Episode review: S6E14: "The Cart Before the Ponies"

"Applejack, in line with Reg. 54(a)(iii) you are disqualified for not driving an open cart"

After last week's excellent episode, I was really looking forward to today's. Writer Ed Valentine has two previous writing credits on Friendship is Magic: the Discord-focused "Three's a Crowd" and the CMC-focused "Flight to the Finish". The latter ep has grown in my affections over time, so I was pretty optimistic about his chances of giving us another fine story featuring the Crusaders. After the break, I'll tell you whether he did.

Ponyfic Roundup and stories vs literature

I read a lot of My Little Pony fanfic. This is pretty obvious, given that I'm well into my third year of Ponyfic Roundup (PR), but it goes beyond that. I know that there are quite a few people out there, including some considerably more accomplished than me, who no longer read MLP stories for fun, but only to review, pre-read, proofread or edit them. I am absolutely not one of those people, and I suspect that affects how I write my PR reviews.

Comic mini-review: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic #44

I have no interest in Rom, but Andy Price's cover is great anyway

I have a new favourite bit from "Stranger than Fan Fiction" – Daring Do wonders how she missed the doors thing, then Quibble goes, "I've been asking myself that ever since Book Four!" That strongly suggests that he does read the newer books, but basically only so he can find new things to complain about. It's exactly the same as the people who comment repeatedly on EQD about how the show's been rubbish since Twilicorn/since Lauren Faust left, but are still miraculously watching it now, in Season Six. :D

Okay, on to the actual comic review. I was undecided about the first issue in this arc, and was hoping that Thom Zahler, Tony Fleecs and Heather Breckel would pick up the pace this time and show us something special. Again, though, I came away with mixed feelings. I rather like the artwork, and Pinkie is reasonably fun-sinister (though I stubbornly still refuse to find clowns creepy). Fluttershy nearly works, but doesn't quite gel in her evil role. Twilight has only a tiny part after the first few pages, too, and the final reveal is frankly so-so rather than thrilling. All in all, not dreadful, but a little disappointing all the same given the plot's potential. ★★

Text Review Roundup: "Stranger than Fan Fiction"

"And I let go round about... now"

That's right, I've actually remembered to put TRR up this time! My impression has been that this episode has had a very warm reception from most fans – so let's see whether the text reviewers agree. We have a newcomer this week: KrisSimsters.

ArthurCrane – positive ("a fun, satisfying episode")

Articles of Destroyer – equivocal (rated 6.5/10; "on the average side")

Batbrony Reviews – wildly positive ("I loved every minute of it")

Derpy News – extremely positive (graded A)

KrisSimsters – positive ("a good episode")

Louder Yay – very positive ("it's a hit!")

MLP Fanatic – extremely positive ("this episode was amazing")

Super Recaps – very positive ("a really great episode")

TheDragonWarlock – very positive (rated 9/10)

Thrond Media Pony Corner – very positive ("delightful")

Ponyfic Roundup 118: Spotlight on The Twilight Enigma

It's time for another Spotlight issue of PR, and this week it's the turn of the final part of iisaw's trilogy. This began very well with The Celestia Code (PR 59) but dipped slightly in The Luna Cypher (PR 72). Those stories have since been given a slight polish and brush-up, and The Luna Cypher especially benefits from it, but the changes aren't so major that you really need to re-read them. Let's turn to The Twilight Enigma itself.

The Twilight Enigma by iisaw
Twilight, Celestia, Luna and Mane Six
Adventure/Dark; 85k words; Sep 2015–May 2016; Teen

Twilight sets out to learn more of the ways of the world, and soon decides that the whole planet is disorganized, insanely dangerous, and desperately needs to be fixed. And she's just the mare to do it... with a little help from her friends.

This is fundamentally a great adventure yarn in the mould of The Celestia Code. It restores some of the swashbuckling action and fun that went missing at times in the middle book of the series, and generally does so very successfully. Airships play a big role once again, and are used excellently and excitingly, while the twin timelines are kept clear. There's plenty of world-building, mostly sketched with a light hand, and the rest of the Mane Six get plenty to do. I'm rather less fond of the occasional rather clunky intrusion of lore that didn't exist until S5/S6. Still, The Twilight Enigma is fundamentally a very satisfying adventure, and it's an easy recommendation, all the more so if you preferred the first book to the second.  ★★★★

After the break, some more detailed – and spoilery – thoughts.

Pony Music Library 20: "Open Your Eyes"

It's Aviators time again in the PML. As we reach entry no. 20, here's one of my absolute favourite fandom songs of any kind.

( Text link )

What? "Open Your Eyes"

Who? Aviators

Which? Original song

When? May 2013

Why? Just listen to it! What, you want more? All right, all right... the Season Three finale had some wonderful music in its own right, but it also inspired Aviators to create this fantastic piece about Twilight's struggle to fix the spell that has mixed up her friends' lives. It's utterly catchy, with clear, memorable lyrics that really get to me. "My technicolor world has faded to black" is such a brilliant line, too. This song demanded inclusion in the PML.

Episode review: S6E13: "Stranger than Fan Fiction"

I suppose it makes sense that Dash would get that extra hour in the ball rock pit...

The shorter than expected mid-season hiatus is over, and new My Little Pony is back on our screens. We kicked off the second part of Season Six with an episode that many were cautious about – though I was simply pleased to have fanfic referenced at all! The episode was jointly written by Josh Haber, making his first appearance in that role since joining Dave Polsky on the solid "On Your Marks", and Michael Vogel, who had written "Spice Up Your Life" and for whom this was his second successive episode. After the break: is it a hit or a miss?