6-Star Reviews Part 164: Binky Pie

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You read that title right!  All these years later, we've still got the (very) rare 6-star review trickling in.  Will there ever be another?  Well, EqD hasn't actually had ratings for years, and... um, if you look at the list of incomplete 6-star fics, you'll see that there's not much there beyond deadfics and, at a glance, at least three or four misfiled complete stories that I've already reviewed.  Still, who knows?  Maybe The Sweetie Chronicles will eventually finish, and I'll have the dubious joy of reviewing a million-word fanfic which can only be properly appreciated by someone who's read several million more words' worth of fanfic!  That... that'll be a fun day.

But that day is not today!  No, today is the day I review Miyajima's Binky Pie.  Check it out, below the break.

6-Star Reviews Part 163: Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons

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What's 1.7 million words between friends?  Nothing, that's what!  Well, nothing and a month's worth of reading... anyway, here's the review you've all been waiting for!  Tell your friends, tell your family, call in sick to work so you can bask in my reviewage!  My thoughts on Somber's Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons, below the break.

6-Star Reviews Part 162: The Steadfast Sky

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Words? Read.  Opinions?  Formed.  Review?  Written.  Check it out below the break: The Grey Potter's The Steadfast Sky.

6-Star Reviews Part 151: Icarus

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Based on the number of times I've mistyped it in this review, I apparently feel really strongly that "Icharus" is the superior spelling of that title.  Why my fingers keep trying to drop an H in there, I cannot say.  Regardless, click down below the break to check my (hopefully correctly-spelled) review of Tamar's Icarus.

6-Star Reviews Part 150: Silent Ponyville 3

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There's a blog reader who's in China for the summer (where blogspot.com addresses are blocked--thanks, Great Firewall!), so I agreed to e-mail him my reviews so he can keep up with them while he's there.  On Monday, he asked me if I was okay and, after a few moments of confusion, I realized that I'd been replying to the wrong e-mail thread for the past week--and thus, I'd been sending my reviews to the wrong person.

But what really blows my mind is, I sent this other person three reviews over the course of a week, and he never commented on it.  I mean, wouldn't you wonder what was going on if you were him?  I would!

Anyway, Jake Heritagu's Silent Ponyville 3 (and side stories), reviewed below the break.

6-Star Reviews Part 149: Dresden Gets Schooled

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Ahh, it's been a while since I've used that title for a blog post!  This week will bring three new-to-review fanfics which are or were 6-starred on Equestria Daily, back when they were still doing star ratings.  We begin below the break with a sequel to the previously-reviewed Forever! and My Little Denarians, Chengar Qordath's Dresden Gets Schooled.

6-Star Reviews Part 148: The Immortal Game

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I'm back, baby!  Are you all ready for your gifts?  Because I got you something while I was on vacation.  Any idea what it is...?

That's right!  It's a review!  Specifically, it's a review of AestheticB's The Immortal Game.   Go unwrap it below the break.

6-Star Reviews Part 147: Transcendence

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I'm now only one story shy of reviewing every complete 6-star story!  Granted, I'm still something like half a million words shy if you want to count it that way, but the point is that I've very nearly accomplished the completely arbitrary goal I set for myself almost two years ago.

...Hey, you've gotta take your victories where you can get 'em.  Click down below the break for my thoughts on Corejo's Transcendence.

6-Star Reviews Part 146: Summer Days and Evening Flames

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The last of the sequels to previously reviewed fics that still needed reviewing is finally reviewed!  Click down below the break for my take on NickNack's Summer Days and Evening Flames.

Oh, before you go, one thing: what with the Tour de France underway, I'm once more getting blog hits from people searching Google for "Thomas Voeckler fanfiction."  Just remember, my offer still stands.  And on a Tour-related note... sorry, Mystic.  I'd say "better luck next year," but, well, Cadel Evans isn't getting any younger.

Okay, now on to pony-related stuff!

6-Star Reviews Part 145: Pony Psychology Series

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Sometimes, when I read about stuff like this, I think it might be fun to go to a con or large meetup sometime, to put a few faces to (pen)names, go to some panels, and generally be in the presence of people who share this particular hobby of mine.

Then I realize that, even for the closest large convention, the costs of food, travel, lodging, ticket, and incidentals wouldn't be much less than a thousand bucks.  Oh well.

Below the break, my review of Saddlesoap Opera's Pony Psychology Series and sequel.

6-Star Reviews Part 144: The Vagabond

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As was brought to my attention recently when someone asked me why I never give stories more than three stars, it's been a while since I came across anything that really blew me away in my (nearly complete!) journey through the 6-star stories.  Mid-February was the last time I gave a story four or five stars, in fact.  Will this be the fanfic (or pair of fanfics, as the case may be) that breaks the slump?  Find out after the break.

6-Star Reviews Part 143: Heart of Gold, Feathers of Steel

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You know, it's funny.  Whenever I'm out and about, I'll constantly have inane revelations or tidbits of which I'll think to myself, "Hey, that would be a great for an above-the-break bit!"  But then, when I actually sit down at the keyboard... I got nothin'.

Below the break, my review of NickNack's Heart of Gold, Feathers of Steel.

6-Star Reviews Part 142: The Vinyl Scratch Tapes (Season Two)

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Since I'd already used the actual cover art for my review of the first story (which you can read at the link above, or read my review of here; this review may contain spoilers for the original story, so use your discretion), I took a look at the handful of pony images I liked enough to save.  This is the most closely related thing I have.  I would also like to submit that Octavia playing a theremin is awesome.

On an unrelated note, the capcha stuff seems to be doing a pretty good job filtering out the spam; I can still see it, but the messages don't seem to be making it through and onto the blog proper.  I think the spambots may have noticed, though.  Where the messages used to all be positive things like "Wow! You're post is informative &helful!"--when they weren't obscene, anyway--now they're things like "my God, i thought you were going to chip in with some decisive insght at the end there, not leave it with ‘we leave it to you to decide’."  I guess the honeymoon is over.

Click below the break for my review of Corey W. Williams' The Vinyl Scratch Tapes.

6-Star Reviews Part 141: Background Pony

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Yessiree, the review you've been impatiently waiting for is finally here!  Late, no less--was there any other way?

Below the break, my (looong) take on shortskirtsandexplosions's Background Pony.

6-Star Reviews Part 140: Antipodes

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You know those idiot amusements which lurk in the lower-rent sections of your head?  The ones that can't even be called "inside jokes" because they're not so much "jokes" as "things that make you smile for no good reason?"  Well, here's a story about me: When Antipodes first got posted on EqD way back when, I looked at the title, and suddenly thought to myself, "If you put a hyphen in there, it could be Anti-podes."  Then I started wondering what the anti-podes were like, why they hated podes so much, whether they were able to sit at the same Thanksgiving table with pro-podes without getting into family-destroying arguments, and the short version is that every time I see this fic mentioned anywhere I always giggle while thinking to myself, "heh, anti-podes."

Click down below the break for my review of PK's (sadly pode-less) Antipodes.

6-Star Reviews Part 139: The Pony of the Opera

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I can't seem to think of anything interesting to put up top here.  No matter; pop on down below the break for my review of Miyajima's The Pony of the Opera, about which I assure you I do have something to say; with any luck, it will even prove to be something interesting.

6-Star Reviews Part 138: Anthropology

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Count me among the X-million Americans who went ahead and filled out a bracket for the NCAA basketball tournament, despite the fact that I watch virtually no college basketball besides a few tournament games each year.  With predictable results, no less; after the first week, I'm already getting thoroughly trounced.

Below the break, my review of JasonTheHuman's Anthropology.

6-Star Reviews Part 137: The Somewhere Cycle; Volume 1: "Wander and Green Brier"

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As those of you who follow along at home may have noticed, The Somewhere Cycle etc. (jeeze, that's a long title) isn't actually a 6-star story on EqD.  So why is it getting reviewed here?  Because PresentPerfect, one of the two people who are getting FABULOUS PRIZES after bidding on my services for the Las Pegasus auction, requested it!  As part of the prize, he got to request that I post about a particular subject, and this is the message he sent me:

Chris, I would like you to review the story "The Somewhere Cycle: Volume 1" by the Descendant. I guarantee it would have been 6 stars on EQD had anyone actually voted on it.

That's good enough for me!  So for today, we're going to pretend that this story had gotten the prerequisite 50 votes back in the day, and I'll be reviewing it as such.  Click below the break to see what I think.

6-Star Reviews Part 136: Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts

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If you haven't already, you all might want to check the comments section on my most recent post.  There's a... thing being created down there, and I don't think I'm up to the task of describing it.

Looks like everyone's having fun, though, and who doesn't like fun things?

Speaking of fun things, click down below the break to read my review of Grey Prophet's Frigid Winds and Burning Hearts.  After all, what's more fun than a fanfic review?

6-Star Reviews Part 135: Our First Steps

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You remember on Friday, where I talked about the Las Pegassist stuff?  Well, I'd like to take a moment to thank WTFHIW, who didn't just put up the winning bid for my auction, but paid for the second-place bidder to get my services as well.  Overall, there was a lot of generous bidding, so kudos to everyone who participated, as a buyer or seller!

Below the break, my review of Mrakoplaz's Our First Steps.