Well, damn. I was really hoping I'd at least make an appearance on the podium...

Either way, congrats to the winners! See you all for the Gen 5 Renaissance contest!

Huh.

Way to go, Slouch420 and JimmyJammies.

Damn. Thought I'd place, at least.

Thanks for the Judges Prize, maestro.

Congrats to the winners.

slej for the win

someone is a salty bastard

Unexpected! To both the conclusion and the result! Congratulations to all, and thank you to the judges for bringing closure at last to so many!

Edit: Any hope of getting a single line from each judge on what they liked about each story? It's usually nice to see what caught judges' eyes and know what they liked.

Congrats to the winners and the runner-ups.

The long-awaited announcement! Huzzah!
Congrats, Sledge!

7598630
Oh, wow, I did not expect this

Thank you all.

Congratulations to all the winners! You all definitely earned this.

Ooh, thank you so much!

7598630
Wow, I didn't expect to be placed here. Thank you so much! And congrats to all the other placers and authors who participated!

7598659 Celestia Regina was a fantastic piece. From the setup, to the descriptions, to characterization, to the worldbuilding and definitely the theme as relevant to the contest. It was one of the first stories I read for the contest judging, and boy did it set the standard. Definitely a worthy addition to the top then and definitely worthy of the result.

7598647 Probably not for all the stories, but when I read yours I absolutely loved it. It was really unexpected and tugged my Indiana Jones nostalgia just the right way, but with all the added weight of fantastic story telling and compelling characters. I don't want to write spoilers but the "pass the hat" scene at the end was beautiful.

7598647
I also would not mind having some personal feedback from the judges!

Congrats to the winners, and thanks for all the efforts of the judges and organisers!

ROBcakeran was here. I never stood a chance.

Gg everyone.

Congrats everyone!!!!

7598726

7598727

Going to have to second Jarvy here, I'd also love to hear personal feedback and thoughts from the judges

7598746
7598636

Jade Ring returns to the contest arena once again in a tour de force, gracing us with A Change in Perception. While not getting a top score from me, personally, I elected this story to get my Personal Choice Award for several reasons. I definitely recommend going to read it, before continuing on. As there will be spoilers in this review.

TA Change in Perception

• MLP: FiM
• Drama

A routine medical procedure reveals a previously unknown link between the King of the Changelings and the Prince of the Crystal Empire. With this knowledge now revealed to them both, will they find a way to contend with the change?

• Cadance
• Shining Armor
• Chrysalis
• Thorax

Jade Ring · 6.2k words  ·  379  13 · 3.9k views

"Is Thorax my son?"Shining Armor asked.
"Yes." Chrysalis replied with no hesitation.
"But how?!"

I was thinking the same thing, Shining. 

In the first chapter, Chrysalis explains the specific biological 'how', and the vaguary of 'when'. But as a person who saw the MLP season 2 finale, I was still left scratching my head. 

We've seen in canon the flash-backs from Thorax of being present for the invasion, as well as when he was born, and when he was very young with his brother, Pharynx. To say nothing of the existence of Ocellus, who is a "young" changeling for multiple seasons.

For Chrysalis to have had enough time to mate with Shining, produce the clutch beneath Canterlot, and for Thorax to be born, grow up, and be present for the invasion, is a lot of missing time. Just how long was Cadance trapped in the caves beneath Canterlot?

In this context, I feel Occelus would have been better suited to be Shining's half-breed spawn. I don't think that would have detracted from the narrative drama, the ending, or the moral of the story in the least.

I lead with this criticism before I shower this story with praise, because I want this review to be even-handed. I want the praise I give it to have weight. Because if I just up-vote everything, it devalues it. When I review a story, I look at it with a critical eye, especially if it tackles a subject I enjoy. So that when I give praise to your story, you can know, without a doubt, that it is not some empty, sycophantic platitudes. You have earned it.

The choice of Thorax over Ocellus is, ultimately, a minor nitpick. A detail that only matters to me, someone who overthinks these sorts of details, and has a blatant bias towards stories that obey canon. And honestly this minor nitpick is the only thing bad I can find in it. But this is, after all, fiction.

Firstly, it is expertly crafted. Well-written from a technical standpoint. Spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Such should be expected from a veteran contest writer. The writing for the characters is outstanding, with tremendous depth. The way that this superb narrative about emotional intrigue and suspense is told through these characters is what really makes this story shine.

Many of the entries were large, sweeping epics about the whole world changing, or these grand transitions into Generation 5 of MLP. But this story focuses on just a handful of characters and how, for them, their whole world changes. Just as it is with quality over quantity, this little corner of the world has been polished to a mirror shine.

The story focuses on a subject matter that is a favorite topic of mine; the consequences of relationships. It's broken down into three chapters, each one is a conversation that Shining Armor has with three characters, in order: Chrysalis, Cadance, and Thorax.

"Wars for succession have started over much less than this."

The second chapter tackles the consequences of Shining's clandestine relationship with the former queen of the changelings from yet another angle. Not just the traumatic, emotional impact on the characters, but the larger implications for their world. Shining, Cadance, and Thorax are all royals. And as Cadance points out what Shining doesn't want to acknowledge; the things that affect them personally are inherently political by extension. I applaud that this story doesn't shy away from that aspect. The way it manages to sew the two together is nothing short of masterful.

The suspense in the story builds towards the third chapter for the 'big reveal'. And it continues through the conversation at the center of it, between Shining and Thorax, until it arrives at last to the crux of the issue.

"What exactly is it that you want?"

They both know what is at stake. Perhaps Shining, more than Thorax. But the question is loaded with possibilities, and not all of them are good. Thorax's reply is bittersweet and heartbreaking.

Thorax choked up slightly. "I just wanted you to know who, and what, I am. That's all. If no one else ever finds out, then that'll be fine. You're the only one who deserves to know. The only one that really matters."

If it wasn't already clear that this piece of writing comes from a personal place, the author's note leaves no doubt:

I, myself, have always had both of my parents my whole life, for which I am very grateful. And while it shouldn't be so, I know that it is a real privilege and advantage that not everyone gets to enjoy. I personally know many people in my life who have lost one or both parents, or come from a broken home or family, or never really had one to begin with. And I can't even begin to imagine the immeasurable pain of having a parent out there in the world that denies your existence. It's not something to wish upon anyone, but this story offers some small glimpse of it.

After all the trauma, drama, and tension in the story, the cathartic ending for the central characters is simply sublime. Many of the stories in this contest tackled sad topics like death and the end of things. Many made me tear up. But for this one, it was tears of joy. And for that, I give this story my personal choice award.

Dammit I KNEW Celestia Regina was gonna win the moment I read it. Such a brilliantly atmospheric piece. Congrats to everyone who entered and congrats especially to all the winners!

Congratulations to all:

Congrats Sledge! Well earned!

I'd also like to hear any feedback from the judges if possible for my story?

7598726
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it so much! And I'm also glad to see what made you enjoy Sledge's story so much. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the praise, but I was actually hoping for a sentence on all the winners, I don't know if I just got exposed to lots of fiction contests that usually do similar when I was young or what, but I've always enjoyed seeing the judges praises for each entry in a competition, even just as a reader. It's like ... a teaser of what to enjoy. Like seeing a plug on a film poster but more in-depth.

It might not be Fimfic contest practice (I legitimately wouldn't know, lol).

7598827 I might try to throw them in, although they won't be as thorough as Shakes'. I have to get out of work, feed my kid, etc. before I can dedicate some time. XD plus I need to dig out my notes. It's been a while.

7598630 Is there anyway I can get my score as to know where I placed and some insight on how it was? It'll be good info so I know what to fix for next time.