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WIP A Daring Synthesis - Ironypus - Worm/Gamer

Discussion in 'Worm' started by Zombie, Aug 6, 2019.

  1. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

    Joined:
    Apr 28, 2007
    Messages:
    6,036
    Title: A Daring Synthesis
    Author: Ironypus
    Rating: T
    Genre: Action/General/Adventure
    Chapters: 40
    Words: 79,554
    Status: WIP
    Fandom: Worm/Gamer

    Summary: It's Greg Veder but he's a Gamer.

    Link: FFN, SB

    I honestly feel like I posted this before, but I couldn't find any trace of it, so I must have linked it in chat.

    Before you get all over yourself, and tell me that this is nothing but a shit story, lemme tell you something. You're half-way right. But seriously, this is the Greg the Gamer that everyone on SB is obsessed with. I never really understood the fascination with it until I read this, and its basically because the people that write him over there want to turn him into a meme lord, or they identify with him in some way with all of his social inadequacies.

    But this isn't that.

    Its pretty much a deconstruction of the entire genre. If you take it seriously, you've already lost the game. What this story offers is funny bits of memery that is relevant to the fandom, and a depth of character in Greg that you really only see in A Bad Name.

    As Greg gets stronger and completes more tasks, he starts dumping points into his WIS. All the things he's done since the start of the story start to weigh on him, and his understanding of himself as a person before and after grows, and places him in mental agony as he reconciles himself with the larger cast.

    This is subtle. This isn't some kind of new technique if I'm totally honest, there are a few other stories that have utilized this concept. What makes this one work is that its subtle, and not so on the nose, its reflected in Greg's thoughts and his actions, and the entire tone of the chapter as you're going forward.

    His characterization of people like Armsmaster and the fact that he gave Weld a personality contrary to other examples in the fandom really sell it to me as well.

    I really like this. I've shared it with a few people, and its hit or miss on how they think about it, and not all the jokes within are perfect. Its rare that you see such an awareness from an author in regards to character development.

    I'd easily give it a 4/5.
     
  2. DrSarcasm

    DrSarcasm Headmaster

    Joined:
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    Gender:
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    Location:
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    I've been reading this story myself. Something I have to say about it is that it fucking nails the cringe-factor of the 'teenager with no self-awareness' that is Greg Veder. He makes bad (and horribly offensive) jokes that he thinks are funny, he relishes his weebness, and he's so unfiltered that when Gallant hits him with one of his emotion beams, well...
    Probably one of the best parts of it is how, as he slowly gains WISdom, he starts to become self-aware of his faults. Like how you look back on your actions as a teenager and cringe at yourself for all the idiotic shit that you did, but over the span of months instead of years. As unlike other Gamers, he lacks the Gamer's Mind that prevents negative mental status effects and ensures cold logic at all times, he is forced to deal with the PTSD from the fights he's been in with people who genuinely want to kill him and from the horrific injuries he's sustained or witnessed, the crippling depression and self-hatred from realizing what a piece of shit he was/is, and the alienation he feels at how his previous actions have soured his relationship with other people.

    My only complaint is that at times it's too subtle. Sometimes the trauma that Greg is feeling is pretty well clear-cut, while other times you have to read between the lines. It's a weakness, I think, of the fact that the story is written in first-person perspective, and Greg is often in denial or suppressing his issues.

    4/5
     
  3. Majube

    Majube Order Member DLP Supporter

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    Location:
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    High Score:
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    This is the best Gamer!Greg hands down. It's pretty much perfect for what it is, the latest chapters that have him suicidal are a bit much though as I wouldn't want to see this end up like A Bad Name. Nice to see him going down the entertainer path again. The friendship online was a nice touch, the whole fic plays up on his fanon characterization and it really works.

    4/5
     
  4. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

    Joined:
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    Messages:
    6,036
    Come on guys, 6 votes, three reviews. The math doesn't work.
     
  5. Mutton

    Mutton Order Member

    Joined:
    Feb 20, 2011
    Messages:
    862
    It's decent? Takes a while to get to the point where you don't want to choke the protagonist
     
  6. s0ng2Sing

    s0ng2Sing Third Year

    Joined:
    Dec 4, 2013
    Messages:
    104
    One of the best Greg/Gamer fics that I follow. The character evolves as the story progresses. The protagonist comes to long for the days when his Wis was so low that he didn't really notice how much of an ass he was unintentionally. Also has some legit trauma and doesn't just go through horrible experiences with not problems what soever. Also, that Greg gets out of Brockton Bay and goes to a new team in a different city is nice and something that isn't often done.

    4/5
     
  7. Ceins

    Ceins Second Year

    Joined:
    Feb 14, 2007
    Messages:
    59
    One of the rare SB stories I read immediately when I notice an update. So by that standard 5/5.
    The beginning was such a cringe fest, luckily that's gone away. But I really like that the story and the MC are both aware of the previous failings. Makes the change more real and earned.
     
  8. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 41
    Words: 81,429
    Updated: 2019-09-19 03:21:59 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 2 months ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  9. Nuhuh

    Nuhuh Dastardly Shadow Admin Retired Staff

    Joined:
    Nov 12, 2006
    Messages:
    2,080
    Location:
    USA
    I tried to get into this story because I like gamer fics in general. But this also came around the time of the upsurge of people wanting to boost Greg as a character and much like most Worm trends it became irritating fast. For me it’s hard to get over my dislike of the trend, much like the Taylor/ Panacea trend.

    Zombies review makes me want to give it another chance though.
     
  10. fire

    fire Order Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2011
    Messages:
    808
    This right here is cutting edge anthropological research into the modern incel edgelord weeb.

    But in all seriousness, this fic does - strangely enough - suck you in, even though at no point in the story do I stop wanting to punch the protagonist in the face.
     
  11. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 42
    Words: 85,567
    Updated: 2019-10-29 01:01:41 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: about 1 month ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  12. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 43
    Words: 88,023
    Updated: 2019-12-15 09:50:50 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: about 2 months ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  13. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 44
    Words: 90,272
    Updated: 2020-01-11 07:34:35 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 27 days ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  14. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 45
    Words: 92,824
    Updated: 2020-04-06 03:52:58 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 3 months ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  15. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 46
    Words: 95,280
    Updated: 2020-05-03 00:59:57 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 27 days ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  16. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 47
    Words: 98,111
    Updated: 2020-05-09 07:09:26 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 6 days ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  17. Zombie

    Zombie Black Philip Moderator DLP Supporter

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    Messages:
    6,036
    I'll admit. I laughed. Kinda wondering where this is all going. Its nice to see them updating, but the updates are too slice of life, 2.8k bits at a time on SB so it kinda makes the story drag. I feel like any momentum they had at the start is lost now.
     
  18. Zilly Sawdust

    Zilly Sawdust High Inquisitor

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2005
    Messages:
    510
    Like every other Gamer crossover I've seen. If there's a single story built on that premise that has a resolution, please share. Mostly they just seem to peter out once the authors realise they're writing a super-powered mary-sue fix-it protagonist.

    This one seems to focus more on the MCs internal growth and plays to the boredom of incessant grinding that works to limit a game-character's growth, which makes it unique enough that I want to see more of it.
     
  19. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 48
    Words: 99,391
    Updated: 2020-05-20 05:38:32 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 11 days ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.
     
  20. Xion

    Xion Robot Overlord Admin

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2006
    Messages:
    1,700
    A daring synthesis has been updated with a new chapter.

    Story Stats
    Chapters: 49
    Words: 101,267
    Updated: 2020-05-26 03:35:52 UTC
    Published: 2018-08-03 03:34:08 UTC
    Previously updated: 6 days ago

    Brought to you by Scryer story thread updates.