The Syndicate

Hey guys! I wanted a topic where we could talk about web serials!

Web Serials are serialized (duh) literature stories, posted on line in one form or another. Like a web-comic or Youtube video series, but... with words instead of pictures and videos! Fan fiction is usually a form of web serial, and other web serials can be found on Reddit (in certain writing subforums) and on topwebfiction.com.

Some of the most popular web serials include Worm (and other works by Wildbow) and A Practical Guide to Evil.

I've only read three of Wildbow's serials, and also Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality. But I'm looking to broaden my horizons, and talk about the serials and such that I'm keeping up with or have read.

Please spoiler tag your spoilers if discussing plot details. Use good judgement.

[mention]nutella[/mention] I don't know who else reads this stuff, but I know you do.

Still a couple arcs behind on Ward but enjoying it quite a bit. As is generally the case in Wildbow's stories, it really strikes me how well he writes his characters dealing with PTSD/similar issues. Loving all the character development so far.

Pact is probably my favorite Wildbow work though, in terms of genre/setting/atmosphere/worldbuilding. And Worm is absolutely a masterpiece.

nutella wrote: ↑Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:46 pm Still a couple arcs behind on Ward but enjoying it quite a bit. As is generally the case in Wildbow's stories, it really strikes me how well he writes his characters dealing with PTSD/similar issues. Loving all the character development so far.

Pact is probably my favorite Wildbow work though, in terms of genre/setting/atmosphere/worldbuilding. And Worm is absolutely a masterpiece.

Ward is going up and down for me. I feel like it loses focus whenever it looks at the team's objectives as a whole. The characters don't have an interesting or well-defined purpose at time.

But when they are being reactive, the story is great.

Can't say whether I like Worm or Pact more.

[mention]speedchuck[/mention] I'm still perpetually months behind on Ward but I just got to 7.x the other day and holy shit that was rough. I think Kenzie might be his most well-written character yet. Damn. The Ashley arc was excellent as well.

nutella wrote: ↑Thu Nov 29, 2018 11:15 pm @speedchuck I'm still perpetually months behind on Ward but I just got to 7.x the other day and holy shit that was rough. I think Kenzie might be his most well-written character yet. Damn. The Ashley arc was excellent as well.

Kenz has one of my favorite interludes. It was my favorite... till I got to Tristan/Byron.

Ooo I'm excited for that now.

....And I just got there. Man I feel so awful for Byron, he got dealt the shittiest hand here. This is so rough. Also this whole master arc is EXTREMELY stressful...

oh wait there's more.

nutella wrote: ↑Fri Dec 14, 2018 11:14 pm oh wait there's more.

Three parts, if I remember correctly. It just keeps getting WORSE.

And yeah, the Master arc is killer.

Dude Darlene's power is so COOL

nutella wrote: ↑Thu Feb 07, 2019 11:02 pm Dude Darlene's power is so COOL

Oh hey, you're almost caught up! Have you read her interlude yet?

It's so awesome. She's my favorite heartbroken.

Yes that's what I was reacting to lol. Sooo awesome. And yeah I'm only like two chapters behind haha.

And I finally got my boyfriend to catch up (also a worm fan but he took a while to get around to ward) but he reads super fast and I think he's in like arc 7 or so now

nutella wrote: ↑Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:12 pm Yes that's what I was reacting to lol. Sooo awesome. And yeah I'm only like two chapters behind haha.

That is one of my favorite fights in Ward so far. Darlene is terrifying lol.

Damn each interlude keeps being better than the last. 12.none is one of my favorite chapters wb has ever written. So good.

nutella wrote: ↑Wed Mar 27, 2019 1:22 pm Damn each interlude keeps being better than the last. 12.none is one of my favorite chapters wb has ever written. So good.

12.none hurt me. I had completely forgotten who Dauntless was before the time bubbles came up but now I love him and his son.

Holy crap, wildbow's trickery in the latest chapter is so clever and awesome on so many levels.

nutella wrote: ↑Sun Mar 31, 2019 8:56 pm Holy crap, wildbow's trickery in the latest chapter is so clever and awesome on so many levels.

I haven't read it yet. You are ahead of me for once.

I am incredibly satisfied with Ward right now.

This comment is really cool

Guess I need to start reading one.

Creature wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2019 12:32 pm Guess I need to start reading one.

If you go with Wildbow, I recommend starting with Worm. (I think it's still linked above.) It's a well-thought-out superhero sci-fi story that starts with familiar superhero stuff, explains it, and then starts to break everything. It also has one of the best unreliable narrators out there, and one of my favorite protagonists. I highly recommend it.

Worm and homestuck are shit

I'm not into those as much as comics (yay pictures) but you should all read Chrysalis.

Link

Incredibly good science fiction story. Humanity is attacked by an alien race and all life on Earth is wiped out. But before going down, the last humans built an AI based on the human mind. The AI wakes up centuries later, realizes humanity is gone, builds a giant rocket and launches itself into space, with one goal: revenge.

Apparently this whole subreddit is of stories of humans kicking alien asses, but this story in particular is not just satisfying but also brings a lot of interesting moral questions.