Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. Re: 4th disc Lady_Aeris_the_bagel_bearer (22/F/The...Promised Land?) 09/10/1999 07:34 pm EDT Oh, yes. Interesting tale, namely the final chapter depicting our polygamous friend and his....transition, so to speak. I must say the hentai on the storypage garnished the piece of fanfiction especially well. I knew some people with disturbingly overactive imaginations, but you, Sir Zhang, top all. I'm uncertain whether or not I will be able to look at any Final Fantasy VII character in the same way ever again. (But what can I say? I was the one who sat down and read the story.) However, I must say it's well-written. Very strange, knocking the characters' personalities worlds beyond their Final Fantasy ones, but extremely well-written. =========================================================================== ============== Deus Ex Jenova is the best damn fanfic I've ever read for any game, period. Yes, I'll admit it that chapter 5 was my favorite. can't remember how many times I jerked off on that chapter, I lost count. My only question is are you going to write a similar fanfic about Squall and Rinoa and FF8, and if so, when? Email me at ozzman547@aol.com when you get the chance. Thanx signed RY..... =========================================================================== ============== I think your fanfic, Deus ex Jenova, really sucks. Chapter 5 is a diss to the female race, you rotten piece of shit! ~Christi~ =========================================================================== =============== Nanaki By now, there are plenty of Fanfic stories out there. Well, some of them are definitely worth your while, while others should be avoided at all costs. I have written a brief description of some of the fanfic stories I have read so far, and rated them on a scale of one to ten. While I do appreciate good punctuation and spelling (and grammar, outside of the dialogue), what really counts in my book is plot, and character development most of all. Now, on with the reviews. Final Fantasy VII Fanfic "Deus Ex Jenova" - Max Zhang Everything you know is a lie. That's the basic premise of the plot in this incredible story. Everything you learned about the planet, the lifestream, Aerith's death... All untrue. The very first thing this story does is bring Aerith "back to life," although you'll find out that this wasn't really the case... Anyway, it's very well done, and she's brought back because she has a pivotal role to play in the story, and no other reason (Well, it made Chapter 5 that much better, but that's beside the point here.) She was brought back by an intersteller "Enforcer" named Greylorn, who is without a doubt the most arrogant son of a bitch I've ever seen in my life. Greylorn has been sent to the planet to track down an interstellar criminal. Namely: Jenova. I can't give away too much more of the plot without spoiling a lot, but it is very powerful stuff. I didn't even like the way the plot was resolved, but that doesn't stop me from realizing that it was incredible. There are only two things I can truly complain about as far as the plot goes. Early on, Cloud seems to be developing an internal conflict about whether he is truly a protector, or simply an avenger. This seems to be dropped later on. Second, the Turks are in Mideel for no apparent reason, and no explanation is ever given as to why they were there. However, the plot is nothing compared to the characterization. This is where the story truly shines. The thing that makes this story absolutely great is that the writing is totally uninhibited. The author has no fear about bringing up offensive or controversial subjects. He always did what would be best for the story, not for the reading public... Anyway, at first I was going to complain that some of the people were a little out of character, but then I realized that this is exactly how the heroes of FF7 would have behaved if they hadn't had to be toned down to have mass market appeal. In the apparent "lie," we discover more truth than was in the game itself. His original character, Greylorn, truly believes that the others are below his station, unlike most arrogant people who claim that, but really don't think that way. Of course, Aerith's return allows for some amazing scenes. In fact, Chapter 1 has simply the best scene I've ever seen anywhere. Yes, ANYWHERE. I set no parameters for that statement. Anyway, I could extol the virtues of the story for pages and pages, but this may give you a clearer picture: This is the first story since "The Shadows" that I've truly been addicted to. I happened upon it the week I was supposed to be packing up for my move to college. I pulled a couple of all nighters to finish it before I left, because I couldn't wait to read more. I hungered for more of it, and then I nearly cried at the end of Episode IV. No single event in the story was all that crushing, but finding out that everything you ever believed was a lie, and in such a painful fashion... Well, it really got to me. And then after all the battles and brutality and hurt... ..you get a reward. Boy, do you get a reward. You're supposed to be 18 to read Chapter 5 (I read it 5 days before I turned 18. Sue me.), but there didn't seem to be any safeguards other than a written warning... Anyway, perhaps the best thing about Chapter 5 is that if you manage to look past all the sex (I know it's hard, but try.), there's actually a whole lot more good story in there. If you don't manage to look past all the sex, well, guys, get ready for girl on girl action between Aerith and Tifa. I don't know if there's all that much in there to recommend it to the ladies, but as far as comparisons between the sexes on this subject go, it's like comparing a campfire to a nuclear power plant anyway... As for a little detail at the end that a few others found disturbing... Well, if that gets to you, you definitely haven't seen enough hentai. That little bit is nothing. (Boy, you're all finding out more about me than you wanted to know, aren't you?) Anyway, I'm not just raving about the story because of Chapter 5, though as you can imagine, that certainly didn't hurt it any. This mass was at least 700K, and I could have read ten times as much and still wanted more. True, I didn't like the plot resolution in Episode IV, but I loved every second of the first three episodes, especially Episode I. No single greater chapter will ever be written, I'm sure. Now, in case you haven't noticed that this review is ten times longer than all the others, I'll spell it out plainly for you. This is absolutely, 100%, without a doubt, the best fanfic I've ever read!! Drop everything you're doing and go read it NOW!!! Skip your homework, skip jury duty, skip lamaze class, ship the wife and kids off to Grandma's for a week, and READ. You won't be sorry. - 20 (Like FF7 itself, this is a twenty out of ten that could have been a thirty out of ten. It's greatness comes from its simple lack of inhibition. Somewhere, sometime, someone with a greater talent for writing will also become uninhibited, and we'll be witnesses to a masterpiece then. Maybe it'll be Krazy Sam. Maybe it'll be ZealPropht. Maybe it'll be me. Maybe... it'll be YOU. I'm looking forward to it.)