Fic recs, November 23rd: Project Get! #3 · 5:55pm Nov 23rd, 2014
Ha haaa! I bet you thought I'd forgotten about this, eh? Well, fret no more! It's just the nature of the various reading projects I've set up that I do a little for each here and there before releasing one.
Also I bet you thought I was running out of SONATA PICS YEEEAAAAHHH!
H: 0 R: 1 C: 5 V: 1 N: 3
You Learn by A Hoof-ful of Dust
Genre: Slice of Life
Three looks at Apple Bloom learning things. It’s not quite a kishotenketsu, I don’t think, but if you go into this expecting a normal mode of storytelling, you’ll be left scratching your head. Here’s the clue: the final scene is meant to be compared to the first two. Once you know that, the rest should come. Beyond narrative technique, this also features some really excellent writing (and hey, it even passes the Zecora test!) Not much happens, but it’s a very pleasant read and gets its point across in a refreshingly unique way.
Recommended
The Lucky Ones by Educated Guess
Genre: War
A scene during the siege of a fortress. This was written for one of the World-Building Alliance things, but the world-building is really haphazard. It comes off as a list of names that refer to nothing at all, and there isn't really anything pony about it, aside from a horse pun and the mention of the pony races. I like that seaponies are a major part of this, but I can’t say the actual details of their society were terribly interesting. Mostly, I just couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on. Only attempt this if you don’t mind everything being completely alien.
Not Recommended
The Baltimare Chase by DegeTheMighty
Genre: Chase Scene
Shining Armor pursues a fugitive through town. For just being a long action scene, this is really intense and it grabbed me immediately. There’s no real explanation for how they got into this situation, but the action flows smoothly and the writing is evocative. That said, it could also use some cleanup; this feels like a first draft, with typos, LUS, and some passages that need tightening down. Still, if you like action scenes, this is pretty short, and has a couple neat ideas to boot.
Recommended If You Don’t Mind LUS
Winter Threads by Dreamy Days
Genre: Slice of Life
A pegasus walks around Manehattan and thinks about all the ponies who he could help, but can’t. He does end up helping one, thank goodness, because this would have been very dull otherwise. I once wrote a story where the narrator wandered around his town, commenting on the bleak bleakness of everything about him, and the first third or so of this made me think of it (and how awful it was). Instead, what we get is a lesson in the value of kindness, wrapped in some fairly lackluster and unfocused writing. Not to mention, it’s very Earth-analogue. (I can’t imagine a pony threatening another the way the bellhop does; also why is it the bellhop’s business who’s paying what for their room?) I suppose this might be worth it if you need something to restore your faith in humanity.
Vaguely Recommended
On a Cool Summer Night by psp7master
Genre: World-Building
In the early days of Equestria, a stallion from Saddle Arabia is called under the tutelage of Star Swirl the Bearded. What caught my attention is that, when writing about ancient Equestria, we usually just write about, well, Equestria. I’ve never even considered what the zebras or anyone else might have been doing at that time. That said, this does have some problems, all of them conceptual. (Well, I did tire of the continual stream of honorifics directed at the Queen, but that at least fits.) I was charmed by the idea that Saddle Arabia is matriarchal, just like Equestria, so the slightly less appealing aspects snuck up on me. Yeah, Islamic culture is just sort of copy-pasted into this as world-building, and while the ending is nicely surprising, well… The confluence of the events with what goes into them is problematic, to say the least. I did at least enjoy it while reading.
Recommended If You Like World-Buidling
Leaving the Ground Behind by q97randomguy
Genre: Inner Monologue
A pegasus mailpony — no, not that pegasus mailpony — makes a delivery and contemplates the joys of flight. I’m surprised by this, because it gets somewhat poignant by the end. I mean, this is just a character sketch for an OC, but the character ends up being pretty compelling. Interesting.
Recommended for Slice of Life Fans
Folksong by Adda le Blue
Mature: Sex
Genre: Personal Writing
Most of this reads like free-verse poetry, with a staccato, otherworldly feeling to the writing. It’s very hard to figure out what’s going on, but in a way that only makes you want to read further. Here’s what I know: the main character is a pegasus, part of the Royal Guard, and, I think, was originally human. Or else visited the human world once. She plays guitar. She’s learned that her father died. She has tumultuous sex with an unknown stallion. She blacks out from drinking too much and wakes up in Princess Luna’s bed, which is where things get considerably more concrete. Given the mental impairment, I think the scattershot writing really fits the mood, if nothing else. I do feel like there are one or two details this might need, just so we can draw solid conclusions by the end, but I’d recommend this just for the experience. I’ve definitely not read any fics like it. Check it out if you're up for a challenge!
Recommended for Fans of Experimental Writing
What Color Are My Eyes? by Protopony350
Mature: Gore
Genre: Horror
Vinyl Scratch sets the record straight about the color of her eyes. Do not read this without heeding the warning in the description, it is very a propos. I wish I had more positive things to say about this. The idea is creative, and the final line is just perfect, not to mention I got a perverse kick out of Vinyl’s thinking that a pony with a scalpel cutie mark was a doctor. Unfortunately, this doesn’t have much going for it other than shock value. The writing is rushed and full of typos, and there is definitely room for expansion. I think the only people who would want to read this are those who enjoy gorefics.
Not Recommended
Eyes on the Road by Art Inspired
Genre: Drama
Lightning Dust tries to redeem herself in Rainbow Dash's eyes and be recruited into the Wonderbolts. This gets off to a poor start with a telly prologue that lays out just how things have changed since Wonderbolt Academy. The writing continues to be telly, and in need of a good proofread, as we move into the main portion of the story. Now, this does set up some good interpersonal tension, and I liked Spitfire’s dynamic with Lightning Dust. But all of that is dropped for chapters two and three, which are a lengthy action scene involving a race to determine the next Wonderbolts recruit. This is a setup I have some issues with, but really, it’s not the worst part of this story. Rather, the author attempted a “it doesn’t matter who wins, the important thing is they make up” ending, which would have been the right thing to do if so much attention hadn’t been put onto the race. I didn’t like the race segment, but I wanted to know who won! That kind of ending only works when the personal drama is front and center. Suffice to say, I found this story supremely unsatisfying to read, and it would take a lot of work to improve it.
Not Recommended
Ra Ra Raspberry by Loganberry
Genre: Historical Crossover by Way of Musical Reference
The tragic tale of Raspberry Ripple, who loved too much. If you are not up on memes — and I mean really up on them — you will miss out on this story’s central joke. However, you might still get the historical references, so there’s something to be said for this; knowing the referenced song will thus explain why certain odd choices in telling the story were made. I was charmed by the storyteller approach, which helped wave away some of the flimsier parts of the story, as well as the “alternate Equestrias” framing narrative. I can’t really think of anything else to say that wouldn’t spoil it. I guess, if you read it and are still confused, click on this for the answer. (But not before, I’m serious!)
Recommended If You’re Knowledgeable About Memes
Just so you know I'm checking every one of these now for ONE reason :V
I have that last Sonata pic faved because Adagio.
You have to run out of Sonata pics eventually! All we have to do is wait it out.
2612075
Well, there won't be an edition to the one I do that with. :B
You tease. I must read every one to see if you have hit me yet.
Heh. That was really just a fortunate coincidence. The story was originally going to be called Ra Ra Rarity, but in the end I decided to write it so that it... wasn't. Also, at one point it was going to be sung by Zecora. So maybe you got off lightly after all.
I'm old-fashioned, so I call those "the words".
2612509
Your story The Chase will be in Project Get! #7! :V Stay tuned.
2612666
Specifically, it's a little telly, which is part and parcel of telling a story like this, so totally not a problem, but it's also a little fast, skipping over a whole lot that I sometimes found myself wanting more of. But again, that's how you tell a long story when you're telling it directly to the audience, so it all makes sense in context.
2612811 I sometimes (albeit not very often) stop to consider the fact that I, someone who has always liked to ramble on about nothing in particular (possibly partly due to being brought up on Yes, Minister, perhaps the talkiest hit sitcom ever made) have found my niche writing very short stories...
What is LUS?
2612845
Lavender Unicorn Syndrome, a habit among fic writers in this fandom. For instance:
It's a much better idea to just use character names when dealing with canon characters if using pronouns would be too confusing.
2612873 I know what The Syndrome is I just hadn't seen it abbreviated before.
2612907
Well, now you have! :D
Hey, thanks for reviewing Leaving the Ground Behind, and I'm glad you thought it was interesting.