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The Reviews Page On this page you will find reviews of both stories and poetry published at GA and elsewhere on the Internet. Links are provided both to the stories being reviewed and the forums in which you can discuss them. Page 3 |
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For this month's Author Pick, The GAzette caught up with hosted author Comicality to ask him about the story he is currently reading. From Behind Those Eyes by Viv Although it usually takes me forever to catch up and finish a story, I have been repeatedly drawn back to this series. It is, for me, a true gay fairytale. A line in the very first chapter embodies the beginning of the story. "Why now has this boy changed my ability to just walk away?" As Stephen has been leading a decent, but hidden, life as a high school student after the loss of his mother, his life is suddenly altered when he meets the beautiful Jesse Green, an openly gay boy he's always admired, but never really approached until a chance meeting behind masks at a school dance. What happens is a beautiful description of that first lightning strike of 'love' meets 'opportunity' and the first awkward attempts at trying to make a serious go for it. From there, however, the chapters mature quickly as the characters truly grow up right in front of our eyes. Their relationship and how they are learning to fit it into their lives is the most appealing part of the series. Issues of friendship, coming out of the closet, acceptance and prejudice are dealt with in expert fashion. It never once felt preachy or forced, but moves with a subtlety that I truly appreciated... keeping the focus on the characters, and not just the 'issue at hand'. It takes a gentle hand and an open heart to write something this well. So definitely check it out, and let the author know what you think. It's a warm feeling you'll appreciate in the end. Comicality |
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Druid by DarkShadow Ty is a very special individual. As a druid he has many remarkable abilities; he can read people's thoughts and thus know their life histories and he can even create powerful lightening storms with the wave of an arm. Yet for all his power Ty is helpless when his beloved uncles force him to go to public school for his junior year of high school. Worse yet, they themselves take off one day leaving him on his own as he faces the most difficult trial of his life! In this strong, compelling story DarkShadow seems to be using Ty's empathic, intuitive gifts to exemplify the nature of understanding and the power of love itself! Yet how can Ty hope to connect to regular human beings when he himself is so different? How can they understand him? And more importantly how can he find a way to understand them? Will he be able to find love and connection with one so different from himself? How can he hope to bear all the negativity, fear, and anger which are constantly swirling around him? So click over to eFiction and enjoy a vicarious stint as a powerful, superhuman Druid with special skills and heavy burdens. Watch as Ty attempts to acclimate to the world of human beings and, perhaps more challengingly, they attempt to acclimate to him! But will his journey end in pain or happiness? Love or regret? Only the [Dark]Shadow knows! AFriendlyFace (Kevin) |
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Staking My Claim
by NickolasJames8 Many people have a love-hate relationship with sequels. Oftentimes, fans are elated to see their favourite characters back in action and there's always the hope that more loose ends will be tied up or more mysteries revealed. For many, however, the sequel contains the threat of "tampering" with the original, of killing a story by playing it to death. So when do sequels work? The answer is when the characters remain realistic and vivid and when they remain true to themselves and the framework within which they are set. Another key factor is when the storyline remains fresh and the narrative exciting. In Staking My Claim, the sequel to My Jump Off, Nickolasjames8 certainly manages to accomplish these goals! The characters have never been fresher and the storyline never more intriguing! Andrew Stout seems to have it all: parents who love an accept him for who he is, a good home, material comforts. What Andrew doesn't have however is a boyfriend of his own; instead Andrew has someone else's boyfriend. In this sequel to My Jump Off Nick shifts the focus from the "cheater" to the "other man". Such a perspective is indeed rare; it's also a great deal of fun to read! But can Andrew convince Jarred to leave Phillip? Is Andrew truly in love with Jarred or is he simply in love with getting what he wants? Does Jarred love Andrew or Phillip or does he simply love the sex? How will Andrew's parents react when they find out what's going on? Will Phillip ever learn the truth? Follow Nick as he resolves these questions and, in so doing, proves that sequels can be more than "guilty pleasures", but instead be powerful artistic works in their own right! AFriendlyFace (Kevin) |
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The Fall 2006 Anthology is now online. All the entries were brilliant, but which ones particularly stood out to the hosted authors at GA? Davey: The Beast of Gallows Point by RHawes16 - "I liked this story because I never quite knew what to expect next. The story drew me in from the start and didn't let me go until the final words. An excellent example of writing." Luc: The Muse by C James - "It was so easy to slip right inside Joel and feel everything he was feeling—which got more and more uncomfortable as the story went on. It left me with that 'looking over my shoulder' feeling that I used to get when I was a kid and read a particularly good 'spooky story.' " NickolasJames8: This Time Will Be Different by Bardeara - "This story really stood out for me. I mean, it was his first ever attempt at writing, and I thought it was great. The theme was so sad and yet so romantic at the same time." RHawes16: Family Night by NickolasJames8 - "I loved this story. It wasn't the sort of story I was expecting to find in an anthology with a Halloween theme, but its heartwarming plot and gentle style definitely won me over." |
The Lizard by Stefan Schmidt My eyes are bigger than my stomach! Newly Hosted Author Stefan Schmidt offers several serial stories as well as short stories of varying size. I had to fall in love with the most ambitious of the lot. The Lizard is a fabulous 4-course meal; I finished only the first course by deadline. Named for the four seasons, courses describe the time of year and foretell the story's tone. The hopeful “Primavera” is a feast in itself. The plot interweaves gay relationships in several dimensions: personal and familial; citywide in modern Florence and over time; and in Renaissance Italy by way of a new-found diary. Plus, a Renaissance mystery is brewing! The story centers on Luca and Alessandro: Luca, bright, earnest, youngest son and heir apparent to the proud family trade that reaches back centuries; Sandro, arrogant, apparently superficial, the reluctant standard-bearer of a founding family. “Primavera” details Luca and sketches Sandro, placing Luca and Sandro within their respective families, and the families within Florentine society, with a precision such that I can imagine myself in the scene as the story unfolds, peering with Luca into the future. I love that! Five pages in, I could already taste Florence: hard, haughty (Schmidt's term), and beautiful. Handsome embedded photographs reinforce descriptions of artwork and of scenes in and around the city. Luca and Sandro's budding friendship and sexual adventures are perfectly served, spiced with a touch of humor. English and Italian dictionaries add value, but you can do nicely without. Synopses tell of trouble in late Autumn and throughout Winter. Whatever comes, I'm hooked. I typed this review while dishes from the first course were cleared. The second course is here; please excuse me. knotme |
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This month in the Poets' Corner, GAzette poetry reviewer Silven looks at the work of eFiction poet Birdsofafeather. In the five months since he joined the site, this talented seventeen-year-old has shared many compelling poems with us, including "Eternal Night" (see below), "Apathy" and "Stone", as well as the short stories "Train" (published in the GA Summer Anthology) and "Silent Hearts" (published in the GA Fall 2006 Anthology).
You can discuss the work of this gifted author and poet in the eFiction Discussion Forum (for his anthology stories) or in the Poetry Discussion Forum (for his poetic works). To read more by this author, please click on his avatar below.
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| Volume Two, Edition Two |
November 2006 |
