Fanfic Spotlight #29 (Guest Review by Pen Stroke) · 9:07am Mar 22nd, 2015
Welcome again to our our humble little reading list. This week, Curiosity leads to corruption, Lost Cities tell a story like no other, and we hear The Endless Song to the Sun.
Curiosity
by Brony2893
Words: 4,234 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Pen Stroke
This story explores the interesting concepts of what happens when a pony gets corrupted by dark magic, extrapolating what happened with Luna into other situations. What would happen if Celestia were to become twisted and corrupt. What would happen if Twilight did?
I like this story for the build up and world building it did. While the building in question is focused solely on the properties of magic and dark magic, the story didn't need to go into long histories to touch on its chosen subject. In this way, the story is concise and focused, and doesn’t leave us padding around with a lot of extra details that aren’t necessary to the plot.
The place where this story falls a little is the plot itself. It’s very slice of life, and even then doesn’t have much of a climax. It feels, almost, like it is a prelude to something grander. The first chapter to a large story that is ready to be told. This is made extra true by the way the story ends. The character depictions, however, are enjoyable and it really does scratch the “what-if” itch by giving the reader’s imagination room to make the bad situation it describes even worse.
Lost Cities
by Cold In Gardez
Words: 9,913 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Silver Flare
The other day I was hard at work on my computer when I heard a chorus of cats yowling the theme song to Night Rider. So I answered my phone. “Hello?”
“Hey Silver, what’re you up to?”
“Oh, hey Toksy! I’m reading fanfiction, looking for stuff to review.”
“Really?” He said. “I didn’t know Fimfiction had so many conveyer belts.”
I scrambled to pause Factorio. “Woah! I, I-I was just… Um… H-how did you know what I was really doing?”
“I’m standing right behind you. You’re out of mayo by the way.”
I yelped and spun around in my swivel chair, clutching my chest. “HOW DID YOU GET IN HERE?”
“Oh, Xepher finished the teleportation pad.” Toksyuryel gestured dismissively. “Have you read Lost Cities yet?”
“That doesn’t… He finished the what now?”
“That’s not important. Here, I made you a sandwich. Read Lost Cities.”
“But it’s just a-thanks-just a description of old architecture, isn’t it? Sounds boring.”
Toksyuryel just smiled. “Trust me.”
Twenty minutes later, my delightful sandwich lay untouched beside me, and my jaw had made a valiant attempt to hit the floor. “Toksy, this… This is more than just beautiful writing. This is a level of description that transports the reader completely! It feels like I’m right there, exploring these fantastical places alongside the author!”
“Uh huh.”
It’s the kind of narrative description that most authors only ever dream of achieving! I am literarily drooling right now! I can’t even stand how amazing this is. I’m getting choked up! This right here? This is a tear! An actual tear!”
“Literarily? Did you make that word up?”
“And there is a story here! It’s a deep, sparse, chilling story that lingers long after I’ve read it. This story should be framed! In a museum! Someplace where English students can be taken on a field trip so they can learn about adjectives and pacing!”
“I tried to tell you it was good.”
“Oh, it’s amazing!” I sighed. Then I quietly added it to my ‘Read Again One Day’ list.
[Ed: This is the third story we've recommended from Cold in Gardez (and it is excellent!) You really should just go read everything of his and we'll consider our jobs done, leaving more room for other authors in future issues. :-) ]
The Endless Song
by psychicscubadiver
Words: 2,365 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Piquo Pie
The Endless Song is, simply put, beautiful, yet it contains only one thing, the songs sung to the Sun. It is a simple, easy read and, other than two minor editing errors, was completely satisfying. I know many, including myself, love the prolonged complexity of an epic story. But the simple honest existence of the sun, a song, a choir, and Celestia is as glorious as any built up epic confrontation with the ultimate evil, or the coming together of two lovers.
If you are even considering not reading this story then I will present to you the following.
There was no warning, only the sudden silence and a sensation of loss. As the stillness of the void crept back in, my thoughts slowed and my emotions grew heavy. I had lived for ages without noticing the passage of time, but now, every moment without music seemed to last forever.
This fic was recommended by Not_a_Hat in our fimfiction group post here. If you want to recommend fics for us to recommend then that is the place to do it.
That's it for this week. Just a reminder, there's still two days left to submit a story to our pre-con writing contest! We'll be back next week with more recommendations. Until then, stay frosty!
--Xepher, Pen Stroke, Silver Flare, and Piquo Pie
