Title: Life in Konoha’s ANBU
Author: Shezza
Rating: M
Genre: Adventure/Supernatural
Status: Work In Progress
Library Category: Other Fandoms/Naruto
Pairings: None
Summary: ANBU!Naruto. Drafted into ANBU at a young age, Naruto works under the Third Hokage as his aide. He will need to steel his resolve and use his abilities to defend the Village and protect the Hokage to the best of his abilities. Meanwhile, the drums of war beat and ancient enemies begin to return. The Fourth Great Shinobi War looms...
Link: FFN

And here’s another fanfic that has escaped review. Madness, I say.

This is the only ANBU-centric story that ever really managed to capture my interest and currently has a place in my top five Naruto fanfics. It ticks off my check list for all the things I like to see; excellent fight scenes, exploration of the Narutoverse, a likable (and highly competent) protagonist along with good characterization and character interactions.

A Naruto who isn’t starting at the bottom makes for a refreshing change, as does his fighting style of using collaborative elemental techniques rather than the typical use of shadow clones and wind techniques. But despite his power, he’s not the biggest fish in the sea and is frequently challenged during his adventures.

It’s not often that I find a fic where I care about the OC’s introduced and actually enjoy having them around. And even though most of the story lines done so far aren’t especially original, Shezza’s got a way of putting a refreshing spin on things and you don’t get bored. But the best aspect of the story, in my opinion, is the world building. We get the history behind some of the clans, the day-to-day workings of Konoha’s infrastructure, the founding of the villages, past battles and wars between the nations and the shinobi who made a name for themselves. It brings together canonical history into an awesome whole.

However it suffers from some issues such as numerous spelling mistakes that crop up in earlier parts of the story, ones which I found distracting. There’s a significant genre shift between the first and second arc which can cause mixed opinions. Despite it being unintentional, I liked how the shift in tone reflects the fragile peace of the shinobi world but I can see how it can give readers whiplash. The Blood Cult Arc is also probably the weakest part of the story with a rather ridiculous antagonist and an anticlimactic ending.

[FONT=&quot]Still, that doesn't stop it from being a fun ride. 4.5/5 rounded up to 5/5 for me.
[/FONT]

 

I'm going to go with 4/5. Brilliant story in pretty much every way, my only gripe comes from tone. It oscillates between light hearted and pretty dark at times. It's a minor point in my mind but one that I think Shezza is aware of. It's not a major issue, honestly I've grown to kind of like it, but I feel like it bears mentioning.

There's also the fact that some of the previous high caliber fights have been regeneration free for alls. Which is, again, a fact that Shezza knows about.

 

5/5, especially for the parody-ish beginning

 

Yeah, as far as the tone goes, it's never really felt inappropriate. The tone is light during downtime, serious during serious moments, and was pretty grim during the blood cult mission, iffy as that got.

Beyond that, I don't really have much to add. Shezza is good, this story belongs in the library, and it's strange that it isn't there already. 5/5

 

Agreed. I too, enjoy the light bits. This is easily one of the best Naruto fanfics I've ever read. It definitely deserves a place in the library.

 

There are some tonal issues (which are to be expected as Shezza did say they'll be rewriting some of the early bits) but my only real qualm after that gets fixed would be that some of the action scenes are kind of boring compared to the rest of it. Not quite the best in the fandom. I'll give it a 4/5, if only because I reserve 5/5 for fics I can go back and reread fully every 6 months or so. This is more of a yearly proposition

 

4/5, rated down cause there hasn't been any recent updates. >.>

Jokes. One of my favorite Naruto fics, and as with all of Shezza's work, 5/5.

 

5/5. Really surprised this was not already in the Library.

 

I am really curious about the fics you would described as best in the fandom. Care to provide some links

 

Just to pull two out of my hat which I reread on a fairly regular basis
People Lie by Nugar
The 20 Xs series by Kraken's Ghost starting here

Probably better off going to the Quality Naruto thread though as not to bring this off topic

 

This is probably one of my favorite Naruto stories of all time, the added history of the shinobi world is probably the biggest selling point for me. After the chapter that happened in the Grass, I actually wanted to read a story that took place there or at least an expanded history. Definitely a 5/5 as far as I am concerned.

 

5/5 No question.

 

1/5

Shezza's a dick who can't write shit.

 

She likes to fish for compliments a lot, too.

 

Yeah, what a cunt rating her own story.

 

I know right? And the outdated signature!

 

Bite me, bitches.

I don't fish. I slut myself around.

 

Trash story, 0/5, you should be ashamed of yourselves.....

No, in all seriousness. We all know this is going to be in the library. 5/5, of course.