Title: Point of No Return
Author: niteryde
Rating: T
Genre: Adventure/Drama
Status: Completed
Fandom: Dragonball Z
Summary: Trunks was going back in time to warn the others about the androids, but instead ended up in a time when Vegeta was Frieza's most ruthless soldier... can he keep his power and identity a secret when he sees the brutality of his father's past?
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5785965/1/Point_of_No_Return

The last chapter of this fic was just posted last week and I think it qualifies for Library material.

Dragonball Z obviously doesn't seem like a common fandom read by DLPers, at least, glancing at the lack of titles in the library. It was the fandom that got me into fanfiction to start with, but in general tends to be filled shoddy romances or very average attempts at plot. There's a few decent ones in there though, and this one in particular really stood out to me.

The general plot is that when Future Trunks went back in time to warn the Z warriors about the androids, he went back too far and ended up in the midst of Frieza's reign...and to the time where his father was a planet razing, genocidal arsehole.

I think with a plot like this, it's very easy for an author to start 'redeeming' Vegeta. Turning him into the good guy quickly, and god forbid, making him likeable - and after that, the fic is finished. A cheesy father-son bonding farce. Luckily though, this author portrays a very in character Vegeta the whole way through - he remains cruel, he remains a dick, and he remains a badass.

It's well written. I wouldn't say there is anything amazingly unique or breathtaking about the narrative, but its strong enough to convey the plot properly. Occasionally, feels a bit cheesy, but I think that's hard to avoid given the fandom.

What would I rate it? I think the rating would be....OVER NINE THOUUUSAAANNND!

Or, a 4.5/5.

 

I'm not usually one for DBZ fics but I've followed this one since nearly the first chapter, and enjoyed it a lot. You're right that the refusal to compromise Vegeta's pre-Earth character is basically the best thing about this fic, though in spite of that I thought the story became a little bit flat towards the end, but fortunately it didn't drag on too far past its best moments (unlike DBZ). 4/5.