Site Post » Fic Spotlight #11 · 3:25am Aug 22nd, 2014
Hi guys. It's that time of eternity again. Y'know, when Xondar returns to reap your flesh and strap you to his painwheel of everlasting fire.
"How can I save myself from this horror?" you might shriek, as Xondar's fire draws ever closer to your tender heart.
Well, the answer to that's easy! Read more pony fanfiction. And to help deliver you from the wrath of a dark god, the Royal Guard has collected some promising-looking pony fanfiction for you to read. Check it out!
Final note--read fast. If you're interested in more regarding The Royal Guard and their story recommendations, here're some links for you:
-The Royal Guard Group
-Submit Your Story!
-The Royal Guard's Reviewing Omnibus
-Join The Guard!
AND NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO... STORIES!
This Week:
Action/Adventure
The Majestic Tale (of a Mad-Pony in a Box), by R5h
Slice of Life
Teacher's Pet, by Pascoite
Shoots and Roots, by Bachiavellian
Comedy
The Curious Incident of the (Robot) Dog in the Night-time, by Bradel
Putting The 'Harm' In Harmony, by Mr Maximus
The Brony International Guard, by psychicscubadiver
Sad
If Memory Serves, by Pascoite
Dark
A Glimmer of Hope in the Black, by Flashgen
Wild Fire, by Horse Voice
Johnny Never Knew What Hit Him, by Horse Voice
The Wreck, by JohnPerry
ACTION/ADVENTURE
Traveling between parallel universes is impossible, especially during the process of regeneration, but the Tenth Doctor doesn't have time to question the facts. He's just been thrust through a tear in the fabric of reality, gotten a new body, and landed on a planet called Equestria. Specifically, he's landed in the worst possible place in all Equestria – somewhere that's ready to unleash a “big ol' storm of chaos.”
That's just the beginning of the Doctor's strange new lease on life: there's a whole host of mysteries to explore. Who is Derpy Hooves, the gray pegasus who understands more about him than even she knows how to explain? How does Princess Celestia already know him? And what's the truth behind the Order?
Above all, the Doctor needs to discover if this new universe can heal the wounds he suffered in the last. Only one thing is certain: there's an awful lot of running left to do.
Will I like this? Explosions, world-ending calamities, ancient foes of unknowable rage and power—the Doctor has faced them all, but now, a new challenge arises, the most fearsome of them all: walking.
Or Discord.
With subtle jokes, a wide cast, and enough action for two universes, don’t walk but run to read this story. —q97randomguy
SLICE OF LIFE
Fair or not, most classes have that one perfect student, that one little flower that the teacher can't help but adore. Cheerilee's class is no different.
Will I like this? This expertly crafted tale may be short, but the emotions are genuine, and it will tug at your heartstrings like few stories of its length can, especially once you start peeling back its layers. —Prak
Time alone can't heal all wounds for Carrot Top. Sometimes life simply goes on in the worst and best possible ways.
Will I like this? The past and present blur together into one cohesive whole called life. Carrot Top’s life is like many others’, filled with loves, kindnesses small and large, losses, and changes. She and those she affects paint a panorama of life together, one that only the readers can appreciate. —q97randomguy
COMEDY
For four years, a pair of alien observers have been living in Ponyville under assumed identities, performing cultural studies and avoiding unwelcome attention. But when a piece of advanced technology is stolen from them, the observers must do everything in their power to get it back—preferably before their superiors decide to blow up the planet.
Will I like this? What can I say? It's funny, it's a different take than you're likely to have seen on a few characters, and... well, to say more would spoil it, so let's just say that I certainly didn't regret reading this, and neither will you. —R5h
I can't believe this! How dare they forget who they're dealing with! I'm the very Element of Generosity! But to ask me to share my suite with the likes of... her? It's inconceivable, preposterous, ludicrous! They seriously think I, Rarity, fashion designer extraordinaire would be willing to share even a suite with such an... uncouth beast! Unfortunately, the Canterlot Ritz—and every other hotel—is booked solid, so it is either this or nothing. I suppose as long as I keep to myself, I will survive the week. Right?
Will I like this? The "odd couple" is one of the most sure-fire ways to create a good comedy. Rarity and Gilda, as it turns out, are an excellent odd couple in this story, which is not only full of hilarious personality clashes, but some great action, too. —GaryOak
The Brony International Guard, by psychicscubadiver
Twilight is an intelligent mare, and always has something to say. But when a group of bizarre creatures shows up at her library offering life long service and devotion, for once she's at a loss for words. Which is too bad, because she'd really love to ask: what's a human and why are they so weird?
Will I like this? It's a fun little story, one that takes an interesting look at the whole "brony fanaticism," how we perceive our ponies, and just what some of us might do for them. It's a nice story with a few good laughs. If nothing else, it will leave you with a smirk on your face. —BronyWriter
SAD
Odd how some things stick in one's memory—certain places, personalities, sounds, even smells. Touching on one of these elements can cause a lifetime of experiences to come flooding back.
And just as quickly, they're gone.
Will I like this? Alzheimer's is a serious illness that has tragically affected the lives of many, and this story handles it in an exceptionally engaging and fulfilling manner. It's sad, the feels are rich, and those looking for their daily dose of sadfic will not waste their time with this piece. —GaryOak
DARK
Case Report: Summary of Events
Submitted by: Verdant Vines
Location: Ponyville
Dates: April 16th to April 23rd
Case: Ponyville Mass Disappearance
Classification: Top Secret
To whom it may concern,
What follows is an update on the status of the investigation into the disappearance of the entire citizenship of Ponyville.
Will I like this? The follow-up to what might be one of the best Lovecraftian-style tales written in the last year. Excellent pacing, excellent atmosphere, and subtle horrors that disturb without spoiling the story, mood, and characters. A must for horror fans. —Garnot
Five years ago, a storm brought a strange winged pony to The Village. Now, she lives at the edge of this small society, cast out, but unable to leave. As a year of terrible misfortune befalls the Villagers, they look for somepony to blame, and long-standing tensions begin to come to a head.
Soon, one side must break, for in The Village, there is neither friendship nor magic.
Will I like this? It's not every fic that takes an animator's OC and gives her a dark, compelling backstory, so if that all sounds interesting to you then you should probably take a look at Wild Fire. —R5h
Am I dead?
No. I can feel my limbs. They're numb. I can't move.
Have I been captured?
There's a sound. Voices. Women. Talking about me.
Oh God—there's something attached to my spine!
Will I like this? "Herald" by ShortSkirtsandExplosions might be the best grimdark story on the site, but if you think that anyone writes dark stories as masterfully as Horse Voice, you are sorely mistaken. A little rushed because of a contest word limit, but it takes a bunch of tropes and makes them work really well. This story is definitely worth checking out. —BronyWriter
A.K. Yearling leads a quiet, peaceful life as a novelist living in Canterlot with her fiancé.
But recently, she has been haunted by dreams of a strange shipwreck, and she doesn't know why.
Will I like this? Dreams are the portals to your innermost desires. But that's where it stops. It would be unnerving if the boundaries between reality and dreams blurred, but they can't. Dreams are dreams, and they will always stay that way . . . right? —NightWolf289
Oh, very nice set of stories this time around! Time to go feed my read later list. I'm sure it's pretty hungry right about now.
Another set with multiple Pascoite stories...
I'm sensing a pattern here...
Your intros to the Fic Spotlight blogs are always worth reading even when I don't have time for the stories themselves. Not sure how much of this stuff is a reference and how much you just make up, but either way it's genius
2390232
You stay out of this. You're dead.
DAMN YOU GUYS!!! How the hell am I supposed to write, or get caught up on other important fics when you keep placing such great stories in front of me???
I need to get to work to get something completed I feel worthy of submission to you guys... (Then again, I may have one fic that I feel is worthy. I should consider submitting it
)
2390231 He'll run out of stories to submit soon.
Glimmer of Hope is really good, and I second its recommendation here. Any horror fans here owe it to themselves to read it.
Hah! For once you're not going to inflate my unread count with one of these posts, because I've already read almost all of them. Good list today, I'd generally agree with the recommendations on them.
Not that Doctor Who fic, though, it'll have to go to my RIL list.
Usually. I've read all the ones you featuee in these posts (except for probably the longer features), but I've only read two of these! Guess I've been watching too much TV lately.
2390465
2390231
What Bronywriter said. I exhausted my supply of ones I thought had a shot and went almost two months without submitting one. But now, I'm back to my old tricks...
2390232
Your bribe will be waiting in the usual place.
How many submissions do you guys have in your queue at the moment? I ask because I haven't heard anything from my latest one and was wondering if it's yet to be critiqued.
Also, Pascoite might as well have his own folder in the Royal Guard by this point.
2391156
From its current position in the queue, I would guess that you'll see your evaluation in a few days. With school about to resume, though, people moving and having to resettle may affect that. Still, you shouldn't have to wait much longer.
Hm, does gore count as a mature story?
Oh yes! A Fleeting Light in the Darkness and A Glimmer of Hope in the Black are two that I really enjoyed. I'm glad to see (one of) them here.