Story Reviews » SA: Round 186 · 2:24pm Aug 29th, 2021
Seattle's Angels is a group that promotes good stories with low views. You can find us here.
The Dodge Junction train ramp was not where Floydien expected to be part of a reunion.
He especially didn’t expect it to happen four times in a row.
“Wait, Winter? What are you doing here?”
Winter’s eyebrows raised. “On Summer vacation. What about you?”
“Uh, same.”
“Guys!”
The two Angels looked to where the voice came from. Cynewulf came running up to them, a wide brimmed sunhat and sunglasses adorning her head. “Fancy meeting you two here!”
Floydien scratched his head. “Same. Are you on vacation too?”
“Yep! Had a blast down on the Horseshoe Bay coast.”
“Well, ain’t this something!”
All turned to the fourth voice. Knight strode up, his body decked out in fishing gear, complete with a fishing pole balanced over his shoulder. “Haven’t seen so many of us in one spot since vacation started.”
Floydien slapped his palm against his face. “Okay, I’m going to speak up and ask if there’s any more of us here, because this is getting weird.”
“Hey.”
“GAAHH!” Floydien whirled around, seeing Intern standing nonchalantly with his hands in his pockets. “Don’t do that! How long have you been there?”
“Since we got off the same train.”
“Huh? Didn’t see you there.”
“I was in the back. I waved.”
“Wait.” Winter waved a hand, taking in all the gathered Angels. “Are you all on vacation?”
“Yes,” came the unanimous response.
“Then, if we’re all here, who’s at the compound writing reviews?”
ROUND 186
King Guto embarks on a perilous quest to seize an artifact which may hold the key to reclaiming Griffonstone's greatness. But when a mysterious hermit offers another choice, Guto faces his greatest test as King. Griffonstone's fate is in his talons.
MLP:Fim is notorious for introducing new characters, places, and concepts on an episode basis and only scratching the surface of what can be done with them. Seriously, as early as episode five, we get our first glimpse at griffons and don’t see another one until near the end of season two. It’ll be several more seasons before their homeland is visited. So what do us fans do in the meantime? Fill in the many blanks!
Here, we get to see how the reign of Guto may have ended, ushering in years of decay for the griffons. What makes this story especially tragic is that there are opportunities for Guto to make things right. I really like the take on his character, as he’s got qualities that convince me that he makes a good king. Unfortunately, a combination of pride, tradition, and desperation leads to a confrontation that seals his fate. I’m not really spoiling anything here as the whole premise of the story is in the title. I’ll leave it to you to see how things go down.
A fair bit of warning that the action scene towards the end gets violent, but not too graphic. Nothing beyond your typical PG-13 movie.
I got a lot out of this one, even though the ending is set in stone. Still, there’s a little bit of hope sprinkled in that readers will appreciate.
For some strange reason, this reminds me a lot of The Lord of the Rings. I think it might be the ending, or perhaps how the characters speak, but I’m having a tough time putting my finger on it…
Regardless, this is a fantastic story that fleshes out a little kernel of canon with some nifty worldbuilding and really strong imagery. Though the outcome is predetermined, I did find myself wholly invested in the events of the fic and in Guto himself. His character is a testament to the skill of the writer: dynamic as they come, but genuinely good and flawed.
Like RTStephens, this really hit all the right notes for me, and I recommend it to anyone interested in lore, griffons, or what it means to be content.
STORY 2
Unplanned, by Winston
Rarity and Rainbow Dash spend a wonderful night together—the kind of night filled with pure magic.
But how long does magic last, and can its fleeting spark be caught and held?
This one took me by surprise in a pleasant way. We often see the buildup to a night of passion in fanfiction, but rarely do we see the aftermath. Life doesn’t stop at happily ever after and neither does this one.
And that doesn’t mean that there’s anything tragic with this one. Rarity and Rainbow Dash have a pleasant, adult conversation after doing the deed about where this is all heading. The ultimate conclusion is that these two work things out without any tropey misunderstandings that you often see leading into the third act of a story. It was very refreshing.
I do need to address the Sex tag. Yes, they do the nasty, but the narrative takes place after the fact. The two reference that they did it and that’s as far as it goes.
As long as you don’t mind pillow talk, this will give you a warm sense of satisfaction.
This is a really interesting fic; it takes place entirely after the climax (heh) of the narrative and focuses exclusively on the consequences of that plot point.
In reality, these things rarely end smoothly or at least without some sort of “after the fact”-ness of the situation. Here, though, it provides refreshing insights and explorations of both Rainbow Dash and Rarity after an intimate moment. The aftermath is, of course, not perfect, but that makes the story all the more effective: it’s realistic.
Recommended for fans of introspective fics (and Raridash).
The year is 20X6. It is the future. And Young Hero Twilight-chan leaps into action, defending Neo Canterlot against a threat far greater than the average kaiju or humongous mecha attack.
For as it turns out, Twilight-chan's steadfastness as a hero is reflected in innumerable variations across the infinite multiverse... and something is collapsing the boundaries that hold those dimensions apart!
And now to fill in my silliness quota for the round. If you like anime and all the tropes associated with it, this story will speak to you. Just about everything that deals with the magical girl genre is touched on in some way, among other classics like mecha and giant monsters.
Not much more I can say about this since experiencing the wacky side of anime is the draw here. You’ll know if it’s your thing within the first few paragraphs.
Disclaimer: I seldom watch anime.
But there are certain things, just by virtue of being On The Internet, that I understand about it and have picked up over the years. And my god does this fic have every “magical schoolgirl” bit in the book. As you might expect, it’s completely ridiculous and works incredibly well.
If you’re in the mood for something goofy, give this a shot.
STORY 4
Good Things, by Shazbot
Applejack struggles with overcoming loss and heartache, until Fluttershy shares an important conversation with her.
Let’s end this round on a more sombre note, but one that doesn’t wallow in its premise. Applejack is mourning the loss of a family member (never outright stated, but it’s not hard to put the pieces together) until Fluttershy arrives. What follows is the type of interaction with a friend you wish to have in times of sadness. We all need a Fluttershy in our lives.
This one is quick but impactful. We’ve all been where Applejack is at some point in our lives.
This is a short little character piece focusing on loss and the emotions, or lack thereof, that come with it. Despite the small word count, it is a powerful anecdote that has stuck with me since I first read it almost six years ago. The story in its entirety hits very close to home and doesn’t overstay its welcome at all.
For something a bit more on the melancholy and thoughtful side, give this a read.
A single monitor flashed sporadically, a dull light to temporarily illuminate the dark, empty office of Seattle’s Angels.
Feel free to visit our group for more information and events, and to offer some recommendations for future rounds. See you all next time!
awesome! checking these stories out....
Another day, another dollar.
Glad you guys came back! I was worried SA might have gone the way of the Royal Canterlot Library. I'll be sure to check out these stories soon!
And that sporadic flashing comes from the repeated angry messages of... whoever it is that tells you to get to work these days. I've honestly lost track.
Huh, a story with the Anthro tag got an SA review. Hell had to freeze over eventually, I guess.
Mi historia tiene pocas vista pero no si es buena, así que no se si encajaría aquí.
5575097
Life has been rather busy for everyone in SA as of late, but we hope to continue forward with our regular schedule very soon!
Feeling refreshed, and ready to REVIEW!
Being Twilight is suffering…
Oh, you.
5577001
And the blue hair is very nice. VERY nice.
Have you guys did reviews of any of my stories?