Reading Report II, and 3x10 · 4:09am Jan 22nd, 2013
Hi everypony! I'm back a week later! Wow, I think I will make it a regular thing… I really hope I manage; I'm excited about this.
My first post had no comments, but that's fine, that's fine. I'm just starting. I have to earn you. Here's what I have to offer…
This week I read 299992 words. A delightfully big and symmetrical number. I feel gorgeous about it. Of course, if I count in the two half-chapters I edited, it breaks the 300kw barrier a bit, but what fun is that. Most of it, I read yesterday (Sunday) while at my in-laws, and it was… well… the first in the list:
The probably-going-to-be-permanent section of holy crap it's long brings Romance Reports by SleeplessBrony, with its first 163kw (I only finished reading it earlier today, so I can't count the last few chapters).
Now, let me make something clear. I have read over 300 pony fics by now. I'm not estimating, I know so, because the most recent ≥250ish are all in my kindle. And this is my first* clop one. And this is so because I put in my kindle because I like to read on the bus. But you know what? Totally worth it, very involving story, interesting relationships, it kind of went on the slutty side but, hey, I hear long clop fictions tend to be that way. It wasn't a bad experience though. I can honestly say, no euphemism involved, that I read it for the plot, and I was not disappointed. It was a true page turner, I was really taken on what decisions the characters would make and many of the things that eventually happened really surprised me, in a good way. Still, I don't intend to make a habit out of this kind of fiction because… again… I read on the bus. :P And I had to postpone reading a few chapters until I got home because of that, and that sucked. In a good way, but it still sucked.
The lighthearted and fun club offers My Little Changeling: Friendship is Weird by Niaeruzu, with all its current 46kw.
It's a sequel, but I don't feel you need to read the stories in order. In this story, each of its chapters feel like episodes of a spinoff, with well rounded up plots and even a funny sounding friendship lesson at the end. It's a very easy read, it has pretty funny gags and even people who don't read incomplete stories (who am I kidding? most of what I will be talking about here will probably be incomplete stories) can still enjoy it. The protagonist changeling is a bit emotionally crippled but that is well justified and very well played by the author, and even though the ponies' actions and reactions are narrated from the changeling point of view, it's feels quite involving. Very great, very amusing work.
And the I love changelings hive fully endorses the above recommendation and also offers the mentioned prequel Thrown Abroad, also by Niaeruzu, with 23kw.
A simple story, easy read, a funny take on the pony-changeling cultural gap. Could stand a bit more world building but it wasn't something the plot required, so it's ok. An interesting take on how the mane 6 act when… well… a pony who turns out to be a changeling comes to town. Now come on, that's no spoiler, every changeling story has the ploy reveal at some point.
* I blame AugieDog and his fanfic of a fanfic of a fanfic for making me break that rule. I intend to keep abiding by it, but it will probably be broken every now and again, as rules are wont to be. May they be broken again, I will probably keep that to myself.
I don't have much else to offer now. Most of the rest of what I read were either unremarkable updates or unremarkable whole stories. I also realize that there's not much value in spotlighting a selection that mostly has already been spotlighted on EqD, but I'm probably about a week or two away from solving that problem. As I said, I have been managing my time much more diligently.
And since this post is a weekly thing, on Keep Calm and Flutter On: I like it, not the best destiny for Discord, but what they could do in 22 minutes. I stood by Fluttershy's decision every single minute and I strongly believe in giving people a second chance. Her clarity of opinion when confronted by her friends by Sweet Apple Acres won my heart and mind. I'm sorry Pinkie Pie, you are no longer my favorite pony. I truly loved every second of it.
Friendship is Magic! :D
