Jeffrey Meyer's (centurymeyer35) Reviews

Public Reviews

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#4868835

Review of The Sacred Realm of Trust  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   May 19, 2026 at 6:41am

Length:   1,250 Characters | 1,209 w/o WritingML

D, It is interesting how the legends of fairies differ from one culture to another, and from one time to another. In Celtic tradition, fairies were often prankish or even near-malevolent little buggers, going so far as to kidnap human babies to raise as their own. In the US, we think in terms of Disney's Tinkerbell, a tiny flying female with a penchant for making good things happen. (The ironic thing there is that, in Peter Pan, Tinkerbell's original goal was to make Wendy fall from the sky--killing her! Not exactly the sweetheart we see her as, now!) But in any culture, their relationship with humans is of a secret nature, be it for good or ill, as is the case in your story. And you story also fulfills a need so many children seem to have: the need for a safe, private relationship with someone. Many children have make-believe friends; Monu has a fairy. In either case, there is the private safety to " have a silent exchange to their heart’s content" that a child can't always get with siblings or parents. You've demonstrated that need very nicely here. This was a charming story, and a positive way to start my morning. Well done! --Jeffrey Meyer --Power Reviewers' Group

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#4868723

Review of What If.  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   May 18, 2026 at 12:10pm

Length:   1,820 Characters | 1,410 w/o WritingML

Kevin, The title of this piece is interesting here, and pulled me right in, although I still don't quite understand it: "What I If." Still, very interesting. I think this asks some very good questions. Having just finished a book by William L Shirer called The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, the question of Hitler sat well with me. What if this incredible orator, this barreling force of personality and persuasion had preached peace, love? Or even economics or science or something? What if he hadn't been crazy as a ****house rat and twice as evil? What if...? Your questions about each of this historical turning points are both humorous and thought-provoking. Like Carlin, embedding truth in the cushion of humor often makes it more palatable and easier to mentally digest. I wondered, though—probably because of my personal religious bent—if the question of Christ had been the last line, the most important question of all, how much more powerful might the piece have been? Totally a personal opinion, but I mean...what if? Nice work. This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4868719

Review of The Earring  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   May 18, 2026 at 12:01pm

Length:   665 Characters | 609 w/o WritingML

This is a cute story, as one comes to expect from you. It is interesting, isn't it, how our first reaction to things is blame or suspicion? When resolution comes in the form of innocence, though—unlike in this case—it's even more interesting how often anger is the next emotion. "Tom has en earring in his pocket. He must be cheating on me!" "Here, honey, I'm afraid I lost the other earring." "I thought you were doing something wrong! Be more careful!" People are weird. Except in this nice little story. Hopefully the cake made everything better. --Jeffrey --Power Reviewers'' Group

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#4868695

Review of Toe in the Water  

for entry "On Getting Older" 

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: 13+ ★★★★★ | (4.5)

Given:   May 18, 2026 at 6:53am

Length:   1,296 Characters | 1,239 w/o WritingML

There is, in fact, a solution to the process of getting old... but it pretty drastic and very final. You used a phrase that resonated very strongly with me: "our happy presumption of immortality." What a true and frightening statement! When we are in our 20s and even our 30s, death is a theory, not a fact. We might have lost some friends to car accidents, war, may disease, but somehow the concept of death still doesn't apply to us personally. We are immune to this specter, and we tend to live life accordingly: dangerously, carelessly, frighteningly. It's when 40 and 50 roll around, when contemporaries start passing from heart attacks, diabetes, stroke; that's when we realize we're not immortal, that death is a personal destination, and that getting old is the incresingly unstable vehicle we ride to get there. This short essay has a lot of impact, especially for those of us of that age who are feeling it. But I suspect many younger readers will still put on their capes and super-suits, go out on Saturday nights, and tempt the fates with their supposed immortality one more time. I just hope we still see them in the years to come. Very nice, succinct writing. --Jeffrey --Power Reviewers' Group

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#4868577

Review of The Part No One Speaks On  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (3.5)

Given:   May 17, 2026 at 8:45am

Length:   1,838 Characters | 1,514 w/o WritingML

"Life Goes on." "The world's not gonna stop for my broken heart." "You'll get over it." So many cliches and easy answers are out there to "help" us "deal" with grief. But the grief of grief, as you explain here, is something we don't consider. It happens, and we have to face it, but we don't expect it. We don't expect that we really can continue living in the face of loss, that our own worlds do go on, even when it seems like they shouldn't. We forget. We don't forget the people, but we forget the immediacy of them. We don't forget the sound of their voice, but we loose touch with the impact of it. We don't forget the loss; we forget to keep hurting from it. It seems like a betrayal to the departed, like a cheat, like insincerity. But it's just a part of life, part of staying sane and staying alive. This was a very intuitive commentary on something we all feel but rarely see coming. I'd like to offer, constructively, that paragraph breaks between complete thoughts would help here; and line breaks between those paragraphs would further help the reader comfortable consume this important piece. Good topic here. Write on, Lee! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4868573

Review of Flight To Nowhere  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   May 17, 2026 at 8:06am

Length:   2,079 Characters | 1,762 w/o WritingML

I like it! An interesting take on the unsuspecting boatman or the oblivious angel of death. I think we all kind of knew where this was going, but (no pun intended) we enjoyed the trip. I think the exploration here is not so much how one gets from here to the hereafter as much as the confusion, denial, acceptance, and inevitability of death. The little things matter, the little things are what cause the greater things that lead to the final things. Being late. Picking up Teddy. Checking a text. Not balancing the ladder because it will only be a second. Etc, etc... And in the final event, we must be faced with some sort of confusion, mustn't we? When we hit our head on the corner or the cabinet, aren't we dazed for a second? Well how about when our soul is knocked clear of our worldly husk?! Obviously, the topic is very interesting to me, thus I found this twilight-zone-ish story very engaging. I am always a fan of cyclic writing, as well. I use the same device in The Long Caravan (it's on here; look it up if you want). Because life is as cyclical as death is final. And Life-in-Death, having given up Her grip on the Ancient Mariner, perhaps, now has James circling the terminal (double meaning definitely intended) ferrying the dead to...wherever. Great piece. Succinct and interesting, I would recommend this to anyone. No need to remind you, but goodness, my friend: Write On! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4868485

Review of Perpetually Purple  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   May 16, 2026 at 7:44am

Length:   2,279 Characters | 1,954 w/o WritingML

Charles, As usual, your unique perspective gives us a window into a truly strange scene! The opening lines are great, and they drew me right in. Something about the aristocracy denying reality so that they can go on being "proper" is very realistic. It's also so absurd as to be comical, which you articulate well here. Well, yeah, they're violets, but not the whole plant! Excellent way to tell us as the reader what was going on without coming out and saying it as exposition. Chesterton's battle against the impropriety of the virulent violets is humorous and engaging. It ruins our perfect mountain view! Again, the realistic absurdity of form over function is a perfect detail for this story! Giovanni, the absent-minded scientist, is a great character. His penchant for thinking in rhyme is a great detail that gives him a singular personality. One wonders what the main point of the story is, aside from its humor. Who's the hero? What is gained? Is there a message or moral? Personally, I don't think the story suffers for this potential ambiguity; I'm happy with it just being a funny story. Let me offer one constructive criticism, however: blank lines between paragraphs allow the readers' eyes to rest while reading. It's less intimidating that a huge dark black of text. I would encourage you to take this into consideration moving forward. (You almost lost a half-star for it, but this was more than a three-and-a-halfer, hand down.) I thoroughly enjoyed your story, Charles. It was funny, tongue-in-cheek realistic, and wackily absurd. I'm glad you offered this for our enjoyment! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— "The Power Reviewers Group"  Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4868475

Review of The Crystal Image  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: 18+ ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   May 16, 2026 at 7:26am

Length:   9,633 Characters | 8,134 w/o WritingML

O, This is a nice little story of self-fulfilling prophecy. Aside from the content, which I'll get to in a minute, I liked the way you built the end into the middle. Brian seeing the future and causing the future was played well. We do indeed reap what we sow, and Brian sowed only seeds of suspicion or mistrust. What I liked was that he didn't get in return exactly what he put out there. Caroline didn't become the bad guy based on Brian's visions; Brian himself became the villain and caused the vision he saw to become an eventual reality. Another interesting facet was that he never saw himself and Caroline in the ball, hinting to the reader that he was never wholesomely in love with his wife to begin with. One could infer that the casual love in a marriage, which sometimes seems to supplant true deep emotional connection, is more corrosive than (and can eventually lead to) active negative emotions. Let me give you a detailed run-down of the elements of your story as they struck me. Introduction ▶︎ The introduction to the story was the one part I found a little wanting. A couple more supporting sentences to get Brian over to the yard sale, a little more context, would have helped quite a bit, in my opinion. It seemed like the reader was rushed into the meat of the story. Setting ▶︎ The Yard Sale and The Witch: The yard sale is underdelivered. There is so much rich detail at a good yard sale. It's not always good detail, mnd you—one man's trash is another man's yard sale! Butthere's old tools, trunks, clothes from too long ago, dishes we rmember from when we were growing up...and weird stuff, like books of symbols or crystal balls. I think a bit more description of the yard sale itself would have lent some rishness to the tapestry you have painted. Lasagna and Visions: First, I love leftovers. Some people in my family won't eat them. I had a friend whoe wife cooked enourmous meals the two of them couldn't possibly finish. But they never ate the leftovers. What a waste of money. All this is to say that a guy eating leftover lasagna lent a grounding reality to the story. One could put himself at one's table, fork in hand, looking at this crazy ball... Through a Glass Darkly: The smokiness of the visions in the ball is not new, but it is effective. Rarely does one read of a crystal ball showing crystal visions. (Hmm... Now I expect we'll read a Stephen King book about a 4K crystal ball! ) The reader felt a distance, a flatness to the images that felt right. We were seeing pictures through a window, after all, not actual life. Characters ▶︎ Brian: Brian is paintied with broad brush strokes. We really don't get much of a feel for him aside from his sarcasm (when he first receives the ball) and his pent-up anger and suspicion (as he unsuspectingly uses the ball). He is not a pleasant person, and I really didn't mind seeing Caroline leave him after all? There might be a little room to give his character more, depth though. I would offer that is the case throughout. Although the point is not to be a suspicous jerk, giving the characters a little more life would only stregnthen the tale. The Witch: I hate being stereotypical, but making the Lady of the Crystal a Slavic woman was somehow spot-on. May the rest of the readers forgive me. Immediately to my mind came the image of the witch offering Snow White the apple, until you described the woman more. Good job planting this character in reality so we knew what we were seeing. Another lesson learned: if someone offers you free magic, run the other way! Caroline: The only wholesome character, it's not a wonder, given the way our world works today, that she was the one hurt the most. However, her healing in the end is a welcome resolution, as the reader has been able to invest in her. Again, not a very deep character, her dialog nonetheless gives her a familiarity. Words of endearment like "honey" always bring a truth to dialog, which in turn brings a definition to characters. Derek: Our hero of the story, Derek is everything Brian is not. We rather instinctively like him just because of this. Now, as opposed to the other characters, I think keeping Derek vague was a strength. Again, he's simply a positive contrast to Brian's (and the Ball's) negativity. Plot/Arc ▶︎ The journey of these characters was fairly short; but that's the usaual case with a short story. Although Caroline had her own journey, it was directly influenced by and directly inverse to Brin's, and Brian was the main character of the story. His journey went from being a slight jerk to being a real jerk to beaing a raving jerk to being a sad worn out paranoid has-been jerk. The arc was shallow, but not without impact. The message of knowing the facts before jumping to conclusions is ably demonstrated. Compounding that message is the one that every love is based on trust and communication. Brian valued neither of these, and thus wound up a thing of the past in his own life. Mechanics ▶︎ I am something of a stickler for general mechanics. Run-on sentences, bastardized commas—things like that. They make me crazy because they break my conentration and yank me out of the story. Happily, I found no such errors in your writing! There's always going to be a little mistake here and there unless we have a team of copy specialists proofreading our work. The only thing I would mention in this piece is that some paragraphs did not have the double-spacing of others.For instance: Brian walked inside and set it on the kitchen table as he helped himself to some leftover lasagna. He was chewing when he realized that the crystal ball was showing him something. In the ball was an image of his wife, Caroline, a petite redhead in a green dress. If it wasn’t her, it was one hell of a lookalike. Behind her were products on shelves, likely at the local grocery store. That wasn’t what bothered him; it was the fact that she was with a man in far better shape than he was, and that Caroline was looking at him appraisingly. The extra carriage return after "something" is missing. See? Just something tiny. Conclusion ▶︎ I don't think anyone's disappointed seeing Brian shunted to the side. He's a bit of an ass. And seeing Caroline happy again reinforces the reader's hope that things will turn out alright in the end. The conclusion of your story is quite nicely tied up. There's just one point I would have loved to have known: what is the fate of the Crystal Ball at the end? Does Brian still have it? Does it continue to gnaw at him? Has it found another person for whom to cause trouble? Is it lying in wait somewhere like some evil eye? Just a thought. Constructive Comments ▶︎ I like to try and offer something helpful when I review a story. As mentioned earlier, I think just some more details would enrich this story without obscuring the general message or the overall scenes. What does the yard sale look like? How is the relationship between Brian and Caroline in the beginning of the story? Little things like that. And they really are littel things. I think these details wold help and would enrich, but the absence does not detract from the story in any way. This was a quick, enjoyable read reminding us not to be too hasty in what we only think we know—and not to be a meathead in general! With stories like this, the reader certainly does hope to read more; so I hope you Write On! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— "The Power Reviewers Group"  Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4868078

Review of The Resurrection Machine  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   May 13, 2026 at 1:08pm

Length:   7,275 Characters | 6,382 w/o WritingML

Lonewolf, I'm so glad you decided to enter this into the Adam West contest this month. This was a great story! It was original and engaging, and I was hooked from the beginning. The idea of ancient technology is fascinating to me! I once wondered, if you drem a line from Stone Henge to the center of the Mayan civilizatiojns, and from the mysterious mounds in the United Styates midwest to the Egyption pyramids, could the intersection of those lines represent the whereabouts of sunken Atlantis? Interesting...but not as interesting as your Resurrection Machine. Let's take a look at what makes this thing tick. Introduction ▶︎ I think we are all interested in history. Even if we don't have a favorite epoch or subject, something about the past draws us in. Perhaps it's because the past ties us all together. Using history to introduce the present had me hooked right away. The discovery of lost things has always called to me, as well, and Ken's finds, albeit fictional, were fascinating to me as I read. And that was just the first few paragraphs! Great hook. Setting ▶︎ The Lab: Kenneth's lab/research facility was engrossing. So many unnamable artifacts and discoveries, so many pieces to so many puzzles. But I was also able to understand some of what he was seeing and doing. We've watched the History Channel and seen how the scientists do their thing. So as Kenneth did his research, it was sort of like watching a documentary on a a strange and wonderful one-of-a-kind find. Like most other elements of the story, this drew me in and kept me there. The Hospital: Marcus' mospital room was not overly described; it didn't need to be. We've all been in those rooms. We all know the beeping, the hissing, the sad and sunken eyes, the tubes... By not going into too much detail, you let us, as the readers, immerse ourselves in an enviroment familiar to us. Very effective. The Machine: As he built the contraption in his garage, I was able to imagine it vividly. It was organic, somehow wise in construction. Stone and green. Strength and technicality. You set this section up so well, one almost wishes it was a little longer. (Only because it was so cool, not because it really needed to be longer. ) Characters ▶︎ Most good short stories only have one or two settings, one or two main characters. I appreciated being able to keep my focus on just a couple of primaries here. Kenneth: I thoroughly enjoyed this character. As mentioned, I love to discover things, to dig and find out how things work. While I don't have the tenacity or knowledge to investigate on the scale of Mr. Anderson, just reading about such discoveries is tantalizing. I think you did the character justice by having him not only discover things but cross reference them, get second opinions, look at supporting documents and findings. It all lent to the overall believability of the character. Marcus: A man resigned to his fate but still goverened by love, Marcus is less a driver in this story than the source of the climax itself. His quiet exhaustion is deeply felt—at least it was by me. But in the end, he's going to die, so for the love of his nephew, why not give this one last crazy grasp a try? Another good character. Plot/Arc ▶︎ Immortality? Avoidance of loss? The concept of resurrection can be quite philisophically stimulating. I foudn it interesting, however, that that discussion was kept in the background of this piece. This story focused on doining something, building something, saving something. "Why" and "What if" were left out of the equation of the story...but the questions were there, especially at the end. Hiding the Big Question in plain site in a story is an interesting trick, and it doesn't always pay off. This time, it paid dividends. Mechanics ▶︎ I always like to note when a person's writing is clean, technically. I found no orphaned sentence fragments, misplaced ideas, transient commas. everything felt right and tight. I appreciate that, because it makes the reading that much easier. And for me, the easier the reading is, the more energy I can dedicate to enjoying the story. Nicely done. Conclusion ▶︎ The way teh Resurrection machine morked, pulsated, everything—the sequence was written really well! I was especially impressed with teh description of the machine after it had done its work. It was still intact, but its fuel had been spent and it was subtly different. Excellent work. However, this is the one area I had the slightest issue. I felt the last line was not definitive. “They won’t let you keep this,” Marcus continued. “And they won’t let it remain what it is.” This is definitive and intuitive. "They," no matter from which society, will never leave altruism and beneficince alone. It will always be changed to something else, something for profit or something for violence. At least that's what history has shown us. But the last line suggest that the machine will be okay, simply by Kenneth not letting it be hushed up—as if one person can truly stop "them" once "they" have put their minds to something. Something about those last lines just seemed loose to me, like there was something not quite tied up. Understand, this is a very little thing I'm talking about here, in a terrific story. Just offering this reader's opinion. This was a great take on the title. It was original in the extreme, engaging, and really interesting! The cure for death has obsessed humankind for millennia. The solution to the problem, found in ancient sources, makes one wonder why it was lost in the first place. Even though Marcus and Kenneth don't want it to be forgotten again, maybe it was hidden in the past for good reason. For if we all can live forever, what new hell would that unleash? Thanks for this awesome entry, my friend! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— "The Power Reviewers Group"  Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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14 days may be credited.

#4867035

Review of A Face for Murder  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (3.5)

Given:   May 5, 2026 at 6:37am

Length:   8,269 Characters | 7,015 w/o WritingML

Silvern, You paint a dark, dystopian world in this. I wonder if it reflects your worldview or if it's purely fiction. It's always interesting for me to ponder how much of the story is the author's own view/experience, and how much is made up. I'd like to share with you what I got out of your story and to offer some observations along the way. Introduction ▶︎ After very briefly meeting one of the main characters, we are quickly dragged into the corrupt world as Maya sees it. It's a pretty abrupt beginning, I have to admit. It makes it plain that this is not a pretty world, but it really doesn't give the reader much of a chance to immerse himself in the story before getting in the depths of the plot. Setting ▶︎ The Studio (?): While we are included in Elias' construction of the painting, we are never really given any visuals of the space in which he works. I wonder if it's cluttered like the classic artist's studio or clean and utilitarian? I wonder how do Elias and Maya interact in the studio? Granted, this is not the bones of the story, but it is the stage dressing that allows the reader to really get a sense of the environment of the story. The Gallery: This was nicely done. I could imagine myself in a posh art gallery with a drink in my hand trying not to look directly at some very suspicious-looking men. The arrival of the drone broke the scene and moved the story forward quite well. The Alleys: Perhaps there's an opportunity to describe the corruption through the scenery here, much like the scenery of the Batman movies paints not only a bleak landscape but hints at the overpowering minds that built it. Perhaps the streets are littered with garbage. Homeless people whom the Government has cheated out of jobs and left to fend on their own. Psychological darkness as well as physical darkness. In any, "the maze of streets" certainly portrays the claustrophobic feeling of being trapped—in this case, by an overbearing government. Safety (?): It was a good idea to keep the main characters moving around. It lends to the believabiity of the scene. They certainly wouldn't just go back home and resume their normal lives. You portray them as being "on edge," which is exactly how a life on the run and in hiding would make one feel. You didn't go into much detail here, but you didn't need to to get your point across. Characters ▶︎ Elais: Elais is ostensibly the main character since it is his work that drives the story. However, he is somewhat two-dimensional. While it is his art that brings the corruption of the Goverment into focus, Maya seems to be the one making the decisions for him. Perhaps a little more of an active role for Elias? Maya: Now Maya is the real driver in this vehicle. She influences Elais to create the art that reveals illustratively the rot within "the system." She has done the research, knows the details, and encourages her friend to stand with her against the power of the tyrannical Government. Yet...we never get to know her, or even see her really, as there is no physical description of her. I don't mean to imply that she is badly written; I just personally would have liked to have known a little more about her, even if it was just the color of her hair. The Thugs: Spot-on. Big dumb animals in nice suits. It seems kind of cliche, but it seems really realistic, too. Sometimes life is cliche I guess. Good job with these goons. Plot/Arc ▶︎ While I had no trouble following the path of this story, it was very linear. There was little to no development of characters or environment. It started off with two rebellious people in a totalitarin regime and ended the same way, the only difference being private rebellion in the beginning vs open rebellion at the end. I understand the risk of throwing too much detail into a short story and making it feel bloated, some sort of development seems to be an opportunity here. Perhaps a suspenseful build-up to the action of the thugs during the gallery showing, for instance. Mechanics ▶︎ I didn't too many issues with the grammar or puntuation or spelling in this piece. Good job. However, I will offer two suggestions: First, consider using a larger font to reduce eye fatigue for the reader. It seems like a little thing, but it can really have a lot of impact. I am more likely to scroll past a story in a tiny font than one in larger friendly letters. Second, Use paragraph breaks between dialog. Here's an example (please forgive me for using such a large portion): One chilly evening, she visited Elias at his tiny studio and told him, "You need to see these." The screen showed clips of various city officials engaging in shady deals with unknown organisations.Elias examined the footage carefully and told her, "This is truly dangerous, Maya. If they find out you've accessed that, they might come after you." Her eyes were shining. "I’m tired of hiding. The people deserve to know what’s happening. And you, Elias, can make a difference with your art! What if we create a piece that exposes them?" might be better displayed as One chilly evening, she visited Elias at his tiny studio and told him, "You need to see these." The screen showed clips of various city officials engaging in shady deals with unknown organisations. Elias examined the footage carefully and told her, "This is truly dangerous, Maya. If they find out you've accessed that, they might come after you." Her eyes were shining. "I’m tired of hiding. The people deserve to know what’s happening. And you, Elias, can make a difference with your art! What if we create a piece that exposes them?" See how it breaks the speech out into easily identifiable who's-speaking sections? Conclusion ▶︎ The conslucion of this story is strong and hopeful, leaving the reader with a very positive feeling: tyranny can always be overcome, even if it entails danger and sacrifice."There was a hope." Hope is something that can activate the human spirit to all manner of things, including "a brighter future." Though this carried a dark tone throughout, it was a thought-provoking story about a Government out of control. As the government here in US takes an increasingly and alarmingly greater and greater degree of control, this is a timely piece for me to read. Whether it be about darkness or light, oppression or hope, Write On, my friend! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— "The Power Reviewers Group"  Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4863718

Review of Unquenchable Desire  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.5)

Given:   Apr 9, 2026 at 6:34am

Length:   707 Characters | 656 w/o WritingML

Raskolnik, This has a dark undercurrent that keeps it interesting and ends it on a slightly uncomfortable note—to its strength. It hearkens to the obsession of fans to their pop idols; but here, that obsession is to the tune of pop idols. The reader can easily identify (this reader, at least) with the haughty look the stewardess gives the narrator of the story. The unattainable dream is a common theme for all of us. But the fixation on that dream often erodes the mind and eclipses the goal itself, the obsession becoming its own self-feeding animal. Very nice short about how easily we can get lost in the chase of a dream. --Jeffrey

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#4863176

Review of Walking the Wild Cheese  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Apr 5, 2026 at 9:31am

Length:   3,852 Characters | 3,381 w/o WritingML

Lonewolf, This is an absolutely charming tale of what adventure feels like to a young person. It brings back to me memories of my own adventures. I didn't need to go anywhere nearly as exotic as the Swiss Alps; there was a little belt line of trees down the road from my house was, in my imagination, an entire unknown forest for me to explore. The positive and gentle way the adult in this story communicates with the children is so important. It reminds us that not everything has to be vulgar or scary to be intense. Just his cadence, lowering his voice, the glint the reader can see in his eyes—all these things make for a great storytelling. I was impressed that you chose this title. For one thing, it has very personal origins. Our chihuahua, who passed only a few months ago, was nicknamed "The Cheese." When he was wearing his collar, he was a domesticated animal. But when he had no collar on, he was "wild." So, if you could get Cheeko to walk with you with no collar or leash, you were "walking the wild Cheese." But trying to make that into story... It's not a challenge I would have quickly accepted! The adventure you set up was so interesting, with the cheeses being set loose into the wild. I can't even put my finger on why it works so well, but somehow, releasing the cheeses into the wild, giving them volition of their own, giving them an allure for adventureres...well, I might as well have been in class with the rest of the kids. I was hanging on every word. Also very interesting is how much more can be found on an adventure, as you demonstrate. The true find was not the cheese, but the love. But that never would have been found without risk, without being willing to sacrifice something, without giving unto another. And isn't a relationship with another person the greatest adventure of all? And that's what I take from this story—not the love of adventure, but the love of love, and the lengths we sometimes have to go to find it. Mechanically, I thought this was done very well. It's mostly dialog-driven, which can be difficult (for me, at least). You managed to keep the dialog from getting confusing or boring by using short lines, as one would with children. And your insertions of their reactions was perfect. Say a few words; see the reaction; another few words; a new reaction... Really good technique, and great pacing. Spelling and punctuation all seemed good—I didn't find any wild commas wandering around with the cheeses. The end was quite clever, I think, and quite instructive. It hints to the reader that adventure can be found anywhere, even in the most mundane of things. It's all about how you look at things. A first is a first, even if it's "just" a trip to Red Lobster. We can make anything full of wonder for our children, and thus grow them into people who are full of wonder. If abuse has a generational cycle, so does nurturing. This was a very nice story, sir. Thank you so much for reminding us to view life through the eyes of wonder. This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4861309

Review of Dawn Duo  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.5)

Given:   Mar 23, 2026 at 6:40am

Length:   1,143 Characters | 1,067 w/o WritingML

Raskolnik, This is an interesting little snapshot. A brief ethereal glimpse into earth at her most honest, you managed to avoid a lot of the more common tropes. Even what could be taken for dryads were handled well. "...naked, not obscene; stripped of all excess, even shame." I thought this was a brilliant line. It stripped all vulgarity from the scene and made it as innocent as the day before Eve took that fateful first bite. The way the "spirits" appeared and then disappeared fit the piece well, almost like it was an hallucination brought on by fatigue. Strauss was an interesting choice. One might have expected lute or flute to accompany such an event, probably due to historical portrayals; the more concrete and human music is somewhat puzzling, but by no means takes away from the story. This is a nice vignette of nature at her most pure and potent; and the thought of going back to work to complete anything as real or meaningful as the scene being nothing short of ludicrous. Nice job. --Jeffrey (Power Reviewers' Group)

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#4860269

Review of World Was  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.5)

Given:   Mar 15, 2026 at 10:01am

Length:   2,110 Characters | 1,561 w/o WritingML

Mr. Greene, This was a good little story. I like the idea of a black hole in a wormhole. Unique idea (at least to me). It was a good attention grabber. Bahb and Errl aren't very well defined in this story, though; this is more of a cautionary parable to us readers not to kill ourselves by killing each other. Mechanically, I think you did well. I didn't find any glaring spelling or punctuation errors, and the organization was well thought out and presented. I'll offer just a couple of constructive notes: Consider using wider line breaks, perhaps setting the line spacing to 2.0. The packed writing was a little uncomfortable to the eye. In the same vein, a larger font would make it easier to read on-screen, as well...at least to older buggers like me. Have another look at the synopsis. It sounds like it's going to be a goofy story, so the reader is kind of tripped up by the straight-up sci-fi of it. For me, it sounded like it was going to be a knock-ff of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (which I'm glad it wasn't, because I hate that book). I would, indeed, like to read a but more of the adventures of Bahb and Errl. This was a good story. Write On, sir! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4860266

Review of On Thick Black Ice  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (3.0)

Given:   Mar 15, 2026 at 9:45am

Length:   1,221 Characters | 826 w/o WritingML

Luna, I rarely choose to review poetry because it is so subjective. But since you asked for a reaction, I thought I'd leave one. I'm afraid I did not get an impact from this one. I think it's about a romantic liaison with an exotic dancer, but I can't tell from what angle. I'm also not able to understand what the monsters are. Patrons? Vice squad? It's not clear to me what happened that was sad that ended this. Again, I only offer these comments because you asked. This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4859662

Review of Crash Course in Responsibility  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   Mar 10, 2026 at 8:27pm

Length:   341 Characters | 297 w/o WritingML

I was sure the guy driving the car was going to have been his boss. But then, that's my luck. You did a great job describing a chronic drunk. "Smelling like last night's bar tab" was a good turn of phrase. At least he finally got some trust back at the end! Fun piece, my friend.

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#4859335

Review of Five Stars For Everything  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Mar 8, 2026 at 3:28pm

Length:   585 Characters | 544 w/o WritingML

Interesting outlook. Personally, I prefer to use the rating system, but I never give fewer than three stars. That's reserved for something that's too dense it error-filled to make sense. Sometimes someone will request a review. THEN I take it very seriously. If it's going to be a brutal review -- honeys, but brutal-- I'll send them an email first and ask them if they want me to continue. I didn't mind getting varying stars, myself. It helps me to re-examine what I've write and see what I could do better. But that's just me.

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#4859242

Review of Earning His Stripes WC 200  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Mar 7, 2026 at 5:43pm

Length:   606 Characters | 567 w/o WritingML

Oh yeah. You GOT to earn your stripes. I have one son who thinks he should just walk into a job and everybody should just automatically respect and revere him. I keep telling him: "You gotta put your time in in the trenches, son!" I don't know if he'll ever learn. For my part, I'm happy to do whatever the Company needs, even if it's emptying trashcans at the end of the day. And it's not out of fear of being fired; I just love the place I work. I like this story reminding us that menial work doesn't have to be meaningless work. Nice job. --Jeffrey

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#4857901

Review of Adventures in Literary Esoterica  

for entry "Opus" 

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: 18+ ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Feb 26, 2026 at 1:05pm

Length:   419 Characters | 379 w/o WritingML

Jeff, This is a nice take on the "inside job" theme. Modern art being what it is, I can easily see this being an installation in a gallery. The less I understand it, apparently, the better the art is considered! Nice job turning the story in those last couple of lines. I didn't see it coming which made the destination that much more enjoyable. Great job! --Jeffrey

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#4857002

Review of Getting a Wife...........  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.5)

Given:   Feb 19, 2026 at 12:36pm

Length:   1,494 Characters | 1,104 w/o WritingML

I certainly see the humor in this. It's rather strongly tongue-in-cheek, japing every stereotypical "old-fashioned" thought about women. That old dad wants sonny to bring the woman home for him emphasizes a generation gap and a difference in thinking between father and son, although this is mostly implied. The son is not the misogynist here; dad is. The son is just relating the nonsense his father spouted. Quite nice for just a bit of fun, especially as it is in the context of a larger story and cant really be taken at face value as a standalone piece. Nice rhyme and meter, to offer some mechanical notes. It read smoothly and quickly, without too much thought having to go into it, which is comfortable for the reader. Fun work, my friend! This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4856713

Review of Grandma Rosewood  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   Feb 17, 2026 at 12:51pm

Length:   582 Characters | 531 w/o WritingML

Lonewolf, Your flair for metaphor and simile shine through again in this piece. "A rainbow caught in mid stride— " What an exquisite image. Even without the magic, it's a perfect way to capture the beauty of a sunset. The thought of witches being good as well as evil has been often explored, but is still the minority view. It is nice to read a story where the magic is clean and pure, and witches work only to heal the world. I wish more ordinary people would try to do the same. Very nice story, sir. --Jeffrey

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#4856406

Review of Valentine's Day  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Feb 15, 2026 at 9:30am

Length:   534 Characters | 479 w/o WritingML

My goodness! You captured that nervous indecision just right! I've been there so many times. Honestly, I usually freeze up and botch the moment. But this is about John, and John lucked out in the extreme. The heart does indeed make the right choices for us sometimes. All the presents in the world weren't as valuable to Cynthia as just having John. And tagging on a long-lasting marriage— which is no mean feat— was a nice closer. Great writing, my friend. --Jeffrey

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#4855744

Review of Sarah Ebon  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: ASR | N/A (Review only item.)

Given:   Feb 10, 2026 at 12:31pm

Length:   1,900 Characters | 1,462 w/o WritingML

Nick, This is a warmhearted trip down memory lane— both for you and for the reader. I remember playing the same games, reading the same books. I didn't have a Sarah Ebon by my side though; it would have been so much better, I can see from your poem, if I had. An ode to an old friend, this speaks volumes about love. I must confess, though, I was a little confused by the last line. I'm not sure if this is a eulogy to a friend who has passed or a living note of appreciation and thanks, looking forward to more years of friendship. I'm not sure if you intended that ambiguity or not, so I wanted to point it out. One mechanical note I'd like to point out: the almost-rhythm is a tricky. In many lines, there is a meter, but that meter fails after three or four lines and moves to something very different. The broken timing really tripped me up; perhaps tightening it down to a truer tempo would alleviate that. This is very nice poem about something I don't read much about: simple friendship— not romantic love and bitterness or loneliness; just the simple joy of a great friend. Nicely done. This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4855714

Review of Last Year On Fire  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (4.0)

Given:   Feb 10, 2026 at 9:19am

Length:   2,012 Characters | 1,573 w/o WritingML

Emberly, This is a deeply personal poem you've shared with us. One can identify, at least to some extent, the frustration of good intentions achieving exactly the wrong goals and hopes being proven futile over and over again. This quote resonated with me, as I have a son who struggles with mental issues and substance abuse (clean for now, thankfully): I cried alone while my son laughed somewhere else, like my grief was invisible air he didn’t need to breathe. When our pain goes unheeded and we are alone with our grief, the pit just seems to get so much deeper. The structure you've chosen, such as it is, fits the mood. Your choice to use so many short lines works well here. Each one is like a little cut, and they all add up to a thousand little cuts that slowly bleed the soul. But in the end, the cuts heal. They leave scars, but they didn't bleed you dry. You survived. Then again, survival is sometimes both a blessing and a curse, in my experience anyway. One day feels victorious, but the next day feels like so much wasted effort trying to kick water uphill. I get the same sense lurking between the lines here. I quite enjoyed this poem that I can only hope was cathartic to write. This review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.

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#4855176

Review of Jared  

Review by Jeffrey Meyer

In affiliation with The Power Reviewers Group  

Rated: E ★★★★★ | (5.0)

Given:   Feb 6, 2026 at 6:59am

Length:   2,334 Characters | 1,849 w/o WritingML

Jared, This is fantastic, man. The message of hope by itself is to be lauded, especially from someone like myself who tends to find the shadows on the sunniest of days. But beyond than, there's some great writing in such a short piece. "like a heartbeat relearning its pace" This was such a great analogy. for me it turned the sound of a hammer into the sound of many hammers. It was like adding stereo to a mono track. "the smell of wet ash" I often read of the smell of ash, the smell of brunt cloth, burnt wood. But the sodden, nasty smell of wet ash is so memorably pungent, such a smell of something have been extinguished, like the hope of the village. It's just such an important detail, and slipped in like a minor chord you didn't realize you heard until your eyes start to tear up. "he had a plan and a blister" A perfect way of stating that Jared was participating in healing his vision (ergo the blister) and that he was moving forward toward a leadership role, a forward-looking role. It uses Jared as that major chord, that positive note that represents the potential of recovery, whether its a town that's broken or a person or a person's spirit: with hard work and a sharp mind, there is such a thing as "forward." I am very impressed by this short piece, thought not surprised, given much of your other work. Still, I think this would stand tall in many a contest. What a joy to read, and a great way to start my day. What a way to Write On! TThis review offered by Jeffrey —————————— WDC Power Reviewers Group Image #2333342 over display limit. -?- Please note that my reviews are intended to be respectful and encouraging. If you feel I have been rude, cruel, or otherwise inappropriate, please report this review to a moderator.