WEDNESDAY FAN FICTION REPORT - 1/13/99
[Previous report was for 1/11/99]

Hi all,

Susan Smith is on vacation and does not currently have access to her Web site but she would like everyone who's reading OF DRAG KINGS AND A WARRIOR PRINCESS to know that she'll continue with the updates as soon as she's back home.

For those of you who've been following Jules Mills' fabulous NANO SERIES, there's a fascinating article on the Web about a brand new scientific breakthrough which just might help to make fanfic into reality someday :) Check it out at: http://www.msnbc.com/news/231805.asp. Many thanks to a certain Merwolf for the heads up on the article.

GENERAL FICTION:

THE IDES OF MARCH by Mark Alger
Set a decade after Xena and Gabrielle first meet, this intense story has the warrior still haunted by the vision of her partner dying on a cross when a new vision calls her to Rome demanding that she be there before the Ides of March comes to pass. Unable to shake the determined bard, Xena heads for the center of the Roman Empire and toward a meeting with destiny as the two become pawns in a deadly political struggle fated to change the very course of history. Mark does a nice job incorporating the events of the TV series and of history itself into his storyline delivering a very solid, riveting tale that could play out well as an episode. [note: story contains some subtextual references]. - 37 pgs.
http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content4/idesofmarch.html

ALTERNATIVE FICTION:

NOTHING VENTURED, NOTHING GAINED by Tonya Muir
Set in the alternate world of the episode REMEMBER NOTHING. Tonya's latest is based on the premise that Xena never did spill blood in the battle with Mezentius, and has continued instead with her life as an innkeeper, dedicated now to the young woman she so recently saved from slavery. For Gabrielle every day is a struggle full of fears and insecurities - a struggle Xena is determined to help her through, convinced that her destiny lies with the gentle soul so wounded in this other life. Blinding herself to the uncertainty of fate and the selfishness of her own actions, the former warrior sets out to remake a life she misses, molding another into what she once was and risking her very soul in the process. Tonya's latest is a poignant look at a woman desperate to reclaim her own humanity, learning in the end how empty that quest would be without her greatest inspiration. It is also the story of two souls fated to never be apart. This is a skillfully written, well-crafted story with solid characterizations that marvelously echo the ones we're used to while imbuing them with the differences expected after such an abrupt change in perspectives. A fascinating MUST READ in particular for those like myself who count REMEMBER NOTHING as one of the best episodes the TV series has ever offered. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 39 pgs.
https://ausxip.com/fanfic6/nothingventured.html

ALL IN GOOD TIME by Pink Rabbit Productions
An absolutely HYSTERICAL entry that reveals Xena's HIGHLY effective new strategy for keeping unruly ruffians away from her bard at rowdy inns. You'll be wearing a big old grin LONG after reading this little gem. A MUST READ! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! - 6 pgs.
https://www.altfic.com//subtextfic/Xena/prp/allinngoodtime.htm

WHITE WATER TERROR 3: THE HUNT by Blind Faith
Blind Faith brings the WHITE WATER TERROR SERIES to an exciting conclusion with a nicely paced, well- written action piece that has the warrior and bard on the trail of the deadly queen Kilaro, forced to risk it all in hopes of stopping an evil begun long ago. Blind Faith does a wonderful job with the Xena/Gab relationship, depicting them as concerned friends, loving soulmates and equals. DO NOT MISS - 9 pgs.
https://ausxip.com/fanfic6/whitewater3.html

NANO #5: MOTION by Jules Mills
Part five is now available. Jules continues her exceptional NANO SERIES by picking up the story where NANO #4 GRAVITATION - NEWTON'S SECOND LAW left off. As their friend Rachel does a little quick house cleaning, Dana and Grace spend some quality time together, allowing the fierce connection between them to start healing the nanotech's body and soul. They know now, however, that neither will be safe again until they tie some loose ends from the past - loose ends that have Dana thinking about a dark part of her soul that although dormant most of the time these days remains very much a part of her. In this latest update Dana's friends work hard to help her forget her fear of flying ;-) Relying on an economy of words to get their points across, Jules characters tend to reveal more in a few lines of dialog than characters in other stories do in entire chapters. Her skillful use of dialog create blunt, realistic exchanges that often add great charm to the characterizations while allowing her to keep a nice pace to the story even in the calmest of scenes. Jules has also done a great job updating the personalities of Xena and Gab so that Dana and Grace, although clearly following the uber archetypes, are also imbued with modern sensibilities. Simply put, this bard is a delight to read and this series continues to be among the creme-della-creme in uber fanfic. This new installment gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! [unfinished] - 9 pgs.
http://members.tripod.com/~jules_mills/nano5p1.html

FANFIC ART:

"Bard-Bowl-A-Thon" by Slash
Inspired by the story BARD-BOWL-A-THON by WrshpXena.
http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/8068/XENA/xena13.html

For those of you reading this post who are not familiar with the term alternative (alt.), it refers to ADULT stories that add a romantic element to the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, depicting them as more than just friends.

Happy reading!

Lunacy 8-)