Drake's Thursday Reviews #3 · 11:16pm Jan 24th, 2019
Three weeks in and I'm copping out - I had an early driving lesson today and went right to volunteering after, so I've had a full day with no time to read during it and I wanna relax tonight. But I do wanna post something, and the thought occurred in conversation to today that I've faved plenty of stories and left comments, but haven't cataloged them with my reviews.
So, that's what this is - a mixture of reviews of stuff I'd already read but didn't comment on, some of my old comments, and a new review.
Paint on the Wall by Feather Book
A great little piece. Pinkie was the perfect choice for this kind of story, because of how much much she is. It made it hard to tell if she was valid in her concerns or just overthinking it. In particular the idea that contentment and happiness are mutually exclusive to her, it fits.
I liked the slow buildup to the reveal, which was surprising but works in canon. I also like Sunset's dilemma, because I can totally see how it would be hard to trust Pinkie with secrets and trust is a big part love.
Overall very well done.
My Kind of Crazy by Novel-Idea
A wonderful story. You nailed Pinkie perfectly, her optimism, her friendliness, her kookiness. Pinkie lives in her own world of icing and cake and smiles and rainbows, and she'll be happy to let everyone come join her and dance with her there. She made me smile just reading her narration as she thinks in a way that only makes sense to her. Given that she's my favorite of the Mane Six, that you got her exactly right was wonderful.
I loved Skystar, Novo made an ill first impression but I quickly caught something was up with her, I loved the Sunlight subplot, and Rarity was well done as well.
Overall a fantastic little story I'm very glad I read.
And that is why Sunset a best human. Glorious. I took the letter at face value at first, then clued in when Sunset gave the time to get the portal open. And spent the rest laughing my ass off.
To Forgive is Equine by DJLowrider
I remember this fic for being one of my first, read on Fanfiction.net even. It's a short, simple piece, and it shows its age by virtue of premise, with the reveal that Trixie secretly also got her cutie mark because of the Rainboom, and is a sleeping 7th Element of Harmony. But it still holds a place in my heart for being one of the first MLP fics I'd ever read, and its not bad for a Season 1 timeframe.
Recommendation: Worth a glance at least.
Twilight Gets Divorced by Blueshift
This fic is a mockery of the FlashLight ship, so if that's something you're down for this won't disappoint you. It quickly turns into a hilarious courtroom scene where Fluttershy is running on 100% pure Fluttershy with a dash of Phoebe from friends. What became a quick skim of the story to refresh my memory of it became a proper re-read as I began to laugh more and harder.
Recommendation: This story is awesome, case closed.
Twilight Sparkle vs The Equestrian Library Association by Fedora Mask
This fic examines a logical question that I'm honestly surprised the show never brought up - if Golden Oaks is a library, doesn't that mean ponies should be coming there to borrow books? Faced with this obvious oversight in her duties, Twilight must choose between being a proper librarian and being a kooky bookhorse.
Not since Peter Parker and Bruce Wayne has duality been so tortured.
This is a hilarious fic, and I like the little humorous details, colorful metaphors of precise measurements to convey scale. What's particularly amusing is that this fic predates Season 8 by a full five years, yet Volume Control is eerily prophetic of what Chancellor Neighsay would be.
Recommendation: Provided one has the proper library ceritification to read this story, doing so is highly advised.
UNuncommon Bond by Justice3442
This is the one story I had time to read today. And it's.... eh.
That's not to say the story doesn't have funny moments, it has plenty. There's the expected pseudo-meta commentary, absurdist OOC behavior, mocking Starlight's personal brand of kook. But it just never really clicked for me. I think what it is is that it was too long, longer than it ought to have been. By the time Celestia shows up the fic should be winding down, but it goes on for another three pages or so. The fic has a running gag of Sunset bleeding from her nose and eyes from the insanity around her, because it makes her brain rupture, but it runs it into the ground a bit by saying it's a medical thing and when she was a filly she used to bleed from her eyes all the time and would aim it at Blueblood even. Also, Sunburst is a pervert who basically is trying to get with every mare he met in Uncommon Bond, or at least has a sexual interest in them.
I dunno, maybe I'm worn out of Justice's style of humor, or wasn't in the mood today. But all the myriad elements in this fic just didn't gel for me.
Recommendation: If you've read the author's other comedy fics, you know what to expect and if it'll work for you or not.
Cool review! And its cool that you took a driving lesson!
Either you're getting your driver's license pretty late, or I've forgotten yet again that people here are just that young.
Huh! That DJLowrider fic is actually one I read before, and overlooked because apparently I never voted on it. Or my vote was removed, which I find happens a lot. :B
5002055
My parents haven't driven since before I graduated high school, and we've always lived in walking distance of a bus stop - I've never had reason to get a license until the last couple of years when I realized many jobs in my career field want you to be able to drive.
5002089
Okay, phew. I was worried for a second. Too many whippersnappers around here.