Fan Fiction Review #49: Antipodes

A long time fan-favorite and among the first of 100k+ word MLP fanfics, Antipodes (that's pronounced an-ti-poe-dees for those of you who are like me and thought it was pronounced phonetically) gives a fresh take on the post-apocalypse Equestria.

Author: PK

Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago.

I've had this story recommended and lauded to me by more bronies than I can count.  So does it measure up to all that the masses say about it?  Find out after the break!

Fan Fiction Review #047: Wild, Sweet, and Cool

I've seen a lot of things that look shippy, but this one puts on a reflective belt and yells 'TWIDASH' in my face.

Author: Kwakerjak

After reading a book by Spitfire's personal trainer, Rainbow Dash decides that the best way to get closer to her ultimate goal of joining the Wonderbolts is to add strength training to her practices by having one of her friends ride her. However, when she decides that Twilight Sparkle is just the mare for the job, the pegasus gets a bit more than she bargained for.

I guess it's my job to do just a bit more than freak out at a cover art and try to start a Pinkie mob, though I'll have you know this only got read on direct orders.  They banish ponies here.. anyways, catch the breakdown after the break!

Fan Fiction Review #044: The Griffon War: A Soldier's Memoirs

Ponies with guns? Seems legit...

Author: Dusk Quill

When Private Fleethoof recognized his dream and joined the Royal Guard, he never thought he would ever experience the might of Equestria's military firsthand. But when Equestria's safety is threatened by an old enemy, he'll find out just what sacrifices war and survival demand, and what it truly means to serve for Princess and country, and just how important some friendships can be. See the war through the eye-witness account of a soldier on the frontline, all taken from one enduring journal. 

Can the Drill Sergeant stand reading a story about a Private long enough to give it its due? Find out after the jump!

Review: Children of the Night

Wow. It seems like it was forever since we first saw the animatic for Children of the Night.

Oh wait, it was.

Author: Duo Cartoonist

Children of the Night  tells the tale of what woud have been the origin of Nightmare Night, and the catalyst element that forced Celestia to banish Luna. 

After defeating Discord, Canterlot was witnessing a very slow recovery. Misery could still be found everywhere around, specially for the ponies that had less means. 

Luna thought that expanding the kingdom and founding a new pony colony elsewhere would give a solution to the problem, allowing the ponies that she would choose for the matter, a new brand future. Celestia refused the proposal of her sister to scatter Equestria. For after such a great lack of harmony she thought it could shatter the kingdom forever. 

Being denied and in the shadow of her own sister, Luna decided it easier to ask for forgiveness than permission...

Was it worth the year-long wait? Find out after the jump!

Fan Fiction Review #043: Death Note: Equestria

Death Note with ponies? My interest has been piqued.

Author: Nonagon

Equestria is growing, and magical savant Twilight Sparkle is disgusted by the crime and corruption this change has brought. Her life is changed forever when she discovers the Death Note, a notebook with inexplicable and deadly powers. She uses this book to pass judgement on those she deems unworthy of life, aiming to create a perfect world free of crime. But when the two Princesses put their best pony on the case, a mysterious detective known only as L, a psychological game of cat and mouse erupts between the two.

Comments contain spoilers. Artwork by blu-red, opening by Anon3mous. Now with its own TV Tropes page.

Well, this sounds like an interesting crossover. I mean, a tool of mass destruction such as the Death Note would be interesting to throw into a world of peace-loving ponies. I wonder what their reactions would be? Does this fic explore the possibilities of the chaos or lack thereof of said object being introduced to this world of love and friendship?

Nope!

Fan Fiction Review #42: The Abundance

Oh, come the f*BUY SOME APPLES*k on!

Author: defender2222

The Sequel to 'Faith and Doubt'.

   It's been two months since the changeling attack and Shining's almost-wedding and much has changed. Twilight Sparkle is now an alicorn and has left Equestria to master her new powers. The sixth element of harmony, the corrupt abstract Doubt, has been reborn in his original form: Faith. He, along with Spike, have gone with Twilight as she sought to heal after the betrayal by her friends and family.

   But Twilight's return to Ponyville will not be a happy one; in her absence her friends Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie have been turned into alicorns themselves and the embodiments of their elements. They have seized power and now rule Equestria with iron hooves, using banned magic to turn their friends and family into zealots that obey their every command.

   To save Equestria, Twilight will have to do the unthinkable: form a rebellion and declare war on her friends.

   But will she be willing to make the tough decisions... even if it means choosing between friendship and freedom.

Everything is bad in large doses.

Well, if that doesn't sound like the most unique, non-cliched setup for a story I've ever seen, I don't know what is! Let's review this sucker!

-whimpers-

There is no Celestia...

Author Interview Dispatch #002: totallynotabrony

Yes, this is the second installment in the series. We did one a while back, but the interviews weren't done by us, they were just shared with us by RBDash47 on FiMFiction. I plan for this to be a somewhat regular segment for the Literature Division where we talk with notable authors in the community as well as the authors of stories we've reviewed in the past.

But that's enough explanation for now, we entered the jump zone 3 minutes ago! Get you're flank out that door!

Fan Fiction Review #041: Machine And Might

Futuristic humans in Equestria! How... original?

Author: Kriegor

A massive artificial behemoth made of metal tore through our skies. It loomed over our world, blotting out Celestia's sun and shrouding Luna's moon, leaving those below in the shadows. It sowed chaos and conflict on our nation, something that had not happened in more than a millennium. 

It sits high above us, watching and waiting. What is this monster, and what is to be the fate of Equestria?

I Hate "Human in Equestria."

SITREP: #043 Tweak gets into Pony Fiction Vault!

http://www.ponyfictionvault.net/2013/06/jake-army-guys-under-luminous-sky.html

Our own Tweak (Jake The Army Guy) has got himself entered into the Pony Fiction Vault, a website that attempts to preserve some of the best works generated by the our fandom. The work he got vaulted for? "Under a Luminous Sky".

He was given an interview and sat down to talk about Fanfiction, the borny community, himself, his own work, and I quote: "sunshine, rainbows, and fairy farts". Links to the original story, and corresponding video tapped interview will be below

Fan Fiction Review #040: Fallout Equestria

Oh I can hear it now: "Beef how can you expect to review the greatest fic ever penned to MS word?"

Author: Kkat

Fallout. With ponies! Set in an alternate future, one pony must learn to survive in a blasted, poisoned land... and possibly, with the aid of friends made along the way, bring new light into the darkness of post-apocalyptic Equestria.

Ok, settle down, yes this fic is good... but I always love trying to make authors cry. En Guarde.

Songs for the Troops #021: To go along with PONY: Legacy

So, our friend Brix made a sound track for you guys to take a look at if you want to read the story "PONY: Legacy"  anytime soon.

Additionally he made a song for the fanfic "Blood and Guts and Ponies". All are included after the page break

Fan Fiction Review #039: The Strings that Make No Sound

Whenever I see something tagged as 'sad', I usually just avoid it. Seriously. As an Airman in his early twenties, I like few things better than a good shoot-em-up or epic adventure. When I see another sad-tagged Octavia story, I brace myself for something typical. I guess that's why it is important to remember not to judge a fic by its cover.

Author: ChaoticHarmony

   When we lose all of what makes our world be special, how can we even bear to keep going in life?  How does one even begin to start coping with such a thing?  One cellist, called Octavia by those who knew her, does just this.  She throws the cruel destiny that the harsh fates had bestowed upon her aside and stands proudly upon the stage of the world to play her instrument, her life, louder than any other. 

She plays on the strings that make no sound.

Catch the review after the break.

Fan Fiction Review #038: Gold Star

Hey everybrony! Yes, I just used that term... Anyway, remember when I was actually alive? Me neither, but I'm back! This time I have yet another story submitted to us with a military slant to it. This one was actually sent in to us by the founder/administrator of the Pony Fiction Vault, so it can be reasonably expected to have a certain level of quality, but how good can it really be?

Author: Mindblower

Mom says that families who work really hard get to put a gold star on the inside of their windows.

Perhaps I should have given this one to Tweak or Dizzy... NAH! We've entered the jump zone. Green-light! Go! Go! Go!

Fan Fiction Review #037: Darkest Before Dawn

Twilight in...*gulp* magic... kindergarten.

Author: Sessalisk

   Twilight Sparkle is accepted into Princess Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns and gets a little more than she bargained for.

So my boss told me he loves this fic... prepare to be mad Spangle.

Author Interview Dispatch #001

Source

Bronies of the FOB! How's it going? I hope you're well, and if not, I hope things get better, but enough small talk. Thanks to RBDash47, we have some fanfic author interviews inbound to your location! Catch'em after the jump!

Fan Fiction Review # 036: And Then Twilight Was a Marine

I SEE YOUR ALICORN TWILIGHT AND RAISE YOU ONE MARINE TWILIGHT.

Author: totallynotabrony

This is where volunteering for things gets you.

Ante up, Hasbro.

Fan Fiction Review #035: Aces High

For something halfway between sorrow and determination

I think we all agreed Lightning Dust got what was coming to her, but I'm pretty sure we all wanted to know what happened to that hotshot.  This is a take on what went down in the locker room afterwords.

Author: Shadow_Wolf (check link)

The events of the Wonderbolt Academy have played out and Rainbow Dash is in the stretch to achieving her dream but still has a hard time getting a certain erstwhile friend out of her mind. After taking a few minutes to contemplate things, she decides that she's been given enough second chances in her life to see to it that somepony else gets one as well.

Your boss is tapping her hoof and waiting to give you a stern lecture after the break.

Fan Fiction Review #034: The Immortal Game

NNNRRRRRAAAAAAGGGGHHHH-I WANT TO PUNCH GENERAL ESTEEM IN THE FACE!!!!

Author: AestheticB

Long ago, in the magical land of Equestria, there lived a powerful King and his dark Queen. Immortal and ignorant, their end came at the hooves of their daughters, Celestia and Luna, who sought to build a better future for ponykind.

Now ponykind’s old gods have returned.

Twilight Sparkle is trapped inside her own mind, slave to a cruel and impulsive consciousness built from everything she is not. Powerless and voiceless, she must find a way to stop the being that calls itself Nihilus from destroying everything she holds dear.

Luna is tasked with assembling the remaining Elements of Harmony in hopes of freeing their leader. For if ponykind is to have any hope, it is in Twilight Sparkle. And if Twilight Sparkle is to have any hope, it is in her five friends.

Facing her father in mortal combat, Celestia must do everything she can to ensure that ponykind has the tools to survive before she falls. With inevitable defeat bearing down upon her, she makes the first move in the oldest and deadliest game known to creation.

Will the Drill Sergeant be able to contain his Command Hand of Fury long enough to give this fic its due? Find out after the jump!

Fan Fiction Review #033: Something To Remember Me By

Something to remember who by?

Author: ChaoticHarmony

Everything must end eventually. Ponies will drift apart as they grow, each of them pulled down a separate path of life. For some, it's a paved road lined with bright lights and jeweled sunshine. For others, it is merely a simple trail with only the light of the stars, sun, and moon to guide them.

Yeah, this is going to hurt.....

Fan Fiction Review #032: Sunset

Omigoshomigoshomigoshhhhh!!!!!!

That is the feeling I get from reading some of my very favorite works, and the chance to try to brainwash everyone here to do the same! Please enjoy I promise* there are no ulterior motives here. Oh, and sorry for the spoilerrific cover photo. It can't be helped.

Author: Ciroton

Some things in this world happen by chance. Others do not. Twilight Sparkle is about to learn a disturbing truth that will turn her world upside down.

Please find attached after the break top secret details concerning the photo above.