Mass Effect/Fanfic Recs

I'm Commander Shepard, and these are my favorite fan fics on the internet.

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

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

Do warn when a fanfic may head into non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business. Please also be aware that, due to recent content policy changes, works that are Porn Without Plot may not be linked to, including any work that is hosted on a certain meme.

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

Authors, and Websites

Sinvraal

• Recommended by Damsel of Distress
• Writer of the excellent Iunctio fic, mentioned below, as well as the Wrex fic also under her name. She also has written several more fic expanding her own version of the Mass Effect universe. Some fluff, an excellent story that happened between the two games that features Cerberus as the antagonists. She has recently finished writing her fic for the sequel called Exitus, which has the same superior quality of Inuctio, including a POV from Legion that's unique, in character, and brilliant.

If You Were Commander Shepard ^{[dead link]}

• Recommended by Meshakhad
• A thread consisting of people writing their own dialogue for Mass Effect. Runs the gamut from lampshading plot holes to creating moments of pure awesome. Not all are good, but many are excellent.

The Wacky Fun-time Audio Thread

• Recommended by pcy623
• A hysterical NSFW thread with edited audio from Mass Effect 2. With pairings such as Male Shepard/Zaeed, Miranda/Jack, Grunt/Tali, Tali/Legion, Jacob/Kasumi and Thane/Samara, it's bound to put you in stitches if you aren't already uncomfortable hearing their "getting shot" audio as Immodest Orgasm. The way the creator pieced dialogue from the game together is more banter than you can find in the original game. Besides that, the thread includes Easter Eggs: cut audio from Mass Effect 2.

The Bioware Big Bang

• Recommended by Ghastdream
• Section of Mass Effect Fanart and Fanfic from the Bioware Big Bang Challenge.

Munkeestuff

• Recommended by Firebert
• Tumblr that features some hilarious drawings featuring Javik. Warning: Contains ME 3 spoilers.

The Unofficial Mass Effect Epilogue Slides

• Recommended by S1duri, DudeL, brodyaga
• Fan-made epilogue generator for Mass Effect 3

Best at Everything

• Recommended by ADHD_Pyro
• Synopsis: Shepard recruited the best in the universe for his campaign against the Collectors. This includes...

General Fics

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

Harvest by Nuts!

• Recommended by Gore17
• 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."

Renegade Reinterpretations by College Fool

• Recommended by Grant
• 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."

Order Upon Chaos by Sudentor

• Recommended by owlbot
• 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 Cosmic Horrors. 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.

Accidental Hero of the Galaxy by Random Equinox

• Recommended by Bufu, Deep Recon, Mavado
• 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.

Cause and Effect by Raven Studios

• Recommended by pyrotorch246
• Synopsis: "Pre-Mass Effect. Jalissa Shepard meant to stay a farmer on Mindoir after high school. And then the batarians came. 100 prompts. 1000 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 1000 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.

Newton's First Law by Raven Studios

• Recommended by pyrotorch246
• 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 it's predecessor—1000 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 Doorstopper status.
  • And now a second sequel, for Mass Effect 2, entitled Newton's Second Law

The Distress Call by Knightfall1138

• Recommended by Tillian
• 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.

Mock Effect by Mister Buch

• Recommended by Tillian
• 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 have 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 ^{[dead link]} 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.

New Friends by Mister Buch

• Recommended by Tillian
• 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.

Graveyard Shift by Peptuck

• Recommended by corin
• 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.

Exitus by Sinvraal

• Recommended by owlbot
• Sypnosis: Explorations, variations and off-camera moments from the Mass Effect 2 storyline. Multiple character POVs.

Interstitium by Assault Sloth

• Recommended by Deadpool Fan
• Synopsis: A series of oneshots weaving in and out of the ME2 plot, focusing on major and minor character POV's alike!

Mass Effect Interregnum by The Naked Pen

• Recommended by Altercation
• 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.

Mind Over Matter by eyyowlf

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• 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.

Iron Sharpens Iron by snippax

• Recommended by: Kalaong
• Status: Ongoing
• 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?

Tomorrow's Dawn by ElectricZ

• Recommended by: Hanz
• 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.

Second by ElectricZ

• Recommended by: Salty Wound
• 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.

Fight for the Lost by LuxDragon

• Recommended by: biodude711
• Status: Ongoing
• Synopsis: A very well written novelization of Mass Effect 2. Not a Shipping-Fic but has Shepard/Miranda.

Inglorious Boshtets by 500MetricTonnesofPalladium

• Recommended by Kalaong
• 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!

Project Gethinator by 500MetricTonnesofPalladium

• Recommended by Two Gun Angel
• 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.

The Selfish Gene by Buggirl

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• 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 poigniant and thoughtful fan fics I've read in the fandom, in my opinion.

Who Saves the Hero? by Kudara

• Recommended by Sithking Zero
• 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.

The Long Walk by Prisoner 24601

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• 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.

The Uncounted by Moranth

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• 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

Engineered ^[dead link] by jtav

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• 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.

Noir Tali Is Noir by NuclearBuddha and RiptideX1090

• Recommended by Cinereous
• 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).

Broken Wings by Coombs

• Recommended by Ghastdream
• 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.

Spectre by Caine/Precept (Also available on FF.Net)

• Recommended by: Gentlemens Dame 883
• 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.

Aliens Are Weird by KiwiDayDreams

• Recommended by: Kuro Rei
• 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.

Storytellers by IphigeniaWrites

• Recommended by Tropulastic
• 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...

Friends Like These by ElectricZ

• Recommended by Pyjak
• 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.

KOKOMO by ghost.713

• Recommended by: Ghastdream
• 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.

Mass Vexations by

• Recommended by: Catheri
• 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."

Masses to Masses by

• Recommended by: S3ek
• 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.”

Mass Effect 2 AU: Lanius by College Fool

• Recommended by: P Sychotic
• 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.

First Contact by Animus of Masada

• Recommended by: Alynnidalar
• 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?

Mass Effect 3: After the Fall by Fenris Marine

• Recommended by: thatdude
• 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 desirable. 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
• 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.

Unending by Halm Vendrella

• Recommended by: Vellaen
• Synopsis: The Crucible is activated. The Reapers are destroyed. And a man who should be dead takes a breath. Find out how Commander Shepard survived... and what the Catalyst's deception means for the galaxy.
• Status: Complete, though with something of a Twist Ending/Sequel Hook, on which YMMV.
• Comments: The title is as sarcastic as it sounds. One of many fics written in rebellion against the Mass Effect 3 endings, and another possible take on the Indoctrination Theory. The author tries to justify why Shepard survives the destroy ending, along with tackling an assortment of other questions left unanswered by canon. The characters are well-presented, and there's a familiar flavor to the banter between squadmates. Wrex returns, and he's the same old troll from the first game.

Black Moon Rising by santi01

• Recommended by: Dr Jekyl
• 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.

In Times of War by ML Gumm

• Recommended by: openseseme
• 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.

From Hell's Heart by gtamaster316

• Recommended by: Metal King 1417
• 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.

Conception by lloyd007

• Recommended by Gentlemens Dame 883
• Synopsis: Mass Effect 3 ending AU. The Reapers took Humanity and made it one of their own, but Mankind will not bow so easily.

Shipping Fics

Shipping Fics

Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Iunctio by Sinvraal

• Recommended by Damsel Of Distress, Joysweeper, Tropulastic
• Pairing: Female Shepard/Kaidan, mild Joker/Ashley
• Synopsis: Explorations, variations and off-camera moments from the main storyline. Multiple character POVs.
• Comments: Tempted to put this in general fics as lots of other character interactions is explored than just Shenko. Utter brilliant attention to narrative detail and is easily one of the best Mass Effect fics.

Manipulations by akg.writes

• Recommended by Tropulastic
• Pairing: Female Shepard/Kaidan Alenko, Ship Tease of Garrus and Kasumi
• Warnings: Out of 65+ chapters, a few of them have explicit content
• Synopsis: Shepard has newfound biotic powers, thanks to the Lazarus Project. She doesn't know how to use them though, so a certain L2 biotic is hired to be her teacher. But things won't be easy: Shepard and Kaidan aren't on good terms, and neither are Alliance and Cerberus officers. They'll all have to work together, as there are bigger interests in play. And why was Shepard turned into a biotic, anyway?

Persephone Rising by ansinna (A shared account belonging to Evil Sapphyre, jillyfae, and SiaLater)

• Recommended by Lady Demonique
• Pairing: fem!Shepard/Joker, fem!Shepard/Kaidan, fem!Shepard/Garrus.
• Synopsis: From the summary: Three Shepards were born, instead of just one. Alexis Shepard, the Spacer and War Hero, as beautiful as she is driven. Ella Shepard, the Mindoir-born, Butcher of Torfan with a heart of gold. Meghan Shepard, Earthborn reformed criminal and the Sole Survivor of Akuze. They've all been assigned to the Normandy SR-1 for her shake-down cruise. But no one ever sends these marines out together for just a shake-down cruise...
• Comments: A single Commander Shepard is already pretty damn Badass, but putting three different combinations of Shepard's backgrounds together just takes the awesome Up to Eleven. The three authors who co-write this fanfic work together very well, and manage to make their respective Shepards believable. The action sequences are brilliant, the pacing fast but not rushed, and the exploration of the Shepards' relationship with their Love Interests are handled sensitively. All in all, a very entertaining read.

Modus Operandi by Pereprin

• Recommended by Tolgron
• Pairing: Garrus/Shepard
• Synopsis: Starting just after Shepard receives command of the Normandy, Modus Operandi flits back and forth between Shepard's current missions and interactions with her crew, and the story of how she came to be the woman capable of being the first human Spectre. All the while, increasingly towards the ending chapters, Shepard forms a rather complicated relationship with her turian squadmate, Garrus Vakarian. Rated M for adult language and rather steamy romance scenes.

Strange Bedfellows by Phoenike

• Recommended by LoganLee88
• Synopsis: An alternate take to the love scene between Garrus and Shepard before the Omega-4 Relay and a post-Suicide Mission chapter as well.
• Pairing: Garrus/Shepard

The Thane Krios Experience by littleblackdog

• Recommended by Joysweeper
• Pairings: Garrus/Shepard, Garrus/Thane.
• Synopsis: Nervous about the mechanics of blowing off steam with a human, Garrus seeks advice about the bane of xeno-loving turians throughout the galaxy— how is this kissing thing supposed to work, especially when you've got no lips?
• Comments: It actually might fit better in the Humor section, but ehh. The title's a reference to The Jimi Hendrix Experience, and despite an awkward line or two it's just fun.

Rock Steady by Gagged Cenobite

• Recommended by Herr Wozzeck
• Pairing: Thane/Jack
• Synopsis: Nobody's really whole, we're just broken in different ways from each other. Jack learns this as her friendship with a certain drell assassin slowly intensifies.

Taking Back Yesterday by Gagged Cenobite

• Recommended by JackInqu
• Pairing: Thane/Jack
• Synopsis: An exercise in getting rid of unwanted tenants. Is it worth it to plan, organize, and execute a full-on assault on the biggest arms dealer in Citadel space, just to get some alone-time? You bet your ass it is.

A Harmless Pastime by Pigblossom.

• Recommended by Oracle
• Pairings: Plenty, including Female Shepard/Liara and Kelly -> Shepard.
• Synopsis: Snooping through the Normandy's computer systems, Miranda discovers Shepard's hobby of writing explicit slash fiction about her colleagues. Hilarity Ensues.

Razor's Edge by Tairis Deamhan

• Recommended by Herr Wozzeck, Sigge
• Pairings: Tali/Shepard
• Synopsis: Life is all about finding something worth living for, the question is what is that when you're a spectre that has already died once? John Shepard seeks to find this out as he begins to realize the extent of his feelings to a certain quarian engineer.

Just a Soldier by Dinah Lance

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• Pairings: Female Shepard/Jacob Taylor
• Synopsis: From the summary After Shepard is poisoned on Omega, Jacob volunteers to lure out Morinth. Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin, with a Female Shepard, natch.

Our Love Is Problematic by Finn Solomon

• Recommended by Dutch Warlord
• Pairings: Male Shepard/Subject Zero
• Synopsis: From the opening Chapter "A Mass Effect 2 fic detailing the growing relationship between Commander John Shepard and the mysterious, violent biotic known only as Jack." Exactly what it says, starts from Purgatory and continues onwards. Ongoing.

Geth Infiltrator by DiChromate

• Recommended by Meat Wisdom
• Pairings: Tali/Legion
• Synopsis: In preparation for the Suicide Mission, Shepard calls on Tali and Legion to accompany him on a mission, in order to get the two to get along both on and off of the battlefield. Tali learns that there is more to Legion than your average Geth, and is more than surprised when she starts developing feelings for it.

Tiger By My Side by Introjection

• Recommended by Cass
• Pairing: Joker/Shepard
• Synopsis: Commander Shepard isn't one to be confused. However, after the events on the remote colony of Horizon, she has no choice but to accept the things she does not want to face, and have the courage to start life anew.

Mass Mayhem by Universitas

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• Pairing(s): M!Shepard/Joker (ergo, slash)
• Synopsis: Quoted from the summary itself: 100 drabbles in 20 weeks exploring Victor Shepard and his crew. Spans the first game and is now entering into Mass Effect 2
  • Now has its own article.

Clearly A Mistake by Metal Dragon Kiryu

• Recommended by Ethan Miller, Spark Moon
• Pairings: Jack/Miranda, Female Shepard/Liara, Kelly > Shepard.
• Synopsis: Set during the second game, the story focuses on the relationship between Miranda and Jack. It contains f/f sex, albeit not explicit, and a moderate amount of swearing.

Something That'll Last by Popehippo

• Recommended by Spark Moon
• Pairings: Background characters, specifically a salarian and an asari.
• Synopsis: From the summary A small glimpse into the life of those outside of Commander Shepard's story; based on the interactions of two NPCs in Illium. That is to say, the unnamed salarian and his asari step-daughter you overhear on Illium.

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained by ghost.713

• Recommended by Salty Wound
• Pairings: Kolyat/Oriana
• Synopsis: Guardian angels have never been perfect creatures, but a one-time hitman might be stretching things. After his assassination attempt is foiled, Kolyat Krios begins working for Captain Bailey on Zakera Ward, reluctantly and irritably attempting to repent for his crime. At the same time, Oriana Solheim, now attending multiple schools on the Citadel, moves into the apartment next door to Koylat. An incredibly awkward, yet terribly cute relationship inevitably forms.

Supernova by Echo Alexia

• Recommended by Ghastdream
• Synopsis: Nihlus meets Femshep prior to boarding the Normandy. They duke it out with lots of mercs.
• Pairing: Nihlus/Shepard

Learning Experiences by inthefadeforever

• Recommended by Ghastdream
• Synopsis: AU with no reapers, Shepard as a Spectre candidate and Saren as her instructor.
• Pairing: Saren/Shepard

GT Snap Shots and GT Snap Shots: Reboot by LockDown

• Recommended by Firebert
• Pairing: Garrus/Tali
• Synopsis: A series of one-shots about the Garrus and Tali pairing.
• Comments: Very nice fanfics of this pairing, with correctly guessed examples of events in Mass Effect 2 in the first fic. It features great character development, as well.

A Thessian's Whisper by PMC 65

• Recommended by Shakduhn
• Pairing: Liara/Female Shepard
• Synopsis: The separate lives of E.W. Shepard (Elizabeth Whisper Shepard) and Liara T'Soni: Starting in 2164 when Shepard is 10 and Liara is 87 the story reveals how they grow up to become the individuals that meet on Therum. Their families, friends, lovers and life experiences.

Gabby and Ken by Joe La Turkey

• Recommended: by chankljp
• Pairings: Gabby/Ken, Shepard/Kelly
• Synopsis: A story that take place during the events of Mass Effect 2, starting with Kelly and Kasumi getting into a wager to get everyone's favorite engineering duo into admitting their feeling for each other. Things get interesting as the Normandy crew got some shore leave on Illium, with large number of crew members trying to ship the two of them.
• Comments: As of the writing of this recommendation, this is the only story on Gabby and Ken that is available on Fan Fiction.net. Everyone in the story fits their characterization in the game, with the trademark sarcastic humor from the duo and all other characters. Includes some minor shipping between Kelly and Shepard.

The Robot by starkraves

• Recommended by: Jonn
• Synopsis: "If the geth have a soul then it is a strange one, but if the soul exists then so too do all the sorrows that comes with it."
• Pairing(s): Tali/Legion

Escaping the Past by Retail Avenger 85

• Recommended by: Bbg1129
• Synopsis: Lt Kaidan Alenko learns to let go of the things that haunt his past with the help of his odd new Commander. His overwhelming urge to protect everyone is derailed by a woman who can protect herself. The author's "headcanon", expanding on games.
• Pairing(s): Fem!Shep/Kaidan
• Comments: Basically goes through Mass Effect 1 from the point of view of Kaidan. Author does a great job inserting game dialog, and adding their own. Funny and adorable, The author really gets inside Kaidan's head, and fleshes out his character. Followed by Mass Effect 2 sequel Repairing the Present and Mass Effect 3 Creating the future (currently a WIP) The series is definitely worth a read. Takes a few chapters for the author to hit their stride, but settles in nicely.

Humor Fics

Crackfics, satires, or otherwise humorous stories.

Garfield Effect: Galaxy Adventure by ShakepeareHemmingway

• Recommended by Psythe
• Synopsis: Garfield leads Shepard and crew to save galaxy!
• Comments: Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I would see a Garfield/Mass Effect crossover, and never in those same dreams did I believe I would ever laugh so hard. This is very much in the tradition of Full Life Consequences, truly great badfic, and I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you've ever wanted to see Shepard get it on with every girl in the game as well as a hanar, a varren, and all of the krogan females of Tuchanka at the same time, this is the fic for you. Every time I read it something new and amazing comes out of it. THESE ARE MY OLIVE BRANCHES.

A Trail a Mile Wide by Heuksal

• Recommended by Anthurak
• Synopsis: After destroying the Collector base and saving the galaxy, the crew of the SR2 Normandy go on shore leave. Hilarity Ensues. Pretty much one giant reference to "Banned from Argo" by Leslie Fish & the Dehorn Crew—a song about spacers misbehaving so badly as to become Personae Non Gratae.
• Comments: Basically, Shepard is nursing a colossal hangover while Garrus gives her a whole shopping list of the crazy shit she and her crew has done. A fun read.

Threesome by Remenants

• Recommended by Anthurak
• Synopsis: FemShepard, Garrus and Tali get to know each other better. Not what it sounds like! Honest!
• Comments: A fun little one-shot. Won't spoil anything, but quite funny. Any Garrus or Tali fan will enjoy.

Mass Effect: Records of an Irken Defective by KiwiDayDreams

• Recommended by Kalaong and Navllyk
• Synopsis: FemShepard is summoned back to Earth to investigate an... oddity. She ends up adding the saddest, most obnoxious alien invader in existence to her squad. Invader Zim.

Mass Effect: Grunt Sticks It In by Gregg Landsman

• Recommended by Liangnui
• Synopsis: Upon deciding that hanging herself out as the cyborg carrot on a stick for the Asari Sex Vampire was not a good idea, Commander Jane Shepard decides to use her varied team of specialists to set an actual trap. In theory.

Joker's List by Made Nightwing

• Recommended by Ghastdream
• Synopsis: From the summary: The Command Team of the Normandy SR2 are sick of Joker's pranks. They make up a list of 182 things that Joker is no longer allowed to do. Based on Skippy's List, the life and times of a Special Forces Medic.

Infiltrait0r N7 by ranubis

• Recommended by ultimatepheer
• Synopsis: We all know that Legion is deadly in combat. Rumors are he also is a gamer. Let's take a look at his interactions on the extranet...
• Comments: Humorous, and the writer nailed the personality of both legion and the typical FPS player.

Cultural Differences by Mini Boss Majoring

• Recommended by Gamerex 27.
• Pairings: M!Shep/Tali, F!Shep/Garrus (story switches between the viewpoints of two different Shepards. Romance is NOT the point of this story.)
• Synopsis: One-shots during ME1 and ME2. With several species on the Normandy, it was rather obvious that differences between them would be mistaken at times. Continuing.

Mess Perfect by Epantiras

• Recommended by Borkless
• Synopsis: A brilliant parody comic of Mass Effect poking good natured fun at almost all aspects of the game.
  • Now with an in-progress sequel, Mess Perfect 2
• Comments: Very funny, featuring a renegade FemShep who does actions most of us only wish were in the game.

100 Things Commander Shepard's Crew Will Mutiny Over by The Mad Dragon

• Recommended by decoy73
• Synopsis: Shepard's crew, having had enough of some of her antics, has come together to compile a list of things she's no longer allowed to do.
• Comments: Incredibly funny, in character, and forbidding all the things we have done, wish we could do, and then some. Also with shout-outs to other games and movies

Mass Effect 3 A Crucible in More Ways Than One by Sudentor

• Recommended by Wild Goose
• Synopsis: Forget Commander Shepard and Admiral Anderson; being responsible for organizing the construction of a doomsday device with that many zany races and organizations, Admiral Steven Hackett is clearly the true, most long-suffering hero of Mass Effect 3.
• Comments: A very crackfic take on the trials of Admiral Hackett as he supervises the construction of the Crucible, deals with being the Only Sane Man in a fleet of Crazy Awesome scientists (and just plain crazy) and tries to keep everyone focused on getting the job done. Highlights include challenging Kasumi to a Touhou duel to keep her from stealing Jacob from Bryn Cole.

Crossover fics

The Mission Stays the Same by Ursakar

• Recommended by USA Bobcat
• Synopsis: Just after Shepard comes back from Project Overlord, days after regaining life, EDI detects a signal from the nearby planet Aite. When Shepard investigates, she finds a very confused Imperial Guard Stormtrooper and an Eldar Farseer.

The Last Spartan by Dino Jake

• Recommended by Gamerex27, Crow T R0bot
• Synopsis: An AU fic in which the Halo and ME universes share the same galaxy. After a well deserved rest in Cryo-Sleep, Master Chief finally awakens...to a whole new galaxy.
  • Now has its own page.

Hammerhand by Colonel Mustard

• Recommended by: hodaza
• Synopsis: A cross over with Warhammer 40,000: While on their way to battle the Greenskins, Captain Malleus of the Sons of Thunder and his command squad are hit by a shock attack gun and blasted all the way back to the early 3rd millenium. Shepard is dead, human colonies are disapearing and its time for the Astartes to do what the Astartes were made to do. Long, well written and finished.
  • The sequel, Angels Of The Storm, is also finished.

Renegade by Peptuck

• Recommended by Deep Recon
• Synopsis: A Mass Effect/Command & Conquer Crossover/Alternate Universe fic that replaces the Mass Effect Earth with Tiberium Earth, with GDI taking over the role of the Systems Alliance, that follows the plot of the original game. Female Colonist Sole Survivor/War Hero Shepard who appears to be a combination Vanguard/Adept. Not yet clear whether she's Paragon or Renegade.

Eagle's Fall by CharNobyl

• Recommended by Zaptech
• Synopsis: Established in the same setting as Renegade, this story covers the First Contact War between GDI and the Turian Hierarchy - specifically, the bloody ground war that resulted in the alternate timeline of that story.
• Comments: A well-written, gritty, and realistic depiction of how a war between GDI and the Hierarchy would have played out. Indications of a Gambit Pileup are starting to show as both the asari and Brotherhood of Nod agents have begun to appear.
  • • Tropes page now available.

Records of an Irken Defective by KiwiDayDreams

• Recommended by Lord Gale
• synopsis: Mass Effect/Invader Zim. A post-ME2 fic, in which (fem)Shepard is called to Earth to investigate a mysterious death in an old abandoned house, only to confront some sort of deranged, psychotic robot. The fight escalates, and they stumble upon a stasis pod containing a certain green Invader, asleep since the year 2025...

In the Shadow of Gods by Anne Whyne

• Recommended by Farmer Kyle
• Synopsis: A Mass Effect/Halo crossover, this takes place not long after Abigail Shepard and her team have destroyed the Collector Base. They come across the remains of a giant of a ship, "like a whale against the Normandy's dolphin" to use the author's comparison, that doesn't match any known models. Shepard decides to investigate it, and they find the bisected ship's only two inhabitants, an A.I. and a soldier both far from home.

Ghost Story (FF.Net version) by Nuts!/Norwest (Tropes page)

• Recommended by Gentlemens Dame 883
• Synopsis: The Dresden Files crossover, spoilers for the end of Changes and start of the eponymous canonical book. Harry Dresden is dead, and so is John Shepard circa Bring Down the Sky. Orders on high come in to send them back to the land of the living... The other guy's land of the living.

The Babylon Effect by Andrew James Williams

• Recomended by kilroy11235
• Synopsis: A pre-ME1 crossover with Babylon 5; The Terran Systems Alliance, a member of Citadel Space, encounter the Minbari and accidently kill their leader. The resulting war goes a little differently.
• Comments: Mass Effect already had a Babylon 5 feel to it, and this blends them together quite well, giving a plausible reason why the races from both stories never originally encountered each other.

(Exodus of Stars) by keiranhalcyon2010

• Recommended by Metal King 1417
• Synopsis: BattleTech crossover. Aleksandr Kerensky has led the war weary Star League Defense Force on a two year long journey into exile. A chance decision leads to a long awaited discovery, and final proof that humanity is not alone in the cosmos.
• Comments: There are several interesting changes to the canon that make this interesting, even for a Fusion Fic/AU, one of the most notable being Humanity making a peaceful first contact with the Quarians, as opposed to the usual canon and violent first contact with the Turians. All together a good read.
• Now has a page (under constuction) located here

Drift by Peptuck

• Recommended by Zaptech
• Synopsis: Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles crossover taking place over the events of Mass Effect 2. Shepard receives an update to his team dossiers: a scientist specializing in artificial intelligence named Allison Young. When he goes to recruit her, however, he quickly discovers that she is far more than she lets on.

Mass Effect 2: Naruto's Mission by I.K.A. Valian

• Recommended by autopanda
• Synopsis:Naruto wakes ten years in the future with no memory of what happened to get him there. Following the only clue he can find, he embarks on a mission to find and bring home Sasuke and Sakura who are lost in a galaxy threatened by Reapers.
• Comments: At first, it may SEEM like a sequel fic, but the author does not have any other Mass effect/Naruto fics. It's actually pretty good, if a little bit shocking due to the fact that Naruto was indoctrinated and apparently turned into an asshole.

Harbinger by Peptuck

• Recommended by Wild Goose
• Synopsis: A rampage by an insane psychic on an Alliance colony draws the attention of Commander Shepard, Citadel Spectre and former FEAR point man. Events are set in motion that may mean the death of a galaxy, or salvation from the Reapers. ME/FEAR fusion. M!Shepard/Ashley.
• Comments: Shepherd is the Pointman. Also has a tropes page here.

Blood and Fire by Tavi

• Recommended by Gentlemens Dame 883
• Synopsis: The Citadel races have long been at war with the theocratic empire known as the Covenant. Decades ago they came to the rescue of the newcomer known as "humanity" when the Covenant took a hostile interest. Today, Covenant forces attack the human colony of Eden Prime... Halo/Mass Effect, takes the Fusion Fic path rather than a straight crossover.

Protoculture Effect by Cyclone

• Recommended By SAMAS
• Synopsis: Another in the "Systems Alliance is replaced by Sci-Fi series X" class of fanfics, this time it's Robotech. The Sentinel Alliance is an entire rival bloc to the Citadel, with tensions running high after the aborted wars against the Turians and Batarians. Join controversial Human Spectre John Shepard and Lt. Commander Jane Hunter as they hunt down the rogue Spectre Saren.
  • Cyclone (the author) here. Nice to see my story here, but don't forget to check out the Codex, which includes some entries not found attached to the main story.

Consuming Direct Control by Hyliian

• Recommended By Metal King 1417
• Synopsis: With nothing left for him in the galaxy but empty space and idle time, Alex Mercer finds himself recruited in Commander Shepard's fight against the Collectors. Crossover with Prototype.
• Comments: A rather humorous fic if I ever saw one. Mercer's hyjinks driving Shepard bonkers is too much for anyone to resist. The only real flaw, as admitted by the author is the slight bit of over focusing on Alex, though it is almost always bearable.

Glorious Shotgun Princess by Gregg Landsman

• Recommended By Fenix, seconded by Gamerex27
• Synopsis: The Exaltation of the Unconquered Sun is a tricky thing. Especially when it doesn't come with an manual. Jane Shepard, who was able to talk Spectres into suicide before getting a spiritual superweapon grafted to her soul, has a new advantage. Crossover with Exalted.

Mass Effect: Human Revolution by IgnusDei

• Recommended By Kalaong
• Synopsis: The empty years between the present day and the discovery of the Prothean Ruins on Mars are filled in with the three Deus Ex games... and end with the Templars winning the Invisible War. Humanity is a bioconservative shadow of its canon glory. But fear not, Honest Corporate Executive David Sarif saw it all coming, and preserved his technology, researchers, himself, and Adam Jensen as Human Popsicles. Unfortunately, after more than a century on ice, only Adam made it to the 2170's - and barely makes it off Earth ahead of the torch-waving Muggles. But even off-world, Adam just can't stay out of trouble he never asked for. His first attempt to put down roots is on Elysium, and only his (suppressed!) rescue of the colony from batarian raiders enables him to leave the planet intact. He seems to find a home on the Citadel itself, distinguishing himself as Garrus Vakarian's partner in C-Sec. Only Commander Shepard, fresh from the attack on Eden Prime, gets herself assassinated hours after she sets foot on the Citadel. Adam Jensen never asked for this, but someone has to stop Saren - and he's better equipped than anyone else in the galaxy to do it.
• Comments: Conspiracies, cyborgs and snark hit the Mass Effect universe hard enough to knock out a charging krogan. The author is a transhumanist who was disappointed with Mass Effect 3's endings, and has chosen this combination of extropian promise and old-fashioned Badass to set it right. Prepare for asari terrorists taken out with thrown fridges, naive sentinels driven to distraction with CASIE mods, and krogan sucker-punched by inert ultra-tensile carbon fists.