Million Words in January (reading progress and reviews) #1 · 8:58am Jan 2nd, 2015
Welp, here’s my first reviews of the new year. This will be the beginning of my undertaking to read and review One Million Words in January, essentially clearing out my read-later list of the 31 fics on there. I might even sneak a few others in there yet. We’ll see what happens.
On to today’s stories! For day one of this mission, I’ll be mopping up my loose favourited story chapter updates. They’ve a good 39k of words between them, so that more than fills my average daily quota. I have a couple of special little one-shots in there, too. Let’s go!
Title: Just an Old Fool
Author: Minds Eye
Synopsis:
In all the years he worked at Canterlot Castle, Greenhooves never thought the Grand Galloping Gala was anything but a bore. But, after disentangling a guest in his garden, he might have a chance to make this year memorable.
A stallion can dream, can't he?
Current Length: 1,950 words (oneshot)
Status: Complete
Review: I saw this in ‘new stories’ and just could not pass it up. A very short and sweet slice of life involving one of the least-used characters in the entire show. Greenhooves the gardener is a sweet old soul, and faithfully tends to the Canterlot Royal Gardens year after year, making it perfectly presentable for the Grand Galloping Gala; of course this time he gets a special surprise when a certain yellow best pony pegasus ensnares herself in one of her animal traps. What follows after this brief but sweet encounter is a cute scene between the two, followed by an exchange between an old, tired fool, and a young, boisterous fool. In particular, I loved Greenhooves’ line, “You are not there for the Gala. The Gala is there for you.” Definitely worth your time, all five minutes of it that the story will take to read.
Title: Cartography of War
Author: Daetrin
Synopsis:
The war touched everypony, even those far from the fighting. Compass Rose was affected more than most when gryphons appeared far behind the front lines, and the aftermath left her unwillingly in the company of an enemy soldier.
Current length: 64,752 words over 17 chapters, averaging 3,809 words per chapter
Status: Incomplete
Review: Phew. This story is a ripper. If you’ve ever read Daetrin’s other works (Off the Edge of the Map, Apotheosis, Tryptich), you know what level of quality to expect from this piece. Cartography follows the path of two unlikely partners: Compass Rose, the lone survivor of a camp attacked by gryphons; and Gérard, a gryphon himself, sporting his own injuries. With Rose left alone in the wilderness, and Gérard abandoned by his hunting pryde, the pair must learn to rely on each other to survive as they attempt to make it back to civilisation of any kind. The characterisation of these two, and their interactions as they fight to help each other survive is literally the best example I have even seen of predator and prey working together. Every chapter ups the stakes, and subtly develops the characters in brilliant fashion. As a character study in knowing, respecting, and even accepting your enemy in ways you might never normally consider, this should be read by everyone, ever.
Title: Love, Sugar, and Sails
Author: DSNesmith
Synopsis:
Tyria Metrel, a security officer at the zebra city of Zyre's Equestrian embassy, has her hooves full dealing with a local pirate group known as the Pit Vipers. On top of that, an ambassador named Rye Strudel has arrived on a mission from Princess Celestia, and he might well be the strangest pony she's ever met. Ambassador Strudel is a pegacorn, one of the rare flightless and magicless crossbreeds, but Tyria soon learns that his disabilities don't prevent the ambassador from getting himself into deep trouble.
Rye's cheerful curiosity and drive begin to stir feelings Tyria thought she'd given up on long ago; at least, when he's not making her tear her mane out in frustration. When the two of them stumble upon a mysterious plot to seize control of Zyre, they'll have to work together to save the city. If they're lucky, they might find love along the way—provided they don't drive each other crazy, first.
Current length: 108,660 words over 24 chapters, averaging 4,527 words per chapter
Status: Incomplete
Review: Pirates. Zebras. Griffons. Explosive powder. Government corruption. Suspense. Romance. Abductions. Exotic locales. Near-perfect grammar and formatting. Hoof-biting action. Everything that a great story needs to shine is present in here. A returning villain from the prequel sets the conflict, which follows a logical step-by-step progression with many others branching out from it. Every character feels like an individual (and there are many of them), and none of the world expansion feels like it’s there purely for us to go ‘wow’ at, although that will certainly happen when you get to the seapony village. If anything it reminded me of the Underwater Research Center from FFVIII where you find Ultima Weapon, in more creepy ways than one… Highly recommended.
Title: Withdrawal
Author: Raugos
Synopsis:
In the aftermath of her battle against Tirek, Twilight Sparkle is unwell. She wants more. She needs more. And she is afraid of what others might think of her.
But even in the midst of her growing despair that she has betrayed everything she stood for, she learns something about friendship and what it means to be an alicorn.
Current Length: 39,312 words over 8 chapters, averaging 4,912 words per chapter
Status: Incomplete
Review: Withdrawal is set immediately after season four, and in centred around Twilight having obtained a new addiction to magic. It offers an explanation as to why Tirek himself desired all of Equestria’s magic by showing Twilight stealing magic from other sources; having had to give up her super-princess-powers, her body having tasted incredible strength, it wants it back. This story goes through many twists and turns as we follow Twilight’s struggle to overcome her cravings for magic, and features some of the best uses of Spike and Luna I have ever seen. If you like stories about overcoming addiction without it being magically handwaved away, and a genuine struggle with a realistic representation of just how an addiction (and its withdrawal symptoms) affects a person and is dealt with, you’ll want to read this one for sure.
Title: The Last Curtain Call
Author: The Princess Rarity
Synopsis:
All Sweetie Belle wanted was one pony to show up to her audition. Just one. And what with everypony else so busy, she was thrilled to know that Rarity would be there for her...
...but she didn't show. It was an empty theater.
Current Length: 2,720 words (one-shot)
Status: Complete
Review: Hmmm. This is a short piece between Rarity and Sweetie about Rarity forgetting Sweetie’s audition for a school play. It’s kinda cute in a sisterly way—Sweetie yelling at Rarity, Rarity wondering what she did wrong, realising, apologising, making up with Sweetie, and then promising not to mess up again—but it doesn’t really go anywhere. Perhaps an epilogue or a second chapter with Rarity actually attending Sweetie’s next play or audition would have sealed the deal. Still, as it is, it’s short, quick, and a fair story to read if you like the dynamic between Sweetie and Rarity or are a fan of both in general. You'll definitely see some similarities between it and For Whom the Sweetie Belle Toils, but I assure you it's not a carbon copy.
Title: Long Road to Friendship
Author: The Albinocorn
Synopsis:
After putting on the Element of Magic, Sunset Shimmer was shown just how much of a monster she really is. But that wasn't all the Elements did to her. Sunset has now been forced to serve penance by answering any question truthfully and by doing anything asked of her, whether she wants to or not. And she really doesn't want to.
Until all of the hatred in her heart is gone, Sunset is at the whim of her peers, unbeknownst to them of course. Can her new "friends" help her down the road to redemption? If not, there's always that other Twilight Sparkle she keeps running into.
Current Length: 115,333 words over 26 chapters, averaging 4,436 words per chapter
Status: Incomplete
Review: I’ve been reading this story since it came out, and have always been a fan of what Albinocorn is doing with Sunset. This is indisputably one of the best Sunset Shimmer fics in existence, alongside (my personal favourite) the pre-Equestria-Girls based Sunset of Time, and apparently this other series called Seven Days in Sunny June that various people insist I also read. This story has the best character growth I have ever seen in a story, while retaining perfect characterisation. There’s a few things that annoy me about the narrative style, and there are occasional grammar derps and missing words, but they barely make a dent in the overall immersion of the experience. Yes it is a SunLight ship, and while I don’t believe the shipping is truly necessary in a story about friendship, it’s not terribly annoying either; rather subtle, actually, and glacial in development. Easily a story that could have been made into a movie, and considered by many the spiritual sequel to Equestria Girls (before Rainbow Rocks became a thing), Long Road is well worth the read, especially for the impact it had when it released. If you love Sunset, you’ll love this story. If you still think Sunset is a moronic character who had a crappy role in a worse movie, you’ll still like this story.
Title: The Gentle Nights: Audience of One
Author: PaulAsaran
Synopsis:
Octavia Melody is calm, patient and longing to break the boundaries of class through her career as a musician.
Princess Luna is lost in the eddies of her past, struggling to belong in a new age that doesn't seem to want her.
A chance meeting after a disastrous gala gives these isolated souls a chance to find companionship and comfort. As Luna seeks solace in Octavia's soothing music, Octavia comes to recognize the princess's loneliness and fears. When it's your duty to protect other ponies' dreams, who protects your own? Octavia might just be willing to try.
Current Length: 54,905 words over 11 chapters, averaging 4,991 words per chapter
Status: Incomplete
Review: A reimagining and grand fleshing-out of his existing story, The Gentle Nights, PaulAsaran has crafted what may well be the best LunAvia ship on the site. Set just after the Grand Galloping Gala, Luna is still the shy, reserved princess we had not yet seen break out of her shell in the episode Luna Eclipsed. Likewise, Octavia is depicted (rather refreshingly) not as a snobby noble, but rather a heavily introverted and nervous figure who tends to keep mostly to herself. How the narrative weaves these two together is nothing short of hypnotising. It’s slow and subtle, but in a way that makes you appreciate not rushing into it. As a romantic plot goes, especially since I’m not a regular fan of same-sex shipping, this is a wonderful display. It’s also good to see Vinyl as Octavia’s slightly-annoying-but-not-really neighbour instead of her lover or her housemate. Recommended for Second-best Princess x Second-best Background Pony shipping in a unique way.
Next reviews: Lulamoon’s Castle (overdue), Sunshine and Fire (horrendously overdue).
Words read so far this January: 42,736
Hey, could you look over and review my story? It would be a huge help!!
Redemption
It is quite unfortunate that I haven't actually had a real chance to go through Long Road to Friendship yet, especially since I've edited a few chapters. I hope to make up for this since, you know, SunLight is best light.
2695490
You. I like you.
2695585
I'm pretty good at the pun.
That part of my brain that likes to one-up people over the most trivial of things is telling me I should try to read two million words this month. That would probably not be a good idea. Good luck on making your goal. Certainly boosting your rankings on the list.
2695717
I expect to be giving you a fair workout. Of course not to the level of PP or Dragon, but we'll see how I go.
edit: That's only 66,666 words a day on average every day for this month. You could do it in theory...
I will dispute this
Also, *indisputably
Source: Over 90 Sunset Shimmer fics read
2695749
...You read a lot. Seriously. Care to join me on my lofty quest?
2695751
I would love to try and clear out my RL. But as I've already told you, that shelf is 60,941,964 words long. That ain't happening.
2695754
Oh, I wouldn't expect that. Just 1M of them is the point.
The only reason I'm going to try is because my RL only adds up to about that.
Meh, is okay. Hope you like my reviews anyway. They might get a bit stale though, because I tend to (usually) only read quality stories.
2695760
Oh. Just a million? I can manage that.
2695733
I was tempted to simply read Project Horizons twice, knock off 3 million words all casual like. Then I spotted the huge flaw in my plan. It required me to read Project Horizons twice in a very short timeframe. So I think I'll just tally up how many words I do read this month, see what my 'typical' month of reading totals out as.
2695786
I won't be surprised if it ends up close to 1M anyway, the amount of reviews you do.
2695749
You need to find something else to do with your time than reading Sunset Shimmer fics, man. Like reading more TwiDash. There's always another fic around.
2696458
Well, I've read 184 stories since I started reading things again. While 93 of them have been tagged with Sunset Shimmer, I'd like to think I do read other things on occasion.
Also
>suggesting that I read shipfics
I'm becoming increasingly convinced that you have never once spoken to me
2696465
Well, no, not really. XD. I haven't actually gotten to know you whatsoever. I just know of you and the things you do, but besides that, nothing.
While I'm flattered by the review (I really am!) I must point out there is a certain inaccuracy in it. It's clear from the first that Gérard's injuries are gryphon in origin, not pony, which I think lends an entirely different flavor to the beginning...
2702233
Ah, right. It has been quite a while since I read the beginning. Or does it come up more often? I can't really remember.
Anyway, changed