Fanfiction Spotlight #41 · 8:02pm Apr 15th, 2016
Fanfiction Spotlight #41
Posted 4.15.16
Good afternoon My Little Readers! Welcome to the Everfree NW Fanfiction Spotlight #41! I’m sure that you all paid your taxes to Princess Celestia like good ponies. Right. RIGHT?! We don’t have to send Pinkie Pie after you for holding out on the new baked goods premium that 100% of the proceeds go to helping Sugar Cube Corner. Because Equestria is a Monarchy with a democracy attached right?
Randomness aside, this week, we have a couple of fun stories for you! We have Derpy having misadventures and Sunset Shimmer being forced into what is theoretically a scientific study, but also borders on brainwashing levels of negative reinforcement.
Also! We have a special guest review by Winston of a story about a little background filly!
As always, enjoy everyone!
---- Review by Silver Flare ----
The Greatest Day Of Her Life
by Mannulus
Words: 12,358 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Silver Flare
Here’s a fun little story! It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s clean (with the exception of muffins, which in this case borders on substance abuse). It possesses just the right amount of self-awareness for a comedic adventure. It feels very true to the heart of the show, and it’s obvious the author had a good time writing it.
Sure, ‘Derpy the mailmare’ has been done before. What drew me in was how Mannulus used something as simple as a routine day delivering packages as a springboard for some really off-the-wall stuff. As if a Random Dragon Attack and a Surprise Parasprite Swarm weren’t enough to make anyone question their line of work (and I thought retail was bad), they aren’t even half as dangerous as the parcel Derpy’s working so hard to deliver.
If you’re looking to relax with some fluffy goodness liberally sprinkled with both hijinks and shenanigans, give this one a read. And if you like it, there are a smattering of sequels to sink your teeth into. After all, Derpy isn’t the hero Ponyville needs. Or the one it wants. Or the one it necessarily deserves. Actually, I don’t think Ponyville has enough insurance to cover a hero like Derpy.
She’s still a hero, through and through.
---- Guest Review by Winston ----
True Bowmance
by Ceffyl Dwr
Words: 10.049 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Winston
In this story, Ceffyl Dwr breathes a lot of life and personality into a background filly only briefly seen in the series. Archer is a member of the Cupid clan—ponies who specialize in helping other ponies fall in love. She has a lot of enthusiasm for the role, eagerly doing whatever she thinks it takes to match ponies up with their soulmate.
Unfortunately for her, she also doesn’t quite have the hang of it yet.
Her sense of the appropriate limits to her efforts could maybe use some work, too.
But hey, you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, right? Sometimes special talents don’t always work quite the way a pony might have assumed them to at first, and this story invites you to join Archer as she learns that lesson by encountering some hilarious bumps along the road to her destiny.
Ceffyl Dwr has done a great job of entering into the mind of the protagonist and capturing the enthusiasm and eagerness of a young person exploring their emerging path through life. Archer is well developed and rich with nuanced personality as a character, and her drive to follow what she believes is her purpose is something that I think a lot of us will find familiar. The substance of the story is meaningful and there’s a good balance struck in the plot and execution: cute without being fluff, sweet without being saccharine. If you like slice-of-life and coming-of-age tales that have some comedic elements rather than being weighed down and taking themselves too seriously, “True Bowmance” has a lot to recommend.
Pinkie’s Popeyes Preference
By Prince Conjure
Words: 1,716 Complete: Yes
Recommended by Heartshine
Sometimes friends have disagreements over who makes the best of something. Who makes better fries? Which soda tastes better? Who makes the best tartar sauce for fish sandwiches?
Normally, these debates are settled in either the realm of polite disagreement or scientific studies to discern what the general populace believes to be the superior product. Typically this ends in either a clear winner or an agreement to disagree. Or, like with my group of friends, you decide that Pepsi is meh and Coke is just terrifying because you can use it to clean up battery acid. Or you end up throwing several bags worth of Funions onto the individual’s bed whom has the clearly flawed viewpoint that they are chips.
… Then there’s what happens when Pinkie Pie gets involved…
When it comes to living in the human world, there are few joys that Sunset Shimmer can find but in the simple deliciousness of fried chicken. But she prefers KFC. Pinkie wants her to have superior Popeye’s.
Flashbang grenades are added to the mix.
It’s a cute, short, fun little story. And I needed it after this week at work.
You should check out A Wolf's Story for you're next Spotlight Review.
3872945 That story was submitted for our Scribblefest contest as well, but as it's rated Mature, it violates the Everfree Northwest policy of being family friendly. While we recognize there's plenty of space for adult stories in this fandom, official convention outlets, such as our Fanfic Spotlight, must stick to a Teen or lower rating.