Issue 929 Discussion

[RielCZ]

Issue 929

"Have you ever been to the Poogle Races?", asked Jhudora. It was like she hadn't heard Illusen at all. "Excuse me?" "The Poogle Races. You arrive and there are five measly Poogles waiting for you to bet on them. You get given betting odds, y'know 3:1, 4:1, or in some cases 9:1?", said Jhudora, as if she was in some Poogle-induced trance. "Those Poogles you see with the really poor odds, they seem so hopeless. They're always pathetic and sluggish-looking, but if they succeed in spite of all odds, the reward you can get from betting on them is huge. When the risk of failure is that much higher, the taste of success is so much sweeter. Sometimes you just have to choose the riskier option."

—iamcjblack

Articles
Which Iconic Battledome Challenger Are You? Quiz by drgnswor
A Critique of My New Home’s Library by the_spirit_realm
Gearing Up for Gadgadsbogen with Tropical Foods by jackie247
3 Non-Flash Games To Hold You Over by weee5067

Short Stories
Almost Friendly by iamcjblack
Gourmet Mynci Day by cazcazig
The Transfer by _corvus

Comics
Brightside - Combative by _solo_m_
Not Sure.. by kayona4
Sleepless in Neopia: Part 2 by elipsis4k and t0tor0
The Secrets of the Magma Pool by profebest and plagne
Sloth Takeover by merpiie and aikuanda
The Kadoatery Wordsearch! by zed16
Fabled. by dylan_the_ninja
Cheer Up, Buttercup! by kikyo_shall_burn
Testing the Waters by lava_lamp_1
A Minor Problem... by baiuki and andypopo
Follow Me to the Desert by crazyjoe99
Spot the 10 Differences by xlorally
Faboo? by love_check
A Faerie's Crossword by eleganza_lights
Patience is a Virtue by Euphemia and friends_rock2135
An Acquired Taste by rescur
Change of Plans by crazy_mia
More Than Just NP at the Wishing Well by akezis
The Ghost Lupe REs, pt.1 by brenda_bbm
Krawk Island Crossword by muddywater1, itaela, and rorylorelai333
Tonu Day 6 Errors by belindaword, neelii, and givilato

New Series
When the End...... by daveandbaltoro

Continued Series
Trouble in Paradise by Carolyn
A Hero's Journey: Masquerade by Kat

And don't forget The Editorial.

All reviews of all pieces are welcome! However, if you would really like your piece to be reviewed, post and let others know!

[Rasaiu]

I really enjoyed "Almost Friendly" by iamcjblack. The comparison to Poogle Races was wonderful (well, for someone like me who has never been to Poogle Races :D). Although Illusen and Jhodora talked almost calmly and friendly, some kind of rivalry was felt. I think it gave a small tension to the story.
Also I'd like to highlight "When the Ends..." by daveandbaltoro. I'm not sure if there has been stories about the Sacred Land of Bori or is it just a creation of this author. Each paragraph got me more interested in the story. The way Dave was portrayed, it got me thinking - why Dave tried to avoid news, what made him change his mind and the most important - what will happen next. I am looking forward to continue to these series.

[Liou]

I also enjoyed
Almost Friendly by iamcjblack!
This one stood out to me even though I've read a good number of Jhudora and Illusen stories in the past. I like that their positions in faerie society are explored before they move away. Quests are a big thing for Faeries, even bigger now that quests are canonically what fuels the protective barrier against Wraiths, so it makes sense that giving quests in a different way from other Faeries would have been a big decision.
I like that neither Illusen nor Jhudora was written like a cliche in here, they both felt like sensible, independent Faeries, somehow bonding through their rebellious edge. Jhudora opted to keep her kindness implicit and Illusen accepted that about her without provoking or challenging. This might be my favourite characterisation for them so far.
This is the writer's first and only entry so far and I will keep casually checking for more.