My Story Recommendations - Stories I personally plan to re-read. · 1:16am Jul 12th, 2017
I’ve decided to share my list of fics that I plan to re-read with you all, yay!
I’ll give you the title, a link, their status (dead, complete, active), and a little mini-review giving my thoughts on the story. Bear in mind that I haven’t actually re-read the majority of these yet, so they may not actually be that great and it could just be my nostalgia kicking in. Please don’t just skip the ones I listed as dead, some are still worth reading as they are. So without further ado, let’s get into it.
Alistair the Hierophant (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/336908/alistair-the-hierophant
While I don’t typically enjoy stories where humans have magic or existed before as a powerful empire, this broke the mould for me, and it is set in the timeline of the show. I think this story is well written, interesting, has good world building and backstory, the lot. If you like stories of powerful mages, dark magics, ancient empires and conflicts, this is for you.
Allegrezza (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/2365/allegrezza
To be honest this was one of the first stories I read on this site, but I remember it fondly. Vinyl and Octavia comedic romance in all its glory, a classic on this site in my opinion.
Anthropology (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/4656/anthropology
Another classic, probably one of the earliest takes on the concept of Lyra’s obsession with humans and whether or not there is any truth to her beliefs. I remember reading it in 2 sittings and I was enthralled with it, at the time I loved this story. I remember it to be well written, interesting and overall a very solid story. I think this is reflected by its popularity on the site.
Bad Mondays (ACTIVE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/163706/bad-mondays
This story is an epic, currently sitting at over 800k words and still going. A very funny story about a down on his luck Irishman on a grand adventure who hates it every step of the way. While the beginning may be a little rough (only a little), it is a very well written story with great characters and world building, along with being hilarious at times to boot. I highly recommend this story.
Diaries of a Madman (ACTIVE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/45860/diaries-of-a-madman
If I’m being honest I have to say that this probably isn’t actually a very good story, but I still somehow enjoy every chapter. Maybe it’s like Stockholm syndrome in a way, it’s such a long story and I’ve been reading it for years, I just got used to it all and enjoy the ride. This is one of the longest stories on the site and if nothing else will occupy you for a while if you’re bored. It is a funny story but it’s also a crazy story with so much adventure, politics, sex, shame and God knows what else. Some say it will never end…
Exchange (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/169217/exchange
This is hands down one of the best things I’ve ever read, I’ve even said before that it is my favourite piece of literature of all time. I never cried of happiness before this story. This is superbly written, hilarious, original, an emotional roller coaster, if you name a positive trait it has it. If you have any misgivings about the ‘Anon’ character or second person stories, put them aside for this story, you will not regret it. I recommend you listen to the music linked within the texts of the chapters for extra immersion. I re-read this the other month in a single sitting, it’s that good. When people tell me fanfiction is always terrible and say other stupid things, I point them to this story. Truly the magnum opus of getmeouttahere.
For Lack of a Better Word (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/44872/for-lack-of-a-better-word
An old school human x RD story with a twist; the human is a mute and we don’t know why. This story has heart, it’s very sweet and at times sad, and is well written. While romance stories like this got very popular and are perhaps too common now and thus lack originality, bear in mind this is a very old story, it’s good for its time and if you take it for what it is you will likely find that you enjoy it as much as I did. Having re-read this the other month I can say it stands the test of time and I clearly had taste when I first read it!
Just Before The Dawn (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/163683/just-before-the-dawn
A fantastic tale of romance, adventure and war. One of the few stories on this site where I actually enjoy reading the battle chapters. It is incredibly well written, has good characters and character development, a great plot, it has everything. When I first read the description I thought it didn’t appeal to my usual tastes, but I gave it a try anyway and it quickly absorbed me and became one of my favourites. It should be coming to a close soon too, so at the very least we know it’s not going to die.
MIA (DEAD) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/16715/mia
One of the only genuinely good Halo crossovers on this site. I was a big Halo player back in the day and I loved this story, but sadly it is dead. If masochism is your thing though, give it a read anyway, it’s fantastic. That it will not see another update is a tragedy.
My Roommate is a Vampire (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36388/my-roommate-is-a-vampire
This is another story that I read not too long after joining, I remember it to be a fun, quirky little story that was written very well. Worth a read if you love the old school Vinyl and Octavia fics.
Nothing Is Set In Stone (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/110642/nothing-is-set-in-stone
This is a great story with what I thought to be an original concept at the time at its centre. It’s short but sweet and of good quality, and is one of the only stories where the existence of the MLP show is acknowledged by the human character but I still enjoyed it.
Over the Edge and Through the Wood (DEAD) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/4464/over-the-edge-and-through-the-wood
I loved this story when I first read it, and while it has lots of what are now considered cliché plot elements, it’s still a good story. Well written, interesting, dead. Once again, if you feel like starting something you can never finish, I recommend this story highly.
Quantum Castaways (DEAD/UNKNOWN) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/27429/quantum-castaways
This is a fantastic story. It’s really well written, it’s interesting, mysterious, has good character development, the lot. The problem is that I can’t honestly say if it will ever be finished. It updated for the first time in 3 years last November, but has since gone quiet again. The author is still active on the site in that he was last online 7 hours before this post, but I don’t know if work on this story is being continued. My personal bet is that it will die off, which is a great shame.
Slave King series (LIKELY DEAD) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/15014/the-great-slave-king
This for a while was my favourite series on the site. While admittedly it suffers from a lot of errors at times, I always felt that it had a really interesting story and great characters. It has many sequels and clocks up hundreds of thousands of words, but unfortunately it hasn’t updated in just over a year, though the author still visits the site as he was last online today. If you like tales set in the early days of Equestria, with a pantheon of Gods, different provinces and races, and great schemes and conflicts, this series is for you. It’s also cool, the Slave King is God damn cool. If you don’t want to read what may never be finished, just don’t read the sequels.
Spark (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/338/spark
Quite frankly I have no idea if this will stand the test of time, it’s a pony only romance (I read exclusively HiE these days) that I read not long after joining. I recall that it made me cry. I remember it to be a decent story.
The Lunar Guardsman (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/285707/the-lunar-guardsman
Another very long and very well written story. I really recommend this one, it updates regularly and really is a roller coaster ride of a story. Well written, dark and gritty with well-timed humourous segments. Great plot too, but I don’t want to spoil anything. Check it out!
The Transient's Detail (DEAD) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/88139/the-transients-detail
This was once my favourite story published on the site, its cancellation broke my heart. While it is unfinished, there is still an ending of sorts, but it will leave a sour taste in your mouth since you know there should be more. This story has a very rough beginning; the first 60k or so words of the story aren’t that great, they’re a little cliché and not too interesting, but as soon as you hit the chapter entitled ‘Songring’ this story reaches another level, and you can enjoy 210k words of excellence. This story is incredibly original in both its plot and its huge cast of original and fantastic characters and their relationships with each other. I really do still recommend reading this story even though it will never get the ending or continuation it deserves, if you decide to try it, please do stick it out until the ‘Songring’ chapter. This story is anything but cliché once it takes off properly.
The Watcher series (DEAD)- http://www.fimfiction.net/story/91273/the-watcher
These stories are very cool. Written well and with cool characters and plotlines, I recommend these stories if you have a little time to kill, as they’re not all too long. However, while the original story is completed, the sequel is dead. Still worth giving the first a read though in my opinion.
To Be Remembered (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/66122/to-be-remembered
A great little story about Twilight and Spike exploring the ruins of a human city devastated by an apocalyptic war. There’s not much to say about this one, it’s fantastic. Creepy and somewhat emotional, a must-read in my opinion.
Vinyl and Octavia: University Days (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/13477/vinyl-and-octavia-university-days
Another classic Vinyl and Octavia fic, I loved this back in the day. I remember it to be a well written and fun story and that is clearly reflected by its popularity. If you somehow haven’t read it already, give it a read!
Xenophilia (COMPLETE) - http://www.fimfiction.net/story/27874/xenophilia
In hindsight, I’m not sure this story is actually that good. I remember I loved it when I read it before, but I also recall reading it a second time and not being as impressed. Still, it’s a classic romance/clop story that garnered immense praise and popularity, and worth reading at least once if you haven’t already. It is well written, I’m just not sure I personally find it so appealing anymore.
Your Human And You (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/111738/your-human-and-you
Another epic tale currently sitting at almost 700k words, though this can be a little divisive. As the story goes on the plot wanes and I found myself losing interest, but still, there’s a lot to love with this story. It has great romance at times, is funny, has great slice of life and adventure chapters as well as dark elements, the lot. Just be warned that as it goes on you might find yourself wishing the author would get on with X so you can get back to Y. No spoilers from me but I do recommend checking this out, it’s not your run of the mill HiE.
The Tale of Lord Barleycorn (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/99168/the-tale-of-lord-barleycorn
I love this story! It’s superbly written with great characters, updates semi-regularly and is of a decent length, and has such a great story. It’s so pure and innocent in a way, I can’t get enough of it. I wholeheartedly recommend this story to everyone.
Nigel M. Chalmers, Emperor (COMPLETE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/150413/nigel-m-chalmers-emperor
I love the Nigel M. Chalmers stories by Dropbear. They’re outrageous, action packed, hilarious fics. If you love over the top eccentrics with world-ending power then Chalmers is your man. I particularly enjoy ‘Nigel M. Chalmers, Emperor’ and its sequel (which is listed as incomplete but is actually complete and only missing a short epilogue that isn’t even necessary), as well as ‘Ponies, Pirates and Peculiar Psychopaths’ and its sequel, the sequel to PP&PP is unfortunately incomplete though. If you’re not taking it too seriously and just feel like reading some ridiculous riot of a story, check the NMC stories out.
Human Nature (ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/48941/human-nature
While this story may be a little cliché, it is quite old and has undergone re-writes making it overall quite a good tale. I personally enjoy this story very much, but I can’t pin my finger on why. There are no obvious flaws to this story that jump out at me except that some of the protagonist’s actions are a little unbelievable. If you like stories where the human is forced to live like a savage in the Everfree, always under threat from the ponies hunting him down like a criminal (deservedly in this case), I recommend this story to you.
The Mare of the Night; The Dancer and the Diplomat (COMPLETE; ACTIVE) - https://www.fimfiction.net/story/273879/the-mare-of-the-night
These stories are fantastic. They are heartwarming tales that are superbly written. I don’t want to say much more about them other than that you should check them out immediately. The first story is complete but the sequel is still actively being written, and I think the sequel is also the better of the two.
Hm, lots of stuff I need to get to along with some stuff I know is great. I've added what needs adding to my lists, although I have one thing I want to say and one question to ask.
First, the thing about Xenophilia isn't so much the story itself as the world building. I've never seen any story on this site go into so much detail building out the Equestrian society in a believably alien way, and even in the larger world that level of world building is vanishingly rare. That really elevates the whole thing to masterpiece status so I think it deserves a place here and is worth recommending (it is on my own recommendations list after all), although it also means it won't hold interest as well on a reread since the biggest draw is learning about the world rather than the story or characters.
Second, I have to ask about the nature of the rewrites in Human Nature. Rewrites can be a good thing that make the story better when they seek to correct real problems with the original story, but this fandom has a bizarre tendency to try to fold later material into in-progress stories which usually makes a huge mess of things so I would like more detail on canon changes in this story. I'd assume the rewrites left the canon situation where it started to avoid making a mess since you did praise it, but I want to be sure before I jump in, especially since it is ongoing and could easily be killed by bending over backwards for a stupid piece of new canon in the future.
4599217
In regards to Human Nature I'd say the re-writes were purely to improve quality and the plot of the story itself. If you're asking whether or not it is trying to bend over backwards to incorporate canon developments from the show then I can safely say you needn't worry. While set in the timeline of the show in that the mane6 are friends, the events of the show aren't really incorporated so much.
And you might be right regarding Xenophilia, I've kept it on the list because I did really enjoy it on the first read. Eventually when I decide to work my way through this list again it might really surprise me, who knows.
Anyway I gave this blog post a try. It's probably evident I'm not known for making good, concise reviews but an attempt was made. They're obviously reflective of my own tastes and preferences as well so I don't expect anyone to enjoy all of them but whatever, it was kind of fun remembering all of the old ones again.
4599516
That's good to know, although this does extend beyond just canon events. Something like reworking a story to change Pinkie's sisters from Inkie and Blinkie to Maud and Marble would count as well, especially if they actually appeared because the story is still being twisted to reflect new material. Still, I assume you would have mentioned it if that was the case so I'll go ahead and flag it for attention later.
As for Xenophilia, that probably depends on how long it's been since you last read it. If it's been years like I suspect, it'll probably do better than a rapid reread because you'll have forgotten a lot of the subtle world building details that really make it shine.
Anyways, thanks for posting this, and I've gotten started on For Lack of a Better Word so I can at least say that I'm liking it so far, although there are a few minor issues which would keep me from adding it to my own recommendations list, most notably the author's overuse of descriptive phrases for characters in place of names.
4600063
Sorry for the late reply, I've been in London for a few days for this orientation before I leave for Japan, so I've been incredibly busy.
Once again, nothing stands out to me in 'Human Nature' as trying to conform to the minutiae of canon but I can't say for certain, and you're probably right regarding Xenophilia which is why I have kept it on the list.
Anyway glad you're enjoying FLOABW, you seem like a tough critic so if you think it's a decent story then I'm happy, haha. Have a good weekend.
4602285
No problem. That's a long flight, and I'm sure you're busy between the orientation and seeing as much of London as you can before you head out. It's a neat city with lots of cool things to see, so you should definitely take advantage of the opportunity while you can.
Anyways, I think I'm settled on Human Nature for now, although I'll obviously have to read it before I can say anything for sure. If your recommendation is like FLOABW it should at least be fun to read, although odds are it won't meet my own very high recommendation standards.
Also, yes, I know I am definitely a tough critic. It has its pros and cons and I've been bitched at plenty of times and even blocked once or twice for it, but there are also a number of authors who appreciate the input because they realize they can't really improve without that kind of feedback. It's also part of the reason I put together my own recommendation list on my profile since I figured my reputation as a tough critic would make people interested in stories I think are good enough to recommend, although part of that was also helping me track my highest priority stories to read.
4602296
I don't think there's anything wrong with being a tough critic as long as you're constructive and don't come across as rude, you seem fine to me. I'm not too critical of work on this site myself, at the end of the day people aren't professional writers on here and don't usually have aspirations of becoming so, they just want to share a little of their creativity and love of the fandom with like-minded others. If it's not too horrible I leave it be, as long as I'm enjoying myself reading their story and it's a worthwhile use of my time, I'm happy. I don't have a problem helping people with editing though, I'm happy to point out mistakes if the author is fine with that. That's just my take on it though.
Anyway I'll leave you be, always nice speaking with you.
4602361
Yeah, that's basically how I approach it. I aim to be clear and constructive so while the criticism may be a bit harsh, it is always backed up with an explanation of why and how to fix it in order to provide the maximum benefit to the author (with the obvious exception of the occasional hilarious typo, I'm still waiting for FLOABW to accidentally call Twilight a "violent unicorn"). There are naturally some people who mistake clear and direct for rude or think any form of criticism is a personal attack, but the reality is that you are always going to run into hypersensitive idiots no matter what you do so you can't let them control you. The majority of authors do want to improve their craft after all and a number of them want to go professional (or have already done so), so even if they are mostly doing this for fun, they do still benefit from useful, actionable feedback.
Anyways, I need to head out for a few hours and you probably have tons of shit you need/want to do while you're in London, so I'll just say it was nice speaking with you too.
Well, I just got through Exchange and left a big comment about it on the story. You can read it all in the link below, but the tldr version is: good story overall, Celestia was great, second person sucks, and Twilight was badly OOC.
https://www.fimfiction.net/story/169217/exchange#comment/8378584
4642887
OK I just read your comment, my response is ultimately to each his own. I personally have never cared for keeping characters, well, in character all too much, I think that's what's fun about fanfiction and the AU tag. I also got over my qualms with 2nd person a few years ago so that's also never been too much of a problem for me but I do see what you mean about how it can inherently hinder stories and protagonist development etc. Considering 'Exchange' was originally a greentext story from /mlp/ converted into prose it gets a little extra leeway from me too.
But yeah glad you at least liked it enough to finish it, I know my opinion on it hasn't changed haha, Celestia is the bedrock of the story and she's written amazingly imo. Always interesting hearing your take on things, you really seem to put effort into honest and thorough feedback. Also Japan is fucking hot, I live near Kyoto city and the summer here is unbearable, so hot and humid, kill me please.
Any other stories I recommended you planning on reading? Or have I disappointed too many times now haha
4643037
To put it simply, having someone out of character shows a serious lack of respect for them and, by extension, both Lauren Faust's vision and the source material as a whole. You should either use them as they are with full respect given to who they are, or make an OC with some similar traits if something about the canon character causes irreconcilable problems as is the case here. AU gets more interesting if it is actually a true AU like the Lunaverse because you have to balance the existing characterization against the influence of a different setting altering their life and worldview, but Exchange isn't an AU as far as I can tell (or at least it wasn't until it got ran over by new canon material) so it doesn't have the excuse of a totally different government and substantially different society to support altered characterization the way the Lunaverse does.
Beyond that we are in agreement on everything, and I'm glad you appreciate the thought and effort that goes into this. As for other stories, there are a few on there that have been bumped up on my priority list, although in some cases like Anthropology it was more a case of you reminding me that I completely forgot about the story than anything else.
As for Japan, it's unfortunate that the weather is a problem, although hopefully you are at least enjoying your time there.
4643045 I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on this one, it's not like they're written as completely different characters, it's just that certain traits become exaggerated or minimised for say, comedic effect etc. I just don't hold things up to the same rules as you I suppose, no problem.
Japan is really cool though, but my apartment is tiny. I'm working in city hall at the minute but will be heading out to teach in 2 weeks or so, so I'm slightly nervous. The food is great though, heading out to a local ramen restaurant in the next few days.
4643048
If it's something subtle like what you are talking about, you can manipulate the situation to bring one character trait to the fore and get that effect without screwing up the characters. That's basically just the difference between good writing and bad writing right there and is why I am always hard on bad characterization. You can fix it by slightly tweaking subtle details without causing problems, so mischaracterizing someone like you are talking about only happens when the writer is too lazy or incompetent to do a good job.
As for more extreme cases like Exchange, OCs give more flexibility so you can have someone who really works as the villain, or you can use a less well defined side character to give you more room to work with since their lack of screen time leaves a lot more room for different character interpretations. I haven't been watching the newer stuff so I can't say anything for sure about them at this point, but Trixie, Sunset Shimmer, Moondancer, and Starlight Glimmer all could have potentially stepped into that role.
It is also possible to develop a canon character into something substantially different over the course of the story if you put your mind to it, but that takes a lot of time and attention to do right and in the case of Exchange would have required adding something like 100k words to the beginning of it to properly sell Twilight's decent into madness.
Anyways, I'm glad to hear you are liking Japan. Hopefully the temporary stuff in city hall is going well, and I hope your teaching job goes well once you get moved over.
Also, I'm not surprised you are liking the food because that's always one of the best parts of travel. You may be able to get ethnic cuisine elsewhere these days, but even the good stuff just can't measure up to actually going there and getting the real deal.