Fic recs, March 20th! · 1:55pm March 20th
Posting a day earlier than usual because the next reading is a long one!
H: 1 R: 2 C: 1 V: 1 N: 3
Reborn by Sparrow9642
Reading by the Author
Mature: Gore
Genre: Grimdark
After meeting her end in the Pegasus Device, Scootaloo is given a second chance to get revenge on the pony she once called sister.
"Rainbow Factory is the best-written of the old-school pony grimdark fics" and "the central premise of Rainbow Factory is really, really dumb" are two statements that can, and I would say should, coexist. >_> Even this story brings the question up: Why in the hell would the Elements of Harmony choose a pony who had dedicated her life to ending others'? And so it goes. Unfortunately, sometimes you read two stories near enough to one another that are both trying to do the same thing, and one does it significantly more skillfully. This, sadly, is the less skillful Rainbow Factory followup. It suffers from, among other things, weak characterization as well as a narrative that constantly repeats itself, turning the pacing from methodical to glacial. And the longer it dragged on, the more I had to admit that I just did not care about anything that was happening. Sorry to say it, it might be a bit unfair, but this doesn't work for me.
DNF: 3/8
Nibbles by Storylover-Vodhr
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Rom-Com
When Twilight gets sleepy, she gets weird.
This was far funnier than it had any right to be, through virtue of the author picking precisely the right random, goofy shit for Twilight to have done while half-asleep. :) A good example of how to random well! Also, TwiDash, yay.
Recommended
Deep Freeze by Goldfinch142
Reading by Lotus Moon, et. al.
Genre: Dark AU
New good author? 👀 I would like to point to this story's description as a perfect example of how to summarize a story in a way to draw in readers. And then I will also point to the story itself as a great example of just how to write a story, period. The juxtaposition promised by the description plays out perfectly. Meanwhile, anything you think this might be about, it likely isn't. And if it is? It's remarkably well written and explored in a surprisingly short number of words. This is tense and horrifying and altogether just really sad, all things that I love to see revolve around Celestia and the story of the Two Sisters. Gotta read this author's other story now!
Highly Recommended
Take Two by BlackWater
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Random Comedy
Making clones of Twilight Sparkle and her friends didn't work out, but surely Chrysalis's next plan will.
I found this a tad hard to follow. First, it's pretty short, so there's not a lot of time to really latch on to anything. Second, I really spent most of the time trying to figure out the connection between the pictures and the clones, which, on a second read-through, I'm pretty sure doesn't actually exist? So this is a good bit more random than anything. But Chryssy fun times? Maybe?
Recommended for Chrysalis Fans Only
Having Dinner With Twilight by KenDoStudios
Reading by Scribbler
Genre: 2P Romance
I have to be honest, I found this intensely uninteresting. I would chalk this up to the reading and its many lengthy pauses in which, I imagine, we are meant to be conversing with Twilight, except that the story was intentionally written this way, for an ASMR reading, and there is in fact an entire playlist of readings, of this story and more, which I figure the author himself did. It doesn't help that I felt I had zero in common with the POV character, as dictated to us by Twilight. The Warriors Cats references are for people half my age. <_< I hate writing that sentence. But ultimately, I don't care about having a relationship with Twilight, so something like this is going to bounce off me anyway; it just could have done so in a more interesting manner is all.
Not Recommended
Tiny Twilight H2.0 by Moonlit Path
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Cute
A day at the lake is interrupted by a magic surge.
This is extremely cute, but it's also something of a hard sell. The writing I would describe as 'scattershot', which wouldn't be a huge issue, except it also continuously head-hops between the two characters, which also wouldn't be a huge issue, except the author has a tendency to put 'she' directly after a head-hop, in such a way as it's entirely unclear which of the two female characters is being referenced. It was annoying and kept on dragging me out of the story. But I do love the idea that magic surges were still an issue for Twilight during her tutelage under the Princess, and I was kind of impressed that such an idea could be floated in a story with such low stakes. Also, filly Twilight fucking up a spell and turning herself into a G1-style seapony is great. So, six of one, half a dozen of the other, sticklers are gonna want to avoid it. And I still don't know what's up with the title.
Vaguely Recommended
Rainbow Cupcakes by Loud Laughter
Reading by Lotus Moon, et. al.
Genre: Grimdark
Why would Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash open a bakery together?
Why did last year's Month of Macabre produce so many readings of classic pony creepypasta derivatives? x_x Fucking save me. And this story is easily the least creative among them. From the setup, it's obvious this is Cupcakes meets Rainbow Factory — it's hilarious this is presented as any sort of mystery in-story, there is zero mystery here — but that's honestly being too generous. This is Cupcakes with Rainbow Dash in on the 'fun' as her Rainbow Factory persona, with Twilight taking her place as the victim. It's not good. It is, in fact, really dumb. Don't bother.
Not Recommended
You Know How I Know You're Soft? by SweetiePie08
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Comedy/Friendshipping
Discord pays Fluttershy a visit on the first day of winter.
The description says this is a reference to The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which did not fill me with confidence, as I've never seen it. I imagine the reference is what takes up the bulk of the story; what, if I'm being honest, is actually its least interesting bit. But that being said, this is a story about Discord showing up, being a bit of a dick, and then Fluttershy realizing he's not trying to be a dick, but to cheer her up in his own, special, dick way. Cue a lengthy, repetitive section where the title is dropped over and over. But I get it. This is the kind of silly game that good friends will fall into from time to time, and from that perspective, this totally works. Heck, it's even good! I honestly can't even complain about the repetition, because I sort of felt like I was peeping in on a private moment between two friends that wasn't meant for me. But yes, this is intensely cute, and a post-season three meditation on the ways in which Discord has adjusted to friendship and made it his own is totally worth your time.
Recommended
I'll endorse that. I know both, and I think Forget-Me-Not is actually better than Deep Freeze.
Wow... Sort of a diamond in a cow pie grouping here. Deep Freeze goes on my list (despite having tags I usually avoid) and on TCC56's rec, so does Forget-Me-Not.
Heyo!! Thanks for the review and recommendation of Deep Freeze! It makes me really happy to see people enjoy it so much :D
Fun fact, Deep Freeze was originally started for the Halloween in April contest back in 2020, but I got lazy and didn't get around to finishing it until December of that year lol
5773618
as one does XD
Thanks for the review on Reborn even if it wasn't your thing. My goal with that story was to write my own take that wasn't like the other two main RF stories with actual sense being added to certain things that the other installments failed to address. Rainbow Dash's role and lack of motive was the big one, so I gave her an actual reason why she'd go from who she is in FiM to a mass murderer and twisted it a little. I don't know if you read the old version or new one, but I'll respect your thoughts.
5773976
it was the new one, for the record, from your new reading thereof