At an approximate time of two years ago, a daunting task was set in our sights: publish the motherload of all that is Dark: The Immortal Game. A task that could not be accomplished alone, as its author has left our midst many years ago, and has held no interest in returning to us ever again. It was therefore up to us to find two splendid novels to accompany its plight to reach any and all who might appreciate it. After much consideration, we have selected "Salvation" and "The Empty Room". I will now share thoughts on their ultimate synergy, and other redeeming qualities, with you.

(This contains spoilers. Please don't read spoilers. Thank you.)

(Oct '11 - Jan '13, 290kw)

Starting off with the dame that started it all, it is perhaps the most-often considered magnum opus of the Grimdark (in "just" Dark it is in close contention with the ever-beloved Past Sins). The adherence to the genre is unquestionable: the very first page will greet you with violence, readily followed by violence, extreme, limbs-flying-in-all-directions violence, heartily seasoned with physical torture, menial torture, character death, desperation, desolation, and one pony's journey to accepting responsibility for godhood. Through violence.

You'll be reading thousand-word passages consisting entirely of detailed descriptions of every action the protagonists take on the way to decimate their enemies - and the fact that it does not ultimately become boring speaks to the quality of such prose. It is aided by an extensive fighting system built on top of early-season realities (this was written before Twilicorn, mind) - highly original, perhaps even copied by some, and not limited to weapons or even unicorn magic in its applications.

It can be split into three parts - each with its subplots, unique locations, and end boss - but the main idea of the novel, or even who the protagonist of it is, will be unclear until halfway through it. After that, though, the power levels involved will start to geometrically increase, and soon surpass the limits of anyone left behind, aiming straight for anime superhero territory.

This is what this story feels like by the end: a super-robot anime without the robots. And it's pretty good.

But.

There is one thing. That "character death" tick? It's not real. The novel pulls the trick of implying a character's death, only to have them appear alive later on, multiple times. And, in the end, none of the protagonists end up adding to its monumental kill count. This is... certainly unbecoming of a model representative of the "Grimdark". That is all.
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(Sep '12 - Feb '16, 152kw)

This one is by Cold in Gardez.

It is the second-longest thing he has ever done, and it maintains the quality you may've come to know from his shorter works all throughout. In fact, the text is so well-cared for that after proofreading, we were able to put all the found typos in a list, run them by the author, and get word on whether they should be included.

It takes place in Ponyville and New York; in fact, it would've starred Richard Gere if it were still the 90s.

Now, having heard all that, you may deduce that the Darkness in this case is entirely of the interpersonal, tragic variety; however, its exact nature may surprise you. There are two big tragedies - a simple one and a very complicated one - that are the focal point of it, and Gardez will take you on a carefully constructed collision course to them through an entire alternate universe of past and future lives.

And an occasional cosmic horror to boot.

(Speaking of cosmic horror: one more story has made its way into our sights - The Corner of (Our) Eyes, by Daemon McRae. It is quite straightforward in its themes and execution, but it has given us an opportunity to play with the typesetting in a way that isn't quite possible in Fimfiction's editor. Spooky.)

There are no more broad strokes to paint (this is the kind of novel that mostly consists of intense talking/thinking sessions, after all), but, even if you think you aren't into this kind of thing, I would recommend you read it solely on the quality of the way it is written. If, perhaps, you have never been able to find joy within the very act of Reading, this is your primal chance.
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(Jul '11 - Apr '12, 132kw)

There are... quite a few reasons this story is known that are not at all related to its subject matter. It is story #53, and the second-oldest completed novel in all of Fimfiction (this is the oldest, if you wonder). It is the inaugural work of the (eventually) fifthmost person by follower count in all of Fimfiction.

And, as a result of these temporal peculiarities, it is based entirely on Season 1. This alone isn't particularly unique, but:

• It is a grand adventure that involves basically all of the ponies known at the time, and -
• it doesn't take place outside the scope of the show (like e.g. Fallout: Equestria).

This alone makes it a worthwhile read. But! Let me tell you about the way it is written.

It is absolute chaos. The events unfold at a breakneck pace, scenes within the same chapter may belong to entirely opposite genres, and the amount of non-sequiturs and unexpected appearances will satisfy even the most experienced crackfic reader. This isn't to the detriment of the story, however. Usually, unbridled literary exercises like this are plagued by lack of polish and little errors diverting the mind's eye - we have taken care of that, and found it to be - quite - an enjoyable experience, and a welcome counterpart to the high-literature obelisk that precedes it.

Eventually the novel deals in the return of the Nightmare (the only villain in our little universe at the time, mind), and that's where the Dark part comes in. Overwhelmed by one aspect of it, but presented in a way perhaps more traumatizing than all the gorefests of TiG, it is the symphony of death. Ponies will die; protagonists will die; and they won't come back. This frivolity, sacrilegious so as to be avoided by so many, is what elevates this work well on par with the other representatives of this set.

This is the story of the three novels, stylistically belonging to different genres, but united in their exploration of the berryful fruit that is Dark. It can be violence, it can be heartbreak, it can be the destructive tendencies of the mind - each of them tackles it in its own way. But the tugs on the strings of our hearts are achieved all the same.

And, hey, we got some sick books out of it. Lovingly proofread and with 62 illustrations to boot. You may get a copy until January 10th.
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