Catsy has breathed fresh life. Having taken a Tolkien class and studied linguistics, it was interesting for me to see the straightforward rules for magic follow a clear method of manipulation consistent with a simple language. A new map was also made to better flesh out the continent, which is mostly glossed over in canon and never describes many of the cities in the setting. Characters from both the SAO and ALO arcs are present, with reasonable actions and motivations considering the conditions they're in. The narrative follows several characters at once, but consistently gives Kirito segments every three or so perspective switches. The first arc is almost entirely major SAO characters, but later arcs have perspective shifts that focus on characters that are effectively OCs (i.e. Argo, Sakuya, Tetsuo). There are obviously certain contrivances for the sake of the plot, but they have purpose and mesh well with the story. The larger story arcs being revealed hint at deeper conflicts to come, while the characters keep us engaged with the concerns in the forefront of their minds.
The concept is interesting, but as with any fanfic (or literary work), the execution is what sets it apart and makes it shine. Switching perspectives allows us to delve into the motivations of characters, and their development and relationships naturally change over time compared to the canon work. The PVP conditions of the game allow for reasonable conflict amongst the cast even as they struggle against the death game, as opposed to the generic "beater" background in canon. In short, Fairy Dance of Death is much more than just "SAO, but in the world of ALO." It successfully brings the world of ALO and characters of both franchises to life.
Updates have been sparse recently (most recently a gap of 4 months and counting, and the few chapters before that had gaps of 3-7 months in between), but it's definitely worth reading what's there so far. Currently just about or more than halfway through Arc 3, five arcs are planned total. If you absolutely hate perspective switches, you may not like this, but anyone else familiar with SAO should give this a go.
The Best Novel Length Non-crossover SAO Fanfic
Catsy has breathed fresh life. Having taken a Tolkien class and studied linguistics, it was interesting for me to see the straightforward rules for magic follow a clear method of manipulation consistent with a simple language. A new map was also made to better flesh out the continent, which is mostly glossed over in canon and never describes many of the cities in the setting. Characters from both the SAO and ALO arcs are present, with reasonable actions and motivations considering the conditions they're in. The narrative follows several characters at once, but consistently gives Kirito segments every three or so perspective switches. The first arc is almost entirely major SAO characters, but later arcs have perspective shifts that focus on characters that are effectively OCs (i.e. Argo, Sakuya, Tetsuo). There are obviously certain contrivances for the sake of the plot, but they have purpose and mesh well with the story. The larger story arcs being revealed hint at deeper conflicts to come, while the characters keep us engaged with the concerns in the forefront of their minds.
The concept is interesting, but as with any fanfic (or literary work), the execution is what sets it apart and makes it shine. Switching perspectives allows us to delve into the motivations of characters, and their development and relationships naturally change over time compared to the canon work. The PVP conditions of the game allow for reasonable conflict amongst the cast even as they struggle against the death game, as opposed to the generic "beater" background in canon. In short, Fairy Dance of Death is much more than just "SAO, but in the world of ALO." It successfully brings the world of ALO and characters of both franchises to life.
Updates have been sparse recently (most recently a gap of 4 months and counting, and the few chapters before that had gaps of 3-7 months in between), but it's definitely worth reading what's there so far. Currently just about or more than halfway through Arc 3, five arcs are planned total. If you absolutely hate perspective switches, you may not like this, but anyone else familiar with SAO should give this a go.