Drake's Reviews #1 · 12:34am Oct 4th, 2015
So let's get the ball rolling by knocking off the short one-shots first!
Trixie’s Magical Shop of Wonders, Trinkets, and (Definitely in No Way Cursed) Objects
alexmagnet writes a Comedy story focusing on Trixie... that's about all the review I need to give, isn't it? That sells itself, it's like saying "Square Enix announced a new Kingdom Hearts game" at an anime convention. Well, okay, have some more. It's absurd, ridiculous, and hilarious. If there is but one pony who can rival Pinkie Pie for being all three, it's this depiction of Trixie. What other story on this site has two mares kiss to appease an Cthulian terror that is, quote, "the elder god of kissy face"? If you know of one, link me in the comments please. And if you don't know of another one, that makes this story the sole one, so go read it.
Recommendation: If you like laughing, a must-read.
Pony POV Possible Futures: In Sunset We Trust
My major concern with this fic was that I'd never read the Pony POV series and am only vaguely aware of it, which actually makes me wonder why this specific entry in it was in the read later stuff. Fortunately, if you haven't read the Pony POV series, this fic is still perfectly accessible since it only makes token references to the other stories in the series. The fic is overall Sunset Shimmer's life from when she first uses the mirror portal to the defeat of the Sirens. And in that regards it's very dry and dull. We get some half-hearted attempts to justify how Sunset knew so much about Equestria by her coming back through the portal to plant hidden cameras around, and she took the human Sunset's place to move in with her parents when she ran away from home, but those explanations raise many more questions than answers.
You're basically reading a summarized version of the first Equestria Girls movies from Sunset's POV, with all the character development and internal struggles she goes through spelled out via her thoughts. There's a few new interactions, apparently to tie into the POV series, but nothing that adds to the story itself. Sunset's Element is Trust, the Seventh Element of Harmony that was lost in Equestria but reformed in this alternate world. That's fine, and we get a good few lines here and there, too. Sunset says she loves being crown Princess at CHS by Celestia, because even if it's not real, Celestia is giving her a crown, and in a funny bit Twilight questions what "Lord of the Rings" is, and Sunset says it's like "Lord of the Horseshoes" but with less horse puns.
The story is sort of like reading a very dry plot synopsis of a much longer fic, except there is no longer fic. Original plot points come and go without really being explored or developed, and plot elements we already know from the canon are rehashed like we don't know them. Can't speak for the rest of the Pony POV series or its fans, but this individual story did nothing for me.
Recommendation: If you want to read some interesting headcanon, give it a once-over skimming. But that's about all there is here.
The other day I read "Going Home" (if you haven't read it, then to be blunt - don't), and it got me thinking about how many fics I see, not just on this site but as a whole, that seem like the first chapter of a larger story that doesn't exist. Such stories seem to naturally feel incomplete, I want more not necessarily because the story should continue, but because the way the story is structured, it feels like it ought to. Maybe that's just how dark fics work, I dunno - "The Ultimate Alicorn" went the same way until it was continued with a sequel. This story falls into that category.
Basically, the Dazzlings win. Rainbooms lose, the Dazzlings send Twilight back through the portal to Equestria, and then destroy the statue to ensure it can never be used again, because they intent to stay in the human world and enslave it. And... that's it. That is a complete summary of the story. The Dazzlings won the final battle, Twilight is sent home, the portal is destroyed, the Dazzlings rule the world. There's nothing else to the story than that. And unfortunately that means there isn't much to this story. The story delivers exactly what it promises, the Dazzlings win the battle of the bands. However, it doesn't actually do anything with that concept. There is a continuing sense of dread of what will happen now that the Dazzlings have won, but the destruction of the portal is the ultimate payoff to that, and it isn't enough.
Recommendation: I guess if you're happy with a story that ends with simply "the villains won, earth is screwed, good night everybody!" this will satisfy you. If you want more than that, you won't find it here.
Hot on the heels of a fic where the Dazzlings win, we have a fic that picks up after they lost - and by sheer coincidence, from the same author. At first I wasn't keen on the narrative style, being that it describes how the characters are feeling and what they're doing. But it grew on me, it gave the story a sort of fable quality, like a narrator talking over a movie of the story where the characters themselves only speak sparsely. We quickly set the stage, the Dazzlings lost their voices and their powers and are miserable. Then after a little bit of pathos with them, we get the Rainbooms approaching the table - of course, they're extending the hand of friendship, and with some reservations, the Dazzlings accept one by one.
Pretty straightforward concept, the second the Rainbooms show up at the table you can pretty much call the rest of the fic, but it's fine for what it is. As I said, the narrative style is different and helps give the story a unique tone among what I'm sure is a sea of other fics that explored this concept. And the fic itself is short, only 2,500 words, so you can read through it in 10 minutes or so. The best part for me was a short bit where they catch Sonata humming, simply because she misses singing even if they don't have their powers anymore. It sparks the realization that the only things the Dazzlings have now is each other, and they need to stick together. It's a feel-good moment that made me smile.
Recommendation: If you want a simple and lighthearted, but decently executed redemption fic for the Dazzlings, go ahead.
Also, random thought - Adagio is the leader and Sonata is the ditzy fun one, but Aria gets so little love. IMHO she was the hottest Dazzling.
It's Elementary, My Dear Rainbow
We end this round of reviews, and my reading for the night, with another comedy fic. Premise is simple and sure to get attention - Twilight and Rainbow wake up sleeping in the same bed with no idea how they got there. Forget "The Hangover" and even "Dude, Where's My Car?" this plot has been around since 90s sitcoms did it, and it's a tried and true idea for good laughs when done right. And this fic is done right. It takes a few different twists to things with lots of Sherlock Holmes references as Twilight plays detective, and making it clear Rainbow and Twilight are having "thoughts" about each other now that they've been put in this situation that casts the other in a new light.
If I have a complaint, it's that this fic goes the obvious place. "Did they really...?" Of course they didn't, no one ever did when they do this plot. I would have found it funnier if they had done something and they had to cope with that. Instead, they find out of course nothing happened between them, they just did some activities that got the two of them sweaty and used a memory spell for an unrelated task to erase their memories of the previous day. And then of course it ends with the two hooking up for real because they've been checking each other out all day.
We get a good running joke with Twilight's mane needing a comb (which turns out to be a plot point), and some more fun here and there. Like I said, several Sherlock Holmes jokes, I caught one direct quote of the old boy but I don't know Holmes very well so there may be more.
Recommendation: Predictable but well-executed with some decent humor and fluffy shipping fuel to tide you along to the conclusions you already know are coming.
I just could not get into Warlorn's writing style. It just felt clunky, sloppy, and generally a bore to get through.
I remember vaguely enjoying Faded Dazzlings.
Then I wonder how you feel about the forgotten friendship adaption.
5143291
What do you mean?
5143294
Well, you said it was a dry recap with just head canon sprinkled in with nothing new. Therefore, given the adaption of Forgotten Friendship DOES add stuff... Of course all the answers are also spread out over the pony pov series continuity...
5143296
Okay. I haven't read any other fics in it.