tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post1998341369110809279..comments2024-03-04T02:09:30.979-06:00Comments on One Man's Pony Ramblings: Fandom Classics Part 213: NegotiationsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-37819574030798537542017-05-21T20:36:13.402-05:002017-05-21T20:36:13.402-05:00If you were to review TCB, you ideally wouldn'...If you were to review TCB, you ideally wouldn't be looking at the original at all, because it's barely relevant to what TCB morphed into.<br /><br />The original story is pretty much just about this central conceit of humans voluntarily becoming ponies, which is barely present in <i>Negotiations</i>, because TCB is essentially built on reactions and deconstructions of previous iterations of itself. First we had this slightly creepy idea of a bureau that transforms humans into ponies because of reasons. Then we had deconstructions which painted this as a death of the self an act of genocide. Then we had the human-pony warfics. And then we reach the point we're at now, with fics like <i>Negotiations</i> and <i>Other Side of the Spectrum</i> reacting to said warfics.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-2776221822292900092017-05-21T20:04:05.171-05:002017-05-21T20:04:05.171-05:00And if Chris hasn't reviewed it he probably sh...And if Chris hasn't reviewed it he probably shouldn't because, well, what is there that really merits critical review? Most of what I see falls into the category of 'My turn to take on one of the fandom's bogeymen' than anything else.Morning Sunhttps://www.fimfiction.net/user/Morning%20Sunnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-2744255771703450622017-05-21T19:51:27.463-05:002017-05-21T19:51:27.463-05:00Maybe it's one of those Arguments from Imagina...Maybe it's one of those Arguments from Imagination? "If we can envision the apocalypse, it must be real!"<br /><br />As for TCB, I've never reviewed it because it's permanently incomplete, and doesn't even really go very far with its narrative. It's relevance is as a concept which other authors took and ran with, not as a piece of writing itself--if I tried to review it, the only thing I'd really be <i>able</i> to comment on was the premise! And, I suppose, the quality of writing, but the point is, there's not really a "story" suitable for reviewing there.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-78522434799333601042017-05-21T19:47:33.678-05:002017-05-21T19:47:33.678-05:00Oops! Thanks for those catches!Oops! Thanks for those catches!Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-27045691333603714332017-05-19T23:51:46.815-05:002017-05-19T23:51:46.815-05:00I've heard that, too, but the stories I read a...I've heard that, too, but the stories I read aren't extreme at all. Unless you count the major theme that, generally, ponies are nicer than people, and it's more fun to be a pony.iisawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11454386148259666080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-25805391849029462622017-05-19T23:48:14.135-05:002017-05-19T23:48:14.135-05:00Huh. I did not know that!Huh. I did not know that!iisawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11454386148259666080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-10429481677981564912017-05-19T18:11:23.572-05:002017-05-19T18:11:23.572-05:00Worth noting Fall of Equestria is not like FoE or ...Worth noting Fall of Equestria is not like FoE or TCB, a universe stemming from a single fic. The original FOE was just a series of comics/art commissions from a single person across multiple artists -- and I could be wrong about the specifics, but the point is, there's no single, central Fall of Equestria: The Story. I had this same problem when looking for one to review.Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-81576067941102991072017-05-19T13:30:32.202-05:002017-05-19T13:30:32.202-05:00From what I understand, TCB is notorious for being...From what I understand, TCB is notorious for being really extreme in its views and it even spawned an opposite group just to 'combat' itAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-84170783587073649212017-05-19T13:13:24.895-05:002017-05-19T13:13:24.895-05:00I've read a few of the TCB fics, and none of t...I've read a few of the TCB fics, and none of them portrayed Celestia in a way that could be twisted into the caricature of a super-villain. If anything they went to the opposite extreme. There was no war; the whole ponification thing was to save humans from the (improbable) deadly collision of two universes.<br /><br />If I were to write an anti-TCB story, I'd focus on the fridge-horror aspect of the implied lobotomy that made humans "nicer" after becoming ponies.<br /><br />I'm actually kind of surprised that you'd inflict this sort of masturbatory power fantasy on yourself. I can't remember... did you review Fall of Equestria?iisawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11454386148259666080noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-10214773529137255442017-05-19T11:04:38.650-05:002017-05-19T11:04:38.650-05:00I've seen this fic and its sequels around a lo...I've seen this fic and its sequels around a lot. The sequels, at least, I saw in the feature box a few times. This is a whole 'verse, with its own TV Tropes page and everything. I never did like the sound of it either, but I had no idea that it was this... blatant in its aims, I guess.<br />DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-23984868487997672832017-05-19T10:36:30.593-05:002017-05-19T10:36:30.593-05:00You haven't done TCB? It seems like something ...You haven't done TCB? It seems like something you probably should, what with it spawning a whole subfandom and all, like "Fallout Equestria" and "Boast Busted" with the Lunaverse. <br /><br />"To be clear, celebrating how humans are better at something than a species who's relative abilities you define within the fic itself is an accomplishment that rings rather hollow."<br />-> Reminds me of one of the (many) terrible facets of the "Left Behind" series raised by Fred Clark's (excellent and entertaining) criticism:<br /><br />"It’s another example of Left Behind’s weird fiction-as-confirmation-of-prophecy confusion. The authors tell us that the Bible prophesies specific future events, and then they provide a fictional account of those events unfolding exactly as supposedly foretold. That much would be fine, except that they treat this fictional fulfillment as though it were actual evidence and proof of their claims rather than just an illustration of them."Icy Shakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00490981784760484964noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-11468665399840221882017-05-19T07:05:13.341-05:002017-05-19T07:05:13.341-05:00And then you've got fics that swing entirely t...And then you've got fics that swing entirely the other way, with humanity being completely awful (also in the TCB verse!) I wonder where the on-balance fics are. Not just not depicting humanity as either the greatest or worst thing ever, but specifically calling attention to that idea.Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-70679915634179511852017-05-19T03:00:13.184-05:002017-05-19T03:00:13.184-05:00"Were the story to be about this discrepancy,..."<b>Were</b> the story to be about this discrepancy, that would be one thing..."<br /><br />"To be clear, celebrating how humans are better at something than a species <b>whose</b> relative abilities you define within the fic itself is an accomplishment that rings rather hollow."<br /><br />In addition to the typo, that second sentence was a bit awkward to read<br /><br />Looking forward to the next review. I've only read a couple of sounds' fics, but enjoyed both of them. Also, they have one of my favorite avatars, which is practically the same thing as being a great authorHolly Oatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01703437987958922954noreply@blogger.com