You Might Like This Recs: September 2015 - The "Too Many Fics" Edition · 1:35pm Oct 3rd, 2015
Y'allin & Teatime With Tomahawk Missiles by shortskirtsandexplosions
A pair of sweet and silly little stories about friendship and grammar.
...I don't have a huge amount more to say about them, to be honest. I enjoyed them, and I think you might too.
Pirene's Well: Three Nights In Manehatten by Ether Echoes
Hey, anyone remember that story I was raving about last month? Well it got a sequel. And it's awesome. Also a noir, which was completely unexpected and yet works so well.
So basically take my recommendation for Through The Well Of Pirene over here, and apply it to this story too.
Old Pony Tales for Hearth and Home: A Collection By The Quill Siblings by Charcoal Quill
Although the title of this piece may seem misleading to the uninitiated, many will recognise it as a reference to the Grimm Fairytales, the folklore collected by the Brothers Grimm that informs 90% of our modern fairytales. It fully delivers on the promise the title makes, with a wonderfully old-fashioned fairytale that provides possibly my favourite fanmade background to a character you will probably recognise. If you like old fairytales, give this a shot.
The One Who Got Away by Georg
This story is tooth-ache inducingly sweet, and combines that with a solid story and some rather clever world-building. Definitely worth a read - that is, if you haven't already seen it in the feature box earlier this month!
Dashwhinny: The Musical by Rune Soldier Dan
This is crack-shipping done right. Actually scratch that - this is just plain old shipping done right. Both Rainbow Dash, our POV heroine, and the indomitable Harshwhinny ooze life in this brilliantly characterised piece. The jokes hit, the romance feels real, it's well written, and it is a ride well worth getting on. So go get on it!
Life Among The Living by kamikakushi
Depression is an interesting thing, and it affects different people in different ways. This piece particularly struck me, because it very accurately the kind of depression I have often seen in my own father - and in myself. It's not a sad, heartstring puller either, desperately trying to get at your "feels" - instead, there is a general melancholy that settle around it, which I find incredibly fitting. Depression has never been sadness to me - instead, it is the absence of happiness, and this conveys that brilliantly.
The Quiet Equestrian by Chuckfinley
You know, I don't think anyone else could have taken a story as good as The Demesne of the Reluctant Twilight Sparkle and made a spinoff that was just as good (and arguably better, depending on who you ask). Bloody hellfire I wish I could write this well.
...Anyway! If you like Demesne then you have to read this. No questions asked, just go read it right now. If you don't know that, well it stands alone as a great piece of political drama, but I highly recommend you read them as a pair.
Out Of Body by zaponator
This guys a bit of an up-and-comer on fimfic - you're probably familiar with him if you hang out around the adventures of easthorse, or happen to be a fan of SS&E, but he's not the best known author. Which is a shame, because he's pretty good. This story in particular is probably my favourite story from him thusfar - it's a good, slow burning adventure with more than a touch of mystery too. Worth checking out for sure.
The Arbitrage Of Moments by GAPJaxie
Jaxie is a master of unsettling narratives - on the site, I'd say only Horse Voice and KitsuneRisu can match him. This is no exception - in fact it may well be one of his most unsettling (not including I Forgot I Was There - that story still gets to me when I think about it...).
To give away anything about this would be utterly spoil it, but it starts out unsettling and ends up full on horrifying - and yet even the monster here is no caricature, but heart-breakingly real and sympathetic. Well worth your time.
The Pony Who Lived Upstairs by Ringcaat
There is a story behind this that I can only describe as bizarre. A while back, I recommended a story by HapHazred named The Pony Next Door, and discussed how it reminded me of the Magical Realism of Marquez. A little while later, I got a PM from someone I had never heard of, saying that if I liked that I might like his story. Now, I was a little sceptical. But, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give his story a try. I did cringe a bit when I saw that it was a "human meets exotic pony on Earth" story, but I reasoned that the very story I had recommended had a similar premise, and dived in.
I had expected something mediocre or downright bad. What I got instead was a strange, almost dreamy story about a young man who gains a next door neighbour - and a friend. The story sucked me in after only a few chapters, and I was downright shocked by how easily it hooked me, considering that not much actually happens at first. This is a good example of something I think we in the pony community forget - that the meeting of literally alien cultures and peoples is an incredibly fertile ground for story making - not just a fount for endless HiE porn. If you like slice of life stories and vaguely philosophical conversations about reality, give this a shot.
babytails by KitsuneRisu
Fuck me this thing is scary.
Seriously, this is first class horror. I won't spoil it for you - go read it.
The Motion Of The Stars by Carabas
One of these days Fallout Equestria is going to catch up with me, I'm going to read it, and then I'm going to retreat to my bed a weeping wreck and not leave for three days.
...But today is not that day! No, instead we have a story from the More Most Dangerous Game contest, which takes that same setting and uses it to great effect, showing how familiar characters face a harsh and unfamiliar world. The world itself (and what happened to it) is very subtly and cleverly laid out, and the characters are portrayed brilliantly. Definitely worth your time (as long as you don't passionately hate post-apocalyptic scenarios).
Broken Roads by Not_A_Hat
You know that caveat I had for the last story? Well with this one, I don't even care if you don't like post-apocalypse because you need to read this. It's such a novel take on the end of the world, and is captured in a way that is nothing short of breathtaking. Add in a solid story and solid characters, and you have something that is well worth what little time it will take you to read it.
Arcadia by Blueshift
I don't want to say too much about this story, because I think it really needs to be experienced in full. Suffice to say, it is not just a story about Lyra trying to get a job, or Lickety Split almost destroying Ponyville for the umpteenth time. And it manages to (rather deftly) incorporate a lot of things that in the hands of a lesser author would feel unwieldy to great effect. Go take a look.
A World Without Kindness by billymorph
Hoooly shitake mushrooms. There is a goddamn reason this story beat out everything else in More Most Dangerous Game, and I am cursing myself that I didn't read it earlier. Because this is amazing. All those authors out there who write "grimdark" stories? This my friends, this is how you do it right. This is how you construct a bleak and horrible world, and make it not only readable, but engrossing and ultimately incredibly moving.
Go read this. Please.
Red Apples by billymorph
Same author, but a very different style. People who have just gone and read A World Without Kindness may be surprised to know that billymorph mostly writes very PG rated slice of life fics. This one has been relatively popular recently, and is a pretty darn good look at something people often gloss over or grossly mishandle about Luna - the cultural and personal shock of being thrown one thousand years into the future.
Two Ponies Walk Into A Bar by Slate Sadpony
This is an interesting little story. There's not much that actually happens, but it's a good look at Twilight Sparkle as Princess, and her relationship with her friends - in this case, Rainbow Dash. It handles both subjects pretty well, and tells a good slice of life story on the way. Definitely worth a look.
September Stories by Cherax
This is not one story, but rather a collection of three (so far) vignettes - short, self contained oneshots. But boy, do they pack a punch. The first is interesting, if not amazing - a dialogue only conversation between Rarity and an OC that captures the formers personality rather well (as well as relaying a rather amusing incident). The second though, is great - Coco Pommel starring in a mystery/examination of the insanity of the theatre world. And wow, is she done well. Very differently to her typical presentation, but I love this version of Coco. Finally, the most recent story is a break-up - nothing more or less, but told very powerfully. Possibly the best of the three, in fact. Go see for yourself.
Guardian by Garnot
Garnot is a brilliant writer, and this is a good example of why. This story practically bleeds world-building, and in an almost Tolkien-esque way uses the world built to construct an engrossing and interesting narrative - one that gives us an unusual take on Nightmare Moon and the dream realm. This is really worth reading (as is his/her other work).
If great things to small ones could compare by Cynewulf
If you don't like Cynewulf you're wrong :V
Anyway, this is very different to her usual fare, but no less effective. A slow-burn slice of life that turns into a romance, this is all about the little things, and it works brilliantly. I'm afraid I'm not good enough at this reviewing thing (especially as I write all this stuff in one go, stream-of-conciousness style) to really give this a good sell, but suffice to say it's well worth reading, especially if you're in the mood for something short and sweet.
Broken Voice by Cynewulf
Some of you may have noticed at this point that when I read one story by an author I like, I tend to do a "catch up" session of others I have neglected. Guess who's turn it is this month?
To quote Cold in Gardez, this little tale is "the king of sad stories" - and yet, there is still a sense of closure, and love, in amongst the bleakness. I love stories like this, ones that manage to capture within them, despite their dark and heavy subject matter, the theme of love and friendship that drew so many of us to this show and fandom. A World Without Kindness, which I reviewed above, has the same strength. It conjures a sense that even in the darkest of times and places there are still good things in the world - even if, as in the case of Broken Voices, those things are just memories. As I mentioned in the comments - this is an terribly depressing story in many ways, yet I still finished reading it with a (sad) smile on my face. Make of that what you will.
Make A Pony by BlndDog
I really should read more of this guys stories. I've barely read any of them, but they've all been great! This one in particular is a little different to his usual, more thoughtful fare. Celestia and Luna, being immortal gods, decide on a whim to create life. The sheer obliviousness with which they go about this meant that the last line had me actually burst out laughing - my neighbour came and knocked on the door to ask what all the fuss was about. Not his best (which I only say because he has written some others that are brilliant), but a pretty funny little one-shot.
Queen Mother by BlndDog
Oh look I read another one of this guys stories. :V
Anyway, this is a rather odd read, and I'm going to warn any potential readers that they may not like it - but at the same time, tell them to read it anyway. It's different - the story is not entirely clear, and the flow of the narrative and it's chronology oddly stilted. It makes for a fascinating read though, so I'd urge you to give it a try.
Spike Gets A Narrator by BlndDog
You know how I said Make A Pony was funny (if in a rather dark way)? Yeah, well this one blows it out of the water.
Just go read it. Seriously, this thing is gold.
The Thinkin Spot by bats
bats is back (for a bit)! And he certainly hasn't lost his touch. The Thinkin Spot just about perfectly captures Applejack and Twilight, and goddamn this thing is so readable I read it twice. Just go read it. You won't regret it, I assure you.
I Miss The Sunrise by Scootareader
This story turned out very differently to what I thought it would be, but I think that's why I liked it. Celestia's absence served not as the focus of this piece but as it's theme - a constant background presence that culminates at the end of the tale. It worked rather effectively, and the central story - that of Nightmare Moon's rule and a legal case she presides over - is an interesting one as well. Definitely worth a read.
Trial By Fire by Fahrenheit
I really shouldn't have to say this anymore but EVERYONE GO READ EVERYTHING FAHRENHEIT HAS WRITTEN BECAUSE IT'S GOLD.
Ahem. Right then, now that's out of the way:
This story is gorgeous. The prose is incredibly evocative, and fits Spitfire perfectly. To quote myself from the comments section, I had chills running down my spine as I read this. Please go read it - it's beautiful.
Delegation Games by Fahrenheit
Let me put it this way - if this had been what happened in Princess Spike, it would have been the best episode of the show hands down. This story is hilarious.
Who Will Save Me From This Body Of Death? by Cynewulf
I find myself more unnerved than anything else with this story. It strikes a little close to home. For any that are interested, this is a brilliant story, and at the same time a strong exploration of the nature of depression and loneliness. It also (in a rather chilling way) asks what it actually means to be happy, and whether happiness is always a good thing - and after reading, it's a little harder to pretend I know.
Wanting Sweet Things by darf
Guess who's back, back again...
Apologies for the cheesy pop culture reference, but I am ridiculously excited about this (if, as usual, a little late to the party). Some of you may know of darf as that one guy who wrote all those weird, but good, M rated stories - however, I can promise you that his talents go far beyond odd porn (although he is admittedly rather good at that). He is an excellent writer at any level, and his return (after over two years) is something to be celebrated.
As for the story - well, it's a statement. And a pretty powerful one at that. darf left (as I understand it) due to frustration and hurt at the downright nasty comments he would receive on a lot of his non-porn stuff, deriding and mocking his ability as a writer and his stories. Seriously, some of this stuff was really vindictive. Anyway, Wanting Sweet Things is both a fantastic little vignette, and a brilliant fuck you to all of those people. It's a story about lust, relationships, sex and loneliness - but it is most decidedly not porn. The rather bleak realism of it may be a little jarring for some, but I personally enjoyed this.
Can't wait to get through the other three stories he published with it. 
Rarity Sleeps In by darf
Are you really surprised I got to it this fast? 
Anyway, this is another short one, but still pretty good. Certainly the scenario is one we can all sympathise with - I felt myself wincing in sympathy a few times throughout the story. Go check it out.
Bad Touch by darf
So, um, word of warning on this one - it's rated M, and rated M for a very good reason. The majority of this story is composed of sex. Non-consensual sex. Between a child and an adult. This story has the Dark tag for a reason too, and it's honestly a little terrifying. If there were any doubts about darf delivering on the "supremely fucked up sexual stuff that makes you think", this should silence them very quickly.
But yeah, don't read this if you don't want to read about Twilight raping Spike - written with all the disgust and contempt that topic deserves. To quote Wanderer D from the comments:
I hate this story for all the reasons you want me to.
Twilight Sparkle Is Lonely by darf
Um.
Wow.
I think I may have unintentionally saved the best for last.
This story is brilliant. Nothing more, and nothing less. It's a frightening look at loneliness - the real, physical kind that comes not from being alone but feeling alone - and breathtaking to read, just because of how good the writing is. As proof of my point, I will direct you towards footnote [10] (please do read the footnotes, they are completely worth it), which is itself a self-contained story better than many I have read this month.
Just, do yourself a favour, and go read this.
The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Mare by Snowybee
Well. I do believe I have stumbled upon a gem. If you don't know who Snowybee is, you're not alone - they have less followers than me, and I am far from a site heavyweight. Although having read one of their stories, the only reason I can think of for this is that none of them are complete, because this one at least is very, very good.
There isn't a huge amount here yet. All that has happened so far is the establishment of a danger that the Elements have been sent to deal with - minus a badly injured Rainbow Dash. The first chapter sees her visit Twilight's old school in Canterlot, looking for Moondancer. She finds her, with a request we never get to hear, as Moondancers rather more pressing issue (which I will leave for you to discover) interrupts. That's it - a prologue and the first chapter. But that's all you actually need here.
Because while the story certainly has a good start to it, what sets it apart is its prose. The way this story is written may be slightly off-putting when you start reading, but I really can't recommend it enough. It's not a style I can place - although it reminds me of many older novels I have read, it is not identical to any, and may well be the authors personal style - it's absolutely gorgeous. Some people won't like it. I know that the modern fashion in writing is short sentences and snappy, easily understood prose, but the way that people, scenes and thoughts are described is wonderful to read. Despite the many, many good stories I have read this month, I may have found my spotlight - simply because it is criminal that something so good go so utterly unnoticed.
The Way Up by Snowybee
This is Snowybee's first story, and I'll be honest - it shows. There are editing errors, noticeable ones, dotted all through out it. It is, much like Sanctuary Mare, incomplete, with just one chapter to show. It's also a great deal older, hailing all the way back from 2013.
Still, despite a few bumps, this is still worth reading. Even as it is, it actually sort of works as a full story (if one with a rather tragic ending - in the old Greek sense of a protagonist being unable to overcome their flaws). It's a Lightning Dust story, and told entirely from her, first person, perspective - and it's fascinating. I really love the voice she has in this piece. We are told nothing about her, but we don't need to be because we can see it in the way she thinks, and I can think of no better way to convey a character. Go give this a shot.
Know That I Love You by Snowybee
I don't know what the hell is going on in this story but it's good.
I may have jumped the gun earlier with handing the spotlight to The Guaranteed Eternal Sanctuary Mare because this story is just as good, and at the moment quite a bit meatier (oh god there are so many good stories this month I am screwed for my spotlight). The basic premise is that Diamond Tiara is dead. Now she has to play a game, with a one-in-a-million chance of getting her life back.
What makes this story shine is, as always, Snowybee's fantastic characters and use of perspective - but also the weird afterlife built to house the tale. It has been brilliantly incorporated into the perspective and narrative - in this version of the underworld, your mind is not a safe haven, and it gets gradually clearer that DT has some serious skeletons in her closet. While Diamond herself is an utterly engrossing character, the side-players are nothing to sniff at: from the most cheerful (and yet still terrifying) reaper ever, to a possibly insane millennia old crystal pony, to a very creepy and quite-possibly-evil Lyra, they add a lot both to the progression of the story and just to world as well. This is definitely worth your time - and much like Sanctuary Mare, it's a pretty recent one too, so hopefully a new chapter should be imminent.
Going Home by GrassAndClouds2
I liked this story a lot more than I thought I would. It looked like another unsubstantive one-shot, cashing in on the latest episodefilm. Instead (while it was obviously based on the recent film), I got a surprisingly dark story with a twist that I didn't catch at all, despite the subtle hints. I really should have known better - all I needed to do was look at who wrote it!
But it really is a good story - not to overdone, and Princess Twilight in particular is played well. Definitely worth a read.
Spotlight Review is here.
Somepony's been using pages from Infinite Jest as rolling papers.
3440263
I should really get around to reading that. I've been put off by the sheer scope of it before, but if it's as captivating as this....
3440942
Ditto.
Glad you consider my little slice of life worth a read.
I'm trying to do more character development work to improve my dialog skills. I hope you think I succeeded.
3441630
If I think back, the dialogue certainly felt stronger than it had in your previous work that I've read. And I thought the characterisation was one of it's main strengths - it's the main reason I thought it was worth recommending! So you definitely did a good job there.
3442903
That's good, then. I've come to learn I can't really write epic stories, or stories with the sorts of intense drama and twists that are so common in popular novels and movies. My strengths lie with the "small" stories, of people's day-to-day, not how they handle massive and dramatic change. So I am spending a lot more time working on that.
If you keep reading my stuff, let me know if I'm managing to succeed on that front.
3444710
Gladly.
Ah jeez so many recommendations!!!