You Might Like This Recs: August 2015 · 9:26pm Sep 2nd, 2015

Contraptionology! (and Infernal Devices) by Skywriter
Mad science and ponies. Need I say more?
Well, hopefully not, but I'm going to anyway. Because this may well be the greatest thing I've read in the pony fandom, and is most certainly up there in my top five.
As no doubt many of you know, Mr. Jeffrey C. Wells AKA Skywriter is a bloody good author, and in his longest story by far, he has proven just how good he is. Not only is this a rollicking, fantastical adventure (powered by SCIENCE! no less), but it tackled some pretty serious questions about the nature of change and progress, and handles them very fittingly - both in terms of the seriousness of the ideas, and the setting and tone of the story itself. On top of this, the prose itself is a joy to read - the characters and their contraptions practically leap from the page, and the wit and humour oozes out of practically every line. I truly cannot recommend this enough.

Gone So Long by Skywriter
Aaaaand would you look at that, another Skywriter story! Although I won't be handing out quite the same accolades to this as I did to Contraptionology!, that doesn't mean it has no merit of it's own. Instead of a grand adventure, the reader is instead presented with an excellent piece of character interaction, between two characters who don't seem to interact much in pony fiction - specifically, Rarity and Cadence. It also doles out a little bit of tried and true wisdom, and is all around a very satisfactory and worthwhile read.

Trinkets by Xepher
Although probably best known for his (rather fun) Three Wishes series, Xepher does some excellent oneshots, and this is a particularly good example. Silver Spoon being in Diamond Tiara's shadow isn't a particularly new concept, but I rather like how Xepher has handled it in this piece. Silver comes to Rarity utterly distraught, bearing a broken Tiara, and leaves with a new one - and with her problem in a very real way unsolved. Rarity's advice and encouragement gives her the tools to solve it, but the story is really about Rarity, and who she is. The characters feel right, the story feels right, and overall I'd say this is definitely worth your time.

Neverending by naturalbornderpy
I know many people on this site have entirely given up on the front page and the featured/popular box, but I'm glad I still take the time to look through it occasionally - otherwise, I would never have found this story or this author. A bit of a different take on a Celestia/Discord romance, I found myself enjoying this story a lot more than I thought I would, considering where I found it! If you don't mind/like "Dislestia" stories, I'd recommend checking this one out.

The Only Day by naturalbornderpy
naturalbornderpy seems to have a knack for these "old idea, but new twist on it" stories. The Only Day is a take on the age old Groundhog Day story - told from the perspective of someone outside the time loop. And it works, rather well actually. Go check it out.

Through The Well Of Pirene by Ether Echoes
Hoo boy. And I thought I'd already read the best story I would read this month.

Lets start with something simple. World-building and lore. This story is dripping with it. Norse mythology, Greek mythology, old folklore, Tarot and more and weaved together so seamlessly and effortlessly into a jawdroppingly colourful world. I'd be jealous if I wasn't so starstruck. The characters too, are stunningly good. Nuanced from the start, each grows in their own way and is instantly recognisable without being a stereotype. And I'm not talking about our good ol' friends the Elements here. Their personalities, and those of other canon characters, are masterfully done (Celestia in particular), but they play the role they are meant to play - supporting characters for the true stars of the show, the almost all-OC main cast. These characters are nothing short of brilliant, and will stay with me for a long, long time. And, due in part to this, Through The Well Of Pirene can truly stand on it's own merits. With but a few exceptions (a few references to characters and events not really explored or explained), no knowledge of the show is truly needed to understand this. It helps, certainly, and adds a richness to the experience, but the core of it can still be enjoyed by the "uninitiated".

Now that the simpler stuff is out of the way, we can move on to the narrative (without spoiling anything, don't worry). This is, quite simply, one of the best stories I've ever read. Not best fanfiction, but simply best story. I said in last months spotlight that Of Age reminded me of the stories of my childhood. Through The Well Of Pirene, on the other hand, makes me think of one of those tales, that has had to grow up. The story struck me in a way that few stories, published or online, do - that churning, twisting tension in the pit of the gut, these days too often confined to the screen and not the page. I genuinely cared about what was happening. Finally, interweaved with the (compelling and nervewracking) narrative is a powerful, powerful moral, and one that I think is sometimes cast aside in the modern era, especially in the realm of fantasy. That our actions have consequences, and however terrible they are we must face them - and that for all that we may love a good "happily ever after", life doesn't work like that. Even when it seems to, even when "all is well that ends well" - time and experience leave their mark. If you love literature, if you love stories, and if you love ponies (and really, if you don't like one of the above, why are you here?), please go read this.

There's Something In The Woods by HoofBitingActionOverload
HBAO (he'd probably kill me if I called him that to his face so please don't tell him) is a brilliant author, one of the best on the site (and certainly far and away the best author to write mature fiction). This story is particular is a rather short and simple one, but it works. Rarity's character is portrayed with typical aplomb, and the narrative, while simple, is enjoyable, and certainly very befitting of the theme of friendship the show so loves.

The Knight And The Knave by Trick Question
I love it when I find stories like this. I don't know the author at all, but they clearly have a talent - this is a delightfully subtle little tale, short and sweet with a powerful message about the characters therein. Definitely worth reading - I won't spoil anymore of it for you, just go read it!

Great Big Sky
This wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be, but I think I enjoyed it more because of that. For those of you unfamiliar with his work, the one thing that has always been SS&E's biggest strength has been his ability to paint a landscape in your head. Even the people I've talked to who don't like his writing have generally admitted he has a knack for it. This story focuses on that strength, but in a slightly different way to usual. To tell you how, exactly, would be to spoil it, but suffice to say this is a great little story - I only wish it had been a little longer!

Spotlight Review(s) isare here.

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