What are you reading?

[Dracos]

That is an adorable chibi-terasu avatar.

Moving on :)

[Anastasia]

So I've been skimming Halkegenia Online for awhile. I'm not familiar with Sword Art Online, so it's purely been to see what's happening to the FoZ setting. Turns out that enough interesting things are going on to make me break down and read the entire thing. I'd say the story is solidly above average. The beginning's weak and a turn off if you like typical FoZ crossovers. Until about the Tarbes arc, it was mostly a slog to get through.

It's all worth it. The Tarbes arc is incredibly well done and work the investment alone. I could go on about how spectacular the arc is, but really, just go read it. From there the rising war with Albion, reunions and the operation to end the first season are all great. Even some bits that clearly needed more prereading are forgivable.

I'd recommend the story now, but prepare yourself if you're expecting a typical FoZ crossover.

[Jason_Miao]

I'm not familiar with Sword Art Online, so it's purely been to see what's happening to the FoZ setting.

The translation for the SAO novels are online, somewhere, if you wanted to fix that.  IIRC, they were easily found via Google.

[Anastasia]

I did a bit of wiki reading and a bit of youtubing. It got me the gist of it. Apparently a bunch of the Halkegenia Online faeries are original anyway.

[Jason_Miao]

Oh, and speaking of light novel translations, having been recently informed of its existence, I am currently skimming through Campione.

I thought this was amusing:

Four years ago, in order to complete the [God Summoning] spell which was regarded by many high level magi as extremely difficult, Voban had gathered talented miko from all around Europe, and used their miko powers to summon a god.

Heh.  European miko.

[Anastasia]

Wonderful bit of translating there.

Unless it's one of those settings that's been taken over by mikos.

[Pensive Rumination]

Person who writes Halkegenia Online publishes on Spacebattles for polishing and advice before moving chapters to Fanfiction.net.  I've been told that they're usually a few chapters ahead on SB.

[Dracos]

Hmm.

I'm a bit into:
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7021752/1/And-What-Alice-Found-There


I'm enjoying it.

Good link, Pensive.

[Yuthirin]

A Matter of Force updated for the first time in like 3 years. I like this fic. Harry Potter/Star Wars SI multicross with references. If that makes any sense. Take it or leave it. It's Carrot Glace, after all.

[Yuthirin]

Cast in Gold also updated last night. White Wolf/NGE crossover. I like it. 

Spoiler: ShowHide

Just in case I'm not the only one that still reads this. It's mostly a set-up chapter in which they finally get around to admitting that they should be trying to catch the fake angels in the act and stop them from discrediting NERV.

Also in this chapter: More blatant breaking of the laws of physics.

[Jason_Miao]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8790081/1/Love-at-First-Bite

This made me want to dig around my old VCDs to find God of Cookery.

[Pensive Rumination]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7948998/1/Fate-Revenant-Sword

Peggy Sue Fate/Stay Night fic.  Basically, Shirou goes back to the beginning of the Holy Grail War...only problem being he's only lived through the anime version of the Fate Route.  First few chapters are iffy, but it gets better and has different endings like the VN.  Shirou and Saber shipping.  Gotta say I didn't expect Shirou to pull what he does near endgame.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9342459/1/Miracle-of-Zero-Kingdom-of-the-Forsaken

Inspired by Hill of Swords and sequel to FRS.  Warning, the summary has spoilers for at least one of the endings of FRS.

Good link, Pensive.

Glad you like it! :D

[Rayearth]

It's a great day when a story that hasn't been updated in a year gets a new chapter: The War of Kings, Chapter 6.

For those that don't know, this is a Code Geass/Fate crossover. It is essentially a Fate Zero scenario though the author puts a bit of his own flavor into a couple of the Servants and Masters. Be warned that, if you do check this story out, you may be forever unable to read the Summoning Incantation without hearing it in Lelouch's voice.

Spoiler: ShowHide

So this particular chapter is a buffet of side character development and introductions and less of Lelouch showing off his Tactical Genius. I think that the author took a bit of flak for throwing in Rider, King of Bros, into the story in what might be a last-minute manner, so I guess this chapter serves to flesh out his inclusion a bit.

[Anastasia]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8790081/1/Love-at-First-Bite

This made me want to dig around my old VCDs to find God of Cookery.

Oh yeah, I remember that one. Was it going anywhere?

[Anastasia]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7948998/1/Fate-Revenant-Sword

Peggy Sue Fate/Stay Night fic.  Basically, Shirou goes back to the beginning of the Holy Grail War...only problem being he's only lived through the anime version of the Fate Route.  First few chapters are iffy, but it gets better and has different endings like the VN.  Shirou and Saber shipping.  Gotta say I didn't expect Shirou to pull what he does near endgame.

I liked that one at first and got less interested as it went on. It's not badly written in a technical sense, but Shirou's entire gig there doesn't feel right to me. I can't really elaborate it coherently without a reread, but it was sort of Mary Sue-ish? The feel of what happens to Shirou doesn't really groove to the Nasuverse to me, flavorwise.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9342459/1/Miracle-of-Zero-Kingdom-of-the-Forsaken

Inspired by Hill of Swords and sequel to FRS.  Warning, the summary has spoilers for at least one of the endings of FRS.

I like this one a fair deal more. It's easier to accept Shirou here since it's detached from the HGW and most of the heavier Nasu-verse baggage. His promise of a Heaven's Feel route styled FoZ plot piqued my interest.

---

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/9384156/1/Why-Me

A FoZ SI from the writer of God Slaying Blade Works. I'm really torn on this one. I want to like parts of it and other parts of it make me wince hard. I dunno.

Speaking of, God Slaying Blade Works has gotten better over the last few chapters. It came up recently (thanks Panda) and I feel like the author's improving his craft. Bravo to that. Anyway, the first interlude can be read without reading the rest of the story. It's post HF and well done. I just wish he'd get rid of the ANs clogging up the start of any chapter. Fuck, I want to strangle Gabriel Blessing or whomever popularized that.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8560965/17/God-Slaying-Blade-Works