Fic recs, April 20th! · 5:54pm Apr 20th, 2023
Guess who's got a book out? It's Ice Star!
Midnight29 has done a reading of not plu's 2+2=5! She also put out a second reading of Posh's What Dreams Are Made Of despite the first one still being available? So confused. And here's a reading of Zemez's Celestia vs. the SUN, which I hadn't realized I'd already read! Also, VisualPony's done a reading of TCC56's Bipartite Butterflies!
So yeah, it's another huge blog that took forever to finish. c_c; I think what I'm gonna have to do is designate a day, may as well be Thursday since I generally have nothing to do but listen to music, to just post whatever I've got done at that point. As long as it's at least 5 stories. And probably do that until it's nothing but VisualPony readings again. But hey, the list is under 150 now, that's something! I've gotten better at finding time to listen to more stories now.
Anyway, let's blaze it.
H: 9 R: 18 C: 13 V: 4 N: 6
Between Life and Friendship Draconequues
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Bittersweet
In which Pinkie Pie meets a skeleton.
There are two ways to do "Pinkie Pie dies" fics. Either she dies, end of story, and everyone's sad, especially if she met her end with a big smile like always… or she makes friends with Death. And this story, miraculously, pulls off both within a very short word count. Given that it's also mostly focused on the more positive aspect of the scenario means more people are likely going to want to read it. And you will get some solid Pinkie writing if you do!
Recommended
For My Love by Jhoira
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Sad Romance
Age may have caught up with Rarity, but at least she always can count on Applejack to take care of her.
By now, we've all read a ton of stories where one of the characters, often the POV character, is suffering from dementia or something similar, and it's really heartbreaking by the end. And while I am distinctly a fan thereof, I do have to admit they all tend to have one thing in common: the reveal of the memory issues at the end of the story. In this one, Rarity's condition is actually brought up fairly early on. She's aware of it, and the reveal is rolled very naturally into the conversation. Of course, the secret is that this lowered my defenses, so I was unprepared for the real "what's actually going on", not that an astute reader won't be able to figure it out. For me, it hit like a punch to the gut, though, and I thought this was really darn great.
Highly Recommended
Origins of Chaos by Fruity Treeze
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Historical
I rather wish this story wasn't quite so up-front about having been written to explain where Discord came from. It would have been much nicer to get that as a surprise in the text. But that being said, the other thing holding this back is brevity. It does, admittedly, work during the passage of time section, to show how Discord's sense of time has become completely unhinged from reality, but for the rest of it, everything just kind of happens rapid-fire, with no time spent thinking about it. Notably, I was disappointed by the method with which this unicorn becomes Discord; not only is it kind of eh, it also just happens way too quickly. Can't say I've seen anyone else do this in quite this way, though.
Vaguely Recommended
The Dangers of Dreaming by Greymane Shadow
Reading by Lotus Moon, et. al.
Genre: Romance/Drama
Rarity has a secret: She's in love with Twilight Sparkle. But Twilight already has a mare…
The reading set my expectations wrong by labelling this "RariLunaLight". It's just a love triangle, not polyamory. But that's still fine, as the centerpiece here is a scene where Luna and Rarity sit down in the dream world and hash out not just Rarity's feelings, but Luna's. Strong character work makes this quite a solid piece, and I actually really enjoyed realizing when we were in a dream. Good stuff!
Recommended
4:37 AM by Kris Overstreet
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Comedy
Starlight Glimmer learns a thing or two about chickens.
You know, despite more or less skipping over letting us see Starlight find out the horrible truth about roosters for the first time, this is nevertheless a well-crafted comedy, and I enjoyed the whole thing. We're allowed to really focus in on the scene of her finally snapping, alongside some hysterical representations of chicken thought processes. I really have nothing else to say, this was fun!
Recommended
Okay to Do This by themoontonite
Reading by Lotus Moon and CourtJester
Genre: Romance
Rarity's been ignoring it for a while, but she can't any longer: She doesn't have as much time left as Twilight.
Gotta say, putting immortality angst onto someone who isn't immortal really brightens the place up, so to speak. This is a quietly emotional piece, never maudlin, about Rarity wrestling with her own mortality while being married to a pony who, if not actually immortal, is certainly going to outlive her by quite some time. Really, I think it was the best direction to take this in, and Rarilight shippers will of course be quite pleased with how the relationship is portrayed here.
Recommended
Mail Sent Between Two Distant Horses by HapHazred
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Epistolary
After moving away from Ponyville, Rainbow Dash and Applejack keep in touch.
There is a lot of stuff to like in this, I'm not even sure I could list it all. You've got world-building, strong characterization, heck, a distinct character arc in something marked slice of life. You really can't ask for more from a solid shortfic. :)
Recommended
Bathophobia by Ice Star
Reading by Lotus Moon and ThunderSpeakVA
Genre: Dark
Cadence, trapped in the crystal caverns under Canterlot, thinks about what she's lost.
I really can't believe I haven't seen more stories based around this period of the show. Literally, not one before this from Cadence's point of view, dealing with what being trapped by Queen Chrysalis was actually like for her. And, well, I'm not sure any would take this particular path with the idea, either! Really good character work, and another fic that gets high marks for portraying someone losing their mind quite well.
Recommended
Bake Until Golden by shortskirtsandexplosions
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Horror
Starlight and Trixie bake blueberry muffins.
It seems I have gotten used to a specific sort of horror story around these parts. Trust shortskirts to remind me that there's more than one way to skin a pony. I am going to tell you absolutely nothing about this story, save that it uses uncertainty absolutely perfectly to create a creepy and tense atmosphere in a short time. It's fantastic.
Highly Recommended
Atelophobia by Ice Star
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Dark/Shipping
Twilight yearns for perfection. She shouldn't.
I love that Ice Star's three *phobia stories are considered spiritual companions rather than sequels in any fashion. Having no particular order to read them in means they're easily approachable, and each can say something about the others rather than simply continuing a story. And this one is every bit as good as Autophobia. It's poetry, once again, and the title refers to a fear of imperfection. So we get this close-in, unsettling tale about Twilight obsessing over anything she views as perfect, that frequently being other ponies, and most especially alicorns. Her outlook is extremely monochromatic, much to her detriment. I have to say, it's a characterization that really hearkens back to the first three seasons and even — dare I say it — exists as justification of Lesson Zero that makes complete sense. Practically a miracle, that. Damn, but this is good.
Highly Recommended
Daddy… Wait for Me!!! by Sefora
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Cute G5
Hitch loses track of his entourage.
This is short, low on stakes, inoffensive and extremely cute. It's honestly about what I expected, and if you don't mind minor drama being resolved extremely quickly, it might not be bad. Good story to read to young kids. To the author, I would say, keep an eye towards using more vocabulary in a story next time. Switch things up a little. The animals are only ever described as "Hitch's little crew" or "little critters", and those words show up far too often, 'little' most especially. A bit of variation can go a long way!
Recommended for Parents
Happy April Fool's by Darthvalgaav
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Random Comedy/Sailor Moon Crossover
Celestia celebrates her favorite holiday.
I do like me some good Best Sister shenanigans, and this one delivers. :) In particular, I liked Luna's introduction, that was great. That said, there's a joke in the middle that seems in the moment to be both untoward and irrelevant to the general goings-on. Eventually, it's proven to be neither, but it hits like a lead weight on the page. And then there's that ending scene, which… I mean, Sailor Moon crossover. The very definition of random, and not exactly the best way to end a story like this, if you ask me.
Recommended Only If You Enjoy Really Random Comedies
Why Celestia Is a Big Dum Dum by Aqua Drops
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Comedy
Whenever she's upset about something, Twilight Sparkle can always write to Princess Celestia.
Okay, this is really cute. Good child writing, regardless of whether or not you think Twilight was that incorrigible as a child. Her characterization really does ring true per autism though, in all seriousness. It's hard to accept an unjust, unfair world when you're that young! I will note, this is distinctly non-canon, for all that it sets up a funny reason for why Cadence became Twilight's foalsitter. The way it deviates from canon is just kind of… Eh, I've seen it before, and it hasn't gotten funnier with repetition. But overall, amusing, we'll see where the sequels go.
Recommended for Laughs
Equestrian Easter by RainbowBob
Reading by Lotus Moon, et. al.
Genre: Random Comedy
Discord asks Jesus to explain the meaning of Easter.
I… Man, I don't even. If you take Christianity seriously, stay far away from this, I'd wager. And if not… well, it sure was a story I read. I hope RainbowBob, wherever he is, is doing all right.
Vaguely Recommended
As Above, So Below by Reviewfilly
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Dark
Let's say, hypothetically, you were falling to your death…
For being a determinedly thousand-only word story, this is really good. The narrator's voice is, I think, what makes it work best. It's entirely conversational, bringing the reader into the story as a participant. Also, the way it shifts from the comedic, "asking for a friend" style of prevaricating to deadly seriousness over the course of the story… Well, this may be a poor choice of words, but it left an impact. Ouch. No happy endings here, just good writing!
Highly Recommended
Baby Mine by Phoenix Heart 20
Reading by Lotus Moon, Quinch & Spiros Lp
Genre: Slice of Life
Halo Crown brings her baby home.
I hate to put anyone on blast, but there's something about this story that really skeeves me out. See, as someone who has zero interest in creating children, I am well aware that some people in this society are, like, really into pregnancy and everything that goes along with it. And I'm not even talking about the fetishists, though they're pretty bad, too. I'm just talking about ordinary people who get really into the nitty-gritty of child rearing, from birth to what-have-you, and tend to talk about it in an otherwise fetishistic and, dare I say it, cultish manner. That's this story. I don't need to hear about this mare's teats, okay? If this had been tagged fetish and mentioned pregnancy in the description, I'd simply have ignored it and life would be better. Instead, I had to sit through this frequently gross, but otherwise inoffensive and extremely tedious story about a new mother. And it really was tedious; even if I've missed my mark on the author's intentions, the writing needs a lot of work. There's too much detail on uninteresting things, lots of strange word usage, and a character whose entire purpose is to dispense child-rearing facts and suggestions in the blandest, driest way possible. There was definitely potential here. Like, when the kid first wakes up on the train, that was cute. Also there's just the barest hint of world-building. This is supposedly a G5 story, but the bit that might suggest that is tossed out so casually, it may as well not have been there. Between the slightly more modern Equestria and ponies with people names, it bears no distinction from your average poorly-conceived G4 fic. Other people are unlikely to have the negative reaction I did to the central material, but even if you don't, this isn't worth it.
Not Recommended
Ponytube Luna! by Popping Candies
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: AU/Random Comedy
Luna tries to make herself more accessible to her little ponies.
I'd like to start by talking about the author. Look at the dates they were on the site. In that time, they posted at least five stories (comments on the author page suggest one was taken down) and gathered a lot of attention. This is absolutely wild and just another instance of a fic reader finding a needle in the haystack. Anyway, I tagged this AU because it's a Gamer Luna story, so there are inexplicable game consoles and internets and what have you in Equestria. Also, Luna has a cat for some reason. The way it's written, I was kind of wondering if there wasn't some extra joke being built to, a feghoot or something similar. But no, it's just stilted, awkward writing. (See also the late sentence that uses 'quietly' three times in a row.) As for the humor, I'll give it points for just taking names of famous Youtubers and inserting 'pony' in them wherever, that's frankly hilarious. Also, true-to-life Youtube comments. But those points are lost as it just sort of ends rather than coming to any concluding joke, let alone the one I'd been waiting for. Weird.
Vaguely Recommended
You Should Let Me Eat You by Greenback
Reading by Lotus Moon and Sparrow9642
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Thought Experiment
Maybe Twilight should let it…
Given the title and setup, I was really surprised this wasn't tagged horror. Listening through it, it's easy to see why, though I would say it probably contains eldritch or existential horror. But that's not the point. The point is, we're given, in plain terms, an ethical dilemma and then asked to figure it out for ourselves, alongside Twilight Sparkle. Except, y'know, we don't have to consider being consumed by some godly abomination. And this helps explain the very clunky plot element of the truth spell; I could see the author having come up with the concept, written out a draft and then going, "Well, wait, how do we know anything this guy's saying is true?" Not great for philosophy! So, clunky or not, this is pretty unique and 100% worth reading.
Recommended
Sticking Points by The Hat Man
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Random Comedy
When it comes to Twilight freakouts, there's maybe a 50% chance it's something actually serious.
This got off to a really great start with Starlight describing Trixie as a dumpster fire, but liking her anyway. And then it just kept on going. :) I found the whole thing mildly to really hilarious, and unlike a lot of comedies I've been reading lately, it knows just when to stop. It's well past time I gave The Hat Man a follow. Highly Recommended If You Like Random Comedies.
Recommended
Did You Have to Go That Far? by iAmSiNnEr
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Post-canon Comedy
Luna is determined to read her sister's diary.
Once you accept the premise, this is pretty funny. I'm always here for these two acting like children, and even though you know where this is going to go almost from the start, it's still enjoyable. Good show!
Recommended If You Enjoy Best Sisters Shenanigans
Shining's Ultimate Test by Night—Mist
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Cute
Private Shining Armor of the Royal Guard is given an important duty.
So this is a nice, quite believable look at how palace life might have gone for Twilight and Shining shortly after she was accepted to the School for Gifted Unicorns. Fans of Twilight's family will no doubt enjoy their interaction. Fans of military stuff will doubtless be amused by the dressing-down Shining receives from his superior. And the writing, while not amazing, is perfectly adequate for a fun, light slice of life story that feels like it could have happened. (Though I suppose there's an argument to be made that this is merely the thousand words told by the cover art.)
Recommended for Twilight Family Fans
White Eyes by Boomstick Mick
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Horror
In a place that looks like Ponyville but isn't, Apple Bloom is being watched by… something.
Well, this was neat. :) It's got good atmosphere, reminiscent of Silent Ponyville but thankfully nothing like it. It also does a good job of building tension, and I liked the repetition of "small" in particular, to really drive home just how fragile and vulnerable Apple Bloom is throughout the scenario. Did I see the double-fakeout coming? Yes, but it's executed just the way I'd wanted it to be. Not the best horror story I've ever read, but far, far from the worst, and definitely worth the read.
Recommended
Why Cadence Is a VERY Big Dum Dum by Aqua Drops
Reading by VisualPony
Sequel to Why Celestia Is a Big Dum Dum
Genre: Random Comedy
Cadence is at her wit's end with Twilight.
The premise of Why Celestia is one of those that quite obviously lends itself to sequels: What might little terror Twily have to say about the other princesses? But I would urge authors facing this sort of idea, having written a small story and then found out that people actually like it before moving on to expanding the concept, to put all their eggs in one basket. The joke here isn't improved by repetition — though at least the letter doesn't take the same form as in the first story, so points for that — and when it's all there is to a story, that doesn't make for a great one-shot. Having all the Twilight vs. princess scenarios in one story would likely have made for a better read. That being said, my other main problem with this is characterization. It's hard to believe Twilight was this bad as a kid, plus Cadence has zero chill for someone whose main canon personality trait is "nice", and when she was hyperbolizing, I can't believe Twilight didn't speak up and chastise her use of it. There aren't actually a million pieces of toast on the walls, Cadence, get a grip! If there are more readings of these stories, I think I'll skip them.
Not Recommended
Origin of the Umbrum by TheothersideofSunny968
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Dark/Historical
If there is one trait the speaking races all share, it's the knowledge of fear.
If you're not familiar with the word "Umbrum", here's your quick reminder that it came to us from the comics, and was posited as the origin of King Sombra, a race of smoky shadow-creatures who live out in the frozen wastes somewheres. I'm not sure it ever caught on in the fandom much, but here's a story about them! I do want to say, the actual genesis of the Umbrum, as presented here, I wasn't super into. The answer to the question suggested by the title is basically, "They just happened." But once happenedly umbrumsthat's done with, I do like how they're portrayed. And I'd say the writing overall is effective, so on balance? This checks out, good historical world-building.
Recommended
Smile at the Moon by dastrdlyW
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Happy Luna
Isn't there anypony who appreciates the nighttime?
I'm not sure I buy the premise of Twilight knowing about the story of Nightmare Moon — let alone the existence of Princess Luna — from childhood. Then again, this story is so old, it's got a 4-digit story number and is less than a thousand words long! Luna Eclipsed was still a fresh memory then! So taken in that context, it mostly works, though again, Luna still complaining about no one enjoying the night feels a little… off. No idea if this was written for the Happy Luna Contest or not, but it at least gets the job done!
Recommended for Luna Fans
Cupcakes: An Escape Guide by Ice
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Horror
If you're reading this, it means she's found me.
Going into this, I was prepared to be disappointed that it wasn't a comedy. I mean, the setup absolutely drips with comedic potential. But as it turns out, this accomplishes something that Cupcakes does not: be actual horror. Getting this advice from someone who's living through "the cupcake scenario" is quite an effective way to turn one of the fandom's most notorious gluefics into something approaching actual literature. On all levels, this really isn't bad. The worst I can say is that the denouement maybe goes on a bit long, but otherwise, I'm glad I gave this a chance.
Recommended for Horror Fans
A day in the eyes of a sniper by Raizuo
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Dark AU
Equestria is protected behind the scenes by a band of stealthy sniper ponies.
While the premise is hard to swallow, I can't say this is necessarily bad? Granted, the dialogue outside the military radio cross-chatter is pretty lackluster. (Inside, it is at least verisimilitudinous, and me having no experience with which to properly evaluate it.) And if this is missing anything, it's a specific reason why this particular group was being targeted. I'm honestly very interested in that aspect, but all we really get is "they're doing bad things". Still, if you're into ponies using guns, you could do worse?
Vaguely Recommended
The Trees Are Silent by Whirl Hoof
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Horror
Awakened by the sound of… something in the middle of the night, Applejack goes to investigate.
This gets off to a really good start with the very first sentence, showcasing how word choice can really set the mood. Seriously, it was one word, and I was super hooked. Ultimately, I feel like I was rewarded for my interest. :) This is really tense, as we follow AJ rummaging around the farm in the dark, trying to figure out just what the hell she might've heard. She finds numerous things awry, but absolutely no answers. When she finally recognizes a particular something, I got chills, and the ending is nice and terrifyingly open. Good stuff!
Recommended
What's Philomena's Name? by Fleety
Reading by Midnight29
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Random Comedy
From back before Luna was banished, that is.
It really says nothing good about your comedy if by the end, Luna remarks, "Sister, this was your most boring prank ever." And while we usually don't judge comedies on stakes, this one is notably thin in that regard. The question at the center of the action just… isn't that important? Or at least isn't treated as important enough by the narrative to guide the characters and incite comedy. 'Insubstantial' is the word I'd use for it, and I think this shows in how repetitive and explainy the narrative tends to be. This just isn't an idea that naturally fills out a thousand words without padding. Though I will give points for really grasping the pre-molting Philomena and portraying her well, that's not enough to drag this out of "boring prank" range.
Not Recommended
Alone With Myself by TheExhaustedBrony
Reading by Lotus Moon and tazraamzy
Genre: Journal Horror
I shouldn't have gone looking for the Mirror Pool. Now I'm trapped down here, with only myself for company.
Hey, do you want to read an awesome story that takes the idea of the Mirror Pool to a dark logical extreme? :D I had an inkling of where this could go from the start, and I have to say, not only was I not disappointed, I loved every step along the way. This was great!
Highly Recommended
The Throne Is Cursed by Banjo64
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Comedy
Yeah, so anyway, Twilight's cursed now.
As comedies go, this one might be a tad unfocused, but it nevertheless remains either amusing or interesting all the way through. The author successfully uses a silly concept to both make a statement about rulership and explore some events in the show that no doubt irritated some. And the thing Twilight gets into at the end is genuinely hilarious. So yeah, not bad!
Recommended for Laughs
Friendship Is Dead by The Spiral Staircase
Reading by Lotus Moon and Grim Narrator
Mature: Gore, Violence, Self-Harm, Death, Profanity
Genre: Post-Canon Gluefic
As Twilight watches her friends die, she has to wonder… does she even care anymore?
'Gluefic' may be hyperbolic to an extent, but this is a story where everyone dies and more than one of said deaths is described in gruesome detail, so you tell me. Had the focus been on Twilight's increasing emotional numbness as immortality and time take her friends from her, maybe it would have had some merit. But it isn't about that, since we get a chapter from Discord's POV, and she's just as distraught at her last friend's death as the first, if not moreso. Damningly, I really liked how she became super protective of Discord as the others died, and again, focusing on that would have made this story worth telling. But no, we don't get that. Just… everyone dies, and many of them in gory ways. The end.
Not Recommended
Just Want a Hug by SilverStar7
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Emotional EQG
Sunset visits Fluttershy.
Do you enjoy reading melancholy stories about Sunset moping and wrestling internally with her roiling emotions? Because this is distinctly a good one. It's also really, really cute and makes perfect sense, taking place right after the first movie, when Sunset's at her lowest. And if you've ever commiserated with Sunset's situation — and I know some of you definitely have — you'll likely also find this cathartic.
Recommended If You Enjoy Emotional Stories
The Backrooms by ARandomLonelyDude
REading by Lotus Moon, et. al.
Genre: Gluefic
Raven suddenly finds herself in a strange and terrifying place.
You can't spend as much time watching creepypasta analysis videos on Youtube as I do and not know about the Backrooms. If you're not me, however, and you have no idea what this is? This is going to look like "bad stuff just happens for some reason", the fic. Then again, if you already know, this is also likely to disappoint. I mean, she shows up there and more or less immediately dies, and that's about it. She literally fails to heed a warning while she is reading it. She hasn't even gotten a chance to get to the end before she's already sealed her own fate. And while the bonus chapter maybe helps a tad, it also makes me think that this was just an excuse to detail the gruesome death of a pony. This does absolutely nothing with the concept it's based off of, and furthermore, should have an M-rating.
Not Recommended
Owlowiscious Annoys a Telemarketer by CartsBeforeHorses
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Comedy
Caramel's life just got harder.
Ponies dealing with telemarketers is almost its own subgenre by this point, and as a concept, is sure to get you a lot of views. And Owlowiscious messing with one is such an obvious idea, the story almost writes itself. Which is why CartsBeforeHorses, being A Good Writer, takes both ideas to another level. Starting this off from the telemarketer's point of view… I can't really even explain why this works so well, other than the knowledge that the best "messing with telemarketers" stories are those where they're knocked off script and provide genuine, human reactions to whatever madness is happening on the other end of the phone. And the stuff with Owlowiscious, well, I'm not going to spoil, but I genuinely loved the punchline. This story does quite a lot with not a lot of words, and is really funny to boot!
Recommended
The True Self by Shilic
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Dark
She awoke and wondered who she was…
This is pretty interesting, but, I will admit, somewhat tedious. Even if you ignore the character tag, it quickly becomes apparent that this is Twilight, but we still have to watch her painstakingly figure out who she is, bit by bit. That said, what's more interesting is the strange place she finds herself in, and things proceed from there. At the end, I have to ask, is this really true? I've got a lot of ideas about what, exactly, this might be, and I think that's a good open-ended denouement to provoke discussion of just such a thing.
Recommended
Trixie Comes Out by King of Madness
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Comedy
And her taste in mares is… questionable.
I don't know if the punchline to this story is super obvious, or if I've just read over 8000 My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic fanfictions and am a good guesser. Regardless, this is my favorite kind of Trixie story, where not only is she an egotistical idiot, but the narrative also wastes no opportunity to dunk on her. :) I thought this was really funny!
Recommended for Laughs
The Darkness Within by Celestial Heavens
Reading by Lotus Moon and Sparrow9642
Mature: Gore, Non-con, Violence, Death
Genre: Horror
A year after her sister's death, Princess Celestia investigates a disturbance in the tower where Luna died.
Princess Luna being dead for the last year is a really strong way to start off a story. I'm kind of finding myself with very little to say, though. The mystery is set up well, though the lack of real payoff is probably the main downside here. Stay away if you demand answers from stories, that's for sure. Also weird is the way Luna proves she is who she says she is; it's bizarrely comedic. Not sure why that decision. But it's all right? Not even sure the M-rating was necessary, though better safe than sorry.
Recommended for Horror Fans
Fly to Haywaii, Cheap by Rambling Writer
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Comedy
Lyra and Bon-Bon try to plan their dream vacation.
This was great. :) My favorite kind of LyraBon story, quick and snappy, everything was just a joy. Nothing more need be said! Love it!
Recommended
The Sunset Room by Foxy E
Reading by NeighratorPony, Scribbler and CadetRedShirt
Genre: Horror/Tragedy
Big Macintosh is sick, and Applejack is wrestling with herself. Does she trust her friend, and potentially doom her brother? Or does she trust her heart, and open the door…
Do you realize that hitting a narrator other than Lotus Moon means I've finally reached the "end" of her channel? At least from where I started, anyway. There's still a ton more to go, she uploads almost as frequently as VisualPony, but I feel somewhat accomplished, wow. x_x Anyway, there is a story here, and do you know what this story has? Mood. From the very first scene and its piles of rotting apples, we can tell nothing good is going to come of the events of this tale. And I love that the second scene is incredibly tense, but the tension is based around a family argument, rather than something you might expect from a lesser horror story. This was just really great, really evocative, and it's Foxy E's only story. A shame they're not still around!
Highly Recommended
A lonely thought,All Bright the Forever Knight by Brony Mithos
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: OC Fic
If you're the sort of person who looks for writing excellent in your ponyfic, you will not find it here, as the title formatting loudly suggests. And this is a story about the sort of character who starts off a sentence with a line like "Despite my age and powers". He accidentally became immortal, he used to have a thing with Celestia, he's just the bestest, most honorablest guard, you guys, and of course he blames himself somewhat for not paying more attention to Sunset Shimmer because of course he does. Also, apparently Celestia is getting senile? All that being said though, I can at least say that this isn't precisely a "character sheet" style story, though it's still not all the way there. I mean, there's definitely potential for a story about a character like this, weathering the ravages of time alongside Celestia and sharing in her immortal angst and so forth. This just isn't it yet. Though I can't fault his opinion of Starlight!
Not Recommended
Origin of the Umbrum part 2 by TheothersideofSunny968
REading by Lotus Moon
Sequel to Origin of the Umbrum
Genre: World-Building
So we pick up from where the previous story left off, following the newly-created Umbrum as they try and find a place for themselves in the world, emotional parasites though they may be. And you know what? This is pretty darn good. It's very pure world-building, everything told to us from a (somewhat) neutral narrator, but watching the pieces come together to form Sombra by the end was a lot of fun. The author came up with some pretty original stuff, and while the word 'Umbrum' is maybe used a little too frequently, overall I'd say this is quite a good story.
Recommended
Iridium by Odd_Sarge
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Historical/Sad
Fleeing west from the threat of windigoes, a caravan is joined by a sickly unicorn.
Hahaaa, this one hit me right in the feels. ;_; The fact that it sounds like a letter, that the narrator is talking to 'you', Iridium, the entire time, but telling her things that she should already know, didn't register until right before the end. I don't even know what went on in this, I just know that the writing gripped me thoroughly and the story was devastating in a small, personal way.
Highly Recommended
The Bloody Mare by misskoifishpony
Reading by GabiShy, et. al.
Hey, you know what I haven't done in forever? Reviewed a new reader! And it's weird now, because the circumstances under which I listen to fic have significantly changed since the last time. But I can easily say this was a good experience, she's got a nice, mellow voice and a solid grasp of pacing, so onto the list!
Genre: Horror Poetry
Pinkie Pie should have been more aware of the Bloody Mare.
…Oh my god, what a thing. c_c So, yes, I have large opinions about poetry, and while this isn't a perfectly metered and rhymed poem, it becomes very clear very early on that it isn't trying to be. If not for the formatting, this would be directly comparable to, say, Dinkin' Donuts: a prose story with a lot of internal rhyming that lends a playful atmosphere. Except, well, this is horror. It's almost the platonic inversion of Dinkin' Donuts, in fact. That playfulness is creepy as fuck, and the constant refrain of "trickle, trickle, drip, drip" is intensely wrong. At first, it just seemed like an odd choice, but the longer it went on, the more it made my skin crawl. I was actually yelling, "Make it stop!" by the end. It's so gross and offputting, and that's absolutely perfect for something like this, do not mistake my reaction here! And as for the story itself, while it likely has roots in the old Bloody Mary urban legend, it also presents us with a unique scenario and monster. Poor Pinkie!
Recommended
The Door by Jack Daniels
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Horror
Where did it come from? Where does it lead?
Two things make this story work. The first is atmosphere: every description wrings maximum creepiness from a small amount of words. Because this is a very short story, written for a thousand-words contest, and it wastes absolutely no time doing what it needs to do without ever feeling rushed. The second thing that makes this work? The abrupt ending.
Recommended
Holy White by Seer
Reading by Lotus Moon
Genre: Philosophical
What even matters?
I'm starting to think "philosophy" is just a term used to shield people from having to confront their own mental illness. <.< This whole thing reads like classic overthinking, it's just that asking deeper and deeper questions about what things actually are, what things matter, gets philosophy wonks all up in a twist. But aspersions about pretense aside, this is a story about trying to deal with writer's block, and I think we can all connect with that, even if perhaps the language might not be how you specifically would normally go about it. I mean, I haven't wanted to write for months also, I get it. If nothing else, this is an exhortation to find a method for dealing with downward thought spirals before they get out of hand and/or lead you into the realm of sounding really, really full of yourself. Alternate title: Would White Matter If I Was?
Recommended for the Philosophically-Minded
Intermezzo by RandomGreymane
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Sad
Luna has more duties than just placing stars in the night sky…
An early malapropism ("everything that went wrong could") gave a poor first impression of the writing, but I think that can be chalked up as an artist brain fart. The rest is just fine, and it's the care with which Luna's duties are presented that make this work. She's just so kind and gentle with the little spark of light, I was honestly moved. I often get tired of stories about how we have to die because it makes life better, blah blah blah, but in this case? I'll take it. The result was worthwhile.
Recommended
A Day for Mommy by Hivemind
Reading by Scribbler
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Slice of Life
Fluttershy visits her mother on Mother's Day.
Here's some holiday-centric world-building for you. A good four-fifths of the story are simply about the cultural weight of Mother's Day in Equestria, and oh boy, there's a lot of weight put on it! Once we get to Fluttershy though, and especially once her mother is mentioned, I knew exactly what was going to happen. This was written well before we met "Mrs. Shy" in canon, after all. And again, I have to ask: was it obvious, or have I just read too many fanfics? Either way, I'm glad the ending was not milked for emotion.
Recommended for Fluttershy Fans
Exciting Words and Phrases Regarding Four-Legged Equine Mammals, and Your Future Business Ventures Therein! by Silent Whisper
Reading by VisualPony
Genre: Bureaucratic Comedy
Friendship is magic, and magic is an investment opportunity!
I saw the title of this story and thought, wow, c'mon, you're trying too hard to be funny. I was a fool. This is hilarious, pitch-perfect and creates a great amount of extra story around Iron Will's first show appearance. And really, that last bit is what makes this work. At the start, I assumed (not having looked at even the cover art) that it was about human businesspeople discovering Equestria and trying to monetize it. But making everything in-universe really elevates this to the next level. I also have a secondary angle of enjoyment, in that my late aunt left me some stocks, and I have seen various phrases in this story used in the annual prospectus documents, which I generally skim until my eyes glaze over. >.> Regardless, this was way better than it has any right to be, and as always, I appreciate finding yet another author who can do a good bureaucratic comedy!
Highly Recommended
The Princess and the Moon by LittleWood
Reading by Lotus Moon
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Historical Emotional Drama
After all that's happened, what is Celestia to do with the moon?
Celestia walking the abandoned halls of Everfree castle, in turns moping and stomping, cursing the name of anyone and anything she can think of. Being overwhelmed with regret as the full weight of what she has just lost settles on her like a funeral shroud. The moon, characterized as a lost child who can't understand what's just happened. If you want to know why I love stories about Celestia being filled with angst, this is the perfect example.
Highly Recommended
A highly recommended? Oh, this is my lucky day! Thank you very much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!1
1: please write out check for monetary value of level of enjoyment, payable to goat
That Ice Star guy sounds pretty gay. Oh, and there are more than three -phobia stories:
- MLP: FiM
- Equestria Girls
- Drama
- Tragedy
[Poetry] Sunset Shimmer struggles with keeping a regular diary, among other things.u r give jumpscare, did not know you will review
thank for review, will improve
Thank you very much for the review
I'm happy it had the intended effect.
After I begun writing myself, I felt slightly eerie when I saw how fandom usually treats characters of the Princesses. The show is cool in of how many of characters can be interpreted to be in form of transitional state. But writers usually explore not theme of growth and challenge, but more like slightly idealized self-reflection.
In show there is clearly a point of great contention in the world, in narrative. For many years not much had happened under Celestia's rule, and then suddenly everything is boiling. You might think there is a ton of implications that can be drawn upon, but no.
And really, the only way that Celestia, this flawed character, changes across the show, is that she becomes happier. Kind of tragic really. In later seasons, episode where she and Luna take some agency and try to be proactive, boil down to beach episode, essentially. She is a side character in FIM, after all
So she ends up always looking into past in these pieces. Always defined by it. Or kinda like in comfort zone all the time
Granted, people might read exactly for this stuff, and I do not understand something
Thanks for the recommendation, although I definitely wasn't expecting mine to even be reviewed! I always though it felt rushed, and bland in narration and word choice- just something I popped out in a half hour when the idea struck me. Goes to show the opinion of the author and the viewer can differ quite a bit. Cool to see it have a slight revival, though!
Thanks for the review! I'm glad I was finally able to get a "Recommended" from you, even if it was conditional.
5723884
Hey, you're that Ice person!
Not gonna lie, your review of my story was brutal...Thanks for that! I needed it. Even over a year later I have to admit that this story was rushed and added onto the fact that, at the time, I myself had recently discovered that I was pregnant, I clearly wasn't thinking too clear when I wrote this one.
I must say, while I do agree your quick n' spicy reviews can justify more stories in one blog than the rest of us reviewers who do more multi-paragraph takes, whenever you post a mammoth collection of 30+ stories, I tend to gloss over a healthy chunk of them. Good thing I can browse the most recent pages of your Reviewed bookshelf to know what I've read before!
I know this is in part because since nearly all your fic recs come from readings, and you're trying to clear out a backlog of the main readers here and in recent months. And the fics all being really short as a result (total wordcount here's like 76K or something, across fifty stories) justifies it too.
But yes, I would totally vibe with just posting them more regularly with the stories you've got at that point. But, you're the ten-year pro, you know best.
As for the fics I have read: Dangers of Dreaming got a Decent in my pre-review days. Don't remember anything about it, but Greymane Shadow's a quality author, so I trust it's grand. Did You Have To Go That Far? got Passable, a slight ditty that felt funny rather then being funny to me. Sticking Points is on my Re-Read list, and what little I've read of Hat Man already convinced me it'll deliver again, so your approval is a nice second opinion to have.
A Day for Mommy (Decent), I found to be about the same as you, too predictable at this stage, but it's nice and pleasant enough.
And I read Trixie Comes Out right now on a whim off your words, and the reveal did surprise me, though the fic was a little rigid and repetitive otherwise in a way that made even the 1K feel excessive. Still, a Decent for it too.
Finally, I added The Door to my list, as Jack Daniels in an author whose debut fic I reviewed when it was new a year ago and found a reasonable first effort, and you Seel this as being quite a step up.
So, I still got input out of your horse review words, buddy! Not a bad result all in all, for either of us.
It's crazy how much Iridium affected me and stuck with me with such a tiny word count.
5723905
That's indeed me!
As Above, So Below is great. My favourite of the (few) ones in here I've read. As it happens A Day for Mommy is in next week's review batch for me, but I don't think it's giving much away to say I had a similar reaction to you. I've added a couple of your HRs, but there were a lot this week so I've had to pick and choose!
5723884
oh, weird! :O that's on me, then
someone needs to read the others!
5723913
okay that is a really good reason to have written this story sorry D:
5723917
also, like, the last blog was supposed to be 50 stories, and it was less, and this one was supposed to be 50 stories, and it was more, so I may as well stop counting and, yes, stop breaking people's inboxes quite so frequently :B I make no promises about any editions, however
5723948
There was a blog post tied with that story and if you'd read it when originally posted, you'd see why (I've since birthed a boy and put him up for adoption. He's with a nice family and I've had a procedure done so I can't go through that again...ONCE was enough!). All the same, it can't excuse a somewhat badly written story.
5723949
regardless, I'm quite glad that turned out well for you both :B
5723948
You've read all of them but the Sunset Shimsham one.
Ouch, an above-average number of Not Recommended this time.
I do strongly agree with and echo two of your Highly Recommendeds, as well. As Above, So Below and Iridium are total favorites of mine and absolutely top notch stories.
oh, this was an unexpected notification to get, I haven't been writing lately 😅
but ty for the review, and I'm glad you got a laugh!
5723952
thank you, and once again thank you for the review.
Hey, I've read "The Sunset Room" and agree it was quite good. There may be others that just didn't jog my memory. Didn't expect to see a "Dinkin' Donuts" reference!
There's a bit of folk wisdom that floats around the Edinburgh Fringe that states that the more "clever" a play's title, the worse it will be. That's probably a good rule of thumb for stories as well, but your HR rating for Exciting Words and Phrases Regarding Four-Legged Equine Mammals, and Your Future Business Ventures Therein! was enough to get me to download it; there are exceptions. After all, The Complete Lost Works of Samuel Beckett as Found in an Envelope (Partially Burned) in a Dustbin in Paris Labeled, "Never to be performed. Never. Ever. EVER! Or I'll sue! I'LL SUE FROM THE GRAVE!" was pretty damned good.
I didn't know this review was a thing till Sinner poked me about it. I totally did not expect someone out there to do a review on one of my fics (let alone a bad one
). When I wrote that fic at the time I simply thought of the story's idea and just... went with whatever came to my mind at the time and along the way I realise it wasn't as funny as I thought it would 
, but I just published that fic anyways to not let the work go to waste.
I haven't been writing much since then, heck, it's even been over a year since I last published something and I'm still struggling to get back into habit
but still, thanks for the review! 
5723993
exactly!
5724001
not letting work go to waste, I get that :)
struggling to get back into the writing habit, I also get that ;_;
Am I allowed to say that I think Recommended is too high a rating for a fic that is just emotional venting from a collapsed project wrapped in Persona 4 allusions?5724147
sure you can, so long as I can disregard it! ;D
ive just saw this. loved how you said its recommended for parents! really gave me a good laugh. glad you enjoyed it tho :)
5724745
we're fans of a show ostensibly made for kids, parents should be able to find fanworks that are appropriate for their young children, shouldn't they? :)
5724787
of course they should... it is for kids after all :D