gracie Musica
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: Sometimes your other half turns up in unexpected places. For Jack Harkness, it turned up millennia before he was even born.

Intersecting Geodesics by Nancy Brown
 * Recommended By: Nadilune
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto, minor Jack/John Hart
 * Synopsis: Stuck in the wrong time with a Jack who hasn't met him yet, all Ianto really wants is a way home. Part of the Intersections series. Post COE.

The Roots of the Quadratic by Nancy Brown
 * Recommended By: Nadilune
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Alice Carter/Jenny (from Doctor Who)
 * Synopsis: Jack and Ianto discover they can only outrun old sins for so long. Sequel to Intersecting Geodesics.

Game, Sutekh, and Match by Valderys
 * Recommended By: pretzellogic
 * Pairings: Jack/Ianto, Jack/John, and John/Ianto
 * Synopsis: When Jack is attacked and pieces of him are scattered around the world, he can rely on Ianto to bring him home. But can Ianto rely on John? His vortex manipulator is essential to the mission, but that's no guarantee...
 * Tags: Some slash but the fic's rated Teen so I the stuff heavier than kisses is implied/stated.
 * Comments: Post Series 2 pre Co E. An interesting portrayal of John and Ianto on their feelings and relationship with Jack. A lot of character exploration that allows for Ianto and John to develop or at the very least flesh out.

Crossover
Damage Control by Bookkeeper The
 * Crossover with Doctor Who
 * Recommended by Iridescent Individual
 *  Status: Completed, with one completed sequel and a third on the way.
 * Synopsis: The Tenth Doctor shows up at the Torchwood Hub after a nasty experience in a testing facility. As it is, this one is only the latest in a long line, and Jack and his team (and Martha) are left to deal with the fallout as the Doctor finally hits his breaking point. Sequel is Inertia. Set after "Voyage of the Damned" for Doctor Who and "Sleeper" for Torchwood.
 * Comments: Pretty genuinely heartbreaking, and incredibly well-written. Not too much plot (although Inertia has an excellent one), but so totally worth reading. The author is an amazing writer.

The Death Note Discovery by KaibaGirl007 "Owen: Congratulations, you've found a book that belongs to an Emo."
 * Crossover with Death Note
 * Recommended by feral
 * Status: Complete
 * Pairing: Jack/Ianto
 * Synopsis: An unnamed Shinigami drops a Death Note in Cardiff.


 * Comments: Featuring the cast of Torchwood (playing in the Death Note sandbox.) The story follows Torchwood canon and there is now a one-shot sequel.

Endurance by Adrian Tullberg
 * Crossover with Doctor Who
 * Recommended by: Brona19, Kathryn Shadow
 * Synopsis: (spoilers for Miracle Day) The last old man on Earth stared out at the screen towards the viewer.
 * Comments: A wonderfully well written piece of fiction and the return of a old foe.

For Captain and Cardiff by blackhemlock
 * Crossover with Doctor Who
 * Recommended by Supernova92
 * Synopsis: "At midnight, a nationwide security alert was sent out… Torchwood London, demands all agencies' cooperation in issuing an arrest warrant for Ianto Merric Jones, 24, of Cardiff." Torchwood Three's Archivist has gone rogue. But, he does have a very good reason, and he looks stunning in his new suit. Torchwood/Doctor Who crossover.
 * Comments: A stunning piece of drama and suspense. Fantastic characterizations and a very original plot. Complete with over 47500 words. Ianto fans will love it.

The Justice League Of Cardiff Is A Stupid Name by Sam_Storyteller
 * Crossover with The DCU
 * Recommended By: Studious Jones
 * Synopsis: Superman is evil and Batman wants to know why Torchwood's agents don't wear capes.
 * Comments: Sam is a master of humor. The DC Comics men didn't know what they were dealing with.

The Magic of Torchwood by Bella the Strange
 * Crossover with Harry Potter
 * Recommended by Seiryuu. Seconded by The Enmity Of Ages 1994. Thirded by Caellach Tiger Eye and EMY 3 K. Fourthed by Hinn Raven. Fifthed by User:Lady Of Procrastination.
 * Synopsis: The Torchwood team have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Set between Adam and Reset. Rated T because of Jack Harkness, swearing, mature themes, slash etc... it's Torchwood!
 * Comments: An amazing piece of work that age-regresses the Torchwood team and sends them to Hogwarts at the beginning of Harry's third year. Story takes place from there onwards and masterfully inserts Torchwood during the years and develops pre-existing minor characters as well as introducing rounded ones.
 * I heartily agree. Seriously, I bloody love this fic. It takes all the best elements of Torchwood and integrates them into the Potterverse perfectly without feeling out of place (mostly by adjusting the tone of both series to somewhere in the middle, but without being forced). The characterisation is altogether very strong and consistent, and the so-called "bashing" of Ron isn't quite as bad as it sounds - it's more a highlighting of his character flaws compared to the other main HP cast and giving him time to steadily grow out of them (which started when Book Five was reached). It's really at worse Author Tract against Rowling for her own narrative faults (the only thing Ron's being bashed for is fervently hating on Slytherins and nothing else, which as Hermione notes in a later chapter of the fic isn't a good thing). On a lighter note, there's quite some brilliant humour in there, and some unexpectedly heartwarming moments which are mostly a result of the team's presence. Even better, while the changes do push the story positively (for the most part), the TW team aren't in Fixer Sue territory at all and there's sufficient tension and conflict to go around. This fic is a must-read for TW and HP fans everywhere.
 * Thirded. This is brilliant. The Torchwood characters are cleverly interwoven with the Potter-verse. Fair warning, though, there's a lot of Ron-bashing. It's only really bashing one character flaw, but it gets mentioned again and again and again every chapter. Ron can't seem to go a chapter without him being hated for it. This troper just wishes the writer would give him character-development, rather than keep mentioning it.- EMY 3 K
 * #4 agreeing. This story is excellent, the characters are great and in-character (with the exception of the aforementioned Ron problem, but it has been getting better in the newest chapters), and the plot, which is great, is mixed with hilarious moments. Plenty of shipper moments too. (Jack/Ianto mostly, but there are others.) From the very beginning, this story was interesting, and it's only getting better. Seeing the Torchwood Team hanging around Hogwarts and making friends with the inhabitants of the magical world is both amusing and easily imaginable. Sirius and the Weasley Twins in particular are brilliant. Constant updates make it even better. Definitely a necessary read.
 * #5 chiming in. Beyond the compelling writing, excellent characterization (apart from the above-mentioned exception), and high overall entertainment value, this fic manages to avoid many of the pitfalls frequently associated with crossover and Harry Potter fanfiction. Breaks from canon follow logically from the presence and interference of the Torchwood team. The altered portrayal of Draco later in the fic, for example, has more to do with Jack's influence than any Draco in Leather Pants mentality. First-years act like miniature adults because they are. The Torchwood team think of and do things that Harry Potter characters don't because of their experience, rather than the Sueishness that usually causes such behavior. What most Harry Potter fics do badly, this one does well.

Of Rifts and Vampires by enigma-kar.
 * Crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer
 * Recommended by HG131
 * Synopsis: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer crossover where Spike and John Hart meet and then the entire Torchwood team meet the duo. They then bash Twilight and it's hack writer and go out for drinks.
 * Comments: This is actually funny. It's also short so just read it.

Unlocking Torchwood by Jaded
 * Crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer
 * Recommended by HG 131
 * Synopsis: Crossover with Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Dawn watches all of Torchwood with Andrew... in Cardiff... on a Tuesday. Dawn promptly finds herself right outside of Torchwood, being questioned by Torchwood.
 * Comments: I just want to say, this fic is really funny. The characters are well written and the interactions are believable.

When a Grim Reaper Calls by cjulina.
 * Crossover with Dead Like Me
 * Recommended by HG131
 * Synopsis: Jack, after dying 9 times in a row in a few minutes, gets a visit from Rube. What follows is awesome, funny, and ironic.
 * Comments: If you're a fan of Dead Like Me and Torchwood, you'll love this crossover.