Tales of Symphonia/Fanfic Recs

Proof that the remaining 10% is worth dying for here:

These are recommendations made by Tropers for Tales of Symphonia, all of which have been signed. After a few samples, you will be able to judge whether you might be interested in the 'fic, based on who recommended it. No-name recommendations will be Zapped. Nobody would back up the rec. Discussion of the recommendation is welcome on the discussion page. As such discussion is important, do remember to add the discussion page to the watchlist, if need be.

Do warn when a fanfic may head into homosexual or non-canon territory. Some people just don't like it, and as we all know, Shipping is Serious Business.

Authors, and Websites
Lil-Samuu
 * Recommended by User:Airship Canon.
 * Lil-Samuu is perhaps the greatest Fanfic Author for this game. Ever. However, She does write a lot about the Official Couple, so if you don't like Lloyd/Colette, you may not like her writing.
 * Also, while this troper doesn't mind it at all (and even feels it's part of the charm), he feels obliged to warn readers that even her most risque stuff Tastes Like Diabetes.

freakyanimegal
 * Recommended by Crow T R0bot
 * While freaky has quite a few shipping fics and doesn't dabble exclusively in To S fiction, she has a very broad and varied repertoire (though she has problems with starting new fics and procrastinating on others, getting so bad that she holds a monthly poll on which fic to continue recently), but the stuff she has written has only gotten better and better (though her earlier fics suffer a bit for not realizing how double-spacing can make them slightly tough to read).
 * YMMV, as while she writes fairly well, her characterization of characters can be quite exaggerated or generalized and the overuse of violent retribution can be tiring. Her plots and renditions of characters (original and canon) are interesting and humorous at points, but they tend to be quite overbearing. To be quite frank, her main female original characters (Cheresea, Anna, Jaela) are very similar and uncreative personality wise (violent tsunderes that fluctuate often from type A to B), and many of her Symphonia fanfictions are Kratos-centric, but not that the fangirls mind I'm sure.
 * On that same token, most of the above problems are limited to her earlier works (especially since she now views her more OC-centric works with some measure of embarassment), and her treatment of the canon characters has largely smoothed out. Can't argue with the Kratos thing though.

General Fics
''Stories focused on the family and the friendly relationships of the cast. Plot-focused stories or light day-in-the-life stories. Pretty much anything that isn't focused on romance.''

Prequel to a Restoration, Hope of Restoration, and Path of Restoration by Alaia Skyhawk
 * Synopses:
 * Prequel: Kratos of the Alurannai sets out to stop the Kharlan War with his childhood friend Vayla, befriending Yuan, Martel, and Mithos on the way. An excellent take on the War and Mithos' origin.
 * Hope: Kratos flees Welgaia with Yuan and later meets Anna and fathers Lloyd, who is later lost while fleeing a Cruxis attack through the Sentinels, a network of giant trees that can transport alurannai great distances very quickly. Vayla's daughter Alysii is also lost, and the alurannai must search for them, for one of them is the chosen one to restore the Giant Tree.... Also has quite a bit on the Renegades and how they operate.
 * Path: Lloyd sets out on his journey with the Chosen of Cruxis, Collette, and his father Kratos. Mostly a retelling of the game, only Lloyd is Alurannai.
 * Comments:
 * The alurannai are a race of near-immortal beings similar to Crystal Users but with many abilities unheard of by the other races, including but not limited to 'conjuring,' the ability to change one type of mana to another, and the ability to generate mana, much like the Giant Tree. Although Sue-ish, they do have a complex culture and an entire language, Sumaityr, invented by the author.
 * There are also two OC Summon Spirits--Krishka, Summon Spirit of Life, and Dallinius, Summon Spirit of Unity. The Spirits are given a new hierarchy as well--Krishka is the leader, or 'First Sumara Lord,' followed by Dallinius (the Second Sumara Lord), then Verius (Third), then Origin, and Fifth is Maxwell. There are also Greater and Lesser Summon Spirits, the Greater being the elementals and the Sumara Lords, and the Lesser being little more than talking animals who can use simple magics. Also, only the Greater Spirits require a battle and a world-changing Pact; the Lesser only need to be found and given a simple promise such as a promise to always be friends or to play an instrument daily.
 * READ THESE BOOKS. All are complete and the grammar is reasonably good, unlike some fan fiction.
 * While it's certainly a nice read, the sheer sue-ishness of the alurannai pretty much ruins all of the tragic moments of Tales of Symphonia. That guy's going to drown? No he doesn't because they've got teleportation. That guy's going to betray you? No he doesn't because the alurannai got to him as a child.  Not while the alurannai   are around!
 * To be honest . Also, in the game,  . And(again)  . So technically it doesn't make that much of a difference.
 * The general problem with this series that a few plot points from the game does not make as much sense because of the nature of the Alurannai. Like, why did Kratos wait 4000 years and millions of deaths later to turn again Mithos? The turning point supposedly was Mithos' plan for an age of Lifeless Beings, but that is just strange considering all the needless deaths before that didn't move Kratos to action. The Renegades themselves are also largely unneeded since the Alurannai can pretty much do everything anyway. I also do not understand why Kratos and the Alurannai did not kill Mithos themselves since I cannot find any real plot reasons for them not to other than friendship. Really, the whole thing about prophecy comes off as an excuse for the reason why the Alurannai do not fix everything to begin with. The sue-ish nature of the Alurannai and the original summon spirits does not help and these stories seems to be more about them than the characters of the game.

Z Skit Theater by Twilight Scribe
 * Recommended by User:Akatsuki Daybreak
 * Synopsis: Z Skit Theater consists of humorous exchanges of dialogue between the party members, many of which point out Fridge Logic and Gameplay and Story Segregation elements of the game.
 * Comments: While the skits are humorous and that's generally enough to keep you reading, the fact that the lines of each character are identified by a different text format (Bold, Italic, etcetera) is rather annoying, especially since the characters have a different format skit after skit and you have to keep checking the author's note in the event that you have a short memory of who's bolded and who's italicised. There's not reason why script format wouldn't be more efficient.
 * That's probably because Fan Fiction.net has an idiotic "no script fic" rule that, frankly, really irks this Troper.
 * Twilight Scribe here. The above Troper is absolutely right. Can't have script format because it violates Fan Fiction.net's TOS. Sorry.

Two Worlds Combined by Venus Tenshi
 * Recommended by Nightfoot, User:Dec
 * Synopsis: A self-insert fic that's actually really, really good.
 * Comments: The author's a brilliant writer, all the characters are in-character, and the main OC is incredibly likeable and realistic.
 * User:Dec: Seconded. I admit that the first time around I dropped it right in the middle of chapter one, but this is definitely worth more than just a first look anyways. It starts out so-so, but even early on it has a bit of a flare that makes it different from most of the other OC/self-insert fics floating around. Its building momentum as the story goes along, and it becomes obvious that this OC isn't going to be coddled from her own mistakes. The chapters are now up into 80's, and the story has developed a strong sense of humor that balances out the tension, keeping it from weighing the story down. There's a definite sense that things are "out of alignment" from the original story, and enough foreshadowing coming from all sides that it will ether drive you up the wall or make you come back for every update. This fic is pretty much the only reason I even check ff.net anymore.

Flight of the Jellyfish by Baby Kat Snophlake
 * Recommended by User:Keltena
 * Synopsis: An Alternate Universe Fic that takes place three years before the game starts. When Genis is kidnapped by Desians, Lloyd and his father, along with Raine, set out to rescue him and uncover the truth behind the Desians' recent activity.
 * Comments:
 * Just a note, the story link is dead.
 * User:Cyberxigbar: NOT a huge fan of this Raine, though. I mean, "They called me trash!"? Keep in mind that, adoptive parents or not, Raine's TWENTY by this point in time.

Tales of Cosplayers by Nightfoot
 * Recommended by Deadcricket, tenatively User:Rogue 7
 * Synopsis: Two cosplayers go to a con and are pushed through a mysterious door by some freak, taking the place of Lloyd and Colette to go on the Journey of Regeneration with the original characters (who have already completed their journey and know everything they know) in their Exspheres. Hilarity Ensues as the two cosplayers, Will and Ellie, are so Genre Savvy it becomes jarring to the other characters, Will's a Deadpan Snarker, Ellie's a Tsundere and both are far, far more intelligent then their dopplegangers. The story has been completed.
 * Comments: This fic takes the original story, adds in twists, and manages to keep everyone in character through the new angst. The OCs have to convincingly be Lloyd and Colette with their help, but still retain enough personality to be their own people. Very funny, and includes multiple Earth references (such as Solid Snake and Batman) that most inserts either can't do or don't do well.
 * User:Rogue 7: A tenative second- I enjoyed it well enough, but never bothered finishing up to where the author is. It's nice to see not everything turning out for the better, but it sometimes feels like the universe is out to get the protagonists.
 * User:Lanceavalon: Emo Will is Emo. Basically... "I know desians are a bunch of Nazi wannabes and they want to kill me, and everyone I care for, and my worlds fucked if I fail but "I don't wanna be a Murder". The main character becomes a Emo whiner = FAIL.
 * User:Shay Guy: Killing is hard. Ask any soldier. Even if S.L.A. Marshall did get his figures off, there's a lot of truth to it. Plus Will was explicitly described as the guy who takes bugs outside instead of stepping on them.
 * User:Airship Canon: I have to agree with Lanceavalon- the Wangst from Will is pretty annoying. I honestly think the guy is a worse version of Luke Fon Fabre, and Luke is bad enough.
 * User:TG Geko: I couldn't stand this one. The earth references are just plain bad. What kind of person, who is trying to keep their origin a secret, would make so many references? They feel bulky, unfunny, and make me feel the characters are idiots. I threw my hands up and said "Thats it! No more!" when the female protagonist made a scooby-doo, then a Labyrinth reference.
 * User:banjo 2 E: I liked this one for the most part. Will was pretty well defined as being a coward, and learning how to cope with being forced into combat played a big role in his character development. However, wasn't really necessary, and the ending was, for me, a massive wall-banger: . In fact, it turns out that the entire plot, meaning all of the problems caused by and inflicted on Will and Ellie happened, essentially, for no reason at all. The one good thing about the ending is that it is all the Wonder Chef's fault given , and he is very, very much portrayed as being A) bored/insane and/or B) a force of nature like the Summon Spirits, and therefore concerned primarily with keeping balance and only peripherally, if at all, with fairness.

i n f i n i t y by Holy Spork
 * Recommended by User:Keltena
 * Synopsis: Lloyd's mother is dead and his father has been missing for three years. On the Journey of Regeneration, he meets Yuan, a mercenary, who tells him some startling things about the world, and about his family...
 * Comments: An Alternate Universe Fic that takes the plot of the game and inserts many interesting and unique twists. The writing is enjoyable and everyone is in character.

Requiem of Symphonia by Unfinished Song
 * Recommended by User:Lockea
 * Synopsis: With the world finally saved, the group gathers around a campfire to hear the story of the Kharlan War and the Great Hero Mithos from those who travelled alongside him.
 * Comments: Wonderfully written, with canon supported pairings. There's some justified out of character moments, mostly in the Kharlan characters, and there's quite a bit of artistic liscense taken, but it's also justifiable.

Shards of Regeneration by Kasan Soulblade
 * Recommended by User:Darksidevoid
 * Synopsis: The author's reimagining of both the characters and story ToS, focusing heavily on character interaction. The characters are all very realistically portrayed, and the writing style is fluid and absorbing, with few spelling errors. Numerous concepts, places, and events are recognizable or newly introduced, and are delved into in-depth, including, but not limited to: Angelic Language, the Church of Martel Mythos, Constellations, the Fortuneteller in Triet, the Kharlan War, Kratos's past, Lloyd's Childhood, Summon Spirits, and so on.
 * Comments: It seems to have been abandoned at 30 chapters, although the author has said that he may get back to it in time.
 * User:Juanaxu: Seconded, but only if you have the time to go through a novel length fanfiction. And if you do, you should read her other stuff while you're at it.
 * This story is great and probably the best retelling of the game, ever. It brings to light many questions that the game slid over or never really address. I also rank her characterization of Lloyd and Colette as being one the best. she perfectly pulls off Colette being an airhead without making her stupid unlike some fanfics. Although, there are something that are needlessly long or drawn out like all the Seal Temples and the traveling between cities. Her version of Raine and especially Kratos are also hit or miss. Honestly, how much you like her version of Kratos will make or break this story for people because he's quite different from the game, manga, or even the OVA.

On My Honor by Yamato795
 * Recommended by User:The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis: A Regal musing fic that gives you a look at the game from how he saw it, and a better look at his past
 * Comments: An interesting story that gives us an insight into Regal's mindset during the game, mainly in first-person, save for the occasional flashback (with one very big exception). It's a good read, however, the quality of the story sorta... drops towards the very end, but is otherwise an interesting look into his past.

Tales of the Departed by Canada Cowboy
 * Recommended by User:The Otaku Ninja
 * Synopsis: Modern, AU, crossover with The Departed. Lloyd Irving and his father, an undercover police officer, learn of a plot by half elf extremists to destroy the world. Along with friends and unlikely allies, they try to put an end to this act.
 * Comments: The summary says it all, really. This is more or less based on The Departed, with plenty of refrences to the game, as well as the sequel. A very interesting read, worth checking out to see how it all fits together.

The Good Aurion by emif
 * Recommended by Gatekeeper827
 * Synopsis: AU Cruxis! Lloyd. Lloyd has been raised in Cruxis his entire life but it takes a trip to a Forcystus's human ranch to realize exactly what Cruxis is. Forcystus and Lloyd friendship fic.
 * Comments: A well written "What if" fic. Lloyd manages to stay in character (read: believable) despite the role reversal and the fact that he has to put up with a lot of shit from all sides. The grammar isn't perfect, but still well worth a read.

Tales of Yet Another Self Insert by whatsername427
 * Recommended by Patcheresu
 * Sypnosis:Michelle always hated self inserts. What happens when one day she finds herself, you guessed it, sucked into her favorite video game?
 * Comments:(The real title. No kidding.) A fanfiction piece that starts slow and reaches amazing standards of awesome. Has been destroyed and retooled by the author, so word count is now for disregard. (394,929 words before retool). Enjoy.
 * "Single spaced, the fic takes up 804 pages. Double spaced it's 1424 pages. Whaaaaaaaaat. Wasn't there something more constructive I could have been doing?" - The author on Chapter 8 of her Spin Off, same username as above on fanfiction.net
 * WARNING IS OVER! The author finally put up the first chapter of the new story. The link now leads to the new story.

A Wok of Infinite Light by Feonyx
 * Recommended by tikkihikki
 * Synopsis: A new threat has arisen in the form of the Dark Chef Alliance, who seek the power of the Wonder Chef's Ultimate Recipe to mastermind a culinary takeover of the world. Only one man can stop them, and his name? Regal Bryant.
 * Comments: I hesitate to call this a crack fic because that might imply it's terrible, when it's not. Feonyx is an incredible writer who just one day decided to write a multi-chaptered fic with the most ridiculously amazing scenario imaginable.

Karma's Solution for Fangirls: Self Insert by Concinnity
 * Recommended by User:Banjo 2 E
 * Synopsis: When a girl playing her old Tales of Symphonia game encounters an odd mishap in her living room, she awakens a bit further from home than she thought possible... Now, how does one escape from an entirely new world?
 * Comments: The fourth well-written self-insert ever. As of this writing, Chapter 3 has just been posted, and the main character has yet to show any combat ability whatsoever and has no idea what's going on; unusually for a self-insert, the starting point is Meltokio rather than Iselia, which itself is interesting enough for me. The author's shown themselves to be dedicated to making this realistic and has already dropped quite a few potential plot points. Also, Zelos' character is developed enough that he can actually befriend women.

A certain point of view by Sylvia Viridian
 * Recommended by User:Chirp Chirp Chirp
 * Synopsis: A revisiting of the game, from the opposite perspective. Did you ever wonder what Lloyd and his friends looked like to everyone else?
 * Comments: An extremely ambitious project that is showing great promise. This is a wonderful retelling of the game that changes perspectives from antagonists to non-playable characters. Worth a look!

Star's Vigil by TheStarsAreWatching
 * Recommended by Alpha-Elrik21
 * Synopsis: Star's Vigil is a Next Gen Fic that is set a century and a half after the end of Tales of Symphonia, expanding on the lore within and surrounding the game. It begins in a port town, where a young dock worker and a descendant of Lloyd and Colette end up in the wrong place at the wrong time. After being chased out of their hometown, their efforts to escape and avoid detection lead them to stumble upon something greater than they would ever have expected. Acting on the words of one of the Summon Spirits, they set out on a quest following in the footsteps of the Heroes of Regeneration.
 * Comments: This fic begins simply, but the plot quickly takes off. The author(s) have expanded a lot on the background provided in the game, and the world of the fic reflects that expansion. Because of that, the story makes very little direct mention of the game in the first few chapters, but it soon becomes clear that the events of the fic are tightly and intricately bound into the game's lore. The characters are likable and original, while containing echoes of the cast of the game.

Shipping Fics
Stories focused on the romantic relationships between the cast.

Yar by Heart of Shou (Contains a male/male pairing)
 * Recommended by User:Keltena
 * Pairing: Zelos/Lloyd
 * Synopsis: Sometimes the journey is just as important as the destination.
 * Comments: An absolutely epic oneshot that takes the time to thoroughly explore every facet of Zelos and Lloyd's relationship.

Idiot Seraphim by Meowzy-Chan (Contains a male/male pairing)
 * Recommended by User:Timber
 * Pairing: Focuses on Zelos/Lloyd, but contains others
 * Synopsis: The Four Seraphim realize that they've technically been the Three Seraphim for far too long, and decide to hire Zelos as a replacement fourth. Zelos, in the mean time, is coming to terms with his relationship with Lloyd. All forms of Hilarity Ensues.
 * Comments: At its core, it's a sitcom-esque portrayal of Mithos, Kratos, Yuan, and Zelos living together, with heaping helpings of Ho Yay, Out of Character, and just plain ridiculous writing. Parts 2-6 and the prequel "Idiot Renegade" are also worth a read.

Jealousy by skywolf666
 * Recommended by User:Red Viking, sorta User:Rogue 7, Aust Kyzor
 * Pairing: Mainly focuses on Lloyd/Sheena, but also has Regal/Raine, Genus/Presea, and Zelos/Colette
 * Synopsis: Given one week to prepare for the battle against Kratos, Lloyd realizes who he really needs to stand by his side on that day. Confused by his rapidly changing feelings, he tries clumsily to reach out to Sheena, who's hiding things of her own...
 * Comments: As we all know, Lloyd, being the Idiot Hero that he is, doesn't really 'get' the concept of love, so it's really amusing seeing his frustration and confusion over his feelings for Sheena. There's a lemon warning for the beginning of chapter 11, but it's nothing too explicit.
 * User:Rogue 7: It's really, really sappy, almost sickeningly sweet at times, and pairs off the cast far too neatly for my taste, but if you're in the mood for that sort of thing, it's quite well-written.
 * Aust: I loved this fanfic so much, I started dating the author.

The Swordsman and the Summoner by Koinekid
 * Recommended by The Tambourine Man
 * Pairings: Lloyd/Sheena
 * Summary: Lloyd and Sheena's journey encounters some interruptions.
 * Comments: This story develops a lot of concurrent plots quickly. A pretty interesting read, but the author's given up on it.