Publisher's Note
Publisher's Note
On the Decacentennial of the Declaration of Universal Harmony, Grandleaf Publishing is proud to issue a special facsimile edition of Far Traveler's annotated masterwork, The Seven Century War, along with all the extant volumes mentioned in the added bibliography, in this deluxe boxed set.
Until now, the annotated volume has only been available to scholars travelling to the Black Gate City Archives to examine the original. Other copies of Far Traveler's history are common enough, and the work is considered to be a solid and accurate account of the great struggle that shaped our modern pandimensional civilization.
What makes this particular volume unique is that it has been exhaustively annotated and corrected by an unknown historian. At several points there are extra pages inserted into the volume in order to make room for lengthy commentaries. Much of what is asserted in this gloss cannot be verified, but in every single instance where evidence could be found relating to a passage, it has borne out the unknown historian's claims. There is a scrawled bibliography on the end flyleaf that includes the preceding,
obviously fictionalnovel, and that is why it is included in this collection.Perhaps the most interesting correction to The Seven Century War is on the title page. For all its brevity, it is generally agreed among scholars that it is highly significant.* There, the unknown historian has struck out the archaic word War and written in Endeavour.
* And indeed, I meant it to be.
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iz et doon then? :D
8367989
Yep! Done and done.
Am I correct in assuming this particular piece of text was written in the world this story was set in, but at least 1000 years later? Possibly even 1700, assuming the war/endeavour started at most a few years after Twilight's return to her own dimension?
8368027
That's the idea, yep!
8368027
Yep! Around 1700 years later. That mare was in it for the long game!
I must say, this has been an excellent read and a great way to close it out. Onto my reccomendation list it goes!
8368046
Thank you!
This has all been very entertaining. Admittedly, I was a little disappointed when I first started on this. Between having not read the prequels, and taking in the title, description, and picture, I thought this story would primarily be Flurry Heart's. However, after going back to read through the previous stories, and sticking with this, it was all pretty entertaining.
d.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1413543159ra/11527739.gif
Welp, time to wait for the next installment. Keep up the good work, iisaw.
Thank you for the adventure. I look forward to as much more in that vein as you have in you.
Under no circumstances should you ever mess with Twilight Sparkle. Even if you yourself are Twilight Sparkle. It just doesn't end well.
Magnificent stuff through and through. Thank you very much for an adventure of polycosmic proportions.
8368078
Excellent advice! And thank you!
8368069
You're welcome!
So. Where does the Twilight Sparkle that is the mistress of Everfree Forest in The Quest stand regarding bright, dark or whatever our Twilight decides to call her "side"? Has it been said?
This is my favorite phrase in the entire story. It manages to imply so much with so few words, and what it implies is simply wonderful. Reading it, I got a similar pleasant chill down my spine as when I read another wonderful line in The Quest: "what is a 'disease?'". There's just so much hope in those four words, and it's a wonderful thing to behold.
Anyways, great story, great continuation of Twilight's character arc, great to see her growing as a Princess, thanks for writing this, and looking forward to buying a buying a copy of this book and reading the next story.
8368078
There, I fixed it for you.
8368086
Yes! I can't wait to see it next to the others on my shelf.
Now, regarding the sequels...
8368003
And so, the first moves in the Greater Game are complete. Meanwhile, the players in the Even Greater Game are just getting the pieces set up, the box for the Yet Even Greater Game is only now being removed from the cupboard, and Parker Brothers is still finalizing the board artwork for the No-It’s-Not-the-Greatest-Game-But-It’s-Getting-Closer-In-A-Lesser-Infinity-Sort-of-Way Game.
In an infinite multiverse, no one can hear you facehoof.
8368099
Thank you very much! That little moment of realization is what I was going for!
8368090
She is not in the Game, and is a rare example of a "Gray" Twilight.
8368134
See, that's one of the major
problemsfeatures of a fractal multiverse.And of course she wins. She's Twilight Freaking Sparkle!
I take it from the note she is still around? But if so, why is it so mysterious where these corrections came from and that this was a 'fictional tale'?
Also, comment clarification helped, thought the 700 year part was how long the Game had been going on before our Twi stopped it. Not how long it took Twi to stop it, but still damn that is.. one hell of a long game. How long were the sides going to play without her intervention!?
But just, again you say SO MUCH while saying so little just through perfect word choices, one of, as I've made clear, my favorite parts about your writing overall.
Now get mapping out the next 700 years worth of stories!
Marvelous as always. I'm eagerly anticipating The Cadance Conundrum or whatever you end up calling it.
8368710
La Cantada di Cadenza
8368890
Molto bene!
victoria concordia crescit
now don't quote me!
Amazingly amusing, as expected of you, issaw
I think I'm compelled to draw Ao, she's just so... supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Sequel when?
In all seriousness, 700 years of 'endeavour' would be a lot to write... But dammit, I wanna see more of Ao
Impatiently awaiting the, um, next story, be it a sequel or a side story.
Alas, this is done... a Twilight Sparkle made aware of a discussion between other versions of her, and taking steps to not only end the discussion... but to bring harmony to, at least, her section of the Ponyverse, including, but not limited to her universe, and those covered by the scope of the Game the other Twilights created to settle the original issue
I might read the prior books on the series, might not, but in the meantime, as I gained knowledge of it, the version of me trapped in the Pony Multiverse has decided, in conjunction with that world's Royals and Element Bearers, to keep ourselves away of the game, hoping our Universe is not within the scope of the "board" as we keep our travels across the Pony Multiverse
An excellent and enjoyable ride throughout, as always; thank you for the considerable time and effort from both you and your team!
I will await patiently, should you choose to write More Pony (I'm still crying in my metaphorical beer that the Cadance Conundrum was the Alicorn-mystery-series equivilent of the Curse of Fatal Death...) in the future.
8368635 Also without the needless character death, darkness, mutilation, over-complicated scheming, endless array of unlikable assholes, and doing stuff, just to spite your fans.
So, much much better IMO.
8368999
“Victory grows with harmony" is a perfect motto for Twilight! 
Holy carp, dude!
I have only two things to say.
YAY it is over, a most enjoyably story.
AWW, it is over, I want more.
Okay, how did I manage to start this story the same day it's complete?
Fate!!
oh my gods shit is about to go DOWN!
Awesome story. cant wait for The sparkliest sparkle to dismantle the entire multiverse...
8370925
I was hoping for salty bright sparkle 37, but this is also excellent.
8368090
She's hanging out in the castle of nope in the evernope forest in nopequestria.
I'm glad it's working out, and I feel there's gonna be another book... I just feel sad in a way because Twilight is doing her best but everything is so difficult at times.
Sure, Flurry was a pain and Ao was submissive.
Twilight is going to shove herself into the game board... But someday it will all be lost to history and turned into a fable.
Her adventures and exploits will mean nothing but the effects that have rippled through time and worlds, and perhaps she will be forgotten or no longer exist as well. A result of ultimate sacrifice to end the game; she tips the board and everyone loses in a draw.
I see her doing it, for the greater good she would wipe herself from existence.
That's what gets me.
8371757
When the worlds are at peace and everyone is as happy as possible, why would they need a strong leader? Perhaps the mere presence of such a revered figure would unbalance the universal harmony.
But she's still there... a strong hoof to maintain or protect the balance when necessary. Yes, she may be unknown to all but her friends and a few clever scholars, but the satisfaction of seeing her work all around her is better than recognition.
8371761
I didn't look at it that way.
I have a new perspective, thank you.
😊
Oh my, it's been quite a while since I binged through a story like this. Absolutely worth it though - this may even top The Celestia Code in terms of how much I love it, and that story is easily a top-15 favorite on the site!
Once again, I am amazed at the quality of the worldbuilding. The way we learn about the Empire of Earth is refreshing - learning alongside the Nebulas. It's a treat seeing how Twilight and Ao glean useful information from the little subtleties presented to them that are easy to miss from less discerning readers (or inexperienced captains!). Earth and its Empire feel very much alive and it's unique culture is really interesting to witness, especially with the inevitable conflicts it generates with good ol' Equestrian values. It was absolutely a delight to see Flurry's impulsive and vindictive reaction juxtaposed with Twilight's more measured and reserved, but no less righteous, demeanor. I especially love how you had the pegasi demonize alicorns, which made for some excellent foreshadowing of the blacklips and Midnight Sparkle's reveal. Even better is the way that the world is used as a backdrop for The Great Game, which in itself is awe-inspiring (and oh so Twilight-like) in its audacity. You have an entire world with an interesting history, ethos and culture, and its significance is absolutely minuscule compared to the sheer scale of what's happening in the multiverse.
That said, characterization is probably an even stronger element of the story. Sad as I am that this is the second consecutive installment that is missing dear Jigsaw, Ao is a worthy--even exemplary--replacement. You've done a good job of avoiding characters feeling like they are left out (like Cadance in The Twilight Enigma) or overemphasized (i.e. minor characters stay minor, regardless of how much they are developed). Twilight is particularly notable with how you over the series developed her (all the hers, in fact) in such a style that she would seem alien in most other contexts, but feels terrifyingly in character in this one. I also adore Flurry Heart's characterization and development. Watching the way she changes under the guidance of her aunt from a brash and reckless adolescent to a confident and capable captain is extremely enjoyable. Loose Leaf is another notably pleasant case with how she weaves from slapstick comedy and clumsiness to competence and touching sincerity. I could go on, but at this point I'm just running down the list of names.
You say it best when you describe the story as a "pleasant little adventure". It's thrilling and funny and charming and it manages to continually escalate without ever truly losing its breezy status (there are, of course, moments that are solemn and serious and sickening, but they're a welcome exception as opposed to something that drags away from the atmosphere). There's never a sudden mood swing into dark and brooding that was relatively noticeable in TCC and TTE. It's strange and commendable the way you make ponies dying feel so casual in an MLP story without resorting to a grimdark tone. Furthermore, I've always noted how you somehow keep cramming multiple individual-story-worthy ideas into each work in the series, but TSP has had by far the cleanest and smoothest incorporation of them yet. For example, the Great Game's introduction is graceful and very naturally arises from the situation that the Nebulas find themselves in. It probably helps that there wasn't a months/years long timeskip in this story, but the point still stands. Anyways, I also want to mention how much I liked the way you took frankly overpowered characters like Twilight and Flurry and put them in situations where they truly felt threatened (and not just by even more overpowered Twilights) - situations where they have to use theirs wits and charisma and foresight to overcome herculean tasks.
As always, the series remains stylish and ceaselessly entertaining with your writing style. The footnotes are on point, with a delicious blend of sarcasm, silly excuses, brainiac-esque explanations and so much more. Dialogue always manages to be appropriately "yay, sky
piratesprivateers" and "this is serious business" when the situation calls for it. I would have liked to see more of the rapidfire Twilight improvisations that we saw in the other stories, but it's hardly a problem that needs fixing. However, in my opinion the biggest improvement over your previous works is your utilization of those weird cliffhangers that simultaneously imply immediate danger and give reassurance to a happy ending (I suppose this is another of those things that makes the story always feel lighthearted, no matter the subject matter). I think all the times they occurred were in the middle of chapters before line breaks rather than being the ending sentence, which is a huge improvement for drama and suspense, no matter how much it is classic Twilight. That said, while they are mostly refreshing, sometimes they aren't especially effective. The most egregious one to me is:I think this moment would have been a lot more interesting to see as it happens rather than somewhat crudely foreshadowing it like so (though the actual event is kind of offscreen, so I don't know how big an effect it would have). It also seems like a weird thing for Twilight to say: the attack didn't really have any far-reaching consequences as far as I could tell, no notable characters died and while their arrival to the Black Gate was slowed, that just means that it saved Twilight from certain death due to tampering with the gate. Regardless, as a whole the cliffhangers were integrated nicely.
On a more random note, I find it quite ironic that Twilight has a little spiel about how Flurry Heart taught her the importance of trying to do better to fix the broken worlds that she comes across which is immediately followed by Midnight Sparkle showing that she's also capable of going way too far in the other direction. Makes you wonder how many other Midnights and Brights entered The Great Game due to Flurry Heart. I'm also surprised by the absence of other significantly wiser Third Party Twilights - those who would try to stay out of the game, or end it altogether. I suppose that's something for the sequel though.
All in all, a wonderful story. There's probably a bunch more things that I wanted to mention but forgot, or things that I didn't emphasize enough, but maybe something for another day. I definitely think that I'm going to read your next installment, should you end up writing it, as it's released because it's hella fun.
Two Typos I found:
22 Philosophy and Mutiny
Chrysalis
24 Three Conversations About One Thing
snickered
Thanks for the great read!
8373161
Thank you very much for taking the time to give me such detailed feedback! I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much!
Corrections made, thanks!
I am so happy about the direction you're taking this.
One of my favorite books is Stealing the Elf-King's Roses by Diane Duane. It's set in a sheaf of universes that have established permanent trade relationships with each other; as the book starts, these Earths have just discovered our universe and are preparing to initiate first contact. Then they discover that our universe has a much lower moral constant than theirs - we can't even invoke the deific manifestation of Justice in our courtrooms to ensure that justice is done right. Our universe is flawed in a way that theirs are not. They have to decide what to do with us - and that's not even the main plot.
It's a wonderful story set in a beautiful, intricate, diverse multiverse. It's only one story; I wish there were more. I am eagerly looking forward to the next few books in your story and the establishment of a peaceful, prosperous, innovative pan-dimensional civilization with Twilight as one of its major players.
Peace, long life, and freedom from writer's block to you, iisaw. Thank you for writing this.
8374602
You're very welcome! And thank you for telling me about the book. I love Duane's work and hadn't heard of that one yet!
8373161
Y'know something? I read back over it, and you're right about that "suicide attack" foreshadowing, so I took it out.
8374691
I'm happy that I could be of assistance.
Heh.
Twilight (Light): "I say THIS!"
Twilight (Dark): "I say THAT!"
Twilight Sparkle (MLP:FIM): "Shut up and go away!"
...and then she travels the multiverse, seeking and finding Twilight Sparkles of unimaginable numbers and powers, for the single purpose of slapping down the two factions (Light) and (Dark).
Then they all go out drinking.
That night went ...a bit strange, actually.
If that is her fate, if that is the punishment that creation itself has imposed upon her and if this is the only way to save everyone and everything then Twilight will abide by it.
She will conquer and rule the entire multiverse. Even if it takes lifetimes and spills oceans of blood.
She has been left with no other choice.
8384576
)
All are very interesting ideas! (And I love that you correctly used hypothesis instead of theory!
Experience shapes the thoughts and attitudes of the most logical pony, and that's why there are many many variations in Twilights. Each is a different case that needs to be approached in a different way. So nearly anything you can dream up... is possible!
A thought just occurred to me...
Given what all happened in this particular book, can you perceive the righteous rage of a fully powered Twilight and Luna waging war against the Game?
Hypothesis: Spike telling Flurry to kill Twilight wasn't to remove a Twilight, but to sway her to the Darks.
Hypothesis: Darks were at a point where the seeming randomness of the multiverse took somepony or something from her. Ruling through iron hooves will prevent that occurring again. Flashpoint Paradox version of Batman logic.
Hypothesis: the Sparkles are the sole remaining Alicorns and the Game is to try and reset time. That paints Twilight as the Capaldi of the multiverse, with a splash of Tenant and Smith.
Or I'm just nuts.
8380976
Hmn... perhaps "rule" in the sense a good captain rules her ship, steering past dangerous shoals and on a course for discovery or profit. A light
handhoof on the wheel is best.11/10
8388905
