XENA: WARRIOR PRINCESS - GENERAL FAN FICTION REVIEWS
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Reviewer can be reached at lunacy@dc.seflin.org
Last updated: 03/19/01

Please make sure to read the EXPLANATORY NOTES before reading these reviews.

HAND OF HADES (THE) by Becklee
Action-packed story that has the warrior and bard traveling toward a mountain where a deadly evil awaits - an evil that needs but one thing to attain ultimate power...a human soul. Clever story, well-written with some heart-stopping moments. - 38 pgs., 3/15/98
http://xenafiction.net/scrolls/thehand.html

HANDS by Bardic
A poignant vignette about the hands of a warrior and the harsh life those hands are a testament to. The writing here has a nice poetic quality to it adding a sense of pathos to the warrior's self-assessment. - 2 pgs., 12/15/99
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content5/bardic_hands.html

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE SOLSTICE by CN Winters
Sweet holiday story that has Xena, Gabrielle, their respective families and friends gathering for Solstice in Amphipolis where the warrior has her work cut out for her trying to mend some fences with her partner's father. Nice family feel to this one with some fun moments. [Note: story is available in both alt. and general versions] - 20 pgs., 1/21/00
http://www.amazontrails.com/xena/merrysolstice-alt.htm

**HE WHO WOULD BE KING by TrueBlue
VERY well written, thoughtful tale filled with suspense, mystery, and intrigue that has Xena and Gabrielle trying to uncover the truth behind a royal murder even as the two are dealing with the harsh realities of the life they are leading and the painful repercusions of these on the heart of an innocent bard. This story is very well plotted, carefully edited, and features a fascinating characterization of the Warrior Princess as seen through Gabrielle's eyes. - 54 pgs., 4/28/97
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content/hewhowould.html

**HEALER'S CHOICE by Maggie
A story set in ancient times, about a warrior, a bard...and a toothache?? Yeap! ;-) BAD toothache! Really, PAINFUL toothache! I'll let you discover the subtleties of this delightful little read all on your own. Suffice it to say that it will MAKE your day! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! - 29 pgs., 11/17/97
https://ausxip.com/fanfic/healers.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

HEART OF THE LION by Visitor
A wonderfully original piece that follows a group of Roman soldiers as they stalk their prey - not the lions they are used to hunting but human prey this time - an opponent well-known to their mighty emperor - an opponent who unbeknownst to the hunters is getting ready to make prey...out of them. Very well-written, different piece with a mystical quality to it. DO NOT MISS! - 3 pgs., 7/6/98
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Academy/2015/challenge1.html

HEART TO HEART by Marie E. Costa
A very tender vignette set after the events in the episode DEATH IN CHAINS as Xena tries to comfort a grieving bard and learns something about herself in the process. Very nice. - 11 pgs., 10/8/97
http://www.amazontrails.com/xena/confusion.htm

**HEART'S PROMISE by Maggie
Set immediately after the end of season three, this story is riveting, gut-wrenching, and reaffirming all at once. Featuring appearances from some of Maggie's own original characters from past stories, the tale follows Xena as she tries to deal with the agony of losing her soulmate, all the while struggling also against the God of War's renewed efforts at forcing her back into his fold. Meanwhile, trapped between the world of the living and the dead, Gabrielle looks on, desperate to help her beloved warrior but unable to do so - knowing that upon Xena's shoulders rests the only hope she has of ever resuming the life she left behind. Keep that kleenex box handy because parts of this story deliver quite an emotional wallop. Maggie depicts a Xena that is at the end of her rope, lost without her source, but determined to live up to her lost partner's ideals - never suspecting that in so doing she could very well prove herself worthy of the most beautiful of rewards. This is a story firmly grounded in the magic of the Xena/Gab friendship. Entertaining and wonderfully gratifying. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! - 47 pgs., 7/30/98
https://ausxip.com/fanfic3/heartspromise.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

HERCULEAN INSTINCTS: AN ALTERNATIVE TO "BITTER SUITE" by Atara
A short story set after the events in MATERNAL INSTINCTS which has a grief-striken Xena immersed in her pain and hatred when a friend comes along to help her deal with these. This little tale is indeed a surprisingly effective alternative to the way the rift played out on TV. - 6 pgs., 3/4/98
http://xwp-altfic.simplenet.com/herculean.txt

HEROES (A COP Parody) by Joanna
This is what happens when you watch too much bad TV ;-) Joanna allows us a look at a typical mission for Xena and Gabrielle as seen through the lens of a jerky camera. You'll pant right along with our heroines throughout this - new experience for many of you I'm sure. Cute :) - 7 pgs., 2/2/99, re-released 3/11/01
http://cousinliz.com/fanfic/joanna_h.html

**HIGH PASS (THE) by Jim
In the grand tradition of such fanfic classics like Rebekah's ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT and L. Fox's A BARD'S FAITH, comes this EXTRAORDINARY hurt/comfort story of survival, perseverance and a friendship for the ages. On their way back to Greece from the Carphatian mountains where Xena has just spent a summer vanquishing the blood-drinkers threatening the area, the warrior and bard are in good spirits - looking forward to using the money they've earned to perhaps settle down a bit upon their return home. It's a dream which flies from their grasp just as quickly as most of their possessions do when an accident leaves them nearly destitute in a land ravaged by famine and desperation. With their usual determination the two set out to try to survive their journey as best they can, eating the occasional scraps they can afford with the meager earnings Gabrielle's storytelling provides. All the while Xena is in a very personal struggle of her own - torn between staying true to the uncompromising faith Gabrielle has in her or selling her soul to ensure their survival...and breaking the bard's heart in the process. In his debut as a fanfic writer, Jim delivers a treatment of the relationship that will have you falling in love with these two characters all over again - falling in love with their strength of spirit in the darkest of hours - falling in love with their courage and most of all - falling in love with the devotion of two soulmates committed beyond reason to one another. Jim also does a terrific job addressing some of the many loose ends from the TV series, never shying away from the more difficult memories shared by these two women. The story is cleverly written using an omniscient narrator that adds some interesting commentary about the harsher aspects of life in general and the sometimes futile struggles of the human condition. A gut-wrenching, angst-filled, emotional tour-de-force this is the type of contribution that continues to make Xena fanfic the creme-della-creme on the Net. It gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! [Note: story includes some subtext] - 30 pgs., 3/28/00
AWARDS: "First Timer" Swollen Bud Award (Aug. 15, 2000)
http://www.xenafiction.net/scrolls/jim_thp.hts
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

HINDSIGHT by Brigid Doyle
A flashback to the early days of the Xena/Gabrielle relationship when a recently converted and still short-tempered Warrior Princess first found herself having to deal with a very stubborn and very curious bard-wannabe. - 5 pgs., 9/7/97
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content/hindsight.html

**HISTORY CAST IN AMBER by Lara Zielinsky
A long and simply *SPECTACULAR* story which begins as a seemingly simple tale with Xena and Gabrielle on a mission to stop an army of slavers led by an ex-lieutenant of the Warrior Princess. They will be joined by another figure from Xena's past but as the struggle against the slavers begins a dark god will make his presence known - a god who having owned Xena's heart once will do anything to try to recapture it - dismissing in his zest, the determination of a young bard to protect the friend she loves or the lengths to which she'll go for the warrior. Covering some of the most crucial moments in the lives of Xena and Gabrielle and shedding light on the secrets which will form the basis of their legend for ages to come, this story is exceptionally well-crafted, depicting a friendship worthy of the greatest of sacrifices and a nobility of spirit capable of humbling even the gods on Mt. Olympus. An exceptional tale which I VERY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! - 7 pgs., 8/14/97, returned to the Web 5/98 and later 1/5/99
http://members.xoom.com/LZClotho/gen/hcia1.html

HOME by Extra22
Bittersweet tale that follows the warrior and bard during their last years together on their way to an eternal reunion. Nicely developed, realistic little tearjerker. - 8 pgs., 8/3/99
http://xenite.net/scrolls/home.htm

HOME FIRES by Wishes
In a departure for Wishes, she brings us a wonderfully suspenseful horror story that has Xena and Gabrielle helping villagers fight a deadly new enemy - a growing evil in the shape of humans that has been around for time immemorial and will likely outlive the Warrior and Bard themselves. Nicely written. Particularly recommended for fans of the horror genre. - 30 pgs., 6/10/97
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content/homefires.html
https://ausxip.com/fanfic/judy/homefires.html

**HOMECOMING (THE) by Maureen McGowan
VERY sweet, beautiful story that has Xena taking Gabby back to Potidaea for a visit with her family only to discover that the little bard has a few surprises in store for her there. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
- 13 pgs., 3/97 https://ausxip.com/fanfic/homecoming.html

HORSE THIEVES by Lara Zielinsky
A very nice new story that has Xena and Gabrielle going after horse thieves when a certain mare of their mutual acquaintance comes up missing. This tale is well-written and presents a very committed, loyal depiction of the friendship between warrior and bard. - 20 pgs., 8/14/97, re-released 1/5/99
http://members.xoom.com/LZClotho/gen/horse.html

HUNGRY LAND (THE) by Mary Morgan
One of our most gifted bards returns with a story certain to maintain her reputation for the unusual. Suffering from some very frightening nightmares, Gabrielle is less than enthusiastic about traveling through the lush forest Xena insists on leading them through. For the bard it's the beginning of a nightmare as every step seems to zap her strength further, widening both the physical and emotional distance between herself and her partner. For Xena it will be among her greatest challenges as she finds herself increasingly drawn to the power of that forest - wanting to become a part of it no matter the cost and dreading the implications of that compulsion. Mary presents us here with a well-crafted, eerie tale, rich in symbolism that also happens to be a great character study. DO NOT MISS! - 8 pgs., 12/7/98
http://www.gabwhacker.com/xwp/quince/hungry.html
http://ferengi.cardiff-net.co.uk/xenanet/fiction/hungry.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

**HUNGRY ONE (THE) by Zwolf
Long known in the Xenaverse as the King of Spoilers for his brilliantly HILARIOUS spoilers of upcoming XWP episodes, Zwolf with this new story becomes also the Clive Barker of the Xenaverse! As if IN A DEEP SLEEP and UNDER THE MOON weren't scary enough, this talented bard now brings us a story that beyond the expected humor (wouldn't be a Zwolf story without the laughs after all ;-) is truly TERRIFYING!! Set on an appropriately stormy night, this tale has Xena and the bard seeking refuge from the weather in a dark, deserted castle - at least it looks deserted...until they discover otherwise. BWWAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! Couldn't resist the wild laugh there ;-) Anyway - this is outstanding folks! Very well written, VERY original and VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! - 61 pgs., 8/17/97
http://members.xoom.com/Nonamia/xena/hungry.html

**HUNS (THE) by Eimajj
Eimajj has brought us some fine XWP fan fiction in the past, including THE CONTEST, THE DILEMMA and the highly emotional A MOTHER'S PLEA. THE HUNS is the follow-up to this last story and with it Eimajj comes into her own as truly one of the finest bards in the Xenaverse to date. This tale is simply put - an EXPERIENCE. As is often the case with truly great stories, THE HUNS has everything -tremendous action scenes, suspense, gripping human drama, and a grand, epic plot based solidly on the indomitable heart of a Warrior Princess and the bard that means everything to her. The story begins soon after the events in A MOTHER'S PLEA with Xena and Gabrielle searching for signs of the Hun invasion Ares' threatened them with. Once they find the unmistakable and very gruesome proof of the Huns' passing it becomes clear to the warrior that to stop this enemy they will have to risk it all - their friends, their families, their lives and perhaps their very souls. As Gabrielle heads off to enlist the aid of the Amazons and Centaurs, Xena makes the only decision she can - to embrace the darkness once again, become the Warrior Princess of old, conquer the soul of an army and bury the memory of a bard deep inside. Riveting and intense, this tale features a characterization of Xena not unlike what we saw in the TV episode THE PRICE or the recently concluded alt. fan fic masterpiece ORIGINS by M. Parnell. Eimajj's storytelling will have you on the edge of your seat 'til the very end! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Note: the story has very subtle subtext. - 47 pgs., 9/9/97
FANFIC ART: "Flames of Passion" by Lunar
https://ausxip.com/fanfic/thehuns.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]