Fic reviews, March 27th: 2020 Comedy Favorites edition! · 3:58pm Mar 27th, 2021
I don't have a good title for this one, you'll see why in a moment. :P
Scribbler's newest reading is Wages of Sin's A Letter to the Griffon Emperor on the Matter of War, with Clever Hooves and Cerridwen!
So last year, Super Trampoline posted a blog asking for good slice of life and comedy fics released that year. I of course always take posts like this as a challenge, so I read everything that was recommended. This means I actually read a bunch of stories within a year of their release for once! And some of them were even long! :O Shocking.
Anyway, this was some good stuff, y'all did well. :)
H: 2 R: 12 C: 2 V: 0 N: 1
Resting Witch Face by Aragon
Genre: Comedy/Romance
Never let Trixie do anything, especially when it involves learning witchcraft.
Are you following Aragon? It's 2021, you really should be, because in the last year and a half, he's taken up drawing comics, and they're all great. A little too long to really give my usual writeups to, but we're talking a few dozen panels of ponies making witty, self-aware quips at each other, and they have all been delightful. You should also be following him because he's a great writer and, so that when I say this isn't his best work, you'll understand that it's still a good, funny story, totally worth your time. The two reasons are, in fact, related. Because I'm not sure of the timing of this story vis-a-vis when he started drawing comics, but it's clear from the way this piece is structured, he really wanted to be drawing comics. This has that same setup, of ponies standing around, making witty, self-aware quips at each other, except Aragon being a good writer, he knows that endless lines of dialogue are not good writing, and so has to break things up with small, often meaningless snatches of action. So this is… weird. You get used to it after a while, and of course when the structure is a little more orthodox, it's high quality comedic material. Also good Starxie shipping. My point being, the difference between "magic" and "witchcraft", while infinitely fascinating the way it's explained here, is not the most pertinent aspect of this piece, but it's still tons of fun.
Recommended
The Many Deaths of Twilight Sparkle by Jinzou
Genre: Dark Comedy
Immortality maybe doesn't work how you'd think.
What's really great about this story is that I realized pretty quickly on that it could have been just another Blinkfic, but the author decided to have fun with the concept, and so ended up with a tremendously enjoyable dark comedy. It doesn't overstay its welcome, but takes care to explore a lot of its concept, mostly through Twilight having a manic episode. This was just great, I loved it from start to finish. :D
Recommended
Slot Dependents by Estee
Genre: Slice of Life
Twilight and Pinkie Pie investigate the Flim Flam Brothers' newest — highly irregular — scheme.
I've lately been thinking I need to read more of Estee's work, so I'm glad this blog is giving me the chance. :) I really like just the structure of the writing, the particular way the words flow through a sentence, especially the longer ones. There's a wry, sometimes cynical humor behind the characters, and it should be noted that this gets rather bleak before they finally figure out a way to undo the Brothers' newest scam. But I like how practical Pinkie Pie is in particular, and the whole scheme is marvelously convoluted, allowing for an approach to the subject of gambling addiction. That's a really insidious topic, so you need something complicated to really get into it. Also, this is one of those stories where the economics-based world-building is top notch. :)
Recommended
The Tortoise and the Fair by Estee
Genre: Comedy
A tortoise with a rotor on its shell cuts a much different image in Trottingham than it does Ponyville.
Boy, is this weird. I don't know if it's commentary on British society or parody, but the unflappably dry humor certainly fits. Also the Monty Python references. There are so many Monty Python references, including a reverse Dead Parrot Sketch. :O Also some really interesting ideas about how Tank's little helicopter thingy works! But it promised comedy, and comedy was delivered, I just have no idea what else was going on. XD
Recommended
Daring Do and the Fidget Spinner by Liquid Truth
Genre: Shipping
It's up to Daring Do to retrieve her daughter's fidget spinner from Dr. Caballeron.
Daring Do and Dr. Caballeron having a kid? If you can get over that barrier to entry (well, and the apparent conceit that the fake author names are the names they go by now?), you'll be rewarded with a very cute story. It's thoroughly amusing to think that the old rivalry dynamics could be applied to a fun family game. And, despite being a sequel, or at least in continuity with one of the author's previous stories, it stands alone quite well.
Recommended If You're Down With the Ship
The Prince, the Mockingbird, and the Dreadful Twilight Sparkle by Carabas
Genre: Thriller/Comedy
Princess Celestia's prize painting has been stolen. Luckily, Prince Blueblood is on the case! Oh, and Twilight Sparkle, too.
Sometimes, a story is just a delight from start to finish. :) In this case, it's because Carabas has pulled out his best Wodehouse and done a smashing job of it. I was in fact, surprised; I read all of Blueblood's narration in the voice of Bertie Wooster, a role he's perfectly suited for, yet there isn't a Jeeves to be seen. Twilight's an excellent sidekick and foil, but she's not Jeeves. Dashed original work, I say! If you enjoy mysteries, rollicking adventures, or just reams of wordplay relayed by an idiot, you will find a ton to like about this piece. :D
Highly Recommended
Ponk Home, Virginia by totallynotabrony
Genre: EQG AU Drama
On the run from her problems once again, Pinkie Pie heads home.
Oh dang, this is a story related to Twilight in Plain Sight. :O I guess there's a 'verse now! Following up Mitch H's original entries in said 'verse is a pretty tall order, too. TNaB actually went more ambitious than that, even, and I'd say pulled it off quite swell. :) This is neither as dark (save for one scene that's not actually happening) nor as funny as the tags suggest, but it's definitely gritty, and Pinkie as portrayed here has a certain off-kilterness around her that only makes sense because she's Pinkie Pie. But really, it all comes down to Action Pie Sisters and some really clever uses of canon. I mean, Maud totally elbows a guy through a table after he breaks her nose, how fucking cool is that? :D If you've enjoyed the other stories in this setting, don't pass this one up!
Recommended
Cards of Chaos by Thought Prism
Genre: Dark Comedy/D&D Crossover
The Cutie Mark Crusaders discover a magical deck of cards.
If you're unfamiliar with D&D and don't know what a Deck of Many Things is, fear not. The CMCs don't either, so the story helps define the concept. If you are a D&D player, you are probably sweating because I said "Deck of Many Things" and "CMCs" in the same sentence. And therein lies the charm of this story. It is tremendously funny, though it must be said that after Sweetie's first draw, it becomes very dark. But everything turns out okay in the end, doesn't it?
Recommended
Trade of the Trix by FanOfMostEverything
Genre: Comedy
Twilight wants to talk to Trixie about something.
This is a straightforward and snappy little comedy in which we dig into Trixie's character while simultaneously exploring a perceived incongruity between seasons one and seven, and do so in a manner which amplifies and enhances both. Much as Trixie herself, this is unexpectedly great. I kinda wish it was happening in service of a larger continuity, so I could read more stories where she's characterized this way.
Recommended
The Soup Must Flow by Admiral Biscuit
Genre: What
So of late, Admiral Biscuit's thing has been writing the nitty-gritty about ponies working at various labor-intensive jobs, many of them real-world. But this is a story about soup mining. Mining for soup. Taking soup from mines and pumping it through pipes so ponies across Equestria can have it. They can have soup. That has been mined. Mined soup. Soup from the soup mines. Mines of soup. Soup mines. MINING. FOR. SOUP.
Don't Worry, It's Good
Proof of Concept by Estee
Genre: Comedy
There's a reason Celestia's School has a rule about first year project fairs.
It's cynical from time to time, or really rather a lot, but this is a fun story about Celestia being the only pony who remembers things for more than a generation, and the doom that can spell when self-important administrators start to think they're smart enough to have good ideas. I kinda feel like I gave you everything you need in one sentence there. c.c The weight of years is palpable as Celestia wades through this room of the brightest, youngest and most eager to please, and there's an excellent coda for a finale.
Recommended
Rainbow Dash Is Replaced With a Dash 8-40CW by Admiral Biscuit
Genre: Random Comedy
Twilight knew something was up when her castle sprouted railroad tracks.
This is basically what it says on the tin. If that sounds funny, this earns its place alongside a litany of fics like Fluttershy Is Replaced by a Sherman Tank. What I want to talk about is the footnotes. Never seen Biscuit use footnotes before; pointedly, he also doesn't write a lot of random comedy. But I really liked them for one reason: he reused them. I've never seen anyone do that before, and I have to wonder why. It was hilarious! So were the metric conversions. And you'll never see the end coming.
Recommended If You Like Your Comedy Wacky
"Bring Trixie the Blue Pages!" by shortskirtsandexplosions
Genre: Myst Crossover
Trixie gets stuck in a magic book, and Starlight has to help her out.
Is this actually a comedy? Sure, it's fun that there's a lot of ship teasing between Trixie and Starlight, and I guess this is a play on how confusing the Myst games were, but… I kinda felt more like it was horror? It's certainly got a horror setup, the way Trixie keeps mistaking Starlight for someone else, and the title used as a mantra. Maybe it's just because the other blog I'm working on is like 75% horror fics. Either way, this really comes off as a bare-bones, exceedingly confusing version of Aitran, and I never liked that to begin with. I don't get it.
Not Recommended
Rainbow Bro-Trip by TCC56
Genre: Comedy
Discord decides to get to know Fluttershy's brother.
This is a marvelous comedy, driven by TCC's ability to write both characters well. While it's not something I would recommend to anyone in regards to Zephyr Breeze, his daft idiocy plays extremely well off Discord's chaos. And when I say chaos, I do mean it — again, praising the character work, here — because writing Discord well without getting too silly or just throwing the case away so he can bear the long weight of years is not easy. But TCC did it. And boy, were the results worth it. :D This might be the best story of this whole blog.
Highly Recommended
Metamorphic by TCC56
Review #7100!
Genre: Comedy
Maud Pie wants to adopt Cozy Glow.
Along with being a good writer, TCC56 is clearly also a font of original, clever ideas. And just like with the last story, this was a hoot and a half built around a character interaction that just makes perfect "why didn't they actually do that?" sense in hindsight. For a professed one-joke fic, it's really got a lot going for it, including a heartwarming ending.
Recommended
The Great and Powerful Wizard Trixie Lulamoon! by Damaged
Genre: Comedy
Trixie finds a new mentor to help raise her magic to new heights.
You might think it would be hard to follow up two really solid, hilarious comedies, but nope! This story if anything fits right in with them, casting Trixie alongside Star Swirl in another really great character matchup. In it, we learn the secrets of being a true wizard, while also getting to see how Star Swirl (here just called 'Star' most of the time for some odd reason) has plied his trade over the centuries. It was great and powerful. :D
Recommended
Dinky and the Sisterhooves by Impossible Numbers
Genre: Character Piece
There's a new unicorn in Ponyville, and Dinky and her friends are determined to find out what she's about.
I don't really have an easy way to characterize this story. It takes place between the pilot and Call of the Cutie, a very interesting time period you don't often see explored in this depth. It's about Dinky, a precocious filly who likes books and adventure. It's about Twilight Sparkle, fresh from Canterlot and the defeat of Nightmare Moon, still not knowing a whole lot about friendship. It lives in the gap between children and adults, and the way the old can connect with the young. Impossible Numbers clearly gets kids, especially dangerously smart ones like Dinky. The only real downside is that it starts off kind of slow, with a first chapter full of long-winded narration. Compare this to the second chapter, where the pacing is slowed by foals being foals and arguing, getting distracted, you name it; that's fine, and in good fun, but I felt the first chapter was kind of weak. Regardless, this was quite good, and I think it'll give you a lot to think about.
Recommended
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I do love me some good comedy.
Most of the other authors here are people I already know about and know that they mostly write good stuff, but TCC56 wasn't on my radar (my radar isn't what it was, back when I was regularly reviewing). Looks like s/he's written a fair chunk of stuff that looks both good and up my alley, though; you sold me on Bro-Trip, at least! I'll definitely make time to check it out.
5484410
wtf
5484412
TCC's part of the new guard of awesome writers who've cropped up in the last two years. :)
5484412
👀
But more seriously - as always I am flattered for the reviews and excited to have provided the Good Horse Words instead of the Bad ones. Heck of a slate this time, too.
So many stories to add to my list!
I'm a fan of Woodhouse, and I'm a bit hard to please when anyone tries to imitate him. I read The Prince, the Mockingbird, and the Dreadful Twilight Sparkle, and it immediately went on my favorites shelf!
I'll certainly take that under advisement. "I want there to be more of this universe" is definitely one of the better pieces of criticism I've ever received.
But, uh, you okay after the soup mining?
5484410
Okay, but why though.
The soup mining thing is really reminiscent of Discworld, where there's a big industry in mining fat.
God I genuinely don't remember if I was drawing comics by the time I wrote Resting Witch Face, but it was definitely very close in time. Truth be told, I started writing as a teenager specifically cause I lacked the means to draw comics. You can argue what I'm doing now is what I was meant to do from the start, really.
I really like Resting Witch Face either way; I do think you're right, it's very very talkative, and maybe I should've like, hm. Added more stuff? But I wanted to preserve the core of it as like -- ultimately it's about the three main characters interacting with each other, and seeing how their attitudes change depending on who they're talking to (and also Startrix). So I guess I defaulted to a lot of talking cause I felt that's what mattered the most. Oh well, next time I'll be more careful.
Either way! Thanks for the positive review and the general praise, it's always a pick-me-up when you do that.
One hundred percent checking out that Carabas story, too; I love both Whodehouse and Carabas himself, so I'm convinced it's going to be the best of riots.
5484483
I haven't been okay for the last three years. :')
Brb, adopting this as a bio.
Much obliged for the review, and glad you liked it!
THE SOUP MUST FLOW
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I was wondering why my story all of a sudden got added to a lot of random bookshelves. Thanks for revieiwng it, and I'm glad you liked it!
And I'm glad I have a bunch of new stories to add to my RIL.
I do have to ask though. What's a "blinkfic"? Some sort of quick one-shot?
Thank you for the kind review! Glad you enjoyed the little story
5484649
Reference to a fic where Twilight finds out that teleporting kills the caster then recreates them elsewhere and has an existential crisis about it, and the copycats that followed
5484649
What 5484684 said. Believe it or not, two authors wrote a story called Blink about the same topic at the same time, and then, yeah, hell followed behind them.