I was recently asked for my favorite five fics of 2001. That's written and posted - which is kind of shame, as my favorite story of this year has to be Michele Masterson's "Contrition" - in 2001. But anyway, thought I'd post my picks for 2001 here (and really, I wish I could have picked 10, but 5 it is). I had an especially hard time choosing an ENT fics, because in general I read quite a few that I thought were excellent. A lot of the fiction I read this year was VOY based off the general dismay after "Endgame" and the results there were a mixed bunch. So for better or for worse, since I can only pick 5 stories that were must-reads for 2001, I went with the ones that I still remember, long after they were posted. That, in itself, is the highest compliment I think I can give. So here are my recs in alphabetical order:

• Another Bad Night by Djinn. A terrific "Endgame" round-up story - the characters were drawn beautifully and it it had a lovely introspective quality that drew me into the story and made me care about what was happening to the characters.
  
• Be Careful What You Wish For by Barbara Watson. A "wow" effort from a new author. This novel is what canon season 7 VOY should have been. No detail was too small or intricate - every character got resolution of some kind, plus more. There were no questions left lingering after the last paragraph, only the desire for more.
  
• enseignant l'ensign by Jintian. This is a fabulous character piece from an author new to Trek and I really got a sense of Hoshi Sato in the delicate and vivid prose. Definitely among the best ENT had to offer this year.
  
• Mok'Tah by Penny Proctor. The B'Elanna characterization in this story carried it completely. A real sense of character, a strong plot, and motivations which were understandable. It's the type of story that is so fluidly written you don't even realize that you are holding your breath until you're finished.
  
• Ragnorak by Rocky. It's rare that you get action stories in fanfic any more - and this one was a doozy. Riveting and exciting - not to mention a terrific Janeway - to the very end. Anyone looking for a great example of how to write heart-pounding, fast-moving plot should check this one out.