Fanfic Recs / Mass Effect - General Fic

Stories in this category run the full range of genres and themes. If it's set in the main Mass Effect continuity and the romance is not the focus then it belongs here.

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Accidental Hero of the Galaxy by Random Equinox

• Recommended by: Bufu, Deep Recon, Mavado, Magyareagle
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Commander Shepard. Hero of the Skyllian Blitz. First human Spectre. Kleptomaniac Hero Potential savior of humanity and the known galaxy. Pity no one asked him what HE thought of all this.
• Comments: If you're already familiar with and enjoyed the Ciaphas Cain books set in the Warhammer 40,000 universe, you should enjoy this fic as well. It's sets up Shepard as a pragmatic soul that always wants to paint himself as a self-serving Fake Ultimate Hero with good luck for getting into escalating scraps—all the while showing extraordinary heroism that belays his self-deprecation. The internal monologue is quite funny, lampshading many of the game's somewhat nonsensical situations. Furthermore, the interactions between the squad members is a joy to read, seeing their relationships grow from strained to a band of brothers forged in battle. I'm surprised nobody had already posted this one—especially the Warhammer 40,000/ME fans among us that I see enjoyed Dreadnaught!Shepard in Iron Rebirth below. —Bufu
  • One of the biggest appeals of the Ciaphas Cain series was how readers could see perfectly well why Cain was revered as a hero, but his internal monologues and thoughts make it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with that sort of reputation. Accidental Hero of the Galaxy follows in the same vein: Shepard is clearly rolling along the Paragon path, but his every decision is clearly influenced by his desire to keep his own hide safe while making sure people don't grow to revile him. Similarly, both Cain and Shepard have a clearly lower opinion of themselves than they ought to, as acknowledge by Amberly and Anderson, respectively. Cain and Shepard are generally motivated by self-preservation, but there are times when they're clearly acting genuinely heroic and try to write it off as more of the same. Their desire to be innocuous is so strong that they'll deny heroism even when it isn't accidental, also playing to the great flaw that both characters have rather low self-esteem. —Deep Recon
  • And now, there's two sequels The Hero We Deserve (see below) and The Hero Rises.
  • A bit of Fridge Brilliance— Shepard in this fic is an Infiltrator. Think about how that class fights... and how it fits perfectly with his character.
  • YMMV. It can be interesting, but the primary appeal of Ciaphas Cain is not only the Fake Ultimate Hero that is zig-zagged, but also the over the top nature of Warhammer 40,000 being Lampshaded. Cain being a good commissar instead of a Bad Boss, Inquisitor Vail being competent, etc. Without those elements, the fic is enjoyable, but (arguably) not to the same degree that the Ciaphas Cain series is.
  • I'd say comparing the stories to Ciaphas Cain is a bit unfair. The brilliance of the stories is not because of their similarities to Cain, but because of how unique and fresh the voice of Shepard is. He has a bit of Cain in him, but the point of the stories is to create a genre savvy Shepard who is a mixture of rogue and charm without it being over the top or silly. I enjoyed the series quite a bit.
    • While I agree that the series tries to do this, I argue that the first story is far more true to the Cain Name. Later entries into the series would have the Shepard described in the post above... but my point remains.
• On an unrelated note, while I can recommend the main series of this author, I cannot recommend the spin-of side stories of the same. The author took inspiration from the fact that at the time of ME2, Miranda's voice actor was on the TV show, Chuck. In the main series, this is more or less subtly handled. In the side stories, he just lifts the cast of Chuck whole-cloth and drops them into the story to fill out his Shepard's past friends and family. It's a bit... jarring to anyone familiar with the show.

Ad Infinitum by AnneWhynn

• Recommended by VictorioMWolff-Haddock
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: The end has come. Elrika Shepard is faced with a choice. But, for once, Elrika Shepard turns to words instead of bullets in a desperate attempt to stave off the end.
• Comments: A wonderful fanmade 5th choice for the finale.

Aftermath by RobinFoster

• Recommended by: achus93again
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Post-Mass Effect 3 – Destroy Ending, Paragon, Spacer, Soldier, Liara romance. Based on experiences of Commander Jess Shepard, Alliance Soldier and Human Spectre. Jess Shepard was certain the end to the Reapers would be the end to her as well. When she finds herself alive instead she struggles to pick up the pieces and find her way again.
• Comments: Wonderful story that captures the events that could potentially happen Post-Reaper War, not to mention bits and pieces of fanservice dropped by the author. It's a happy ending to one of the most gut-wrenching endings for the game.

Aliens Are Weird by KiwiDayDreams

• Recommended by: Kuro Rei, Alynnidalar, USA Bobcat
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: AU. Shepard and Garrus meet when they're much younger at the Citadel childcare center. Garrus has never seen a human before and Shepard has never seen a Turian up close. Shenanigans ensue as they both find out that aliens are really weird.
• Comments: A cute one-shot with Shepard and Garrus as completely normal kids. Bit of a long read, but will put a smile on your face. Cameos with Wrex and Conrad.
  • Recommendation seconded by Alynnidalar. This is just plain adorable! You can definitely see that even when they were young, Garrus and Shepard (in this case, a female Spacer Shepard, most likely Paragon) had the foundations for the awesome people we know and love today. And Wrex's cameo is fantastic. Sure, we tend to think of him as the big, bad battlemaster who can crush a Geth prime by glaring at it too hard, but somehow it still fits him that he'd be nice to kids.

And the Meek Shall Inherit the Galaxy by Full-Paragon

• Completed
• Recommended by: eduardogranja, Kalvan
• Synopsis: When Captain Rael'Zorah decides to check out strange activity at Relay 314 due to a slight shift in the path of the Migrant Fleet, he finds more then just Turians. Hannah Shepard becomes one of the first humans to ever meet an alien, and first contact for humanity begins not with a war, but with gifts for a young John Shepard and Tali'Zorah. AU First contact, human/Quarian.
• Pairings: MShepard/Tali (Toy Ship at the moment) Hackett/OC Quarian Admiral, Henry Lawson/Daro'Xen I am not making this up!!
• Tags: Not Safe for Work due to graphic violence in some chapters, as the Relay 314 Incident still happened and was a little worse in this fic. Also, Jack was spared Teltin... because she was raised by Krogan instead.
• Comments: The complete change from the canon is refreshing, with the Quarians and humans integrating in a completely different level. The fanfic progresses to a cold war between the Council and the Quarian/human/Krogan "League" and the whole galaxy is a lot more well armed. Extra points for the young squadmates appearing a lot, specially Jack and Miranda.
• An interesting AU fic asking what if human First Contact had happened with the Quarians, and then the Turians had accidentally fired on an unarmed hospital ship, causing the Quarians to come to its rescue. Note that while some things turn out for the happier, particularly for the Quarians, other things look to be turning for the worse. For example, the Batarians look to be getting a council seat soon, as a means to box humans in at the Local and Exodus Clusters, and it looks like all the Geth will be supporting Sovereign.
  • YMMV on some of these. For those who read a lot of Mass Effect fan fiction, parts of it read as a tiny bit of human wank, and the grammar/word choice sometimes comes across as lacking. The Human/Quarian alliance also comes about a little too fast for my tastes, happening mere days after first contact. Humanity also comes across as somewhat hive-minded, with most people agreeing with the group consensus, which is particularly strange for a Mass Effect story (where humans are noted to have much more variety than other species (we see Colonists who want nothing to do with the Alliance and Cerberus, just for the most obvious examples in the games). The Tali-Shepard romance feels somewhat forced and wooden, and character interactions are not where this story shines. On the other hand, it's fairly enjoyable, with deep plots, secret agreements, and machiavellian scheming. It also genuinely makes the process of indoctrination terrifying, something that many other stories simply gloss over in favor of using it to make bad guys. In short, I'd recommend, but take it with a grain of salt that it's not gonna be one of the best. -Sithking Zero
  • Started off very well, was very moving as a piece about a noblebright humanity going out into the galaxy. Writing was more or less unpolished, not technically great by any stretch of the imagination, but it was easily overlooked as the complex plot moved forwards. Character shipping got out of hand, but it's fanfiction, largely forgiveable. But it got more stale as time went on, and has become somewhat preachy from the author's own religious viewpoint, particularly with the sequel. The first story is worth your time, the sequel isn't. -GGI

Beacon's Effect by Tusken1602

• Recommended by: Katkiller V
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: " A young man on earth stumbles across a prothean beacon on earth, and makes the mistake of touching it. He is promptly struck by lightning, killed, while a Leviathan elects to send his mind to the Mass Effect universe to try and adjust things a bit. The first story covers Mass Effect 1, the second the time between 1 and 2, with the third working its way through Mass Effect 2. The fourth and final story has just begun, and will cover Mass Effect 3.
• Comments: A self-insert fic with a slightly unusual twist, the main character eventually realizing that he isn't the only consciousness inhabiting his body and how he has to deal with the other personalities. The first story is a little rough, both in terms of style and in terms of the author struggling with the over-powered SI that he had created, but things massively improve as the series continues.
  • Now with three sequels:
    • Reborn (Complete)
    • Awakening (Complete)
    • Reckoning (Complete)

Black Moon Rising by santi01

• Recommended by: Dr Jekyl
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: " A by-the-book detective finds a her simple investigation into odd rumours of drink spiking in Eternity spiraling out of control. Soon she and an unconventional asari matriarch are tearing up Nos Astra in pursuit of answers and maybe a little revenge.
• Comments: A Mass Effect-flavoured classic buddy-cop drama with a noir twist. Action, adventure and arse-kicking with beats of humour. Plus, Matriarch Aethyta, who's always a winner. The link goes to the first installment; for the rest you'll unfortunately need to go through the author's deviant art account.

Born From Ashes by HeronBlues

• Recommended by: DiScOrD tHe LuNaTiC
• Status: Ongoing
• Synopsis: John Shepard was the only person rescued after the attack on Mindoir, but it was seeing his little sister Jane taken by Batarians that truly made him into "the Butcher of Torfan". When he finds out she may still be alive, he dedicates himself to rescuing her. But even if he does, after thirteen years as a slave, would there be anything left of the girl he knew?
• Comments: An interesting way to have both John and Jane be canon, though at times it's extremely dark, dealing unflinchingly with child abuse, rape, slavery, and some nightmarishly severe PTSD for more than a few characters. Also does a deep dive into how Garrus built his team on Omega, Tali's life in the Migrant Fleet, and an alternate origin for the Andromeda Initiative.

Broken Wings by Coombs

• Recommended by: Ghastdream
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: From the summary: After the destruction of the Normandy, Joker is grounded and returns to Arcturus Station. Cerberus recruits him. Rated M for strong language and sexual content.
• Comments: It's quite an angsty take on Joker's reactions after the crash. Might be a bit drawn out, but worth it for the relationship explorations.

Cause and Effect by Raven Studios

• Recommended by: Pyrotorch246, Randomfanboy
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "Pre-Mass Effect. Jalissa Shepard meant to stay a farmer on Mindoir after high school. And then the Batarians came. 100 prompts. 1,000 words. From Mindoir, through basic, to Elysium, to just before boarding the Normandy. Snapshots of Shepard's life." —official Summary by author. Pretty much as written.
• Comments: Literally a bunch of 1,000 word vignettes interspaced throughout Shepard's life from Mindoir to right before the beginning of the game. Exceptionally well written. Now has a sequel concerning the events of the first game, with plans to continue the series through the end of Mass Effect 3.
  • Fair warning — this is dark. Jalissa Shepard is one of the biggest Iron Woobies I've ever read, and the other characters in the sequel series all become even bigger woobies than they already are. It's definitely not bad, but reading it all in one go can push you across the Despair Event Horizon.

Cause and Effect: Newton's First Law by Raven Studios

• Recommended by: Pyrotorch246
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: A sequel to Cause and Effect that picks up with Shepard's transfer to the Normandy and covers the first game.
• Comments: This fic is in the same style as its predecessor — 1,000 word chapters that are something of a slice of life look at Shepard and her crew as they go through the events of the original Mass Effect. At 246 chapters, it has definitely reached Door Stopper status.
  • And now a second sequel, for Mass Effect 2, entitled Newton's Second Law (Complete)

Children of Nemesis by Solaris242

• Recommended by: BrownieInMotion
• Status: Probably Dead (Last updated January 2015)
• Synopsis: "There was a theory once, about Nemesis, the Dark Star. Stillborn twin to the sun, it wandered the void, black and cold, and every 25 thousand years, came back home. AU."
• Comments: Once again, Solaris242 comes through with an innovative, unique take on humans and their role in the Mass Effect 'verse. The author's tendency to Humanity Wank balances with a refreshing look into settings and circumstances that typically go unexplored, and, let's face it—seeing the humans kick ass is a lot of fun. Only a few chapters have been released, however; his/her other work, Transcendent Humanity, seems to have priority at the moment.

Conception by lloyd007

• Recommended by: Gentlemens Dame 883
• Status: Dead; thread last updated November 2016
• Synopsis: Mass Effect 3 ending AU. The Reapers took Humanity and made it one of their own, but Mankind will not bow so easily. Warning: Cosmic Horror Story ahead.

Crucible (Mass Effect) by SirArthurNudge

• Recommended by: Mei-may
• Status: First book completed, Sequel dormant (last updated May 2017).
• Prequel: Refuge
• Companion fic/Alternative Future fic Interference
  • Familia Ante Omnia
  • Mothers and Fathers
  • The First Hello
• Pairing: femShep/Garrus, Miranda/Victus, Tali/Vega, OCs/OCs.
• Warning: This fic contain gore, child molestation and Death of a Child, read at your own risks.
• Synopsis: Jane Shepard has ended the Reaper War but sometimes the end is just the beginning as a ship from a future appears to save her from the ruin of the Crucible. As Shepard meets leader of the ship, Lantar Sidonis together with his crews of turian-human hybrids, one of which is Gaius, her and Garrus's son; she discover that not only there is a force that even more powerful than the Reapers is lurking to devour this universe but the world is also consisting of many things that mortals cannot see.
• Comments: Good plot with many complex OCs and plot twists. There are many of heartwarming scenes just as many of Tear Jerker and very dark moments. Despite the clear cut between the good and bad guys, many times the author brings up the "gray" of the world to make us think and discuss over it. The way the Cosmic Horror Story elements in the original games are taken up to eleven but still retaining Sci-fi elements is also quite creative. The grammar still need some works but the author said they will polish everything again after the story is finished. That said, many of you may not agree with some characterizations in this story (Like Hackett being a man who put human's benefits on top everything and has no qualm about doing immoral things or Tali siding with her Quarian's family and betray her comrades). Overalls, there are flaws in this story but it's definitely worth a try.

Destroyed by That'sNotMe

• Recommended by: Tov01
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: After destroying the Reapers, Shepard is recovered from the rubble and begins her slow recovery. But the physical wounds are far easier to heal than the psychological one as she struggles to come to terms with the decision she made on the Citadel.
• Comments: A very well done one-shot that is equal parts heartwarming and tear jerker.

The Distress Call by Knightfall1138o

• Recommended by: Tillian
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Many decisions lie ahead. Most of them pointless.
• Comments: A nice parody about the trailer where Shepard turns away the distress call from Noveria. We see off-camera behind the scenes as the victims of Noveria tried to make sense with the rejection, as they are being bombed to death while Shepard was busy picking up minerals at his leisure.

Eden by Darkdanny

• Recommended by: Herpderpded
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "Do you think they will remember us? Will what we did here even matter a week from now? Was any of this worth it?"
• Comments: Part of Darkdanny's PTSD series which is a series of interconnected stories based around the misery of fighting the Reapers. This story takes a break from Shepard and instead focuses around a turian and a human military officers trapped on Eden Prime after the Reapers hit. Darkdanny has proven himself time and time again with writing original characters, This story is no different and with his new one scene a chapter policy he has blown through this story in record time and with minimal errors. Warning: I needed tissues at the end of it.

An Elegant Solution by James Golen

• Recommended by: MacSauce
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Shepard isn't a soldier; he's an engineer. Mass Effect 3 Ending-spoilers
• Comments: This is an Mass Effect 3 ending fic. The writing is concise and pleasant, the Shepard is original and smart. Strong dialogue between an engineer and a giant god-like computer.

Engineered by jtav

• Recommended by: Spark Moon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From the summary: Miranda's father considers his dynasty, his daughter, and the man in her life. Contains M!Shepard/Miranda, but it's technically not a shipping fic in the conventional sense.
• Comments: A chilling story from the POV of Miranda's father concerning an issue that to this day still divides Miranda's fanbase. Miranda herself is quite in character (I winced at one of her suggestions, but regardless of personal feelings, it was in-character of her to say), which is a plus. A short, but well-done read.

Exitus by Sinvraal

• Recommended by: owlbot, MacSauce
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Explorations, variations and off-camera moments from the Mass Effect 2 storyline. Multiple character POVs.
• Comments: An excellent fic weaving in and out of the ME2 storyline, expanding on character viewpoints and weaving subplots in and out. Fem!Shep seems to be more of a Paragade rather than a particularly clean-cut Paragon or Renegade, which makes her own personal interactions and plots quite a bit more interesting. Also includes one of the most utterly fantastic portrayals of Legion ever witnessed in Mass Effect fanfic history.

Fight for the Lost by LuxDragon

• Recommended by: biodude711, extinctnlvlevnt
• Synopsis: "Entire human colonies are vanishing. To save humanity, the galaxy's best and toughest individuals come together to form an unlikely team, all led by one very specific man." A novelization of Mass Effect 2.
• Status: Complete
• Pairing: M!Shepard/Miranda Lawson, Jacob Taylor/Kasumi Goto, other shippings implied.
• Comments: As stated before, this story is VERY well written and not only focuses on the characterization of Commander Shepard but the rest of crew and team as well as they prepare for their suicide mission to stop the Collectors. The author does take some liberty with some of the game mechanics, but these changes don't take away from the story and help to make the story more believable. Very highly recommended and a must read for fans of Mass Effect 2.
  • An outstanding piece and proof that fanfiction need not always be trash, but actually holds the potential to transcend the original material and take on a life of its own. Fight for the Lost is the premiere Mass Effect fanfic on the entire internet. The narrative is true to the themes, narrative, and setting of the story in Mass Effect 2, while the author still finds room to inject new dialogue and plot points to further enrich the experience and sets this work apart from its peers. Bonus points to Miri/Shepard fans, this is your treat on the house. More points for including the respective perspectives of virtually every team member and crewman on the Normandy, and even some minor NPCs. More bonus points to Shepard's duel with Harbinger after destroying the human-Reaper embryo. His solo duel with Harbinger.
  • This story is a loooong one, and every minute reading it is well spent. The author perfectly captures the spirit of the game. With all of the new, expanded, or reimagined scenes and the exploration into the characters' thoughts and viewpoints, this fic has finally earned its own page on this site.

The Final Problem by Mighty Crouton

• Recommended by: MacSauce
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: How do you solve an impossible problem? A story of indoctrination, chaos, and freedom. Sequel to Kingdom of Rust
• Comments: There are a lot of stories floating out there with unique Mass Effect 3 endings, but this one takes the cake. Crouton really dives into ME's themes — free will, control, chaos, order, right, and wrong. One of the most interesting takes on indoctrination, and his Shepard remains very unique and incredibly intriguing. She's like the brain child of Dr. Who, Lisbeth Salander, and Sherlock, and an incredibly flawed Anti-Hero. The first chapter is a wonderful 1st person account of someone who Crouton hints is brilliant yet egotistical and makes for a terrible human but a wonderful reaper killer.

First Contact by Animus of Masada

• Recommended by: Alynnidalar, Tropulastic, BioD
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: An asari exploration vessel discovers Earth in the 2030's...and the first contact scenario has incredible implications for both species. What does humanity look like through alien eyes? Where do they go from here?
• Comments: An interesting look at what would happen if humanity became part of the galactic community 20 Minutes into the Future—and, more importantly, if the asari were the first to meet us, rather than the Turians. As you can imagine, things turn out quite peacefully... although there are hints at darker conspiracies revolving around this new species. Starts off very light-hearted and comedic (humanity's first words to an alien species are pretty classic), slowly turning more serious as it continues, but never entirely losing the light-heartedness.
  • Liking it so far. I'm a sucker for the Humans Through Alien Eyes trope, and even if there seem to be a few mistakes in accuracy, I'm liking the Rousseau Was Right undertones of the first contact.
  • It's something of a Scrap Book Story. The anachronic order and multiple format story telling (from the normal prose to fake alien essays) are interesting and provides some incredibly emotional moments. If the recovery of the Mars rovers doesn't make you well up a little you might lack empathy all together.
  • It starts off really good, and never really gets bad, but after a while, it starts to be less story, and more reports on humanity that come off very pro-human. It spends entire chapters going on about how great humanity is in a very essay like format, and while it was interesting when these reports were only a paragraph or two and added to the story, they become very dry and repetitive fast, have no real impact on the plot, and in fact, start pushing the plot out of the way to the point where you're lucky to get a paragraph of actual story every chapter after chapter 8 or so. Around this point, you could very well tear the reports out, and have lost nothing of importance from the ongoing story. The plot itself suffers a lot as it goes on, going from fairly well paced, to a slow crawl. The anachronistic order can get confusing, and as the story goes on it gets dropped, with the author not even bothering to add dates anymore because he's no longer switching between the different times. Not a bad fic, but not great, and it hasn't been updated in about 3 years now, so could possibly be dead.

Forfeit by artistic mishap

• Recommended by: Full-Paragon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Admiral Hackett must deal with running a post-reaper Earth, and deal with the fact that his daughter, Riley Shepard, is likely dead.
• Tags: Has some very disturbing but realistic looks at likely fall out from a Destroy ending. Rated T, drama/tragedy.
• Comments: Very well written,very intimate look into Stephen Hackett's mind and answers the question of just who Shepard's father is. Has a Garrus/Shepard Hackett/Hanna Shepard pairings, but those may be on hold due to death or trauma.

Friends Like These by ElectricZ

• Recommended by: Pyjak, USA Bobcat, The Empyrean Herald
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Takes place towards the start of ME2. Tali begins to notice Shepard disappearing from the ship at odd times and convinces Garrus, Joker and Dr. Chakwas to follow him to find out why.
• Comments: Funny while staying completely in character, with the kind of sniping and bitching you'd expect from people who spend waaaay too much time together. The humor comes completely from knowing the characters, as opposed to having dialogue filled with a bunch of OOC one liners. Becomes even funnier when they catch up to Shepard and discover he's ducking out so he can escape a diet imposed by Miranda and has been doing so for months. It becomes a battle of wills between Garrus who wants to turn him in, and Shepard who is trying his best to bribe his crew to cover for him.
  • Freakin' hilarious. The author's got a knack for dialogue and the characters are spot on. A lot of humorfics go over the top, but this one is intelligent, well written and has a good plot for as short as it is. Shepard and Garrus's verbal sparring in the third chapter is especially fun, as is everyone teasing Tali for being a secret Shepard stalker. Also, the crew's responses when he challenges them to name the most fit person on the ship made me laugh out loud for real. Moved this one to General Fics because while funny, it focuses a lot on Garrus, Tali, Joker and the Doctor and why they are loyal to Commander Shepard.
  • Seconded. Everything Pyjack said is true. A lovely taste of comedy in a universe that can be rather grim.

From Hell's Heart by gtamaster316

• Recommended by: MetalKing1417
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: A fic where the so called "First Contact War" between the Humans and the Turians blossomed into a full out 47 year war between Humans and the Turians.
• Comments: A surprisingly well written fic that explores the implications of what might have happened if negotiations broke down between humans in the Turians. Several Cannon characters receive different, though reasonable recharacterizations in this fic, one of the most noticeable being Sarren, who now has an entirely different view of humans thanks to an encounter with one, as well as the fact that humanity had to make some, less than savory deals with factions that other fics tend to have them at war with like the Batarians.

From The Stars We Come by Nuclear Bacon

• Recommended by: mrtaco6
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: The life and trials of an N7 Ops Team. Four unlikely people come together to defend the galaxy from the Reaper threat.
• Comments: Even at only two chapters so far, this story has a lot of promise. In my opinion, there aren't enough Mass Effect multiplayer team fics around, and this should hopefully fill the niche nicely.

The Galaxy Needs Heroes by paul16

• Recommended by: Tepoztecal
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From the summary: After Sovereign's death some of the aftershocks run in unexpected directions.
• Comments: It has been said of Mass Effect 2 that the game proves Good Is Not Nice. This fic proves Shepard doesn't need to go Renegade to be a cold-blooded sociopath.
  • While I would say that the story itself is actually quite good, the author is horrible with punctuation. Missing commas where there should be, a lack of scene breaks, and otherwise poor use of punctuation make for an annoyingly distracting read.

Gods and Monsters by the.subverter and The Allusive Man

• Recommended by: drlequack47, Dyuran
• Status: Dormant(last updated September 2016)
• Synopsis: "Miranda struggles to keep a fractured Jane Shepard focused on the task of defeating the Collectors. Meanwhile, Maya Brooks steals Shepard's clone and tries to stay one step ahead of Cerberus. Pairings: It's complicated."
• Comments: It takes what was a fun and stupid,joke idea from the Citadel DLC and turns it into one of the most engaging, dark, suspenseful, and overall intriguing stories on the site. The clone, who is a throwaway character in 3, has a personality of her own and isn't just some mustache twirling villain. She's a reluctant anti-hero who doesn't know her connection to Commander Shepard, but knows they're linked regardless. Hope Lilium is fleshed out in fantastic ways. Her relationship with The Clone is developed and evolved over time. And Shepard herself is such a tragic, broken, character. Someone who died and came back, but didn't come back the same. While not a good person, you do sympathize for her. Even while not complete it is well worth the read. Check it out and leave a review.

Graveyard Shift by Peptuck

• Recommended by: corin, Bufu
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: A Novelization of the first Mass Effect game, that cuts close to the plot of the original story, while still making some deviations. Features a male biotic Colonist Shepard that has aspects of both the War Hero and the Ruthless backgrounds.
• Comments: Another videogame Novelization by the same author behind Tiberium Wars and Forward. Still just starting up (as of this point, the story has just reached the Citadel) but so far, by the reviewers' response, its a very well-written story that paints Shepard in an interesting light as both a pragmatic soldier and a traumatized veteran. Promises to be good, if the author could just keep up with regular updates.
  • Rather good writing, as Tiberium Wars has already proved. To be honest, I need a little more to judge by, but what he's written so far is very intriguing. He's doing a great job of adapting the story to the medium, and with good results so far. Only complaints so far is irregular update schedule. Definitely worth the time if you would like something to read without sifting through mountains of mediocre fics.

Harvest by Nuts!

• Recommended by: Gore17, hodaza, USA Bobcat, Jonn
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "Was that the first time a geth asked it if had a soul?" "No. It was the first time a Creator became frightened when we asked."
• Comments: Words cannot do this fic justice. Read it and remember why you love fanfic.
  • Seconded
  • USA Bobcat: Just a one-shot, but a very well done one-shot. Makes you feel the separation between Geth and Quarian quite well, and somehow reminds me of a mother and her children. If you like either the Geth or the Quarians, read this. It will remind you why you still comb through archives of fanfiction, for the elusive works of quality.

Helping Hand by ENECON

• Recommended by: Demiserof D
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: A different take on Kelly's famous(or infamous) dance scene at the end of ME2. FemShep x Kelly
• Comments: A very interesting(and heartwarming) take on the aforementioned dancing scene. Short, but well worth the read. WAFF incoming!

The Hero We Deserve by Random Equinox

• Rexommended by DealsWithFate3
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Humans are being abducted, probably because someone has really poor taste. Shepard has to find out why and stop them with the help of a band of misfits. They say it's a suicide mission. So what else is new? Well, getting killed for starters...
• Comments: The sequel to Accidental Hero of the Galaxy, and benefits from the better pacing and characterization due to the improvements in gameplay and story between ME 1 and ME 2.

The Homefront by The-Mass-Effect-Gamer

• Recommended by: survivor6861
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: It's 2186, and the Reapers have attacked. Major Coats learns of the true nature of the Reapers and joins forces with Admiral Anderson, and together they set out to combat this ancient enemy and hold out as they prepare for Shepard's eventual return
• Comments: One of the few fics that deal with the challenges of maintaining a resistance on a planet that is under total occupation by a race of machine overlords. Well-written, this fic is one of the few hidden gems of ME fan fiction
  • Hedgehog1: Agreed. The story starts off a bit slow and the characters introduced seem a bit cookie-cutter at first, but they really start to feel real and almost canonical to me as the story progresses. His writing definitely improves in the later chapters.

How Hard Could It Be?

• Recommended by: Tropers/Kirook
• Status: Main story is complete, but the author continues to add chapters based on user requests.
• Synopsis: Two years after the defeat of the Reapers, Ashley and Shepard have moved on to the next challenge, raising their daughters. Set after ME3, assuming Shepard survived the Destroy ending.
• Tags: Some chapters fall under W.A.F.F., because of the subject matter. However, other chapters do involve combat, and some invoke Adult Fear. Some sexy stuff, but nothing explicit; this is not a Lemon.
• Comments: This fic is at various times hilarious, heartwarming, and tearjerking. Everyone is in character, and Shepard and Ashley's love of their children is written beautifully. The fic also contains an interesting look at what happens when Maddy, Shepard's oldest daughter, goes to school, and how her father's legacy affects her life.

Inglorious Bosh'tets by 500MetricTonnesofPalladium

• Recommended by: Kalaong
• Status: Complete
• Pairing(s): Tali/Shepard, though nothing more than hints and remarks from Tali's side.
• Synopsis: Tali has been stuck with a bad assignment and a worse crew after returning to the Migrant Fleet. During what should have been a routine scanning mission, Hilarity Ensues and the ship time travels back to Earth, 2005... and that's just her first mission!
• Comments: A well written fic with enough humor in it to keep things light but retaining some serious moments. Some of the details of the Mass Effect universe have been sacrificed for the story, but if you can get over that it is well worth a look and at the very least Tali is beautifully in character.
  • Kalaong: The name may be a reference to Quentin Tarantino's latest hamtastic masterpiece, but it's really about those losers that get slaughtered in stage two of Mass Effect 2. They're nowhere near as badass as the Basterds. But they are Chaotic Stupid enough to be the Migrant Fleet's answer to The Team.
  • This troper has named his Quarian Soldier in Prazza's honor. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!! Having read both this and the sequel below, I'd say they're worth a read. Prazza truly is Chaotic Stupid, but does get moments of Crazy Is Cool. A rather more rounded Ascended Extra also appears, and is more badass than ever. The rest of the bunch are a decent laugh too (3 words; Krogan Death Metal!). Just don't ask them to fix your scanning equipment; it'll end in tears.

Interstitium by Assault Sloth

• Recommended by: Deadpool Fan, Darkholme, Firebert, sushemi, owlbot, Bustamouse, Vellaen, GrantMK2
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: A series of oneshots weaving in and out of the ME2 plot, focusing on major and minor character POV's alike!
• Comments: The series overall does a great job of detailing some of the more minor and major characters of the Mass Effect universe. The stories give us a better idea of who these people are and its surprisingly accurate to their personalities. The chapter detailing Grunt and Kal'Reegar's points of view is very well done, contrast Grunt's Blood Knight tendencies with Kal's professional soldier personality. Even lesser known NPC characters are given a good deal of characterization, such as one Krogan tank-born that's one of Professor Okeer's reject pile and even Wilson, a minor bit player at the start of the game, is given a full chapter devoted to him that wonderfully broadens his character. All in all its a great read.
  • Seconded, the author manages to breathe life into both the setting and the characters.
  • A really great read, especially if you're tired of fics focusing only on the main characters. Recommended to all comers.
  • Besides being a great alternative glance into the minds of the cast, it also does a good job of figuring out why certain things like Lawson just so happening to find Oriana at that specific time would logically happen. Also does a great job of making Mordin a proper mad scientist.
  • It's pretty much THE best fanfic i have ever read in my life. Every chapter is written in a slightly different way, which shows differences between POVs. Nearly all characters are much more interesting here than in a game, as author could deepen the relations between crew, what we sadly couldn't see in a game. Flashbacks are also wtirren superbly, especially the chapters about EDI, Zaeed, Shepard and Miranda. I can only wholeheartedly reccomend this fic.

In Times of War by MLGumm

• Recommended by: openseseme
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From plot summary-In times of war friends pop up from the oddest places. A human colony kid, barely fifteen and a turian C-Sec officer closing in on twice her age certainly count as an odd pair of friends, but war has a way of bringing us together, even as it tears us apart.
• Comments: A tale of friendship told through minimalistic prose that creates a vivid picture of who each character is and how they interact. The shortness of the chapters can be hard to get used to at first, but this troper thinks the story works largely because of the simplicity. Currently a work in progress.
  • Now complete. Be warned, while most of the story is funny and sweet it starts to get darker towards the end, which is heartbreaking.

Iron Sharpens Iron by snippax

• Recommended by: Kalaong
• Vanished from the internet. Please post a link if found.
• Synopsis: FemShep is made more awesome than canon in the only way canon could provide; she was raised by Clan Urdnot as an honorary Krogan.
• Comments: Shepard raised by Krogan. What else can be said?
  • Seconded by FelicitySprings. This is an excellent fic, especially if you're frustrated by many of the constraints of the canon Shepard backgrounds. As an added bonus, there's a good deal of FemShep/Miranda, FemShep/Jack and FemShep/Ashley in this fic, and that type of content at this level of quality is a rare thing indeed.

Kingdom of Rust by Mighty Crouton

• Recommended by: MacSauce
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: It takes an ocean of trust if you are going to survive long hours traveling between solar systems. Garrus and Shepard pass the time despite cultural and language barriers before the Omega-4 Relay Mission.
• Comments: Kingdom of Rust explores an intimate friendship between a human and Turian. The first and second chapter are very well done, with both characters appropriating each other's body language. Speaking as someone who has traveled, this story is very realistic of two cultures clashing into one another. Foucault is an exceptional Renegade FShep. Crouton hints at an ambiguous disorder that may or may not be Asperger's, a bit of an iron woobie mixed with Knight in Sour Armor. Probably one of the best Shepards I've ever read, and the fact her nickname is Foucault tells me Crouton has done his research on humanist philosophies.

KOKOMO by ghost.713

• Recommended by: Ghastdream, Tikigod 784
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "Even vermin have a story." This is about a Vorcha
• Comments: Tragic and beautifully written, especially concerning its alien perspective.
  • A great look into the "society" of a race that BioWare probably only intended as simple cannon fodder. If this were canon, a Vorcha squad mate could arguably have the most alien dialogue in the game.

Legacy of the Shadow Broker by LuxDragon

• Recommended by: extinctnlvlevnt
• Synopsis: "Information. It had always been the Shadow Broker's main trade and source of power. Deception, his weapon; anonymity, his shield. To bring down his empire and avenge a friend, Liara, Shepard, and their allies must take on all the forces that the Shadow Broker will bring to bear to preserve his secrets. And his life." A novelization of Mass Effect 2: Lair of the Shadow Broker DLC pack.
• Status: Complete
• Pairings: M!Shepard/Miranda Lawson
• Comments: LuxDragon hasn't lost any talent for hooking readers by the gums and dragging them along for the wild ride, still includes bonus points for the M!Shepard/Miranda fans out there, and for including intelligent and natural interactions between the Normandy crew.

The Long Walk by Prisoner 24601

• Recommended by: Spark Moon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Jacob Taylor deals with the death of Miranda Lawson, by speaking with Kelly Chambers and has a conversation-so to speak-with EDI and Joker.
• Comments: Seeing as I love fan fic where Kelly Chambers isn't relegated to the disgusting and tired old jokes of being the ship's bicycle and is treated as a professional counselor, that alone makes this story worth reccing. Not only that, but so often we've seen how Shepard reacts to the deaths of various teammates... we rarely ever see it done from the POV of a squadmate. Prisoner tackles this with Jacob-another ill-treated character in fandom-with a maturity that makes both chapters very much worth reading.

Marauder Shields by koobismo

• Recommended by: Mr.Underhill, Bustamouse
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: A brilliant set of comics that started out silly but is quickly evolving into a viable alternate ME3 ending in its own right. Koobismo takes the Indoctrination Theory and runs with it, detailing what the rest of Shepard's squad (including the ME2 cast who were Demoted To Extras in the canon game) is doing while s/he is out of commission. It will be very interesting to see how this one pans out.

Mass Effect 2 AU Lanius by College Fool

• Recommended by: P Sychotic, Gentlemens Dame 883, The Anguished One
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: When the Shadow Broker brings the Commander back, Cerberus is behind the colony abductions for unclear reasons, and a fallen hero of the Alliance who can foil even Shepard is at the head of it, it's just the start of a different Mass Effect 2... ME2 AU
• Comments: A complete reimagining of ME2, and absolutely fantastic. The only problem is the occasional misspelling. It's similar to Renegade Reinterpretations (the author wrote both), in that it's less like reading a story and more like reading how Mass Effect could have been.

Mass Effect 3: After the Fall by FenrisMarine

• Recommended by: thatdude, Bustamouse
• Status: Dea
• Pairing: Paragon!Shepard/Tali
• Synopsis: A fanmade epilogue about what happen to the races stranded in the Sol system after the Destroy ending.
• Comments: Let's not beat around the bush here, the ending to Mass Effect 3 was... less then disirable. This fic however is not a Fix Fic but rather an attempt to at least salvage it. It gives us what the actual ending didn't: Closure, the aftermath of the war, and a somewhat happy ending. Its not perfect, but it's a lot better then what we got.

Mass Effect: Circular by Gregg Landsman

• Recommended by: The Curator, USA Bobcat, Unclouded TJ, Vellaen
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: From the man who brought us Nobody Dies comes the epic continuation of the Mass Effect franchise. The ending of Mass Effect 3 was not the beginning of the end. It was not the end of the end. It was simply the end of the beginning.
• Pairing(s): None
• Tags: Fix Fic (sort of), Mental Time Travel
• Warnings: YMMV strongly, as there is a bit of handwaving in the first chapter that some may find to be excessive. Additionally, if you are the 1% that liked the endings, Gregg has done away with them completely.
  • Author's note: I actually do like the endings. -Gregg
• Comments: Imagine, if you will, Shepard being more badass then before. Then imagine that Gregg Landsman wrote about what happens given Shepard’s newfound badassery. There is absolutely no way conceivable under the laws of the universe for this not to be awesome. And it is. It totally is. Also Javik meets a Hanar. Hilarity Ensues.
  • Also hosted on Spacebattles, with active member participation.

Mass Effect: End of Days By: Postmeat

• Recommended by: Omeganian
• Status: Dormant; last updated October 2018
• Synopsis: Another "Different tech humanity" fanfic. In this one, humanity has no eezo at all. There are no relays near Earth. No Prothean tech. Humanity is forced to take its own path, compensating for inferior FTL speed with superior terraforming tech.
• Comments: The author openly uses some concept from other universes, so, for example, while the First Contact with the Council goes smoothly enough, it's not humanity's true First Contact That one was with the Blacklight Virus from [PROTOTYPE], which had to be taken out with the M.D. from Ender's Game. A rare fic where Shepard is neither John nor Jane (he's Frank). The guy earns his War Hero background and N7 rank fighting off Batarians and Collectors alongside Wrex and Tali. Then he's sent to find the Collectors... with Saren on his ship.

Mass Effect: The Hopeless War by ProfFartBurger

• Recommended by: Extinctnlvlevnt
• Status: Ongoing
• Synopsis: "In the 21st century, the Batarian Hegemony discovers a beautifully violent species known as 'Humans'. After deciding to enslave the entire race, and turn them into their own personal slave warriors, the so-called Masters of War must go against the Makers of Slaves. But is it truly possible to combat an alien threat, when your own species can barely even leave its only home?" An AU interpretation of the First Contact War.
• Comments: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. Humanity is fighting a war it cannot win against the combined might of the galaxy, following the unilateral intervention of the Council. Despite herculean triumphs of anthropocentric badass-ery over the foul xenos in the early days of the war; the story ultimately boils down to individual survival at all costs in the face of an all-conquering alien juggernaut.

Mass Effect The Iron Heart of Man by Apollonir

• Recommended by Coalen 1942
• Status: On-going
• Synopsis: [AU] The Illusive Man said that salvation comes with a cost. When corruption seeps into the galaxy, when centuries of status quo suddenly breaks in a mere decade, when blood's spilled among the stars like never before, when extinction looms over civilization, when morality is merely a shade... salvation can only come with sacrifice. [AU First Contact War & Reaper War; GRAPHIC]

Mass Effect: Iron Rebirth by Mashadar

• Recommended by: Alamo, Joysweeper
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: Shepard's revival is necessarily much earlier than canon, and the only way it can be done is by putting his functional brain into a YMIR mech chassis, with all the baggage that implies.
• Comments: You know, when I recommend a fic, the highest praise I can give it is that even though I may not be a fan of what it's based of of, I still enjoyed the fic. This is one of those. I have never played either of the Mass Effect games and have only a passing knowledge of the universe, but still found this to be a great read. The writing is competent, the dialogue well written, the key ploy point intriguing, and the storyline well done. I highly recommend this.
  • Hnn. I felt like this got off to a very promising start — I'm a sucker for Brain in a Jar — but as the chapters went on the grammatical mistakes, overuse of names in conversations, and run-on sentences started to get to me. Besides, the recurring talk of this permanence started annoying me — what, is it so hard to put fingers on these mechs? I'll look for further chapters, but I have a sense of wasted potential here.

Mass Effect: Interregnum by The Naked Pen

• Recommended by: Altercation, Spark Moon, randomfanboy, Javier, Joysweeper, sushemi, valbinooo, Bustamouse
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Focuses on Garrus's days between ME1 and 2, initially set about four months after Shepard's death at the hands of the Collectors, detailing how he met and put together his team to fight crime. Those seeking fluff need not apply.
• Comments: Without a doubt, one of the best fanfictions detailing Garrus's months in Omega. The characterization of Garrus is perfect, to use a better word, genuine. There's really no question on how much The Naked Pen captured Garrus's personality, his dark wit and constant second-guessing and wraps it all up in a central plot point concerning an incredibly powerful ship. Highly recommended.
  • Word. As someone who's totally burnt out on the romantic fluff stuff as far as anything involving Garrus goes, this story is a much needed breath of fresh air. In this troper's opinion, it's criminal this story hasn't gotten more attention.
  • The tragedy element of the story is heartwrenching as well. You know how it'll all end, so seeing Sidonis and Garrus becoming True Companions (with some very effective writing) will hurt you.
  • I agree with all of the above. The Naked Pen obviously really loves and understands Garrus and the Mass Effect universe, and its good to see a good writer writing something more like the games in tone than most of the rest of the fandom does. The only downside is that the updating is quite slow, but it's well worth the waits.
  • Possibly my favorite ME fanfic. Extraordinarily well written action, brilliant world building, wonderful sense of voice from Garrus, excellently conceived characters/personalities— all together, a joy to read. Try it out, and I don't believe that anybody will find it a waste of time.
  • Unlike one of the above tropers, I like fluff. But I also liked this. Garrus seems very in-character, and even if the cyborg volus was eyebrow-raising, the constant snark back and forth is fun.
  • Incredibly good, almost suspiciously so. I'm not entirely sure that The Naked Pen isn't really one of the writers from Bioware who types this out in their spare time.
  • A minor but consistently-annoying quibble is that the author refers to every gun as firing "energy bolts" instead of bullets, when the series makes it very clear they're using kinetic weaponry and not energy. It's an otherwise glaring fault in a fic as well-researched as this one.
    • The author refers to them as bullets pretty much exclusively after chapter 13 and, even then, "energy bolt" isn't an unfair description of small chips of metal going at significant fractions of the speed of light.
  • Quite possibly my favorite ME fic as well. Garrus is extremely well-characterized, and the large cast of characters (there's eleven other people on his squad, after all!) is handled surprisingly well. It's partly serious, especially considering that we all already know how it's going to end (made all the more poignant by the fact that Sidonis is actually a pretty cool guy in the fic, having an almost younger brother relationship with his sort-of mentor Garrus), but balances that with absolutely hilarious sequences. There's a cyborg volus. There's snide but not overly obnoxious digs at some of the stranger aspects of the games, such as the seemingly bulletproof couches in Garrus' base and Shepard's habit of constantly visiting nightclubs. There's a ship called the SSV Starf***er. Cannot possibly recommend enough if you like Garrus at all.
    • The author has also written one very well-done spin-off called Omega Noire. In it, Garrus tries to investigate a murder, struggling against the rampant corruption and apathy of Omega to find the facts. It's a good classic "noir" style mystery with influences and homages from many classic mysteries, yet manages to fit in well with the image of Omega the author created in Interregnum. And it's just plain cool to see Garrus putting his detective skills to work.
  • This is possibly the only Mass Effect Fanfic I've read that is a contender for the prestige of being better than canon. Seriously, if your browsing through this page looking for something other than Slash Fic or yet another "retelling" of ME1 or ME2, click the link already.
  • Agreed; the actual Mass Effect novels pale in comparison in both prose and plot quality. However, the opening two sections ("Alpha and Omega" and "Divine Intervention") are somewhat directionless and generally less good than the later arcs (though still pretty damn good compared to both the average fic and the official novels). Readers turned off by them might want to start with 'Sanctuary' to see how good the fic can be.
    • Contrary to the above troper, I actually enjoyed the first two arcs far more than the ones succeeding it. However, the later arcs, though significantly shorter, are still exceedingly well done, even if they aren't quite as engaging. That being said this is possibly the best written fic I've ever read, so there's that too.
  • Basically this should be required reading for the fandom

Mass Effect: A Measure of Salvation by Mal Cobb

• Recommended by: Looks Awesome
• Status: Dormant; last updated May 2020
• Synopsis: With the Reapers closing in, Miranda Lawson understands well the magnitude of the threat. But as she breaks free from Cerberus and navigates the perils of a fracturing Systems Alliance, can she reconcile the operative she once was with the woman who's fallen for Commander Shepard? An AU of Mass Effect 3.
• Pairings: M!Shep/Miranda
• Comments: What makes this fic stand out to me is the rewritten narrative (the internal contradictions and inconsistencies of that game still rankle me to this day) coupled with new, writer-created material that complements and enhances that canon content that is preserved or otherwise not excised. The pacing is fluid, the narrative is immersive, the setting is dynamic, and the dialogue is engaging. I still go back and read my favorite passages time and time again. 100% recommendation.

Mass Effect: Mistakes Worth Sharing by Sudentor

• Recommended by: Wild Goose
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Just four ups and downs a very special Turian feels are worth sharing. General Garrus Vakarian gives the commencement address to the first post-Reaper War graduating class at the Cipritine Hill Services Academy.
• Comments: Exactly What It Says on the Tin. A commencement address is a tremendously boring thing, but the author of Exoria manages to perfectly capture Garrus' voice and make this address something from the heart, at the same time showing the reader how Garrus has grown throughout the three Mass Effect games.

Mass Effect: Murphy's Law by TacoWrath

• Recommended by: Joint Reflex 39
• Status: Complete
• Tags: Graphic violence and explicit language.
• Synopsis: Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Ain't that the cold, hard truth. When everything inevitably does go wrong, strong men and women get to work and refuse to accept any other outcome, no matter how bleak. As those men and women, we'll be running into a lot more questions than answers, but then again... scientific minds thrive off discovery and problem-solving.
• Comments: An interesting fic that takes a few renaissance men from our time and throws them into the future. In a more interesting take on the self-insert, in this universe the Mass Effect games do not exist, leaving it as the actual future the characters gradually mold with their innovations. Great characterization (OC and canon) carries this fic, along with great, detail-focused science and sci-fi references that seemingly aim to push Mohs Scale of Science Fiction Hardness from a 4 to a 4.5. In the end, the story boils down to the importance of family and friendship, without getting preachy or forgetting what makes Mass Effect entertaining.

Mass Effect Reloaded by theblueninja, or Blue Ninja 0

• Recommended by: lurkbbs, Unclouded TJ
• Status: Dormant
• Synopsis: Facing the Catalyst, Adept Jane Shepard takes the Kirk path, and cheats. Thrown back in time to the very start of her Spectre career, can she actually save the entire galaxy from the Reapers, or will everything end up the same despite her knowledge of the future? Shakarian shipping.
  • New Synopsis: Is a second chance enough? Instead of the Catalyst's choices, Shepard lucks into a cosmic loophole. Thrown back to the very start of her Spectre career, she has to try and save the galaxy again from the Reapers... but does she really know what's coming?
• Comments: One of the rarest Peggy Sue fanfics where main character tries to changes everything from the very beginning, without some "want to know the future so will do things exactly as before" crap. Excellent language, on par and surpassing many professional writers. Fast-paced when needed, relaxing when needed, funny when needed, serious when needed. Good characterization, both canon and OC.

Mass Vexations by Herr Wozzeck

• Recommended by: Sithking Zero, Catheri
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "Vexations. Music of Erik Satie. Somehow, it transported me to the Mass Effect universe. Might as well make the best of it, and by that I mean help the crew stop Saren and the Geth, all without telling my real origins. Self-insert. Kaidan/Shepard."
• Comments: THE Mass Effect Self-Insert fanfiction on the internet. As far as I'm concerned, the only one. While self-inserts are dime-a-dozen, this story is in defiance of Sturgeon's law. Well-written, the main character is not a Self-Insert, the interactions feel totally natural, and all-around greatness. Now, in interest of fairness, it does have its negative points. The main character, Art, tends to go off on rants about things that the author feels strongly about. The first story is merely okay, while the sequel is far improved in terms of storytelling capability. However, those aren't enough to take away how good this story is. Has three sequels: Mass Vexations 2 (covering the second Mass Effect game), and Mass Vexations 3.
  • I thought this story was not enjoyable at all. The protagonist is highly unlikable (not to mention borderlines on a God Mode Stu status at times, or too close to it for my liking), Art's random rants take me more out of the story than the rest of it already does, the story stretches even the most sturdy suspensions of disbelief-and not in a good way- and it's a chore to read even in some of the more funnier moments (which there are few). Unless it's somehow either a cleverly disguised Deconstruction and/or a Stealth Parody of self-insert fics in general, then pass.
    • The above opinion represents this troper's opinion of Mass Vexations 3, but will admit that the first one is by far the best. the dialog feels somewhat flat, the characters repeat a few phrases not suited to them, and there are some choices made in MV3 that are just flat-out annoying (No examples will be given, to prevent spoilers).
    • I second this fic. I enjoyed Art's rants and didn't find any of the God Mode Stu issues that the above poster did as it seemed more of a case of Earn Your Happy Ending. In my opinion, it is definitely worth reading as I finished the first one awhile ago and am now spending my current break catching up on the sequels, which are turning out to be even better so far. A definite recommend and a must-read for anyone who loves ME fanfiction or needs to have their faith restored when it comes to Self Inserts.
    • I agree with the above, this fic is just not enjoyable. It only ranks above the 90% for having proper spelling and grammar, which is rare enough in fanfics. The self-insert is unlikable (he's very egocentric and randomly gets angry at people for acting exactly as they do in canon). The random rants don't help, nor does the fact that it follows canon like a traintrack. No attempts whatsoever to alter the plot in the slightest, either through the character's actions or the writer's creativity. If I wanted to read a novelization of Mass Effect, I'm sure I can find one without an annoying self-insert getting in the way.

Masses to Masses by Inf3ctionz

• Recommended by: S3ek, GoneRampant, XxChronOblivionxX
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: “After a freak event sends me into the ME universe 2 years before ME1, I find myself working at C-Sec. As if dealing with serial killers, drug smugglers, and Garrus Vakarian wasn't enough, I need to work out why I was sent here, and I need to survive.”
• Comments: A Mass Effect Self-Insert that feature an Unlikely Hero: Ian Shaw, a British law student with very little in the way of training for detective work or a military operation. He learns. Better yet, this story starts two years before the start of Mass Effect. The first of the series begins before Mass Effect 1 where Ian is Garrus’ partner as a detective, the second begins when Garrus and Ian meet Shepard on the Citadel and features the events of the game, and the third installment begins with the destruction of the Normandy and features Ian’s escapades as Deadpool, part of Archangel’s crew. It's one of the most popular Mass Effect self-inserts, rivaling the fame of Mass Vexations.
  • One of my favourite Mass Effect fanfics, period. Ian's First-Person Smartass narration makes the fanfic hilarious, action packed and essential to any fanfic reader. Also has a spinoff, Masses To Masses Zero, which focuses on Garrus a day before Ian shows up while Garrus is on a case.
  Ian Shaw (has) done gotten himself more famous than Arnold Schwarzenegger's pecs. — Sarge1995
  Masses To Masses is the fanfiction equivalent of the Avengers movie-brilliant, action packed and hilarious throughout with a deep story and awesome plot-twists. -Gone Rampant
  • And to prove that this has replaced Mass Vexations as the essential Mass Effect Self-Insert, Masses To Masses as a series has more reviews on Fanfiction.Net then Mass Vexations, and more reviews per story.

Mind Over Matter by eyyowlf

• Recommended by: Spark Moon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From the summary: The adventures of the first human Spectre, the Butcher of Torfan, the son of Mindoir. Mild au for original subplots and sidequests. Ruthless Vanguard with concentration on biotics, aliens, milSF, and secondary crew. Pretty much an AU take on the first Mass Effect game, featuring a male Shepard.
• Comments: Man. There are no words to accurately describe this fic. It's one of those ones that has so much stuff going on in it, it *has* to be read to be fully appreciated. The starring Shepard is such a jerkass, but a likable one to this troper. Seriously, find the time to sit down and read this if you can.

The Miracle at Palaven by Sudentor

• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: The Miracle At Palaven is the biggest Offscreen Moment of Awesome in the game. This story opts to flesh it out, giving a theoretical account as written from a historical in-universe document. Do you believe in miracles?
  • As for the kind of playthrough that was done, the Geth and the Quarians are both alive, even in the aftermath of the events that would take place in the game.
• Tags: Violence and language.
• Comments: Definitely worth a read. It gives a great take on the events and highlights the kinds of things that would have to be done and what could go wrong, and the kinds of badass it takes to overcome that sort of adversity. My favorite chapter so far was the one on the Bosh'tet Express.
  • The author Kei is also known as Sudentor on FF.net, whose equally fantastic Order Upon Chaos and Mistakes Worth Sharing are recced above.
  • The best way to describe this story is, simply put, Mass Effect meets Black Hawk Down, written in the style of Band of Brothers.
    • The author also takes what was a throwaway line in ME3's emails, Kal'Reegar dying while defending repairs to a comm antenna, and turns it into a Manly Tears-inducing heroic Last Stand. And it is awesome.

Mock Effect by Mister Buch

• Recommended by: Tillian, Firebert
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Jane Shepard was being promoted as a 'Sub-Spectre' much to her humiliation as her psychotic brother John Shepard was promoted as a Spectre. She has to save the galaxy from not only the incompetent, unoriginal villains like Saren and Unicron... sorry Sovereign, but also from her crazy ass brother from trashing up the galaxy with his try hard Renegade attitude.
• Comments: A nice parody that digs deep into plot-holes, cliche, spotlighting the flaws like how the renegade options are blatantly childish and bad textured load ups. This parody was so popular there's a 10 page dedication to this fan fiction on the official Mass Effect forums before the moderators shut it down due to bad server technology. Sadly it's in script format so the webmasters of the ff.net had to take it down much to the fans annoyance. Fortunately one of the fans jumped in to save the day by creating a another Mass Effect fan fiction site for Mr. Buch to host it. You can still check it out by clicking on the above link.
  • Not a good idea to read it if you like... any of the characters, really. The author seems to hate them all.
    • Except for Kaidan.
    • No, Kaidan gets it too. He's a complete idiot, like every other character.
  • I personally found the story to be little more than an annoying Revenge Fic.
  • This editor disagrees, it's a humorous story, you don't have to hate the game to find it funny.
  • The sheer number of details mocked suggest that the author played the game in depth, at least a few times. It's unlikely that anyone would bother to do so with a game he/she doesn't like. Probably just a very serious case of Accentuate the Negative.
  • Some people may find the overly negative stuff funny, but this was just one of the more flat-out insufferable "humor" fics to read IMO.
  • I'll throw in my two cents on this one. This fic lampshades a lot of (apparent) plot holes and characterization issues from the first game. If you can maintain your sense of humor throughout the whole thing, parts are absolutely hilarious, but it does get vicious at times, and is likely to make you rageface at least once or twice when there's a perfectly sensible in-story explanation for a supposed plot hole that is mocked. If you find it hard to read parodies or take rather vicious criticism of the game in stride, I'd advise you to avoid it. If, on the other hand, you're OK with that, read it and laugh your head off. In my opinion, I'm fairly certain it was written by someone who enjoyed the game (they know far too much about the inner workings of the game to actually hate it), so just keep that in mind. And it legitimately is hilarious most of the time—in particular, do not read the retelling of the moon mission while sitting in math class, as you will need to go running for the door lest you burst out laughing in the middle of a serious discussion on the Euclidean Algorithm or something. FWIW, I still think the fic is worth reading, just understand that every character is mocked heavily, with poor Tali likely getting the worst of it. There are no exceptions—everyone from the Council to Steve, the blond guy who salutes you every time you walk down the stairs in the Normandy, is mocked mercilessly.
  • Bloody hilarious, and I say that as someone who loves the game. It is to ME1 what "Yet Another KOTOR Parody" is to, well, KOTOR. Reading it made me realize just how much BioWare's writing and production values improved between ME1 and the other two games. Sadly, I didn't find the "unofficial" sequels to live up to the original.

New Friends by Mister Buch

• Recommended by: Tillian
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Shepard is a 16 year-old penniless petty thief living on Earth. She starts running with the 10th Street Reds and finds a new life for herself. When the gang plans to assassinate a Turian veteran she has to find the great strength she has been ignoring.
• Comments: A detailed backstory for the Earthborn profile. It explores the dark underbelly in the streets of Earth, alien racism and prejudice with biotics. Brilliant attention to the settings of the world, a steady pacing and a interesting POV of a young Shepard who is a child on the verge of becoming an adult. A must read if you like Mass Effect fics.

Noir Tali Is Noir by NuclearBuddha and RiptideX1090

• Recommended by: Cinereous, pcy623
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: The rain came down like bullets, each leaving a raw mark on my suit. I couldn't feel them, not with the suit. Then again, I'd stopped feeling things like that a long time ago. Two years ago. The Normandy.
• Comments: As the title says, a story written in Film Noir style, a look at Tali and her life during the two years after the destruction of the SSV Normandy. A Darker and Edgier story that paints an incredibly depressing look at what it is to be a quarian in a galactic society that despises them. This is a Tali who is full of quiet anger, hardened, bitter, and numb to the world, an empty shell whose one source of happiness was snuffed out two years ago. The two authors have created a story that fits amazingly well within canon events and truly takes the reader on a roller-coaster ride of emotions. (Note: To read this story and view the authors' profiles/blogs, you must sign up for an account on the Bioware social boards).

Order Upon Chaos by Sudentor

• Recommended by: owlbot, Bustamouse
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: The publication of the Precipice Archives Report for the Third Citadel detailing the events since five billion years ago, how the attempt to save life led to its cyclic destruction, and how this affected the galaxy five billion years later.
• Comments: Written in the form of salvaged transcripts, documents, and messages recovered almost a millennium after the events of Mass Effect 3, Order Upon Chaos chronicles the origin of the Reapers, explaining how they went from a democratic body trying to save one civilization after another, to Well-Intentioned Extremists, to eldritch abominations. The story is difficult to pick up at first, for the transcripts can be dense, confusing, and not immediately obvious, but it rolls elegantly along once it truly picks up speed, and gracefully shows how the initial, desperate attempt to ensure life goes on in the galaxy slowly transforms into the horrifying cycles of extinction we associate with the Reapers today, as well as the beginnings of the enigmatic characters Harbinger and the Catalyst.

Progress Reimagined by urapente

• Recommended by: Cinereous
• Status: Complete
• Pairings: Some vague hints of (Male) Shepard/Tali, onesided Prazza/Tali, but this is not a shipping fic.
• Synopsis: A greatly expanded novelization of the initial meeting on Freedom's Progress between Shepard, his Cerberus squadmates, and Tali's team.
• Comments: The author turns what was a quick thirty minute intro mission into a multi-chapter story that showcases Tali and how she has matured and become a cynical, darker character after the events of ME1. Make no mistake: though the viewpoint character is Shepard, Tali is definitely the protagonist of this story. The initial meeting between the two is handled much more realistically than in-game, and Prazza's anger at and eventual betrayal of her are explored in serious depth, ending in a climax that chilled this troper to the bone. If you're tired of a Tali that is written as nothing but a blushing moeblob whose entire world revolves around Shepard, this is a welcome change of pace. Coincidentally, the general atmosphere and feel of the story is shockingly similar to Noir Tali Is Noir (which this troper also recommended) despite being written independently of each other. The author himself has high praise for that story on his Deviantart journal.
  • (There is also an alternate version of Chapter 2 told from Tali's point of view here on the author's Deviantart gallery.)
  • This Troper personally found that Shepard was thinking a wee bit too much about Tali considering he was in the middle of a combat situation. Also, the whole eye-implants deal felt like a red herring.

Project Delta by 5th Legion

• Recommended by: Omeganian
• Status: Complete, sequel in progress.
• Synopsis: What do you get if, like the Crucible, throughout the eons, the races were working on a set of combat implants? What do you get if these implants, with all the pain of these races, were given to a human infant girl? What do you get when this girl is given the background of Subject Zero? You get... Jane.

Project Gethinator by 500MetricTonnesofPalladium

• Recommended by: Two Gun Angel
• Status: Complete
• Pairing(s): Tali/Shepard again
• Synopsis: The sequel to Inglorious Bosh'tets. Tali is back on the Normandy with Shepard, Garrus and a new crew, but it seems that the universe hasn't quite finished with her yet, as more craziness follows their every step.
• Comments: Another well-written fic from the mind behind Inglorious Bosh'tets. This one is more of a mystery plot than the utter craziness of Bosh'tets, but still with a good deal of fun.

The Really, Really, Really long version of How I'd cast Cerberus... by Dean_the_Young

• Recommended by: arcanephoenix
• Synopsis: A reinterpretation and sort-of rewriting of Cerberus's role in Mass Effect 3 and it's effects on the plot as a whole.
• Comments: It may take an hour to read, but it is fully worth your time. The man has essentially rewritten Mass Effect 3 while maintaining internal consistency, no mean feat. It is calm, precise and quite beautifully put together. While I liked how the trilogy ended in canon, I would have seriously loved this.

Renegade Reinterpretations by College Fool

• Recommended by: AngelOfBlood, Grant^note  How Mass Effect should have been, Vellaen, Macsauce, Gentlemens Dame 883, The Anguished One
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: This fic is one massive AU Fic, in which Relay 314 was discovered by the Batarians, not the Turians, and humanity, and the galaxy are radically changed, forever. To quote the first chapter, "This is the darkest century of human history. This is the catalyst that changed and defined the Human race as it emerged upon the galactic stage. This is not a happy story, or a story of glory, or even a particularly pleasant one. It is, at heart, a Renegade's story, of one race rising up defying a galaxy's expectations."
• Comments: Words cannot describe the fic. It just has to be read to be believed. It's dark, and will toss your already conceived viewpoints out the window. It's obvious that the author did a LOT of thinking about consequences, and how they will affect the universe in general.
  • YMMV — Be warned this isn't a traditional fic but more like a history book of an alternate universe, with no real dialogue or characterizations.
  • It also has a very interesting re-imagining of the Suicide Mission. Here, it's not possible to save everyone like it is in the real ME2, but each character has more opportunities to show off their badassery.
  • A curious thought experiment, with realistic reactions and details that makes humanity truly terrifying in a galaxy that is increasingly insane and brutal. Imagine a bit of Warhammer 40,000, Mass Effect, Star Wars, and give all of those an underdog mentality and you'd gave something not unlike this story.
  • The problem with the story is that it reads as an outline, complete with "If the player chooses so and so option then so and so happens". The ideas are interesting, but YMMV, since it isn't really a story per say. It would be interesting if people wrote stories in that universe though.
  • Honestly the fic is brilliant during the 40+ chapters of backstory which are as said earlier a very well written historical document. Once the events of the games start suddenly the fic starts looking like a game design document and is much less fun to read.

Same by Sudentor

• Recommended by: Murus
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: In the aftermath of the attempted coup, Ashley Williams rejoins the Normandy crew and runs into the last person she wants to see, the embodiment of frustration, guilt, and regret, of what she could've been and should've been.
• Comments: Takes place immediately following Ashley's return to the Normandy in ME3. This one-shot describes her awkward meeting with Garrus, and does so excellently — capturing the character of both Ashley and Garrus, and with thought to how their history would shape this reunion.

A Sea of Stars series by IndefeasibleZed & SomethingProfound

• Reccomended by: DiScOrD tHe LuNaTiC
• Status: Ongoing (11 works so far, 7 complete, 4 in progress)
• Synopsis: Follows the career and life of Spacer background Emilia Shepard, beginning as a young lieutenant during the Skyllian Blitz, through all three games.
• Comments: This is an extremely well-written series which focuses heavily on realism, showing the inner military workings of the Alliance in general and Shepard's command in particular, along with being a seldom-seen example of Shepard as a woman of color. While not overly smutty, it does go into a fair amount of detail with Shepard and Ashley's relationship, not shying away from the difficulties and worries each has about the potential fallout if they're discovered. It also shows an intriguing look behind the scenes at how Hackett and the Alliance brass intended to handle the repercussions of Shepard's actions at Bahak.

Second by ElectricZ

• Recommended by: Salty Wound, Ghastdream, The Empyrean Herald
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: When Shepard is off the ship, the squad begins to chafe under Miranda's command. They look to Garrus to replace her as XO, but Garrus isn't sure mutiny is the answer.
• Comments: Going in to this, you might be expecting a a Miranda bashing buffet. Unless you really are looking for that, you will be pleasantly surprised. This fic provides two of the best Miranda and Garrus characterizations I've ever read. Miranda starts out very jerky, but she begins to defrost without becoming a doormat for the others to wipe their feet on. Garrus shows himself to be a very capable mediator, without losing his tactical demeanor or his wry sense of humor. Also an entirely Shepard-less fic, which, in my opinion, adds to its strength. His influence still shows however, especially in the mini Twist Ending.

The Selfish Gene by Buggirl

• Recommended by: Spark Moon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From the summary: Miranda is dealing with some personal issues. Will she open up to someone about her problems, or will she remain the 'Ice Queen' that everybody has labelled her?
• Comments: Centered around a particular Lair of the Shadow Broker dossier spoiler that divided Miranda's fanbase, this story tackles an extremely sensitive issue with aplomb and the utmost care. This is especially notable, as it draws from the author's own experiences on the issue while still keeping the characters -especially Miranda- in character. By far one of the more poignant and thoughtful fan fics I've read in the fandom, in my opinion.

Of Sheep and Battle Chicken by LogicalPremise

• Recommended by: KhaosKyuubi, RapidR3dr, Katkiller-V
• Status: Completed — with two sequels, one already completed, the other starting on ME2.
• Pairing: While romance is not the primary focus of the fic there is quite a bit of emphasis placed on a few couples Mostly FemShep/Liara, but there is some Joker/Tali in the background if you squint REALLY hard. Later works firm up the Joker/Tali, Chakwas/OC, and Garrus/OC.
• Synopsis: My AU retelling of ME1, with a darker feel. The evolution of a dangerous renegade with zero personality and all the empathy of a car tire to a real person, and changing the story of ME1 so that it's better shaped to fit a darker, more Paragade universe and a more realistic view of Cerberus and the Citadel Council. Pairing is FShep/Liara. M rating for graphic violence.
• Comments: A masterfully-written and dark novelization of the first game with several sequels planned. This is not just a fic but an entire AU thought up and thoroughly fleshed-out by the Author. Easily one of the best fanfictions out there and definetly on par with Melaradark's Dark Energy series, and in the humble opinion of this Troper, surpasses it in terms of quality. If you have finished Melaradark's fics and are looking for some more delicious Mass Effect fanfiction, along with a rich AU to sink your teeth into, this will more than satisfy your appetite. Manages an excellent balance between Action, tender, fluffy moments, great character interactions, and pretty good humor. Highly recommended.

The Siege of Shanxi: by Made Nightwing

• Recommended by: survivor6861
• Status: Completed
• Synopsis:In 2157, the Turian Hierarchy shocked the Council species by commencing a sudden and illegal war against a new race, known only as 'Humans'. This is the story of Shanxi's third Garrison Division, and their fight for survival, and freedom.
• Comments: A well written, in-progress piece, about the Relay 314 incident and how humanity met its first live alien species. Focuses on various viewpoints that include human and Turian soldiers and leaders. Written before the release of the Mass Effect: Evolution, it expands on the Siege of Shanxi and how humanity and Turians fought each others in the skies and mud of Shanxi. Also expands on viewpoints of notorious characters from Mass Effect's background that include General Williams, Jon Grissom, Saren Arterius and The Illusive Man himself.
  • Definately worth a look — given the author's love of tropes and many direct references to TV Tropes, I'm shocked it has no page of its own. The story is not for everyone — still a few lingering grammatical errors and missing words — but given its size, that's expected. What gets me is the sheer scope of what the author is going after, which includes side fics to accompany the main work that expand on cultures, Cerberus, economics, even biotics.
  • In many ways, this is a far superior exploration of pivotal moment in human history, than what the offical canon tells us. Whilst being authentic to the lore and mythos of the Mass Effect universe, this story explores the scale and scope of full blown battle, and is able to zoom in on the intimate aspects of this event. This story explores Shanxi from both sides of the battle, detailing their travails, their tactics, their strategies and their conundrumns.

The Sound of Light by nightside

• Recommended by: Dragon Byte
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: The Reaper War has ended after Shepard chose Synthesis. Varinnia, a Turian woman stranded on Chesed, can either stay stranded, or board a Reaper that wants her company.
• Pairings: Eventual Turian Female OC/Reaper
• Comments: My favorite synthesis ending story. It uses themes like religious fanaticism and discrimination in a very believable way, and the stream-of-consciousness mode of narration caters splendidly to the way the protagonist and her Reaper companion communicate. (Sequel to the one-shot, Stars)

Spectre by Caine/Precept

• Recommended by: Gentlemens Dame 883
• Vanished from the internet. Please post a link if found.
• Synopsis: John Shepard is a man haunted by ghosts. Can he rise above his past to save the galaxy?
• Pairing(s): Seems to be moving towards Shep/Tali.
• Comments: A novelisation of the first game that the author really makes his own. While the plot doesn't diverge too greatly, it's in the character work that this shines, especially how the author depicts Shepard as struggling with his past rather than as canon's much less ambiguous hero.

Spirit Of Redemption by Myetel

• Recommended by: Esseresse, Vorkosigan, SuperTulle
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: "The Spectres fight against threats to both the galaxy and their families on Mindoir. Shepard/Garrus, multiple OCs, largely expanded universe."
• Comments:
  • This Fic Has replaced canon for me, It has over 3.09 MILLION words and it's not over yet!
    • ps any help with the TV Tropes page for this Fic is welcome and needed.
  • This is a monster of a fiction. Clocking in at 3.2 millions words (or thereabouts), it covers from just past the Reaper War to about ten years after. As the previous troper mentioned, this has replaced canon for me. The sheer scope of it combined with the technical skills (no misspellings, two to three new languages that at least seem internally consistent, and a very well thought out plot with tons of OCs) make this my new favorite fic on the Citadel.
  • SuperTulle: I have some minor nitpicks with this, such as how the author mixes up the cipher and the conduit, but the author herself admits that it's not perfect. And I love it anyway. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll kiss the time it takes to read 3,404,794 words goodbye, and I promise you it will be worth it. It's an amazing AU story. Do note however, that Myetel started writing it long before ME3 came out, and didn't play it until after chapter 141 had already been written.

Storytellers by IphigeniaWrites

• Recommended by: Tropulastic
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: After the war against the Reapers, Shepard's story is a legend. After the war, many people across different species tell her story... in their own ways.
• Comments: It's an original idea and decently executed. It's interesting to see how all the aliens tell (and outright change) the story to emphasize the parts their species cares the most about: the Krogan praise Shepard's worth in battle, the volus praise her skills in commerce...

Stuck in a World of Fiction and the sequel Surviving a World of Fiction by Trebor117

• Recommended by: heroman45, Toothless is best, general-joseph-dickson, Ford B, WAEGirl
• Status: First Story is complete, sequel is dormant (last updated May 2018).
• Synopsis: Self insert. A man wakes up on Eden Prime with heavy amnesia, biotics, unexplained training. Taking the alias Jason Bourne after another amnesiac killer, he joins Shepard in her quest to stop the reapers. Along the way he'll make enemies, make friends, find romance, and have to make a lot of choices. The sequel, Surviving a World of Fiction, continues the story of the first,though if you want to skip to the second game he provides a fairly decent synopsis of the first game. It also has a midquel between the stories in the form of a crossover with the "Users" series by Starspike 7
• Comments:
  • This story is one of the best Self Inserts on the site, and full of humor, yet also has a serious plot and lots of twists. There are a couple that seem kinda Dues Ex Machinaish, but over all it works well. The author actually wrote out the entire story, before rebooting it and rewriting it into the version linked too above.
  • While the crossover isn't required reading for the sequel, it will help you get many of the jokes, and gives more character development to Bourne. The whole series is highly recommended by this troper, as is Spike's separate Users series. Despite being S Is, the two authors manage to avoid most of the usual tropes and cliches, while keeping just enough of them to stay entertaining.
  • This story is one that you'll love, or you'll hate. Personally, I go with the former.

Survivors by dragondrewversion2

• Recommended by: TheJabawack
• Status: Dead
• Synopsis: Four strangers; a human, a krogan, a turian, and a quarian; are stranded in London during the Reaper invasion of Earth. Forced together through strange circumstances, they'll need to work together if they hope to survive...
• Comments: First of all a warning, this fic is centered around four OCs and there is no Shepard in sight, he is mentioned in passing by other characters when appropriate but he is not part of the story. That said, the characters feel real and their interactions are handled quite well. There is plenty of action and the banter between the characters is really good.

Tomorrow's Dawn by ElectricZ

• Recommended by: Hanz, Sithking Zero, owlbot, Bustamouse, Murus, The Empyrean Herald
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: After Legion was destroyed in a mission, Tali is assigned the duty of recovering its memories despite her hatred of the Geth. As she views the last few moments of Legion, she begins to understand why the others see it as one of their True Companions as it proceeds to try and save it's squadmates.
• Comments: Fascinating portrayal of Tali's hatred of Legion being tested. Likewise, it's also very interesting how the author portrays Legion as capable of extraordinary heroism and ultimately, sacrifice, though still in his ultra-logical fashion.
  • One of the few fics that actually made me cry, and not just for Legion! Tali's growth was very well done. She blows up violently at Garrus when he and the rest of the crew mourn the Geth, plots to send Legion's remains back to the fleet, but stops because she made a promise to Shepard. Upon retrieving the data, she sees that minutes before the battle where Legion was killed, Shepard learned from him that the Geth were willing to make peace with the Quarians, but just didn't know how to communicate it. And when the team was ambushed and completely helpless, Legion's programs voted to go on a suicide mission to save them, resulting in his destruction, losing the chance for peace forever. Tali's anguish over deciding to save Legion or give him to the fleet was heart-wrenching. This fic is also notable for having an alternate ending that the author describes as a save-game where he went back and upgraded Legion's shields so the damage is not irreparable. Legion's interruption of a depressing after-action meeting got the tears flowing again. I'm a sucker for happy endings! While not as emotionally hard hitting as the original ending, it adds a lot of wonderful dialogue and shows how even a Quarian and Geth can become friends. A marvelous read!
  • I just don't understand why I didn't read this one earlier. I think I was worried about it making me sad. Which it did, but... not at all in the way I expected. This is a truly fantastic fic, with Tali and yes, even Legion, written very much in character. If you like either character at all, you have to read this. The poster above me has already mentioned a lot of the great things in it, but let me just say that whichever ending you consider canon (technically, the alternate ending did go on to be canon in the writer's universe, with an in-progress sequel that, while less emotional and somewhat less character-focused than Tomorrow's Dawn, follows logically on from the conclusion of this fic, still with the great characterization, now of all members of Shepard's squad (and a few outside it!)), both are fantastic. Both make me cry, although for very different reasons. Absolutely recommend this to everyone! —Alynnidalar
  • Has a sequel spinning off from the alternate ending, where Tali manages to save Legion after reviewing his memories, titled ''For Tomorrow We Die.'' It's fantastic.
    • Murus: Agreed — can't recommend it enough. One of the best fanfics I've ever read, hands-down.
  • Just another nail hammering in the point that this is an exceptionally good fic, with accurate, lovable characterizations and ripping writing. This author's entire sequence of ME 2 fics might be the best I've ever read, and the plot of ''For Tomorrow We Die.'' is written with more passion and grounding in the Mass Effect universe than ME 3.

Transcendent Humanity by Solaris242

• Recommended by: midorigreen, Racheakt, USA Bobcat, Unclouded TJ
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: ...And behind the defensive fleet, the true power of humanity. An occluded star, a supercomputer larger than worlds, filled with a trillion minds. Transcendent Humanity speaks as one, the force of their voice ripping through firewalls, absorbing language and codex, booming from every device capable aboard the Turian ships. This is Sol, the home of humanity. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE.
• Comments: Humanity develops differently due to an early warning from the Protheans, and become a race of Uploaded A.I.s. In-progress, but highly interesting read with a dynamic take on how the Citadel would react to another race of A.I.s. Also, Geth eating toast.

The Uncounted by Moranth

• Recommended by: Spark Moon
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: From the summary: A series of oneshots exploring what *might be* the motives and final moments of the mercs you encounter on many of the missions in Mass Effect 2''.
• Comments: In a sea of hamfisted romantic fluff and tacky self-inserts, this is a concept that shows incredible promise. While it's only one chapter in — and extremely short — it manages to breathe life into a nameless mercenary and, in just under 700 words, gives him a character that may make you feel kinda bad for shooting him. Here's hoping for more in the future and that it's not another Dead Fic already.

Unexpected Alliances by ArtoosPlan

• Recommended by DiScOrD tHe LuNaTiC
• Status: Ongoing
• Synopsis: The skies above Mindoir, 2170. Commander Hannah Shepard, temporarily in command of the SSV Einstein, receives a request to open diplomatic relations from a heretofore unknown alien race...the Quarians.
• Comments: A "Sheplings" fic, which as the synopsis makes clear, breaks from canon in some other major ways. It delves into the interesting question of how Humans and Quarians both could have benefitted if two 'outsider' species became allied, but follows the story of the first game fairly closely aside from that. Has a subplot of John/Tali and has begun to tease Jane/Garrus, though nothing has really happened with either as yet

Uplifted and its sequel Uplifted: Intervention by DarkDanny

• Recommended by: Magyareagle, Valarshran
• Status
  • Uplifted: Complete
  • Intervention: Complete
• Pairing: Romance is not the focus of the fics, but they feature Hanala Jarva and Joachim Hoch (OC/OC), Male Shepard/Tali
• Synopsis: AU: Desperate for an end to the exile, now in its forty seventh year, the Quarians decide on a last audacious plan to help them destroy the Geth. However, January 1942 in occupied Russia might not be the best place for first contact with humanity... Eventual Tali/Shep
• Comments: Both fics complete. These stories explore what happens when the desperate Quarians decide to Uplift Humanity in the middle of the Second World War. When Hanala Jarva crash lands on earth during a survey mission, she makes a historic first contact that has radical implications for Humanity. Unfortunately, the Quarians are not fully aware of just who they are choosing to uplift. A brilliant and detailed alternate history written by someone who has a clear grasp of the events and personalities involved, DarkDanny avoids the mistake most fanfic authors make when writing alternate histories by going back to beginning and going from there. He ultimately plans to write a series chronicling three generations of Quarians and Humans, with the final series focusing on Shepard and Tali, something that I am quite certain he will accomplish. Glimpses into the future are told through a series of interludes that do not detract from the brilliant story at the center of it. Anyone with an interest in good storytelling or alternate history will love this, in large part due to the complex characters. Fair warning though, given the time period, many of the human characters are sexist and racist, and realistically ignorant of what is going on around them. This in turn makes for a much better story.
  • The author does address the Holocaust in the series though not until the second book. Given the period when it is set, it makes sense, since the Final Solution did not begin until 1942. This makes story all the more chilling when you hear men like Himmler discuss exactly what they are planning. Kudos to the author for avoiding the black and white characterization of historical figures that often happens in stories about the period. There are bright points even within the German High command, most notable Rommel. Historical figures include Mad Jack Churchill, Erwin Rommel, Bill Donovan and Otto Skorzeny.
  • I was suspicious of the premise at first but it grew on me. I'm Jewish, so any story that has a nazi protagonist is automatically suspect in my eyes. But the story proved me wrong. The characters are both sympathetic and yet true to their personalities. Joachim Hoch is on the one hand an anti-Semitic bastard, on the other he is decent man who begins to change his views once he realizes the crimes of the regime he supports. Other characters share a similar duality. I think the best part is seeing how history changes with the events and how everything leads to young Tali and Shepard, childhood sweethearts who grew up together on Rannoch, which sets the stage for the stories taking place in the Mass Effect timeline. Dark Danny is a very good author.
  • Eh, IMO, the quality of writing and sheer amount of typos leaves something to be desired. Good premise, but I feel executed poorly.
  • I'll admit the first two's quality needs some work, but it's always been on the upswing lately.
  • Tags: Alternate History, Alternate Universe Fic
  • Tropes Page here

Uplifted: Last Days by DarkDanny

• Recommended by: Magyareagle
• Status: Complete
• Pairing: Romance is not the focus of the fics, but they feature Hanala Jarva and Joachim Hoch (OC/OC), Male Shepard/Tali
• Synopsis: These are the last days. The last days of the Third Reich, the last days of the Western Front and the last days of Humanity being alone in the universe. The world is about to change; but will it be for the better?
• Comments: This fic firmly answers any questions anyone had about the direction of the series, as well as showing some of the best character development I've read in fanfiction by illustrating in a realistic manner how a SS officer might eventually change his views and become a more tolerant individual. The growth of Joachim Hoch has been a fascinating journey to follow, and this story really takes the cake in that regard. Excellent writing, and the inclusion of some fantastic new characters, such as Rabbi Edward Asher, and the downfall of the Nazi regime make this story a fitting conclusion to the first part of Uplifted series.

Uplifted: Revolution by DarkDanny

• Recommended by: Valarshran, JadeCrisanthamum
• Status: Complete
• Pairing: Romance is not the focus of the fics, but they feature Hanala Jarva and Joachim Hoch (OC/OC), Male Shepard/Tali
• Synopsis: Millions are being shipped to extermination camps across Europe, the Allied bombing raids are growing more fierce, the 6th Army in Stalingrad is on the verge of collapse and the Anglo-American invasion of Algeria will become a reality. The insanity that is the Third Reich is beginning to show. But little does anyone know that revolution is in the air. The uprising has begun..
• Comments: The final chapter of the Uplifted Trilogy, and all out civil war in Germany seems to be the order of the day. We see that DarkDanny has known were he was going with this series from day one, which is impressive to say the least. As I said when I reviewed the previous two stories, since I'm Jewish, I tend to be a bit sensitive to depictions of the Third Reich, but I find that despite the language used in the series, the author is clear on where he stands in regards to the final solution. My only gripe with the series is that I wish the author would check his spelling for typos. Can't fault him too much though, he's written 400+ pages in three months. Rommel is a true badass in these stories, but I find that the master diplomat Halid Zorah really takes the cake. I also love how we see the Quarians at a time when they are far more like the Colonials from Battlestar than the broken people we see in Mass Effect.
  • The author has fixed the earlier spelling errors, and this series has really caught my imagination. The author is already planning a second trilogy set in 2,000, focusing on the descendants of the characters in the first series. It's well thought out, the characters are flawed and surprisingly likable, and it's quite well written. Proof that the remaining 10% is worth launching a coup against the Nazis for.

Warverse

• Recommended by: Tropers/axiom2, Omeganian
• Status: Ongoing series, first and second parts complete.
• Synopsis: Instead of finding a treasure trove of Protean Tech on Mars, Humanity finds empty ruins, leading to them advancing on an entirely different route than in Canon.
• Tags: Alternate Universe
• Comments: (axiom12) Personally, it was a great read. Aside from details at the beginning of the story that clash with details at the end (Which the author seems to recognize and is working on), the action is phenomenal, the characters great (You will never forget the name Christopher Mcgraw), and the Human Tech uniquely interesting, despite the author-recognized similarities to Halo, which he claims are largely coincidental. The only problem I had was the grammar, which improves greatly as the story continues, but suffers near the beginning, and the plot, which, while not perfect, had some weaknesses; however, through correspondence with the Author (who seems to answer all of his fan-mail), he recognizes this as well, and is working on 'beefing it up' as he releases the Sequel.
  • YMMV. I found that it turned into Council-bashing pretty quick, and some of the Human tech and plot elements are so glaringly based off of Halo that it would almost have been a relief if the author made it a straight-up crossover (Orbital Dropping Death Dealers and the SIGMAs might be what killed this fic for me).

Who Saves the Hero? by Kudara

• Recommended by: Sithking Zero
• Status: Complete
• Synopsis: Shepard had been brought back from death by Cerberus, but she suspects TIM has manipulated her into working for him and that he has his own hidden agenda. Who can she trust besides Garrus and Tali to help her discern the truth? Will be FemShep/Samara.
• Pairing(s): FemShep/Samara, though this is notably NOT the point of this story.
• Tags: Slightly lemon, also female/female relationships.
• Comments: Wow. This story is one of the several fics that is a re-written version of ME2, but done in a really, really awesome way. Starts out with Shepard being very paranoid about Cerberus and the Illusive Man, but that in itself starts off a chain of events that really make this story stand out. A very different Shepard, one who actually thinks about where funds are coming from, one who is trying to seek out the best in everyone, and making it look good while doing it. Actually, I'm not doing a good job at summing it up. Just read it.
  • Spark Moon: The only thing that holds me back from giving it my full endorsement is that I prefer a celibate Samara (personal preference, sorry), but that aside, it is a well-written fic that pulls off a somewhat-saintly, but still flawed Shepard rather well.
  • I would recommend this, but the author's grammar is abysmal. The story is interesting, but the constant mechanical errors detract from the presentation.