Fic recs, October 6th: Nightmare Nights edition! · 12:24pm Oct 6th, 2016
"But PP," you say groggily as you wake from a mid-week pumpkin spice bender, "Nightmare Night isn't until the end of the month!"
"Pish-tosh," I say, coating you with another roll of toilet paper, "it's October, and this isn't that kind of Nightmare Night!"
Nightmare Nights is a story collection compiled by the folks at Pony Print Project, celebrating the best horror writing the fandom has to offer.
At least, I assume it's the best, since I've reviewed most of the entries (most of them from my previous Nightmare Nights blog a couple years back) and they were all pretty darn good. So I took it upon myself to review the rest, and see if this thingy was worth the paper it's printed on. :D I've included links to the blogs where I reviewed the other stories, by the way, so you can even take this journal as a table of contents! Let's begin.
H: 1 R: 5 C: 5 V: 0 N: 0
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Midnight by Jade Ring
Reading by Scribbler
Genre: Horror
This story quickly answers a question we all had about the EQG-verse in the most brutal way possible. And while I figured out what this was going to be about almost the instant I saw the character tag, that meant the horror was effective: I knew what was going to happen, and I had to sit and watch it take place. There are a couple typos, and this likely won't appeal to anyone not interested in the movies, but if you are? It's quick and satisfying.
Recommended for EQG Fans
OR POSSIBLY
Blink by ocalhoun
Reading by CreepyPastaSalad
Reading by Crafty Arts
Reading by Plagen Shiki
Genre: Grimdark
Twilight discovers the terrible secret behind teleportation.
This is actually the other side of the coin of zaponator's fic, and since I'm not sure which is actually in the collection, I'll include both here until I'm told otherwise. Where the first Blink just sets up the idea that teleportation creates copies of ponies, this dives right into the concept, and apparently without actually having been inspired by the other! Unfortunately, reading both in any order, one is going to pale in comparison to the other, since the ideas are so close. I won't say this is a worse story, but I definitely prefer the other and its fridge horror. Taken on its own merits, well, it is extremely dark for MLP, but it remains a fun and creepy thought experiment.
Recommended for Grimdark Fans
Body of Work by TheGreyPotter (H)
Diomedes by wille179
Genre: Horror
Celestia invites a special guest to dinner.
I was, of course, completely prepared for this story, having read Admiral Biscuit's The Mares of Diomedes not that long ago. You'll probably know what I'm talking about if you read my review of that story, or if you're up on your mythology. Thankfully, this has more going for it than just "ponified Mares of Diomedes". The backstory is what makes this work, and, twisted parody of the show though it may be, the gruesome denouement is totally worth it. If you can handle severely grimdark backgrounds for Equestria, by all means, read this.
Recommended
Holder's Boulder by Horse Voice
Reading by Scribbler, et. al.
Genre: Horror
In the past of the Pie family lies a great secret, and a greater horror. Marble did not heed the warnings to leave it be.
This is my favorite kind of pony horror, the story that builds off something that happens in the show, in this case, Limestone Pie's exhortations to stay away from Holder's Boulder. But more than just taking a dark and terrible look at what those warnings could mean, this gives a surprisingly good look into Maud's psyche. She's explicitly stated to suffer from monomania, and successfully turned her obsession with rocks into an academic career. Moreover, this is rife with symbolism (the cicadas! D:) which lends tension and amplifies the Lovecraftian pastiche. The same goes for the dynamic of the Pie siblings, especially the way Maud interacts with Marble. For all that the little details really make this, I did feel like the final act was awfully fast-paced. Nothing is lingered on to let anything sink in. Still, the ending is perfectly chilling, not to mention sad. It's Horse Voice, though, what else do you expect?
Recommended
Malus Maleficarum by Saddlesoap Opera (R)
NIGEB by Aquaman (H)
No One Goes There by Rinnaul (H)
Nothing There by Solaris90
Genre: Horror
Braeburn arrives in Ponyville, only to find nopony there to greet him.
I'm of two minds about this piece. For starters, Braeburn's not a character I'd have considered for a horror fic, so this stands out. The scenario isn't hugely scary, but it's… well, it's like he's stumbled into the aftermath of that one story where Twilight's typing a journal as ponies around Equestria disappear. There's a strong tension that pervades the entire piece, with only one really big (but effective) scare. But then he starts investigating further, and finds something that, no two ways about it, evokes Cupcakes, even if it isn't explicitly related. And then the ending happens and I just didn't know what to think about that. My big problem is thus the lack of a takeaway weakening the overall effect. The Cupcakes reference could all be in my head, after all. Definitely a "journey over destination" kind of story.
Recommended for Horror Fans Only
Predator by Rinnaul
Mature: Gore
Genre: Gorefic
Gaspard is a real griffon, and a real griffon doesn't bow to its next meal.
When we refer to a story as "gorefic", usually derisively, it's to mark the piece as glorifying blood and guts to the exception of all else. This is the rare story I can call a gorefic for good reasons: it's in first-person, and Gaspard is a horrendous monster of a griffon. The writing glorifies in blood and guts and suffering because that's the point. It's genuinely terrifying. And it fits as horror because it's the kind of thing where you know what's going to happen — you're right there, experiencing everything from Gaspard's point of view, you can't look away — and there's nothing you can do to stop it. It's a gripping, fast-paced tale that's as thrilling as it is awful, and totally worth the read if you can stomach some blood. Rinnaul is a name we all need to keep in mind, and not just for horror stories. :)
Recommended
Reading Room #36 by Flashgen (V)
Soft Flooring by teamidris
Reading by Idris, Cut Glass and Scribbler
Genre: Dark Comedy
A crooked salespony runs afoul of an enchanted floor.
I'm calling this one a comedy because honestly, it is, it's comedic. There's the fact that what's going on is all but expected by our conpony; it seems to be a perfectly reasonable thing to run into, and then, oh dear, he rather needs help. Because, point two, the characters are so unflappably British (or is that Britishly unflappable?) that I can't help but laugh as they try their damnedest not to be alarmed by anything going on. Like Idris's other stories, it features a character with not a very pony name, but it's also got a good bit more focus, the lengthy intro helping to both set the scene and juxtapose the mundane with the bizarre. Not the scariest story in the collection, but certainly not a bad one.
Recommended If You Like Dark Comedy
The Cough by EbonMane (6/5)
The Face Takers by shortskirtsandexplosions (R)
The Lantern by Cold in Gardez (R)
The Longevity Theory by Venates
Genre: Horror
After losing his grandfather, a pony becomes preoccupied with death, and why some don't die.
First off, this is a journal story done extremely well. Crossed-out sections are used sparingly, there's no dialogue whatsoever, and getting to be inside this character's head is what spurs the horror. This is very Poe-esque, with the main character becoming obsessed with death and slowly falling apart after losing just about the only family they had left. (I said 'he' in the description, but gender is never really professed.) Just the right details are given, so we can watch this pony go utterly insane in a perfectly logical and understandable manner. It's fascinating, and the big plot points are stated so matter-of-factly that you can't help but be floored by them. Overall, a really effective, powerful story, and at the very least one of the best examples of journalfic I've ever seen.
Highly Recommended
The Thirteenth Hour by Jade Ring
Reading by Sparrow9642 and Vanilla Swirl
Genre: Lovecraft Crossover
With her own student, Twilight was at last able to access a spell she'd only dreamt of.
This suffers a bit for coming after the previous story, as it doesn't always sound like someone, let alone Starlight Glimmer, actually talking. Still, it's a good piece, capturing the over-dramatic tone of the works of Lovecraft and others. And just when I thought it was simply a rehashing of some classic Mountains of Madness story or something, there's a twist that really sells the horror of what Starlight's been through. Another good one!
Recommended
The Well by BlueColton
Reading by Sparrow9642, CadetRedShirt and TwiDashFTW
Reading by Lotus Moon
Reading by Agent0Fluffy and Angel's Gold
Genre: Horror
Ahead of an oncoming storm, Applejack finds Apple Bloom fallen down a well.
This story suffers a bit from autocorrect-style typos. They aren't too numerous, but it does stand out when vices are climbing up the sides of a well. (Admittedly, a scarier image than regular old vines!) But I won't deny this is still effective. It's a fairly classic horror trope at play, but the execution is perfectly chilling. And if you've grown tired of all the grimdark stories in this post, this one's got a happy ending! Just know you'll be getting a real spook on the way there.
Recommended
The Writing on the Wall by Horse Voice (R)
This Old House by naturalbornderpy (C)
Won't You Help Me Pull My Wagon? by KholdstareV
Reading by immunetogravity57
Genre: Ghost Story
On her way home from a Nightmare Night party, Twilight encounters a pony in need.
The first scene of this story really doesn't work, portraying Twilight at a party that could have come from the frat houses up the street from me. Plus, it's the old "tell the legend of the thing what's about to jump out later in the story" setup, and I was somewhat irritated by being unable to determine when in her life this is taking place. After that, though, I swear I've read this story before, and that sense of deja vu kept me from really enjoying it as I tried to puzzle out the answer. (I realized later it was part of the EQD event that included NIGEB way back when. Why I didn't review it then, I do not know.) But the frenetic pacing and constant ominous chatter of the old crone keep the tension high throughout, even if some of the imagery is pretty standard. The ending is a little goofy, but nevertheless chilling. Kind of a weak note to end this collection on, but welcome regardless.
Recommended for Horror Fans
So, in the end, I would call Nightmare Nights totally worth the price tag, if you're interested in having printed ponyfic laying around. :) Present Perfect approved! Thanks to the folks at Pony Print Project for pointing me at the text of Nothing There.
One day I'll write a chilling tale good enough for such a list!
This has always been a weakness of mine, and is probably why this story didn't win anything in Scribblefest. But the inclusion in this book, and the favorable review, are perhaps even better.
I wish I'd let them print fleeting light without all the hidden stuff. Reading Room just pales in comparison to the others featured.
Hey PP, are you sure that the "Blink" included in the anthology isn't the one by ocalhoun? That one is listed as horror, whereas zaponator's is just slice of life.
4242681
Ohh, snap. o.O I may have made an oversight!
They're missing some of my work so it can't be called perfect, however, given the quality of the rest of the works there, it's as close-to-perfect as it can possibly be and a good deal if you want it printed
I was happy to approve "Longevity Theory" for Equestria Daily, but it did need a little tune-up first. Originally, it just jumped from the protagonist is well-adjusted and working through his grandfather's death to the protagonist kills his sister just because. When that progression was soothed out and made more gradual, it took on a lot more authenticity.
I rather liked "The Well," too, and I told the author it was almost there. Really, the biggest thing for me is violation of "the scariest monster is the one you never see." Because at the end, we do get a peek at the monster. Not its physical form, more of its psyche, but that still helps define it quite a bit, and it makes it too familiar to be nearly as scary. I think it'd be a significantly stronger tale for cutting that. It's just tacked on, after all.
I've read a couple of the others, but nothing else I want to comment on.