Here’s part two of Taffer reviews Self-Inserts, and this one couldn’t be any different from the one before.
84k words, complete @FF.net by Mixed Valence
Genre/What to expect: Adventure, a little science in the face of magic, and a very important wallet.
Rating: T
Pairings: none as of yet
Driving in the rain is dangerous – your car could hydroplane, or, if it’s really not your day, plane into another universe entirely. The second was what happened to me.
Suitable for fandom blind readers? Not specifically, having knowledge of the fandom would help with identifying critical plot points.
Reviewed by: Tafferling
Having your car aquaplane into another dimension is one hell of a thing, and it’s what ends one Harrison in the unknown, with nothing but an electric torch and a wallet to his name. And then he almost gets himself picked to pieces by a pack of Faceless.
Before I read Earthborne, I knew nothing about Fire Emblem, but Harrison is a great guide, and gave me a decent insight in what to expect from the characters and the settings. He’s also rather resourceful, and he has to be, as there’s natural mistrust surrounding him that puts him on the spot frequently and has him struggle to prove that he doesn’t mean any harm.
What stands out most to me? How Harrison makes friends with the cast, but how he isn’t unconditionally liked. There’s still mistrust, and sometimes showing off your otherworldly wallet contents simply isn’t enough to quell that.
Ontop of that we’ve got his analytical mind, and an affection for science, which shows just how different he is to the fantastic setting he’s been thrown into. And since Harrison comes pre-equipped with knowledge of the Fates story line, and ends up right in the middle of it, we see him carefully attempting to steer things. With… well… you should read to find out what sort of results it has.
This is where my fandom blind reading doesn’t help the review much, as I’m not familiar with the consequences of either possible paths, but I trust that Harrison has reasons for what he’s doing. Which, at the end of the day, echoes his good heart as he’s torn between two groups of people that have both shown him kindness.
Mixed Valence is very invested in this piece, and you can tell. He updated regularly, stays engaged with his readers, and you can visible see how his writing is shaped with each passing chapter. There’s humour, quite often at poor Harrison’s expense, and there’s emotion, and a good amount of combat and action that’s well written and easily followed.
Give it a go!
Review examples from FF.net:
I love how you aim to expand on the story, and add so many things new to it. Most retellings, let alone self inserts, just follow the main story with the same number of chapters as chapters in the game, more or less. However, you’re on chapter 26 and only at the in-game chapter 6. The amount of detail and love you’ve given this is spectacular.
I also like how your character is not generic, or over the top, or bland. There’s enough emotion and personality, with several hindrances that make him interesting. I understand your fear of making Harrison a Mary Sue/Gary Stu. I’m glad you’re keeping that in check. I also find it pretty funny how your character curses so much around people who tend not to.
Your story is really a fine piece i bloody love every bit of it.
Harrison is not a OP Gary sue of darkness and light but more of your average guy with luck.
The world building is strong! I can imagine the world you are in a lot better with every chapter.
Writing. Reading. Dreaming. 