“Acid” pen or not, GW was conceived of like minds who loved fiction, and even more so, loved discussing its merits. Sometimes we disagreed on something that someone else liked or didn’t like, but the point was, we enjoyed the back and forth. One day, an idea blossomed. Would others like to read some of the more intense discussions we had? Would anyone want to read an honest review from people that were just like them, avid readers? So we took it on, and Gabwhackers Fan Fic Reviews was born.

It was a rough start. We got a lot of support, but we got our share of hate mail as well. Needless to say, it eventually became more than too much for our webmistress to continue, and so the site was taken from the web. I was shocked, and more than a little saddened. You see, for me GW was always a labor of love. I am constantly searching the web for stories that tickle me, and sometimes I see a few that, to be honest, should have never seen the light of day. Some people have asked, “Well, who are you to judge?” Who am I? I am a reader, first and foremost. I am the person that the bard is hoping to reach by putting their story out there. I got an offer from Blurb to continue writing my reviews, and that was an offer I could not refuse.

Some very talented bards out there have raised the stakes, and I have no problem telling someone that a story with little plot, no character development, or consistent grammar and spelling mistakes, needs work. There is no need to sugarcoat anything. A bard not only has a duty to us as readers, but to themselves as well. Beta readers don’t cost anything, all you’ve got to do is ask for one. Join a fan fic list and you’ll find tons of people willing to beta your story for you. It seems simple, and in truth, it is.

The most important thing is this: Never have any of my reviews been intended as malicious, nor unkind in any way. Maybe to the bard, and some of their admirers it may seem so, but truthfully, I admire them as much as anyone else. I have always believed that honest criticism can actually help a bard become better, and that is ultimately a reward for all of us. And now, on to the Reviews!

GABWHACKED!
03.09.03

A First Time For Everything by Amazon (Finished)
http://www.vixennet.co.uk/FirstTime1.htm

Now this, written when FF was in that unruly teenager stage in 99’, takes a different approach to the loss of Gabrielle’s virginity. In the style of a very naughty PWP, it turns out to be so much more than that, with Gabrielle reminiscing about her night in Xena’s arms, and how it was that she, just a farm girl, came to be Xena’s lover.

What I liked about this story, and really anything Amazon writes, is that Gabrielle is written to be so much more than just a village girl, more than just a tag along, more than just an innocent. Xena isn’t so unsure about taking her friend, in fact, she seems rather cocky about the whole thing, and Amazon is certain of how Xena and Gabs act in her mind, and she is faithful to her vision. It’s a fine example of the genre of The First Time, and let’s just say that our Gabrielle learns more in one night than most woman learn in a 10 year relationship, so how can you go wrong?

Zeen

Who Was Going To Miss An Angel Or Two, Anyway? by The Fallen - (Mel & Janice Short Story Complete)
http://www.sonic.net/LightStreams/AAfanfic/whowas.html

Having never been much of a Mel and Janice fan, I am usually reluctant to check out works in this genre. Finding this story was like a revelation of sorts, for now I see how truly wonderful some of the fiction that has been written is. To read this, it is absolutely necessary to forget everything you know and believe about the Warrior and Bard, about their Uber counterparts Mel and Janice and to suspend all your notions about their relationships. It is a riveting piece that focuses on what Janice’s visions of Gabrielle are, and how those visions give insight to her past, and her future. It is a chilling account of a woman who is desperate to know who she is, as well as who she was, and once faced with the knowledge, the turmoil it causes her. I found myself thinking of this story long after reading it, haunted by the words and images. Put simply, it is beautifully disturbing. Where have you gone, Fallen, this reader turns her lonely eyes to you, Woo, Woo, Woo?

Home Fires by Roo (Mel & Janice, Finished)
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Station/2159/fires.html

Another Mel and Janice that I had the pleasure of reading some time ago, and found it to be a fine example of the genre. In this tale, Mel has run off to the Australian outback, and not only has she found herself a man, but she’s practically stepmother to an adventurous teenage girl as well. She’s run away from Janice, away from the most tempting thing she’s ever known, and has convinced herself that the life she’s living is exactly what she wants. Then Janice lands on Mel’s doorstep, looking for answers, needing to know what went wrong between them as she is about to set out on a dig, and neither of them can deny the feelings that draw them together once more.

Roo’s writing reads like poetry, lyrical and full of description. I felt like I was there, amidst the barren landscape. It is a striking portrait of two women, trying to find their way back to each other despite the pain that each of them feels, they share a love that cannot be denied, no matter how hard each of them tries to. And, it is essential M & J reading, in the way that Roo presents the characters, their motivations, and the dialogue, it is truly masterful. Ohhhh...and I hear there is a sequel in the works!

Zeen

Archived Gabwhacker Reviews:

• 03.09.03
• 03.02.03
• 02.17.03
• 02.02.03