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Mass Effect "Tales"

Discussion in 'Story Search' started by MonkeyEpoxy, Jun 13, 2013.

  1. lopeck

    lopeck Groundskeeper

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    The "WIP" sequel was last updated over two years ago. So you have to take that with a grain of salt.

    Mass Effect: A new past By: Bombsquad A different history to Mass Effect in which Human technology develops along different lines than anything the Citadel knows...an Alternative History of Mass Effect.
    Rated: Fiction T - English - Sci-Fi/Adventure - Chapters: 15 - Words: 137,294 - Reviews: 612 - Favs: 1,033 - Follows: 531 - Updated: May 19, 2011 - Published: Dec 12, 2010 - Status: Complete - id: 6548550


    Mass Effect: A New History By: Bombsquad A continuation of the 'A new Past' story arch. The Alliance and Citadel have an uneasy peace...and the Alliance's safety and security is threated from without and from within, by extremists and terrorists...and one being whose mind is subverted.
    Rated: Fiction T - English - Sci-Fi/Adventure - Nihlus K. - Chapters: 7 - Words: 68,896 - Reviews: 156 - Favs: 463 - Follows: 475 - Updated: Sep 8, 2012 - Published: May 24, 2011 - id: 7016490
     
  2. Himuradono

    Himuradono Professor

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    Not to be a downer but ME:ANP and ME:ANH are prime examples of YMMV, especially when you take the crossover/re-imagination aspects into it. I remember reading them and even enjoying these fics but things like 82nd and 101st Airborne doing a drop on Shanxi during the FCW had me cringing.

    And I think it's the one where there are Drow breaking off with the Citadel and getting in bed with SA because *insert bullshit reason here*. It was the instance after which I pretty much skimmed the rest and then hit the big red button.

    The thing is that there were just issues pilling up in this fic that made me lose interest as it progressed instead of engaging it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 15, 2014
  3. MonkeyEpoxy

    MonkeyEpoxy The Cursed Child DLP Supporter

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    God. Started reading Graveyard Shift by the same dude that has written the Firefly fanfic Forward. I didn't check update dates, so I just dove in. It's very well written, nicely characterized, and features a biotic Shepard. 3 for 3.

    Got to the end of what's written, where Tali's evidence has been presented to the ambassador and it was over. And no updates since 2010.
     
    Last edited: Sep 17, 2014
  4. Agayek

    Agayek Dimensional Trunk DLP Supporter

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    Yeah, Peptuck likes to do that. He's also got a pretty damn awesome FEAR/ME crossover that's been dead for a year or two, Terminator:SCC/ME for a bit longer, etc. There's also an XCOM/ME/Eclipse Phase + some other random bits story that he's working on right now over on SB. It's pretty awesome so far, but I'm sure it's gonna peter out soon, if it hasn't already.
     
  5. Himuradono

    Himuradono Professor

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    Of Sheep and Battle Chicken By: LogicalPremise My AU retelling of ME1, with a darker feel. The evolution of a dangerous renegade with zero personality and all the empathy of a car tire to a real person, and changing the story of ME1 so that it's better shaped to fit a darker, more Paragade universe and a more realistic view of Cerberus and the Citadel Council. Pairing is FShep/Liara. M rating for graphic violence.
    Rated: Fiction M - English - Sci-Fi/Angst - [Shepard (F), Liara T'Soni] Garrus V., Illusive Man - Chapters: 119 - Words: 670,987 - Reviews: 979 - Favs: 479 - Follows: 534 - Updated: Sep 14 - Published: Apr 13, 2012 - id: 8019901

    ----

    I debated long about this fic. It's a ponderous beast, absolutely massive. And we aren't even done with ME1, yet. That's right, 670k words and we're still in ME1 territory.

    And it isn't everybody's cup of tea. It's like it or hate it and I doubt there is place for middle ground. The story, the background, the various species histories are complex to say the least.

    The humanity of OSaBC is vastly different than the canon one. We screwed ourselves silly in this one. We figuratively fucked Earth into the ground and then kicked it dead while it was floored and begging for mercy. Wars, pollution, plagues and poverty turned Earth into hell full of maniacs, destitute, angry people.

    The rich ones, the smart ones, fled to moon, Mars and few of the bigger asteroids and watched everything go to shit and then they intervened and saved Earth.

    If you want to know more read this: The Cerberus Files Addenda : The Systems Alliance reviews Being re-written: Cerberus's take on the SA. Follows the style of the the Cerberus Files for alien races.Mass Effect - Rated: M - English - Sci-Fi - Chapters: 5 - Words: 23,925 - Reviews: 47 - Favs: 86 - Follows: 49 - Updated: Dec 23, 2013 - Published: Nov 10, 2012 - Shepard (M), Shepard (F)

    Actually you should at least skim this before reading the fic, as it is massively AU.


    ---

    There is a whiff of Warhammer 40k in this one. The galaxy isn't very nice. Asari are seriously powerful and damn scary in this one. They have what is called the Thirty. Thirty noble families descending from the goddess Athame. They are rich, stupidly powerful, have the kind of tech that gives nerds wet dreams and their hobbies include longterm manipulation, short-term manipulation, getting richer, feeling smug, basking in their own glory and power and being sexy.

    Salarians are a race of Hannibal Lecters. Benezia and Saren openly state that the frogs are a fucking danger to all sentient life in the galaxy(note that this is coming from the pair that works to bring back the Reapers and they are fully aware that the Reapers will cull the galaxy clean). They do shit so sick and revolting that it gives Cerberus operatives a fucking pause and filing requests for re-assignment.

    Humanity is portrayed in an interesting light. We have our faults, we aren't squeaky clean when it comes to morals. We fight dirty and don't give a damn. But we're also sneaky, inventive and dynamic.

    Garrus calls it: special kind of crazy that has other council races a tad apprehensive.

    If you have some time to waste give it a try.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
  6. Nuit

    Nuit Dark Lord

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    Hrm, not particularly fond of this Shepard. :(

    But it seems well written enough that I'll keep reading for now.
     
  7. Himuradono

    Himuradono Professor

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    There are some grammatical issues that keep popping up. The author's inability to differentiate between it's and its gets old really fast.

    And yeah, I'm not the biggest fan of this Shepard. She gets very judgmental towards Systems Alliance despite being told by the freakin' Fleet Master that humanity doesn't really have any other choice but to do some questionable and evil things if it wants to survive.

    She even gets examples of asari influence and what it caused as well what the salarians are up to and still she gets on his case.
     
  8. VanRopen

    VanRopen Headmaster

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    Yeah, I've been following that one - and it's Shepard herself who has bugged me the most about it. Still a pretty solid story though, and I always appreciate it when the author takes the time to really craft a universe.
     
  9. Atri

    Atri Groundskeeper

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    So, is it grim-darkness upon grim-darkness? I'm reading the timeline and it comes across as that.
     
  10. Himuradono

    Himuradono Professor

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    It's grim dark but without going Warhammer-40k-all-the-way grim dark.

    Examples:

    Asari have Night-Wind assassin cells which are in reality ardat-yakshi operatives with cerebral bombs to keep them in line. Space succubus.

    Salarians are trying to find solution for their short life spans and one of them is making asari slushy - yep, they(STG) kidnap asari from batarian slave camps and process them whole into a asari-shake for the rich and influential. And that's just one of the many, many, many sick things Salarian Union does.

    Turians are involved in pirate raids on human colonies in Terminus and the Traverse. Hierarchy also has what is called Final Line Soldier which is cybernetically enhanced veteran - capital letters Badass Brigade.

    Then there is the First Contact War and why it happened...
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
  11. Captain Trips

    Captain Trips High Inquisitor

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    I have a recomedation for you all:
    All Or Nothing
    Mr. House claims that in ten years, he'll have colonists set up on the moon. But what about twenty years later? Thirty? The sky is the limit when Mr. House and his top lieutenant discover alien ruins on Mars, and make a discovery that will change the galaxy forever.

    This story is the best Fallout/Mass Effect crossover in the fandom. Humanity isn't filled with idealists. The other races aren't caricatures of themselves. I especially like how the author have built up The Courier as the being known as Lord Death, he hasn't even appeared outside the timeline and the author notes. And yet I'm getting rather hyped for him appearing properly in the story. Also humanity are not stronger then everyone else, it shows that they come from a world ravaged by nuclear fire.

    The Author has also said that he will not make the story a rehash of the mass effect story. So happy reading people
     
  12. Atri

    Atri Groundskeeper

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    ...OK. Thanks. Sounds really darker-shade-of-grey dark. :D Probably not my cup of tea right now.


    Anyone know some good pre-Reapers stories or something...let's say uplifting (not quite HFY but just less grim dark)?
     
  13. Odran

    Odran Fourth Champion

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    Oh hey, that sounds coo-

    Never mind then.

    I could endure Fem!Shep, no biggie, but combining that with Liara, and given what you've said about the Asari... yeah nah, I fear it would get as convoluted as Mass Effect Human Revolution.
     
  14. Atri

    Atri Groundskeeper

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    BTW, Mass Effect Human Revolution...I've heard of it, but I've never read it. Is it any good?
     
  15. VanRopen

    VanRopen Headmaster

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    For what it's worth, things get nowhere near that ridiculous. ME:HR is an entirely separate tier of nonsensical mishmash.
     
  16. Nuit

    Nuit Dark Lord

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    It's decent I suppose. But it got to a point where it kept throwing in allusions or cameos and I got fed up with it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
  17. VanRopen

    VanRopen Headmaster

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    It's...strange. The beginning is amazing, and I continue to read it. Jensen and Garrus being buddycops is perfect.


    I can only do it in snippets though. Surprisingly, reading the updates as they come on SB actually works better, because as single chapters you see the sheer density of bullshit crammed into every chapter.

    The entirely unnecessary cast of expies, other crossovers, and fantasy elements are also something of a heavy YMMV factor. Yet even with all that there is quite a bit of awesome stuff in there.


    Edit - thinking on it, I think a lot of the annoyance with ME:HR comes from disappointment over what could have been. It's not a bad story even with all it's faults, but the beginning arc with Adam and Garrus on the Citadel is fabulous. The more grounded segments show that same awesome, and you can't help but wish for an entire fic in that vein. As the fic is now, it tries to be several things at once and suffers for it.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
  18. Himuradono

    Himuradono Professor

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    It's confusing. I couldn't read it despite my best attempts at trying to grasp what was going on.

    And, Odran, OSaBC is actually very easy to follow as the author put some effort in fleshing out his verse. There are like four or five additional 'file' fics which can be used as encyclopedia.

    But yeah if it's Fem!Shep/Liara that triggers 'nope, nope, nope' then this fic isn't for you. I'm pretty laid back when it comes to Shepard romance and I was rolling my eyes few times while reading the Shep/Liara parts of OSaBC.

    @Captain Trips: I like what I see so far in this fic. I'd have preferred if the author would cease corresponding with his reviewers in chapters and resorted to using PMs or review reply option, though.
     
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2014
  19. Red Aviary

    Red Aviary Hogdorinclawpuff ~ Prestige ~ DLP Supporter

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    No.

    Shit, it's been brought up twice in this thread alone. I think you can gauge opinions on it from that.
     
  20. Atri

    Atri Groundskeeper

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    Thanks, guys. I didn't know it was a SB work. Knowing SBers it'll then be kind of awesome but also crazy as hell, eh? :D
     
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