Story Review: Railway Adventure · 4:50pm Jul 28th, 2019
Okay… Railways. Not something I’ll admit to knowing a lot about really. I admit, that’s irony considering my dad worked for CSX for over twenty years, probably longer than that. But my knowledge of railways is… limited. I’m not a train otaku, let’s just put it that way. However, one thing I did get from this story, right off the back is EM2 is one. I don’t say that to be rude by any means, but I do get that vibe almost at once by looking at the story, even the cover art.
Now, the plot itself is fairly basic, Apple Bloom makes a new friend in Cozy Glow -yes that one- and soon learns of a rumor in the woods of Canterlot about an old railway line, long since forgotten. Now, I will admit this does have sorta good potential, plot-wise. I mean, I could certainly see this same basic set up being used in say… a ghost story. Goodness knows the railways have plenty of those to say the least. But this isn’t a horror story, and I suppose the whole idea of a railroad ghost story speaks more about me than it does anything else.
...Agh, I’m rambling, aren’t I? Now, this story takes place before and eventually in between the events of the Equestria Girls movies. I like that idea, have events going on in the background of the films with the side characters while the mane cast have their own adventures.
Now, the elephant in the room. Cozy Glow. You’d expect her at any moment to turn around and reveal herself to be pretty much like her pony counterpart, but she never does. In fact, the Blue EM2 himself stated this was the intent. Draco in Leather Pantsing it, maybe? Possibly, yes. But it’s an interesting enough thought, if it were done well enough. Now, what I would have done is made Cozy do some mysterious things, fool readers and make them nervous enough about her being like her pony counterpart. But this is never done, you don’t get that sense of nervousness.
What really bothers me is at times, Cozy does sorta feel like the author’s avatar, explaining a few things than she shouldn’t. Maybe this is just my opinion, maybe you’ll think differently.
Now, again I do say the author knows a lot about trains, naming off models right and left. He doesn’t get hugely nerdy, explaining everything that they do and such but it does sorta annoy me at times. It’s like this really, if I were to list off a series of car models, -which I admit I am guilty of in a previous Transformers crossover story of mine- would you know what they are unless I explained the make and such to you, or you looked them up?
Dodge Viper
Dodge Hellcat
Ford Raptor
Ferrari Challenge
Lamborghini Diablo
See what I mean, does that sorta thing make any sense to you? Does it click almost at once in your head?
Also, minor gripe but everyone and their mother seems to be interested in trains. Now, I know common interests make a group work, but seriously? Even those like Diamond Tiara are interested.
Now, I admit going back to the plot, while slow-paced at times does keep you invested just enough to be interesting. I wanted the Crusaders and company to prove this railway existed, fix this boiler, etc. Not to say this plot doesn’t have its flaws. Take the final moment of drama in the story okay? This engine they’d been working on, the Spirit of the Everfree had a hugely dramatic crash that seemed to come out of nowhere, taking place off-screen no less. Cozy is initially suspected for almost no reason aside from being a former bully and then the true culprits are revealed. Snips and Snails, under orders from Sonata. No build-up whatsoever to any of this, no foreshadowing or anything. I cannot stress enough how any of this needs proper buildup, as I was just left blinking a ‘whut?’ at all of this when it came to pass.
Final tally?
6/10
I think the train thing is a lot like soccer is in America, we just don't get it. Now cars on the other hand we love and many a guy has their dream cars. Your list had me grunting like Tim Allen with all of that power.
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I suppose that's sorta fair, here in America trains aren't exactly as... prevalent as they are compared to somewhere like say France or Japan.