Site Post » Fic Spotlight #05 · 11:30pm Apr 3rd, 2014
Hi guys! Did you know that reading pony fanfics is a good source of up to ten (but possibly zero) important vitamins and minerals?
Neither did I, until I made that all up just now.
Seriously, though. Stories make our world go ‘round, via complex gravitational processes nobody really understands. That in mind, The Royal Guard has brought you yet another truckful of stories to keep our world turning. You should read them, else you may be indirectly responsible for the sudden rotational demise of our lovely blue planet.
HURRY! READ NOW, ELSE WE MAY ALL DIE.
But first, here’s a few links you may want to look at:
-The Royal Guard Group
-Submit Your Story!
-The Royal Guard's Reviewing Omnibus
-Join The Guard!
NOW READ:
This Week:
Action/Adventure
The Ambassador’s Son, by Midnight Shadow
The Last Human: A Tale of the Pre-Classical Era, by PatchworkPoltergeist
Dark
The Writing on the Wall, by Horse Voice
Wind and Stone, by Ruirik
Beyond the Wall, by Filler
Sad
Old Friends, by RBDash47
Protect, by Lord Destrustor
Author, Author!, by Pascoite
Slice of Life
Reading Rainbow, by Corejo
Go West, Young Mare, by JohnPerry
Bitter-Sweetie, by InquisitorM
Diary of a Pliant Tyrant, by xjuggernaughtx
A Taste of the Good Life, by Eakin
Comedy
Roll For Initiative, by Prak
Romance
The Terrifying Prospect of Swans in Love, by Fedora Mask
ACTION/ADVENTURE
The Ambassador’s Son, by Midnight Shadow
A noble earth-pony family, fallen somewhat on hard times, is killed in a mining accident. They leave behind a single male heir, who is in sore need of a guardian, and of protection. Celestia takes the young pony under her wing and delivers him not to ponies - not earth, unicorn or pegasus - but to a dragon, an ambassador, an old friend of hers.
Playing a game which may just be deadly to the uninformed, the dragon decides that the one path open to him to ensure the safety of his charge and to carry out his sworn duty, is to adopt.
Will I like this?: It's quite a rare sight to see sad and comedy labeled on a story. It's rarer still to see one that works. An orphan colt, an adoptive father of draconic proportions, and clever prose that will leave you shaken or laughing makes for a rare breed of literature. Check this one out, you won't know how to feel! —PR Flint Sparks
Reader, in ancient days, the old lords of the world numbered in thousands. Then hundreds. Then even less.
Now, they are found only in tapestries and fanciful ballads.
The creatures are all vanished. All but one.
Rumors say there are more of him, somewhere far away. A young and supposedly gifted mage called Star Swirl, and Heartstrings, a gentle spinster. have joined him on a journey to find the rest.
Will I like this?: It's a rare story that manages to capture the feel of classic epic fantasy. "The Last Human" does so with aplomb. A truly entertaining adventure story that explores the rich possibilities for fantasy in Equestria, with some of the most memorable scenes from any story I have yet to read on this site. —PR Headless
Daring Do can't believe her luck when she is asked to help explore the most ancient tomb known to ponykind. But terrible danger awaits her, for beneath the earth rests something beyond equine understanding.
Will I like this?: An extremely engaging Daring Do adventure that quickly takes an intriguing, enthralling, and entirely chilling turn. With or without the real-life subtext that it touches upon so well, The Writing On The Wall is an extremely well-realized story that isn't afraid to dip into some truly creepy subject matter. —PR Headless
After eighty years Pathfinder has seen it all, and tried to drink most of it away. When an eager young guard comes with questions for him, he is forced to relive some of his hardest memories. Memories of Home. Memories of Loss. Memories of wind and stone.
Will I like this?: A story of war, friendship, and true brutality. Wind and Stone earns its 'dark' tag and then some. Strong in character and terrifying realism, I couldn't suggest a better fic for those who love epic-length stories of war amongst ponies. Make sure to strap down your emotions for this fic, because once the roller coaster crests the slope, you're in for one hell of a ride. —PR Sorren
Never enter the woods alone, for there are monsters there. They can look like anything, even another pony. And if you waver in Gaea's love, you will become one.
Will I like this?: A creepy, almost Lovecraftian atmosphere, combined with tight pacing, ensures that this chilling short story will stay with you long after you finish reading. —PR Prak
She noticed the pony for the first time when she was young, not long after she'd received her cutie mark. He became her oldest friend.
Will I like this?: Death is not something to fear, for it is only another part of life. The next journey, so to speak. Old Friends captures the melancholy, yet uplifting, spirit of the journey to accept Death. It will make you think, feel, and ponder the next journey without crushing your soul or happiness. There can be happiness found in the sad genre, and this story is the kicker. —PR Flint Sparks
The world is dangerous. It is not safe, not as safe as it used to be.
But this is why you are here. This is who you are, what you are.
You must protect the ponies.
Always.
You will protect.
Will I like this?: There are few things more noble than to put one's own life on the line for the sake of another’s, and Protect understands this quite well. A short and sweet story about the nature of artificial intelligence and emergent consciousness, this story manages to pack much more meaning into its words than many works three times its length. —PR Headless
Much to her surprise, Pinkie Pie has discovered that the pen is a mighty tool, indeed. When she first tried her hoof at writing, she had no idea what the consequences might be. Now, more is at stake than she ever could have imagined.
Will I like this?: A very nice deconstruction of what might happen if Pinkie Pie actually did have fourth-wall awareness. Short, sweet, and a nice examination of Pinkie's character to boot. Very nice. —PR Headless
When a freak reading accident causes Twilight to be admitted to the Ponyville hospital, Rainbow Dash is right by her side. Compelled by a sense of duty and repayment, she takes it upon herself to cheer up her friend.
Will I like this?: With creativity of showcasing a story inside a story, this is well worth the read, and really drives home that Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty for a very good reason. It's a sweet little story that at its heart is about two good friends. —PR BronyWriter
Daring Do has lived for many years, and in that time the world has changed dramatically. Burdened with the decisions of her past and in an Equestria she no longer recognizes, where does a mare find her way in this strange new world?
Will I like this?: There are a lot of stories detailing Daring Do's adventures, but precious few that cover her early or later years. This one does both. Take a trip into the future of our favorite archaeologist, and see where it all began. —PR Prak
Nopony knows the changes that time will bring, and Neither Twilight nor Sweetie Belle could have guessed that their trials would have brought them so tightly together. Now, as Twilight draws closer to the end, Princess Celestia pays her a final, private visit, but the ramifications are huge and could change the course of Sweetie Belle's life without her ever knowing.
Will I like this?: While the story of Twilight's final hours is touching, the real power of this story is in its portrayal and exploration of Celestia. If a gripping new take on Equestria's princesses in an easily digestible one-shot sounds appealing to you, don't pass this up. —PR Prak
It's funny what an idle slip of the tongue can lead to. When Discord makes an off-hand comment to Fluttershy about the mental diary he kept when encased in stone, she begs him to continue it. She says it will be "therapeutic", but he's sure it'll be a real bore. But who can resist those puppy-dog eyes and a bribe of fresh cookies? Grudgingly, he takes up a pencil to document his thoughts and experiences in his new life. A life among his old enemies. A life he never wanted.
Will I like this?: A story that flawlessly characterizes Discord by presenting his "diary" in a way that makes it sound like he himself wrote it, something that can be exceedingly difficult to pull off. Not only that, but Discord goes through a realistic arc with some excellent conflict through the course of the story, which is something else that's hard to do when the text is made up of diary entries. xjuggernaughtx pulls it off perfectly. —BronyWriter
Main Course is a successful chef and restaurant owner. Or he was, anyway, until a fire tore up his life's work and left him adrift. When he visits his sister in the rural backwater town of Ponyville, he discovers an abandoned building that's perfect for a quick fix-up so he can flip it for a profit. But the building comes with an unforeseen tenant, and when he lets her stick around he discovers that maybe, just maybe, there's something out there more important than wealth and fame.
Will I like this?: Ah, the good life. Living as a chef with your own restaurant, watching said restaurant burn down, and having to move across the country. And that's just the start of it! Compelling dialogue, a great start, and pacing that keeps you in without giving you whiplash. Plus, it's in good taste, no pun intended. —Flint Sparks
Equestria stands on the brink of ruin. A necromancer has raised an army of the dead and is poised to plunge the world into darkness. Monsters and brigands roam freely across the land, preying upon the innocent.
Only one hope remains. Armed with swords, spells, snacks, and a bag of dice, five heroes band together to defeat the forces of evil...if their rolls are good enough.
Will I like this?: Considering that we're on a website dedicated to fanfiction about talking magical ponies with arcane magic powered by friendship, it's not really hard to take the next step in nerdom. Roll For Initiative is a charming, hilarious, and quite witty story about the mane 6 playing their own version of Dungeons and Dragons. I'm going to have to roll a natural crit to find my sides again. —PR Flint Sparks
Twilight Sparkle has always loved Celestia—as a friend, and a mentor, and something else as well. And she finally, finally found the courage to admit those feelings.
Celestia turned her down as gently as she could. That's what she thought, anyway.
But the night is still young—and it's a night for being wrong.
Will I like this?: A cleverly-constructed scenario, strong characterization, and witty presentation make this story a must-read for fans of romantic comedies. —PR Prak
Swiggity~
I always manage to find at least one or two new stories in these posts--along with plenty that I've already read and am glad to see featured! Keep up the good work, Guard guys.
Cool!
Wow. I'm not used to having already read the first three stories in a recommendation blog. Weird.
If any of you are not reading Fedora Mask already you should probably stop what you're doing and read Fedora Mask.
This was a good list, helped me get back in touch with a couple fic I lost touch with.
I highly recommend The Ambassador's Son though, that really is a great story, one I'll now be able to finish thanks to this post.
Beyond the Wall is very much recommended for fans of "classic" dark.The tone and atmosphere is delectable, and the whole thing is a ridiculously engaging treat from start to finish.
I can recommend A Taste of the Good Life and Reading Rainbow. Staple reads in a staple Fimfic literature diet.
I can also continue crying about my own fic being overlookedCongrats to this week's featured authors, quite a few of those stories are already on my read-later listWait, I'm in a spotlight next to Reading Rainbow?
That was the first ponyfic I read! It's a big part of why I'm on this site.
If any of you guys haven't read it yet, do yourselves a favor. It's adorable and contains a really good Shel Silverstein style imitation. It's one of the better "in the style of the show" fics I've read, too.
Also, wow, I'm the only romance fic this week?
Wow with all this talent on the list I know I'm sure out of my league, but one day I'll be up to that level!
Hmm wind and stone by ruirik made it? Nice choice!
Oh yes, I agree. You should all definitely read this 'Protect' thing by that one awesome guy. It's one of my favorite stories on the site.
But seriously, it's an honor to see my name here among all these talented hotshots. Thank you, royal guard dudes and dudettes!
Heh, royal guard. I got excited thinking I might like that; then saw I met none of those standards. Y'know, terminal lazy person and all that. Also: a test to enter a group? Seriously?
1980262 A test to become a staff member for the group, yes. And since the Guard's submissions are open to anyone, staffer or not, along with all compilation posts being placed on the front page for everyone to see, there isn't really much point in having the group open.
1980262
Seeing as they hold a higher standard for stories, they need to make sure the people they hire actually know what they are talking about.
I see... Hmmm... Okay.
I might have found a few stories of interest here.
1980262 Pfft, you wish. You got really know your skill to be in there. Heck, I'm reading and learning as much as I can to make it in there myself and with all that I've learned from last test, I still don't think I got a chance. Simply put, the staff in the TRG know what they are saying and have quite the knowledge in reading stories in general, so yes anybody else that wishes to enter must meet their standards :3
sooo this group's all sfw then?...
1986234 Kay then, irrelevant to me nonetheless. Also, wow 8 dislikes? I done me ma proud!
1980919 Yep, lets hope they hire some good folks then.
What does it take to get into the "fic spotlight"? I'll take what I can get.