Fanfiction Spotlight #52!

Good Evening Pony readers and writers!

We're back! We've got another exciting year ahead while we prepare for 2018's Everfree Northwest, but as always, we're going to be featuring weekly (and hopefully timely updates if Heartshine can manage it) stories that definitely deserve a little attention. Like the previous years, our staff has been scouring Fimfiction.net for stories that deserve a little more attention than maybe they've been getting, and we're letting you know why you should give them a read! Heartshine did the two reviews this week, and they both have merit, despite being very different genres! Give them a read!

As always, we also are super excited that we're starting a new con year. Sometime in January we will be announcing the yearly Scribblefest contest, and we hope to see you all at Everfree NW itself in May!

Now for the reviews
~Heartshine

---Review by Heartshine---
Paper Butterflies

By Petrichord
Words: 3,750  Complete: Yes
Recommended by Heartshine

I have always been a fan of slice of life pieces, and honestly, this one came out as super cute.  The premise is fairly simple: Discord has been kind of ‘off’ lately, and thus is in a somewhat more pliable mood when Rarity asks him to help out with the summer sun celebration.  From there, he and Big Mac work on making paper butterflies for the party.

While this may seem like it’s an odd setting for a story, what I loved about it was how delicately Petrichord handled the piece.  Having Big Mac and Discord doing a project that is a little out of character for them that turns into a display of their feelings for their friends is a neat idea.  I won’t give away the ending, as Petrichord gives us some set up without a lot of context of what has happened just before this story occurs, but it’s well worth the read.  If anything, for the translation alone of the sole chapter title.  Go check it out if you’re looking for some soft, quiet emotions.

---Review by Heartshine---
The Grim Reaper looks like Paul Bunyan

By Moonbutters
Words: 5,878  Complete: Yes
Recommended by Heartshine

Only completely crazy ponies would go around shipping ponies against their will for their own pleasure.  Right?  Well, good thing the Grim Reaper isn’t a pony.  Even if he apparently looks like Paul Bunyan.  In this rather goofy story, Rainbow Dash and Applejack die.  Together, oddly enough.  So, of course, they have an encounter with the Grim Reaper.  Who happens to have this very zany idea that maybe the two ponies are in love!

This is an absolutely fun, goofy piece.  It’s rather well done for less than 6,000 words, and manages to tell a coherent, silly story through it.  I particularly liked the fact that we get the impression that there is far more to the Grim Reaper than he lets on.  And watching Applejack try to figure out the word ‘love’ is hilarious.  If you need a smile today, I highly recommend this piece.  Which, if you read the previous review, you may need it!