he brainchild of authors Stephen Hunt and Geoff Willmetts, SF Crowsnest is Europe's most visited SF site. The page dishes up large servings of information on what's going on in SF literature, media and fandom around the world, spicing up the news with a dose of wry humor and plenty of ready
opinions.
At first glance, this Web page appears to be a typical online SF magazine, one with a relatively conventional layout to boot. Everything a visitor will expect to find is here: interviews with authors like Michael Moorcock and Alan Dean Foster, artwork, convention listings, book reviews and discussion forums. The cross-linked essays in the Crowsnest library provide for endless surfing, leading a reader from an essay on whether Buffy's Slayer powers are derived from demonic possession to an article on Internet film releases, and from there to coverage of the Sidewise Awards. Added to this standard fare, though, is a host of less frequently seen extras, like market listings for writers, cartoons and a large archive of fiction. The Crowsnest also has a news section that is less devoted to staying current with SF than it is in covering a selection of topics in deeper detail.
Ultimately, though, what makes SF Crowsnest stand out from similar sites is its tone. Articles and market listings are irreverent to the point of sarcasm, and the editorials are pointed and topical, with an appealing lean into the acerbic.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—August 5, 2002
ourteen-time Hugo award winner Michael Whelan offers visitors a chance to sample his fantasy- and SF-themed artwork on this official Web page. Known both for his original work and for book covers like that for Joan Vinge's The Snow Queen, Whelan uses this page as a showcase for his work and (to a lesser extent) an information site for aspiring artists.
Beautifully laid out and easy to access, the page features a gallery containing some of Whelan's best-known paintings, as well as a store that sells prints, originals and novelty items, including coffee cups and personal checks adorned with Whelan dragons. It also has a scant handful of links, most of them to the pages of SF authors.
Much of the content of this site is visual, naturally, but even so, one of its most delightful elements is its detailed biography of Michael Whelan, as well as an FAQ that talks about his methods of working and the artistic materials he prefers to use. These glimpses into the minutiae of a working artist's world are intriguing. Combined with the images of his work, they are inspirational, providing ample fuel for the imaginations of any young painters who dream of bringing their own SF visions to a wider and very appreciative audience.
— A.M. Dellamonica
Site of the Week—July 29, 2002
amingReport.com provides gamers with a steady stream of role-playing game news, commentary and gossip by successfully merging Slashdot's relentless pursuit of geek news with the comic-stack arguments of a thousand gaming stores.
The site's members, who submit stories to the editors for possible posting, generate much of the site's news. Home-page stories are posted daily and are then stored in an extensive archive that's browsable by lists of the "Top 25 Read Stories" and "Top 25 Commented Stories" as well as categories for all of the major gaming companies.
Much of the site's content focuses around Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition, d20 and other role-playing games, but there's also news about collectible games (Star Wars TCG, HeroClix), strategy-war games (Lord of the Rings), board games (Risk 2210) and even electronic game aids (OpenRPG). "The Non-Gamer Report," written by Maddie, the wife of a gamer, and "Inside the Game Store" by the owner of someone crazy enough to run one, are two of the site's half-dozen or so specialty columns.
The discussion boards are more than just breeding grounds for d20 flame wars. Designers—both from Wizards of the Coast and other companies—frequently post, and one, Ryan Dancey, of Organized Play and Open Gaming License fame, even hosts his own forum, where he dissects d20.
— Ken Newquist
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