First - if you haven't chimed in on yesterday's blog, can you take a moment and check it out (and please vote). Thanks

Now for reviews of some of our great stories. First is a review of Promising Author Rilbur's story Choice followed by a review of Author Houdinii's story, Agoraphobia. Enjoy!

Reviewer: Cia
Status: Complete
Word Count: 3,304

I reach Choice a while back, and I read it again so I could do the review. By Rilbur, the story was written for the 2010 Fall Anthology, ‘No Going Back’. In my mind, it fits the theme to a tee, but I sure wish he’d go back and write more!

I was completely taken in by Zachary’s character. We get a lot of background and insight into his psyche throughout the story, which is only 3,300 words. Basically, he does what is right and he owes his sense of what is right and wrong to two people, his mother and Robert.

But what happens when he is told that Robert committed a crime and the police are looking for him? I loved Zachary’s reaction to the police who came knocking on his door; you’d think that someone so ‘goody two-shoes’ as he had been called as a child would be ingratiating or a bit of a toady. That is so not Zachary.

Oddly enough, in this very short story, we have a very distinct plot arc and we get to see different facets of Zachary’s personality and life change as it goes on. Rilbur’s story, Choice, was a superbly written story filled with tension and leaves you wanting much much more.

So choose to go read it already!

Reviewer: Kiltie69
Status: Complete
Word Count: 19,851

Many of you know Houdinii, he makes us laugh in chat he sings to us, but how many have read his storys. Houdinii writes as he speaks simple and gritty. I was lucky to be asked beta, so in some ways I may be considered biased. Read this review and decide for yourself.

When I joined GA back in September last year. One of the first guys to take time and talk to me was Houdinii. we got on ok and over the last few months have become friends and through this I have learned a little of his past life.

One part of it is brought to the fore in his story Agrophobia. The story itself was writen in an almost autobiographical style. With a little artistic licence thrown in. It takes place during a pweiod of Houdinii life where all was not welland the concequences of things he did had far reaching and life changing consequences. I cant say much more about it as it would give away the story, but needless to say it shows a lot of courage, to have put it down on paper for all the world to see. Houdinii quite directly describes his feelings open himself up for the reader to see. as we say in th UK it had everything warts and all.

As I have said I read the story, to start with as a favour to check spelling, but pretty soon was waiting for the next chapter. Houdinii has a talent for making you see the gritty side of life, purely because he has been there. His actual grammar may not be precise but I found it added to the story rather than detracted. over the ten chapters he has posted we see a young man fight to survive and in the end, well I wont say. Read the story and find out.

Agrophobia is a story that made me realise how much I respected this young man for what has happened and what he has been through.

I truly respect him as a writer and a friend and hope he will have more to post in the coming future.

Hope you enjoy the reviews and you check out these stories!