Name: Phoenix
Site: The Elfhob Fanlistings
Brief Description: Two fanlistings in one site, dedicated to Frodo and Legolas from Lord of the Rings
Date Reviewed: 09/17/02

Splash: Lovely graphics on your splash page (you'll hear more about the graphics later), and the text is easy to read, helpful, and attractive. I like very much how the two images are quite different, but don't clash, how you've used the same fonts for both, but in different colors to compliment each image. Very nicely done. My only suggestion is that you put all the content into a table which is centered in the window, because in 800x600 resolution, it looks funky, sitting really far to the right.  4/5

Layout: First of all, I want to say how much I admire the consistency you've got going between these two fanlistings. It gives your site a lovely continuity of look and feel. And it certainly doesn't hurt that you've got these gorgeous header images for both listings! I also really like the look of your primary navigation, with the two different fonts. The script is lovely and very appropriate to your subject matter, while the plain roman serifed font is still quite attractive while being easier to read. The fact that these fonts are also used, in the same overlapping way, on your splash and in your header images is just beautiful. Okay. Now for the things I *don't* like. (1) First of all, your site *definitely* looks best in 1024x768, because your header images are really too large for a 800x600 screen. I mean, it works, but it doesn't look good. If I were you, I'd let folks know on the splash page that the site looks best in 1024x768. (2) I'm afraid that sometimes your graphical cleverness outwitted me (and, hey, I'm pretty darned smart, so I'm sure there's stupid people out there having even *more* trouble!). For example, on your Orlando/Legolas gallery page, I just kept clicking on the lovely picture, expecting it to take me to the gallery. It wasn't until I'd clicked a few times in various places that I realized there were tiiiiiiiiiiiiny text links to the individual galleries. The Elijah/Frodo gallery page was *much* easier to use. I recommend that you either (a) use an image map on your Orlando/Legolas gallery page, so that folks go to the Legolas gallery when they click on Legolas's face, and same for Orlando, or (b) use the same separate-pic method as on the Elijah/Frodo page. (3) I also suggest that you make the subheadings more easily distinguishable from the normal text. Right now, the pages just sort of run all together without a real sense of separate sections. I especially noticed this problem on pages such as "About Legolas," which has a few distinct sections, but the page ends up just looking like a mass of text. Perhaps you could make the subheadings a different size, a different color, a different font, indented, centered, or something else that makes them easily identified at a glance. (4) Your "Main" link at the bottom of pages seems to have a fixed position or something. On pages with a lot of text (such as "LOTR: The Ultra-Abridged Version" or "About Frodo"), the text ends up crashing into the "Main" link and looking funky.  2/5

Originality: You know, I saw "fanlisting" in the description of your site, and thought, "Ho hum. At least this review will be *quick*." Fanlistings are usually pretty boring ... but WOWZA! Your site is incredibly original, especially for a fanlisting. Your artwork is simply gorgeous, your "Which Orlando Clothing Are You?" quiz is hilarious, (I seem to be half a dark-brown velvet jacket and half a blue scarf, so I'm afraid I may clash horribly.) as is your "LOTR: The Ultra-Abridged Version." But it isn't just the material in your "Extra Features" sections that is original ... it's also the text you've written in "About Frodo," "About Orlando," etc. Your own personality, knowledge, and opinions come shining through in your lively writing, which makes your site a joy to explore and review. Oh, one last thing, I really like the titles of both of these fanlistings, but Strange Elf is especially inspired. I love that you took it from the book, and that you include the quote in your header image. Very creative and interesting!  5/5

Content: Fanlistings usually don't have much content, but I spent an hour or two just reading all the cool things on your site and looking at the pretty pictures (mmmmmmm ... Legolas)! I especially love how you've incorporated your knowledge of both the film(s) *and* the books into the written sections. Most fansites for the LOTR films focus *only* on the films, and so I really enjoyed the additional info you give about the characters, your comparisons between books and film, etc. You have lovely image galleries and wallpapers, free graphics, free fonts ... I mean, how much content can you fit here, girl? This is an LOTR fan's paradise! I look forward to returning to your site after the second movie has come out, to see your new material! I always make an effort to mention both the good and bad about a site ... but when I love a site this much, it's difficult to think of criticisms and suggestions. Uh ... maybe you could add a page about how great *I* am. Yeah, then I'd like the site more. ;-)  5/5

Navigation: Well, as I mentioned under "Layout," I love your primary navigation. It's pretty ... it's easy to find and use ... and it's always visible. I was less fond of the navigation within your subsections, especially "Extra Features," which contains lots of different pages. Once I was on one of the sub-sub-pages, I had to try to remember which section I was in, or use my browser's "Back" button to get back to the listing of everything in that section. I'd suggest adding some sort of "Return to Extra Features" link or something on those sub-sub-pages. I also think it would look pretty if your "Main" link (and any other link you add at the bottom of the pages) matched the visual style of your primary navigation ... but that's your choice.  3/5

Various Comments: As you may have noticed, I really love the content of your site. My only real quibbles are technical ones about the layout and navigation. I think this is the neatest fanlisting I've ever visited thus far!

Total Score: 3.8/5