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You begin reading the following Fanfic Recommendations document containing tales spun by those who enjoy the original work and wish to expand upon it.
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These are recommendations made by Tropers for Homestuck Fan Fics, 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. Be sure to see the sister page for fan music!
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Authors and Websites
Once upon a time most of Homestuck's fanfic-writing went on in
the fanfiction threads on the forum. A partial directory can be found here.
Most significant fics are also on Archive Of Our Own. There's also a dead safe for work LiveJournal Request Meme.
- Recommended by: merefire, Korodzik
- Synopsis: This author mixes prose and poetry into a beautiful combination. She seems to concentrate mostly on Dave and Jade's relationship, but can also do lovely, in-depth portrayals of singular characters.
- Recommended by: merefire, Butterfinger, Skydragon222
- Synopsis: This author has many hilarious and tragic AU stories that are interesting as they are well-written. Despite their divergence from the main story, RedPen remarkably maintains the personalities of all the characters. From Rose playing therapist to Jack to a frightening look into the kids' struggles after the return to a wasteland Earth, you will find all of these fics to be a must-read.
- Recommended by: merefire, Butterfinger, Skydragon222, aliceintrouble, Aromli
- Synopsis: Brilliant, unassuming and stark, you will cry, laugh and die inside reading UA's fics. Her unique writing style adds an interesting flavor to the narrative in a way that will make you feel that you are hearing a character's thoughts as soon as they pass through the character's mind. Some of her work is intense and dramatic, but some of it is fun as well. From Rose story to Karkat/John story to stories that are simply genius, this authour is definitely worth checking out. Noteworthy stories that have their own pages on the wiki include Hemostuck (co-written by roachpatrol) and Promstuck (co-written by Shelby "No Cool Nickname" and Cephied Variable).
- Recommended by: merefire
- Synopsis: The writing style of this particular fanfic writer seems to be permanently stuck on depressingly realistic and chilling. She concentrates on Terezi and Vriska, as well as Kanaya/Vriska. If you want a good, hard, sad look at Vriska's headspace and her relations between Aradia, Terezi and Kanaya, this is the author to go to. When you're done, your heart will ache and have all the feels. All of them.
- Recommended by: themutant
- Synopsis: This author writes a wide variety of pairings, ratings and stories, ranging from long-running epics to hysterical pesterlog-style one-shots. Responsible for the very popular and brilliantly and thoughtfully handled Brainbent AU on Tumblr. Also does gorgeous fanart. All of his stories will either make you laugh for hours, sob brokenly, or (most often) both.
- Recommended by: Andygal, Sheliak
- Synopsis: a wide variety of tones from the very fluffy to the fairly angsty, some smut, lots of ships, most involving Karkat. Also has a deviantart account with pics based on the fanfics, excellent artwork.
- Recommended by: Airtamis
- Synopsis: Writes excellent John/Rose ships, mostly fluffy in nature.
- Recommended by: MusicasterSparky
- Synopsis: An AU focused writer, their major work is the Demonstuck series. Writes both angst and fluff, sometimes within the same story. Primarily focuses on the Strider/Lalonde families.
Alternate Universe Fics: Contextual Reassignment
Fruity Rumpus Afterlife Roadtrip by AOrange and Lyraeon
- Recommended by: powerespect
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: An extensive series of works chronicling the meteor gang and the battleship gang trying to stave off boredom during the three year journey to the new session. Twenty-nine stories so far but new ones are forthcoming.
- Recommended by: Diamondparka
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: John Egbert is a young man that will occasionally shelter animals for an ASPCA abuse case. Never before has he taken care of an animal so strikingly similar to a human child — Horns and gray skin not withstanding. As he cares for the battered young troll named Vriska, he begins to realize the plight of a sentient race that's being kept as little more than exotic pets.
- Pairing(s): John<>Vriska, Feferi/Eridan
- Tags: W.A.F.F., Major Character Death, Alternate Universe Fic
Be the Sea Dweller Lowblood by ckret2
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, Thorslund, Enistoja, Flairina, AMillionSkies, Silverfire
- Status: Dead
- Pairing(s): Various, mainly Eridan <> Feferi and Eridan <3< Karkat
- Synopsis: (Written by Edge Of Oblivion) Be the Sea Dweller Lowblood is a Homestuck-derived fan story starring Eridan Ampora, the almost universally-despised sea dwelling troll, in a world where the high-ranking purple and blue blooded trolls and the low-ranking red, yellow, and brown-blooded castes have had their positions reversed completely. Now a poverty-stricken, low-classed outcast, Eridan struggles to survive while enduring abuse, insult, cross-dressing, rancid sewers, and pursuit by the law while attempting to at long last find both a love and a hate he can keep. Meanwhile an intrepid hunter balances her position in society with growing friendship and perhaps even romance; a blue-collar laborer comes to terms with his own wrath; a brooding psychic goes on a journey to die for; a serene couple attempts to enjoy each other's company amidst the daily chaos of troll society; a revolutionary sect plots mysterious actions in the background; an information merchant plies his trade; and a candid revolu8ionary plays all sides against one another while evading — or perhaps not — the keen eye of a W4TCHFUL INV3ST1G4TOR. Also features musical acts.
- Comments: This is possibly the best fan adventure for Homestuck I have ever read. Ckret 2 incorporates the audiences' suggestions into the adventure while simultaneously keeping it captivating and humorous. Although the story starts off focused on Eridan, the rest of the trolls get their own focus as well. The characters are all incredibly well written and 100% in character. Even if Eridan were not your favorite character (or even if you hate him), I would definitely recommend giving the story a look. You will not be disappointed.
- Only 10 images in and I'm all for this thing. Read it. You won't be sorry.
Marchingstuck and Promstuck by Urban_Anchorite and Schellibie
- Recommended by: ClockStopping, TheDoctorsCompanion, Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: (Written by Urban_Anchorite): Schellibie and I, on a whim, ended up talking about her concept of a Marching Band AU (henceforth referred to as "marchingstuck" because Shelby hasn't given me a better name HURRY UP SHELBY). A couple hours later, this shambled out our mental birth canals as a malformed, partly illustrated monster, with the most inane and beautiful AU setting of all time. This will only prove appealing to people who have been in marching band or people who have played instruments. (NOTE TO ORCHESTRA KIDS: THERE IS A RUDE LINE ABOUT ORCHESTRAS. WE KNOW IT IS TRUE)
- Pairing(s): Various, including but not limited to John/Karkat, Dave/Terezi, Rose/Kanaya, Karkat<>Kanaya, John<>Vriska, Equius<>Nepeta, one-sided Equius/Aradia, and one-sided Eridan/everyone.
- Tags: Gen Fic, Slash Fic, Het, Crack Fic, High School AU
- Comments: Technically, this isn't a fic, but a series of conversations between Urban_Anchorite and Schellibie about a potential Homestuck High School AU mostly revolving around everyone being in marching band. If that tries to put you off, don't let it. This is seriously the funniest, crackiest, and yet still perfectly in-character Homestuck fic you will ever read! This fic had me practically crying with laughter at multiple times, and this is coming from someone who knows absolutely nothing about marching band whatsoever! And it doesn't just focus on one or two characters (although the first couple of pairings definitely get the most screen time) — this is truly an ensemble fic. It's sweet, it's funny, it's genuinely in character, and it's probably the most realistic depiction of the absurdities of high school you will read. Highly recommended! Also see Promstuck, a fan adventure created by the same authors that elaborates on the last log and the characters' experiences at Prom, particularly Karkat; and Fuck Yeah Marchingstuck, the tumblr for Marchingstuck-related works, mostly fanart.
Red Dead Virgo by adamantApoplectic
- Recommended by: Kyouger, Nexev, Cameoflage, Gumbal1, Flairina, merefire, Alexlayer
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A complete change in all the blood colors of the trolls has given them different abilities and relationships. Kanaya the redblood decided to reveal herself to her friends and is practically lynched because of it.
- Pairing(s): One sided Kanaya/Vriska, and confusing trollmance with the other characters though nothing physical has happened to far. It is not the main focus of the story.
- Comments: Very interesting showing of how different the characters would be if they were put on different areas of the hemospectrum. Kanaya is the focus and plays the part of the Woobie depressingly well, what with her mutant blood color.
- The stories aren't written in chronological order, so the reader should be unconcerned if an unclicked link suddenly appears in the middle of a bunch of other.
Violetescence by lucidSeraph
- Recommended by: Kassiopeia, Enistoja
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: In a parallel universe, we take a look at an alternate universe Dave, raised by Ms. Lalonde. Something of a crossover with House of Leaves and an AU to Red Dead Virgo.
- Comments: This series grows from a simple premise into something uniquely disturbing, intriguing, and beautiful, rich with literary allusion. Due to an Archive of Our Own error, most of the series is orphaned; more recent chapters are over here.
Cities in Dust by Cephied_Variable
- Recommended by: GGCrono
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Dave Strider a hard-boiled human detective. His new partner is a crazy legislacerator. Together, they solve murders.
- Comments: Brilliantly written. All the characterizations are spot-on and the world is well built. Comes with accompanying images and, in places, thematic musical accompaniment!
- Recommended by: Desiderii, Mazz
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Four kids finally reach the end of their game only to have victory violently torn from their grasp. Retreating to the Veil, they are surprised by an unsolicited donation from, of all sources, an alien girl from the universe they created! Who are these troll douchebags?
- Comments: A very interesting premise (role reversal) combined with hilarious in-character interactions and fascinating differences from canon.
Frontierstuck by ShinjiShazaki
- Recommended by: lettergirlmj, Areze, KamuiValentine
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Rose/Kanaya, John/Vriska, Kanaya<>Karkat
- Synopsis: 1920s-era versions of the kids and their guardians are transported to Western-frontier-Alternia as a result of a failed alchemy experiment. Three sweeps have past since the day they arrived on Alternia, and, with the death of their guardians, the kids must try to survive the hostile planet and destroy the monster they created as a result of their experiment. Contains fake alchemy, bizarre alien romance, a quest for vengeance, and, most importantly, pirates & cowboys. It has a sequel, To Oblivion and Back, but this has been discontinued.
- Comments: This fic is beautifully detailed, particularly during the fight scenes, and has perfect characterization. Also, John is a pirate. What more could you ask for?
Sburb Patch Notes by Chaotic Cadenza, Orngjce223, and CJ Miller
- Recommended by: Dreamgor
- Status: Dead
- Pairing(s): Low or no shipping in the first thread, low on shipping in the second with two pairings between two of the characters so far.
- Synopsis: A Play-by-Post Game, summed up at the beginning of the second thread: "Welcome to Skaianet Laboratories, home of the unusual hijinks of the developers who patch Sburb. Wait, no, not the kind of developers you're used to. More like... oh, let's say troubleshooters? Experience in Sburb is technically optional, but highly recommended, since there is physical combat involved. For our Admins, especially; since Admins are required to do all the legwork in regards to the largest villains and greatest plotlines that Skaianet sees on a regular basis." Daily doses of Reality Warping, Crazy Is Cool, is in the job description. A better, if lengthier summary can be found at its TV Tropes page, since this description is not doing it justice at all.
- Tags: Play-by-Post Games, Elsewhere Fic
- Recommended by: CalamityJane, Thorslund, CCIB
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: A beautiful and happy Alternate Universe where everything is cute and nothing hurts. Everything is meshed together into a non-canonical soup of anything goes, villains are no longer villains, and the Felt, the Midnight Crew, the Humans and the Trolls are all toddlers created by magic under the care of Doc Scratch. It has been described by others as a 'Homestuck Antidepressant'.
- Tags: W.A.F.F.,
Character Derailment (although Tropes Are Not Bad in this case), Hurt/Comfort Fic, Slice of Life, Curtain Fic, Sweet Dreams Fuel, Lighter and Softer
Strider's Edge by paraTactician
- Recommended by MetaFour
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: John Egbert begins attending Oxford and soon finds himself making friends with "the odd set", particularly the wealthy and eccentric David Lalonde and his circle of highblood troll chums. Good times and romance ensue, and then everything goes to hell. In the author's own words: "This fic will tackle, in no particular order, themes such as memory, justice, desire, friendship, beauty, and revenge. Also pretension. Pretension will feature in a big way."
- Comments: Sort of a crossover with Brideshead Revisited, sort of a pastiche of the same; resulting in an interesting mix of 1920's-ish prose in a modern-day setting. The author clearly put a lot of thought into how a mixed society of trolls and humans would function. This story will break your heart if you're not careful.
- This is the first and only time a story has broken my heart so thoroughly. I remember it clearly a year later.
Brainbent by vastDerp, rainbowBarnacle, mercurialMalcontent, ceruleanCynic
- Recommended by: L33tminion, AMillionSkies, MortTheGhost
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: Young adults in a therapeutic setting have adventures, learn lessons and engage in sloppy makeouts. (Trigger Warning for mental illness and talks of suicide)
- Comments: Led by the author of Kagerou, much of it is done in an interactive, ask-the-characters style.
- This is definitely one of the most well thought out mental health institute AUs I have seen for the fandom. The characterization is flawless, and everything seems to have been researched thoroughly, which is important for an AU that deals with such sensitive material. Definitely give it a try.
- This aspie Troper found Nepeta's backstory (Spaceship) to be particularly amazing, though the whole AU is definitely worth reading all the way through. It really captured the trials and tribulations that a young person on the autism spectrum goes through, and paralleled my own experiences so well that I just about cried.
The Tale of Archane by Doc Beard
- Recommended by: Javer, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: She who would dare speak the truth to the gods must face the consequences. Rose has always been a little...off, and her initiation into the mysteries of enlightenment have just broadened the gap between her and her loved ones. Can the world's youngest ectobiologist save his friend from herself? What hungers in the back alleys of Derse, the Nightmare Planet?
- Comments: Some graphic violence. Suspenseful and tinged heavily with Primal Fear. Prepare for a friendship aneurysm.
Just Saying "Get Better" by ribswrite
- Recommended by: SHM, merefire
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Everybody is human; the troll kids are patients at a psychiatric hospital and the kids are staff members.
- Comments: This started on Homesmut, filling a prompt asking for the trollkids getting treatment for their mental health issues and the kids acting as their therapists/staff. The characterisation is wonderful, the fact that the writer has spent time in psychiatric hospitals himself shows in a good way, but what's especially nice about it is the emotive and suspenseful plot following the progress and healing of the kids. We don't merely get a big nice Dysfunction Junction: In spite of the heavy material and tragic happenings it's actually a very optimistic and sweet story since they do get better.
- An interesting factoid is that both the prompter and the writer didn't know Brainbent existed for a long time, thus we get two equally excellent and independent takes on the same premise (HS characters in therapeutical setting)
Sburb Character Creation Guide by Xalrath
- Recommended by: orngjce223
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Sburb is a game, and instead of destroying the world, it has a community of devoted players – speed-runners, glitch-finders, walkthrough-writers, n00bs, you name it. One of the highest-ranked players in the game decides to write another in the line of the many walkthroughs that went after tentacleTherapist took the game from "forgotten" to "cult classic" status. Problem is, Sburb has an essentially vertical learning curve, and it has game balance issues. Big ones. It is left up to the player whether these issues are balanced out by Sburb's freakish and possibly superhuman attention to detail and the sheer depth of the narrative, but those who play the game believe the tradeoff to be worth it. ...Usually."I’m honestly torn sometimes as to whether Skaianet were misunderstood geniuses or just insanely lucky idiots."
- Tags: Sburb mechanics exploration
- Comments: Packed chock full of references in the naming of the abilities. Written in walkthrough-style. Full disclosure: this recommender has written another work in the same universe that links to all other works in this universe. Veers away from canon significantly for the god-tier ascension rules (among other things), but frequently references said canon and returns to it repeatedly for inspiration.
- Has been thoroughly Jossed, but still a good read.
Sburb Glitch FAQ by GodsGiftToGrinds
- Recommended by: orngjce223
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Sburb is a broken game. It retroactively edits your world to include a temple, installation/debug NPC (the one that shoots out green radiation and yellow lightning), and a mass-produced game called Sburb. It assigns you a title. It makes you hate your Denizen, then grudgingly care about him, then kill him. It is often bugged, with dummied-out titles, useless variables, and quests that don't always work properly. And guess what else is broken? The door to the Ultimate Reward. That's right, all you can do once you've finished your game is mash the "Replay" button and get dumped into another game with a new set of powers you'll have to unlock all over again. This is a walkthrough FAQ written by one of the players who is affected by this looping bug. Worldbuilding with heaping helpings of hilarious and heartbreaking. (Bonus: nearly all the names of the things inside the game are named after all the tracks on the Homestuck soundtrack.)
- Tags: Sburb mechanics exploration
The Troll War by Outside_Context_Problem
- Recommended by: X15lm204
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A peaceful Earth, five major powers united in global governance. An International Space Service, exploring the stars for new homes and signs of life. An ever-expanding Alternia, convinced of its own supremacy, willing to tolerate no threats, willing to acknowledge no others. A species with a history drowning in its own blood, in turning on itself, in destroying anything that seems other, in taking any excuse for a war. (That last one was humanity. Trolls are about to find out they've made a big fucking mistake.)
- Comments: A sci-fi/space opera adventure in the greatest traditions. Contains spaaaaaaaace, relationship shuffling, weird clone shit, political nonsense, occasional horrific violence, not-actually-so-bad grimdarkifying, command angst, lampshade hanging, liberally spread badassitude, space-time shenanigans, and more!
Battlefield Terra by Asuka Kureru (Askerian)
- Recommended by: Leliel
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: John Egbert is one of the line of clone Super-Soldier mecha pilots, fighting a long, grueling war against a mysterious, enigmatic race of Big Creepy-Crawlies who have attacked Earth for reasons unknown. He's found his peace with it: See Evil Space Monster, Shoot Evil Space Monster. It's an okay life...
- ...right up until he crashes a recurrent nemesis of his, and discovers (much to his horror) that the "aliens" are actually the Organic Technology mecha of a certain race of horned humanoids. After saving the pilot despite his Starfish Language protests, John is faced with the unenviable task of protecting him from Sociopathic Soldier Jack Noir and attempting to decode the language of a grouchy alien who doesn't even hear in the same range as humans. Will this lead to peace between humans and trolls? Or at least, discovering why they invaded? Only time will tell...
- Pairing(s): Promises to be John/Karkat
- Comments: Only three chapters in, and I wish this were a real webcomic or anime series. Words cannot describe the sheer Character Development in the first chapter alone, and seeing What Measure Is a Non-Human? being tossed out the window is always welcome. The other trolls have not appeared yet, but the author promises Vriska, Gamzee, and Tavros have been promised to have roles.
Schoolgirlstuck by Latia (with illustrations by various artists)
- Recommended by: CCIB, Butterfinger, Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: They say lilies represent the love between girls. And yet, John Egbert has always preferred roses. The John/Rose Entry for Round 1 of the 2011 Homestuck Shipping Olympics, complete with illustrations!
- Pairing(s): John/Rose, implied Dave/Terezi, and implied Kanaya/Vriska
- Tags: Alternate Universe Fic, Half Rule 63
- Comments: A very interesting look at John/Rose from a genderbent perspective — well, half-genderbent, anyway. In the author’s own words, "There's a reason I called it Schoolgirlstuck". Very sweet and funny, and does an excellent job of subverting and lampshading clichés.
Archon by waywardWarden
- Recommended by: sbrevolver15
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: The year is 2614. For the past two years, the Alternian and Human races have been in a bitter, brutal interstellar war. Humanity's advanced technologies meet the raw physicality of the Imperial armies time and time again. In the thickest fighting, where bodies cover the ground and blood flows more freely than water, stand the Archons: the United Terran Coalition Legion's finest troops. Biologically and technologically superior, they carve bloody swathes through whatever fight they happen to be in. Alternians that have deserted the Empire stand under one Karkat Vantas, who himself stands for an Alternia free of the oppressive Hemocaste system.
- In which John is a badass, Karkat is a revolutionary, and war spans the entire galaxy. And cyborgs, those too
- Pairing(s): John/Vriska, Dave/John (past tense), Rose/Kanaya, Karkat/Jade, Dave/Terezi,
- Comments: This story is great, hands down one of the best examples of space warfare mixed with Homestuck madness, Well worth a good read thru for any of us who enjoy face paced sci-fi action with servings of the favorite trolls and humans jumbled in.
Alternian Nation Series by celynBrum
- Recommended by: lettergirlmj
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The representatives of a race of newcomers fight to give their people a home on Earth- but even without the deadly killer stalking the streets of LA, just surviving is hard enough for some. Can humans and aliens work together to build a better future? Or is it all doomed to end in bloodshed? One thing is for sure — for sixteen teenagers, this is going to be a dangerous week.
- Pairing(s): Various, Karkat<>Gamzee being the most prominent.
- Comments: The integration of trolls into human society is portrayed in a fantastically unique way. The characterization is perfect, and the plot is griping enough to keep you begging for more.
The Vienna Game by paraTactician
- Recommended by: birchsalt
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The Alternian Empire in an amazing cyberpunk homage, starring Sollux the psychic-impaired hacker and Terezi, an ex-operative with a familiar imaginary cool-kid friend. A tightly-plotted, fast-paced caper fic that you really don't want to miss, including full-cast shenanigans with the trolls and the mystery of four huge Imperial A.I.s — Heir, Witch, Knight and Seer. Sound familiar?
- Pairing(s): Sollux<>Terezi is the focus, with other, more spoilery side pairings
- Comments: This AU is amazing. The characterization is great and the setting is recognizable but still very unique. It's a great homage to classic cyberpunk like Neuromancer. Don't miss it.
The Fisher-Prince by roachpatrol
- Recommended by: Starburstia
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The first fic of the AU Hemostuck- Alternia: where warm blood defines a troll's nobility, cold blood their commonalty, and Her Imperial Luminescence Aradia Megido struggles to keep her people together. Whether or not she can do it before Ascension Day is another thing entirely.
- Pairing(s): Eridan<>Feferi, Eridan<3<Sollux, Sollux<>Karkat, Eridan<3Karkat, Karkat<3<Terezi, Karkat<>Gamzee
- Comments: This is a carefully planned, beautifully detailed and written world-building character-focused fic of Hemospectrum-flipped!Alternia. The Fisher-Prince revolves around Eridan- the slang and banter is top-notch. Interweaves Sburb mythology and the events of Homestuck in a really interesting way. The authors had the constantly shifting relationships between the twelve trolls planned all the way to ascension day, as written pre-Cascade. Highly-recommended.
The Illusion of Fate by Bucketswag
- Recommended by: SuperYuuki
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Dave/John AU in an advanced society with extreme government control. You find out your name and gender when you turn 17, as well as hints to your future. If you don't conform to the standards, well, you'll see. Especially when homosexuality is illegal.
- Pairing(s): Dave/John
Team Paradox by RedPen, blacksheepDaydreamer, Beep, Tribor, Metaflare, mediokreKarapase, and Esabelle Ryngin
- Recommended by: DeliriousBiznasty
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Six (or seven or five) fantrolls have their own SGRUB adventure. Starts out as an ordinary SGRUB-venture, but things quickly escalate. Far better than it sounds, and this troper is shocked it isn't on here already. Canon characters play little to no part in this adventure, but the troll OCs are amazing and believable characters. The art is gorgeous as well. (This is not a fanfiction, but rather an RP.)
Heinoustuck: Inevitable by Flairina
- Recommended by: Unmaker
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A chilling poem describing the transmutations of the kids in the Heinoustuck AU. Short, but well written and creepy.
- Recommended by: ElsaMaria
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: "It started as a dare: visit the kid with no friends who has been stuck in the hospital for longer than anyone cares to cite, give him a card, and have friends buy you pizza as a reward."
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat
- Comments: Humanstuck AU in which Karkat is ill and angry, and John awkwardly fumbles his way into making friends with him. Excellent characterization that doesn't forget about the side characters, with an interesting and imaginative plot.
- Tags: Humanstuck, cancer, possibility of death
Heartstuck by lovecraftianParadox
- Recommended by: Twiddler
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: A dating-sim parody starring Kanaya, a new student at an all girls’ school. Occasional beta plots surface at the boys' school or in the form of ancestor flashbacks.
- Pairing(s): Kanaya is Ship Teased with practically everyone. Some of the more prominent background pairings include Summoner/Mindfang, Karkat<>Gamzee, and Vriska/Terezi.
- Comments: Excellent characterization, humorous and nicely drawn, while making good use of the game setting. Some occasional violence.
Hivefled by Fovoskon and Chelonianmobile
- Recommended by SanaMae
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: A Homestuck AU, in which the game never happened; three trolls were conscripted, and then became deserters. Now, all of them are on the run as they try to prepare to take down a twisted regime. While not forgetting they are in the best sweeps of their lives. Follow-up to "Reprise".
- Pairing(s): Karkat<>Gamzee, Tavros<3Gamzee, Nepeta<>Equius, Tavros<>Eridan, Sollux<>Feferi, Sollux<3Aradia, Condesce<>Grand Highblood, Eridano 8<Nepeta
- Tags: Dark Fic, Makarabuse.
- Comments: Please read the warnings on the tumblr page very carefully, as it does have rape and abuse in it. That being said, please don't be put off by the Torture Porn prequel, as the actual fic has brilliant plot and characterization. Might be a bit of a Tear Jerker at points, if you're particularly emotionally attached to Gamzee.
nothing else moves that way by nyogu
- Recommended by: Nothingtoseehere
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Rose/Dave
- Synopsis: In July, Rose starts coughing up brine and pieces of kelp and what both Rose and Dave think are pearls until they start to hatch, tiny many–limbed crustaceans skittering around their bathtub in the middle of Minnesota. She claws her throat bloody the next time she feels sick, and Dave’s mind instinctively goes back to the tentacles dragging their way out of his sister’s mouth, the way they seemed larger than Rose herself in his dream.
CollectiveStuck by Lawrence Friday
- Recommended by: AstoriasAvenger
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A very cleverly written all-human fansession, done by a person with exactly the right sense of humor for an MSPA-style adventure.
- Recommended by: gutza1
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Inspired by Dungeons and Dragons, this fic takes Jade on a journey with an injured knight to cure a nasty case of grimbarkness. Warning, a couple of chapters may be NSFW.
- Pairing(s): Jade/Karkat, various other miscellaneous pairings
Like One Sundered Star by oriflamme
- Recommended by: theatergirl
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Actually inspired by the fanfic Real Men Wear Tights, Like One Sundered Star focuses on teenage and young adult superheroes as they battle horrorterrors, mysterious organizations, mental illness, and hormones. Be aware, this is an extremely long read.
- Pairing(s): John<>Karkat, Rose<3Kanaya, various others
The Calm Is Terrifying When The Storm Is All You've Known by HappiKatt
- Recommended by: equivocalEternity
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis: There were two kinds of trolls who went to Earth: rich shitheads with too much money and free time, and desperate assholes who couldn't survive on Alternia, even with the best efforts of the young Condesce. Karkat hated the planet almost immediately, but with his home planet too dangerous for mutants, he really didn’t have any choice but to hide out on this weird little diurnal planet. At least he’d be safe. Or so he thought, right before blundering his way into an accidental friendship with the son of an anti-troll terrorist.
- Comments: Slow burn, shifting perspectives; romance really isn't the focus here but it'll still play a significant part; extra content warnings will be posted with each relevant chapter.
- Pairing(s): Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Rose Lalonde/Kanaya Maryam
- Tags: Character Death, no-sburb au, Internalized Homophobia, PTSD, Blood, Abuse
Doc Scratch's School for Supernaturally Gifted Adolescents by medical
- Recommended by: martaooooo
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: One minute you get a mysterious message from a man who types all in white like a jackass, and then the next thing you know you're being whisked away to a mystical school for kids with superpowers. If you weren't Dave fucking Strider, this sort of thing might bother you.
- Pairing(s): Dave/Karkat, Rose/Kanaya
- Tags: High School AU, Alternate Universe Fic, Humanstuck, Superpowers AU, No SBURB AU, Minor Character Death
- Comments: Very well written, the storyline is gripping and the characters are very well portrayed. I'm surprised this hasn't been included here yet.
Doc Scratchs School For Supernaturally Gifted Adolescents' href='/pmwiki/review_add.php?g=FanficRecs&tt=Doc Scratchs School For Supernaturally Gifted Adolescents'>
Doc Scratchs School For Supernaturally Gifted Adolescents'>Add Review
Doc Scratchs School For Supernaturally Gifted Adolescents'>Add Review Alternate Universe Fics: What If
Double Death of the Author by The Lifetime Channel
- Recommended by Crossover-Enthusiast, Prinnyramza
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: An alternate ending to Homestuck from Game Over onwards.
- Comments: It's a very neat and interesting AU, so much so that I've taken it as what would've happened if the Pre-Retcon timeline wasn't retconned.
The Gospel Bright And Tenebrous by Twilit
- Recommended by: Mcnickel
- Status: Complete
- "Pairings": Kanaya<3Rose
- Synopsis: This is the nobledark history of the world, scribed in aphotic inks drawn from the vitae of beings that dwell in the spaces between worlds, between words and in the ephemera of the human soul. This is a story of young women growing up and seizing a destiny denied them by society, physics, reality and forces that humanity should not toy with.
- Comments: Eldritch Horror, to say the least. Humanstuck, to say more. A riveting read.
Miracle Child by ''bramblePatch
- Recommended by: whitesouldragon, Kris Mahai
- Status: Ongoing
- Pairing(s): Gamzee<>Karkat, Gamzee<3Tavros
- Synopsis: More than two sweeps after being returned to a restored Alternia, the trolls face impending adulthood and banishment from the planet. Gamzee Makara fully expects to be culled on conscription for poor health and sopor addiction — what he doesn't count on is the personal attention and protection of the Grand Highblood.
- Comments: A very interesting look into troll society for kids who are only just becoming adults. So far the narration has focused entirely on Gamzee's experiences (which remind me very much of Ender's Game) as a Subjugglator-in-training, but there are ongoing hints in the background of possible revolution. Definitely worth a look, at the very least.
- Warnings: Explicit Violence, Physical and Emotional Abuse, Gore, Character Death
- Now has a Trope Page.
Once and Ever After by Curlicue Cal
- Recommended by Aromli
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): None.
- Synopsis: Two kids, very messed up from saving two very different fantasy worlds and then returning home where it's like it never happened, take comfort in each other.
- Comments: Jane and Dirk friendship. A fascinating and ultimately heartwarming look at what might happen to the heroes of YA Fantasy-esque adventures when they return home to find they no longer fit in the normal world.
Rag Doll by Ember
- Recommended by YubiShines
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: AU after the Hegemonic Brute's death. Jack Noir offers the Parcel Mistress a job, seeing as he's out one lackey. Seeing an opportunity to strike back at the Sovereign Slayer, she accepts. Warning: Some on-screen violence.
- Pairing(s): Onesided Jack -> PM
- Comments: Engaging and brilliant, PM's slow realization of what she's gotten herself into and how far she's gone and will have to go is chilling and deeply claustrophobic. The dynamic between PM and Jack is fantastic, as are her interactions with CD and DD. Some of the details of the rest of the game are no longer canon but they're not too hard to ignore.
- Recommended by lettergirlmj
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: John/Karkat later on in the fic
- Synopsis: AU. John and Karkat unwillingly present an illustrated guide: How to Explore the Southwestern United States of America and Avoid the Feds on Under $25 a Day! Or "the story of how John-the-intern helped an alien escape from Roswell and is now on the run from the Feds." (Warnings for implied torture and character death.)
- Comments: This story is amazing. The writing is great, the characterization is fantastic, and the plot is incredibly well put together. Although Karkat and John are the focus of the fic, the rest of the kids play a big part as well. I cannot say enough good things about this story.
In which four children play god by Meteors
- Recommended by The Holiday Batman
- Status: Dormant
- Pairings: None
- Synopsis: Four children from a session which would not yield fruit were given a second a chance. This time, everything fell into place. No Jack Noir, Tumor, no unnecessary deaths. As the four creators of the new universe went to claim their prize, SBURB played one final, cruel trick upon them. In order for John, Dave, Rose, and Jade to earn their new universe, they must prove themselves in one final test. It is their duty as gods to create a new world that will prove them to be worthy of cultivating the universe they have been teased with for so long. Things do not go as planned.(feat. artwork by Kerez)
- Comments: Just beginning, but planned for multiple chapters. Only a few scant guesses can be made as to what happens in the first chapter, and things quickly shift gears to a much less grim setting which focuses on a town where monsters such as imps and ogres are invading. With the monsters aside, a lot of things seem very out of place and several characters and allusions from names to scenery come off as disturbingly familiar.
Phone Home by White Mage Koorii
- Recommended by lettergirlmj
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing: Eventual John/Karkat
- Synopsis: The universe has been rebooted and now fate charts a new course. Karkat Vantas is revealed for the mutant blood he is, and in his escape winds up stranded on Earth. (Warning: Major Character Death)
- Comments: Starts out heartbreaking and stays that way until we meet John again in a later chapter. John makes everything fun and hilarious even when things get sad. The premise is great, the characterization is amazing, and that is all I can say at the moment.
Goodnight, Nepeta by missazrael
- Recommended by AceyEnn
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Nepeta survived Gamzee's beating, but was left with severe brain damage, causing Karkat to become her caretaker. Told from Karkat's point of view. Better than it sounds. Warning: Karkat kills her.
- Comments: Bring the tissues—this is one of the few Homestuck fanfics that I've ever gotten even remotely emotional at. The writing is masterful, and while the story is incredibly bleak, it's definitely worth a read, especially if you like angst.
For Nothing by livethekind
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: You're not sure how to make everyone remember after the Scratch. So you remember it in your dreams, sometimes, when the world is ending. And now you really can't fix it.
- Comments: What would have happened to the kids if they hadn't played Sburb. Eerie and nostalgic to the point where you wish they had played Sburb.
four titles by liquidCitrus
- Recommended by Korodzik, Nabi, merefire
- Pairing(s): none
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: How does it feel for the 4 kids to wield all these immense powers? It's hard. It's hard and nobody understands. Warnings: AU with no Reckoning. Dark prose.
LEDE, by undersaffiresky
- Recommended by whitesouldragon
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): None
- Synopsis: The Scratch is called a hard reset for a reason. It means starting over from square one with a clean slate. Memories don't come with the package, or aren't supposed to, but you guess the game made you some kind of special exception (hahaha hehehe), because you remember. You remember everything, and you don't know what to think.
- Comments: Follow scratched!Dave through the years of foster care, of regaining his memories of the game, of searching endlessly for his friends in a world gone wrong, of finding Dirk, of coming to terms with his new role to play in the procreation of the universe. If ever there was a perfect fic detailing the heartbreaking story of the new Guardians, this is it.
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Dave/Tavros, mainly, with a bit of Karkat/John and Rose/Kanaya
- Synopsis: AU where all the kids and trolls meet up in the Veil. Dave Strider and Tavros Nitram help each other with their problems, and maybe fall in love along the way.
- Comments: An alternate universe where all the trolls are alive and they are all in the meteor together. Dave befriends Tavros, and helps him build actual self-confidence. They fall in love along the way, and the way that both of them deal with it is portrayed realistically. In the midst of it all, they prepare to battle with Lord English and the Condesce. Definitely a good read for Dave/Tavros fans, and is written well.
Notes From A Doomed Timeline by Kassiopeia
- Recommended by raequiem, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Rose needs a mentor. Jack needs a friend. This will not end well. (Post Bec-prototyping)
- Comments: Perfect characterizations coupled with stunning art. Involves lots of angst and some heart-wrenching deaths because this is, after all, a doomed timeline. One of my personal favorites.
We're All Doomed by SeptimusMagistos
- Recommended by CCIB and Oodj, Mazz, Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Vriska does not stop John from prototyping with the doll. As a result, the kids and the trolls both have to deal with being stuck in a doomed timeline.
- Comments: Much like RDV, the characters have changed, but are still recognizable. Several aspects of the troll's storyline actually go for the better, and it's filled with many crowning moments of awesome, heartwarming, and funny as well. It has currently concluded with fifteen chapters and an epil0gue.
Pantheon by a_mere_trifle
- Recommended by DecemberinBlue
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: An AU series where the trolls have stolen the kids' victory and rule over humans with an iron fist. Each story is a self-contained variation on a theme: how one kid handles being the sole survivor, and the way they dismantle the Pantheon.
- Comments: A heart-twisting, masterfully written series of 'what-if's. a_mere_trifle explores concepts of grief, loss, duty, and survival with crystal clear characterization and exacting prose.
Shipjammed by Cephied_Variable
- Recommended by birchsalt
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Dave/Terezi
- Synopsis: After SBURB, the kids are stranded on a newly restored Alternia where they are forced to deal with all kinds of terrible, crazy alien crap like troll dating and getting shot with laser guns and intergalactic freedom movements. In space, no one can hear you be ironic.
- Comments: A genuinely funny, intriguing, plot-heavy AU done (complete with mixed media!) very much in the Homestuck style. Concentrates mainly on an older Dave's freedom-fighter POV, which is pitch perfect. This troper recommends you read if only for the intricately crafted look at troll society, but you'll stay for Eridan's self-styled AntiHero.
You Are Dave Strider by missazrael
- Recommended by: phazonfarmer, Keltena
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: You are Dave Strider. When you were thirteen, you played a computer game with your friends. You were the Knight of Time. Now you're not.
- Comments: A kinda-sorta AU Fic. After the Scratch, the kids were unable to escape its effects, and were forced to relive their lives. In a bit of a twist, Dave has retained all of his memories of Sburb, and is now coping with his new life.
Time To Change or To Change Time by Sakilya
- Recommended by fortunecookieb and Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Gamzee<>Karkat, Nepeta<>Equius, Sollux<>Aradia.
- Synopsis: Post-Sgrub the trolls are sent back to a restored Alternia, only to find themselves in the distant past in the middle of an rebellion. The trolls have arrived in the Sufferer's time! It remains to be seen how or if this will affect the course of history on Alternia.
- Comments: Each chapter is told from the perspective of two different trolls. So far they have all been very intriguing and entertaining to read, especially Gamzee's and Terezi's parts. At this point the group is still split up and one group has met the Signless and his followers. Other ancestors have made appearances too.
Knitting, or, My Life In Yarn: A Rose Lalonde Story by raequiem
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Slight Rose/John, Dave/Jade
- Synopsis: Rose knits. And contemplates. And knits. And fights. And knits. And knits.
- Comments: Told from Rose's perspective, it tracks how Rose copes through knitting and gives a depth to her character as the four kids struggle through a doomed timeline together. Has Crowning Moment of Heartwarming between the kids, and will definitely warm the eldritch tentacles of any horrorterror.
As it Should Be by Shayera
- Recommended by: KuyanJ, politicalmetrics
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: The human kids get transported to sufferer-era Alternia, and meet the ancestors. However, they quickly find that Alternia is no place for humans...
- Tags: AU, description of violence
>Connect by Biichama, Inverts, Renachan and Roachpatrol
- Recommended by: KuyanJ and Flairina
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Humans get turned into trolls and sent to an alternate Alternia where there were troll versions of them, trolls get turned human and sent to an alternate Earth where there were/are human versions of them, everyone plays another game of S Burb together in hope of escaping.
- Tags: AU, species swap
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: In which the ectosiblings switch patron trolls before the start of the Sburb. (Relationships tentative and subject to change as the series progresses. & is a spoiler censor for quadrant.)
- Pairing(s): (quadrants are mostly unconfirmed) Jade/Vriska, John/Karkat, Rose/Terezi, Kanaya/Dave, Eridan/Karkat, Gamzee/Terezi, Ashen Kanaya/Rose/Vriska
- Comments: Jade and John switch patron trolls, as do Rose and Dave. Suddenly things get so much more hilarious, Vriska and Jade are adorable together and Dave and Kanaya KICK RAP ASS. Most definitely one of the best AU's I've read though it's all in pesterlog form. Illustrated nicely and FULL OF GENIUS. READ THIS, SERIOUSLY.
Cultstuck!by elanor_pam
- Now with a trope page!
- Recommended by Sheliak, Aromli
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: Karkat<>Gamzee, background Feferi<>Eridan and Equius<>Nepeta
- Synopsis: What if the followers of the Signless had maintained their religion into �present-day� Alternia? Karkat grows up coping with a (secret and highly illegal) cult that worships him as an extension of his Famous Ancestor. When he�s revealed as a mutant, he must flee his hive, the cultists plot to get him off planet, and his friends plot to preserve him and themselves. Features a living and take-charge Aradia, Gamzee being creepy in good cause, and Action Survivor Tavros.
- Seconded. This fic is amazing in every capacity. Go read it. Now.
- Recommended by R Donald James Gauvreau
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Jade tries to exploit the alchemy system and runs into unexpected results.
Altstuck by friendlybatteringram
- Recommended by: nmn3r3
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: What if Game Over never happened the way it did? What if John hadn't needed to alter the major course of events? What if things just... kept going? This is the story of the unwounded alpha timeline.
- Comments: If you felt like Homestuck abandoned a bunch of plot threads and threw in a retcon in order to wrap up the story, then this is the fic for you!
Holy Shit I Have A Kid!? by EmerialynCodeVenice
- Recommended by: Theriocephalus
- Status: Last updated 2020-12-17
- Pairings: Dave<3Karkat, background Rose<3Kanaya
- Synopsis: Thirteen-year-old Dirk Strider and the other troll/human Descendants of the Sixteen Gods have been waiting to meet their "parents" their entire lives. When they finally do, Dirk is determined to prove himself. Because then... maybe his Bro would want to get to know him.
Meanwhile, for Dave Strider, parenting is hard — especially when you had no clue you even had a kid. It was enough to have unresolved childhood issues and an inability to confess his feelings for a certain troll, but now he has to try (and fail) to not embarrass himself in front of this mini-version of Bro.
Oh gods this is going to be a disaster. - Comments: An interesting everyone lives and post-Game AU setting, sadly incomplete but worth checking out for the concept. The Beta trolls and kids win the game and, after establishing the new universe's groundwork and jumping forward five thousand years in time, leave to explore and manage it. Thirteen years later, they're called back to AlterEarth for an anniversary celebration, where they discover that, apparently, the Game saw fit to create clones of each of them on the same day they left. Meanwhile, the Alpha trolls and kids have spent this time under the impression that their divine, revered "parents" just never bothered to check on them, and are extremely nervous about finally meeting their progenitors.
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.
- Recommended by Mcnickel
- Status: Dormant
- Pairings: Rose<3Kanaya
- Synopsis: Rose Lalonde has discovered herself. Now only remains the matter of making sure people know it.
- Comments: A wonderfully sweet piece that takes place in an AU in which several of the Ancestor trolls arrived on earth and began integrating with humanity some time before the story. Of course, all the trolls who would have played SGRUB are there.
- Recommended by Alithia,LentilSandEAter
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: None (Technically 2322<>2323)
- Synopsis:"A story about the lives of two very special Derse pawns, and their adventures on the Battlefield at the center of Skaia. No kids, no trolls, no shipping"
- Comments : On of the few WV centric stories in FF. The plot and setting are really well thought out, and the characterization is great
this sitch just lost its sincerity stat by suitably skippy
- Recommended by Echo Logic
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Jade/Davesprite.
- Synopsis: when you are a teenager and you are also a god, or a furry, or a video game construct, or two or all three, then shit can start to seem seriously serious. Slight spoilers. On the Skaian Battleship, Davesprite is adamant: on the 4/13 they should celebrate his spriteday in addition to John's birthday. Amazingly true to the characterization, shows insight into all three of the characters and how they might be passing their time.
Unwanted Free Ugly Troll by coldhope
- Recommended by Arceusgod, Mort The Ghost
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Dave <> Cronus; Feferi <3 Equius (albeit mostly in the background); Sollux adorable kiddie spadecrush on Cronus.
- Synopsis: Dave finds an abandoned troll in a box.
- Comments: An amazingly adorable fanfic that is extremely-well written. I'm surprised it's not up here yet; some 2,000 people have kudos'd it.
- Also be sure to check out its Recursive Fanfiction-cum-Ascended Fanon Loophole by saccharineSylph, which is just as if not more so well written. Warning: SADNESS.
And the Two of Us Are Dying by Sionnan
- Recommended by RainKrystal, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): None.
- Synopsis: Bro has dreamt of his death for the past 13 years.
- Comments: Bro and Dave have a brotherly moment in a way you wouldn't quite expect.
PTSD by raequiem
- Recommended by Fishsicles, Medinoc, Dreamaniac
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Rose, possibly Dave/Jade in later chapters; more of a side note than the focus of the plot.
- Synopsis: A continuation after a possible ending of the comic, where the kids have split up after returning from the Medium. Dave, in particular, had trouble recovering from the trauma (leading to the title), until Jade's unexpected arrival at his doorstep leads to him cleaning up his act.
- Comments: Told from second-person perspective from Dave's POV, which starts out odd but will seem natural to anyone who has read a lot of MSPA. Three chapters so far, more on the way; apparently a spin-off from Rose's perspective is in the works.
The Queen is Dead by conceptofzero
- Recommended by GG Crono, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Black Queen/Spades Slick.
- Synopsis: The fall of the Black Queen and the rise of Snowman.
- Comments: A story about Snowman; how she was exiled, how she hooked up with the Midnight Crew and later the Felt, and how it all ended. Jossed by Act 5 but still a good read.
- Recommended by Hybrid 1
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Jack doesn't seem too well, mentally speaking, so Courtyard Droll decides to get him some therapy to make him better! And that is why Rose Lalonde (aka tentacleTherapist) is currently sitting across from an omnicidal murderer. This will not end well...
- Comments: Exceedingly well written, with the characters perfectly captured, to the point where you're unsure who to root for, the heroes or villains? While primarily dramatic, it also contains funny and heartwarming moments. If you read no other fan fic in this list, read this.
Crestfallen by Geek-Fairy
- Recommended by Acey Enn
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Sollux
- Synopsis: Karkat comforts a suicidal Sollux.
- Comments: Focuses on some very touchy subjects (suicide and mental illness), but captures both of them heartbreakingly well, and manages to avoid being ridiculously melodramatic, especially considering the subject matter. Depressing, but definitely worth reading.
FELT by Professor (The original donor for the Midnight Crew in Problem Sleuth)
- Recommended by QuotationMarx
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): None
- Synopsis: A day at the felt mansion goes horribly sideways, as a series of viewpoint character end up getting embroiled in time shenanigans. So basically a normal Tuesday.
- Comments: An interesting fleshing out of the Felt when they aren't busy getting killed by the midnight crew. Occupies a weird dubious secondary canon status — Professor got a bunch of info about the Felt from Andrew before he started his adventure, but nothing in it is necessarily canonical to Homestuck proper. Funny, clever, and close to Original Flavor.
Shades and Feathers by raequiem
- Recommended by DrunkenLemur
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): None
- Synopsis: Dave gets pestered by Davesprite, when he's suddenly cut off. Davesprite mentioned something about Jade's prototyping. Dave rushes off to investigate.
- Comments: Following the death of Bro and supposed death of Davesprite this gives some much-needed closure for fans. It helps that it's 100% within character for all those involved.
Conquest by Quixotic
- Recommended by Kassiopeia
- Status: Dead
- Pairing(s): Mostly Sollux auspisticing between Karkat and Terezi, but Sollux/Aradia and Vriska/Terezi get a look in too.
- Synopsis: Sweeps in the future, Karkat tries to deal with the many, many annoying problems which life in the Alternian battle fleet present, from preventing an invasion to trying to stop his friends from murdering him and each other.
- Comments: An involving and frequently hilarious future!fic, complete with fascinating romantic and political intrigues, pitch-perfect characterisation, and the promise of yet more to come.
The Felt by Dermonster
- Recommended by X15lm 204
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): None
- Synopsis: The Felt are not Nice. They are not Happy. They do not joke. They do not love. They do not fear. They are the Felt. And they are the agents of destruction.
- Comments: Perspectives on each member of the Felt as they are when not played for laughs. I hope you like nightmares.
Hourglass by Kassiopeia
- Recommended by Khym Chanur, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Spoilers: big spoiler for "[S] Wake" of January 15
- Pairing(s): One sided Jack -> Queen
- Synopsis: While trapped in time by Aradia, Jack has a moment to reflect on his life history and the nature of his existence.
- Comments: A great character study of Jack Noir, with an interesting take on why he's hunting down the troll kids.
Nepetaquest 2011 by aceofspudz
- Recommended by Masterweaver
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: One solar sweep before SGRUB, Nepeta had a life all her own...
- Comments: Wow, this is VERY GOOD. So good, in fact, that it has earned a trope page. Basically, Nepetaquest takes a one-off snark from Hussie and uses it to start the beginnings of an expanded universe for Alternia and its inhabitants. Have I mentioned that it's well written and awesomely drawn?
Bearer by gogllescent
- Recommended by Korodzik
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Eridan<3Feferi, Eridan<3<Vriska, ashes Kanaya(Eridan/Vriska)
- Synopsis: "Eridan and Kanaya, from beginning to end."
- Comments: A nice xenopsychological experiment in trying to comprehend auspisticism. Comes with some really beautiful writing.
Bite Down by lantadyme
- Recommended by Insanity Prelude
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): none
- Synopsis: She goes to him for help when she loses her arm. Neither of them is really sure why he complies.
- Comments: Equius gets to do something besides be the squick-provider for a change! An elegantly written look into Vriska and Equius's heads (mostly Vriska's.)
And With Strange Aeons by lucidSeraph
- Recommended by Turnkeep
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A disturbing look at the Horrorterrors in the Outer Ring, and how the game caused them to be. Some graphic content.
- Comments: Another amazing, grimdark fic by lucidSeraph, guaranteed Nightmare Fuel. LET'S. BE. TANGLE BUDDIES. ;D
Untitled by Anonymous
- Recommended by Insanity Prelude, Enistoja, Haustere
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A conversation between Grimdark Rose and her mom.
- Comments: Zingled RP logs totally count as fanfic, and this one is beautiful. The more sensitive among you may want to bring tissues.
- For those that find difficulty in reading zingled RP logs, this troper recommends using the "Ctrl + F" shortcut, pasting one of the two chat symbols, and clicking "Highlight all". The log is genuinely well-done. Recommended.
A Loaded Smile by Legendary Armour
- Recommended by Raimind
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: After finishing Sburb the kids are left without their guardians to take care of them, Dave and John stick together even through foster care but Dave's cool facade is starting to slip. Can John realize what's wrong before Dave does something drastic?
- Comments: A great story about how Dave might try to cope when he can't take it anymore. Warning: contains self-harm.
Closing Time by Cephied_Variable
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: You meet the strangest boy, the most Amazing Girl. You meet Rose Lalonde in college and John Egbert in Bolivia and all of them are a little off, a little broken, a little wrong in exactly the same way.
- Comments: This story is a beautiful look into the lives of the kids post-SBURB, through the eyes of the people who are dating them. Intriguing, and just a little bit heartbreaking for everyone involved.
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, Sp8des Slick
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: In which the real reason everyone is fucked is because John is evil; made all the more potent by the fact that John was a really nice guy up until the point when he literally blew someone into pieces. (Pesterlog one-shot)(WARNING: MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH)
- Comments: Oh my gosh, this story. I did not think that Evil!John could ever be pulled off convincingly until I read this story. Everything about it is just brilliant. It is both hilarious and horrifying, and absolutely terrifying in its plausibility. I cannot recommend it enough.
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing: pre-John/Karkat
- Synopsis: John's purpose is to begin things. "He loses the apple on impact when reality crashes down, and loses everything else soon after. Nothing on Earth could compare with the sweetness lingering on his tongue." (written for a prompt requesting fic based on/inspired by the story of Eden).
- Comments: A very thoughtful fic in which John worries that he may have subconsciously wished for the end of the world. Among other things. The characterization is A+, and the ending is ridiculously sweet.
- Recommended by Lord Hyper
- Status: Dormant
- Comments: A tumblr account where our local clown Gamzee answers our questions. It has only started about three weeks ago, and has gained 4000 followers. So come here, and let the miracles happen.
- Recommended by Mo
- Status: On Hiatus
- Comments: Another tumblr account of Gamzee, This time it's involving Sober Gamzee...but with Karkat. It has excellent characterization of both of them and it plays their moirallegiance very well.
Not What We Planned On by Elemental
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, Animenutcase
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: You destroy a universe (with help, of course) and when you wake up in your bed on an Earth that is whole and totally not a ruin, you think things are pretty great. When you find there are three trolls with you, alive and well (and ok, angry too), you think things are pretty fantastic. When you find out your friends are alive, they're in their own beds and homes and have their own trollish company, you think things couldn't be better. You couldn't be more wrong.
- Comments: Even though this story has only two chapters so far, it is so amazing that I had to rec it immediately. This fic has all the things I ever wanted in a "trolls come to live on Earth" scenario, and a few things I did not know I wanted, but love anyway (the Gamzee+Grandpa conversation in particular has a special place in my heart <3). The characterization is absolutely perfect, and the interactions between the characters are some of the most fascinating I have ever seen in a Homestuck fic. Definitely take a look sometime. Now has 8 chapters out of 14.
A Sailorman's Hymn by VastDerp
- Recommended by lettergirlmj
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): hints of Condesce/Psiioniic, Sufferer/Disciple, and Sufferer/Psiioniic
- Synopsis: Years after his death, the Sufferer spends his time reliving memories in his dream bubble. Suddenly he comes across the bubble of an old friend, broken and stuck in the memory of his death. How do you convince someone to walk out of hell with you if they don't even know they are dead?
- Comments: One of the best Ancestor fics ever written. Many aspects of the Sufferer's life are explored here, although the relationship between the Psiioniic and the Sufferer remains the focus. If you love the Ancestors, this fic is definately worth checking out.
CircusStuck, Part 2, Part 3 CircusStuckuuu by Speedy 1359
- Recommended by: Tropers/ ZibbaZabba905
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: "''The four kids go to a circus, put on by the trolls."
- Comments: It's pretty short, about 3 minutes total. Very similar to Hussie's style.
Trolls: Spy on Unsuspecting Humans, by bramblePatch
- Recommended by: BetaRay
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Twelve adolescent trolls with nothing to occupy their time. Four adolescent humans who didn't realize they were being watched. It was really just a matter of time.
- Pairing(s): John/Rose
- Comments: A humorous memo as the trolls get a secondhand account of what human reproduction is like. Non-explicit.
John and Rose: Be Diplomats, by Latia
- Recommended by: BetaRay
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: "You ever seen cartoons where some big monster picks up two people and treats them like barbie dolls? Smashing them together and making kissing sounds? Basically that, only replace the big monster with some horrorterrors, and the two people with John and Rose. Oh and make it dirtier."
- Pairing(s): John/Rose
- Comments: John and Rose are interrogated by horrorterrors.
the creaking of the tented sky by gogollescent
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Jadesprite, ascending. Spoilers for the Eo A.
- Comments: A beautifully written piece from Jadesprite's perspective before she becomes the God Tier Witch of Space. Sentimental and lingering with power, if you were really excited for all four kids to become God Tier, you will read this.
Fed by Farla
- Recommended by: KuyanJ, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A look at the messed-up relationship between Vriska and her lusus. Portrays the relationship as tragic rather than one-sided.
- Tags: Dark Fic, Oneshot, description of violence.
The Game, and Those who Play by Arc Four
- Recommended by: KuyanJ
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: Started during A 5 A 2, looks at each title/aspect pair.
- Comments: Like Homestuck itself, the fic as a whole is a big, growing pattern, all fitting together but with a lot of variety and surprises within it. In addition, each individual story is good in one way or another.
- Tags: Jossed, Longfic, Sburb mechanics exploration.
- Comes with three audio versions performed by: MeleeWizard, MythMonster2, and JanusLegion.
Hold Your Colour by lantadyme
- Recommended by: OhNoes
- Status: Complete
- Tags: Sadstuck, Post-Game
- Synopsis: "The game remakes the world when they win. It forgets one thing." Post-SBURB, the kids get everything they wanted back. Except for Dave.
- Comments: Excellently written. Each character stays true-to-form, and the whole premise behind the story is heart-wrenching; it nearly brought me to tears (and I don't cry at books, ever). The pesterlogs are, as I've said, in-character and believable, and seeing the world through Dave's eyes and colored by his anguish kicks you in the heart, especially the depths to which he spirals in despair. The ending made my eyes water with empathy, and you just get a sense of relief and happiness for Dave, that he finally got what he needed so desperately. I'd definitely read this again. 5/5.
The Serendipity Gospels by schellibie, urbanAnchorite (t_ZM)
- Recommended by ProfWillis, merefire, Zadia
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Terezi <3< Gamzee, Gamzee <> Karkat
- Synopsis: How the Empire knelt to a clown, a mutant, and a lawyer.
- Comments: While the basic premise—"what if SGRUB never happened?"—has been done before, this fic does something wonderful with it. This version of Gamzee is just wonderful, and the fraught relationship between him and Terezi is so well-written it's worth reading the fic for that alone.
Like Medicine by xXSilentMelodiesXx
- Recommended by Axisfiraga
- Status: Complete
- Tags: Sadstuck, Warning Death, implied suicide Post-Game
- Synopsis: "Those weren't side effects. It was a slow reacting poison designed to shut a person DOWN." Dave, John, Jade, Rose. The game didn't just leave them with a simple victory.
- Comments: Synopsis taken straight from the summary. The kids are left with some after-effects of the game, and some aren't handling it very well. It's a bit long, but it's a heartbreaking story, especially with the way it leads you to believe that everything will work out. Not everyone gets a happy ending.
The Gods That We Once Knew by natcat5
- Recommended by Kuyan J
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A short fic on a remade earth in which the kids now exist only as abstract gods, and only their guardians remember things were ever different.
- Tags: Drinking problem, Remade Earth
- Comments: Short but intriguing and thrilling.
The Land of Dungeons and Dragons by celynBrum
- Recommended by fortunecookie, Politicalmetrics, HUNRonin
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Gamzee, possible John/Roxy, Gamzee/Terezi, Sollux/Aradia
- Character(s): Karkat, Terezi, Gamzee, Jake, Sollux, Aradia, Kanaya, Jade, Dirk, Dave, Rose, Roxy, Jane and John.
- Synopsis: After the events of the Homestuck the kids and trolls somehow found themselves as the gods of a new Dungeons and Dragons and Pathfinder-themed world. Some time ago they decided to get themselves reincarnated as mortals in this new world. The tale begins when a new unknown foe threatens to destroy the world. With Karkat being the only one who retains any memories of his past lives, our heroes must now struggle to save the world while being unaware of who they are and what is going on. Karkat must save Gamzee from marriage, oracle Rose receives visions of the end of the world and Aradia has her hands full with babysitting Sollux. Hilarity ensues!
- Comments: I just want to dive into this fic and never leave again. I would say the quality of this fic is up there with Hemostuck, the Serendipity Gospels, and Miracle Child. The POV switches from chapter to chapter which gives you some insight on the different characters. It's very well written with an intriguing plot. The kids and trolls are believably in character. celynBrum writes an awesome and cunning Terezi and Karkat is both adorable and hilarious in his anger and self-hatred.
Sing a Melody by adamantApoplectic
- Recommended by Twiddler
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: In the trolls' battle against their Black King, Aradia travels back in time as many times as it'll take to save them.
Lucidstuck by intrepidPioneer
- Recommended by Areze, Flairina
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis: A young man with insomnia, strange, vivid dreams and hallucinations finds himself caught in a nightmarish dream world populated by monsters, potential allies, old friends, and secrets as he learns more about the dark world he's been visiting every time he sleeps.
- Comments: A fascinating survival-based new spin on the traditional Homestuck fan-adventure formula. Involves all new characters, but the characters are all likable, engaging, and interesting, and the adventure's core concepts are unique enough to justify giving it a second look.
And, trying to unfold for you, was brittle by signalbeam
- Recommended by Dr. Psyche
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Sometimes your life gets flipped like a table when a meteor smashes into a mountain, murderous bugs move into your backyard, and a rainbow drinker breaks into your house. It’s (probably) not your fault that any of this happens, but it (probably) is your fault for reacting to it by rigging your cat's mausoleum with hidden cameras. Or: Rose Lalonde the Vampire Slayer.
- Pairing(s): Rose/Kanaya
- Comments: Set on an Earth where Alternians have integrated with Humans this is, at its heart, a very good character exploration of Rose. It captures her drives, her frustrations and relationship with her mother very well. It all culminates in a journey of self-discovery, learning to accept the parts of herself she doesn't like and moving on.
And the Big Bad Wolf by Elizabeth Culmer
- Recommended by Nothingtoseehere
- Status: Complete
- Characters: Jane and Jade, with minor appearances from others.
- Synopsis: Jane has nothing to fear in the forest. The girl in the white fur dress is not so sure.
- Comments: Subtly creepy, with a narrator who, while not in-your-face-mad, unwittingly exposes how things are not as simple and right as she believes.
lord lord mother; lord listen lover by isozyme
- Status: Complete
- Characters: Kanaya, Aradia, Nepeta and Terezi
- Synopsis: It’s Nepeta’s turn to wait up, when Terezi doesn’t come back at dawn. She curls up in front of the fireplace, and oversugars her tea.
- Comments: If theres ever a fic that embodies the phrase "not with a bang, but a whimper", its this. Kanaya, Aradia, Nepeta and Terezi are the only ones of the group left, and they try to hoard what little time they have left, and pretend that they aren't.
trailerstuck by badaquatic and lemavaispomme
- Recommended by fortunecookie, ukachivaniya
- Status: Dormant; last updated December 2017
- Characters: All of the characters, all of them!
- Synopsis: The one where Karkat ends up with Cronus and Kankri for parents. Author's description: Karkat Vantas is 16 years old, a mutantblood troll stuck on an alien planet, and lives in a trailer park with his deadbeat dad and overworked mom in New Jack City. This series is his story along with everyone else's in the trailer park. Contains several scenes of confusing alien mythologies and religions, urban grittiness, questionable morality, crime lords, family secrets, quadrant vacillation, betrayal, xenofetishization, heartbreak, friendship, love, loyalty, joy, hope, and Davekat..
- Comments: Not a love at first sight but definitely addictive to the point of obsession. This series is a post sburb AU that’s part soap opera, part adventure, part porn and part everything. What makes it worth reading is the characterization and the intriguing spins this story takes. The wordbuilding is excellent and the backstories of the characters are a major point that make it so damn interesting. Deserves way more love and attention than it’s getting. That said, it’s not without flaws, spelling mistakes that could have been avoided and parts that veer into info dump territory come to mind, though the story does more than make up for that and the writing does improve. It’s somewhat of a guilty pleasure. Also make sure to check out bad imagination a blog of one of the authors that’s also a trailerstuck ask blog.
Ashes to Ashes, Grist to Grist by TheAmateur
- Recommended by Lerner
- Status: Ongoing
- Tags: OC cast
- Synopsis: A loosely-knit group of high-schoolers in the middle of their senior year find themselves caught up, rather abruptly, in the end of the world. Suddenly, the very game that caused the apocalypse becomes their only hope at having any kind of future. Now the only direction left is forward.
- Comments: One of the only Homestuck fanfics that focuses on plot instead of shipping. A different group of kids play SBURB, and the main character gets separated and involved in his own extremely fleshed out Consort quest, at least for a few acts. Great twists and characterization. Definitely the best HS fanfic, in my opinion. Be warned that it has a slow start, so give it a chance at least until they get into SBURB.
- Recommended by gutza1
- Status: Ongoing
- Tags: OC cast, original aliens, weird horrorterror stuff
- Synopsis: Starting as a normal Sburb session, six players find themselves dealing with the resurrection of a demon from another world, and the avian beings who come with it. Basically, it's Homestuck meets Chrono Trigger.
- Comments: While at first, it seems to be a normal Sburb session, Hexane evolves into a fanventure with its own mythology, unique villain, and also fictional RPG video game characters. This is a sequel to Dungeons of Sunnydale.
- Recommended by: Hellwolf 99
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: Having too much free time on his hands, Karkat decides to host a weekly movie night. And every week, he almost instantly regrets it.
- Tags: Ship Tease, Movie Night, Swearing, Image Heavy, Comedy, Riffing, Pesterlog, Nicholas Cage-Freeform, Ashen Romance, kids and fun, Illustrated, Pokemon-Freeform, Shipping, Lazy Censorship, Has a porn chapter. Readers beware, Crack
- Comments: Takes place in an AU where everyone was brought back after the game ended. Everyone. What follows is the cast watching human movies together and the hilarity that follows. It should also be noted that despite the tag, there isn't actually porn in the story. However, there is a chapter where Damara has the cast watch a porno.
- Now with a Tropes Page!
- Recommended by: theek01
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: ‘’And then there's a customized copy of PONY PALS, a gift to you on your 14th birthday from the slippery Mr. Strider. Each page contains lovingly hand-written commentary on the deeds of this intrepid young horse. Later, about halfway through the book, rather than see the gag through to the bitter end, Strider began pasting over entire pages of original text with his own completely rewritten version of the story, while keeping all the chapter titles. His revision is a tough, emotionally draining read. But it's cathartic, in all the worst ways possible.
He tends to get carried away with his projects.’’
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to read the full version of the book Dirk gave Jane? Would you like to read more than the scarce few pages shown in canon? Well, now you can! Because it exists. All 100+ pages of it. And it is beautiful. Can also be read on tumblr, if that’s easier.- An honest-to-God masterpiece. I'm not exaggerating my opinion of this defaced horse book for comedic effect. It's that good.
0k by Scedasticity
- Recommended by Zadia
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Making the best of things, after Conscription.
- Comments: One of the best Homestuck fics I've ever read. Scedasticity takes the basic premise- 'What would have happened if everyone just went on and got conscripted like normal?' and turns it into something amazing. The world of the Fleet is continually expanded on and fleshed out, the plot is realistic and works incredibly well, and while the overall tone is rather dark, the fic itself is actually quite hopeful. Also note that while the above link is for the main story, there's also the equally-long 0k: POV, where all the tumblr asks and POV requests are.
Starship Skaia: Boldly going where you actually probably shouldn't go by TheLadySyk0
- Recommended by: HookedOnAFeeling
- Status: Ongoing, updates regularly
- Synopsis: A joint scientific exploration between the Trolls and the humans. The alliance between the two races is tentative. Can our heroes weather exploring strange new planets, enemy attacks and hilarious cultural misunderstandings? fuck i hope so.
- Pairings: John Egbert/Karkat Vantas main and slow burn, various other minor pairings
- Tags: Gen Fic, Space AU, Spaceships, Star Trek, Freeform
- Comments: Welcome to the Star Trek AU you never knew you wanted. Starship Skaia is a comedy action/adventure story of the humans from Earth (John, Dave, Jade, Rose, Jake, Roxy, Dirk, Jane, Casey) trying to share a space ship and explore the galaxy with those crazy Trolls (Aradia, Tavros, Sollux, Karkat, Nepeta, Kanaya, Equius, Vriska, Terezi, Gamzee, Eridan). Shenanigans and cultural misunderstandings ensue. The world is thought out, the plot advances in tv episode like segments, the background OCs are fun, and the writing is fucking hilarious.
- Highlights include: “NO MORE TALKING ABOUT ALIENS OR THEIR EXPLODING GENITALS OR I WILL RIP OPEN THE SAFETY HATCH AND THIS CONVERSATION AND ALL OF US WILL BE FLUNG INTO THE VOID OF SPACE TO BE FORGOTTEN FOR ALL OF ETERNITY DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”, “The indigo shrugged and scratched the back of their head “Uh...My name is Churro.” “What??” Ruth laughed so hard she wheezed with it “Like the fucking mexican donut?” The indigo turned to her resentfully “I AIN’T NO GODDAMN DONUT!”, and “WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE CAPTAIN’S BOOBS LATER WE STILL HAVE TO ESCAPE THIS STUPID FUCKING VOLCANO!” If this even sounds like anything you would be remotely interested in go read the first chapter. You won’t be disappointed.
- Recommended by: JaxInvasion
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Your name is John Egbert, and today was a pretty normal day until your dad told you to get in the car and run. Now, you're on a wild cross-country road trip, fleeing someone who wants all your friends dead, or worse. You're starting to be able to do some pretty weird stuff. And on top of everything, you think you probably missed your History exam. ((Government Conspiracy AU))
- Comments: This fic is amazing. Reading it was reminiscent of reading an actual book, that is how good it is — an actual book, written and edited by professionals. It's that good. Don't be discouraged by the "government conspiracy" or "do some weird stuff" parts (like I was), it's not some sort of angsty Sadstuck fic or something. The characters felt spot-on in a way that is unlike nearly all other fics, that I've read at least. It was the first fic to get me: grinning, sobbing, laughing, etc. all in a single work. This is one of, if not, the best fics I have ever read.
Be The Star by handlegg
- Recommended by MissRoboto
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Sweet Bro, Hella Jeff and Geromy play a game. Saying any more would spoil it.
- Pairings: Sweet Bro/Hella Jeff. Yes, you read that right.
- Comments: This counts as a Homestuck fic, right? It's the SBAHJ origin story nobody asked for, as the tags put it.
The Outcaste Greyhood by celynBrum
- Recommended by Theriocephalus
- Status: Last updated in 2014
- Synopsis: Being a collection of ballads regarding the history and legend of this famed Beforan outlaw.
Scholarly notes by Annalist Childe. - Pairings: None explicit, but some speculated in-universe.
- Comments: A rare story — one focused on the Beforan identities of the main trolls as the ancient ancestors of the Beforus crew. It's based on the Robin Hood mythos to parallel the Signless' Biblical narrative, and, more impressively, the whole thing is written in verse. By the nature of the stories it's inspired by it's also very episodic, so its unfinished status doesn't harm it much. The result is a very entertaining series of storylets featuring Beforan Karkat as a disgraced knight hiding in the wilderness as he and his merry band of outlaws defy corrupt nobles and clash with wandering jester-priests.
Shipping
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.
A Hand in Holding Hands by Skaian Redeemer
- Recommended by Nexev
- Status: Complete
- Paring(s): Ashen Rose(Vriska/Eridan), Tavros/Eridan, Tavros/Vriska, Kanaya/Vriska, Dave/Aradia, Jade/Nepeta, Sollux/Feferi, and so many pairings you have no idea. All the ships, all of them.
- Synopsis" No friendships. Ever. That's what Kanaya told her weeks prior, but Rose never really grasped the full of it, not until she found herself at the end of an Ashen crush. Now the Trolls are growing and the culture gap widening, the demon pounding on the door and the horrors whispering in ears. At the center of it all: Rose, trying to stand on both sides of the shore: without magic, without guidance and without one of her closest friends thanks to the very gap she is trying to bridge. This fic is dedicated to the Alternian third wheel.
- Comments: This is easily one of the better fanfics I read, and I practically read every single Homestuck fanfic the Archives hold. The Eridan/Tavros ship sounds dangerously like a Crack Pairing but it manages to make you surprised that this HASN'T happened in canon, rather than shocked that someone actually thought of it. Manages to have all characters portrayed realistically, as well as managing to keep the readers guessing. While it is mainly a romance/slice of life fic, it easily can switch into a darker mood whenever it feels like it. This Troper also enjoyed the Shout out to Strong Bad Emails that were done during the recap. But why are you even reading THIS comment when you can be reading the fanfic? You silly person you.
Arrivederci, Megido by K.M. West
- Recommended by BCIA
- Status: Complete
- Pairing: Sollux/Aradia
- Synopsis: A lot of Homestuck readers think that not enough detail went into Aradia's death. How she felt, what she was thinking, and everyone wonders what happened when Sollux woke up. This fic is here to provide some (possible) insight to that...
- Comments: Wow. It's lacking a bit at some parts, and the website is pretty unusual. But, all in all, the story and style is great. It's full of feeling, and pretty in character. Also, it might tear your heart out.
White Blank Page by conceptofzero
- Recommended by Red Pen, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Jack/Black Queen
- Synopsis: Jack is hopelessly in love with the Black Queen, and the two of them strive to keep their relationship a secret. Warnings: mild sex-scene, not graphic.
- Comments: Spectacular prose and a chilling concept, exploring what might have made Jack the apathetic, hateful guy that he is today. The twist at the end is both horrific and brilliant.
The Only Recipe For Lasagna You'll Ever Need by urbanAnchorite
- Recommended by X15lm 204, Keltena, Aromli
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat
- Synopsis: Choose lasagna as good first meal for boy humans (1) and boy trolls (1) to show you can overcome this cooking thing. Feel impugned when Rose suggests you would both eat popcorn between two slices of bread and call it a day. Advise her you only did that the once.
- Comments: Co-friendleaders embark on hilariously awkward and silly adventures in cooking and feelings. Written entirely in imperative, as if as a recipe.
How Serendipitous by Rebbe
- Recommended by Feral Phoenix and Flairina
- Vanished from the internet. Please post a link if found.
- Pairing(s): Kanaya<3Vriska
- Synopsis: A pesterlog-style story in which word gets out about Kanaya's flushcrush and all the trolls decide to weigh in on it.
- Warnings: Karkat, which is to say gratuitous profanity. Also melodrama and possible cuteness overload.
- Comments: I believe this one's already made its circuit around the fic recs, but it's genuinely hysterical and the author put a lot of thought and struggle into getting each troll's voice down right. Definitely something worth reading for any fans of the ship—and fans of the trolls being ridiculous in general.
i will buy the flower shop, and you will never be lonely by roachpatrol
- Recommended by Aromli
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John<>Karkat
- Synopsis: He walks like a cat who has tape on his paws, and has had tape on his paws for a very long time, and who never expects to ever again walk without scrunching miserably from side to side in a tangle of self-loathing and confusion. It hurts to look at him, but it hurts more not to.
- Comments: Warms your very soul.
No Quiet Sleeper by cest_what
- Recommended by Aromli
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat
- Synopsis: John has a transtimeline conversation with Karkat, who (in the present) happens to be out cold next to him. It leads to some revelations once Karkat wakes up.
- Comments: Pitch-perfect voices for everyone. One of my favorite works in the fandom.
The Proverbial Straw by undeadclown
- Recommended by Assassin
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Rose
- Synopsis: Upon discovering Vriska's body in the Troll's session, John begins to question himself and his actions over the past day.
- Comments: It's a convincing look into John's thoughts of what he's been through and his assessments of his journey, his losses. It has a realistic take on his budding interest in Vriska, who he only really knew for a few hours, and on Rose's interest in him, who helps him get his confidence back.
Of All This Blind Ambition by anonymousComrade
- Recommended by Seiyaku
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Terezi
- Synopsis: "You kneel down beside him and expect him to make some witty retort about the fact that you're still wearing your old FLARP costume. You're expecting him to stand up and pace while he rages at you about how you need to be more careful. You're ready for a long, angry speech about the crazy nooksuckers who tried to rampage all over everyone. What you are not ready for is Karkat launching himself at you with all of the power that a terrified troll boy of six sweeps can muster, clinging to you as if his life depends on it, and beginning to sob wildly into your shoulder. Yet that is exactly what happens."
- Comments: An incredibly well-written hurt/comfort about how Karkat copes with all the shit that's gone down, and how Terezi helps. It feels realistic, it's extremely sweet, and it's just so adorable
Red Velvet, Black Velvet by Latia
- Recommended by Assassin, Skydragon222
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Rose
- Synopsis: Rose Lalonde is not familiar with adults. But she knows they aren't supposed to be this nice, dammit.
- Comments: A well written and humorous oneshot of Rose's first encounter inside the Egbert house that has very cute moments and funny happenings.
- Recommended by Minchan, merefire
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Everyone<3Everyone
- Synopsis: "A personal challenge to attempt a ficlet for all 120 possible combinations of couples among the trolls and kids."
- Comments: Drabbles for each of the possible combinations, including absolute crack, but it treats all of the couples seriously, and characterization is excellent.
A Tale In Which Alternia Succumbs to a Revolution Sparked by a Seadweller and a Cat-Themed Olive-Blood by musicalArchon
- Recommended by Lord Malygos
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Eridan <3 Nepeta, Eridan <> Kanaya, Nepeta <> Equius, brief Eridan <3< Terezi, background Kanaya <3 Vriska
- Synopsis: Eridan Ampora, seadweller, violet-blood, fashionable gentletroll, has been rejected by his love. Nepeta Leijon, cave-dweller, olive-blood, huntress of the jungles, has just had a similar experience. Romance and adventure ensues as the two work out their respective issues.
- Comments: Anyone who's a fan of Eridan Ampora or Erinep absolutely needs to read this. The characterization is spot on, Eridan's character development is done in such great believable ways, Eridan and Nepeta's relationship is so cute, and — perhaps most importantly, even though he does develop, Eridan's shittiness and racism isn't shown as something he gets over overnight — nor something he can just leave behind once he -does- get over it. Unfinished, but utterly wonderful thus far.
Revelations Cycle by Half Life Wolf
- Recommended by birchsalt
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat, Dave/Terezi, Sollux/Aradia
- Synopsis: It is time to sleep now, young one, Knight. But do not be afraid— for as this has happened once before, so it will happen again. Today Karl Vates will play a game with ten friends. This is not the first time he has played this game, but hopefully it will be the last.
- Comments: Not your usual trollswap AU! Revelations is a sprawling descontruction of Homestuck's sometimes brain-testing time loops woven into an incredibly heartfelt story about setting things right in a Bad Ending gone Especially Wrong. The world building in this fic is fantastic, weaving together classical mythology and Homestuckian atmosphere effortlessly. Manages to both be a rollicking Ensemble Cast adventure as well as a really disturbing look at game mechanics.
- Recommended by whitesouldragon
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Gamzee<>Karkat
- Synopsis: What so many of the others don't understand is that Gamzee's as pale for Karkat as Karkat is for Gamzee. Fuck, he's pretty sure he was pale for Karkat before Karkat fell for him, because Karkat's always been a tightly-wound bundle of nerves and anger and fear, just barely held together with an iron self-control that's nothing if not a miracle.
- Comments: There really aren't enough Karkat/Gamzee palefics out there, but of those I've read, this one is the best. Characterization is perfect on both ends, and the stunning narration throughout makes the whole scenario both heartwrenching and heartwarming. It's a thing of beauty.
[S] Karkat: Sleep by Vascudcrisis
- Recommended by Jaylina
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Terezi
- Synopsis: Karkat's last words in the alternate timeline.
- Comments: This isn't actually a fanfiction, but an audio recording. It features some very talented and heart-wrenching voice acting.
Show the Lights by partingxshot
- Recommended by lkmjr
- Status: Complete
- Pairings: Rose/Kanaya, brief blackrom Vriska/Rose
- Synopsis: She has lived through the apocalypse and the death of almost everyone she ever loved. Her teenage angst can wait. (In which this is a terrible time for a sexual identity crisis and Rose Lalonde comes of age.)
- Fantastically written and with beautiful characterization. Written before the results of Rose's duel against Jack were revealed, so it splits off from canon there. Rose struggles to understand and come to terms with herself, her emotions, and her friends, all while dealing with the effects of the Horrorterrors' influence and searching desperately for a way to save one of her dearest friends. Incredibly heartwrenching in the best way.
Hearts by Zamael
- Recommended by Potman
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Nepeta, Karkat/Terezi, several minor ones
- Synopsis: Rescued by Karkat Vantas, and having her flushed feelings reciprocated by him, Nepeta Leijon finds that she at last has everything she ever wanted from life. If only it could have been that simple. Warnings: major character death.
- Comments: The story takes its sweet time to set up the scene, and has several funny and heartwarming moments in the beginning, even making the reader think that everything is going to be all right, before dropping the payload on the poor fic. And then taking it even further.
Candlelight and Clockwork by PingZing
- Recommended by Assassin
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Rose
- Synopsis: After achieving God-tier, John decides to pay a visit to LOLAR. En-route he collapses, and Rose and Dave must find time to restore him to health.
- Comments: It's a well-thought out story based within the the events of the plot with plenty of funny and touching moments as Rose and Dave strive to get John over a sudden cold, which takes longer than expected (thought the time travel takes care of that).
The Finer Details of Gay Cluckbeast by clumsyoctopus
- Recommended by lettergirlmj, Kris Mahai
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Dave
- Synopsis: Your name is Dave Strider and you are 26 years old. You have just gotten engaged. The problem being that you have just gotten engaged to your best male friend in a furious fit of stupidity, champagne, one-upmanship and a weird warm-glowy feeling that occasionally (or more than occasionally) rolls around in the pit of your stomach and makes you act like a moron. As Bro carefully describes to you what, as the DJ, he�s going to play at the reception (almost entirely a medley of Nicki Minaj and Ke$ha), you carefully nurse a Rock Star and vodka and try to figure out what the fuck happened over the past decade or so to land you in this mess.
- Comments: Amazingly well-written and everyone perfectly characterized. The slow progression of John and Dave's relationship is fascinating to watch, as well as incredibly sweet.
The Fic In Which Karkat Is A Spineless Ninny That Cannot Even Form A Proper Kismesis by Brapp Zannigan
- Recommended by visionDerpfold, merefire
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat
- Synopsis: John and Karkat are living together post-Sburb and holding up a sham kismesissitude because Karkat can't accept his feelings—however, it gets harder and harder to hide from them when he realizes just how hard it is for him to hurt John.
- Comments: This fic is incredibly sweet and leaves a warm, fuzzy feeling behind once finished. May Taste Like Diabetes, but not in a bad way.
Karkat and John: Fail at Relationships by IsadoraTheGreat
- Recommended by Silverfire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Karkat
- Synopsis: John is in love with Karkat and tries to be his kismesis anyway. Karkat refuses to believe he doesn't hate John and accepts. Romantic shenanigans ensue.
- Comments: Another adorkabloodthirsty John/Karkat fic.
You Are My Sunshine by Rawrnesss
- Recommended by bmaedoggirl
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Nepeta/Karkat
- Synopsis: Karkat listens as Nepeta sings"You Are My Sunshine" in her final moments and comforts her.
- Comments: This fic is so sweet and very well written, but it's a major Tear Jerker. You. Will. Cry.
Nothing But Time by PlayerProphet
- Recommended by Shotokun
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Alpha!Dave/Alpha!John
- Synopsis: In which a young Dave is whisked off the streets by an older John, shenanigans, and feelings abound.
- Comments: A well thought out story focusing on a relationship of considerable age difference, I felt it was extremely well-written and at points caused me to nearly break down in tears.
Let the Memories Begin! by Mertiya
- Recommended by vogon42
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Jade<3Karkat, Terezi<3Dave, Sollux<3Feferi, Aradia<3Equius, Gamzee<3Tavros, John<3Vriska, Rose<3Kanaya, Nepeta<3Eridan and Vriska<>Tavros
- Synopsis: Four kids. Twelve trolls. The happiest place on earth. Let's do this. Let's make this happen.
- Comments: While more of a fluff piece than a slash piece, the characters relationships are still pretty key (as well as frickin' adorable to watch). The de-jerkifying of Eridan and Vriska are adorable as well as staying very much in character, and the troll's side adventures are EXTREMELY HUMOROUS. All in all, it's a nice fic that's as fluffy as cotton candy.
Herding Cats by childishGambino
- Recommended by Dermonster, Flairina, thebadplace
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): All of them.
- Matesprits: Vriska/Kanaya, Tavros/Gamzee, Eridan/Terezi, Sollux/Aradia, Equius/Feferi, Nepeta/Karkat
- Moirails: Nepeta/Equius, Vriska/Tavros, Gamzee/Eridan, Sollux/Feferi, Terezi/Aradia, Karkat/Kanaya
- Auspistices: Kanaya(Nepeta/Terezi), Eridan(Equius/Tavros), Feferi(Aradia/Vriska), Gamzee(Karkat/Sollux)
- Kismeses: Nepeta/Eridan, Vriska/Sollux, Aradia/Tavros, Kanaya/Feferi, Equius/Gamzee, Karkat/Terezi
- Synopsis: In an alternate session of SGRUB, something goes wrong, and the timeline is doomed. Nepeta Leijon is given the opportunity to give the universe a second chance. All she has to do is complete one simple task: Ship all the trolls. All of them.
- Comments: A simple premise with mind-breakingly good writing, Gambino manages to perfectly capture the characterization of all of the trolls as Nepeta sinks her devious claws into their matespritships and moirailships. All of them. A fantastic read, highly recommended.
Fifty Shades of Pale by Play The Rain
- Recommended by Sneaky_Clock
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Vriska/Feferi, John/Feferi, Jade/Sollux, Dave/Karkat, and pretty much everyone/everyone.
- Tags: Nothing that would be considered NSFW for humans except mentions of nudity, and even then the story doesn't go into detail.
- Synopsis: Vriska starts behaving more off than usual which in turn prompts a growing interest in the Kids about the Pale Quadrant.
- Comments: I found this work incredibly compelling, taking the slightly vague subject of the Pale Quadrant and expanding on it in a way that feels like it is canon. There are also some really great scenes in the story that honestly hit me with how they delve into events in Homestuck that didn't get explained.
What I Used To Be by anxiousAnarchist
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Vriska/Aradia, Aradia/Sollux
- Synopsis: Her eyes are on fire, her hands flashing with light and dice, she's prepared herself for the strife of the century, still wearing the spoils of her last doomed conquest — a thin gold ring, no one would notice it but you — on a chain around her neck. "Where is everyone?" she shrieks when she finds you, on the roof of one of the meteor's innumerable buildings. "Where the fuck did everyone go?"
- Comments: This is one of those fanfictions where you think you are going to cry, but instead exceeds expectations, being tinged with a dull sense of resignation and an intense mode of hopelessness. Gives a background between Vriska and Aradia, and bonds them together in the bleak aftermath of the doomed timeline where Vriska kills Jack, and there are only two gods left in the Veil.
Heroic by stellarbird
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Vriska/Aradia, Terezi/Vriska, Aradia/Sollux
- Synopsis: For someone so terrible, you think, Vriska Serket can be very hard to hate.
- Comments: Jesus Christ, I don't think I have the words; do not read this fanfiction if you have had a bad day. From the heartache of watching Vriska come apart, and the process of watching Aradia's hatred come apart to form a tense moirallegiance, to the tearjerking haircut of Vriska's and the bittersweet ending, you will undoubtedly need many boxes of Kleenex. Brilliantly written.
The Irony of Bubblemates by ros3bud009
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Dave/Tavros, John/Vriska
- Synopsis: In which Dave realizes that having Tavros as a bubblemate is stupid in the most ironically enjoyable way.
- Comments: In where we get a closer examination at doomed Dave and Tavros' shared residence in the afterlife. Warning: This fanfiction IS LONG. Counting at 21 chapters. It's realistic, aching and painful. Character development is not at all rushed for the purpose of the relationship being achieved, and enjoyable. Explores both parties as people, while still retaining their characterization and the fact that they're unsupervised teenagers. Definitely a good read. The cameos of other characters are hilarious, especially Rose and Aradia.
ThInGs AiN't ChIlL, bRo by superlabelgirl
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): One-sided Gamzee/Tavros
- Synopsis: He didn't want to bother anyone, but things have gotten worse than he could have imagined. Desperate, Gamzee reaches out to his best bro for help. A Trollmegle style chat log charting Gamzee's descent into insanity.
- Comments: In-character, chilling and sad.
Where Did You Go Once the Lights Went Black by vinnie2757
- Recommended by merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Gamzee<3Tavros, Karkat<>Gamzee
- Synopsis: You are Gamzee Makara and you are flushed red for Tavros Nitram. But there is too much wrong for it to be right, and in the end, you are alone with only the rainbow for company.
- Comments: Warning for insanity trigger. Holy crap, this is one f'd up fic. It's accurate, considering that Gamzee went psycho and sounded pretty odd before then and scarily in-character. Sad and messy and bloody.
Find A Temple, Build A Temple by EggJam
- Recommended by NonentityZ
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Dirk/Jake
- Synopsis: This is how it's supposed to be, heaven or no.
- Comments: Warning slight NSFW. Wonderful characterization as well as being completely in-character as well as a fairly accurate interpretation of the Alpha kids life without Sburb and Apocalypse How. This fic takes a good amount of time to finish but is completely worth it, it will leave one in tears after finishing.
Scarlet and Bible Black by paraTactician
- Recommended by spacetimecontinuum, merefire
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Rose/Sollux
- Synopsis: TT: One is not easily shaken from the broodfester tongues, John. TT: They are stubborn throes.
- Comments: Warning for descriptions of violence. Wonderful fic for a very under-appreciated rarepair. paraTactician's writing is superb, and both Rose and Sollux are written spot on. Gives an interesting look inside Rose's head. A bit sad, but not a total tear-jerker by any means.
Nightfall by The Neon Werewolf
- Recommended by linkzeldi, JordanTH
- Status: Ongoing
- Pairing(s): John/Vriska
- Synopsis: This story takes place after Homestuck ends. Since we don't know the ending as of now, I am going to assume all the Trolls live, and Earth is somehow brought back (or they are in the Alpha universe). And hopefully, by the time Homestuck ends, Vriska will be brought back to life (somehow) and will get to meet John. Then, that is were my story begins. Vriska leaves the Trolls to go live with her best friend, and try out life as a human.
- Comments: Great artwork, and the main heroes are all in great character. Recommended for any John/Vriska shippers, or just fans of either character.
- Now has a Trope Page.
- Now has a Trope Page
Clockwork Little Happiness words by Person art by Dotted Line
- Recommended by Vox 101
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): Aradia/Equius
- Synopsis: At age thirteen Aradia Megido's life is destroyed, but in the process, she gains powers she never would have imagined. With nothing else to do with herself, she decides to use those powers to become the superheroine The Maid of Time... a heroine who soon catches the eye of Equius Zahhak, a wealthy young businessman who's spent his life hiding powers of his own.
- Comments: More plot than most A Us of this type generally have. Has a sex scene if that makes you uncomfortable. Fairly long, with over fifty thousand words.
More Heart Than Brains by covertCalligrapher
- Recommended by katolint
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Terezi
- Synopsis: Karkat Vantas, a child's therapist, begins advising John Egbert on his life until, after a month of growing closer and becoming friends, a murder occurs and John is the prime suspect. Enter Terezi Pyrope, the young and renowned prosecutor who finds herself unable to believe the 13-year-old boy was guilty of murder and decides to defend him against the legal system she has come to hold so dearly to herself. And thus begins the most important period of time in their lives.
- Comments: It's got some really wonderful writing and the prose is something to behold. It's got a lot of world building and a sex scene in it, so don't read if it makes you uncomfortable, but it's just extremely well written and everyone is kept in character very well too. Extremely long, but a worthwhile read. Not finished yet, will fix this when it is.
The Many Flavors of Karkat Vantas and its sequel Variables
- Recommended by 1nijigirl2
- Status: Complete
- Paring: Karkat/Terezi
- Synopsis: "None of this was supposed to happen. You weren't supposed to be thrust into some event that would make even the worst of romantic comedy writers pity your cliche life. Survive this hellhole called high school, and try not to screw everything up. That was your goal. At least it was, before the maniac with the strange glasses and white cane was thrown into your life."
- Comments: Very well written, very angsty, some parts approaching NSFW-ish territory, but very, very good nonetheless.
Vacation by elliptical
- Recommended by Theek
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Dave, minor Terezi/Karkat, past John/Vriska
- Synopsis: Dave Strider can't swim. While on vacation at his cousin Rose's place in New England, he has the second (but not last) water-related near-death experience of his life. This one, however, ends up with him meeting a certain someone. A certain someone who goes by the name of John. A certain someone who happens to be an honest-to-God, real-life, living, breathing merman. Things go great... at first.
- Recomended by Nothingtoseehere
- Status: Complete
- Pairing: Blackrom Redglare/Mindfang
- Synopsis: “Another day, Marquise. For now, I have other matters to attend to. After all, yours is not the only case on the docket.” And there is the smile that Mindfang remembers, the one that loomed over her as she bled out, all shark’s teeth and triumphant glee. “Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.” It's amazing what tastes good when you're hungry.
- Comments: A look at Redglare and Mindfang after the latter is captured and is awaiting trial. A look at a kisnemisis gone horribly, horribly wrong.
JOHN: TRY TO UNDERSTAND by MLP Mike
- Recommended by BrightRaven210
- Status: Complete
- Pairing(s): John/Vriska (later John/Rose), Jade/Dave, Rose/Kanaya and more...
- Synopsis: Almost immediately after entering SBURB, John is taken by Vriska on a dangerous mission to kill Jack Noir. What follows is a twisting tale of sloppy rescue missions, brain washed brothers, alien prom rituals, romantic confusion, alternate dimensions, and time travel shenanigans. Needless to say, John has a hard time keeping it all straight in his head.
- Comments: 81 Chapters of fun, sad and happy moments, Red vs. Blue references, rom-com confusion, exploration and contemplation of romantic quadrants, shenanigans, steamy moments, WTF moment, Oh face moments and more! A lot of suspense and action and adventure. Somewhat gory too, i.e. Chopped off arms. Extremely well written, honestly wins the title as one of the best Homestuck fanfics ever. Of all time.
Shameless Karezi Fluff by argentConflagration
- Recommended by Mr. Miniike
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Karkat/Terezi, implied Jade/Dave, implied Rose/Kanaya
- Synopsis: his is just a place to share a bunch of cute storie about a particular angry troll boy and justice-loving troll girl.
- Comments: Even if you don't ship Karezi, I defy you to not melt with how cute this collection is. The characters are captured perfectly, the main dynamic is fleshed out wonderfully, and it's generally just heartwarming. It doesn't strive to be anything more than the title implies, but it's a well polished and effective version of that.
Inexplicably British by sunbreaksdown
- Recommended by: Mcnickel
- Status: Dormant
- Pairing(s): Kanaya<3Rose<3Vriska
- Synopsis: In which Kanaya's first year of university is made all the more difficult by not only having a crush on her flatmate, but also on the girl her flatmate is sleeping with.
- Comments: A lovely piece.
Lord Of Mine by Missing-In-Mayhem
- Recommended by Several Cakes
- Status: Completed
- Pairing: Lord English/Doc Scratch
- Synopsis: He was the light of his life, his lord, his lover. He was the last thing he saw before he died.
- Comments: This is the only Lord English/Doc Scratch fic on Archive of Our Own.
- Fait Accompli(cation) by IntelligentAirhead, obstinateRixatrix
- Recommended by: equivocalEternity
- Status: Completed
- Pairing: Dave Strider/Karkat Vantas, Minor Rose/Kanaya and Terezi<>Vriska
- Synopsis: In Which a Mutant and an Alien Meander Towards a Quadrant of Indeterminate Identity at a Glacial Pace While Examining the Internalized Toxicity Perpetuated by Their Respective Societies, and The Nature of Friendship is Determined to Be More Universal Than Originally Theorized [Banned In Alternia]
- Tags: Meteorstuck, Slow Burn, PTSD
Crossovers
The Land Of Dragons and Dungeons by Celyn Brum
- Recommended by Mcnickel
- Crossover With: Pathfindernote
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The halls of the Gods are empty, echoing with unheard prayers. The forces of corruption and decay are growing in power. Soon they shall sweep across the world like an unholy plague. From the deep caverns beneath the majestic Dragonshard Mountains, across the mighty Greenweald Forest, to the fair city of Porthaven on the storm-wracked coast, there are fourteen people with the mark of a divine ruler on their skin. They do not know it, but they and only they can save the world from apocalypse and ruin. So naturally, they're going to spend as long as possible arsing about slaying monsters and looting ancient temples. 'Cos, you know, adventurers.
- Notes: A Dungeons and Dragons Crossover (well, as much a "crossover" as you can get with D&D) in an astoundingly well worldbuilt setting, run in the original MSPA style- reader suggestions control the plot. Complete at over 600k words.
- Comments: Mcnickel: Good lord is everyone in character. Can't seem to put this down!
Battlestuck by bananna_h, krasmataz, Punch Rockgroin, and spacewombat
- Recommended by: purplerocket, wattage
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Battlestuck, a battle royale crossover, follows the Homestuck cast as they are pitted against each other in The Program, a so called game in which they must kill each other until only one remains. (Main Tumblr).
- Pairings: Jade/Dave (platonic), John/Rose (platonic), Spades Slick/Snowman, PM/WV. Numerous other ships are paid lip service without being fully realized
- Tags: Explicit Violence, Gore (every death is illustrated), Character Death, Attempted Rape
- Comments: Blood-soaked but never gratuitous, oppressively bleak but never grimdark for the sake of being grimdark, and agonizing without ever being overly angsty, Battlestuck is an excellent fic for those looking for stories on the darker end of the spectrum. Combine the excellent writing with wonderful artwork for a story that is delightfully heartbreaking.
The Sapphire of Alternia by Jim Groovester
- Recommended by: CCIB, aryashi
- Crossover With: Problem Sleuth
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A crossover with Problem Sleuth, focusing on Sleuth as he attempts to find a necklace for a very powerful lady whilst dealing with murder, gang rivalries, and a lot of mail.
- Comments: This fic is brilliant. For one thing, it meshes the two worlds beautifully, fitting Problem Sleuth characters into the mythos so well its astounding. Another point in the fics favor is the use of the command function. Periodically the commands will pop up, driving the story much in the same way they did in the original. Its used so effectively that it brings to mind an instrument. While most of the time the commands are used for humor, they also feature in dramatic and revealing ways. Its well written, well plotted, amazingly satisfying, and seriously deserves to be read.
Breath Waker by mitspeiler
- Recommended by: Liveshark
- Status: Dormant
- Synopsis: A crossover with The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. On Dave Strider's birthday, John's sister is kidnapped by a horrorterror, and the two join up with a band of pirates to get her back, setting sail for adventure across an endless ocean. Can they face down the terror of the Great Sea, the dark lordling Caliborn?
- Comments: The story is set entirely in the world of The Wind Waker with Homestuck characters placed in leiu of many of the characters/races of Wind Waker.
Jonh Egbert and the Goblet of Sick Fires by tigerpellets/Ormery and glamor-pants/Hammie
- Recommended by: lettergirlmj
- Status: Dead.
- Pairings: Various.
- Synopsis: Sixteen young people experience the magic of Hogwarts in an alternate universe where trolls and humans coexist on Earth. A number of less young people struggle with magical politics, teaching, the potential end of the world as we know it, and frogs.
- Comments: A prologue and several chunks of the story can be found here too.
It's Over Once You Give Up by a_mere_trifle
- Recommended by: lettergirlmj
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: As if the kids didn't have enough problems without some fuzzy jerk going around granting wishes. And like Dave's issues with time travel needed to get any more awkward.
- Comments: Probably the best, or at least the most hilarious, Madoka crossover I've seen so far for this fandom. Mahou Shoujo Dave is amazing all on his own, and everything else is just as great. And Kyubey is just as creepy and manipulative as always.
TARDISstuck (AO3 Mirror) by Shannon and Carla
- Recommended by: SpireEater
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Karkat goes by the name The Sufferer, is half-Time Lord, and travels around the universe with companions. Together they get caught up in crazy hijinks. With bits of references to both fandoms sprinkled in. Image heavy!
- Comments: Karkat is a newly regenerated half Time Lord, John slacks of with his bro and works in a pub. The TARDIS is a big flirt. This story is only just getting started but the hilarous narration, perfectly characterised Karkat and excelent use of Homestuck style panels all show great promise.
Calvin: Summon a T-REX IN AN F-14 by renquise
- Recommended by: Bardic Feline, Twiddler
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: You and your TIGER have broken a LAMP. What do you do?
- Comments: After reading this I'm seriously amazed that more people haven't thought to cross Homestuck with Calvin and Hobbes. I can't even begin to tell you why this is so perfect and so wonderful without spoiling some of the best moments. My sole complaint is that I wish it were longer; as it stands, it is short and sweet, and everyone is completely in character. Bonus points for getting Problem Sleuth in there and making it work in the most hilarious way possible.
- Seriously, nothing I say can do this one proper justice, just go and read it.
Angst, Contemplation by Broba-fett (Parts II and III)
- Recommended by: nanakiro
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The universe has been destroyed, and in its place, another almost like it; almost, but not quite. The kids live a normal life in this new universe, hanging out and all that good stuff, and everything seems almost right. Then a strange man in a bowtie slowly starts confronting all of them about what once was and will never be...
- Comments: Words cannot describe how this story is in its entirety. What I can say, however, is that the story is well-written, with all the kids spot on. The Doctor was a nice touch, though. The writer even got his quirks and speaking pattern right, he did. What happens at the end, though, I cannot say due to spoilers, but it was really heartwarming. All in all, a good Doctor Who crossover; it even sounds like a rough plot for an episode.
Aliens are the New Black by Calamity Jane
- Recommended by: Firestarter
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Sollux Captor finds himself in Ponyville, inexplicably attached to the back of Rarity. Hilarity Ensues.
IT Bound by Ilwy
- Recommended by: misscoffee
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Karkat is given a job as head of IT in Ampora Induseas. Problem is, he doesn't know anything about computers.
- Comments: I'm not sure if I should call this a crossover since it's more like a fusion fic. When I first began reading it I'd never even heard of the series this is based on (The IT Crowd) so I can tell you you don't need to know anything about the series to like this fanventure. It updates much less often than something like BtSDLB, but the art is good and it's funny even without knowing the series it's based on.
To Secure, Contain, And Protect by TheSpaceCoyote
- Recommended by: CJ Croen 1393
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Post-Sburb. The SCP Foundation comes into possession of eight very special young subjects.
- Comments: I'm not sure if I would classify this as a Dark Fic or a Sadstuck; it's a little of both really. It starts with eight profiles of the kids written in SCP style, and later goes on to show short stories from their points of view. John and Rose are currently the only ones with short stories written. The effects the Foundation has on the kids is gut-wrenching, between John beginning to forget his own name, Dave trying to actively oppose the Foundation (to no avail), Rose going mad from the isolation and Jade being dead inside (the Alphas don't seem to be fairing much better, though Dirk is apparently close to escaping). The most heartbreaking things about the story, however, are the facts that 1. the kids themselves created the new universe that caused the Foundation to be built in the first place and 2. the fact that the Foundation themselves seem to assume that they're doing the world a favor by locking the kids up.
- Recommended by: browneyednerd
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Lord Vetinari and Doc Scratch play chess. Sort of.
- Comments: Homestuck/Discworld crossover.
Rainbow Dash Reads Homestuck by The Authorman
- Recommended by: Masterweaver
- Status: Dead
- Synopsis: Twilight is obsessed with Homestuck. Rainbow Dash is annoyed at Twilight. Twilight promises to stop it if Rainbow reads the comic and blogs about her reactions. Everypony gets in on the action.
- Comments: A hilarious combination of Rainbow Dash's confused reactions at the comic and her blundering freakouts about real life developments. Not only does it have a strong continuity with itself, the various other blogs that have spiraled out from it interact with each other and the original as though they were completely real.
- Recommended by: PaperDuck
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Gamzee, Tavros, Equius, Nepeta, and Eridan set off in search of the miraculous city of Oregon. Hilarity Ensues.
- Pairing(s): Slight Gamzee/Tavros.
- Comments: This takes the form of a series of chatlogs interspersed with screen caps from The Oregon Trail, used to hilarious effect. The characterization is good, and it manages to be genuinely touching as well. However, as anyone acquainted with The Oregon Trail knows, characters have a tendency to die suddenly without much warning- bring tissues."wHAT IS oREGON, aND WHY ARE WE GOING THERE?"
- Note: As the screenshots were uploaded using TinyPic, they ceased to be visible when the website shut down and are consequently only present as error messages.
- Recommended by: Varaxar,
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis: What do you get when you cross over the series that gave us the term "Grim darkness of the far future" with Homestuck? You get Eldarstuck! In this quest, the players follow a twelve player session said to be the scene of a struggle of not just the twelve Eldar children, but the orderly, rules bound nature of Paradox Space and the chaotic "will to power" nature of the Warhammer metaverse. With quick updates, snappy writing, stand out characters, and an author who clearly deeply adores both Warhammer 40,000 and Homestuck, this is a quest that you wouldn't want to miss.
- Pairings: None yet
- Tags: Quest, Original Characters
- Comments: The story is still early into its writing, but Mental Omega has been good about updating very frequently so far and as with all quests; the more contributors the better. You do need to sign up for sufficient velocity if you want to participate in the voting process and not just read though.
A Lullaby For Gods by SociopathicArchangel
- Recommended by: raptyr, Redrover1760
- Crossover With: Marvel Universe
- Status: In progress
- Synposis: Five gods rent a flat in Manhattan. That sounded like the start of a bad joke. In which Loki Silvertongue is not the only lost god who falls to a world that isn't his own.
- Pairings: None Yet
- Comments: Not to be confused with the video of very similar name. Loki has arrived on Earth after falling out of Asgard. Meanwhile, something went wrong that has flung the Kids (and trolls) into the Marvel Universe right before the start of their final battle. The result of this is a lot of heartwarming, some shenanigans, along with hints at a deeper overarching plot that pulls you right in for the ride. So far only the Beta Kids have shown up, but the Author promises that more characters will start arriving in the second act. Well worth a look.
clockwork tarantella by daikonjou
- Recommended by: mellowmerry
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: The appearance of a blonde boy wearing aviator shades and suits in varying colors in Homura Akemi's life, featuring broken swords that don't stay broken, octopus on pizza, bypassed formalities, overcoming a language barrier, lots of dead familiars, time shenanigans, and an instance in which Dave Strider tells a fuzzy devil to go pail himself.
- Pairings: Dave Strider/Akemi Homura, Akemi Homura/Kaname Madoka
- Comments: Just really well-written and hard-hitting. It's one of those fanfics that lingered in my mind, one that I kept coming back to read. I'm honestly surprised no one else has recommended this.
- Recommended by: 1n73rn37_n3rd_584
- Status: Ongoing
- Synopsis: A character replacement AU in which the Homestuck characters replace those of Jojo Part 3, based largely on the official Homestuck Tarot Cards. Alternatively — the leftover retcon John teleports into a bizarre universe where Rose and co. need to save Ms. Paint by killing an evil vampire Jade Harley.
- Pairings: Eridan/nobody, Jade/Roxy
- Comments: The concept is weird. The way it was written, however, is pure genius. While the characters' roles and plot play out like they do in JJBA, they get the personalities of all of your favorite Homestuck characters. Snarky meta humor, subverted anime tropes and a weird but entertaining plot await readers of this unlikely crossover fic. Oh yeah, the author gets a tablet at around chapter seven, so don't worry about the pencil drawings.
Glorious Echeladder Ascension Technique by Ryumaru
- Recommended by Jackalyn, Theriocephalus
- Status: Dormant; last updated November 2019
- Crossover with: Exalted
- Synopsis: There was a rush, and that was it. The Game was Over. And that should have been the end of it. But the decrees of Fate are not so simple as a quiet victory and a trip home. Or, rather, "home" was not where it was expected to be.
- Comments: A fun story as the characters of Homestuck fresh from their victory are scattered across Creation. Very good characterization as you can see the reasoning as to what and why the characters exalt as, and they are set on a path that will lead them directly into the plans of the Deathlords.
The Handmaid by GMBlackjack
- Recommended by Theriocephalus
- Status: Complete. Prequel to the mega-crosssover Songs of the Spheres.
- Crossover with: My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
- Synopsis: Aradia Megido is a bit of an odd duck. She's been a ghost, part frog, a robot, and a deity — and she has this unhealthy obsession with death. She's been traveling existence looking for fascinating things — for a long, long time. She's ready for a change. And just like that, something calls to her from a world she's never seen before — an encouragement to drop by and visit.
- Comments: An interesting cosmic story where Aradia finds herself answering a call from the newborn Tree of Harmony and elects to keep watch over the unusually fragile timeline of the new world she finds herself in. The writing does an excellent job of capturing post-resurrection Aradia's cheerfully morbid personality, and the time travel and time loops are gratuitous, convoluted and bizarre in a way that's very Homestuck.
The Things Dr. Serket Is Not Allowed To Do At The Foundation by shadedScribe
- Recommended by Theriocephalus
- Status: Complete.
- Crossover with: SCP Foundation
- Synopsis: A brief (well, brief-ish) list of the acts that Foundation researcher Dr. Vriska Serket is no longer allowed to perform, for various reasons, as well as some other relevant documentation.
- Comments: Extremely funny. A combination of Noodle Incidents referencing Vriska's frequent misuse of SC Ps and Foundation resources, SCP reports on various Homestuck objects, and a couple of active mishaps in the Foundation's daily routine.
Magestuck: The Ascension by Bluecho4
- Recommended by Anura, Theriocephalus
- Status: Complete (but the series as a whole is dead)
- Crossover with: Mage: The Ascension, with minor elements of the rest of the Old World of Darkness.
- Synopsis: On his 13th birthday, John Egbert has a series of harlequin-related revelations that turn his worldview upside-down, and in the middle of a freakout he turns into air and floats out the window. Thus begins his journey into the world of Magick (yes with a "k").
- Comments: If Homestuck were written as a Mage: the Ascension chronicle, it might look a lot like this. A near-flawless transplant of the cast into the new setting, and the writing captures a lot of Homestuck's style, though in some cases it might be a little too faithful.
- Seconding this. It's a realy pity that only two stories were ever written, but they're still defintely worth reading — the author does a really good job of mixing the two settings together, and the character writing is excellent.
Fan-Made Videos
Homestuck: Bones published by s-opal
- Recommended by: Aniverous
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A summary of the Beta Kid's journey from mortals to Gods.
After Us published by EmptyFeet
- Recommended by: Enjo
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: (Author's summary) "This is an animated music video for the Alternian ancestors — characters in the webcomic Homestuck whose epic story is only ever relayed via exposition." A very epic animated video which shows the lives of all of the ancestors.
[S] Rex Duodecim Angelus published by Christian Floyd et al.
- Recommended by: DanMat6288
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: Years in the making, we bring you [S] Rex Duodecim Angelus, the epic tribute to Malcolm Brown's musical masterpiece. Thanks to the efforts of dozens of artists we can finally show you what really went down when the trolls of Alternia clashed with the monstrous Black King of Derse on the crumbling Battlefield at the center of Skaia.
A Lullaby For The Gods by guzusuru (Angela Sham, now an animator at WhatPumpkin)
- Recommended by: Mcnickel
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A short sweet little piece telling the story.
Counting Star Signs by Amanda D
- Recommended by" The Otaku Ninja
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A well-animated video set to "Counting Stars" by One Republic that more or less sums up the webseries with excellent visuals.
The Condescension Song by thatonegirludontknow
- Recommended by: Several Cakes
- Status: Complete
- Synopsis: A well-animated video set to the tune of Oogie Boogie's Villain Song. Her Imperious Condescension sings to Dirk about how she's going to kill all his friends (and eventually the human race for having red blood) and gives him a cryptic warning about Lord English.
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