Title: Salutary Neglect
Author: Thundereaper
Rating: M
Genre: Romance (but more of an Adventure/Humor so far)
DLP Category: Alternate Universe
Pairing: None set so far, but Naruto/Tayuya quite possible.
Chapters: 5
Words: 39,551
Updated: Nov 14, 2010
Published: Feb 23, 2008
Status: Abandoned
Summary: The Weak Man Writes the Stories. The Free Man Decides their Place in it. The Wise Man Knows How it will End. But it is the Strong Man who Writes the Epilogue.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4089326/1/Salutary_Neglect

It's only 5 chapters in, but I was pretty damn surprised not to see this in the Library. A future AU that takes place after Naruto runs away from the village after blaming himself for Asuma's death and his child losing a parent. It's not the greatest plot device, but thankfully it's never actually shown. It picks up a few years down the line where Naruto is operating as a missing-nin in a small village and pretty much doing his own thing before he gets called up for a big job.

Be warned, Naruto is Super!Naruto and there are a few cliches inherent, but it's well explained and the writing is so damn good that I couldn't help but rec it.

5/5 for great writing, characterization, and all around goodness. There's certainly enough words written for this to be considered Library worthy.


Checked by Minion, February 11, 2015

 

Whenever I read that summary I moan in annoyance; it's just a tad self-important, don't you think?

Anyway.... story is alright. Definitely not a 5/5 because it's simply too average a narrative with a character who's so 'cooool' and strong. All the other characters spend most of their time thinking 'oh, wow, Naruto's grown so strong and is so different from what I remember' which is boring. It does have a few good spots that make up for it. Maybe 3-4/5. Giving it a 4/5 because I'm feeling nice.

 

3.5/5 from me. The summary was a major turn-off when I stumbled across it while cruising author favorites.