Fic recs, March 23rd! · 1:22pm Mar 23rd, 2016
All right, minifics! As hinted in my last journal, I’m changing the way these go, so Esle Ynopemos, Admiral Biscuit and FanOfMostEverything get multiple stories per go. Otherwise, I am never getting through Esle’s stuff. D:
And as usual, bookplayer has somehow anticipated this review blog. I'm starting to wonder about that. c.c;
H: 2 R: 9 C: 8 V: 0 N: 0
Derecho by Cold in Gardez
Genre: Drama
A father scours the oldest pegasus city for his missing daughter.
Okay, this is very weird. CiG fans will recognize the story title as one of the “lost cities” in the piece of the same name. The plot is similar to another of Cold’s shorts. It feels like a double proof-of-concept in that way. Still, it’s got his usual good writing touches, and it’s nice to see Derecho being explored by the living.
Recommended
The Arcade by Esle Ynopemos
Genre: Feghoot/Shipping
Rainbow Dash can’t believe where Applejack is taking Fluttershy on their date.
Ah, Flutterjack, there aren’t enough stories about you. This one’s short and cute, with some ribbing from Rainbow Dash, AJ looking pretty, and a silly joke for the ending note. Worth it if you like shipping or puns.
Recommended
The Card Shark by Esle Ynopemos
Genre: Comedy
Twilight wonders how Fluttershy gets her money.
Given the title and that description, you can probably guess where this goes. Doesn’t stop it from being darned funny, however. :)
Recommended
The Order of Sun and Moon by Esle Ynopemos
Genre: Comedy
Upon her coronation, Twilight Sparkle is ushered into a secret society.
And this one was really funny. I think what makes it work is the combination of a classically serious trope with light-hearted, true-to-tone ponyness. Be sure to read this, it was great.
Highly Recommended
A Healthy Obsession by Pascoite
Genre: Comedy
Sick, young Twilight will miss out on a trip to the amusement park.
This is a cute slice-of-life with a deep, dark secret: it’s actually a comedy about how life with a precocious magic user can be hard on a family sometimes. Brilliant.
Highly Recommended
A Songfic Legally Using Copyrighted Material by Wanderer D
Genre: Comedy
(All the broken images, for the record, are music notes.) This is… well, it’s based on the still-recent and not-well-known Fimfiction rule about using copyrighted material in fanfics. (i.e., don’t do it, no grandfather clause.) Past that, it’s… I don’t even know. “I was drunk” is legitimately the only excuse for this.
I Don’t Know
I Wasn’t Prepared for This by Nonagon
Genre: Random Comedy
But she will be prepared for anything else!
Yeah, this is silly. I don’t think the super-short length really helps it. The buildup is good, yes, but the ending is kind of flat. Still worth it for a chuckle, I suppose.
Recommended for Laughs
Science Dungeon by FuzzyFurvert
Genre: Sexual Comedy
Sci-Twi finds out what Sunset Shimmer keeps in her basement.
I’ll admit, I found this amusing, for all that it’s pretty lowest-denominator stuff. (Which, admittedly, I write.) The only real problem is that it’s an abandoned fic, and it feels distinctly unfinished. Up to the point where Twilight leaves the basement, it’s funny and could work by itself as a quick joke. So with that in mind, skip the end.
Recommended If You Like Sexual Humor
Princess Celestia by HoofAndQuill
Genre: Slice of Life
This is a short piece tracking Twilight’s (thankfully non-shippy) relationship with Celestia. I’ll admit, I liked the first scene, a thoroughly believable look at Twilight’s first visit to the Summer Sun Celebration, better than the second, which just goes over her cutie mark story. But the two combine to provide weight for the third scene, and what that is I shan’t spoil. Definitely worth the read.
Recommended
Core Values by FanOfMostEverything
Genre: Appleparents
On one day a year, Sweet Apple Acres isn’t its usual happy self.
I’m pleased to say this piece has a lot more to it than just “why is the Apple Family sad?” Because if you need to think for more than two seconds about why that might be, you just haven’t been paying attention. Instead, this is a very nice piece about Big Mac bonding with his grandmother. It’s got a great portrayal of his father, not to mention some creative ways to clear up recent headcanon kerfuffles about hats and one absolutely killer pun. (Which is to say, it killed me. I am dead.) When I started reading this, I was expecting something underwhelming; instead, I got thoughtful and unique.
Recommended
Two Teaspoons of Grapefruit by FanOfMostEverything
Genre: EQG
Sour Sweet sees a familiar face at Canterlot High.
So this is a Friendship Games piece that swings a nice bit of headcanon around. I’d be a little more enthusiastic about if I were more invested in Sour Sweet as a character, I think, but for what this is, it absolutely works. Also, I helped! :D
Recommended
Fluttershy’s Bathroom Is Flooded With Pandas by Admiral Biscuit
Reading by ShadowOfCygnus
Genre: Comedy
So yeah, this is a combination of Big Mac’s Dick Is Made of Pandas and Twilight’s Bathroom Is Flooded With Semen, both by Majin Syeekoh, who is a very, very bad influence and should be ashamed of himself. :V This could actually be considered a sequel to the first one, I guess? Anyway, if I liked this one, it’s because Fluttermac. Beyond that, uh…
Recommended Only If You Like Weird Shit
Mother by Admiral Biscuit
Genre: Comedy
Pipsqueak finds out he’s adopted.
The joke in this story revolves around Pipsqueak being the only piebald pony in the show. Even before Applejack was mentioned, I knew where this was going… And I was completely wrong. So for all that I don’t think there’s any way to atone for writing this story, I was both surprised and amused. (Note for the squeamish, there’s a suggestion of sexual acts being mimed in front of a foal in this story. I thought it was funny, at least.)
Recommended for Laughs
Heart Like a Hummingbird by AugieDog
Genre: Poem
What a great form this one’s in. I love the ABAB BABA rhyme scheme, and the reuse of the lines of the first stanza at the end of each following is the kind of thing you do when you’re trying to show off. As to the story itself, it’s a nice little piece about Fluttershy, just the kind of thing you can capture with a poem.
Recommended
To Love a Princess by Silvernis
Genre: TwiLuna
Twilight could see the Nightmare returning, but she didn’t want to believe it.
This strikes me as more an outline of a story introduction than a story in and of itself. It probably won’t appeal to anyone not into shipping, but given all the work I’ve been doing with iisaw’s The Twilight Enigma, I’m all about the TwiLuna these days. Plus, this suggests some interesting things.
Recommended as Light Reading
On the Inaccuracy of Proverbs by GhostOfHeraclitus
Genre: Cute
Cadence comforts Twilight after she’s been bullied.
This has two good ideas: Cadence’s reaction to Twilight’s situation, and Twilight’s mangling of a classic saying in the ‘adorkable’ way only Twilight Sparkle is capable of. It’s short, but sweet, and really a fun read.
Recommended
May the Best Pet Win by Sharp Spark
Genre: I Don’t Even
This is the worst, most egregious example of a pun-based fic I have ever had the misfortune to read. I’m done.
Recommended If You Like Puns
Charlotte’s Goop by horizon
Genre: Comedy
This isn’t so much an adaptation of Charlotte’s Web as it is a parody of it. With changelings. Who are named Charlotte for some reason. Beyond the odd name, this avails itself well, building the backstory for What’s Going On unobtrusively as the action moves forward. Overall, a silly little thing with a few good laughs.
Recommended
Pinkie the Vampire Slayer by Bradel
Genre: Random as Fuck
Fluttershy’s still a vampire, and that can mean only one thing!
Have you ever wanted to see Pinkie and Spike talk Buffy the Vampire Slayer? Then this is the fic for you. I think the main joke is just that both series have a character named Spike. <.< And Angel. Anyway, this doesn’t quite qualify as a crossover, but I think the jokes will go better for people more familiar with Buffy. Though I very much like the way it ended. Overall, silly fun.
Recommended for Buffy Fans
I am the best influence that ever influenced an influence.
3822374 PP is gonna hate us come this weekend :3
3822387 Oh yeah. He is!
3822399 iambrony.steeph.tp-radio.de/mlp/gif/sinister.gif
Pretty sure that's not the first time I've killed you. Appropriate that I managed it with a story inspired by a black card.
3822387
3822399
oh fuck D:
You see, you are allowed to just say "Don't read this. It sucks."
Are you going to be doing a review of the Scribblefest entries?
3823228
the what
NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
3823412 the everfree northwest competition you nerd
3823760
Is that what it is?
I've actually got a history of ignoring EFNW, so probs not. :B
3824109 lame
3824568
I also kind of really hate doing contests, even though I'm gearing up for one D:
3825270 you used to do it all the time though
3825608
Why do you think I hate doing it now? D:
3825902 kek
I guess this is a really roundabout way of begging you to review my newest story b/c it got featured and I put my heart and soul into it
pls love me senpai
3826366
Well, it's in muh dooblydoo :B
3826944 yee