Title: The Dresden Fillies: Strange Friends
Author: psychicscubadiver
Rating: T
Genre: General (?)
Fandom: MLP/Dresden Files
Pairings: None, I think
Chapters: 12
Words: 75,146
Updated: February 3, 2012
Published: September 9, 2011
Status: Complete
Summary: Harry Dresden, Chicago's only professional wizard, is just looking for an escape from his latest set of enemies and happens to teleport into Equestria. Surely nothing could go wrong with that set-up.
Link: [click]

I didn't expect much when I chose to read the only (at the time) MLP/DF crossover, but I was pleasantly surprised. Characterization is sound. Dresden's internal monologue is spot on, and so are ponies' actions.

The only weak side of this fic is the way Harry enters Equestria, but I don't see how could it be written better.

5/5 from me.


Sequel:

The Dresden Fillies: False Masks
Rating: T
Chapters: 14
Words: 97,035
Updated: January 19, 2013
Published: March 3, 2012
Status: Work in Progress
Almost a year has gone by for Harry Dresden since he left Equestria. Then he receives a strange letter from Twilight. He's glad to return, but dark rumors have spread since his first visit. A sequel to The Dresden Fillies: Strange Friends.
Link: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7893489/1/The-Dresden-Fillies-False-Masks




Checked by Minion, January 19, 2013
Added the sequel

 

Being the guy who wrote the only other DF/MLP crossover currently posted on FFN, I feel somewhat obligated to take a look at this.

The crossover is a bit abrupt, but for a largely humorous fic that's not a big flaw.

I do find the mix of first and third person is a touch jarring, though the fact that it keeps the third-person focused on one character's perspective keeps it from being too jarring. Then again, that raises the issue of why the author did not just make it all first person with multiple PoV characters.

As KrazQ said, the characters seem to be spot-on so far.

Overall, I'd rate it as a solid 4/5. It's good, but doesn't seem to quite have that little special something that would bump it up to 5/5.

 

I think they're supposed to be in their late teens, more or less (young, but starting to take on adult responsibilities). The cutie marks are more like the pony equivalent of puberty than full adulthood.

 

The ages don't correlate exactly with human ages, because of the whole ponies-mature-faster-than-humans thing. They're adults career-wise but emotionally they're around mid to late teens.

 

Most Entertaining MLP:FiM/Dresden files yet.

4/5. As KrzaQ said the way Dresden got into Equestria was a bit spotty to me. How does the path that Dresden fall of connect to a forest full of Vearens?

I can't decide if the part where Twilight faints seems spot-on or OOC. On one hand she was always capable when dangerous things happened (Cockatrice, Ursa Minor) but on the other hand she did go insane over that letter. Then again there is a precedent for people reacting badly to a soulgaze with Dresden.

The soulgaze with Twilight seems a bit heavy handed but I haven't read one that isn't Butcher which isn't heavy handed.

The interactions with the ponies are spot-on for Dresden and the "U MAD PONY?" made me laugh. Twilight worrying over Dresden and Rainbow Dash getting in his face had me nodding. Characterization and plot progression can actually be seen for once. Very entertaining read with minor flaws. This is going places.

 

New chapter is up.

Spoiler

Denarian!Trixie anyone?

 

Spoiler

Looks more like Nightmare Trixie, but the end result is pretty similar and it's possible that Nightmare is just a Denarian's working name.

New chapter was good, and the fic looks like it's getting its feet under it and developing a solid plot.

 

That's what I was thinking.

Spoiler

It seems to me that the voice that was whispering in Trixie's ear was a Shadow of a Denarian. This is set in an alternate world so it's possible the coin can't transfer over, thus the ritual to bring the essence of the Fallen into her.

The powers fit very well and the overall personality of the Nightmare match Deirdre's Fallen to a tee. Hell, it even gave her metal hair.

 

Nah, her name was Tricia, but it would have been amusing if she was. As a side note, I owned a Yorkshire Terrier as a child called Trixie. Yappiest little thing I've ever seen.

The items are the Elements of Harmony. They're used in the first two episodes of each season to defeat Nightmare Moon and Discord. Each of the main characters wields an Element in a very Sailor Moon/Captain Planet-esque way with Twilight being the head of them with the Element of Magic.

 

As I recall, her real name was Tricia, but her stage name was Trixie.

Have to agree with Cheddar that the chapter seemed a bit short, but that might just be a sign that I want more fic, which is always a good thing.

 

Wow, that is weird.

Tricia Scrump a.k.a Trixie Vixen VS The Great and All Powerful Trixie both have snobby, overbearing, demanding personalitys and both get a vicious comeuppence. Tricia gets suffocated and bitchslapped into the Raith's Deeps and Trixie gets called on her bullshit and fails to protect the town when a Ursa Minor comes which is then driven away by Twilight thus making her look 10 times worse. Granted, Tricia's is worse but for someone of Trixie's ego that has to be a giant slap in the face.

 

Yeah, this is awesome. Exactly how a Dresden/MLP crossover should be done. The writing is great, Dresden is hilarious, and teh Pony!Denarian thing is a cool idea. 5/5

On another note, I now really want some crack with Denarians discovering the magic of friendship.

Edit: And how in the hell does this only manage a Rating of 3.2?

 

That's actually a really good question, since everyone that posted said they gave it a 4 or a 5. Doesn't really add up unless some people gave it a 1 because of the ponies.

 

Probably because of the basic and clogged writing. The slightly incorrect placement of commas and the poor translation between the author's spoken word and written word makes it awkward.

That said, it's a fun read. I'm giving what there is so far a 4/5, though from an objective and technical standpoint I'd normally give it a 2.5 because I'm just that kind of nit-picky bastard.

 

pdo91 has a fair point; the writing has plenty of technical flaws and little niggling problems. I tend to overlook technical flubs as long as they aren't so glaring or frequent that they ruin my ability to enjoy the story, but other people care more about that kind of thing.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if there are some 1/5 trollvotes dragging it down too; they're a problem for just about every fic (to the point that it got a fair bit of discussion in the DLP Improvement Thread), and MLP probably draws out more than most.

 

I counted the votes as they were added, so far not a single "3" has been given (assuming people in the thread rated it as they said).

 

I can't remember the grammar being such a problem it bugged me, but i am generally tolerant of that stuff. He without sin cast the first stone and all that.

The tone, though. It feels like MLP, but the plot does things the show can't do. Hitting that narrow point between grimdark and fluff is so difficult it seems strange to be hung up on stuff a beta could fix.