Fic recs July 31st · 9:52pm Jul 31st, 2013
Gee, my to-read list was actually starting to decrease for once and now it’s almost at 1500. Why? Because I decided I needed to stop not having the stories of everyone I’m following on it. So that added a good hundred more, almost half of which were from one person.
What I’m trying to say is, goddammit Gabriel, you have too many stories. D: At least I won't be likely to add any large numbers of stories any time soon. Anyway, one more journal before Bronycon, and it’s a biggun.
You Want What? by RainbowBob
Reading by Captain Sand
Genre: Comedy
NinesTempest accused me of secretly writing this story, so of course I had to read it, and now I’m slightly insulted. You remember the review I did for The Princess and the Pupil by Alexstrazsa? This is that story, except with Alicorn Twilight and troll comedy. And it’s not even that funny. That’s about it.
Not Recommended
My Mask by Vimbert
Sequel to The Price
Genre: Love Story
Vimbert definitely has a knack for capturing the pathos of the closeted gay male, and this short piece is no different. What really struck me was the duality in Caramel’s mind, his referring to “us” when talking about himself and his mask, like it’s some kind of symbiotic life form ready to take him over. This is pretty powerful stuff for just over a thousand words, and when taken in the context of The Price, it really earns that Tragedy tag.
Recommended
Special Talents by Shrinky Frod
Mature
Genre: PWP
This is a SMPS entry, which explains a few things, mostly the brevity and fast pacing. It does offer an interesting look at Diamond and Silver Spoon, the latter especially, that I would compare to that found in Tiaras, Spoons and Feathers. But then we just find out that DT and SS are dating and they have sex. There’s not much here. At least they’re adults.
Not Recommended
Helicopter-Tank-Castle-of-Scootaloo by Wanderer D
Genre: Complete Madness
I’ve wanted to read this one for quite some time now. Boy, it is every bit as zany as its description, let alone the title, suggests. There’s chicken cannons, mistaken identities, eyepatches, romance, meta-humor... And it’s all brilliant. I would hold this story up as an example of how to be wacky without being lolrandom. The transition from story back to reality was perfect, too (because if you can’t tell from the description, this stuff isn’t actually happening). The one misstep would be something of an overstatement of Twist’s lisp at the end, but that’s seriously it. I died reading this.
Highly Recommended
’Twas Beauty Kissed the Beast by cleverpun
Genre: Crackshipping
This is basically just a vignette of the morning after for Rarity and... King Kong. Beyond that, there’s absolutely nothing to see, nothing clever done with the idea, though I will at least say Rarity’s in character for the whole thing.
Not Recommended
So, What Happens Now? by Fiddlebottoms
Genre: Slice of Life
After Twilight’s coronation, she and Spike live life on the road, moving every month or two to a new locale for reasons never expounded upon. This is a rather melancholy and contemplative bit of emotional scenery, and I couldn’t help but resonate with it somewhat. I, admittedly, am a homebody, but I once dated someone who was used to moving sometimes once a year, growing up as an air force brat. Reading this brought back a little of what it was like to go on long road trips with her to visit her parents (nearly equidistant in Oklahoma and Alabama), packing to live out of suitcases, as lightly as possible. Which isn’t to say this won’t have anything to offer someone without that sort of experience. The writing is excellent, the editing nearly above reproach, and if any of my previous reviews of Fiddlebottoms’ work have given you a certain view of him, well, try this one out; it may just change.
Recommended
We by Sessalisk
Genre: Mythic Worldbuilding
This one comes with some high expectations, having been featured on the Vault. (It’s also got the shortest title of any stories there!) To put it succinctly: it’s deserved. Again, I feel the need to state that I miss the time when we could treat Celestia and Luna as goddesses and not have that assertion shaken by canon, because stories like this came from that period. This is a beautifully rendered exploration of omniscience that also includes a bit of ten-dimensional theory, a favorite topic of mine. It features a really unique take on the princesses. It uses Celestia-as-Manipulator without being sinister. It sets up the banishment of Nightmare Moon as an event more fundamentally heartbreaking than even the show could imagine, and it reads like an impressionist painting. Which is to say, some might not appreciate it, but I would say everyone ought to read it.
Highly Recommended
Edited By by The Band Brony
Reading by Mr. Kenyon
Genre: Writing for Writers
These sorts of stories are hard to evaluate sometimes, because they are written to appeal to writers and I (sadly) am one myself. I can, however, safely say that, despite the fact I absolutely understand what Twilight is going through in this story, I didn’t find it all that interesting. It comes off as a sort of poem set to music, except by “poem” I mean “blogpost” and by “music” I mean “MLP fanfiction”. The vast majority of this is just Twilight being Twilight and freaking out about her writing, with Spike being supportive and showing her the error of her way. I found the essay excerpt rather surprising, because it sounds precisely like a random sentence taken from an unknown tract about magic, and I do appreciate the dedication in the story’s description, but I can’t help but feel there’s not a lot here, appealing though it may be. It isn’t so much that it’s fairly self-indulgent for a writer with low-esteem, but that it doesn’t offer anything besides.
Vaguely Recommended
Looking Lively by Sleepless Brony
Mature
Genre: Comedy
This is the most non-sexual story about pony buttholes I have ever read. In fact, you might want to turn off your mature filter, if you have it on, just so you can read what happens when ancient and highly dubious horse handling techniques are taken as high society fashion statements by marshmallow ponies. It’s really quite discreet in handling the say-no-more, sort of like that story about Snails getting a boner in class. And it’s really hilarious, for all that it is extremely uncomfortable to read. I spent a lot of time gaping in unmasked horror at the words on my computer screen. The only misstep is a sinlge instance of Rarity screaming "OH GOD!" Seriously, go read it.
Highly Recommended
Still a Better Love Story Than Twilight by meme-asaurus
Reading by Nightfire5150
Genre: Attempt at Comedy
I think I saved this one just for the title. It’s about Blueblood going to Ponyville to offer Twilight his hoof in marriage and... nothing else. There’s literally nothing to this story other than Blueblood’s reasons for doing this, and Twilight’s reasons for rejecting him. Their implied history is amusing, but the story doesn’t amount to anything. Oh, there’s a punchline: it’s an image embedded in the author’s notes. But that doesn’t make it funny. Skip this.
Not Recommended
「友達の巨ホ˚ン」が来る
You came huge friendship?
Woo, rec. Thanks for the plug, and although I disagree about a couple of these (mostly just that I didn't like the Wanderer D one very much), most of these I haven't read. I might have to once I finally get around to my
Hey, dude! Thanks for the rec! Glad you liked it! Have some clucks!
1253384 Yep, I believe you had the (dubious?) honor of failing it!
Every time you decrease your read-later pile, you increase mine...
Equivalent exchange?
1253384
...to your not being busy with the gay?
1253608
PLEASE TAKE MORE D:
1253690
(wait for it) Read Later list.
Apparently I got distracted multi-tasking and never finished typing the comment.
1253419
Sounds right.