XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS - ALTERNATIVE FAN
FICTION REVIEWS
Jo
Reviewer can be reached at lunacy@dc.seflin.org
Last updated:
03/14/01
Please make sure to read the EXPLANATORY NOTES before reading these reviews.
JOINING TRILOGY by M. Pappas and J. Covington - read in the order listed below
**JOURNEY (THE) by Jim Kuntz
This talented writer delivers yet another first-class storytelling effort with the sequel to THE CITY - a RIVETING character piece that includes a confrontation I would pay GOOD MONEY to see in the TV series! On their way to the Amazons after their stay in Xora, Xena and Gabrielle finally face issues they've been avoiding for much too long as a VERY brave bard incurs the rage of warlord to uncover the secrets of a heart full of shame. Outstanding writing, compelling characterizations and a very sophisticated, sensitive treatment of the relationship make this tale one you will NOT want to put down. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [See the sequel MEG'S] - 29 pgs., 1/2/99
https://ausxip.com/fanfic6/thejourney.html
[German version: DIE REISE translated by Greyfax at http://www.KronachOnline.de/~biblio/xena/usadeutsch/reise3.htm]
**JOURNEY HOME (THE) by Tonya Muir
This one is an all-nighter folks - one of those INCREDIBLY SATISFYING novels you will NOT be able to put down until you finish it so if you start it late at night get ready to finish it around 3 AM as I just did <:) Tonya is yet another of the very talented new writers we've been getting as of late - bringing us in this first Xena offering what has to be one of the most tender romances I've read to date. Set after the events of the rift, the story has Xena taking Gabrielle to visit an old friend of hers hoping a little rest in his kingdom, along with a surprise she's been planning, will help the bard heal from the emotional wounds to her soul. The vacation, however, soon turns into a working one when the two learn of an army of raiders threatening the kingdom and agree to investigate who or what may be behind it. All the while the two soulmates are grappling with issues very close to their hearts as they find themselves growing closer than ever before, admitting truths they've never admitted before, facing honestly the horrors of what they've recently been through and trusting in a love that has no bounds. This is a SPLENDID hurt/comfort tale with one of the most moving, and most honest depictions of the Xena/Gab relationship I've ever read. With regards to the rift - it's a story that does what the TV series has yet to do - it provides RESOLUTION, touching upon ALL the major issues these characters grappled with during season three - following Xena and Gab's emotional journey toward one another as they deal with the guilt, fears and despair of that recent past. Beautifully written and edited, this is a spellbinding look at an unforgettable partnership. A MUST READ! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 109 pgs., 10/7/98
http://members.xoom.com/tmuir/Home1.htm
https://ausxip.com/fanfic4/journeyhome1.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]
JOURNEY OF LOVE (A) by Trish (ArdentTly)
Sweet story set after the episode ONE AGAINST AN ARMY which has Xena and Gabrielle talking at last about feelings too long denied. [See also the sequel ARDENT WARRIOR...JEALOUS BARD...PASSIONATE QUEEN] - 3 pgs., 6/28/98
http://xwp-altfic.simplenet.com/journey-of-love1.html
JOURNEY OF LOVE AND HOME (A) by Annmaray
A sequel to THE MIST OF PIERIA this story finds Xena and Gabrielle coming down from the mountain that has been their home since their return from the dead, intent on sharing with friends and family their newfound happiness - only all has not been well during their abscence. Rebel Amazons are determined to destroy the legacy of honor and peace Gabrielle tried to impart on the Nation while a dark menace from the bard's past will force her to face long-feared demons even Xena might not be able to conquer for her. Well-written story with a very committed vision of the Xena/Gab partnership, a strong supporting cast,
and an engrossing storyline. - 53 pgs., 6/26/99
https://ausxip.com/fanfiction/j/journeyoflove.html
**JOURNEY OF SOULMATES SERIES (A) by Missy Good - read in the order listed below. These individual stories as a combined effort form one of the premier series in Xena fanfic - a magnificent contribution that gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!
AWARDS: Swollen Bud Award for "Constant Arousal In A Series" (March 23, 2000)
FANFIC ART:
**JOURNEY'S END by L.J. Maas
Marking L.J's first forays into the Conqueror genre, this FANTASTIC new story offers a twist on the traditional Conqueror tale presenting us with an older version of the Destroyer of Nations than we're used to seeing. In her mid-forties, L.J.'s Conqueror is a ruler who's now grown weary of the intensity and violence of her younger days. Still a remarkable beauty and still capable of the ruthlessness that carved out her empire, Xena is nevertheless now a warrior in transition - a woman who's learned that no amount of conquest or riches will fill the emptiness within. It is with little enthusiasm then that she prepares to inspect the batch of slaves offered by one of her governors, knowing she must choose one as the customary gift she usually accepts but now seldom uses...only this time a pair of frightened green eyes literally takes her breath away, awakening a compassion and protectiveness within the Conqueror she hasn't felt in years. In the days and weeks to come the feared Empress will find herself going out of her way to avoid frightening her young slave. Struggling against her own rougher edges and the pitiful submissiveness that has allowed Gabrielle of Poteidaia to survive years of servitude, Xena will work to return the dignity long stolen from the young woman, discovering in the process that the heart of a slave may just be the greatest treasure she ever wins. LJ is crafting here a truly exceptional tale, beautifully written, with poignant characterizations that both contrast and complement one another. The Xena and Gabrielle she presents us with here are on the surface very different women but they share a loneliness that comes from the extreme circumstances of their lives and a mutual empathy that gives them a unique insight into one another. Immediately compelling, this latest contribution to the popular Conqueror genre is certain to make it even MORE so. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! [See the sequel THE PETAL OF THE ROSE] - 200 pgs., 7/21/00
FANFIC ART:
JOURNEY'S GIFT by Morgaine
This is a LONG novel of epic proportions that begins with the Warrior Princess and her bard finally confessing their feelings for one another, only to soon find themselves on a mission to restore a part of Xena's past - a mission to save the warrior's first love - a love Xena has never been able to forget and which years later could change her life forever. The journey will begin on a ship where the warrior and her bard will encounter the first of many horrors to come. Before it's over Xena will learn about a gift the gods have given her, hearts will break while others stop beating, a love will be tested beyond all measures and in a quiet whisper in the wind, a dark secret from the past will at last be revealed. This tale is heart-wrenching to the point that it sometimes becomes difficult to read but it is also EXTREMELY well-written. In addition to the romance, the action and suspense, it is at various points a hurt/comfort tale with all the great drama and emotion those types of tales tend to bring out. NOTE: There are scenes of violence in this story so PLEASE read the author's warning. [See also the sequel FATE'S GIFT] - 164 pgs., 7/19/97
FANFIC ART: "Xena Warrior Princess" by Barbara Maclay
http://xwp-altfic.simplenet.com/list-mz.htm
**JOXER THE MIGHTY by Donna E. Trifilo and Catherine M. Wilson - [See the AFTER THE HONEYMOON SERIES]
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