Bards
~Q~
Bards
~Q~
Snowbound by Queenfor4
Alt/Uber - unfinished
Recommended by Valkyrie ~ March 4, 2002
Queenfor4 prefaces her story with the standard set of disclaimers, but pay attention - when she says "this being an Uberish tale, the main characters will bear a physical resemblance to [Xena and Gabrielle], but that’s as far as it goes," she really means it. The thing that really grabbed me about this story is her unique characterizations of Dr. Randi Oakes (uber X) and author Megan Galagher (uber G).
The story begins with Megan Galagher returning to NY via the scenic route from a book signing in Manchester NH. Lost in the mountains, she finds the small town
of Cutters Gap just as bad weather sets in. The same threatening storm brings the reclusive Dr. Randi Oakes into town to get supplies, where, naturally, the two meet. But rather than having the romantic sparks flying, Queenfor4 sets up a rather interesting relationship:
"Ms. Gallagher, I’ve read quite a few of your stories. And, while they are gripping mysteries, they all have one recurring and disturbing trend. They all feature gay and lesbian characters. And those characters are always portrayed as being sick, twisted and immoral.
That is a malicious, incorrect, and inflammatory stereotype, Ms. Gallagher, and I find it offensive."
Megan’s confusion turned to cold indifference as she stepped back from the taller woman. "I call them as I see them, Dr. Oakes. Those kind of people are an affront to society, and serve absolutely no purpose in this world. I’m sorry if my portrayals of these individuals offend you."
The two would gladly go their separate ways after this exchange, but, with a little help from the weather and Megan's continuing poor luck with directions given by the local natives, they wind up trapped in Dr. Oakes' sprawling ranch house for five weeks. Suffice to say that these two have a more than a few hurdles to overcome in coming to understand and
appreciate each other.
Despite what I felt to be a slightly shaky premise for getting the two together, and despite the almost stereotypical occupations of the two leads, Queenfor4 makes this story work, and better yet, she portrays her characters in anything BUT stereotypical fashion.
She's not afraid to let Megan make big, walloping mistakes (repeatedly), yet quite believably, nor is she afraid to portray the good doctor as very vulnerable, patient, and compassionate (very un-Xena like). The interaction between the two is gripping and fun to watch unfold. Throw in some believable character history to liven up the plot, some lovely hurt/comfort scenes, and some wonderful character introspection and growth, and I find this to be a story well worth the time to read.
http://merwolf.com/academy/fanfic/q/queenfor4_snowbound1.html">
| (The)
Broken Thread by Ella Quince
Alt-Classic,
Short story 16 pages
This is one of my favorite classic X&G alt short stories. A touch stone for when I think that if I read one more plot less, sex fan fic I will scream! It's a reminder of the true romance that is attractive about this genre in the first place. I tell myself if so many tender emotions can be tucked into one short story then perhaps there will be more. And yes there always is, but this is the one I keep coming back to--to remind myself of that. The night before a battle Xena is alone by a campfire, Gabrielle is safe in a inn. This is where the same tired scenario stops. A warrior who has suffered a great loss comes to Xena's camp site on a mission of love and circumstance that will leave you pondering long after the story has been read. |
| Creative
License by Ella Quince
Alt
- X&G Classic -Short story
All of Ella Quince's stories are so consistently well-written and lovingly crafted that it's hard to pick just one for a review. (So you can just scoot over to Ella's site and read all of them, okay?) Nonetheless, for all intensive purposes and just to make life easier, I'll select "Creative License," one of my recent faves. The plot: A warlord named Xena captures a bard named Gabrielle, who has been telling some pretty tall tales about the warrior. From there, we are presented with unique-I also think of them as radical-characterizations of Xena & Gab as very real, flesh-and-blood women, and not glamorized superheroes. In many other stories, even when X/G are presented with flaws, their shortcomings tend to be on a grand, almost melodramatic scale (like Xena's bothersome tendency toward pathology and murder, Gabrielle's tragic need to trust All the Wrong People, etc.). Not so in this story. Here, Ella renders them on a smaller scale, but with all the charm, chemistry, and dignity of the characters perfectly intact. Oh, yeah: It's damn funny, too. |
| Rumors
of Love by Ella Quince
Classic,
Alt, short story, finished
How do we reconcile the love stories of The Quest and Ulysses? Ella Quince tackles this issue in her powerful and insightful short story, Rumors of love. Xena and Gabrielle visit the Amazons after their return from Ithica, and Xena is forced to confront the difference between mere lust and true love. Quince tells the story of two women stumbling toward intimacy with gentle humor and compassion. This well crafted and passionate tale provides a realistic and insightful take on Xena's character. Quince's brilliance lies in her ability to capture complex emotion with poetical prose. For those of you who haven't had the opportunity to read this story, you are in for a rare treat. |
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CLASSIC ~ UBER ~ CONQUEROR ~MEL AND JANICE ~ WARLORD ~ OTHER |