tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post8100755815239306380..comments2024-03-04T02:09:30.979-06:00Comments on One Man's Pony Ramblings: Mini-Reviews Round 13Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-66695330520597432312013-07-10T08:57:40.424-05:002013-07-10T08:57:40.424-05:00What in the world is a haysens?
Nah, I'm just...What in the world is a haysens?<br /><br />Nah, I'm just kidding. I wish I had an answer for your bigger question but you lost me with all that.DeftFunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15383241789583487786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-77384430354674179942013-07-08T17:49:49.541-05:002013-07-08T17:49:49.541-05:00Haysens everyone!
While reading "Trouble with...Haysens everyone!<br />While reading "Trouble with Phoenixes", a question crossed my mind and since it's about writing, I figured this might be a good place to ask.<br />The part that putt me off was when Rarity was thinking back to her "pony-yoga" classes and brought up a question I asked myself a few times.<br />(Well, I cant really phrase it as a question but): It's about the language in fantasy universes.<br />So, I get that in every foreign universe (like MLP, Star Wars, Lord Of The Rings, World of Warcraft, ...) there is one kind of common language (Basic, Common Speech, Common Tongue, etc.) that most of the characters speak and that is usually directly transfered to English for the sake of understanding it.<br />And even while understanding that asking to learn a new language for every universe is a little much, the fact that each of these universes happen to develop the English language has always been kind of an immersion breaker for me.<br />Now, while they all share English, almost every other language is unique to that universe (not counting people here trying to speak Elvish or such) and in most of the cases (that I know) other languages from our world don't get represented "over there".<br />Equestria might not be the best example, since it's not the most developed universe, but "yoga" is ... kind of an Indian(Sanskrit) word.<br /> I'm not sure if I can tell this comprehensibly, but is there some "writing convention" for how much fantasy universes can borrow from "our" languages before it becomes an immersion breaker?<br />I mean, could AJ refer to her hat as a "Stetson"? At which point is some name a reference and when directly borrowed and how far can this things go before they get unbelievable? If cars would ever become established in Equestria, I'm pretty sure no one would believe that it's just a random coincidence that AJ would be driving a GMC?Magriorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07972035042721395097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-63915446670179185042013-07-03T12:12:08.161-05:002013-07-03T12:12:08.161-05:00Just for the sake of completeness:
I read Keepers...Just for the sake of completeness:<br /><br />I read <i>Keepers of Discord</i>, but I found to too lacking in subtlety for it's length and not particularly discord-like in it's voice--not bad, just kinda meh.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-43438356204033740162013-06-30T11:42:32.748-05:002013-06-30T11:42:32.748-05:00I just read through A Princess Promenade and I got...I just read through <i>A Princess Promenade</i> and I gotta say something about it seemed terribly off to me. Not sure what.<br /><br />After reading <i>Infallible</i> I'm thinking, "sure, why not."<br /><br />And I don't know what to think of <i>Keepers of Discord</i>. Though I guess I can say I enjoyed the read.<br /><br /><i>phoenixes</i>. I suppose I agree with lightsideluc's opinion above, but I don't think the issue is as InquisitorM describes.DeftFunkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15383241789583487786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-30043755743283308062013-06-29T20:33:47.031-05:002013-06-29T20:33:47.031-05:00>must be on a role
I'm surprised you haven...>must be on a role<br /><br />I'm surprised you haven't read "Salvation". There is sex, yes, but it's hardly the sort of mindless clop that you find in the feature box. "Salvation" is a romance, and for most people, love and sex are inseparable. In this rarest of cases, the story is better for its exploration of physical intimacy. It's one of CiG's best works.Professor Whoovesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-68289759551633524262013-06-29T18:58:30.083-05:002013-06-29T18:58:30.083-05:00Tried Infallible and found it rather tiresomely si...Tried <i>Infallible</i> and found it rather tiresomely simple. I'm not sure how a running joke where you already know the outcome is supposed to be funny, but as usual, I'm willing to consider that I just have no soul.<br /><br />Will try <i>Keepers of Discord</i> later--I have higher hopes for that.InquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-57583261923932703082013-06-29T16:08:09.764-05:002013-06-29T16:08:09.764-05:00Cold in Gardez's mature works are, in my opini...Cold in Gardez's mature works are, in my opinion, his best. Although you may not be in the business of reading incomplete fics, Salvation (the new version) has my highest recommendations and praise. There's also The Carnivore's Prayer, another of his mature works that I recommend. I enjoyed Garden of Good and Evil less because I had the feeling that it was written without direction, dark for the sake of dark or whatnot.Bulbasaurnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-8900877076945671552013-06-28T18:41:28.976-05:002013-06-28T18:41:28.976-05:00Oh god, the Contest was amazing. Again, it's m...Oh god, the Contest was amazing. Again, it's morbid, but it worked far better as a joke, I think.Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-18299681109615716362013-06-28T14:07:56.095-05:002013-06-28T14:07:56.095-05:00I found Infallible to be decent, but I loved Keepe...I found Infallible to be decent, but I loved Keepers of Discord. Then again, I just love Discord in general, at least when he's done right. Stumbling across a good Discord-centric fic always makes my day.DannyJhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13273313206696087395noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-78127333286324036782013-06-28T13:23:05.548-05:002013-06-28T13:23:05.548-05:00Piss, you're right. In fact, I read Naked beca...Piss, you're right. In fact, I read Naked because you recommended it in an earlier review >_><br /><br />As for the humor still being "canned laughter" in Naked, guess I just like it more because I have a dirty mind. Part of it might also be because my mom reads Harlequins all the time, so there's a link for me to relate.Lightsidelucnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-39770064063361806772013-06-28T12:47:33.069-05:002013-06-28T12:47:33.069-05:00I had the same initial reaction, but ultimately de...I had the same initial reaction, but ultimately decided it was worth it. Spots which get a little too dark for the rest of the fic seem to be a recurring issue I have with CiG's work--see also Fluttershy's second opponent in <i>The Contest.</i>Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-87729420691800942852013-06-28T12:45:39.821-05:002013-06-28T12:45:39.821-05:00I did read Naked Singularity--I gave it four stars...I did read <i>Naked Singularity</i>--I gave it four stars when I reviewed it on this blog! <br /><br />I was thinking of <i>Salvation</i> and <i>In the Garden of Good and Evil</i> when I typed that; I guess those are his "serious" mature stories? Neither of which I can comment on since, you know, I haven't read them.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11581572699330155065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-27250985129289812992013-06-28T08:43:38.977-05:002013-06-28T08:43:38.977-05:00It's the voice. Both this and The Contest had ...It's the voice. Both this and <i>The Contest</i> had a very 'canned laughter' feel to the way the comedy was presented. It never felt natural enough to elicit more than an intellectual response.<br /><br />Clearly it's not a <i>bad</i> voice though, because it's largely the same as in<i>Naked Singularity</i> and that seemed to work really well. As yes, you should definitely read that if you haven't, Chris!<br /><br />-ScottInquisitorMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10209346997929773686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-68708832891001080432013-06-28T07:01:57.437-05:002013-06-28T07:01:57.437-05:00Infallible is great. My only issue with CiG's ...Infallible is great. My only issue with CiG's entry here is that one of the main jokes was just completely and utterly morbid for no good reason. It didn't quite ruin the story or anything, I just had that sneaking moment of, "Wait, <i>really</i>?" that left a bad taste in my mouth.<br /><br />Chris, where are Summer Days and Evening Flames? :(Present Perfecthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16195959811544391904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8184562969471581744.post-29670772268592960562013-06-28T04:14:21.731-05:002013-06-28T04:14:21.731-05:00Of these, I've only one I've read is The T...Of these, I've only one I've read is The Trouble With Phoenixes. As far as CiG's work goes, it's amongst my least favourites. It's still a good story, but that's all it is to me: good. Not the great I've come to expect from him. It never really tickled my funnybone or engage me. The characterization was spot-on as always, the writing clean and concise (barring one little nitpick I found), the plot solid and sensible. It ticked all the boxes but lacked the X-factor that makes his other work so darn amazing.<br /><br />Oh, also, you really do need to read his "Mature" work. The Mature tag is more for show than anything, I feel, and he doesn't delve into any more detail than is strictly necessary for the plot. So far his best work, in my opinion, are the mature-rated stories. You owe it to yourself to read the brilliant subversion story known as "Naked Singularity".Lightsidelucnoreply@blogger.com