[THE LIST] In fairness, Jason Bourne wasn't actually raised by cultists · 3:01pm Dec 3rd, 2019
This list is not about my favorite stories of all time. That's my favorites list and one of these days I may get around to writing reviews of those fics.
The List is about stand-out, in-progress works that deserve more love, for whatever reason. In addition to general reviews of the fics, these blog posts will tell why I picked a particular story and highlight any features the reader should look out for. Spoilers will be appropriately marked, so you'll be able to read my reviews with confidence that you'll be able to read the story itself and experience the same surprise and delight I did when I first found it.
Also, authors and fans of works will be able to submit stories. Your particular selection may not make it onto the list, and the more information you give me for why you think it should be featured, the more likely I'll be to read and post it. To submit a fiction, simply PM me through FiMFiction's link on my profile.
The list can be found here: Princess Columbia's List
Premise
This is not your usual "cult of Nightmare Moon" fic. No, think the other extreme; after the fall of Nightmare Moon, a band of ponies decided that they weren't going to let their Sun Princess be hurt like that again, to the point of doing things directly contradictory to Celestia's will, supposedly for the good of Celestia. When they began going full Hydra and taking lives of those they believed might be a threat to Celestia, that's when she started taking action against them. Over time, they became more and more collectively deranged, resulting in conditioning that could make someone a serial killer without even knowing it, or firebombing a town in their sleep. So Celestia did her best to wipe them out.
Centuries later, one of the descendants of these maniacs decided she wasn't going to take innocent lives because of what someone else decided they might do, so she flees to what the cult's records show is a tiny little town way out of the way with nothing particular to bring itself to anyone's attention but close enough to the capital that she can keep her ear to the ground in case the Royal Guard catch wind of her and come after her. The little town of Ponyville is a quiet, sleepy little farming town, what could possibly go wrong?
Princess Columbia's Synopsis
So as you can guess, the attempts of the protagonist unicorn, Sunbeam, are pretty solidly spoiled hardcore right off the bat. When the ponies who don't believe in "retirement" come after her, they wind up causing problems with the citizenry of Ponyville. This launches her plus the Mane 6 off into adventures, intrigue, politics, and more covert shenanigans than you can shake a stick at.
Oh, and Pinkie practically having a meltdown when Sunbeam nearly kills a pregnant mother without even being in the same room, a cult lead by a (literal) madpony, and Luna providing Celestia a much needed gut-check in regards to her method of dealing with the cult make this a bloody intense read.
Why am I highlighting this fic?
For the same reason that a good Bourne/Bond/MI film (note I said good) can be just the perfect entertainment even if you normally go for RomCom, this fic can be a fantastic diversion from the unrelentingly "happy fluffy" ponyfics that, while they have their place, can sometimes feel stultifying and same-y.
Even without the, "Whoah, this is different and good and awesome!" factor, it's just a damn well conceived and written fic. It's one of those that could easily be it's own published work if the author decided to change a few names and bulk up a few characterization scenes.
What makes this fic particularly good?
If there was one thing I don't like about the otherwise WONDERFUL Principal Celestia/Sunset Shimmer Hunts the Undead, it's that the author treats Equestria and it's ponies as nothing more than cute, fluffy, generally non-threatening versions of humans, with ponies like Nightmare Moon, Starlight Glimmer, Cozy Glow, and hell, even the Mane 6 are extremely rare abarations from the norm, rather than simply extraordinary examples of the common pony. This completely ignores the simple fact that if a species is going to become the dominant one, they're going to be damn good at thrashing others, and they're going to practice on each other. The "...Hunts the Undead" couplet (series?) is hardly alone in this, the early "Doctor Whooves" fics even going to far as to having The Doctor proclaim the MLP-verse a "sugar bowl," super-low on the thread scale and saccharinely sweet.
It's fics like this one that allow for showing the "yes, they may be descended from herd animals, but remember that hippos are as well, and they account for more deaths per year than alligators, crocodiles, and sharks combined," that make it worth the read.
Who would like this fic?
If you like suspense/thrillers of any stripe, this will be one of your favorites right away.
Does the author monetize?2
No, be sure to drop them a line to encourage them to become a filthy, filthy capitalist. 
- Endorsement on Princess Columbia's List is an endorsement of the selected work of fiction only and is not intended to endorse the creator of the work in any other way.
- Why highlight whether the author monetizes their work? By providing remuneration to the author, you often get the opportunity to request certain works be given higher priority. Additionally, when a person is able to get paid for their passion on their terms, it can often allow them to cut out things that otherwise distract from said passion, like a day job. Please support your content creators!
