Bugle’s “Random”

15 Friday Jan 2016

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Today’s story is more methodical than one might think.

randomRandom
[Sad] [Slice of Life] • 6,834 words

The tensions of estranged family run high when Cloudy Quartz’s mother, Change, comes to see her newborn grandfoals.  Things only get worse when Change makes a discovery that spells hope for her species, and promises disaster for her relationship with her daughter.

Pinkie Pie has the soul of a draconequus.

FROM THE CURATORS: This piece definitely went in directions we never expected. In the words of Present Perfect, “It could easily have been, ‘Wow, Pinkie’s part draconequus, that explains so much!’ but instead, that’s merely the backdrop for this tale of family tensions.” Added AugieDog, “I also love how the author made this into a story about Pinkie in which she doesn’t actually appear.”

The curators agree, the author’s decision to focus on family dynamics is what drew us to it. The conflict between Pinkie’s mother and grandmother is relatable and approachable. “A lot of authors would have let themselves get caught up in the mechanics and backstory of the draconequui,” said Chris. “The central conflict is one that anyone with an extended family has seen play out firsthand.” Augie agreed: “The struggles here are the sort that go on in families every day.”

Relatable, too, was the character of Igneous Pie. “He provided not just a writer’s tool for promoting reconciliation,” Chris said, “but he also ended up being the character I related to best.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Bugle discusses the MLP collectible card game, diversity in the fandom, and the tribulations of writing for an ever-evolving canon.
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MidnightDancer’s “Blankets”

08 Friday Jan 2016

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Today’s story reminds us that even loving spouses sometimes will make cold decisions.

blanketsBlankets
[Romance] [Slice of Life] • 2,556 words

Marriage is the hardest thing Carrot Cake has ever done, second only to being a father to his two foals.

Woken by a chill and finding himself quite bereft of blankets, he finds himself pondering the canyon that has appeared between he and his wife.

FROM THE CURATORS: As the description suggests, this is a story about relationship problems — but it’s full of the sort of realism and nuance that elevate the premise from angst to art.  “I always enjoy it when writers take a situation from the show and apply real-life psychology to it: how would someone really react to this situation, and how might that reaction change the character’s outlook on life?” AugieDog said.  “Even better, we then get the character reacting to that first reaction and deciding it was the wrong thing to do.”

Several of us noted the deft way which Blankets dug back through both the Cakes’ troubled relationship and the incident that caused the rift.  “Even when we discover what happened, there’s never any attempt by the author to act like this single thing is what’s pushing them apart,” Chris said.  “Instead, this is a story about all the little barbs, all the slightly-too-guarded conversations, all the individually unimportant but oh-so-crucial-in-the-heat-of-the-moment battles which drive people apart, told with beautiful metaphors and no small amount of self-awareness.”  And that storytelling finesse even won over our doubters.  “It started out feeling like a generic midlife crisis story, but once the curtain pulled back on the original source of their rift, that did wonders for my engagement,” Horizon said.  “The central conflict and the realistic approach to that growing divide of paranoia are exemplary, and I really appreciate the way that the resolution turned on trust rather than on the truth.”

But ultimately, Blankets’ strength comes from its uncompromising look at the truth behind a marriage in crisis — and that wouldn’t have been nearly as powerful if it hadn’t gotten so effectively inside its characters’ heads.  “Mr. Cake makes no bones about what’s happened,” Present Perfect said. “He’s laying his soul bare, not asking for pity. If anything, this story reveals that he does truly understand his wife in the way only someone who’s been with another for a long time can — we see him seeing himself through her eyes.”

Read on for our author interview, in which MidnightDancer discusses dark days, basic morals, and that old time-thief Soap.
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Grand_Moff_Pony’s “Ciphers”

01 Friday Jan 2016

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There’s no secret to the quality of today’s story — just a gripping look at the secrets of a mare facing a life-changing decision.

ciphersCiphers
[Drama] [Romance] [Slice of Life] [Tragedy] • 6,110 words

Untold luxury and wealth. A place in high society. A life full of the finer things. All this and more await Fleur, but at what cost?

Now, Fleur must decide: Is love worth nothing, or is it a secret worthy of sacrifice? Can she be the mare she is and the mare she has to be?

A cipher, after all, can be anything — or nothing at all.

FROM THE CURATORS: This story came to us via multiple recommendations in our story suggestion thread — and it was easy to see why.  “The writing is gorgeous,” Chris said.  “Pleasantly full of detail without falling into overlong rambling, it nicely mirrored the opulence of the setting.”  Horizon similarly praised the way the story grounded itself in detail: “All the little motions and mementos bring Fleur to life.”

That writing was in service of a story far afield from the show’s usual fare.  “This is a great piece, full of drama and romance and upper-class tragedy,” Present Perfect said.  “We get Fleur on the eve of an arranged marriage, barely pulling off the adoring trophy wife routine while desperately trying to hang onto the last vestiges of the life that once made her happy.”  We found Grand_Moff_Pony’s treatment of that premise unexpectedly captivating.  “Stories about the tribulations of the exceedingly wealthy have never really resonated with me … so it’s doubly impressive that I enjoyed it so much,” Chris said. “She’s faced with a choice where there’s no good answer, but her decision makes her feel more real — more flawed — than having her either bet on love or try to make a ‘noble sacrifice’ would have.”

It wasn’t just Fleur’s characterization that we appreciated.  “Even though her lover spends most of the story offscreen, their relationship is vibrant and moving,” Horizon said, and Present Perfect agreed: “She’s characterized well, and she’s got really good chemistry with the OC brought in to be her paramour.”  And the setting itself came to life in much the same manner.  “What really struck me was the sense of ‘negative space’ in the story, the feeling of emptiness, isolation, and echoing stillness — I don’t think Fleur moves more than a handful of steps throughout the entire piece,” AugieDog said.  “It surrounds her and her mementos in a very effective way.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Grand_Moff_Pony discusses cardboard starships, on-screen level-ups, and over 9000 moments.
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Happy Hearth’s Warming!

25 Friday Dec 2015

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It’s been a busy two years of reading, evaluating, and spotlighting stories for our weekly author interviews.  With Christmas falling on a Friday this December, we at the Royal Canterlot Library are taking our first day off.  Rest assured, though, we’ll be back next week to feature another excellent piece of pony fanfiction.

In the meantime, now is a good time to take advantage of a suggestion from RCL curator Chris, and give one of your favorite authors the gift of a thank-you for how their story made a difference to you.  If you’d like a starting point, browse our list of previous features, with 100+ top-notch stories.  Did one of them move you?  Help you come to a realization?  Teach you the bon mot that landed you that sweet job at the trivia factory?  Let the author know!  There’s no greater compliment than to hear you’ve made a difference.

For readers and authors alike, happy holidays to you all.

Winston’s “Black Lotus”

18 Friday Dec 2015

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Today’s story brings an unusual philosophical conundrum to life.

black-lotusBlack Lotus
[Slice of Life] • 12,595 words

Twilight Sparkle conducts an experiment and succeeds in obtaining an unusual flower with some intriguing properties.

What it could teach her, however, might prove to be more than she bargained for. She finds herself having to face surprising — and maybe frightening — new possibilities about the universe. How does it work? What is ‘real’, exactly? And why are these suddenly such uncomfortable and challenging questions for her?

FROM THE CURATORS: You might think that a story with such an epistemological description would rise and fall on the strength of how it tackled those questions — and Black Lotus certainly delivers on that score.  “This offers a really nice layman’s look at its central philosophical problem,” Horizon said. “Also nice was the way in which those questions were modified to address Equestria’s magical reality while still staying relevant for Earth readers. I’m always happy to throw a thumbs-up to something that can illuminate while it entertains.”

But Horizon was in the minority in focusing his praise there: the rest of us kept finding other things to appreciate.  “What makes it work is it’s not just two ponies discussing deep philosophical concepts,” Present Perfect said.  “The connection between heart and mind is every bit as important to the story as the true nature of reality.”  For his part, Chris enjoyed the writing: “The author has a lovely, almost lyrical writing style,” he said.  “The reason I liked the first chapters so much was because Winston managed to keep Twilight’s actions and concern opaque without being frustratingly coy, and without being dull.”  And AugieDog appreciated how the story stayed authentic to the show and the characters: “I quite like the way this one unfolds, especially the way it starts from an episode and posits how Twilight might naturally have reacted to said episode.”

While that show grounding was excellent, we kept returning to the characterization in our praise.  “Even better than the unfolding is how Twilight decides to deal with the things she discovers during the course of the story.  This is our Twilight through and through,” AugieDog said.  Chris agreed: “Luna’s advice may have been very much what I expected, but I liked the way Twilight reasoned — and reacted to what she reasoned.” Those reactions brought the story to a strong and unexpected close.  “Most telling, I think, is what Twilight ends up doing with the lotus,” Present Perfect said.  “That’s some powerful symbolism there.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Winston discusses black bodies, first Firsts, and empirical testing of the Tantabus.
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Charcoal Quill’s “Old Pony Tales for Hearth and Home”

11 Friday Dec 2015

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Let today’s story transport you into the realm of fable to spin an origin for one of the show’s most enduring villains.

old-pony-talesOld Pony Tales for Hearth and Home
[Dark] [Adventure] • 3,054 words

The back of this slim volume reads as follows:

On winter’s nights, when cold winds blow outside and ponies everywhere huddle around the fireplace, friends and family often pass the time by telling stories to one another. Many of these fanciful tales have been told and re-told for generations, and the most enduring ones have become immortalized in folklore as pony tales.

My brother and I have travelled the land, gathering many of these stories, and now present this collection for your entertainment. We hope you find them as interesting as we did.

~Scarlet Quill, of the Quill Siblings

Most of the pages are blank, but as you watch, neatly-penned words begin to fill the first few pages all on their own. Already, one story has completed itself. It appears to tell the tale of the First Changeling…

FROM THE CURATORS: While the presentation here is a bit unusual — “the summary makes it clear that this was intended to be a collection of tales rather than just one,” JohnPerry noted — the fable it presents is a complete standalone story that’s as solid as any we’ve spotlighted.  “I quite enjoyed this,” JohnPerry said, echoing our consensus, while AugieDog added “I really wish the author had done more of these — maybe our feature will inspire them?”

The big thing prompting that praise was the author’s grasp of the chosen form.  “Charcoal Quill shows a strong handle on not only the common elements of a folktale, but also on what purpose those elements serve, and why they’ve become common elements,” Chris said.  “Add to that a perfectly Equestrian concept, and you end up with something that feels like a genuine bit of pony lore.”  Present Perfect agreed: “It’s a good in-universe sort of tale, and while you can see where it’s going if you know what it’s about, all the elements work.”  AugieDog, for his part, praised those elements: “I love the little details — reminding her each time that she has to remove her gifts so Chaos won’t see them — and the message that, even with the best of intentions, it only takes one step over the line to doom a person completely is very true to the genre.”

The story is chock full of those lovable little details, but there was one on which every curator commented.  “Reading the dragon’s section was the moment I decided that this was going to be an RCL rec,” Chris said.  JohnPerry was also impressed — “it simultaneously fits within the context of the story while parodying it somewhat” — and Horizon agreed: “It’s one of the welcome moments of levity in a story that effectively goes to some dark places.  Any story that can both subvert its own storytelling and play that storytelling straight to powerful effect gets a thumbs up from me.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Charcoal Quill discusses generous dragons, griffon godmothers, and flail-wielding pony names.
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Fervidor’s “Paper Promises”

04 Friday Dec 2015

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Today’s story cashes in on the show’s universe to teach a lesson worth its weight in gold.

paper-promisesPaper Promises
[Comedy] [Slice of Life] • 4,040 words

Filthy Rich has a problem. His daughter, Diamond Tiara, keeps breaking her promises to treat her classmates with more respect. In fact, she doesn’t even seem to really understand what a promise is. Since punishing her does not seem to have much effect, Mr Rich is forced to consider a more creative parenting method. But how can he make such a spoiled, materialistic little filly as Diamond Tiara see the value of a promise?

With money, of course!

FROM THE CURATORS: We were pleased to discover that this fic offers something greater than the sum of its pony parts.  “This is one of those rare stories that manages to mesh human history seamlessly with the things we like about the show,” Horizon said.  “It certainly feels true to the characters, but it combines that with a lesson so roundabout and engaging you barely realize that you’re learning about real-world economic collapse.”

The vivid writing of that central plot got our unanimous acclaim.  “The lesson itself is illustrated cleverly, and in a way that sticks thanks to how original it is,” Present Perfect said, while Chris agreed: “It’s a good message, and the ponies delivering it are suited to the task.”  AugieDog, meanwhile, found reason for nostalgia.  “I’m having flashbacks to this series of old Warner Bros. cartoons in which the virtues of capitalism are expounded upon by folks like Sylvester the Cat and Elmer Fudd,” AugieDog said. “This one worked better than those ever did for me, though, because it’s a bit larger in scope and fits in well with the world of Equestria.”

And that was far from the only thing to appreciate about the story.  “There are some nice bits of humor around the edges,” Chris said.  “Fluttershy’s bit made me grin.”  Horizon was impressed that this older fic still faithfully fit within canon post-Crusaders of the Lost Mark: “Clever move, leaving the resolution open-ended like that.”  And Present Perfect praised the character arcs: “A well-written Diamond Tiara learns an important lesson in a way that is tailor-made for her to understand,” he said.  “And for all that Filthy Rich has to confront that he’s failed as a parent at the outset, he redeems himself by the end with the little trick he plays on his daughter.”  Ultimately, that made this story not only clever but also heartwarming.  “This wonderfully showcases the breadth of fanfic, and uses the characters in ways that enrich us,” Horizon said.  “That’s worth celebrating.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Fervidor discusses alternate calendars, delusions of grandeur, and non-dramatic kidnappings.
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PaulAsaran’s “Of Angels”

27 Friday Nov 2015

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In unearthing Angel’s secrets, today’s story brings potent emotions to the page.

of-angelsOf Angels
[Slice of Life] • 4,023 words

All his life, Angel Bunny has been plagued by a single question. At long last, he has an answer, and he longs to reveal it. Doing so may be the single most important thing he’s ever done, but Angel doesn’t know how to deliver the message. After all, rabbits have no need of writing.

Angel needs to learn. Knowing this task is far too important to let his pride get the better of him, Angel does something he never thought he’d do: ask for help. There’s only one pony for the job.

FROM THE CURATORS: In a way, this story is like getting two different RCL features in one — its 4,000 words are split into two chapters that impressed us in very different ways.  “The gimmick of the first half was awesome, and the second half was a great domino-topple,” Present Perfect said.  “This is just a really unique story.”

That uniqueness will be obvious to any reader within the first few sentences, as colored text splashes across the screen, but we agreed that this story pulled it off.  “The structural gimmick — that we’re reading excerpts from an enchanted book (a la EqG) — is both well-used and well-explored, and the story itself is short enough that the novelty doesn’t have time to wear off,” Chris said.  A large part of that was the way it helped the voices shine through — “the way he manages to convey the characters so well and so completely simply from their ‘dialogue’ just makes me happy all the way around,” AugieDog said — but there was also more depth here.  “The addition of interjections from Fluttershy and Discord kept the first half tense, which I wasn’t expecting,” Present Perfect said.

That depth extended everywhere in the story, from the overarching structure to the little details.  “I should mention that the spelling/grammar mistakes Angel makes are pretty realistic,” Chris said.  “I sometimes think I’m the only person in the world who cares about the realism of poor spelling, but for what it’s worth, this story has it!”  As he noted, even without the textual gimmick, it stayed strong throughout.  “The second chapter soon shifts to a genuinely poignant bit of backstory, which ends up reframing the entire work,” Chris said.  “The specific emotions and desires which color it paint Angel in a pleasantly complex light.”  Overall, it added up to a story powerful enough to sway even curators looking elsewhere for a feature.  “One of the reasons I accepted the invitation to come on board here was to nominate ‘Frequency,’ but I’ll still happily send this one to an interview,” AugieDog said. “I have a dark little corner in my heart for Angel Bunny, and to see him clearly from his very first attempts at writing all the way through the actual note in the second chapter, that’s good stuff.”

Read on for our author interview, in which PaulAsaran discusses deliberate mistakes, Discord codes, and giving voice to the voiceless.
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Casca’s “Pipsqueak the Valiant’s Adventure Journal!”

20 Friday Nov 2015

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In today’s story, chart a course for Epic Island as you sail through the Adorable Archipelago.

pipsqueak-journalPipsqueak the Valiant’s Adventure Journal!
[Slice of Life] • 38,554 words

Pirates, swordfighting, buried treasure and hidden treachery — you don’t need these to live the adventurous life.

FROM THE CURATORS: The story’s description plays a bit coy: you certainly don’t need world-spanning travels and high-seas swashbuckling for the adventurous life, but this delivers on them regardless.  “I want to tell you a story: I had to set PtVAJ! aside when I was only four chapters into it,” Horizon said.  “When I returned to my RCL reading and realized that I had more Pipsqueak ahead, my face immediately brightened, and I clicked through to the next chapter like greeting an old friend.  It immediately rewarded me with not only a pitch-perfect scene of the trials of Ponyville bureaucracy, but then a scene of Twilight Sparkle, Princess Luna, and epic badass Mayor Mare launching a frontal assault on a pirate ship, and escalated further from there.”

But even when the events of the story are lower-key, there’s a lot to appreciate here.  “I love the early chapters for the narrative voice and the succession of foals doing adorable things,” Present Perfect said.  “Mayor Mare’s backstory is fascinating, Pip’s voicing is perfect, and the fact that he’s able to convey so much through a child’s POV is what put Casca on my radar.”  Horizon also appreciated the voicing: “Pipsqueak has that perfect Dickensian edge of rapier-sharp authorial satire underlaying adorable childish innocence.”  And AugieDog praised the way that the story unfolded: “Of the many fine things on display here, what’s impressing me the most is the structure of the thing — the way that little details in the first chapters, details that seem to exist only to add color to a scene, slowly develop into major plot points.”

It was that slow unfolding which sealed the deal of the story’s feature.  “It really morphs as the story goes along, but the narrative straying from Pip himself is more than made up for by the fact that Mayor Mare is an equally marvelous protagonist, and walking through their various encounters in overseas Maretopia is like rounding random corners in a goblin market and glancing through the stalls,” Horizon said.  “This story is about adventure, about striking off into the unknown with no idea what you’re going to find, and its core is that joy and surprise of discovery.”  Present Perfect summarized in glowing terms: “It’s brilliantly told.  This has always been one of my absolute favorite stories in the fandom, hands down.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Casca discusses mayoral juxtaposition, Cadence coincidences, and the repainting of mental walls.
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Masterweaver’s “Floral Embrace”

13 Friday Nov 2015

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Take a colorful look at one of the show’s more memorable side characters in today’s story.

floral-embraceFloral Embrace
[Slice of Life] • 2,388 words

She saw things differently
*than those around her
**so focused on life
***they did not live
****but she never worried
*****for the universe was
******always singing to her.

This is the story
of Tree Hugger’s Cutie Mark.

FROM THE CURATORS: “One of the quintessential functions of fanfiction, it seems to me, is to fill out the lives of the secondary characters,” AugieDog said in his nomination.  “This is Tree Hugger’s cutie mark story, but there’s a lot more than that going on here.  The story touches on one of my favorite MLP topics — the relationship of Ponies to nature — and quite literally looks at that topic with different eyes.”

That novel look at Equestria’s interconnectedness provoked comment from several curators.  “The depiction of synesthesia is unique — though I don’t think it’s actually supposed to be synesthesia; the useless magical glasses attest to that,” Present Perfect said. “She’s just always been attuned to the universe without realizing just how far that goes.”  Chris found that impressive: “The use of color throughout is clever while being easy to follow, and doesn’t feel forced.”  JohnPerry, meanwhile, turned up the praise: “It uses its visuals to good effect.  It’s the first good take on Tree Hugger I’ve seen — and that includes the show!”

While Tree Hugger’s visions made this story unique, we also singled out its emotional authenticity as exemplary.  “There’s something touching about a person able to say, without guile or unwarranted assumption, what another person is feeling, even (especially) if they’re unwilling or unable to say it themselves,” Chris said.  “That’s hard to set up, and the end could easily have felt manipulative or self-serving on Tree Hugger’s part, but the author here managed to make it feel like … well, like Tree Hugger herself: honest, and interested not in what she wants, but in what the show might call Harmony.”

Read on for our author interview, in which Masterweaver discusses DIGITAL EXPLOSIONS, Mary Sue-icide, and the benefits of forgiving Pinkie Pie.
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