Read It Now Reviews #80 – The Gift of Lethe; Miss Pommel (or Current Resident); I’m Proud of You, Squirt; How to Hug a Five-Hundred-Foot Tall Dragon; Twinkie · 10:57pm May 26th, 2016
Yesterday, I was thinking “Man, Bad Horse released another new story, but I’ve already got my review post done. Well, might as well read it and get started on the next set of Read It Now Reviews.” Then I realized there were a few recent stories I’d been putting off reading, that were all short, and one thing lead to another…
And now I’ve got a complete review set for today! Funny how that works.
Been a while since I put together a review set a day for five consecutive days, but hey, that’s content generation for you. And I actually found more than one recent story I liked as well, not just Bad Horse’s latest, including a featured story box story that I didn’t think would be very good but which turned out to be a lot better than I expected.
Today’s stories:
The Gift of Lethe by Bad Horse
Miss Pommel (or Current Resident) by Mythril Moth
I’m Proud of You, Squirt by GeodesicDragon
How to Hug a Five-Hundred-Foot Tall Dragon by somatic
Twinkie by Bad Horse
- Little Boxes
- Next Time
- A Beautiful Night
The Gift of Lethe
by Bad Horse
Drama, Romance, Sad
1,206 wordsRarity gives Celestia a unique gift for their anniversary.
Celestia is not grateful.
Why I added it: Bad Horse is a good writer.
Review
Celestia has a room full of pictures of ponies that she had loved that she keeps locked away from anyone but herself. But Rarity found it, long ago, and understands what it means to Celestia.
Now Rarity is getting old, and she wants to choose a picture for the room, with Spike’s help.
This story fundamentally hinges on the ending, and the question of whether or not Rarity’s actions were right – and the question is left to the reader.
If this story has a weakness, it is that it doesn’t really do much to prime the reader to answer the question – it is a bit bare bones in that respect, whereas stories like The Lady or the Tiger do more to fill in details. On the other hand, I suppose, the question is meant to be presented to the reader and not to the characters.
Recommendation: Worth Reading if you don’t mind the story asking the reader a question.
Miss Pommel (or Current Resident)
by MythrilMoth
Comedy, Random, Slice of Life
1,216 wordsCoco Pommel has a problem.
Apparently, she's no longer Coco Pommel.
Thanks to a clerical error, every piece of identifying paperwork, her bank account, and even her apartment lease all recognize her as Miss Pommel.
Now, a frustrated Coco has to untangle the legal nightmare of fixing this mess...but just how did it happen in the first place?
Why I added it: It was featured.
Review
Coco Pommel’s name is legally changed to Miss Pommel down at City Hall for no good reason, causing her endless trouble.
Or at least, 1,200 words of it.
Unfortunately, while this premise might have been mildly funny, it just felt like the joke was kind of in the summary, and there isn’t really anything else to the story, nor is there much in the way of other jokes along the way.
This is more of a five panel comic gag than a short story one.
Recommendation: Not Recommended.
I’m Proud of You, Squirt
by GeodesicDragon
Slice of Life
1,279 wordsThe Cutie Mark Crusaders have finally achieved their goal. But while her fellow Crusaders have somepony to celebrate with, Scootaloo does not.
At least, that's what she thinks.
Why I added it: Dragons gotta stand together, right?
Review
Rainbow Dash has a little conversation with Scootaloo about Scootaloo’s parents seeming lack of concern about the filly, as well as the significance of her cutie mark.
Unfortunately, this story feels a bit “set up a strawman to knock it down” in nature; Scootaloo’s parents’ point of view is quickly dismissed, and, moreover, they’re denigrated as having everything handed to them on a silver platter… despite both possessing jobs which are actually really hard to get.
This sort of left the story feeling a bit deflated, as there wasn’t much of substance that Rainbow Dash was tilting against.
Recommendation: Not Recommended.
How to Hug a Five-Hundred-Foot Tall Dragon
by somatic
Comedy, Slice of Life
2,814 wordsPonies like snuggles. Spike likes to give snuggles. But Spike is a five-hundred-foot tall dragon, and finds it difficult to give snuggles without accidentally popping the pony like an overripe tomato in a hydraulic press. Spike believes he has found a solution.
Why I added it: It was featured.
Review
This is a cute piece of fluff, but I think a lot of folks will like it. At its heart, it is about Spike’s relationship with Twilight, and how it used to be, and how growing up and becoming a five hundred foot tall dragon has changed things between them in some ways, even though they’re still the same people as they used to be, at least on some level.
For the sort of person who likes cute stories about Twilight being Spike’s big one, and Spike her little one, whatever that one might be, I think there’s something here that will make them smile.
Recommendation: Worth Reading.
Twinkie
by Bad Horse
Comedy, Random
Little Boxes: 1,425 words
Next Time: 318 words
A Beautiful Night: 445 wordsSilly stories about Twilight and Pinkie.
Why I added it: Bad Horse is a good writer.
Review
Little Boxes is a trip into Twilight Sparkle’s subconscious, spurred by Pinkie Pie noting that her candies are not actually different flavors, and the only reason they taste different is because they’re colored differently. This is very frustrating to Twilight, but Pinkie Pie straightens it all out with Twilight’s subconscious.
Or, you know, confuses Twilight even more.
This is a silly and irreverent little piece, but you’ll probably find it at least mildly amusing if the idea of someone analyzing their own personified thought processes seems interesting to you.
Next Time: Twilight is writing a letter, while Pinkie waits for something.
This is incredibly short and lightweight, and there isn’t much to it other than a bit of silliness. It gives Pinkie a bit of characterization, but… not exactly breaking the bank ideas-wise here.
Though Yamgoth has a pretty great comment – or at least, I was amused, knowing Yamgoth.
A Beautiful Night: Flim and Flam take a “cool mud bath” after a day spent doing party endurance testing with Pinkie Pie and Twilight Sparkle.
They might be scared by them, at least a little.
This is cute, in a strange sort of way, and it is fluffy and lightly amusing. A sugary taste for the palate.
Recommendation: Little Boxes: Worth Reading
Next Time: Not Recommended
A Beautiful Night: Worth Reading
Summary
The Gift of Lethe by Bad Horse
Worth Reading
Miss Pommel (or Current Resident) by Mythril Moth
Not Recommended
I’m Proud of You, Squirt by GeodesicDragon
Not Recommended
How to Hug a Five-Hundred-Foot Tall Dragon by somatic
Worth Reading
Twinkie by Bad Horse
- Little Boxes: Worth Reading
- Next Time: Not Recommended
- A Beautiful Night: Worth Reading
Huzzah, multiple stories worth reading!
Number of stories still listed as Read It Sooner: 130
Number of stories still listed as Read It Later: 462
Number of stories listed as Read It Eventually: 1928
You stacked the deck with a metric shit-ton of Bad Horse stories. What did you expect? :P
Four Bad Horse stories in one journal? I cry nepotism!
3974830 Nepotism?
.... TD... Are you my father?
(no seriously it's just blackmail)
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Hey, I found a non-Bad Horse story that was worth reading as well!
3974830
Three of them were short stories, to be fair. Like, microfic length.
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We're good for this week, right?
Or am I going to find ninjas outside on Saturday morning again?
3974931 You won't find any ninjas outside, no.
Did it please your inner dragon to find three small stories nesting within the single story you grabbed?
3974830 Plus one story by a dragon, one story about a dragon, and one story by another user with an affinity for strong, lightweight metals.
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I knew it was a short story collection going in.
I still have a few more stories from this month I want to read, but other things are higher priority at the moment.
Like getting this story done I keep not getting done.
3975312
3974830
So, I've got some common interests.
Bad Horse pointed me to this. Apparently, you're reviewing comments now, eh? I guess you could say that comment of mine is worth reading?
Glad to have amused someone.
3974931
Oh no no no no no! Although Bad Horse and I don't exactly coordinate (let's face it it's much more fun and chaotic when you try and second guess what orders are), if you don't do what the Bad Horse wants, you have to take me Magic card shopping! Yay! Fun times!
Although... it's comparable to taking a chick clothes shopping. Except much more drawn out. You see, I'm pretty damn indecisive. What might take fifteen minutes for one to decide becomes like a five hour ordeal. I mean, there's so many factors. Like can my income handle it (the answer is ultimately yes). Will I actually use these cards. Should I get the copy that's slightly damaged and cheaper or mint. Should I buy some packs. Maybe I shouldn't buy packs. But maybe I can pull it but probably not. Should I get the whole play set now. Should I buy this Chrome Mox or food. Should I wait for this planeswalker's price to drop. Should I buy the last copy just to spite the stranger next to me. How long is the shop owner going to tend to me to show me he wants my business. Can I get this cheaper somewhere else. How can I maximize the points I earn from this purchase. Do I need to buy new clothes or cards. Should I buy cards from the kid instead of the shop. Shouldn't I just buy this shit off eBay where it's potentially cheaper. Take an Azusa out, then decide I don't want, then decide I want it, then decide I don't and the guy has to put it back in the case. Would I rather buy Warhammer or Magic...
So many things run through my mind. It's like I go to the card shop wanting just a Lord of the Undead to complete my playset and walk out with a Lord of the Undead, Lilliana of the Veil, Ugin, and all the Sol Rings and Solemn Simulacrum to spite all the Commander players for a few days because hoarding is fun. Man, that was a cool haul. Lilliana was like $120 or so at the time.
This is gonna be so fun, Titty D! So yeah. I recommend not doing what Bad Horse wants this week!