Fic recs, April 1st: Sunset Shipping edition! · 1:57pm Apr 1st, 2018
Oroboro's Sunset Shipping Contest: Changing Seasons.
Whoof.
54 entries, not all of them amazing, but quite a few entirely worth reading. A true celebration of everyone's favorite Sunnybun. So of course, the "EQG" and "Shipping" tags are assumed for all entries. If you're interested in neither, well, that's three months' worth of work I've wasted on you. >:| But non-shippers may want to at least check out (reviews of) these fics:
Love Is in Doom by Aragon
Shot on Goal by Scott Curl
Love Sucks by TheNewYorkBrony
Sunslime by Lightwavers
Dappled Shores by MaxKodan
Stay Away from My Little Sister! by KittyCatOmaniac
And for non-EQGs:
My How the Seasons Go By by The Lone Doctor
Compatī by Corejo (though you may want to wait for the unabridged version to finish)
Once More Into the Night by Undome Tinwe
Sunslime by Lightwavers
Common Ground by stillinbeta
Suns and Roses by Cyrano (though it's still humanized)
Time Goes On by Fangren
It may be April Fool's, but all reviews contained in this blog are perfectly legit! I mean, it's also Easter. Do you expect Easter-themed reviews? <.<
H: 8 R: 16 C: 14 V: 6 N: 11
The Girl Who Couldn't Change by R5h
Genre: Character Piece
A new adversary awakens something in Sunset Shimmer.
I'd heard a lot about this second-place finisher before coming into the contest. It's easy to see why. Front and center, and not just because she's our first-person protagonist, is a Chrysalis crafted for Equestria Girls as a whole new character with a supremely unique backstory. She's got Equestrian magic, just like Sunset and the girls, which lets her do the changeling thing, but even more, she's able to steal the others' powers. Just think about one person having even two of the humane seven's powers; she's a great antagonist! All that said, this really needed to be two or three times longer than it is. I mean, it definitely benefits from being one of the longer entries, but more time to build up both Chrysalis's threat and the shipping is in the cards. And the shipping, on that note, is rather perfunctory. You can see Sunset getting interested in her throughout the story, but the reciprocation comes out of nowhere. Still, it's not enough to ruin the story and means it ends on an interesting note. This is still worth it for the kind of world-building you tend not to see in EQG fics.
Recommended
Blossoms by PoisonClaw
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
At the cherry blossom festival, Rarity takes the opportunity to get closer to Sunset.
This gets off to a good start with Sunset contemplating how unscheduled seasons make life more interesting. That is all I ask from my EQG fics, just little details like that. Then it gets a little weird, with the humane seven attending a cherry blossom-watching festival, which, if you're not aware, is a major Japanese event. It seemed like an odd fit, but hey, Humania isn't exactly like our world, and as the author themself says, Washington, DC has a cherry blossom festival every year. Still, of the over six thousand words in this story, 500 of them are spent describing yukatas. The writing is overall alright, though missing words are an issue. As for the plot, it rides hard on Sunset's superpowers. Like, if she wasn't able to read minds (or conveniently experience narrative dreams), nothing would have happened. And the setting only serves to make the ending dramatic, for all that it's fairly cheesy, and no less tropey than anything else going on here. I will give it points for having Sunset honestly concerned over how a relationship could change her friendships, though I'm not certain kissing someone is the best way to figure out if you want to date them. This is no worse than many other shipfics I've read.
Recommended for Shippers Only
Le Quattro Stagioni by Cirrus Sky
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
Octavia wouldn't have expected to even make friends with Sunset Shimmer, but she did.
SunTavia's not a ship I would have seen coming. There's something freeing about pairing Sunset up with someone outside her circle of friends, though. More importantly, this is romance done well, something I'm a stickler for. We spend a chapter with them getting to know each other over a shared interest, then another of solid friendship tested by events at school. The confession is short-circuited by Sunset's powers, and Octavia is rather angsty, all things considered, but hey, they're in high school. Plus, just when I was starting to worry that Sunset's friends would never make an appearance, one does, so I'd say this covers all the bases. This is how serious shipping should be done.
Recommended
Going to Be a Pink Christmas by Knight Light
Read by Fimfiction
200th Review of 2018!
Genre: Anon-A-Miss
Even after the apologies, Sunset isn't quite ready to forgive.
I still don't know why this awful comic issue continues to provoke the fandom consciousness. Anon-a-Miss is a bad way to start a shipfic, though. Sunset is just angsty as hell, and doesn't trust any of her friends. Of course, this is meant to be shipping, so Pinkie has to have always loved her and just acted like a total idiot all this time. Look, even without the trope, this just doesn't work, and it's obvious the author didn't proofread, as confirmed by the A/N.
Not Recommended
Natural Emotions by MetalJrock2299
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
What are these feelings Starlight gets whenever she's around Sunset?
Starset? Good ship, I approve. But I have a feeling I'm going to get really tired of this contest if all these entries are A) based on each chapter being in a different season, and B) this exasperating. Yes, the whole point of this story is that Starlight doesn't know what a crush is. She doesn't know this for three-quarters of an entire freaking year. I'll be the first to say that Starlight is the dumbest pony ever, but she's not this dumb. This was painfully juvenile.
Not Recommended
Five Bolts, One Sunset by Marwile
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Comedy
The Shadowbolts all have crushes. On the same girl. There's no way this can go horribly wrong.
I mean, some of this is funny, but there's lots of referential and media-awareness jokes with no comedic timing. In some ways, this isn't even a comedy; the plans each of them come up with to get with Sunset, for instance, are by and large very reasonable! I liked that! But the writing really needs some help; there's a lot of phrases that just don't make any sense. This was overall somewhat amusing, but also somewhat exasperating.
Vaguely Recommended
Spring Fever by Scout Charger
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: DramaSunset, straight? So our plot is "Sunset, fifteen years from now, thinks about the day she met Big Mac, to whom she is now married". The bulk of this is thus the flashback to her and Mac talking after the Fall Formal, while drinking hard cider. Because hanging around high schools, handing out alcohol to girls in emotional distress, is a good idea. <.< I'm kind of just picking at reasons to not like this, though. I mean, it's a little gritty and could use another editing pass, but there were like three mistakes, tops. It's a little heavy on both "woe is poor Sunset" and the prompt-as-metaphor, but fuck's sake, at least they used it as a metaphor! This is altogether competent, and if I sound a little unenthusiastic about it, it's entirely because I wasn't invested in the ship.
Recommended for Shippers
Don't Ever Let Me Go by All Art Is Quite Useless
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: AU/Drama
Well, I'm pleased (???) to note that Sunlestia is no less creepy than Twilestia! Ugh, why did I think this would end up being one-sided? What the hell contest is this? >.< Suffice to say, this was some pretty great melodrama up until the requital at the end. Sunset is naive, self-centered and hot-headed, similar to her portrayal in A Moment in the Sun. That's the kind of thing I like to see at this time in her life. And there's nothing more wonderfully cringe-worthy than watching her as a teenager trying to seduce her teacher. This takes a number of liberties the reader will have to deal with: Twilight and Sunset were not students of Celestia at the same time, nor do I think ponies knew about Luna back then. But mainly, if you've got no interest in Twilestia, you're not going to like this. I don't know if the reverse will hold.
Recommended Only for Twilestia Fans
Changes on Film by Jongoji245
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
Sunset helps Juniper Montage with a film project and finds a lot more than she bargained for.
It's sad how many shipfics you can sum up in pretty much the same way. <.< Anyway, this has some writing issues. The second word is 'was', but most of the rest of it is written in present tense (which is just so odd to see alongside third person!) Moreover, there are some phrases that just do not make any sense. So it needs work. That said, I really like the way Juniper was characterized. Only a lonely girl neglected at home would end up pulling the shit she did. It's very light on the shipping, but I can't fault it for trying by the end.
Vaguely Recommended
Red and Gold by Allykitty
Genre: Drama
After returning to Equestria, Sunset's feeling like she doesn't belong. But there's at least one pony who wants to make her feel at home.
I do have a few issues with this. Sunset's extremely angsty, and when things start going south for her quickly, I had to wonder why she didn't just pop back through the mirror. The reactions of random townsponies against her were kind of hard to swallow, and seemed to be more of just making things worse for Sunset. But there is a real understanding of the characters at play here, from holistic callbacks to episodes to Sunset's own feelings about various things. I found more to like than not, in short, and on balance, I enjoyed this.
Recommended for Sunset Fans
Love Is in Doom by Aragon
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Dark Comedy
Just because you're spending all day fighting to stave off the end of the world doesn't mean you shouldn't stop for a break once in a while.
Before reading word one of the story: I wish I was this good at writing descriptions. D: This is a fairly subtle comedy, at least for an Aragon fic. It's the kind of story, for instance, where Rainbow Dash posits that she would let Sunset marry her daughter. But yes, this is a series of scenes outside of all the action, where various groups of the characters talk about killing, boys, and who among them is the handsome one. It's so entirely off-kilter, with fantastic bantering, though I'll warn you, it does get dark in spots. Which is kind of the point. The main plot is actually about Rarity enjoying killing monsters a little too much, but it unfolds alongside so many other things — like the plot about Rarity liking bad boys — it's even hard to pin that down as 'main', and I don't mean that as a bad thing! There's an amazing running gag about Pinkie in a clown nose; there's another about Applejack getting on Fluttershy's nerves. I might be writing this review as I go; it's a bad habit. This is just completely nuts and written in a style you don't often see on this site. Make sure you read it.
Highly Recommended
Valentine's Shimmer by DrakeyC
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Mystery
Valentine's Day was really getting Sunset down. Now she has a secret admirer. Or maybe more than one?
We've all seen secret admirer stories before, and this one doesn't have much to offer on the classic setup. That said, once the secret comes out, it turns out there's a lot more to this. If nothing else, after Sunset starts suspecting her friends, I became worried it might end in drama. Happily, it does not. And in fact, the mystery isn't even put to rest completely by the end. So maybe this does offer something more.
Recommended
To Thaw a Frozen Heart by itsyaboiross
Genre: Drama
Sunset wasn't really sure she'd wanted to defeat the Sirens that way. And she definitely didn't want them to end up like this.
Sundagio just is not a ship I really get. There's too much to get through to make it work, if you ask me. At least this story recognizes that going season by season means there's a lot of downtime at play, so maybe that's a step in the right direction. Still, this is extremely angsty. I mean, they found a way to make Sunset angsty about winning. That takes effort! Adagio meanwhile is tsundere as fuck, and while I like how she just kind of insinuates herself into Sunset's life without so much as a by-your-leave, this is a story which measures its romance in violation of personal space. The writing's not bad, maybe a tad flowery, but definitely better than I was expecting. And I guess the ending's cute?
Recommended for Sundagio Fans
Autumn Showers Bring Sunflowers. by Jlargent
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
Gloriosa Daisy goes to the city and runs into a familiar face.
This is not how romance works. This is not even how stories work. The writing in this piece is unutterably dull, overly detailed, and has the gall to tell us things like when we've entered a dream sequence. Or left one. A full half of this story is Sunset explaining Equestria, telling her life story and summing up the last three movies for Gloriosa, who then tells Sunset she has a crush on her. (Let's be real: it's no less creepy than Timber macking on Twilight.) Cue sleeping together. I don't, I can't; not only was this tiring, it's entirely bad. I can't think of the last time I read a story so wholly committed to refusing to tell a story
Not Recommended
My How the Seasons Go By… by The Lone Doctor
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Humanized Historical Crossover
When Marble Pie embarked on her Rumspringa, she had no idea who she might meet.
First, let's talk tags. This isn't humanized ponies, but humanized queegees. Seriously, there's a town in this story called Canterlot, and it's got a horse theme, but it's in Oregon. Sunset is described as 'ginger' and Pinkie is a brunette. This is very obviously EQG molded to fit with a version of our world that has one or more portals to Equestria. Second, it takes place in 1972. This is due to the connection with the author's other story, which is set during the Vietnam War. Now, all that aside, this is only the second fic I've read that involves the Pie Family and a Rumspringa, the other not yet having been published. I really like the way it's handled, though for the most part, it exists solely to set up some gayngst, as Marble wrestles with being attracted to girls while being part of a strict religious sect. The writing is a little plain, and there are typos and bobbling of EME, but my one real complaint is that there's a whole novel's worth of material glossed over in part one. I mean, it was either a time or word limit issue, most likely, but what comes after that part suggests a whole slew of character-building moments that we never get to see. Sadly, this also includes the shipping, but at least that's based off of actual, y'know, dates, even if it's all love-at-first-sight for Marble. I have to stress though, I really liked this, and it is almost enough to get me interested in that aforementioned related story… Except that's basically "What if Fall of Equestria happened in Vietnam?" and I'm scairt. D:
Recommended If You Don't Mind Fast Pacing
Tripped Out by Majin Syeekoh
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drugs!
So one day, Twilight decides she wants to try dropping acid…
The centerpiece to this, for me, is the identity of who Twilight gets the acid from. I'm not gonna spoil it, it's totally worth experiencing and an absolute hoot. Other than that, this is a pretty darned good piece about reconciling with your own past, as well as romantic feelings, spurred on by an acid trip. And it's not quite as psychedelic as I thought it would be. It also serves as a good example for how to drop acid safely, which I approve of. So if you want to see how the combination of illegal drugs, good Sunset angst and shipping coalesce into a worthwhile whole, check this out.
Recommended
Compatī (Abridged) by Corejo
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Dark/Drama
A lingering reminder of Princess Luna's past still haunts Sunset Shimmer.
I was gonna do a compare/contrast between versions of this story, but the unabridged one isn't done yet. D: Oops. Anyway, absolutely everything about this, from the abusive relationship plaguing Sunset to Princess Luna going through the portal, is original and fascinating. Luna's written wonderfully, stoic, graceful and dignified (except for right after she gets through the mirror, of course). And the link between her, Nightmare Moon and Sunset is just not something I'd have ever thought to explore, that's for sure. I will say it feels compressed, so the unabridged version, whenever it's done, will be entirely welcome. But this avails itself well of what it's trying to do, and I hope everyone will check it out.
Recommended
Love Through the Ages by CommissarAJ
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Future Fic
Twilight Sparkle was the last person Sunset would have expected to come back into her life.
I seem to have hit a slate of authors willing to try new things. I like it! :D In this case, Twilight and Sunset were an item back in high school. But now a decade and change have passed, friends have drifted apart, and Sunset's probably still a little bitter about everything that happened, even if she's not willing to admit it. Watching the two of them start getting to know each other again was really rewarding, and the back and forth of past and present was handled extremely well. This is solid!
Recommended
The Fourth Season by PaulAsaran
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
Applejack invites Sunset over for a day of farmwork and definitely nothing else.
What I love about this is that Sunset's constant heart-fluttering and whatnot isn't because she's a horny teenager. There's more to this (granted, it's right there in the description, but it's not really explained until the end), and even more than the "Sunset's been in relationships with her friends previously" angle that really hooked me in the first place. When I react poorly to shipfics, it's often because I forget there are two ways to approach romance; this is a story that uses the adult approach without forgetting what makes young love so exciting in the first place. Really excellent stuff.
Highly Recommended
Shot on Goal by Scott Curl
Genre: Slice of Life
Three days later, Sunset is still stinging from what she said to Rainbow Dash.
This is actually very light on the shipping, being more about Sunset and how she deals with her problems. It's got some interesting stuff, too, like her talking to Celestia through a plush doll and Dash calling her "Sunshim". (Note: By the end of the contest, I have gotten tired of seeing this.) It doesn't take a whole lot of chances, but it definitely accomplishes what it sets out to do. At least in the context of this contest, I'd rather have "safe but effective" over some of the other stories I've had to read.
Recommended
Love Sucks by TheNewYorkBrony
Reading by Voiceguy
Genre: Comedy
Fluttershy really needs to stop sucking Sunset's blood so much.
I was going to ding this for having the joke be given away in the cover art, but the reason for the intervention is revealed pretty early on and the actual punchline made me laugh. Short, simple and funny, this is worth reading.
Recommended
Voices Lost by DwarvishPony
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
When Sunset learns the full extent of what she did to the Sirens, she takes it upon herself to understand Adagio a little better.
The one weird thing about this that might be a bar to entry for some is how it treats Sunset's mind-reading powers. We've only ever seen them usable via touch before, minus the one time in that one short where her powers were on the fritz, and then she heard everyone. In other words, she's never had the kind of focused telepathy written in this piece. If you're okay with that, though, this is seriously rewarding. Deception written from the part of the deceiver is always a real thrill, and watching Adagio try and sucker Sunset into helping her was delicious. I may just be inexplicably captivated by the image of Adagio playing violin, but this is Sundagio I can really get behind. Fuck, that was good.
Highly Recommended
The Seasons of Earth and Love by RainbowSparkle3
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
Sunset confesses her crush to Rainbow Dash. But how long will their relationship last?
I was honestly surprised by this. I mean, the question posed in the description leaves this with a 50/50 outcome, yet — not to spoil anything — the author figured out a way to have the best of both worlds, and the ending is stronger for it. That said, parts of this could stand some rework. It's telly in places, I found myself taking umbrage at human Dash being called the Element of Loyalty (would Sunset even know that?), and I'm pretty sure Gummy doesn't exist as flesh and blood in Humania. I was ready to get upset at this the moment Rainbow reciprocated the crush, but the circumstances thereof actually saved it in my eyes. The worst part, though, is chapter two, which involves a long and extremely dull textual explanation of a fighting game match. I also really hated Sunset's monologue at the end, which is basically "Here's how the prompt fits the theme of this story!" But I will always appreciate shipfics that depict relationships instead of just ending in a kiss. "Not your average shipfic" is all I ever ask for.
Recommended If You Prefer Relationships Over Confessions
Laughing Sickness by Piece Bot
Review #4900!
Genre: Slice of Life
With Sunset sick, Pinkie Pie tries to cheer her up.
This is pretty rough. Like, rough draft. <.< There are all kinds of editing mistakes, and the story itself is flatly told, fast paced and too short. Honestly nothing to recommend here. Really striking out on these milestones.
Not Recommended
Once More Into the Night by Undome Tinwe
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
All things considered, Princess Luna is not the pony Sunset was expecting her to be.
When I finished this story, it was good; the more I think about it, though, the greater it gets. This is some really fantastic bonding between two characters who have a lot more in common than I ever really considered. I adore the way Luna is written: passionate, able to tell jokes (boy howdy, does she troll Sunset good), moody when the need strikes. Sunset meanwhile seems to have learned not so much "don't be evil" from her loss to the humane six as "know when to let it out". When you put two characters into a relationship, you really have to consider what each adds to it; this is a story that has done just that, and aims to show you what those additions are.
Highly Recommended
Pointlessly Cruel by forbloodysummer
Genre: Trollfic
What cruel universe would give Twilight Sparkle to Flash Sentry, only to take her away?
Oh boy, Flashset finally! I mean, uh, have a thousand words of Flash Sentry pining after Twilight in a Sunset shipping contest? :V This was hilarious, though. Flash just gets mopier and mopier and more and more out of whatever little character, and the punchline is superb. I lol'd.
Troll Recommended
Sunset & Sunrise vs. Evil by King of Beggars
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Dark Comedy
Sunset just really wants her friends to like her girlfriend, as hard as that may be.
In many ways, this feels like two stories stuck together. The first is a very well set-up piece about Sunset wanting her jerkass girlfriend to get along with her friends. It takes Strawberry Sunrise — arguably the best part of season seven — uses her one-note appearance as the blueprint for her character, then asks, "How could someone love that?" And then, y'know, answers that question. The main issue, of course, is Strawberry's long-standing feud with Applejack. Once that's resolved, surprisingly quickly, we get another story, also set up well, about an abandoned summer camp originally run by Crystal Prep, and the tragedy that took place there some years ago. This culminates in a bunch of killings, a creepy supernatural source, and a surprisingly funny comedic undercutting of the whole situation. So while the pacing is maybe not the greatest, this ends up being a lot of fun, if a good bit more focused on boobs than a lot of EQG fics I've read lately. <.<
Recommended
Four Dresses of Love by elmago02 and andrizzi
Genre: Slice of Life
Rarity was quite surprised when Sunset asked her out.
This won't interest anyone who isn't into the ship. It's the kind of story that's content to just be amazed that these two characters are in love, nothing more. I will say, it's really cute, and their chemistry is solid, from the vulnerability of Sunset asking Rarity out for the first time, to the steamier and more romantic scenes later. There is a little oddness to some of the word choices, but otherwise? This isn't too bad.
Recommended for Shippers
Sunslime by Lightwavers
Genre: Crackshipping
The Smooze is in love with Sunset Shimmer. And it can teleport.
Oh my god. This is hilarious, but I will admit, it's one of those comedy fics where you can tell the author was running out of steam toward the end. It just sort of stops, with a fairly weak punchline, despite all the good running gags that led up to that point. I'd say it's still worth reading. Not gonna find too many Smooze shipfics, I'll bet!
Recommended for Laughs
Wintry Sunbelle by Rixec
Read by Fimficton
Genre: Slice of Life
Rarity has a date, and Sweetie Belle needs a babysitter. Good thing Sunset came through at the last minute.
Coming into this story, some tiny, stupid part of me clung to naive hope that this wouldn't be creepy pedo bait. Alas, this is not the "Sunset Shimmer and Characters With Unrequited Crushes on Her" contest, and this story was way creepier than I could have anticipated. :/ Look, it comes down to two things: A) it's hard believing Sunset is anything but a mature woman in a teenager's body; B) it's hard to believe Sweetie is a freshman, let alone a sophomore like this story says. Yes, that puts them at most three years apart in physical age, but the characters are not three years apart. And in high school, there's so much development going on that even two years represents a huge step between people. So between that, the need for an editor, and the weird focus on feet, this is just not a story I could ever recommend. And why was the window open? D:
Not Recommended
Through a Mirror, Lovely by Two Bit
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Selfcest
The alien doppelganger who came through the portal was a far more interesting person than Sunset could ever have expected.
So this totally wins Best Idea. I never get tired of reading about what might have become of human Sunset, and shipping the two of them? Fantastic. This gets into a lot of really cool "differences between Equestria and Humania" world-building, not to mention it goes quite a lot further with the initial concept than I would have expected. If you're not into shipping, you might not appreciate the romance angle, but hot damn, this was an idea that lived up to my expectations!
Highly Recommended
Sunlight Glimmer by ajvasquezbrony28
Genre: Slice of Life
Starlight and Sunset talk about their future.
The problems with this include editing problems, brevity of execution and very little being in the story beyond what's laid out in the description. I mean, the two of them discussing what their future might look like is kind of interesting (and this also suggests that Sunset was previously dating her human self), but there's just not a whole lot here, and what's here isn't all that great.
Not Recommended
If Time Could Rewind by Silvania
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
I hate to get so caught up in the quality of the writing that I can't address the content, but this is so distractingly nonsensical, it's incomprehensible at times. I approve of using fanfiction to exercise your English skills, but please get a native speaker as an editor. It will only help you learn!
Not Recommended
Common Ground by stillinbeta
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Comedy
The newest petitioner to Princess Celestia unexpectedly has a lot in common with Princess Luna.
In some ways, perhaps because I've already seen Lunset fics by this point in the contest, this is a very basic approach to the ship. But darned if I didn't like it. It's not actually tagged comedy, but I found it quite amusing, Sunset and Luna having great chemistry and a lot of fun banter. I would agree with Wanderer's comment, in that Luna is written somewhat more juvenile than she really should be, but that didn't dampen my overall enjoyment of this piece. It's fun!
Recommended for Laughs
Acting Like You're Happy by Smjames
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
To Sunset's eye, there's something off about Juniper Montage… and very familiar.
What's great about this is Juniper introducing Sunset to the world of movies, an entire medium she'd never really explored on her own. It also really dives into Juniper's character, giving some real weight to what could have just been surface angst. That said, this is one of those "fall for your savior" kinds of setups, but I think the effort put into the character work ultimately saves it from being too tropey.
Recommended
Suns and Roses by Cyrano
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: AU/Historical Crossover/Thriller
All Sunset and Roseluck have to do is get across the border. The cops can't touch them then.
Have I ever mentioned how much I love the 1920's? <.< The fashion, the music, Prohibition, speakeasies, gangsters, and definitely not the way women and minorities were treated. :B But I've long wanted to write a Bonnie and Clyde, cops-and-robbers getaway romance, and this scratches that itch and how. Given that, with its setup, this could easily be a story about two OCs, a lot of effort is put into fleshing out Roseluck's character and background before we dive right into the shooty-shooty. They're also not the only canon characters in this, but I'll leave the other as a surprise. Suffice to say, I have no idea why I love stories like this as much as I do, but this is one of the best I've ever read.
Highly Recommended
Sunset in the Otherworld by Impossible Numbers
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: AU/Adventure
Sunset Shimmer will go anywhere and do anything to save the mare she loves.
With (as of writing this) nearly 5000 reviews under my belt, and hundreds more stories read, I'm at the point in my life as an MLP fanfiction reader where I'm really looking for different. And finding originality in fanfiction is something of a zero-sum game, as fanfic is, by its very nature, derivative. Enter this story. This takes place in what I can only guess is a Nightmare Moon AU. I say "can only guess" because the first thing I love about this piece is that it wastes no time in casual world-building. There's maybe one entire scene of ponies standing around, talking about how things work; the rest is left to the reader to piece together. You just don't see that. But while ponies are living in eternal night, who and what Sunset encounters in the world between life and death really leaves me wondering about everything. So, no, this is not a story about its setting, but about the journey Sunset goes on to try and save Applejack from death. And what's really amazing about the whole thing is that both worlds are so utterly different from the Equestria we know, this could have been a story about either one; putting them together really hammers home the "this is how it is". It's so how it is, no one questions it, and you shouldn't either. If this story has a weakness, it would be the shipping, which is almost nonexistent. But that's really only a downside in terms of "finishing well in a shipping contest". I'm evaluating these fics on their own merits, and I am quite happy to say that I really loved this.
Highly Recommended
Complex Apartments by Phaoray
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Drama
Fluttershy never expected Sunset to live in the apartment across the hall from hers. Or to need her for comfort late at night. Or to be the object of her affections.
A Short Guide on How to Make Things Difficult for Yourself in the Sunset Shipping Contest:
- Set your story before the first movie.
- Ship her with Fluttershy.
Phaoray set themselves up for what I would have thought was an impossible task, yet flew through it with ease. From the start of Sunset's plan to the dissolution of Fluttershy's friendships, from Sunset's breakup with Flash to reconciliation after the demon thing, this covers all the bases and does so believably. The chief reason is the portrayal of Sunset as reluctant bully. She's driven by vengeance, no doubt about that, and she's quite good at manipulating and using people. But she's not evil, and it takes her some time to get used to the things she has to do to get her revenge, really driving home the difference in nature between humans and ponies. Now, with all that said, there's one scene in this story that gives me pause. The class is at the beach, Fluttershy is being sexually harassed by Thunderlane and Rumble, Sunset comes and saves her; then Sunset starts doing the same, only worse. I'm honestly just not sure how to feel about it in the context of the piece as a whole. But I'm going to give this a nod and hope that it spurs discussion, because I'd really like to hear what other people think.
Recommended
Sunsetting by Solstice Shimmer
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Future Fic
Is Sunset too obsessed with work to appreciate the important things in life?
Maybe it's just from comparison to the previous story, but this didn't do a whole lot for me. The writing needs editing, and the dialogue tends to be flat. Moreover, I wasn't really convinced this was the future, given how much time Sunset spends whining about the past and feeling sorry for herself. It often felt like they were the exact same characters, just wearing office formal. The shipping did nothing for me. There's maybe something to this, just in the depiction of Sunset as a workaholic, but eh.
Vaguely Recommended
Two of a Kind, You and I by GenerousGypsy
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Selfcest
Sunset Shimmer never thought she'd meet herself. Or that she'd be so cute.
This is so bizarre, just this side of crackfic, and for most of its length, revels in its own ridiculousness, like pony Sunset and friends being a para-military group. That said, I was surprised to see this story actually start exploring a bit of what having a relationship with another version of yourself might entail. Okay, well, it doesn't go terribly deep into that territory, but at least there's more than the initial statements of attraction and interest. I will say I felt the ending needed work. It feels like the author realized they'd created this whole new world to play in but was coming up on the deadline and had to choose between exploration and the word count. It does leave this ending on a highly compressed and ultimately very easy note, for all that that doesn't make me less interested in a sequel. I dunno, this still took risks, and I appreciate that.
Recommended
Four Seasons by Extradimensional Alien
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
Sunset and Flash shouldn't have been that surprised to run into each other at a class reunion. But, well, here they are.
The author's not a native English speaker, and I always appreciate the efforts of those willing to create in another language. Normally, the fact that they need a better editor would not have been enough to drive me away from this: not the wooden dialogue or confusing word choices, not even the awkward way the first chapter is structured. No, it's Flash accusing his old bandmates of "shipping" him with Sunset that destroyed my desire to continue reading. And that's halfway through the first chapter. c.c I dunno. Also, by this point in the contest, I have had entirely enough of heavy-handed seasonal metaphors, thank you.
DNF: 1/4
Changing Seasonings by RhetCon
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Light Comedy
Sunset is a notoriously poor cook. Time for Pinkie to help her learn!
The main problem with this: Where's the shipping? I mean, they get together at the end, sure, but something is distinctly missing. We're in Sunset's POV for a good three-quarters of the story if not more, and never once does she show any interest in Pinkie. It's obvious to the reader that Pinkie set up the whole 'teach Sunset how to cook' thing to get close to her, but even when Sunset has a dream about having hot chocolate with Pinkie, nothing is made of it on her end, so the heart-shaped omelette comes out of nowhere. The second problem? More than once, this story just does not make sense. Go read the paragraph up to "still harming Sunset" to see what I mean. This is another one that needed a better editor.
Not Recommended
Time Goes On by Fangren
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: AU
Princess Celestia decides to introduce her personal students to each other. Surely, they'll be good friends.
Lucky me, I get to read the non-contest version with three extra chapters. :V I can't knock it too much; this is some of the best friendshipping you could ever ask for. The added chapters unbalance the story somewhat in favor of the friendship aspect of their relationship (over, say, how they were as enemies), but you can really believe the gradual transition from rivals to friends. That said, the actual shipping is somewhat perfunctory, and again, compared to the care taken to show their relationship growing as friends, it stands out with how telly and underdeveloped it is. The ending's a letdown, in other words, but I won't say the journey's not worth it.
Recommended for Friendshipping Fans
The Season Of by RadiantBeam
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Slice of Life
Sunset just doesn't get spring.
It's a RariSet shipfic. I got nothin'. Sure, I like that there's talk about how things are different in Equestria and Humania, but I never really got into it, you know? Actual problems include a POV shift and some flowery referentials, though it's otherwise decently written. But after reading how many of these? I'm just not here for 'standard'.
Vaguely Recommended
The Bet by Paradigm Shift
Read by Fimfiction
Genre: Comedy
Sunset should have finished reading the story before she took the bet.
This is not how you do anything: not romance, not friendship, not characterization, and I'm going to spoil the whole story because I need to rant about it. In this fic, Twilight and the girls get Sunset to read a fanfic Rarity wrote about the two of them going on "the perfect date", and then set up a bet whereby Sunset will act out the fanfiction with the actual Rarity. Sunset goes through with it because she really wants what they're offering, but starts to wonder how real everything is after a while. I was rather upset by this, foremost because I couldn't see Sci-Twi doing any of it. It's also really hard to accept greed as a motivator when Sunset's actively thinking about how wrong everything feels. She's risking her friendship with Rarity over a motorcycle! She literally says that to herself! Also there's the whole "I'm straight and the fic ends in a sex scene" thing. But I found myself wondering things like "wouldn't Rarity recognize this poem she wrote that Sunset just spouted off?" Which, y'know, should have been a sign that what's actually going on isn't what it appears to be. And yeah, they come clean with each other eventually, which was good, and the ending is even clever and funny, but by that point, I had built up so much ill will toward this story, I just had no interest in finding out how much of a ride I'd been taken on. So I'm tempted to NR this, but really, it's just a question of how much you're willing to trust an author when it doesn't seem like they know how to write the characters. First impressions are everything.
Vaguely Recommended
...But It Often Rhymes by Posh
Genre: Drama
For Sunset, Cheerilee will always be the one who got away. And Miss Cheerilee isn't exactly the same person…
Ladies and gentlemen, our contest winner! Hands-down, the best written and conceptualized romance in the contest, also playing with the whole "adult on one side, teenager on the other". On the other hand, what the fuck, Miss Cheerilee? D: I'm with VP Luna on this one. But -- and I'll admit, I was pretty dull and missed this -- it's clear that Cheerilee is not exactly together. This is not the sweeping, epic romance you might otherwise think. Creepy, but handles a difficult subject with, if not panache, then an eye toward tragedy. And I like me some tragedy!
Recommended
Serenading the Fading Light by Flash Notion
Genre: Drama
Sunset's done a good job helping Sonata turn her life around. So why is Sonata suddenly acting out?
This story has two tags, slice of life and drama, and I have to say the first is kind of better. I really liked seeing Sunset and Sonata's life as roommates, Sonata has a really good motivation for what she did with the other Sirens, and pretty much all the characters are used well. The drama, eh. There's a lot of unnecessary telling to fill us in on how things got this way, and toward the end, Sunset gets angsty. (It got very mainstream supernatural romance, if you know what I mean.) But, there's also a third part of this story, the "what's up with Sonata?" part, and I'm very happy with the way that turned out. Not just because it's my jam, but also because it wasn't "she's acting out because crush on Sunset". I mean, that would have just been bad. So for all that this overextends itself by the end and would have been perfectly fine as a friendshipping piece, I did come away from it with a positive outlook, and that's all you need, sometimes.
Recommended for Sonata (and Sunata) Fans
Dappled Shores by MaxKodan
Genre: Dramedy
How important is a TV show, anyway?
This isn't just the third-place winner, it's also an RCL inductee! (How did I not read it sooner? I suck.) This surprised me by having Sunset and Rarity already be a couple at the start; quite unusual, given what I've come to expect from this contest! But… damn. I mean, wow, the way the comedy snowballs ever so slowly across the breadth of the story, the down-to-earth, self-deprecating dialogue, the perfect spaghetti incidents? It's all perfect. Not to mention how well this portrays a relationship between Sunset and Rarity, it's hands-down the best Sunsarity fic in the lot. (Which is saying something, there've been a ton.) I'm not sure I can adequately explain why this story works so well, but it absolutely does. I think I'd even recommend this to non-shippers.
Highly Recommended
Seasons of Life by SoulFyre
Genre: Slice of Life
Even if Dappled Shores weren't an impossible act to follow up, this would be a letdown. There's no chemistry, the dialogue is uninteresting, the narrative is wooden and the whole thing comes out flat. It's all just very standard, as shipfics go, and I think we know by now how I feel about that.
Not Recommended
Communicating With a Musician by Toron and Zeno
Genre: Drama
Vinyl Scratch is the one student at CHS Sunset's just never had anything to do with before.
I will give this credit: it's a unique ship, and I always like reading about mute Vinyl. It's handled well and adds something to the story. But the writing is pretty flat and the paragraphs are just enormous. It felt like reading large bricks of writing. I hope the author keeps at it!
Not Recommended
Sweet and Sour by Morning Sun
Genre: Crazy Internal Monologue
I've got the biggest crush on Sunset, and I'm gonna make sure she has the best day ever!Sour Sweet where? Come journey with Pinkie Pie, in her head, being Pinkie Pie! This is a riot. I'm honestly just impressed Morning kept this up for as long as it goes! This is amazing, because it's comedic and sad and still has shipping and I'm not going to spoil the end but it will make you howl. >:V What a thing!
Recommended
Don't Look Back in Anger by Super Trampoline
Genre: Slice of Life
The weird thing about this is it's like Sunset and Flash are just sort of in our world? Maybe it's the lack of horse puns, not that I am complaining. And I suppose it can be said that the setting just doesn't mesh with what's going on. But I like the way this is written, I like Sunset's voice, I especially like that she's back with Flash. This is some of Trampoline's best work. The "Communist Russia version", not so much.
Recommended
Expect the Unexpected by Onyx Archer
Genre: Light Comedy
What are the human world's Sunset and Starlight like?
The description makes a big deal out of how this was a last-minute rushed entry; it shows. I won't deny it's got a great premise, though, with human Sunset and Starlight a couple somewhere far, but not too far, away. But the dialogue has a lot of issues… look, I won't go on, the author knows what they did. Hopefully they can revisit this sometime.
Vaguely Recommended
Stay Away from My Little Sister! by KittyCatOmaniac
Genre: Comedy
Sunset incurs the wrath of the eldest Pie sister.
So glad this isn't about another CMC. I mean, with that title, can you blame me for being paranoid? But this is maybe the best use for Limestone I've ever seen. Just, go check this out. It's light on the shipping but quite funny, and I, of course, love Limestone, so I'm all about watching her do pretty much anything.
Recommended
My God, man, did you really go through all those stories? That sounds like something I'd subject myself to, y'know?
Also, hoorah for a HR! Pardon me whilst I brush the dust off my shoulder and put on a high-brow air.
That's a hell of a lot of reading and reviews! Good job.
Hope you're ready for this year's contest in a few months. :3
I do regret not entering this. I should probably dust off my idea at some point... even if it does involve Flash Sentry in a romantic context.
4830135
It's a lot of work, but this one at least was really rewarding. :D
4830162
oh fuck you :|
4830183
Nothing wrong with that!
Bah, and that is now four people who have mentioned the beach scene as issuey in Complex Apartments.
Comically, because I saw Paul was going to review it soon, I went through and cleaned the story up a few days ago, added a few hundred words, took some out, and I thought I had softened that beach scene up. Though I suppose it depends on when you read it, considering the crazy amount of stories you just reviewed.
Thank for the review and if you haven't seen the changes on that scene then I hope I managed to tone it down slightly for future readers.
You absolute madman, you actually did them all in one post.
Thanks for the review! I was surprised you thought that Chrysalis's feelings for Sunset were less built up, when all the time I was writing it I was worried about selling Sunset's feelings. Food for thought, I guess.
I'm also surprised you found Posh's entry so objectionable, although I see where you're coming from there at least. I thought it did a remarkable job of being non-creepy.
4830191
If it was a few days ago, then no, I haven't seen it. :B (Check the original comment date I left to be sure?)
4830195
The situation is creepy. There's nothing not creepy about it. The only way to make it not creepy is to have Cheerilee act like a goddamn adult and deny Sunset's affections. It doesn't matter if Sunset's an adult on the inside. Argh!
I get really bent out of shape about stuff like that. D: Now, if the final scene is meant to show that this is actually Cheerilee from Equestria, things are way different and the story becomes great. But if that was the idea, it was too subtle, and Posh has yet to confirm it one way or another. c.c
Man...this is my first review here. Should I have prepared a speech or something? Or coffee, or tea?
Excuse me while I try to calm down.
Wow you are one busy reviewing beaver!
(I'm being fatuous, of course. Sunset in the Otherworld didn't try to cram about two-times-umpteen different ideas into a quarter as many scenes, and in hindsight it was considerably less jumpy and slapdash in its transitions. The comparison just amused me.)
I will clarify that it's not a Nightmare Moon AU, though. The setting is entirely different altogether, dominated by Luna and the Tantabus. It was predominantly night-themed, in a world which functioned without a sun or days, which might have given you that Eternal Night => Nightmare Moon impression.
Also my first review here and even if it‘s only VR I‘m greatly honored. I‘ll try my best to improve so that if I get another review here it‘ll be better.
Wow, good on you for getting through all of those. And I'm not really surprised by the final recommendation you gave my story, and I'm satisfied with it. I'm currently in the process of expanding what Time Goes On started, beginning with the transition from friends to lovers in a separate fic. Once it reaches the events of the final chapter of Time Goes On, I'm probably going to rework that for the new fic and give Time Goes On a new ending.
To be honest, I hadn't really considered expanding the enemies-to-friends part of their relationship before, but now that you've brought it up I can see why you'd want to see more of it. So thank for bringing it up! I can't guarantee I'll get around to doing anything about it anytime soon, but it'd on the to-do list at least.
4830278
Like, seriously, seriously, just a single chapter of "this is how much Twilight's life sucks right now". And maybe one or two on the shipping end. >.>
This is why people write novels. :B
I like how I'm at the point where I write a story where the girls gleefully murder monsters with baseball bats and literally bathe in their blood, and it's categorized as subtle. It's a skill, man.
Oh who am I kidding, I love that story. Its high concept is still super appealing to me ("The coffee breaks at the end of the world") so I'm glad to see people enjoyed it.
Funny to see you review a batch of stories I'm so familiar with, by the way. As usual, we agree on some things and disagree on others. I would have given Majin a HR, and tbh I think you let your personal bias get waaay too much in the way with Posh? I hate student-teacher romances too, I don't read them unless necessary, but it seems like all your beef with the fic is that you dislike the concept.
Which, like, fine. I dislike it too. But saying that the entire story is bad, or that it gets no recommendation unless it goes against its very core concept, while disregarding everything else in it? Like writing, character, etc? I mean, teacher-student stuff is a thing, it's an established sub-genre.
I don't think that review was fair, full disclosure. At least say "this is so not for me that I won't comment on it" or something; I wouldn't review a Sparity fic myself, but if I did, I wouldn't give it zero stars just because "you have shit taste in pairings". I have no idea reading this if the story is good or not or what. I just know you dislike a genre. Posh got the short end of the stick, and seeing how the story won, I'd reckon something more in depth would be appropiate.
That said, I'm sure this was a lot of effort, and congrats on getting it done. Lots of fucking entries you had to pull through, mate. Good one there.
4830290
Haha, I'll keep that in mind. If it's just one chapter on the 'enemies' end then it'll just be down to me getting the right inspiration. Though it's already turning out to be much more than one or two chapters on the shipping end...
Jesus, that's a lot of fics you got through for this. Glad you enjoyed mine and hope you're enjoying the current version as it's coming out!
Well, that's quite a big pile of work you went through, I'm impressed.
Anyway, thanks for all the reading, thinking and working that went into these reviews. I think all writers are grateful for what you did here.
I wish you a happy Easter, a great day and that you may not suffer to many April fools jokes.
Four thousand, nine hundred (and now even higher) reviews, that's absolutely insane—and I mean that in the best possible way. It's super cool of you to write a small review for each of these stories, I only wish I had that kind of dedication.
I absolutely adore the 20's for all the reasons you mentioned, which was part of what made Suns and Roses so much fun to write. Thank you so, so much for the recommendation, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!
4830315
And it's wrong and bad and needs to be addressed as such in-text.
Don't get too upset, though, a "No Recommendation" is actually better than "Not Recommended". It's just me saying, whoa, not touching this. And I will change the rating to something if Posh ever confirms my take on the ending.
4830367
Guhh, thank you so much for writing that fic and making me happy in all the wrong ways ;_;
I don't say this often. But you seriously misread my story on two points. At least one of those has skewed your review.
1. I assume, as does EqG, that the events of all the movies and specials take place during the same schoolyear. The fall formal was only within the last few months of the story's timeframe. When Cheerilee says she's liked Sunset "since the fall formal," she's saying "since last November." Or October. Or whatever. The point is, her feelings for Sunset do not go back years, and she gets annoyed at Sunset floating the possibility of such a crush, because Cheerilee (jokes about the previous draft of the story aside) is not a sexual predator.
2. The Cheerilee in the final chapter is not the Equestrian Cheerilee. I am legitimately baffled as to how you came to think this. That is not an interpretation that anyone else who reviewed the chapter came away with. I don't see how you did (I've re-read the chapter, myself, and I don't see it at all) and while it would fundamentally change the nature of the story if it were the Equestrian Cheerilee, I'm not convinced that it'd be for the better. It would only create a series of plotholes and undercut the entire premise of the story.
Which would only make the story worse.
One final note: You said, in your review of the story proper, that you didn't quite understand what I was going for. This...
...is what I was going for. Cheerilee is insecure and feels inferior to her girlfriend. That's it. That's literally it. That's what I was going for. That's the point of the chapter. If I write a sequel, that's going to be the point of the sequel.
I usually find it tacky to engage with negative criticism of a story, specifically to go against it; I'm a big enough boy that I can take critique, but I feel like you're seriously short-changing me here. I know the premise is sketchy; I did what I could when drafting and revising to ease back on the sketchiness, and it's still kinda nyeeeeeh in the sketch department, but it is not nearly as bad as you're making it out to be.
For the record, I would have fired Cheerilee, too, in Luna's position.
Penis.
I'm happy to see a review of my and andrizzi story.
The story is indeed simple and cute and aimed to people who like that ship, but I sometimes wish I had written something a bit more deep. I think the oddness in the choice of words was my fault. English isn't my main language, so I sometimes use the wrong words when writting.
Thanks for the review!
I'm amazed you managed to get through all of these, I think I'd get sick of reading the same prompt/premise over and over again no matter what it was
Thanks for the review! There were a few things I wanted to reply to in your review. Sunset did hear Twilight's speech in the first movie, and she obviously knows about the elements of harmony. She's a smart girl, she could easily put two and two together, and in the third movie, she herself made a speech about the elements, so she should know, but I guess that's just sort of headcanon. And while it was suggested, I never explicitly mentioned Pinkie's pet as being alive. I always imagined Pinkie calling her stuffed toy Gummy as her pet. And in The Canterlot Movie Club, Gummy is never actually referred to as a toy. Yeah, I've gotten complaints about the fighting match several times. I made it as a bonding time for Sunset and Rainbow, but I suppose I could've shortened it a little or replaced it with a different activity.
Huh, I thought that was a strong part of the story, but I guess it was a bit much.
I'm really happy this was still recommended despite it's major flaws. Thanks again!
Cheers for the review
Though you really went for the reading marathon to go through so many fics! 
Good show old chap.
It is weird seeing a weekend go by without an episode-chat blog from you.
4830434
There's a typo in your post
It's okay. I fixed it.
PP we need to like compare notes now. I've read nearly all of those and now will have tonagain just so we find one fic we disagree on and can have some sort of Internet fistfight about.
4830506
Thanks. I knew there was a mistake, but I couldn't identify it.
4830510
It's cool. The keys are like, right next to eachhorsecock.
4830514
PP, help. I'm turning into Ebonmane apparently.
I'm sorry if my story was not to your tastes. I did not mean it as a "creepy pedo bait." I thought I was just making a tale about Sunset and Sweetie Belle so that it could stand out. I did not mean or think that the age thing was bad; I have about the same amount between my girlfriend and I. I had intended for it to be a simple high school romance, not some pedo tale. I am sorry if you view me differently because of that.
4830407
Okay, not years, that does make it at least a little better.
The Equestrian Cheerilee thing was two-fold. Part of it is wishful thinking, part of it was the whole "She doesn't know Sunset's going to leave her" thing. I assumed that was meant to foreshadow what will eventually happen to them. And the only way it would make sense to me is if Sunset has already left this Cheerilee once before.
It... probably doesn't actually make sense, but that's what I told myself in the final chapter. c.c Now I just don't know how to feel about the story at all. D:
4830471
I guess it's been a while since I saw the first movie. c.c But yeah, Gummy to my knowledge is a stuffed animal in Humania. Guess I just interpreted that the wrong way.
4830503
Go read redsquirrel's blogs, he's doing the work for me. :V
4830543
It's fine, no reflection on you. The main problem is that Sunset was already an adult when she went through the portal. I had a pair of friends in high school who were dating and a senior and freshman, but the freshman was incredibly mature for her age, which Sweetie is definitely not. I'm extremely sensitive to that kind of thing, but I want to make it clear I am casting aspersions on your story, not on you.
4830623
Do we actually have any indication ( like in the comics or something) of how old sunset is when she goes through the portal?
4830657 That's kind of difficult to determine, as is Sunset's precise age. I played with canon by having her be the same approximate age as both Equestrian and Human Cheerilee (so she's just south of thirty in Often Rhymes, chronologically speaking, despite being eighteen/nineteen -- I forget which -- in human years), but it's honestly anyone's guess.
I'd say she was at least as old as Twilight was at the start of FiM, if not slightly older.
4830623 No, Cheerilee's just very insecure and idealizes her girlfriend. It's not a healthy state of affairs, nor is Cheerilee's mental health especially sound. Which there are glimpses of throughout the story proper.
Let’s see, my fic, my fic... DOUH!! >.< not even a vaguely recommended this time
Ah well, fair is fair, and be lying if it wasn’t a rushed project and I chose not to take bigger risks for it. Plus I had problems finding pre-readers at the time.
Well, great job powering through all these fics. I salute you and promise to take more care in future contests. Heck, some of these reviews give me ideas :)
4830661
There are, at that.
I think that now I'm thinking you stopped it too early. <.< Though at least a distinct groundwork is lain for what comes after...
Oof.
Mwa ha ha ha ha
4830808 Well, I did have a word cap to work within...
I don't necessarily mind if you didn't care for the genre, and if you still don't want to give it a rec, that's cool. But, now that I've pointed out that Cheerilee is not an ephebophile, could you at least edit your review to clarify that point? I really don't want people going into the story with the wrong idea.
I mean, like I said, the right idea is still kiiiinda sketch, but it's less sketch.
4832188
Yeah, I meant to do that earlier today. I'm running myself ragged right now.
I am sorry if story is nonsensical. I tried my best but I guess I still have a lot to learn.
I hope I will devilver a better experience, when I write another story. I will also look for a native speaker as proofreader.
Thank you, for your review is just what I need to hear.
4832485
So long as you keep on trying to do better, that's what matters. :)
i personally found
seasons of life to be the best entry as it really captured the them of seasons