How about some fic reviews/recommendations? · 2:12am Jul 4th, 2014
It's been suggested to me that I should blog more often, and since I have nothing else to do while I wait for my new chapter to be edited, I might as well give it a shot. In general, I don't have a lot to talk about, but it occurs to me that I read a ton of stories in my capacity as a TRG prereader/princess. Most stories we get, of course, don't make the cut. We wouldn't be much of a spotlighting group if we took everything, would we? Still, some of this stuff deserves a little recognition, so I'm going to start posting my thoughts on fics I've read lately.
20% Sweetier, by Hap
I'm guessing this was written for the body swap competition going on right now. In a nutshell, Sweetie Belle and Rainbow Dash switch bodies due to a magical accident. For no good reason at all, which is acknowledged in the fic, they decide to keep it a secret.
The first chapter sets the stage nicely for the pandemonium to follow. Comedy, of course, is YMMV, but most of the jokes work on some level. The characterization is okay, but there might be a bit of Flanderization. The mechanics aren't anywhere close to flawless, but they're more than passable, and aside from some issues with inappropriate bookisms and a little unnecessary telling, there's not much to complain about.
Overall, the first chapter was a joy to read, and I'll be watching to see where it goes from here. Recommended for fans of goofy, slightly low brow comedy.
As of this writing, this fic is still in the feature box. Basically, Scootaloo's mom comes to town, and she wants to keep it secret because her mom is embarrassingly awesome.
Frankly, this one mystifies me. It's racked up a ton of views, and it has an excellent like:dislike ratio, but it's just not very good. For one thing, it's not really a story because it has no conflict. It's essentially 7000 words of exposition about the author's outdated headcanon, which has been wrecked by season 4. On top of that, it has systemic mechanical issues with comma usage, and it's rife with Lavender Unicorn Syndrome and bookisms.
I wouldn't recommend this to anyone—heck, I think it's garbage—but other people apparently love it. I don't get the appeal, so maybe you should look at it and decide for yourself.
Cutie Mark Crusadicorn, by Eakin
Recently featured, this story takes a unique approach on the body swap concept, in which Twilight changes bodies with the CMC. All three of them. That leaves the minds of three fillies in control of a single alicorn's body, while that alicorn's mind is simultaneously controlling all three of their bodies.
The concept is outrageous, and the story lives up to the potential. All of the most obvious avenues are explored, as well as a few that came as complete surprises to me. Unfortunately, the story shows a distinct lack of editing in its punctuation, which is merely passable, and its style is occasionally difficult to follow when the three Crusaders are all speaking at once from the same mouth.
Despite the flaws, though, it's worth checking out. It's a little lengthy for a one-shot, but it doesn't drag. The concept is unique enough to warrant attention, and it's told well enough to recommend for anyone who appreciates a good comedy.
Princess Luna leads a team of misfits into Changeling territory to capture Queen Chrysalis in this gritty adventure akin to The Dirty Dozen.
This one is really just starting to build a head of steam, so it's difficult to tell where it's going at this point. However, Luna's team is well-characterized, and in terms of mechanics, it's rock solid. There is a pretty significant logic hole in the premise, but if you can overlook that, you'll probably have a good time.
This one is recommended for fans of adventures, Luna, and badassery.
Collie of the Wild, by elmagnifico
Winona wakes up in a forest, missing most of her memories and sporting a new body that resembles a diamond dog.
It hasn't gone far at this point, so it's hard to judge the content accurately, but it is a pretty interesting concept, even if amnesia stories have been done to death. There are a lot of small errors in the writing, but it's still a fun story.
Recommended for adventure fans and people who like OC stories, as this one is loaded with original non-pony characters.
A pony who believes she's a lemon is haunted by ghostly visions.
I loved the content of this story. It's well paced, and it builds slowly to an outstanding climax. The characters are interesting and inventive. The presentation is generally quite good. It just needs a bit of proofreading.
If you can get past the punctuation errors, this is an engaging story that I'd recommend to almost anyone. It's reasonably short, and the chapters are manageable lengths, so go check it out.
Calling You, by AugieDog
Following Luna's banishment, Cadance helps to support Celestia for the next thousand years.
This one is a sequel to a story by the same author, but it manages to stand pretty well on its own. It features an alternate origin story for the princesses, as well as an interesting origin for the changelings. Some odd sentence construction and miscellaneous smaller issues kept this one from being accepted by TRG in its current form, but it's still a good read.
Recommended for fans of world building. Avoid if you're a stickler for canon, as this is about as AU as it gets.
Caramel and Blueblood, Best Friends Forever, by Lokimen
Blueblood visits Caramel at his home in Ponyville. They talk.
This is another one like One Awesome Mom in that it has no real conflict. It's just a couple of unlikely dudes sitting down and shooting the breeze. I didn't find it particularly interesting at first glance, and that impression was driven home when they started reminiscing about things that would make for much better stories. It has a lot of little errors in it, but nothing that would be deal-breaking for most readers.
I wouldn't ordinarily recommend this, but I have to admit, there seems to be a market for stories like this. If you liked the Scootaloo fic, give this one a try. You might also want to read it if Blueblood not being a bastard is your cup of tea.
Blueblood's Just Zis Guy, You Know?, by NemoSpecific
Speaking of non-bastard Blueblood, this is a series of one-shots detailing absurd reasons why Blueblood might have acted like a jerk at the Grand Galloping Gala.
I liked this a lot. The concepts are mostly hilarious, and they're presented reasonably well, although it has a lot of "new author" hiccups.
Fans of comedy and sympathetic Blueblood portrayals should check this out.
The Incandescent Brilliance, by KitsuneRisu
During a magical experiment, an accident occurs which leaves an elderly Trixie and a young assistant in mortal peril.
This is a very somber, very atmospheric piece. Some people find it boring; personally, I didn't. However, it does have some issues with its pacing near the beginning, and the exposition gets a bit thick in the middle.
Tentatively recommended for people who appreciate character pieces and atmospheric stories.
That's it for today, but I'll start posting more thoughts on the stories I read from now on. I hope you guys enjoy some of these.
Good night, folks, and for all you Americans, have a happy 4th!
Woohoo!
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