Wanderer D 5,502 followers · 65 stories

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  • 113 weeks
    SA: The Last Round

    "So, what do you think, Corejo?" Wanderer D asked, politely showing off the stack of papers in his claw.

    The burlap sack with the printed (in color!) face of Corejo remained silent.

    "I see, yes, yes!" Wanderer D cackled. "Ahahaha! Yes! I agree! This story should do fine! So, who's reviewing it? RT?"

    The sack that had the picture of RTStephens on it tilted just enough for a single potato to roll onto the table.

    "And we have two! Alright, team, I expect you all to figure out who's doing the next one, okay? Let's not keep the readers waiting!" He glanced expectantly at the several sacks with pictures around him. "Alright! Dismissed."

    "Sir?"

    "Ah, intern. Is that my coffee?" Wanderer D took the proffered mug and downed the contents in one go. "Excellent! No time to rest! We have to edit what the guys just handed to me."

    Read More

    110 comments · 8,849 views
  • 134 weeks
    SA: Round 186

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    The Dodge Junction train ramp was not where Floydien expected to be part of a reunion.

    He especially didn’t expect it to happen four times in a row.

    “Wait, Winter? What are you doing here?”

    Winter’s eyebrows raised. “On Summer vacation. What about you?”

    “Uh, same.”

    “Guys!”

    The two Angels looked to where the voice came from. Cynewulf came running up to them, a wide brimmed sunhat and sunglasses adorning her head. “Fancy meeting you two here!”

    Floydien scratched his head. “Same. Are you on vacation too?”

    “Yep! Had a blast down on the Horseshoe Bay coast.”

    “Well, ain’t this something!”

    All turned to the fourth voice. Knight strode up, his body decked out in fishing gear, complete with a fishing pole balanced over his shoulder. “Haven’t seen so many of us in one spot since vacation started.”

    Read More

    12 comments · 4,652 views
  • 149 weeks
    SA: Round 185

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Winter and Knight stared out at the bleak townscape. All around them, the fires raged unchecked as Ponyville's former occupants stumbled mindlessly about, their undead faces ravaged by rot and decay as they moaned for sustenance. Knight turned to Winter.

    "Ready to go?"

    Winter nodded and shifted a backpack. "Got everything with me. I guess it's now or never."

    Knight gave a wry smile. "That's the spirit. You do have your reviews, right?"

    "Of course!" he said, patting his chest. "Right here."

    Knight nodded and said, "Alright, here's the plan: we stick to the shadows as much as possible. From what I can tell, their eyesight isn't that good, but their sense of smell is excellent. We just have to stay upwind."

    Read More

    10 comments · 4,266 views
  • 156 weeks
    SA: Round 184

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    “I see. Alright, I’ll let him know.”

    Intern twisted a dial on the small mechanical piece attached to his ear, retracting a blue, see-through visor from across his face. He turned to Floydien, crossing his arms. “It’s confirmed. Generation 5 is on its way. Season 2 of Pony Life is just around the corner. And the series finale of Equestria Girls was scrapped for a holiday special.”

    Floydien lifted an eyebrow. “And, what does that mean for us?”

    Read More

    10 comments · 4,423 views
  • 160 weeks
    SA: Round 183

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Over their heads the flak guns peppered the sky. The planes roared and sputtered. The clouds were dark, heavy with the child that was war. It was all noise.


    Cynewulf looked around the bend. “You know, I’ve been reading old fics. Remember Arrow 18?”


    Floydien slipped—a Floydien slipped—One Floydien came through the fractured time in the lower levels of the Sprawling Complex. “Uh, human in Equestria?”


    “Yeah. You know, we were probably too mean about those.”


    “They were terrible. I mean some of them. I guess a lot of everything is terrible.”


    “Well, yes. But anyway, I was reading it, and it occurred to me that what I liked about it was that it felt optimistic in the way that Star Trek was optimistic. It felt naive, but in a way one wanted to emulate. To regress back into it.”


    “Uh, that sounds nice?”

    Read More

    7 comments · 5,921 views
  • 165 weeks
    SA: Round 182

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    “Okay, Winter, hit it!”

    Winter pulled a lever that ignited a rocket placed underneath the communal Christmas Tree. The tree blasted through a cylindrical hole and out into the skies beyond. It only took seconds for the tree to become a tiny red dot against the blue sky.

    Winter stepped away from the control panel and down to where Intern was standing behind a fifty-five millimeter thick glass wall. “We could have just picked up the base and tossed it in the garbage bin outside, you know.”

    Intern scoffed. “Yeah, we could, or we can go over the top in a comedic and entertaining manner that leads into our reviews.”

    “You’re getting all meta, now.”

    “Exactly! On to the reviews!”

    ROUND 182

    Read More

    6 comments · 7,953 views
  • 170 weeks
    SA: Round 181

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    For the first time in the year that he worked there, FanficFan finally experienced quiet in the Seattle’s Angels Compound. All the other reviewers had gone home for the holidays, leaving him and Intern to submit the last round of reviews of the year. However, with Intern off on an errand, FanficFan was left alone.

    With stories ready to be read by his partner, all the reviewer could really do was wander around the empty building, taking in all the holiday decorations left behind from the Office Christmas Party a few days prior, like office space holiday knick-knacks, lights strown about the ceiling and wreaths on nearly every door. Plus, there was some leftover cookies and egg nog, so that was nice. 

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    8 comments · 6,366 views
  • 174 weeks
    SA: Round 180

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Cynewulf lay in a grassy field. This was a curious occurrence, as the Seattle Angel’s Dyson Sphere-esque compound basement labyrinth did not usually have grass. 


    But like she had many times before, she’d been teleported here, and whether or not the sky above her was real or not, she didn’t mind. The grass was nice, and the wind was nice, and whatever happened happened.
    f

    There was a great crash and Corejo stumbled into the grass to her right.

    “Oh, god, are we out? How did—”

    “No clue. I suspect that it’ll just take us back anyhow. Did you have the reviews? The machine came for me a few days ago, so I’ve got mine.”


    “I… Uh, I was late. I mean, we both are, unless you’ve been here for days.”

    Read More

    9 comments · 8,124 views
  • 178 weeks
    SA: Round 179

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Winter peered cautiously out the corner of the broken window, surveying the damage outside. He turned to his companion.

    "Looks like we're trapped in here," he said quietly.

    Intern grunted and adjusted the bandage on his arm. "Nothing we haven't gone through before." He looked up at Winter. "Got your reviews?"

    Winter nodded and patted his chest pocket. "Right here, where they're safe." He turned and looked once more out the window. "Now, it's simply a matter of getting through all those ponies." Winter shuddered as he took in the horrors before him.

    Read More

    10 comments · 5,223 views
  • 181 weeks
    SA: Round 178

    Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.


    Matthew stumbled through the basement, crouching low to avoid all the pipes on the ceiling. Floydien hadn’t told him much, just that it was extremely important, had nothing to do with Intern, and to take the last fire door on the left.

    After what seemed like eternity in an instant, Matthew finally came to said fire door, damp with sweat and condensation. He carefully undid the latch and opened it with one arm raised just in case of any traps. Only to be greeted with the sounds of maniacal but joyous laughter as he spotted Floydien sitting in the center of the room surrounded by thousands of stacks of papers.

    “I found it!” Floydien said, tossing a stapled pack of papers to Matthew. “I finally found the answer. The answer to all of our questions. To our very existence!”

    Read More

    4 comments · 4,521 views
May
29th
2016

Story Reviews » Round Robin Reviews # 7 · 12:13am May 29th, 2016

The Round Robin Reviews are written by different groups and reviewers taking turns each week. If you are a story reviewer or part of a group that reviews stories and would be interested in joining the Round Robin Reviews, feel free to PM me (Wanderer D), Professor Plum, or ElDorado to tell us about it.

Rage is back for another round? Woo! Let’s do this thing!

We here at Rage Reviews are known for our highly critical preferences when it comes to literature, but even jaded individuals like ourselves come across things we enjoy every now and then. Whenever a story presents strong, endearing characterizations, impeccable grammar, and memorable settings amongst other such qualities, we sigh in relief that good fiction does, in fact, exist. As such, every month a number of our reviewers get together to present a collection of stories that they feel did something right, something that other writers can learn from. We’re pleased to now be able to share our monthly spotlight with all the readers, rather than just those who happen to be a part of our group.

All the stories selected here were done so at the discretion of our official reviewers, meaning it’s their personal opinions on the matter. We hope you enjoy them!



The Princess of Edits’ pick:

Genre Tags: Drama

While it is true that alicorns can be made, sometimes they are born. If a true alicorn, whose title has been rightfully earned, takes a lover who has seen the darkest truths of the universe and yet still has strength to smile, and their passion is more true than the universe itself, an alicorn might be born. The chances of such an event are so small that they make a million-to-one chance look like a sure thing.

But still, there are miracles. Sometimes an alicorn, with all the trappings of the three races, is born unto this world. It is around such beings that the universe inevitably turns. Even if they find themselves... reduced.

This is the story of Prince Blueblood the First. It is also the story of Prince Blueblood the Thirty-Fourth, and all of the Bluebloods in between.

Those of you familiar with my preferences know that I am somewhat of a stickler when it cometh to the technical aspects of writing. The most insignificant of mistakes upendeth mine immersion like naught else can, so finding a story I can truly enjoy on a fanfiction website is a pipedream that I rarely see come to fruition. Thus, it was with great delight that I found mine attention directed towards the gem that is “When an Angel Loses his Wings”. Moriarty’s grasp on the English language is top-notch, with nary a mistake to be found, and the few items I would change were a matter of personal taste rather than an objective fault. His prose floweth in a manner most pleasing and easy to read such that one hardly beginneth to read before one findeth oneself already finished. This is a very good sign of a strong writer.

Concerning the story itself, I was similarly thrilled to find the content engaging and thought-provoking. Prince Blueblood is oft a subject of discontent amongst fans of My Little Pony due to the abysmal portrayal of him at the Gala. I personally did not care for such a depiction, as ‘twas blown far out of proportion in order to simplify the conflict. Here, though, Moriarty presenteth us with a much more reasonable Blueblood, one who hath lived far longer than most other ponies, and he hath long since become jaded to the life of royalty. No excuses are made for his behavior, but ‘tis far easier to sympathize with and even like this Blueblood than the canonical version.

I shan’t say aught further, as the story bursteth at the seams with meaningful content, other than to urge you to have a look at your earliest convenience.



JumpingShinyFrogs’ pick:

Genre Tags: Human, Slice of Life, Tragedy

Twilight Sparkle writes an important letter about how she became friends with Lyra the unicorn, a mistake she made, its terrible consequence, and one of friendship’s hardest lessons.

You see a 'Lyra is obsessed with humans' story and you groan. But this is the only one I've ever seen done well. And damn is it done well. The story follows Twilight's experience with Lyra Heartstrings, and Twilight feels very in-character throughout. There aren't really any moments where I feel like it isn't Twilight writing the letter. Lyra is also characterised very well. She isn't the wacky, human-obsessed, one-dimensional character that she is in most stories, she's a motivated and intelligent individual who's very passionate about her dream, which I won't spoil since it's important to the story. And the ending is a serious 'whoa' moment. Maybe I'm just oblivious, but I didn't see it coming at all. Overall, this is a nice, short, interesting read with great characterisation.



Rainedash’s pick:

Genre Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life, Romance

Rarity and Rainbow Dash are about as in love as two ponies can be. Every once in a while, they do something utterly exciting and amazing. Between those moments, they live their lives just like any other couple does. These are some of those between times.

One of the better episodic, slice of life stories I've seen. Rainbow Dash's and Rarity's personalities really shine in all of their interactions. Also, just as importantly, it knows when a joke is finished and lets it end, rather than running it into the group. Definitely worth checking out for anyone that wants to skip the teasing will they or won't they hookup story, and go to the daily lives of a couple after they've started dating.



A British Gentleman’s pick:

Genre Tags: Comedy, Slice of Life

This story is a sequel to "The Secret of Manehattan Mall".

When Pinkie Pie receives an acceptance letter from one of the most prestigious culinary schools in the world, she is given a chance to achieve her life-long dream of becoming a world-renowned pastry chef. Although this trip means being away from Ponyville and her friends for an entire year, the new friends she meets and the fresh opportunities for crazy shenanigans more than make up for it.

Pinkie might be ready to take on this new environment, but the real question is: is it ready for Pinkie Pie?

It is a sad but irrefutable truth that a fair number of authors do not like poor old Pinkie Pie. The reasons vary from person to person, but for a lot of authors, it boils down to this: Pinkie says, loud and clear and pink: "I represent the target audience, little girls. Take a good looksie at how fun and pink and happy and pink and girly and pink I am!"

Some authors deal badly with that. They project their own dislike of her onto their fics. This leads to no end of abuse and indignity for poor Pinkie, from both characters and narratives alike. I will be fair: she is hard to get right, and even the show can't pull off her character to best effect a lot of the time.

Which is why it is always lovely to find a fic where Pinkie gets to be the star, where she really gets to shine. And I believe I have found such a fic, with my recommendation to you, my good ladies and gentlemen: “The Steeden University of Culinary Arts”.

We follow a well balanced, well characterised Pinkie as she enrolls in the eponymous institution, in order to further enhance herself as a baker. It's lovely to see a character taking steps to improve their skills, with that seen as a goal unto itself; Pinkie has no grandiose ambition here, and will be returning to Sugarcube Corner after her studies, better equipped to help the Cakes and do what she does best. Which, naturally, is to make other ponies happy.

The author really gets Pinkie’s character, and she is wonderful here: always ready with some new concoction in the kitchen and always happy to clean up after some of her experiments don't go plan, and above all, always happy to make new friends.

With a wonderfully written Pinkie and some lovely OC's this fic is well worth checking out for any fan of our favourite very pink heroine. With thirty one upvotes and a few hundred views, this is very much a hidden gem. Give it a go, my good ladies and gentlemen; it is a fic that richly deserves more love.



Winter Solstice’s pick:

Genre Tags: Comedy, Crossover, Random

Two outlaws get more than they bargained for when they kidnap a young Pinkie Pie for ransom.

This time I thought I'd dip into my "not-dark" list and offer something extremely light hearted. Here, all Pinkie Pie addicts will get more than their fix to get them through the day.

This comedy is set during the time Pinkie was just a filly, and the extraordinary abilities she already possesses make themselves known. Much to the chagrin of two hapless criminals. The author takes what we already know about Pinkie and magnifies the same, in ways that are familiar but still new. If one is acquainted with the source material, the outcome will be no surprise, but is still entertaining. If you're like me, and never before read "The Ransom of Red Chief", you'll find it was not necessary to understand this plot, which is unusual for crossovers.

Admittedly, the comedy will make you smile rather than laugh for the most part. (Except for the tea party. That is comedy gold!) This tale is a primer for authors that wish to take the long road for laughs and entertainment, as the material is well thought out and believable, considering what we know of Pinkie. This tale wouldn't work for any other character.



And so ends our second round of reviews. We hope to see you next time.

Fare thee well!

Report Wanderer D · 2,563 views ·
Comments ( 7 )

...Huh.

Wasn't expecting that.

3980130 Wait, what do I win?

3980142 No, I mean how did I win it? All I did was write a thing and get complimented for it on one of the most regularly ignored aspects of this site.

3980148

To be fair, you wrote a really really good thing.

3980181 ...

But I already had cookies today.

They were macadamia nut.

So nice.

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