The Sartain Literary Review

Art Wench: Greetings and welcome to the Sartain Literary Review. Today we are reviewing three lovely pieces, "Shadow's Child" and "Hummingbird's Child," by Jenny, and "Redbridge" by Willow the Wanderer. Mark, would you like to begin?

Davy: *raising hand* Um... excuse me... but why does he always get to go first?

Mark: *smirk* Because I'm older, smarter, and better looking than you are. *preen*

Art Wench: *rolling eyes* ...well this is off to a wonderful start. Davy, you can go first next time. This is of course is contingent on this review being an experience that I want to repeat. Now let's pretend that you two actually get along, okay?

Davy: *under his breath* Hey, he started it. He's the one that tried to kill me first.

Mark: *glare* I apologized! Are you planning to hold that against me for the rest of my life?

Art Wench: *hurriedly* Um, right, anyway, on to the reviews... first, Shadow's Child. What did you think, Markkastanen?

Mark: A wonderful story within a story... Chayln is a fine lad... but a little uptight for my tastes. An assassin that won't kill women? What is the world coming to these days?

Davy: So he has a few morals. What's wrong with that? I liked him. But there were so many different names being tossed around, I got a little confused here and there.

Mark: The characters changed their names when they joined a new guild. Different guild, different life, different name. What's so hard to understand about that? But one must be careful in a short story to keep it very tight. Any information presented must be done with these two questions in mind. "Does it shed light on the character? Does it enhance the plot?" *dismissive wave of his hand* Our own creator could often use the services of a good editor.

Art Wench: Shut up, Mark. *scowl* Davy, do you have anything else to say?

Davy: I liked the Chayln's voice. It was very conversational. I really felt as though he were telling me the story. There were a few lines that seemed a little contradictory, though. Like when Chayln was describing the victims after the spring thaw. "All underpriviledged, all above the ages of twenty... men, women, and children just barely into adolescence." Do the people in this world age very slowly, because I'm being led to believe that children just barely into adolescence are above the age of twenty. I wasn't sure, so I thought I'd just ask. But all in all, a very enjoyable story. I liked the ending especially.

Art wench: I agree. *nodding* Very good ending.

Mark: Well, I disagree. I completely resent the fact that even though Parasyte and Mizar came up with a brilliant scheme to both rid themselves of a competitor, and find themselves a new toy to play with, they get way-laid by the supernatural. I find that quite unfair. But an engaging tale nonetheless.

Art Wench: So what's the verdict?

Mark and Davy: Two thumbs up.

Art Wench: Good. Okay, well, time for a commercial break, and then we'll check out the next story, "Hummingbird's Child" Stay tuned!