Fanfic Reviews – Changeling Edition · 12:37am May 12th, 2014
I tend to find changelings very interesting not only from a worldbuilding point of view, but also when you consider the kind of stories that can be told with them. They represent a culture parallel but intersecting with equestrian own, they allow for the raising of questions of identity and existence considering how they interact with other ponies, and are alien enough to be alternatively dangerous and lovable. Below are reviewed:
Flitter
A Novel Tale
Integration
Body and Mind
The Celestia Code
As a reminder, scores are in a 10 scale, with 3 representing a mediocre fic.
Nyerguds – Flitter – Adventure
A changeling is revealed permanently after the attack on Canterlot, and must try to keep up his relationship with his wife.
This story is remarkable in how every single character is perfectly reasonable, doesn’t try to force conflict, and is perfectly happy taking the most efficient path towards the solution of their issues. In a way it is the opposite of the “do X, but Y, and also Z” style of writing, in that every single issue seems to start as a big deal, but end up not being that much of a problem for some reason or another. It is refreshing and honest, but the lack of conflict frankly makes the whole thing pretty boring and inconsequential.
The main piece of changeling headcanon here are “The Old Ways”, the idea that most changeling hives live by saving ponies in situations of great danger, or by taking the place of the ones that do die for long enough to soften the blow of their loss. Although it makes their existence a little too public for them to be treated as such a big secret in the show, it is well thought out, and establish a way for changelings to live peacefully without being forced to stay infiltrated in pony society, besides casting Chrysalis actions as a straight up betrayal of the changeling way of life. One thing that was sadly underexplored was the idea of pony-changeling hybrids, since that seems like a promising concept. There are some incidental appearances from certain characters, Celestia in particular being well written, but I was glad the fic didn’t feel the need to shove unnecessary characters. That they skip Ponyville on a first moment felt like a nice bit of lampshading of this all-too-common trope.
The OCs were also very interesting, enough for me to want to see more of them... but that is, in a way, my greatest issue with the fic. Since the story is fairly conflict-free, it kinda stops in an important point (the pregnancy of the changeling’s wife. There is no catharsis, no reaching of a new status quo, no great revelations… it just ends, and while I can’t say that is outright bad, it does make me feel like there is something missing.
Why it should be read: For some interesting worldbuilding, that is well integrated with the rest of the story.
Stand-out Moment:The appendix short story “Fatherhood” was profoundly insightful and emotional – easily worth a 9 on its own.
7/10
Blissey1 – A Novel Tale – Worldbuilding
A changeling author is revealed, and decides to help changelings go public.
As coincidence would have it, I read this and the previous one pretty much back to back, and I was frankly surprised how similar they were. I mean, this particular structure is fairly common, either with OCs or established characters, but these are essentially the same fic… published one year apart. It would be lazy and stupid to say that this is so due to plagiarism or the like, since that says nothing about why such a particular story framework would be used. Instead, it is much more fair to say that this is a particularly useful structure, that allows for character development, lots of worldbuilding, with a serviceable plot as backdrop.
In particular, this fic is very focused on the worldbuilding aspects, to the point it frequently feels more like a worldbuilding delivery medium than a complete fic – almost like an edutainment movie. Novel Tale and his Queen are interesting characters, but not much beyond that, and the writing is very matter-of-fact, often stopping to describe small things in great detail, such as changelings using jelly to store love, or how different lives thrive on different types of love.
Sadly, while the fic is efficient to do worldbuilding, it is also very superficial, and it avoids delving deeper into the implications of the things being presented. There isn’t much of a plot to begin with, and it kinda stops when things get comfortable. In the end, it is a nice read, sure, but it would probably be better suited for a series of blogs, or paired with a more remarkable plot.
Why it should be read: For some interesting worldbuilding.
Stand-out Moment: I like the idea that each hive would focus on training ponies with varying jobs in order to gather love, and how that ties with them being attuned to certains types of love.
6/10
Raugos – Integration – Adventure
Caramel decides to join changeling society in order to stay with his True Love
Integration is one of those fics that simply does things right. Through sheer force of personality and writing prowess, it manages to make the most uninteresting passages compelling. Of particular note are two chapters which Caramell spends sulking in a hole. That is something that would be unbearable in most fics, but here it is a gateway to his character and personal beliefs.
Integration is told as a series of flashbacks, counting the time until the titular Integration, telling the two time shifted narratives of Caramel growing up, and that of him becoming part of changeling society by becoming a changeling himself. Conflict is very layered, with multiple new situations facing Caramel in his new reality, and whenever you think things are getting too comfortable, a new chasm opens, and you see just how out of his depth Caramel really is. The plot also synergises very well with its themes, such as personal responsibility, finding your place in life, how to deal with the fallback of life-altering decisions, and staying true to your core principles in face of change.
Characterization is also remarkable. Established characters, such as Chrysalis and Shining Armor, are show accurate and believable in their reactions to what happens in the fic. There are many interesting OCs, mostly changelings, that are well built, varied, and interesting, and that tend to be used for great effect. Caramel is a show by himself, deep, full of issues and conflicting motivations, believably naive, intelligent when he had to be, and easy to sympathise with.
Changeling society is also impressive. There is great thought about it, and you can see how the environmental and biological pressures shape their more militaristic way of life, their organization. They are completely alien, but relatable in their more base motivations. The care extends from food production to the sleep cycles, and it is refreshing to see such things taken into consideration.
It isn’t perfect, of course. The last few chapters dragged a bit, not all aspects of changeling life are as clear as I wish they could be, and I found Sassaflash a little too bland and underdeveloped, more an ideal than a fully formed character – which cast, for me, Caramel’s actions in a pathetic, rather than romantic, light. I fully admit I might be looking back at it through rose tinted glasses, but I can’t say those issues ever really affected my enjoyment of the story.
Looking back on this review, it may seem I am gushing. Truth is, I have read chapter 1 over a year ago, starting this one early during its run. There was a time last year when seeing a new Integration pop-up was the promise of something awesome – and it tended to deliver. Even after months without a chapter, seeing a new one brought everything back, and I was lost again in the story. And that is this fic greatest strength: It is immersive, all its elements seem to drag you into the story. This is one of those Important fics, the kind I wish more would aspire to be.
Why it should be read: For a great story, with great thematic coherence
Stand-out Moment:Rax’s death was immensely powerful in many levels. Also, how Caramel finally loses his Cutie Mark, and how that means he has finally stopped wandering is so perfect I wanted to clap at my screen. I am certainly overlooking some others.
10/10
Starman Ghost – Body and Mind – Character Study
A changeling, Pincer, is captured, and must learn to accept life among ponies
N.B.: Body and Mind, as of right now, is still incomplete. The review refers only to what happens up to chapter 12.
Much of the conflict of Body and Mind is one of cultural shock. Pincer, the main character, is heavily indocrinated to regard ponies as monsters, but is forced to review his concepts when faced with the reality of pony society. He is a great character with a believable conflict, making for great lenses through which to see Pony Society as a whole. The tight focus on him also work very well towards making him more sympathetic. Changeling ways are barbaric, sure, but there is something about how the only way he can survive is by betraying his whole way of life. That gives a nice shade of gray to what could easily be treated as a pretty clear-cut moral conflict.
Its presents changeling society as very restrictive and militaristic, and establishes that hatred for Equestria is deeply ingrained through indoctrination. In a way, this is the opposite of Integration, with Celestia’s methods being an odd mirror for Chrysalis’ in that one. Despite his imprisonment, there is an implicit push to show him wrong by focusing on how inclusive Equestria can be.
Twilight is very important for the fic, and she is very well written, believable in her enthusiasm and hesitation. The way she breaks through his shell and gets to pass what she consider as Equestrian values is very interesting, especially considering how her doing that is what allows him to feed. His changing view is slow and deliberate, with a level of attention to detail that reaches even how he speaks about ponies.
Being slow and deliberate, however, is also an issue for the story. When seen as a whole, plenty of things happen, but those changes are so slow that little of note happens in individual chapters. It isn’t the slow change that leads to a sudden shift in the status-quo, but instead a slow burn until you suddenly realize things are different. That isn’t bad per-se, and losing it would certainly make the fic so different as to be unrecognizable, but I wish some more effort to make individual passages more interesting was taken. As it is, it makes for a realistic but not very gripping narrative.
Since it is unfinished, I can’t talk much of the payoff, but I like they way the fic is progressing. I might edit this later when it finishes, but suffice to say, this is very interesting so far.
Why it should be read: For the interesting moral conflict between changeling and pony societies.
Stand-out Moment:Pincer developing an interest in theater is great little humanizing touch.
8/10 (tentative)
iisaw – The Celestia Code – Mystery/Adventure
Twilight Sparkle uncovers the secrets of a lost civilization.
The beginning of this story reads a lot like a Dan Brown novel, but there is a remarkable change after the first third or so, in what is either intentional deception, or the writer changing his mind halfway through. I am tending towards the former, however, since this fic presents a bunch of smart subversions, specially in the way it uses Tyrantlestia. Either way, it shares with Dan Brown its love of historical puzzles, and the fact it is a real page turner. Of particular note is how it presents Twilight as a Princess, being famous in certain cycles but ignored in most, and uncertain about her true role in Equestria. There is real growth in that regard by the end, and I love when fics do that – I guess in the future this will mark it as a very “S4” fic.
Sadly, it has multiple issues. Pacing is very uneven, being alternatively very exciting or a drag, the time jumps in the beginning of the story are ineffective and confusing, and the payback of the In Media Res introduction is weak and unsatisfying. In fact it seems to be there mostly to confuse the reader about what kind of story this is. Jigsaw, Twilight’s research partner, is an interesting character, but her romance subplot needed work – I am not sure if she comes of as slutty or desperate, but eventually that seems to become her whole character, to the point of Flanderization in the last chapters.
The fic also establishes Twilight as absolutely worshiping Celestia. It is extremely overstated by show standards, and could have been toned down. How she was affected by a single depiction of Celestia as evil by a random culture was frankly baffling, and that really holds the fic back during the first few chapters. It seems to be there mostly so the author can later subvert reader expectations, but, like mentioned before, the payoff was simply too lacking for me to feel like that particular subplot was essential.
However, for all its focus on Celestia and Twilight and whatnot, this is a changeling story. Not only half the predominant characters are changelings, but Twilight’s mission ties heavily into some headcanon about how changelings came to be. In fact, the core emotional conflict is all about the changelings. It also shares a bunch of traits with most changeling stories, such as the focus on worldbuilding around changeling society, or how the most significant result of Twilight’s mission was that changelings get integrated into pony society. Suffice to say, they were very well used in context, had real character, and the pieces of worldbuilding surrounding them worked very well.
All in all, this was a nice, very compelling read, but too uneven for me to say it was great. Ironically, what I found most interesting wasn’t even the original conflict. There seems to be a sequel in the works, and I will make sure to check it out.
Why it should be read: A great depiction of Princess Twilight, as well as reasonable and smart interactions with changelings.
Stand-out moment: Changelings that turn into ponies after getting true love is a great idea, with some very interesting implications.
7.5/10
And there you go! Five changeling stories that, all said and done, all are fairly similar. There are others that I have read that I could easily include here, such as Irony of Applejack, Mendacity, or Thrown Abroad, but again, these are all pretty similar. There is always the societal integration and dissonance, the unique worldbuilding, the coming out, the ostracization… and still, each story feels unique, and very distinct. And I think that is why I love changelings in fanfic: They are a great canvas in which to weave very involved themes, ideas, and concepts, such as the nature of identity, what constitutes a just society, or discrimination. Thing is, I doubt being completely original would necessarily bring much to each of these stories, and in the end it all comes to down to execution, and the little touches that each writer adds to their work.
Anyway, next up are some more character focused fics.
Hey, I've read a couple of these! Very much agree about both A Novel Tale and Integration--in particular, I agree that the former would probably have been better presented as a setting (via blog, journal, RPG world, or whatever) than as a story. Still, there were more than enough interesting things in it to keep me going.
Mendacity strikes me as being a rather different beast than the ones tackled above, though. All these fics are, to some degree, about the intersect between changelings and ponies, while Mendacity is really about the intersect between the "real" world and the fairie realm, and the conflict has a very different flavor as a result. In any event though, changelings do indeed seem to bring out the armchair philosopher in writers--they present such a flexible canvas on which to draw whatever themes or morals the author wishes to explore.
Interesting analysis, on all of them. I read A Novel Tale and Body and Mind (in fact, I've acted as prereader for some chapters of both stories), and, well, I mostly agree with these points you make. A Novel Tale is indeed rather heavy on the exposition, and Body and Mind does indeed feel slow in some parts. But in a way, all changeling stories are a way for the author to explain their changeling headcanon, so in A Novel Tale's case, that does excuse it somewhat. Also, the revelation that their greatest renaissance artists were changelings was rather hilarious, especially since that implies that pony culture progressed mostly because of changelings
On Flitter, I do feel the need to point out that it was originally written as one-shot. It was never really meant or planned out to be a full tale; the original open-ended first chapter was supposed to be all of it. The rest was written months later, mostly due to overwhelming positive feedback. Some later readers have noted an odd shift from more serious to more humorous after the first (well, halfway the second) chapter, too; that was obviously a result of this. Humorous character-driven storytelling seems to be where I'm more comfortable, and I have no problem admitting that for Flitter, I basically just let my characters run wild hoping they'd end up somewhere interesting
Oh, handy note on blogs: you can use the (undocumented, as far as I know) [page_break] tag to cut off the blog's length on profile / listing / feed views of the blog with a "read more" link to the whole thing, so it doesn't take up the whole page on your profile or blogs listing page
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I mentioned Mendacity because I planned to review it here. Sadly, I waited too long to write the review, and simply couldn't do it justice without a good reread. The way I see it, the story starts by presenting Fey (and Changelings in particular) as these very mysterious and impressive creatures, almost invincible, with strange motivations, ageless, etc. However, by the end Bon Bon finds herself redeemed by love, they lose due to their hubris, and you find that they only think they can't age because they don't allow themselves to think so – all very humane motivations. That ends up bringing both worlds together, and even if there is no explicit integration, I think it fits with the theme of the rest of the fics.
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Thanks for the reply! I love these little insights into the writing process. I was gonna about how different Chapter 1 felt from the rest and how it was pretty stand-alone, but I guess that slipped my mind.
And thanks for the page_break tip. I knew that existed, but couldn't find how to do it.
2116574
Yea, I found out about the page break thing because the feed didn't support it at first (since it has its own shortening system), meaning the tag actually showed up as plain text on the feed version of the blogs of some other person I follow (Midnightshadow, I think)
Huh. I must really like changelings, because I've read all of these, plus Mendacity. I hope to have a changeling novel of my own someday.