**BLACK MASTIFF (THE) by Keefer - [Alt]   
This EXCELLENT new story is a very well-written mystery that could easily be an actual episode from the TV series. It has the warrior and bard on their way back to the town of Thellus where the villagers have requested their help in trying to solve a series of gruesome murders. In their search for answers, Xena will find herself once again having to face the sins of her past and turning to the bard who knows her so well in trying to deal with those. Keefer's characterizations in this are outstanding. His Xena and Gabrielle are two partners devoted to one another, playful with one another, starting to become aware of one another as more than just friends. The supporting cast is also well drawn with solid characters that complement the principals beautifully. Keefer combines a touch of humor with suspense and drama in a story that draws you in and will keep you anxiously hitting that page-down key 'til the very end. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [Note: story is not explicit] - 40 pgs., 5/30/98
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content3/blackmastiff.html

**BLOOD AND ROSES SERIES - This series was begun by Katrina who then invited other authors to participate. Below are the stories I've reviewed in the series. For other stories and an explanation of the premise behind the series go directly to Katrina's BLOOD AND ROSES page. - [Alt]

**BITE ME by Katrina
**FONDER HEART (THE) by Katrina
**ALL SOUL'S NIGHT by Joseph Connell
**WHEN THE NIGHT CLOSES IN by Sharon Bowers
**TWILIGHT'S CHILDREN by Sharon Bowers
DARK PROMISE by Katrina
**BACCHAE VERSUS VAMPIRE by Chris M
**WHIFF OF BRIMSTONE (A) by Chris M
**BLOOD TIES by Ella Quince
**BARD OF AVON (THE) by Jennifer Bracanovich

**BLOOD MOON by John W. Woznack
John takes the basic premise of the story told in the GIRLS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN EPISODE and weaves it into a different, much more serious tale that in my opinion outdoes the TV episode by far. Terrific story. NOT TO BE MISSED! - 20 pgs., 12/96
http://www.concentric.net/~jwoznack/stories/bloodm_p.shtml

BREAKING THE ICE by Mary Morgan
Very unusual, skillfully written story set in a northern settlement where villagers are slowly starving to death while they're stalked by a mysterious assailant. Into this drama enter two strangers - a tall, dark warrior and her smaller blonde companion. For most of the worried settlers they are of passing interest, but for one of these they become an obsession - a promise of strength in one case and a focus for hatred in the other. This is a story about freedom lost, freedom regained and the healing power of hope. It features characterizations that build on one another resulting in well-defined characters and a very solid plot. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! - 18 pgs., 12/6/97
http://www.gabwhacker.com/xwp/quince/ice.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

**BURN by Zwolf
With some very dark, excellent stories already under his belt, Zwolf brings us a new tale which begins ominously with Xena and the bard crossing paths with a mysterious stranger - a beautiful and deadly warrior who Xena instantly recognizes as a kindred spirit and Gabrielle suspects may have a past as tortured as that of the Warrior Princess. Soon enough they'll learn just how dark that past was as the stranger's story unfolds and our two heroines find themselves immersed in a nightmare that could destroy their very souls. This is a riveting, intense thriller with several classic horror elements in a very original treatment. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 70 pgs., 5/10/98
http://members.xoom.com/Nonamia/xena/burn.html

CAVES by Jill
Marking the debut on the Web of a gifted new bard, this nicely crafted tale has an almost mystical feel to it. It has Xena hunting the same mythical creatures she first encountered as a warlord many years before. Meanwhile, Gabrielle struggles to understand what it is exactly that Xena is planning to go up against - an effort made even more challenging when a mysterious woman shows up with connections both to the warrior and the unseen menace Xena is determined to find. Jill does a nice job with the depictions of Xena and Gabrielle, establishing between them an easy sense of trust, love and protectiveness. Note: The story does contain subtext. [See also the follow-up THE SEA AND THE SPRING LEAVES in the alternative fiction section.] - 23 pgs., 12/22/97
https://ausxip.com/fanfic/caves.html

CHAINS OF ICE, CHAINS OF FIRE by Nene Adams - [Alt]
Known for her originality, Nene brings us a very unusual tale that reads a lot like the stories of old. On her way to meet with Gabrielle, Xena happens upon the home of a former captain in her army. She stops to rest and reminisce never suspecting the evil she has stumbled into it. Eerie and powerful. [Part of the CHAMBER OF HORRORS SERIES] - 4 pgs., 12/29/97
http://www.corrieweb.com/chamber/xenachains.htm

**CHAMBER OF HORRORS SERIES by Nene Adams - featuring consistently excellent stories, this series gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

IF THOU LOVEST ME - [Alt]
CHAINS OF ICE, CHAINS OF FIRE - [Alt]
**WHISTLING DOWN THE WIND
**FOR THE LOVE OF IRINA - [Alt]
**RESURRECTION AT REST - [Alt]
**ALL I EVER WANTED WAS YOU - [Alt]
**THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY - [Alt]
**"I" OF THE BEHOLDER - [Alt]
FLESH OF MY FLESH - [Alt]
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF AMPHIPOLIS - [Alt]
**LEGEND OF CASSUS SOMNUS (THE) - [Alt]

DEAD COME KNOCKING IF YOU LEAVE THE SCREEN DOOR OPEN (THE) by Susan Smith - [Alt]
Susan brings us a very special treat with this new Halloween tale which also acts as a prequel to her ground breaking uber OF DRAG KINGS AND A WARRIOR PRINCESS. Set about three years before that story, this new one features a seventeen-year-old Taryn experiencing what life is like at Rhea's during the ritual celebration of Samhain, All Hallow's Eve - a time when both visions and wandering spirits may visit the living. Taryn soon finds herself connecting with a troubled spirit whose tragic life deeply moves the young drag king. Helping that spirit becomes a priority even as Taryn wonders also about the mysterious woman in her visions... This is an intriguing look at the early dynamics between Taryn and the friends who would become her adopted family. - 7 pgs., 10/26/99, re-released 1/20/01
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Field/8093/dead.htm

CHRONICLES OF THE WARRIOR PRINCESS - BOOK I: HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED by JPuertoR   
Just in time for Halloween we get an entertaining XWP/ALIENS/PREDATOR crossover thriller by a new bard which has Xena and Gabrielle discovering a cache of these strange looking eggs in the forest. Soon after they happen upon the creatures responsible for that little cache just as these are...getting to know the locals. Meanwhile, another deadly visitor is making his presence known, playing a game which the warrior and bard know they must join before humans become an endangered species. This is a suitably gory, suspenseful action-adventure which fans of the sci-fi horror genre should particularly enjoy. [unfinished] - 10 pgs., 10/18/98
http://members.aol.com/jpuertor/xenafiction/hunters.htm

**CIRCLE OF STONES by Mary Morgan
With stories like AFTER THE VOLCANO, JUDGEMENT OF THE GODS, and JUST A PINCH OF BLACK POWDER, Mary Morgan has a history of giving us exceptionally well-written, thought-provoking fiction. It is a reputation she lives up to with this latest effort which has Xena and Gabrielle investigating the disappearance of several villagers when an unexpected development leaves the bard racing against time to solve a mystery made suddenly much more personal. Mary's treatment of the Xena/Gab relationship is one of the factors that always make her stories such a pleasure to read. She envisions them with a kind of connection that is spiritual and magical and always poignant. It is this depiction that turns a simple mystery into so much more - a MUST READ that comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! -- 6 pgs., 8/11/98
https://www.altfic.com//subtextfic/Xena/morgan/circleofstones.htm
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

**CRY WOLF by Mary Morgan
A poignant new offering from this gifted storyteller set around the mysterious events which take place at a village after a young woman is captured and imprisoned there. Only the village blacksmith is moved by the girl's quiet suffering as she endures and struggles to fulfill some unmentioned purpose as if her very life depended on it. I continue to be amazed at how this bard can tell a story more by implying things than saying them straight out. In mastering this economy of words technique, Mary gives us stories that are meaningful and deeply moving. Moreover, she tends to develop the characterizations of Xena and Gabrielle through the eyes of others which in turns makes characters like the blacksmith in this story fascinating players in their own right. A wonderful effort you should not miss. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 9 pgs., 3/4/98
https://www.altfic.com//subtextfic/Xena/morgan/crywolf.htm
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

DARK PROMISE by Katrina and Sharon Bowers - [Alt]
This latest entry in Katrina's BLOOD AND ROSES SERIES promises to be one wild, fun ride. A crossover tale featuring the characters from BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, this story has Buffy getting quite a surprise when she meets Willow's aunts who aside from having the same names as a couple of popular TV characters, also keep setting off the slayer's hypersensitive senses. Katrina and Sharon's characterizations are on the money and will delight fans of both series although this is entertaining even if you only watch one of them. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! [unfinished] - 3/8/98
http://bea rblue.simplenet.com/STO/brose/buffy/willow.html

**DEMON (THE) by Rachel2   
Xena and Gab meet the monster from THE PREDATOR. A scary, thrilling piece with some of the best written action scenes I've read. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [NOTE: Rachel2's stories build on one another so I recommend you read them in this order: THE DEMON, RIVALS (this one is listed in the Alternative reviews list), A WARLORD'S LEGACY, and THE PRINCESS BARD (also listed in the Alternative reviews list)] - 11 pgs., 12/96
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content/thedemon.html

**DEVIL'S ADVOCATE (THE) by Nene Adams - [Alt]
The adventures of Lady Evangeline "Lina" St. Claire and Rhiannon Moore continue in this FANTASTIC sequel to Nene's first uber-Xena story BLACK BY GASLIGHT. This time the intrepid private investigator and her secretary are faced with a mystery strangely connected to Lina's own past - a mystery involving the disappearance of two people, the gruesome murder of an old friend, the growing strength of a secretive cult and clues horrid enough to scare even the bravest of hearts. Extremely well-written, this story reflects Nene's impressive historical and literary knowledge with an incredible attention to detail. In Lina and Rhiannon she has created characters which although based on the warrior and her bard, are in themselves unique and fascinating. Still unfinished, this story promises to be something different and thoroughly entertaining. This is the second entry in Nene's GASLIGHT SERIES. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 82 pgs., 8/31/97
http://www.corrieweb.com/gaslight/devil1.htm

DOLOROSA: OUR LADY OF DARKNESS by Nene Adams - [Alt]
Nene celebrates Halloween with an eerie new offering about obsession, guilt, injustice and the power of love. Told in first person, this is the story of a talented Scottish artist heir to a crumbling estate deep in debt. To survive, our narrator travels to Paris where she makes herself a career painting portraits of the wealthy. It's a life that changes drastically when she meets Jenny Dolorosa, a beautiful maid who becomes the love of her life - and soon the sole subject of her paintings. With their illicit affair revealed, the two are forced back to Scotland where our narrator's obsession with her art soon has terrible repercussions for the lovely Jenny Dolorosa plunging them into a living nightmare of separation and grief as one struggles with guilt - and the other struggles to reveal the truth about a world very different from the one they've known. Poignant, creepy and reaffirming all at once, this one very effectively blends the ingredients required of alt. fiction with those of Halloween tales. - 6 pgs., 10/26/99
http://www.corrieweb.com/chamber/dolorosa1.htm

**EMBODIMENT OF EVIL by Godot
A splendid follow-up to Godot's delightful tale SING YOU A SONG OF JUSTICE which continues the adventures of the wacky sorceress Antipany, still vent on someday getting revenge on the Warrior Princess but for the moment forced to struggle for her own life when she falls into the clutches of a great evil. Guided by Antipany's pet vulture Peisander and with a certain bard cleverly manipulating her, a VERY reluctant Xena sets out to try to rescue the woman all the while being reminded by one life-threatening challenge or another just how much...she HATES sorcerers! One word describes this story best of all - FUN! Antipany is one of the best original characters in fan fiction and her interactions with the warrior and bard are simply PRICELESS!! Godot also does a magnificent job with the characterizations of Xena and Gabrielle and in the depiction of their friendship which is sweet, based on a fierce devotion and an uncompromising faith in one another. This story has elements which will remind you of the episode A DAY IN THE LIFE. A very special read that is NOT TO BE MISSED! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [See also the sequel THE SOUL CATCHER] - 25 pgs., 9/17/97
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content/embodiment.html

ENEMY (THE) by Mary Morgan
Intriguing story which has the Warrior Princess going up against a deadly figure known as the "tax gatherer" who has been terrorizing a small town. At her side as usual is the bard, while observing them both is a tavern owner, fascinated by the unlikely friendship between the two women and their unflagging determination to protect the town. Mary excels at showing the deep bond between Xena and Gabrielle by depicting it through the eyes of others. This is a nicely written tale which highlights Xena's brain over her brawn :) - 10 pgs., 12/22/97
http://ferengi.cardiff-net.co.uk/xenanet/fiction/enemy.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

FALL OF THE HOUSE OF AMPHIPOLIS (THE) by Nene Adams - [Alt]
Inspired by Edgar Allen Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher", this exceedingly CREEPY entry in Nene's CHAMBER OF HORRORS SERIES finds the warrior and bard on their way back to Amphipolis to help an old friend and former lover of Xena's whose current partner has taken ill. For the warrior the experience soon becomes a trip back in time as it slowly becomes clear that the problems she had with her old friend have simply intensified over time. For Gabrielle the whole thing becomes a nightmare as she learns first-hand just how...problematic...Xena's ex'es can be. Nene manages a great blending of that Poe atmosphere with the Xena/Gab dynamics in a timely story, supplemented by a gorgeous graphical presentation. One for the Halloween reading list! - 15 pgs., 10/26/99
http://www.corrieweb.com/chamber/house1.htm

**FOLLOW THE BLOOD by Fyrequeene - [Alt]
This is one of those stories that you will find yourself simply unable to put down once you start reading. A riveting, MASTERFULY crafted tale that recalls a vary dark time in the life of the Warrior Princess. It is a time Xena reluctantly finds herself remembering as she and Gabrielle travel through an area she once destroyed, on their way to a meeting with one of the men who helped her in that campaign. What they come upon instead is an unfolding mystery that becomes more gruesome with each passing day - eventually even instilling fear in the heart of the warrior herself. Fyrequeene's writing is characterized by an economy of words that makes it very easy to read and wonderfully effective. The Xena/Gab relationship has a subtle feel to it that makes it powerful and highly emotional beneath the surface. The characterizations are exceptional. Put this one at the top of your MUST READ list. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! - 53 pgs., 1/28/98
http://xenafan.com/fiction/content3/xgblood.html

**FONDER HEART: A BITE ME SEQUEL (THE) by Katrina - [Alt]
Set in the present day, this is a poignant sequel to Katrina's BITE ME which helps set the premise for her BLOOD AND ROSES SERIES. The story has Gabrielle, made immortal by Bacchus' blood, suffering the aching loneliess of life without her soulmate and taking comfort in the arms of another - a mortal with an incredible resemblance to the ancient warrior a bard once loved so much. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 4 pgs., 10/30/97
http://whoosh.org/katrina/STO/bite2.html
[Palm Pilot version available at XENA FAN FICTION FOR THE PALM PILOT]

**FOR THE LOVE OF IRINA by Nene Adams - [Alt]
Based upon J. Sheridan LeFanu's CARMILLA and Bram Stoker's DRACULA, this EXCEPTIONAL uber story set in 18th century Romania, does the horror genre proud combining those classic tales with familiar faces from XWP in a reading experience you wont soon forget. Anxious for some companionship to brighten the lonely existence in her father's Romanian castle, lady Gabriella is intrigued when a beautiful stranger is brought to stay with them while she recovers from an accident. For the younger Gabriella, Irina is an irresistible enigma - a mysterious figure with no past who begins to weave a seductive spell around the girl. As the surrounding villages are marked by a series of unexplained and gory deaths, Gabriella begins to suffer from strange nightmares - dreams of a forbidden passion and a deadly hunger - dreams which she soon realizes are all too real when she gazes into the portrait of a long-dead countess only to find familiar blue eyes starring back at her. Thus begins to unfold a story of horror and heartbreak, of soulmates separated by the lust for revenge and of dark passions that even the fiercest of loves may not be able to tame. One of the top writing talents in this fandom, Nene easily displays here her skill with the written word, delivering an exquisitely written piece that is in fact quite reminiscent in style to the 19th century literary classics on which it is partly based. Meanwhile, the storyline is also a very nice homage to some of the screen versions of these classics, in particular Francis Ford Coppola recent BRAM STOKER'S DRACULA. Nene does a great job of tweaking the familiar vampire scenario to suit her uber-Xena heroines even incorporating some familiar faces as supporting players. Masterful storytelling in a piece that is a delight to read and should be particularly appealing to fans of the horror genre. This gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! [Part of the CHAMBER OF HORRORS SERIES] - 35 pgs., 2/4/99
http://www.corrieweb.com/chamber/irina1.htm

FROM THE DARKNESS CAME by Raistlyn
Very eerie new story that finds Xena and Gabrielle trying to help two kingdoms sign a peace treaty after years of war between them only someone seems intent on stopping that treaty and is willing to murder to do so. - 22 pgs., 2/16/98
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Chamber/7473/fromdarkness.html