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Originally Posted by djmaca
Isn't it because ALO adds real-world events while SAO is mostly in-game?
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I think it's partly because ALO is not a "death game" itself. Some may feel that a VR game/world is not real if it's not a "death game" because if a player dies, he/she will just be revived at the save point. Some might not noticed that the main theme of SAO series is to explore the true meaning of a virtual world and to answer the question whether "a virtual world can be another reality or not". The story of Fairy Dance does not seem to follow the main theme of SAO, instead the story just focuses on Kirito's adventure in ALO to save Asuna and also the relationship between him and his sister. This is the reason that makes Fairy Dance seemingly inferior to SAO arc and Phantom Bullet arc (GGO) but if you are an action fan, Fairy Dance will still be an enjoyable ride for you.
As for the side stories, the story is quite enjoyable to read. Even if the side stories are random, there are one or two side stories that are very good particularly. I would recommend the 4th side story in volume 2 and volume 7 Mother's Rosario as the best among the side stories.