#astra black

[torpublishinggroup]

Tor Books EPIC Holiday Gift Guide For Your Oddball Family

Hello hello, and welcome back to our annual TOR BOOKS HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE, where we give you what we think are the best gifts for the hyper specific, super chaotic individuals in your life. From your childhood BFF to your mildly traumatized game master, we have a whole slew of bookish picks for you this holiday season. Enjoy, and Happy Holidays, y’all!

by Rachel Taylor and a cat

For your long suffering GM (Game Master) who just wants a break from your party — via tenor

Anyone who acts as game master for Dungeons & Dragons (or any other TTRPG, to be frank) deserves an award for powering through all the shenanigans their party puts them through. From attempting to fight a dragon with a fork to accidentally leading your party off a cliff, your deeply stressed out GM deserves a cozy novel to help them decompress. Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree is out now and, for an extra little something, you can submit your receipt to get an adorable acrylic charm, a perfect addition to your gift!

For your cousin who remained loyal and never left Tumblr — via GIPHY

You remember the Tumblr exodus of 2019, and for shame—you were part of it, you fragile soul. But not your cousin. Resolute, they stood by their blog and posted through the long, long night. Three years later, Tumblr is resurging and you need a gift for the one who never lost faith. What’s more Tumblr than magic danger-nerds alternatively hooking up with and hating each other as they conduct research and mainline caffeine and/or alcohol? Redeem your past mistakes with the perfect bookly gifts for your cousin: Olivie Blake’s The Atlas Six and thrilling sequel, The Atlas Paradox.

For the enthusiastic players who got their GM Legends & Lattes — @lookhuman via GIPHY

You love the players at your table, but even after years of collaborative TTRPG storytelling, you’ve never once anticipated the many ways they have conspired to unravel every plot thread you’ve ever written. How then could you ever predict what they might like as a gift? Easy. Just listen to us: Daughter of Redwinter by Ed McDonald is a fantastic epic fantasy about a girl who can A) see ghosts, and B) turn people into them with an expertly placed arrow, if she takes the mind. Of course, if anyone finds out about her power, she’s dead, and circumstances have led her to become a ward in the monastery of the very warrior-magi that would execute her. Oops! What gamesplayer can resist a quick-paced and twisting tale of magic, adventure, and deceit?

For your ex-boyfriend who’s still blowing up your phone with House of the Dragon TikTok’s — via GIPHY

So your ex-boyfriend (who you’re still friends with, DESPITE THE ADVICE OF OTHERS) just finished House of the Dragon and he won’t stop texting you about how much it sucks to have to wait 2 years for season 2. He’s right, but you can still give him a new epic fantasy to obsess over with The First Binding by R.R. Virdi. At over 800 pages, it’ll keep him busy for quite a while AND it also doubles as a premium bludgeoning weapon for you if he doesn’t appreciate your gift. Win win!

For your chronically-online uncle who needs to stop doomscrolling for his own health — @dualvoidmania via GIPHY

He’s mister doom-and-gloom. If there’s an upsetting tweet, you’ve seen it because he’s retweeted it. You don’t quite know him well enough to be comfortable with direct intervention. You need to gift him Last Exit by Max Gladstone. It’s a book about the death of idealism and the rot that creeps through the cracks of reality like so many corrosively fecund vines. It’s about a generation who thought they would transform the world and failure’s fallout. He’ll still be very DOOM-ful, but in an artistically fun, yet still scary way.

For your brother who is OBSESSED with The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime — via GIPHY

So your brother watched The Wheel of Time on Amazon Prime and has fallen down the 14+ book-deep rabbithole that is Robert Jordan’s timeless epic fantasy series. Help him delve even further into the lore with Origins of the Wheel of Time by Michael Livingston! He’ll be able to learn even more about all the mythology and legends that inspired Robert Jordan’s universe and you’ll get some peace and quiet while he’s absorbed in his new book.

For your sister who always has at least 5 open browser tabs of Ao3 fics — via Gfycat

Who among us hasn’t spent some time reading fix-it fics on Ao3? Well, no one compares to your sister, who currently has 30 tabs open on her iPhone filled with her favorite OTP falling in love 30 different ways (IF THE SHOW WON’T GIVE THEM A HAPPILY EVER AFTER, THE INTERNET WILL). You can’t buy her the perfect 100 chapter slow burn coffee shop fix-it fic of her OTP, but you CAN buy her Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell! It features all the choicest tropes like mutual pining, slowburn, and fake dating and will be sure to put a smile on her face for the holidays.

For your estranged mother, to subtly let her know that your relationship still requires some Conversations — via GIPHY & tenor

Do you want to give your mother a gift that’s also a hint about how you feel about your tumultuous parental relationship? Just Like Home by Sarah Gailey is the gift for her! It’s got great thriller vibes, with a daughter coming back to her family home for the first time after her father was arrested for being a serial killer…which she kind of caused. And mom’s still holding a grudge over a DECADE later. It’s got drama, monsters, and enough parallels to make your mom go ‘Wait, is this f*cking play about US?!’

For the loved one in your life who waited 2.5 years to finally see My Chemical Romance live in Fall 2022 — @KyleeConriquez via GIPHY

A million years ago (Or two and a half. Whatever. Time is meaningless mush) your loved one planned to attend the My Chemical Romance reunion. A show that would eventually be put off and off and off due to ongoing events until earlier this year. It was epic, but you know what else is? Book of Night by Holly Black. Your loved one won’t have to wait 900~ days for this literary event, and just like an MCR show, they’ll want to acquire (more) goth clothes and tattoos after.

For the childhood BFF everyone called a ‘voracious reader’ growing up / anyone who was ‘a delight to have in class’ — via Goodreads

Did your childhood BFF simply devour every book in front of her? Is she still That Person whose TBR pile is precariously stacked in the corner of her living room, a threat to anyone who brushes too close? Give her a book to really whet her appetite for reading in The Book Eaters by Sunyi Dean, where a very special family literally sustains themselves entirely by eating books. Did we bite a book while reading this to see if we were book eaters? Who’s to say.

For your college best friend with at least one historical quote tattoo — via GIPHY

Does your college best friend have an encyclopedic knowledge of historical retellings? Do they have, at minimum, one historically linked tattoo that prompts a 20 minute lecture whenever someone asks what it means? Do they have five different editions of The Song of Achilles on their shelf? And most importantly, do they crave a new, queer retelling to sink their teeth into? Look no further! Neon Yang has a Joan of Arc inspired, post-apocalyptic sci-fi story for you. Check out The Genesis of Misery, ​​starring a queer and diverse array of pilots, princesses, and prophetic heirs.

For the ambiguously LGBTQ+ niece whose fashion sense you try to understand, but ultimately makes you feel insecure about how fast you’re aging — @yifan via GIPHY

You love them, but no one makes you feel old like your nebulously but definitely queer niece. They’re so cool, and are very helpful in keeping you up to date on the hippest trends, but every time you talk to them, you feel the pent-up years in your joints. Get your niece A. K. Larkwood’s The Serpent Gates series, including The Unspoken Name and The Thousand Eyes. It’s about a gay orc death priestess who rebrands herself as a garbage wizard’s personal assassin and picks up a gods-cursed, magi-baddie mid-adventure. There are cosmic gods, ancient ruins, devious machinations, and a lot of awesome gay stuff.

For the sibling on their third+ rewatch of The Expanse — via GIPHY

We get it. Your sibling buddy is bummed that The Expanse has finished its TV run and is still hopelessly in love with its marriage of adrenaline-flooding action and introspective parsing of human expansion / empire. Again, we do get it, and what you need to get is Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus.

For the nephew who you gifted The Way of Kings to last year — via GIPHY

Your nephew reads through books at speeds generally known only to muscle cars and lightning, and he needs long fantasy books now! The time required to produce the next installment in an epic series is often as long as the books themselves, which is unfortunate since it’s time for you to gift your nephew another book. Here’s the good news: Brandon Sanderson writes as fast as your nephew reads, and his long-awaited continuation of the Mistborn series, The Lost Metal, is the perfect gift. And then next year you can get him the next Brando Sando, and the book cycle of giving goes on and on and on.

We hope you and your loves ones have a happy and safe holiday season! Did we miss a super niche friend/family member that you want to see a gift for? Let us know in the comments! 

#tor books #tor #holiday #gift guide #books #book gifts #holiday gift guide #legends & lattes #travis baldree #legends and lattes #the lost metal #the way of kings #mistborn #brandon sanderson #the expanse #sweep of stars #maurice broaddus #astra black #the genesis of misery #neon yang #a k larkwood #the unspoken name #the thousand eyes #the serpent gates #the atlas paradox #the atlas six #olivie blake #last exit #max gladstone #the first binding

[ninety-two-bees]

regulus black serial killer AU in which james and barty are dating, so regulus kills barty out of jealousy and then wiggles his way into james’ life to “comfort him” until james falls in love with him

except, james is fully aware of all of this and is very, very into it. so sometimes he’ll make regulus jealous by talking for a bit too long with someone else, just so regulus will come home that night covered in their blood. and james doesn’t care how many people regulus kills as long as regulus is safe and unharmed

bonus points for barty as a bitchy ghost “haunting” regulus after the murder and constantly complaining or encouraging regulus’ violent behaviour

#astra heard about this first btw #i do plan to write this some day #marauders #marauders fic #jegulus #starchaser #james potter #regulus black #barty crouch jr

[nikihawkes]

Book Review: Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus

Book Review: Sweep of Stars by Maurice Broaddus

Title: Sweep of Stars Author: Maurice Broaddus Series: Astra Black #1 Genre: Science Fiction Rating: 2.5/5 stars The Overview: The Muungano empire strived and struggled to form a utopia when they split away from old earth. Freeing themselves from the endless wars and oppression of their home planet in order to shape their own futures and create a far-reaching coalition of city-states that…

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#astra black #book #book review #book reviews #books #maurice broaddus #niki hawkes #science fiction #scifi #sweep of stars #the obsessive bookseller

[thegodemperorsmycopilot]

#warhammer 40k #warhammer 40000 #warhammer40k #warhammer40000 #astra militarum #imperial guard #grimdark #humour #comic #snark #black adder lasted into the 41st millenium!?

[theheartofthestar]

Prompt 23 - Teacher AU

@wolfstarmicrofic - April 23rd, 467 words

Quiet evenings turn hectic as exams approach. This is true every year, ever since he was a student walking these same halls, and will continue to be so long after he retires.

Remus' door was always open for students to come up and clear up whatever questions they might have, but aside from the occasional gaggle of younger students who eagerly wanted to make sure they got a spell right, and the handful or older students who stopped by for tea and biscuits sometimes, his office hours were spent quietly, and alone.

Now, however, close as they were to finals, with the promise of summer breeze making them open the castle windows as the sun went down, and the idea of finally lounging by the lake under the sun, students tended to panic, and Remus could reliably expect a queue outside his office's door.

"Please call the next student in when you leave" Remus said gently to a third year Hufflepuff, whom Remus had had to spend fifteen minutes reassuring that finals would only cover what was in the syllabus.

There was a soft rap of knuckles against the door, even when it was open.

"Good evening, Professor, have you got a moment?" The familiar voice made him look up immediately, heart jumping in his chest the same way it had done a thousand times before, ever since they were nothing more than children.

"What are you doing here?" Remus said with a smile, standing up to go around his desk as Sirius walked into the office.

"You know, I was just around the area" Sirius shrugged and threw him a dazzling smile that did nothing to hide the blush that spread over his cheeks. "Your students let me cut the line, too"

"Oh, did they, now?" If only they weren't at school, he would drag Sirius to the desk and make him blush even harder. But they were, so Remus had to be happy with leaning in and pressing a soft, almost innocent kiss to the corner of Sirius' mouth.

"I'll stop by the kitchens and let them send up some dinner for you" Sirius said softly, nothing more than a whisper.

"You're a blessing" Remus hadn't felt hungry before, but his stomach rumbled just by the sound of dinner. He lowered his voice even further to ask,"Is the line long out there?"

"Extremely, you are either very popular or they are really scared" Sirius laughed around his answer, but kept it to a whisper as well.

"Both. Always both." It got Remus a snort in return.

"Will you come home tonight?" Sirius' smile was softer, eyes giving him the once over. Remus knew Sirius always worried about him during this time of the school year.

"Yes, love," Remus whispered, "I'll always come home to you"

-

(you can read more of my work here)

#astra writes #wolfstar #wolfstar microfic #teacher au #only this is sort of canon for them #but oh well #also i wrote this to make myself feel better bc I too got crowded office hours this week #remus you know my heart #remus lupin #sirius black #marauders microfic

[felinefractious]

Ember Mystery Mask*RU

🐱 Sacred Birman

📸 Naumenko Aleksej [Astra Venetum]

🎨 Seal Point Mitted [Birman Gloving]

#photo #birman #sacred birman #SBI #black #seal #mitted white #colorpoint #n 04 33 #age progression #p: naumenko #b: astra venetum

[theicarusconstellation]

astra!! what fics have your fav characterizations of regulus?

OOO great question!

(let me preface this by saying that my characterization might not be everybody’s, and that’s okay. my characterization is “the one” in my head, but that doesn’t mean it has to be everyone else’s “one,” and neither i nor the fics/authors i mention below are “better” in any way, shape, or form than anyone else. everyone in this fandom writes amazing works, and i’m sure there are so many wonderful fics with phenomenal regulus characterization that i haven’t read yet)

i’m gonna sound like a cunt here, but my own fics take first place for me💀i write for myself, so i write the regulus i perceive, yk? but here’s (some of) my reggieverse of madness:

@imdamagecontrol’s regulus is amazing in every fic they write, i.e. in paint it black, which to me really shows not only his “duality” but everything in between (and he’s got the cutest little nose freckles), and i’m really really excited to read more of their regulus study, all these terrible things

user georgia_sk on ao3 (i’m sorry if she has tumblr! i looked for it to try and tag her but couldn’t find it) wrote an amazing fic called whatever happened to the young, young lovers? that really encapsulates regulus for me as well

edge by @pinkpalaceapartmcnts is another one i’m obsessed with

when you were mine by @sequinhaze — their regulus has me giggling kicking my legs kissing the ground he walks upon

sugar high by user ivycore on ao3 (again, couldn’t find their tumblr, so if they have one, i’m sorry!) really explores the toll regulus’ upbringing took on him (+ it’s age gap jegulus with sex worker regulus!!)

devotion by @woobyo has a fucking amazing dark regulus characterization

of his bones by @sophsicle is incredible in how it portrays not only the “purist” mentality he’s fallen victim to + how he deconstructs that, but also the burden on regulus’ shoulders that he learns to take on and grow into

i could go on forever and ever and ever, but these are just the ones off the top of my head that i adore.

#astra’s asks #bella tag #regulus black #jegulus

[ecstarry]

"Seasons" a microfic for my dear dear dear @theicarusconstellation

Regulus hated summer. He distinctly remembers the first time he experienced what jeans felt under June’s deadly sun, or the dread that came with sweating and knowing his sleeve will stick in a funny way to his arm. So he avoided the sun. Or so he believed. 

Regulus still hates summer. But he distinctly remembers the warmth that inundated him the first James said he loved him, or the anticipation that turned into heat as his husband leaned in to kiss him for the first time at sixteen. He no longer avoids the sun, he seeks it, constantly, wishing to be embraced in cuddles every night by him. 

James hated winter. He distinctly remembers how the cold made him feel lonelier in his house, or the dread of not getting enough sunlight to power the happiness people expected out of him. So he avoided the cold. Or so he believed.

James still hates winter. But he distinctly remembers Regulus’ adorable cheeks turning into a pink hue when they were in the snow, or how his heart left his chest and rested on Regulus’ hands when they said they would spend the rest of their lives together as they stood on the frozen lake. He no longer avoids the cold, he finds his most precious memories with his lover carved in every snowflake that falls. 

They can make every season a home now.

all of my microfics with your prompts are here

#astra tag < 3 #i love you much #jegulus #marauders #james potter #regulus black #gay dead wizards #james x regulus #starchaser #sunseeker #jegulus fanfiction #microfic #microfiction #microfic prompts #jegulus microfic #ao3 writer #writer #fanfic writing #euge's microfics

[haaaaaaaaaaaave-you-met-ted]

Last Chancers Omnibus Cover Art by Andrea Uderzo

#Warhammer #40k #Imperium #Imperial Guard #Astra Militarum #Cannon Fodder #Xenos #Tau #Sci-Fi #Last Chancers #Covers #Cover Art #Last Chancers Omnibus #Andrea Uderzo #Games Workshop #Black Library

[rizzulusarcturizz]

rumor has if you say “regulus arcturus black” in front of a mirror three times @theicarusconstellation appears with a boner demanding to know where their fiancé is

#if y’all thirst post about regulus astra WILL sniff your post out to thirst harder #astra <3 #regulus black

[linipik]

💜 🌌 🖤

#takashi shirogane #black paladin #voltron #voltron legendary defender #vld #fanart #ad astra intensifies

[morvvn]

trying to figure out rhan's implants and i think by the start of chapter 1 she just has the forehead one (psy booster?) and this spine thing that's entirely in my mind

#i imagine the black ship implants were rougher so she got them replaced in the astra militarum after becoming sanctioned #bonus scarring as sanctioning side effect #im eating the wiki #rogue trader #oc: rhan von valancius #my art

[wh40kgallery]

War Zone Nachmund: Vigilus

by Lewis Jones

#chaos #heretic astartes #astartes #black legion #astra militarum #bionics #grimdark #horror #lewis jones #40k

[pridekinstim]

"two weird little puzzle pieces that don't go anywhere else..."

Event Horizon Ranboo x Tubbo/Beeduo stimboard!

sources:

(🐝/🌌/🐝) (🌠/💞/🌠 ) (🐝/🌌 /🐝)

#stimboard #gif #mine #blue #black #gold #orange #beeduo #ad astra #de terra #event horizon fic #/hands #/body stims #/insects #/bees #this fic is so beautiful pls read it #/nf

[theheartofthestar]

Prompt 20 - Florist AU

@wolfstarmicrofic April 20th - 837 words

Remus looks up when he hears the door bell chime. It's a slow Tuesday, so he's just been sitting behind the counter catching up on some reading. The four men carry themselves as if they are still school boys, pushing each other and talking above one another, but by their looks Remus can tell they must be around his own age.

One of the men is finally pushed forward, all long, silky black curls framing a handsome face. Sharp nose above a perfect bow of pale lips. Remus eyes trace the man's face up to his eyes, the most beautiful set of grey eyes, unnerving yet appealing. The man clears his throat and Remus lifts his eyebrows, hoping to mask the attraction he feels behind what he hopes comes off as justified annoyance at four grown men acting like boys in a tiny flower shop on a Tuesday afternoon.

"Hi, uhm, you're handsome" the man says, and Remus smirks even through he knows his face is coloring. The other three snort.

"Subtle, Sirius, very subtle" the man with face piercings laughs.

"I mean, have you got, uhm-" Sirius pauses, as if they had walked in without a clear plan on what exactly they wanted to buy from a flower shop. "-flowers?"

"Oh my god"

"Pads!"

"Zero rizz, I swear"

"Yeah, we've got flowers" Remus feels his heart doing acrobatics on his chest. "What type are you looking for?"

"Uhm, eh, I don't know, maybe something like that?" Sirius scrambles to find something around the shop that might look like something that's ready to be sold. He ends up pointing at the flower crowns Remus made this morning, now sitting on a shelf and waiting to be delivered tomorrow morning.

"Flower crowns." Remus says, to confirm. Never mind he feels he'll probably melt if he sees this gorgeous being in a flower crown of all things.

"Yes" Sirius looks awkward, but Remus catches the very clear way his smile also carries a certain flirt. And they say the love of your life will never knock on your door.

"Oh, those are commissioned, they aren't for sale. But how about-" Remus tries to think of a way to keep them in the shop a bit longer. Maybe he'll get lucky and manage to get a phone number. "-how about I teach you how to make them? You pay for the flowers, and I'll just show you how to wave them"

It's a silly idea, but one that Lily has been pestering him about ever since they went together to that sip-and-paint some weeks ago. The dark skinned man immediately perks up.

"Like a workshop?" He says excitedly, and the man who looks just like Sirius groans. Remus thinks maybe they are brothers. "I love workshops! Yes, absolutely! Where do we sit?"

And so starts an afternoon Remus didn't plan on having, stealing glances and sharing small smiles with this handsome angel that happened to walk into his shop. Remus learns their names, listens to their friendly bickering and tries to keep his blush and his breathing under control when Sirius' calf presses against his under the table.

When they are done, the four of them wear their flower crowns proudly. The flowers in James' crown have lost half their petals, rough hands as his are. Barty refused to remove the thorns from his rose's stems, and Remus wonders idly what's up with that. Regulus' crown is by far the prettiest, and blushes brightly when James says as much. But it is Sirius' crown that looks the loveliest, because the loveliest pair of hands wove it.

The group dawdles by the door for a bit before they go, and James very obviously gives Sirius a shove towards the counter behind which Remus is trying to keep his hands busy to avoid staring at the most beautiful being he's ever laid eyes upon. But Sirius says nothing, just smiles a bit awkwardly and so Remus says nothing, just blushes and crinkles his eyes. The friends clearly feel some help is needed, because James comes forward and slings an arm around Sirius' shoulders

"So how long do these last, Remus?" James says, vaguely pointing at his and Sirius' flower crowns. Remus has to clear his throat before answering.

"About four days, I would say-" whatever he was going to continue with is interrupted by James.

"Great! So you can expect Pads here to come by to pick up another one." James pats Sirius on his chest as he says so.

"I can?

"Prongs-"

"Same time next week? Yes? Awesome, he'll bring some coffee too. It's a date, tá!" And with that, James drags a mortified looking Sirius and his other two very amused friends out of the store. Before they slide out of sight, Sirius catches his eye and smiles.

Remus smiles looking at the flower crown in his hands. Next Tuesday can't come fast enough.

(you can read more of my work here)

#wolfstar microfic #florist au #flowershop au #Florist!Remus #remus lupin #sirius black #hp marauders #astra writes #marauders microfic

[felinefractious]

Ember Mystery Mask*RU

🐱 Sacred Birman

📸 Naumenko Aleksej [Astra Venetum]

🎨 Seal Point Mitted [Birman Gloving]

#photo #birman #sacred birman #SBI #black #seal #mitted white #colorpoint #n 04 33 #b: naumenko aleksej #b: astra venetum