Subject: [Review] FFR #2 Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 19:20:07 GMT From: bjorn_paulsen@my-deja.com Newsgroups: alt.startrek.vs.starwars The Fenix Fanfic Review, #2 ################## Name: Even the Mighty [temporary name] Author: IXJac Type of story: Anti-terrorist campaign? Progress: Prologue has been released; further chapters to come Premises: In ROTJ, Luke turned to the Dark Side by killing Vader Review: It took a long while for me to start reviewing this story. Perhaps it was due to its shortness; it's difficult to get a feel for the events and writing. This fanfic goes under the subcategory "alternate history". Since it was released shortly after Aron Kerkhof's fanfic Past Imperfect, and because both had a similar premise, some felt that Even the Mighty was a carbon copy. To me, this view is too simplistic. The story begins at a modest pace, introducing (or perhaps reintroducing?) the character of Mara Jade. This is score one for the story, since Mara Jade is a great character with a great complexity and set of emotion. In contrast, the author creates an interesting yet somewhat blurred character in the ambassador of another galaxy. I am also rather curious as to why Mara, who has seen all kinds of near- human species, would consider one more slightly-odd person that atypical. Also, Mara Jade being spooked by the Ambassador didn't feel *right*, somehow. Things really begins to get interesting halfway into the story. I was reminded of the dry technical pragmatism of Zahn's books, and here, Mara is essentially just as she was in the books. Above this, what impressed me was the flow of the narrative. It forces the reader to pay attention to each sentence in order to understand the ramifications of what's going on. Even the Mighty has raw potential. It could get better, but my chief hope is that it isn't just another never continued prologue. I will for this reason do another review of Even the Mighty as soon as a few more chapters have come out. Rating: Action - 7,0 Atmosphere - 5,5 Consistency - 9,0 Impact - 5,5 Humor - - Total - 7,0 ################## Name: The Empire Scouts Out the Federation Author: Michael January Type of story: Imperial invasion Progress: One HUGE chapter; Completed Premises: *Imperial technology and Federation technology isn't even remotely similar *Battles are fought at distances of light-seconds Review: If there is a word to describe this piece, that word would be "gritty". Unlike many other fanfics where the calculations of Michael Wong and Curtis Saxton are used by rote, January isn't afraid to recast these ideas in order to create a Star Trek / Star Wars power balance as varied as it is interesting. It is a grim story, with little humor. While not real, it feels like the depicted events could concievably have happened; the story has a marked lack of dramaticism, preferring to let things happen instead of forcing it. It reads less like a fictious story and more like a transscript of dialogue recorded on a real battleship. And this is the strength of TESOTF (I will use this abbreviation for now on). Just like in real life, there is scant feeling of an author lurking behind the text. Anything can happen to the characters. This feeling is largely created by the *surety* of the story. It's the decisive drive of the plot that really makes it shine. The story's strengths are also its weaknesses. A reader needs to be in the mood for this kind of dispassionate storytelling. Also, it is difficult to grow too close to the characters, because the story doesn't revolve around their private lives; it plays out on the bridges, in the ready rooms, inside the hangars. I recommend this story to anyone who'd like a less fantasy-esque feel to Star Trek and Star Wars. For one used to soap operas and relationship dramas, however, it will probably feel a bit empty. Rating: Action - 7,5 Atmosphere - 4,0 Consistency - 9,0 Impact - 4,5 Humor - - Total - 8,0 ################## Name: Blaze of Glory Author: Rob Dalton Type of story: Denizen fanfic Progress: Chapters 1 - 7b; Completed Premises: * An Imperial Star Destroyer is roughly equivalent to thirty-something Federation starships. Review: A special kind of fanfic is that which is populated by the denizens of the alt.startrek.vs.starwars newsgroup; IE a Denizen fanfic. This is exactly that type of story. Blaze of Glory is part of the Glory, Honor and Courage story arc. The other two series, named Honor Bound and Courage Unbroken, will both be reviewed at a later date. Blaze of Glory is occasionally a serious invasion story, but most times it bristles with delightful scenes of carnage and truly outrageous humour. To put it bluntly, Glory is funny as hell - although it might be somewhat hard for non-ASVS members to catch the references to all the in-jokes. The spelling is not the best I've seen, though, and some details sound a tad strange to me. For instance the condescension of the Onslaught's captain upon seing the Montgomery is amusing, but I still find it a bit strange that Picard considers an ISD to be "monstrously huge" when we know that 3-5 km ships were used by the Dominion during the War (this, of course, is only a matter of opinion). The tone of the story changes from chapter to chapter. Horror and torture gives way to action and then purely wierd comedy. I really have no idea as to how the author manages it, but despite the thematic fluctuation, the story's core stays the same. Though short, Blaze of Glory manages to weave together an enjoyable and moderately original tale. Rating: Action - 4,5 Atmosphere - 6,0 Consistency - 4,0 Impact - 6,5 Humor - 8,5 Total - 7,0 ################## This is all for this review. I'm thinking of increasing the number of rated fanfics. Please give me suggestions as to which fanfics you want to see rated. -- Björn Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Before you buy.