Present Perfect vs. Petriculture · 4:33pm Nov 24th, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving, Usans! I ain't got shit to do this morning, so have a vs. blog, I haven't done one of those in a while! :V
Kwakerjak's Petriculture is probably not the first fic someone would name if asked for their favorites. But it's ranked 25th overall on the site (at this very moment), and it's been popular ever since it was released on EQD back in 2012. It's the start of the "Petriculture Cycle" and even has its own group. This is the first of Kwakerjack's stories I will have ever read, so let's see what all the fuss is about, shall we?
I think I can safely say this story has earned its place in Fimfiction's top 50 honestly: by being about something interesting and exploring it in a competent fashion. The question of what, exactly, rock farming is leads Twilight on a long chase after an ever-growing mystery, there's plenty of humorous moments, and while 2/3 of this left me feeling pleased if less than excited, the big reveal changed everything.
Because let me tell you, this story is super low-key up until that reveal, which lends it the precise amount of weight to be terrifically earth-shattering. And for a pre-S4 explanation of S1 events, this is really, really creative, fascinating, and just flat mind-blowing, not to mention bizarrely plausible.
There are a few issues, mostly things like LUS that plagued early fics, but at least that gets more creative than the standard color-species identifiers. I think I caught a POV shift in there, too. I'm really reaching for things to criticize, though.
I mean, if there's anything to complain about, it's the twist being the big draw (and hopefully I didn't spoil its very existence to anyone who hasn't read this; I'm certainly not going to go into the details!) Unless you're really into early-show slice of life, this doesn't have much to offer beyond it, and once you hit that point, it goes from low-key to, as I said, earth-shattering in a heartbeat.
But yeah, this is a really great piece, and once you're aware of the full premise, it's not one you're likely to forget, either.
4/5
A memorable classic.
Boy, that was short. c.c
Good review and they are so top faves for folks:P
You know, I actually found the second reveal right at the very end to be more mind-blowing, if only because it made way more sense. Discord acts and feels a lot more like an imaginary friend than even Pinkie Pie, because even when I first saw her explanation of rock farming I just accepted it as part of Equestria's weird magical world. Twilight also never struck me as a filly who made imaginary friends, because, well, she was the embodiment of "I don't need friends." Also setting up the rock farming thing as a red herring disappointed me more than anything else.
Having not read this story until now, I guess in hindsight I just feel like I read another of those "guess who's the changeling" stories--a reveal that just doesn't really do anything for me.
Petriculture is a classic for a reason. You'll have a lot to look forward to as you continue reading it.
Petriculture was a good read
Your opinions regarding this story are all virtually identical to mine. I'm not sure what to make of that. :P
It's been in my RiL for a while, but didn't realize it was a classic. Huh. Guess I'll see what all the hubbub is about... eventually.
Thanks for the review, but I must note (as I find myself doing oh-so-often) that my screen name doesn't have a "c" in it.
4315624
I'm definitely going after the sequels now. :)
4315629
They must be right! :V
4315650
Curses, foiled again D:
4315718 The sequels are even better.
It was a good story but.. one I really just, did not get the same level of "Oh this is great" from as most seem to. I can see where that comes from, and it is clever but.. I just really don't care much for that type of "Everything you thought you knew about the show is wrong" type retcon fics. Well retcons in general, but especially those given, as you noted, the entire point and main draw of the story is that retcon twist.
4315718 I second everyone that says the sequels are better. This cycle introduced me to fimfiction and fanfiction in general. Inscape is nearly a philosophical masterpiece, at least that's how I recall it. Not The Hero and Asylum are going to be better stories that deal with philosophy by a wide margin but Petriculture is one of those first-impression-to-ponyfic stories for most people.
4317421
Good to hear. :D