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Complete The Dresden Fillies: Strange Friends by psychicscubadiver - M - MLP/Dresden Files

Discussion in 'My Little Pony' started by KrzaQ, Oct 21, 2011.

  1. KrzaQ

    KrzaQ Denarii Host DLP Supporter

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    Title: The Dresden Fillies: Strange Friends
    Author: psychicscubadiver
    Rating: T
    Genre: General (?)
    Fandom: MLP/Dresden Files
    Pairings: None, I think
    Chapters: 12
    Words: 75,146
    Updated: February 3, 2012
    Published: September 9, 2011
    Status: Complete

    Summary: Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, is just looking for an escape from his latest set of enemies and happens to teleport into Equestria. Surely nothing could go wrong with that set-up.
    Link: [click]

    I didn't expect much when I chose to read the only (at the time) MLP/DF crossover, but I was pleasantly surprised. Characterization is sound. Dresden's internal monologue is spot on, and so are ponies' actions.

    The only weak side of this fic is the way Harry enters Equestria, but I don't see how could it be written better.

    5/5 from me.


    Sequel:

    The Dresden Fillies: False Masks
    Rating: T
    Chapters: 14
    Words: 97,035
    Updated: January 19, 2013
    Published: March 3, 2012
    Status: Work in Progress
    Almost a year has gone by for Harry Dresden since he left Equestria. Then he receives a strange letter from Twilight. He's glad to return, but dark rumors have spread since his first visit. A sequel to The Dresden Fillies: Strange Friends.
    Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7893489/1/The-Dresden-Fillies-False-Masks




    Checked by Minion, January 19, 2013
    Added the sequel
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jan 19, 2013
  2. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    Being the guy who wrote the only other DF/MLP crossover currently posted on FFN, I feel somewhat obligated to take a look at this.

    The crossover is a bit abrupt, but for a largely humorous fic that's not a big flaw.

    I do find the mix of first and third person is a touch jarring, though the fact that it keeps the third-person focused on one character's perspective keeps it from being too jarring. Then again, that raises the issue of why the author did not just make it all first person with multiple PoV characters.

    As KrazQ said, the characters seem to be spot-on so far.

    Overall, I'd rate it as a solid 4/5. It's good, but doesn't seem to quite have that little special something that would bump it up to 5/5.
     
  3. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    I was going to recommend this myself, once I finally figured out that I hadn't gotten the link to it from a review thread here. Turns out someone from DLP had linked it on IRC, so I assumed it was listed somewhere on the site already. Glad someone put it up.

    Anyway -- 4.5/5. Probably round down to 4 until there's more to read. Five chapters or not we are still barely getting into the plot of things. But at least there is a plot. Dresden seems slightly OOC, but only slightly. Dresden is usually portrayed as a man of action who needs to be always doing something in any kind of "situation." So for him to sit around drinking tea while promising not to use magic and letting Twilight pop off to take care of things seemed strange. He did practice his magic to make sure it worked at least, which was good.

    I'm not familiar with My Little Pony so I can't say much about if those characters are OOC or not. They all seemed to have different personalities though, so that was good. Twilight is the magic one/protagonist, Pinky is the hyperactive!WTF one, Applejack is the pragmatic one, Rainbow is the brash one, the one with the cottage is the shy/sweet/timid one, and the other one... what was the other one? Oh, the Clothing!Pony reminded me of a cheerleader/airhead who was super into fashion. Did I get those right?

    Anyway -- fairly solid writing. Fun to read. Existence of an actual plot. Not too shabby all around. It has made me consider checking out the TV show.

    Edit: How old are these ponies supposed to be? I originally thought that the series aimed at young girls would feature girl ponies, but from seeing clips and pictures and whatnot I had the impression that were teenagers. After I read around the wiki a bit it seems like they are supposed to be full adults (given their... cutie... marks, or whatever the hell).
     
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2011
  4. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    I think they're supposed to be in their late teens, more or less (young, but starting to take on adult responsibilities). The cutie marks are more like the pony equivalent of puberty than full adulthood.
     
  5. Tehan

    Tehan Avatar of Khorne DLP Supporter

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    The ages don't correlate exactly with human ages, because of the whole ponies-mature-faster-than-humans thing. They're adults career-wise but emotionally they're around mid to late teens.
     
  6. Dnar Semaj

    Dnar Semaj Seventh Year

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    Most Entertaining MLP:FiM/Dresden files yet.

    4/5. As KrzaQ said the way Dresden got into Equestria was a bit spotty to me. How does the path that Dresden fall of connect to a forest full of Vearens?

    I can't decide if the part where Twilight faints seems spot-on or OOC. On one hand she was always capable when dangerous things happened (Cockatrice, Ursa Minor) but on the other hand she did go insane over that letter. Then again there is a precedent for people reacting badly to a soulgaze with Dresden.

    The soulgaze with Twilight seems a bit heavy handed but I haven't read one that isn't Butcher which isn't heavy handed.

    The interactions with the ponies are spot-on for Dresden and the "U MAD PONY?" made me laugh. Twilight worrying over Dresden and Rainbow Dash getting in his face had me nodding. Characterization and plot progression can actually be seen for once. :eek: Very entertaining read with minor flaws. This is going places.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2011
  7. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    New chapter is up.

    Denarian!Trixie anyone?
     
  8. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    Looks more like Nightmare Trixie, but the end result is pretty similar and it's possible that Nightmare is just a Denarian's working name.

    New chapter was good, and the fic looks like it's getting its feet under it and developing a solid plot.
     
  9. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    That's what I was thinking.

    It seems to me that the voice that was whispering in Trixie's ear was a Shadow of a Denarian. This is set in an alternate world so it's possible the coin can't transfer over, thus the ritual to bring the essence of the Fallen into her.

    The powers fit very well and the overall personality of the Nightmare match Deirdre's Fallen to a tee. Hell, it even gave her metal hair.
     
  10. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    I didn't jump immediately to the same conclusions about the voice Trixie was hearing as some of you, but it's possible. Are the things she was destroying canon items? I assumed so. Wasn't one of the porn stars in one of the earlier Dresden books named Trixie? LOL I kept thinking about that.

    Chapter seemed too short, but no real complaints about it I guess.
     
  11. Aekiel

    Aekiel Angle of Mispeling ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    Nah, her name was Tricia, but it would have been amusing if she was. As a side note, I owned a Yorkshire Terrier as a child called Trixie. Yappiest little thing I've ever seen.

    The items are the Elements of Harmony. They're used in the first two episodes of each season to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord. Each of the main characters wields an Element in a very Sailor Moon/Captain Planet-esque way with Twilight being the head of them with the Element of Magic.
     
  12. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    As I recall, her real name was Tricia, but her stage name was Trixie.

    Have to agree with Cheddar that the chapter seemed a bit short, but that might just be a sign that I want more fic, which is always a good thing.
     
  13. Dnar Semaj

    Dnar Semaj Seventh Year

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    Wow, that is weird.

    Tricia Scrump a.k.a Trixie Vixen VS The Great and All Powerful Trixie both have snobby, overbearing, demanding personalitys and both get a vicious comeuppence. Tricia gets suffocated and bitchslapped into the Raith's Deeps and Trixie gets called on her bullshit and fails to protect the town when a Ursa Minor comes which is then driven away by Twilight thus making her look 10 times worse. Granted, Tricia's is worse but for someone of Trixie's ego that has to be a giant slap in the face.
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2011
  14. disposablehead

    disposablehead Seventh Year

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    Yeah, this is awesome. Exactly how a Dresden/MLP crossover should be done. The writing is great, Dresden is hilarious, and teh Pony!Denarian thing is a cool idea. 5/5

    On another note, I now really want some crack with Denarians discovering the magic of friendship.

    Edit: And how in the hell does this only manage a Rating of 3.2?
     
  15. Styx0444

    Styx0444 Minister of Magic

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    That's actually a really good question, since everyone that posted said they gave it a 4 or a 5. Doesn't really add up unless some people gave it a 1 because of the ponies. :confused:
     
  16. pdo91

    pdo91 Professor DLP Supporter

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    Probably because of the basic and clogged writing. The slightly incorrect placement of commas and the poor translation between the author's spoken word and written word makes it awkward.

    That said, it's a fun read. I'm giving what there is so far a 4/5, though from an objective and technical standpoint I'd normally give it a 2.5 because I'm just that kind of nit-picky bastard.
     
    Last edited: Oct 25, 2011
  17. Chengar Qordath

    Chengar Qordath The Final Pony ~ Prestige ~

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    pdo91 has a fair point; the writing has plenty of technical flaws and little niggling problems. I tend to overlook technical flubs as long as they aren't so glaring or frequent that they ruin my ability to enjoy the story, but other people care more about that kind of thing.

    That said, I wouldn't be surprised if there are some 1/5 trollvotes dragging it down too; they're a problem for just about every fic (to the point that it got a fair bit of discussion in the DLP Improvement Thread), and MLP probably draws out more than most.
     
  18. KrzaQ

    KrzaQ Denarii Host DLP Supporter

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    I counted the votes as they were added, so far not a single "3" has been given (assuming people in the thread rated it as they said).
     
  19. Ched

    Ched Da Trek Moderator DLP Supporter ⭐⭐

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    Well, technically people don't have to leave a review to leave a genuine rating... right? Maybe anyone who voted it down read the story and had a genuine issue with it and just didn't feel like commenting.

    On the other hand, Alexandra Quick anyone? /trollvote

    As for the grammar in the story -- it doesn't bother me enough to detract from enjoyment, because I suck at grammar myself, but I could see that being a valid sticking point for someone who notices more of it than I do.
     
  20. disposablehead

    disposablehead Seventh Year

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    I can't remember the grammar being such a problem it bugged me, but i am generally tolerant of that stuff. He without sin cast the first stone and all that.

    The tone, though. It feels like MLP, but the plot does things the show can't do. Hitting that narrow point between grimdark and fluff is so difficult it seems strange to be hung up on stuff a beta could fix.