Fic recs, September 18th! · 2:12pm Sep 18th, 2016

Goombasa has done a reading of Grand Moff Pony's Handmade!

H: 0 R: 2 C: 2 V: 0 N: 1

For Science! by TheNewYorkBrony
Reading by Scarlett Blade
Genre: Shipping
Twilight goes to the human world to get Sunset's help with something. You know, for science.
As a story, this is really lacking; as a thing, it's perfectly adequate. You just have to go into it knowing that it's nothing more than a silly, fluffy way to get two characters kissing. It stops before things get too interesting, so there's that, too. Honestly, I was amused.
Recommended as Light Reading

Luna's Turn by NixWorld
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Comedy
Luna has a request for Celestia, just to make things fair.
First, the good things. I like that this is a "sisters shenanigans" fic; comedy is really the only explanation for why Luna would want to do this. The scene where everyone's trying to figure out who to attack, and the subsequent running gag about the 'war', is the best part of the whole thing. But this is a very poorly written story. Every iota of it, from the setup to character motivations to what they're thinking, is flatly told. A lot of the setup involves things that have nothing to do with the actual story; a tighter focus and starting more in medias res would have amped up the comedy. Hopefully, the author will keep writing and improving with time.
Not Recommended

Accidents Happen by Majin Syeekoh
Reading by Scarlett Blade
Genre: Comedy
Twilight realizes something earth-shattering about herself.
If there's a problem with this story, it's that it's quite nearly two stories, most likely because the first one didn't have enough content to reach 1k. That said, despite the obvious break in the middle, I enjoyed this. Story one is a bit of fun absurdity in the "Twilight freaks out" vein of things. It's a decent enough for a story of that sort, but then the perfectly executed twist happens, and that alone makes this worth reading. The second story is then something of a reaction to/explanation of story one, and while not as amusing in comparison, is still amusing in its own right. Honestly, if you like absurdity, this will be right up your alley, and I think it's worth giving a shot regardless.
Recommended

She Woke to Fur Elise by 71NYL-5CR4TCH
Reading (part 1) by Doctor Cobra and Brelia
Genre: Shipping
It was supposed to be just another gig to help pay rent. Instead, it changed Vinyl Scratch's life.
This is another story I read yonks ago, downvoted, and now, with the clarity of hindsight, see some merit in, possibly because I no longer knee-jerk downvote ScratchTavia. :B That said, this ain't perfect. Ironically, the romance is probably the worst part. Despite the tagging, this is a drama thoroughly caught up in its own drama, and eyes are described as everything from pools to gemstones. As for the relationship itself, it can be summed up as "Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but we just kissed, I guess we're dating." :| Still, Vinyl and Octavia are both characterized strongly, and the scene involving Vinyl's philosophy of life was pretty good stuff. And for all the gayngst hanging around — seriously, this is a story about two mares hooking up after all but shouting "I am straight!" at each other — I think it's got some value given the particular motions it goes through. In the end, you'll likely want to have these two get together to be sold on the romance, but it does offer a few other things besides.
Recommended for ScratchTavia Fans

My Brother, the Tooth by Georg
Reading by Scarlett Blade
Reading by Winged T. Spears
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Comedy
It's time for Twilight to get her own contingent of royal guards.
I've been excited to read this ever since it came out, in the hope of finding out just what that title was on about. I was expecting a random comedy, a la Blueshift's Two Peas in a Pod, and to an extent, that's what I got. What I also got was a clever use of Greek mythology to explain why royal guards all look the same… and a twist. Fact is, this is nothing but plain hilarious, and if you haven't read it yet, don't hesitate any longer.
Recommended