Fic recs, October 25th! · 2:24pm Oct 25th, 2016
Fandom VA Cider Barrel needs help!
I'm glad I'm the only one who really pays attention to my spreadsheet, because I marked down the wrong date for the last journal and almost posted this yesterday! That would've been embarrassing. :V
H: 3 R: 2 C: 1 V: 1 N: 0
Left Behind by Shrink Laureate
Genre: Character Piece
With Twilight and Fluttershy out adventuring, Rainbow has nothing better to do than wait for them to come back.
This is a story about Rainbow Dash being a Good Friend. Like, the best friend ever. This is Hurricane Fluttershy Rainbow Dash at her absolute top, and I wish to hell the show would realize she has this potential and embrace it. Despite having been written for a Flutterdash contest, this doesn't necessarily have romantic overtones; readers may be put slightly off by the background ButtonBelle (I sure was), but that's made up for by a surprising background pairing which is now my OTP. :V Shipping aside, this should appeal to anyone who appreciates a story that is low-key because it emphasizes the importance of small thing, and does so entirely by showing.
Highly Recommended
Pinkie Tales: Saddle Arabian Nights Shaladdin by Magpiepony
Reading by the Author, et. al.
Magpiepony should need no introduction. I mean if nothing else, you know her as "Lost's girlfriend". (I have no idea why it took me this long to get around to her. :B) Anyway, this isn't just a fic read by an accomplished Pinkie Pie VA (and others), it's actually been animated! :D Well, it's an animatic with pointy ponies, anyway. But yeah, it distinctly goes beyond "fic reading" in terms of production. Tenouddaten!
Genre: Aladdin Adaptation
Pinkie reads the Cake Twins a bedtime story about Saddle Arabia!
This is very up front about being an adaptation of Disney's Aladdin movie, a personal favorite. But given how many media-aware fourth wall jokes there are (coming, believe it or not, from Pinkie Pie and Applejack in equal measure), it really feels more like ponies putting on a play. And as soon as I saw who the Cave of Wonders was, I knew I was gonna be in for a ride. :D This is a joy from start to finish, and there are enough new details, jokes and characters with actual dialogue that it shouldn't feel too familiar to fans of the movie. If I had a criticism, it'd be that this is best experienced via listening, the fic itself being formatted a bit more like a script than one might expect. But that's hardly a bad thing, given how good the reading is. :) Make sure you check it out!
Highly Recommended
Jaegerbombs and Tiaras by Bakmah Genesis
Reading by Scarlett Blade
Reading by Midnight29
Genre: Drunk Ponies
"Celestia became an alicorn after a drunken bender" is probably the funniest idea for a story I've ever seen. Unfortunately, perhaps unsurprisingly, that's about all there is to this. I did enjoy listening to the story, but the premise is the single biggest joke, and once you know it, there's almost no reason to read this.
Recommended for a Laugh
It Was Silent. by Moowell
Reading by Scribbler
Genre: Dark
I read this story twice, and I don't get what happened. It started out well enough, with the minimalist repetition and strong sensory deprivation 'imagery' carrying what appeared to be a tense, dark scene of a pony being tortured. Then it's Octavia going home, and trying to play her cello and then killing herself, and I just don't get it. :/ Did I miss something? Am I dumb? Beyond the imagery, this didn't leave an impression on me, but maybe it's just me. EDIT 10/30/16: It's probably just me. This story is really subtle, and I just flat out misinterpreted the first scene.
Recommended If You Like Experimental Works
Just Stories by TheBrianJ
Genre: Character Piece
Given an option to move on or start over, Doctor Whooves chose the second. But connecting with ponies isn't the easiest thing to do when you're new to being one.
Be prepared for the most original take on Doctor Whooves you've ever seen! Eschewing all things Doctor Who, this turns him into an original sort of extradimensional time-creature, now 'retired' and living as a normal pony in Ponyville. At its heart, this is a story about fitting in, or not, and we get to see Doc's frustration as his incomplete research on ponies butts up against the realities of pony life. An internal conflict about the nature of destiny exemplifies this story's approach to world-building, keeping everything low-key while front and center. In the end, it's a sweet story about an outsider learning to belong, and something I think will appeal to anyone.
Highly Recommended
The Interview by Monochromatic
Reading by Scarlett Blade
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Twilight's friends haven't seen her in weeks, as she's still interviewing new staff for her castle. It's time for Rarity to take drastic action.
I went into this expecting a "joke's in the cover art" comedy and was pleasantly surprised. That is the big joke, but there's so much more besides. And, for a shipfic, it's considerably different, placing Rarity and Twilight not in a relationship, but in pre-relationship flirtation mode. I'll say the punchline isn't quite as strong as it could be, but I had a lot of fun reading this. If you don't mind a little shipping, I think you can enjoy the wordplay and flirtatious frustrations of "Loving Lavender".
Recommended
Nopony Special by DrakeyC
Reading by Scribbler, DracKeaganVA and Itsannachloem
Genre: Cutie Mark Fic
In Luna's experience, nightmares don't come with a playground full of happy children.
The really interesting thing about this is that it holds up post-Crusaders of the Lost Mark, so much so that I had to double-check the episode's air date to be sure. Hopefully I don't give too much away with that; the reading's cover art reveals the filly's identity, but I'm not sure that actually ruins the effect of the story. If nothing else, foreknowledge gives you a sense of "This is how she sees herself?" as the events progress, and that's just as poignant. Mostly, I like how this is a pointed refutation of cutie mark angst, both that in fanfics and possibly even what we saw in season five… Which was, of course, after this story's time. A really solid piece, worth the read. :)
Recommended
*gasps* I never knew it had a reading!
And hey, I complained and he read something of mine. The system works!
4270593 Yeah, but you didn't get the highly coveted "Not Recommended."
Don't worry. If you need a shoulder, I'm here for you.
I'm going to check the Arabian Nights one out.
Ironically, Aladdin isn't part of that collection.
4270593 I've read this story, but for the life of me, I can't figure out under what circumstances. It's new enough that I wouldn't have just picked it up to read for the hell of it.
Log in to FiMFiction three years later. PP is still posting his fic reviews.
Something is right with the world. Thank you for existing, you beautiful person.
4272884
Thank you for coming back. :D
4272932 Thank me when you slaughter the next fic I write! Or is that, thank me by slaughtering? I look forward to either!