Anthology II: Dreamscape
A Review by Michael Galasso

The second part of the Anthology series and winner of the first TFN Fan Films Scriptwriting Contest continues the series’ deep storylines and excellent casting.

What a great cast. Each part in Dreamscape is perfectly cast and helps draw the listener even more into the enriching story.

Michael Haspil is great as the learned Dark Jedi, Quintas, and makes the listener appreciate his view of the galaxy even more, due to his perfectly balanced tone and mannerisms. His voice is just so melodic and fits the character’s attitudes--those of the pursuit of his own form of “justice”--and allows the listener to actually side with him during some parts of the sophisticated arguments in the drama.

Matthew Gordon: wow, what more can be said about this man? His voice just draws you into the story no matter what part he is cast as. The man’s voice is just so pleasant to listen to, and blends so well to any part he is cast as, that he is one of this reviewers favorite “stars” of fan audio. He works off Haspil perfectly, and the two of them carry the weight of the entire piece perfectly, never letting the dramatic tension slip or the listener to become bored with the back and forth arguments.

Amy Ferrell: wow, wow, wow, Amy Ferrell. While her part is rather small in this piece, (rest assured I will rave more about this “queen of fan audio” in my Second Strike reviews), her sultry voice allows the listener to identify with Jedi Knight Kai Ta’ralyn even more and makes the role in which she is used by the Haspil character all the more sickening.

The majority of the story is told via description, but with Gordon’s seductive (yes, a man can say seductive) voice to guide the listener along, it doesn’t seem tiring or over-spoken at all. The freshening change of pace, a battle between Light Jedi and Dark Jedi that takes place with words rather than vicious lightsaber blows, allows the listener to actually take into account the Dark Jedi’s point of view, without just blindly “rooting for the good guy.”

The sophisticated banter, while seemingly overwhelming at first, quickly doesn’t distract the listener from the deeper meanings of the story. Each side of a conflict seeks its own form of “justice,” and each side views their own pursuits as worthy and valid of their efforts.

The views of the true nature of the Force, seen here as almost parallel to the views so widely argued and debated on message boards lately (those of Vergere in the New Jedi Order novel Traitor), are presented here in a tale written months before they would be revealed in the NJO. Whether you believe in this notion of the Force or not, this piece will not necessarily make you change your views of the subject, but the topic is addressed well and makes a certain form of sense if you think about it.

Dreamscape is a complicated piece, but the concepts of redemption, change, and the feelings expressed towards the end of the piece are timeless. Another outstanding edition of the Anthology series, and another hit for good ol’ “Nasty Butler.”