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shy-sapphic-ace · 7 months

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List of queer books I read, loved & recommend!

(There isn't any particular order, I wrote these as I remembered them)

Master Of One - Jaida Jones & Dani Bennett (mlm, fantasy, very cool worldbuilding and magic system, funny, cool characters)

Legends & Lattes - Travis Baldree (wlw, fantasy, very soft & chill vibes)

The Priory of the Orange Tree - Samantha Shannon (wlw, high fantasy, cool worldbuilding, kinda reminds me of LOTR but with more dragons and feminism and lesbians)

Even Though I Knew The End - C.L. Polk (wlw, supernatural noir, cool 1930s detective story with angels & demons, I loved this one!)

The Love Interest - Cale Dietrich (mlm, science fiction, very cool concept)

The Darkest Part Of The Forest - Holly Black (side mlm, fantasy, cool fae lore)

The Weight Of The Stars - K. Ancrum (wlw, not quite science fiction but space stuff is involved, lovely and complex characters)

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe - Benjamin Alire Sáenz (mlm, fiction, very nice in general, there is also a sequel)

The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue - Mackenzi Lee (mlm, historical and vaguely fantasy, nice story but I preferred the sequel honestly)

The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy - Mackenzi Lee (wlw, the sequel to the one before, more fantasy elements than the first, asexual main character!!)

Gallant - V.E. Schwab (no romance, but in the background one of the characters(?) uses they/them pronouns, very cool dark fantasy vibe)

Stranger Than Fanfiction - Chris Colfer (gay main character, trans main character, coming-of-age, nice book)

Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda (yes it's the Love, Simon book, mlm, fiction, pretty nice)

They Both Die At The End - Adam Silvera (mlm, sci-fi ish but mostly fiction, cool ideas, but the ending is sad! Very amazing book though, I haven't read the prequel yet)

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo - Taylor Jenkins Reid (wlw, bi main character, historical fiction, cool story, just a neat book in general)

This Is How You Lose The Time War - Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (wlw, sci-fi, very cool time travel stuff!! and very beautiful, it felt like reading poetry most of the time)

One Last Stop - Casey McQuinston (wlw, background trans & pan & queer characters, sci-fi or fantasy idk, but time travel, I loooved this book, great)

The House In The Cerulean Sea - TJ Klune (mlm, fantasy, THIS BOOK oh my gosh you should read it!!, just cute and lovely and good)

Under The Whispering Door - TJ Klune (mlm, fantasy, this book is also sooo amazing, great character development and awesome relationships and stuff, it's been a while since I read it but it was so good)

And They Lived... - Steven Salvatore (nblm, fiction, about gender identity and learning to love yourself, read it a while ago but it was very nice)

I Wish You All The Best - Mason Deaver (nblm, fiction, about finding your identity and people who care about you, very cute and sweet)

The Song Of Achilles - Madeleine Miller (mlm, historical, very good in general)

Carry On - Rainbow Rowell (mlm, background wlw in the third book, fantasy, it's a trilogy, basically Harry Potter if it was gay and also better)

Silver In The Wood - Emily Tesh (mlm, fantasy, very pretty, lots of fae stuff and lovely descriptions, it has a really good sequel too)

Pretty much anything by Alice Oseman (all cute and lovely and great, though I've only read Radio Silence so far I hear only good things, Solitaire is on my to-read list)

I Kissed Shara Wheeler - Casey McQuinston (wlw, fiction, it's been a while but I liked this book)

The Falling In Love Montage - Ciara Smyth (wlw, fiction, this book was so cute and funny and deeply emotional it made me Feel way too many things, I'd definitely recommend it)

What Big Teeth - Rose Szabo (a bit of queerness all around, fantasy, werewolves and monsters, this one was pretty cool!, lots of original ideas for the world/character building)

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twilight-saga-headcanons · 7 months

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Cullens favorite types of movies? Also, I'm so happy to see a twilight saga blog in the year 2023 - it's so wild

Carlisle - Of course Carlisle likes older movies. There's no real genre, but if it's in black and white then he's probably a fan. He really adores the classics, and some of his favorites are Citizen Kane, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Maltese Falcon.

Esme - Esme is such a sucker for romance of all kinds, but classic romance can bring her to her knees. She loves a bittersweet ending, and she is TOTALLY a hallmark Christmas movie mom. She was a die hard Casablanca fan and a year cannot pass without her watching It's A Wonderful Life at least four times. Anything that make her heart ache, she adores.

Edward - This dramatic asshole. Claims that he really only likes inspirational foreign French films because of the ~drama~ but you know what??? he secretly watches romance movies with Esme, not that it's actually a secret because everyone already knows. Pretty Woman? Yes. 10 Things I Hate About You? Absolutely. If he had the ability to cry, he definitely would have after watching A Walk to Remember.

Rosalie - Rosalie likes sci-fi and fantasy movies. Labyrinth is a special favorite, though it might be because of her crush on David Bowie. She was surprised at how much she enjoyed The Shape of Water, but you're more likely going to find her watching something like Close Encounters of the Third Kind or The Princess Bride.

Emmett - Emmett dabbles in movies - he really likes a bit of everything. Drama, comedy, action, fantasy - he wouldn't say he actually has a favorite. He thinks comedy might take precedence; he's a huge fan of anything by Mel Brooks.

Jasper - He hates how stereotypical it is, but he loves Westerns. He's seen pretty much everything that John Wayne has ever been in. Really, anything to do with history will be ok for him to watch, though it took him a while to be comfortable with some of the Civil War era movies. Loves The Patriot and Braveheart, though he isn't a fan of Mel Gibson, and Black Beauty has a special place in his heart.

Alice - Alice likes all of those corny teen romance films, like Princess Diaries or She's the Man. She isn't sure why, but they really make her happy!! They're always so cute and quirky, she adores them so much.

#cullen headcanons #carlisle cullen #twilight saga headcanons #twilight renaissance #esme cullen #rosalie hale #emmett cullen #jasper hale #alice cullen #edward cullen

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fayrinferno · 1 year

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The Complete Escaflowne Pilgrimage

Why am I posting a random train video? Well, you gotta wait for it... Today, Escaflowne is older than its number of episodes for the first time. Happy anniversary! I thought I’d finally post this thing that is so overdue, you wouldn’t believe. Thanks @coverteyes for proofreading once again, I would likely not get this out anytime soon without her help!

Warning: this is very long and image-heavy under the cut. Preview:

As you may know, I lived in Japan for some time a few years back. Obviously, I had a great time. There are so many things to see, to try... even one year didn’t feel like it was enough! Of course, this sentiment is shared by a gorillion of other people, so yeah, tourism in Japan thrives... unless there’s a pandemic going on. (Man, I really had no idea what would happen… I started writing this after I got back from Japan, right before 2020).

In any case, what has been gaining popularity in recent years are the anime tours, covering the spots featured in popular titles. The anime makers often reference real places in their work, one of the reasons I was surprised to see that real Japan looks very much like anime Japan. Add the sense of detail that they possess, and you get a very faithful rendition of the atmosphere you get in existing places, in Japanese cities and countryside, in trains, in schools etc. Of course, die-hard fans easily spot the places, and something as mundane as a random staircase or a zebra crossing becomes a “monument” worth visiting!I am always behind on new anime, and my thing is fantasy and sci-fi rather than slice of life, so I probably passed some of these places unknowingly. Anyway, it’s no secret that I have a soft spot for my fav anime titles from my teenage years, especially Tenkuu no Escaflowne. It takes place mostly in the alternate world of Gaea, but the main heroine, Kanzaki Hitomi, goes to school (lives?) in a town inspired by Kamakura, Japan. Well duh, her school is even named Kamakura Kita. But there are also differences, more on that later.

Since there are only a few existing places from Escaflowne you can easily find, I decided to get all of them. Starting, of course, from Kamakura. The first two visits to the city were not done for that purpose, but I still managed to capture some familiar views. On the third, I planned to catch everything I still missed.

What really helped me was the map and the comic published in The Vision of Escaflowne Fanbook back in 1997, only about one year after the series aired. The whole book was put together by Escaflowne fans. The map was created by two fans who went on a quest to search for the spots and then drew a small comic about their adventures. Thank you, Yufuko-san and Izumi-san, you helped me a lot there!

So the tour is done by Senoo Yufuko, who introduced herself as “a part time housewife” and Izumi, the “guide” and “Escamakuramaster”. Funny thing is I googled a person called Senoo Yufuko and found out she's a fantasy novelist. What was more interesting was that her website is called Usagiya…as in, usagi, or rabbit. Like the rabbit in the comic about the Kamakura stroll. From her website I opened her twitter, and then I had a revelation with the first look at her twitter profile pic. HOLY ... it was her! This Japanese fantasy novelist, who is the age of my dad, made a fan pilgrimage to Kamakura in 1997, and she is still active! She did this tour with her one year old in a stroller, who would be... the age of the series itself now! This was somehow very heartwarming for me. Anyway, on with the report!

I didn’t bring the Fanbook itself to Japan but fortunately I had it scanned. So I stopped at the nearest conbini (convenience store) and printed out the pages. Armed with those, the camera, the series screencaps saved on my phone, and some rations, I embarked on a third journey to cover everything I missed the first two times. My theory was, if the scenery was supposed to be based on real Kamakura, in the 90s analog age, they had to use photos as references. And if there were photos used for the scenes, they can be taken again from the same spot! So I tried to capture as many as I could.

How to get there (and around)

I mentioned this elsewhere, Kamakura is an old, coastal town south of Tokyo with many sights and popular beaches. To get there, you hop on the Yokosuka line for Zushi in Tokyo–the trip costs only a few hundred yen (or a few bucks)– and before you know it, you’re there.

First thing you will certainly pass if you take a train is the Kamakura Kita or Kamakura North station (named the same as Hitomi’s school). This station is also referenced in one of Escaflowne episodes, more on that later. Anyway, it is worth getting off the train there for other reasons, too, as there are several pretty temples and gardens in the area.

The following train stop is already the main station of Kamakura itself. You may feel surprised at how many tourists circle the station, but then, it is a really popular getaway from Tokyo. I read somewhere that many foreign fans come to Kamakura because of Slam Dunk, a popular basketball manga. Many more come to Kamakura because of Kamakura. I can guarantee that not many come because of Escaflowne, which seems a bit forgotten and obscure by now; I didn’t see any references to it during my stay, when some other, more popular, 90s titles came up from time to time.

So, in this case, I was an exception, but I also quickly fell in love with the town so I cannot say the anime was my only motivation in returning there.

In the town itself, you can move around by the Enoden (literal translation of the full name is Enoshima electric train). This cute, green antique train is an attraction in itself and connects Kamakura and the neighboring city of Fujisawa. If you make more than two Enoden trips, it is already worth getting a Noriorikun, a one day pass, right away at the station. I also got a souvenir of Enoden from one of the gachapon machines.

There are plenty of things to do in Kamakura: there is the Great Buddha, historic temples and shrines (used to be the seat of the shogun and a capital), the famed Enoshima aquarium (featured in the Kuragehime jdrama, for example), beaches popular for surfing, windsurfing etc. But if you are crazy, you may wanna try to find some anime sights instead.

So let’s finally get to it. The photos are mine, taken mostly with a Fujifilm XT-20 camera. (Please note that I filtered and adjusted the photos as necessary to get the closest possible result.)

Starting from the first episode….

Hitomi’s and Yukari’s walk home (EP1)

After Yukari catches Hitomi in a compromising situation with Amano-senpai at the infirmary, they walk home side-by-side. Yukari mock-scolds Hitomi about making a move on him behind her back and teases her into buying her desserts. They descend steep stairs, pass several buildings and then walk into the tunnel where Yukari tells Hitomi about Amano’s imminent departure.

The dessert enumeration happens right in front of this cute little building, now housing a hair salon.

They also pass this small church that is right across the street.

You can get to this area by a short walk from the station along Shiyakushodoori (City Hall Street).

As they pass the hair salon first, then the church, they seem to be coming from the other direction, towards the station. After the church and the stairs they get to the tunnel.

I passed two or three tunnels walking this very road, and more can be found around, because the area is quite hilly. I think there are two potential tunnels that could be the one Yukari and Hitomi walk through: Onari tunnel and Shinsasuke tunnel.

Izumi-san thinks this is the tunnel in question, because it had a fence on top and “nameplate” like the one in the anime (the nameplate was changed to just a fenced opening from the production sketch).

Because of the thriving shrubbery, I could not see any fences nor nameplates, but I believe I got the right one. They really tried to replicate this funny tunnel. It’s funny because the opening has a different shape on both sides. The side which Hitomi and Yukari are coming out of is more or less the correct shape though, which is why I think this is the one. It’s in fact the first tunnel you pass on the way from the station.

On the other hand, during another visit, I got a picture of the perfectly round Shinsasuke tunnel further up the road. This one has a phone booth next to it, like the one in the anime (although the booth is on the wrong side).

What do you think? Which one is closer? I think it may have been the combination of the two.

Here’s another bonus shot of the inside of the first tunnel:

Sasuke Inari Taisha / Sasuke Inari Shrine (EP1)

Escaflowne TV kicks off at Hitomi’s school called Shiritsu Kamakura Kita Koukou, which is imaginary, sorry. But just across the street from this made-up school, there is a familiar thing... a shrine with red torii gates leading uphill in the woods. The shrine where the dragon follows Hitomi and her friends while Van tries to kill it to obtain its minerals.

In reality, the entrance to the shrine is not across some street, but rather, a small street leads to the entrance. It is pretty hidden in a residential area, and the torii gates feel way smaller than they seem from the anime (you can see a pic with a certain person as a comparison in the previous post).

Anyway, this red torii-lined pathway is a feature of many other inari taisha (fox shrines) across Japan. My second visit to the shrine, I heard the fox barking, even (and I rushed away cause I was alone haha)! The most famous fox shrine in Japan is probably the Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, with literally thousands of red torii of all sizes and numerous shrines lining the way up the hill. But you can find a similar-looking pathway randomly in Japan!

What makes this the referenced shrine was the main building which looks similar, but not the same. The steps to the side shrine (where Hitomi and co. escape after the dragon follows them up to the main shrine), also look a lot different.

Shibuya 109 (EP 8)

This is the only Tokyo landmark to appear in the series. Hitomi has a dream/vision of a date with Allen and they go to a game center in a department store called “Shibiya 1G9″, or something. (The reason behind the mangled name is probably trademark use/advertising reasons.)

Ta da. Allen and Hitomi have lots of fun, until Millerna arrives and snatches him off with her carriage. Then her dream and the building collapses, in a recurring motif of a falling tower.

It took me one visit to Shibuya 109 to see why the creators would choose it. This is heaven for teenage girls, especially. Don’t know about the 90s, but now it houses covering all kinds of scene brands, Korean cosmetics, and ultra kawaii and hip fast food stalls. I saw many teenagers around, just hanging out. It seemed like a place definitely on their map. It may have been remodelled since the series aired, but it seems to still remain a sacred hip place for teens.

Hitomi is not from Tokyo, but I guess she would be allowed to visit with friends over the weekends and such. It’s only a half-hour train ride. The Allen date is also something very Japanese. I lost count how many times I have seen couples hand-in-hand in and around shopping centers, with the girl holding a huge bagged plush toy the boy likely won for her from one of those machines. So of course she would imagine this as an ideal date!

Kamakura Kita Eki / Kamakura North Station (EP 16)

I mentioned this station earlier in this post. Kamakura Kita Eki on the line to Tokyo is shown in episode 16, when Hitomi’s mother invites Yukari and Amano to show them a picture of Hitomi’s grandma and tell them her story.

We are not shown the actual house from a distance, just a bamboo fence and a shot of the patio. I found bamboo fences, but not in the right shape of the street… but this kind of looks similar, if you use your imagination and see a bamboo fence instead (as this probably was many years ago). Really, this is just for effect, you can catch similar scenes anywhere in Japan, and probably even a closer match than this. But the atmosphere of the place was similar, as it seems a more traditional area of the town altogether.

Hitomi’s walk back (EP 24)

Have you noticed that Hitomi’s walk back home has a few extra scenes in Episode 24? There is one with Yukari on the steps that give an aerial view of the bay for example. I could not see any stairs after passing the hair salon, but the anime makes it feel like they should be in the area, so I explored a bit. Found some stairs, but they seemed to be leading to a private property, so I did not try climbing them. Instead, I turned to the Fanbook again.

Izumi-san and Yufuko-san think the stairs are located in another area, and they lead to the Gokurakuji Pass (apparently, it used to lead to the Gokurakuji temple but does not anymore). It was in an area that I was passing through on my way to Fujisawa in the evening, so guess what, I got off the train and I went to look for them even though it was dark already. What do you think?

You probably can’t see anything. But I think it’s possible a view like you see in the anime would open somewhere further up those steps and that path.

However, there was a closed gate so I could not climb them higher. I don't know if it was permanent or if it was closed because it was so late. But you know what, I take it as a sign to return next time and explore that area. It was the same with Mt. Fuji, we planned a trip but the weather prevented us from seeing the summit. So I still have the dream to climb Mt. Fuji one day!

Instead of the view we got from the stairs in the anime, I present to you another high view of Kamakura, this one from my Hasedera Temple visit. The actual photo I took is in the previous post, I used a sepia filter for this.

The final stop of my day trip was Fujisawa, from where I caught a direct train back to Tokyo. Izumi-san and Yufuko-san said that the area in front of the Fujisawa station looked like the one Hitomi wandered around when she got back from Gaea shortly in ep 24. These scenes are not present in ep 1, so it makes me wonder if she walked around the city that night after her tunnel talk to Yukari in ep 1, too, or if it was induced by the new discoveries about Yukari, Amano, and herself. But she seems to be home around the same time (“Hitomi, bath is ready!”) so could be the first option.

By the way, Hitomi’s house, as seen in the anime, fits the architecture of the area. I saw some similar houses but did not want to take photos of private property.

Back to Fujisawa, here are the stairs that looked a bit familiar, with a box advert in the back. (Unfortunately, there was some construction work going on though.) What do you think?

Streetview actually offers some better shots than I could make at the time (for the purpose of identification at least) and I think it actually confirms that this indeed is the model place when you look at the buildings.

The only other shot from this part was a crosswalk that could be anywhere, so I did not bother with it.

Kamakura Koukou Mae Eki / Kamakura High School Station (EP 26)

On my way to Fujisawa, I also shortly got off at Koukou Mae again (the station from the final scene of the anime, to be handled next) to capture the night Enoden in a similar way as when Hitomi rides it on the way home in episode 24. Mission failed.

But what I noticed is that the whole station seems to be flipped around for this scene of the anime! I was wondering why Hitomi was riding the Enoden to Fujisawa in the opposite direction than the actual train does, but that explained it. It was all flipped!

Anyway, back to Koukou Mae Eki. It is allegedly one of the most beautiful stations in Japan and a famous spot for the Slam Dunk fans as well. The Enoden line station itself is rather small, basically just a shelter, which was left unchanged. Also unchanged is the view of Enoshima island from that station, even though you would notice that the proportions are a bit off.

What is missing are the concrete tetrapods, even though they are nothing special on other stations on the line. Of course, they could have also been moved or removed over the years.

But even Yufuko-san and Izumi-san recommended going to the Koshigoe station to see the tetrapods, so I believe they were not here even in the 90s. I followed their recommendations and saw some behind a structure there. So they combined the view of the island and the tetrapods from the surrounding areas into one.

Also, what needs to be said is that the anime station building is not exactly the same as Koukou Mae Eki. The Fanbook says the design of the station was similar to the next Enoden station on the line called Hase on the photo below. Please compare and contrast.

As we see in ep 26, the back of the station is open, with some empty area behind the Koukou Mae station. This is not the case in the actual place. The back of the station is covered (though this could have been changed more recently to force people through the ticket turnstile) and right behind the station is a slope with a cemetery on it. That was a really strange discovery.

So that’s it, that’s all I managed to find! I had a mind to create a detailed map or something but you know what, if you ever get to Kamakura, probably it’s more fun discovering the stuff yourself. Maybe you can even catch something that I missed? I had more plans there, but with my luck I hurt my foot soon into my last trip. That, of course, slowed me down considerably. Well, see you next time then, Kamakura, and as you see, I have my eyes set on Enoshima already!

P. S. I may make a part 2 to this post, translating the map and the comic from the Fanbook, so keep an eye on that if this is of interest to you or would like to visit yourself!

#escaflowne #tenkuu no escaflowne #天空のエスカフローネ #anime pilgrimage #90s anime #kamakura #japan

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vintagerpg · 1 year

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Funny thing: I’m not really a big fan of fantasy fiction. I’ve always liked Leiber, and I appreciate a fair amount of Howard and Moorcock, and I was really into Tolkien for a spell, but for the majority of my life, I mostly enjoyed fantasy in the context of RPGs. I’ve read far, far more horror fiction. In recent years, I’ve been trying to read more science fiction and fantasy. I find sci-fi easier, honestly, especially since I find the modern fantasy genre’s obsession with world-building and complex magic systems tedious in the extreme. It was not always so! As Appendix N, edited by Peter Bebergal, illustrates, fantasy can be short, zippy and still work when it implies a world instead of painstakingly detailing one.

The idea here is to present a taste of the fiction from Gygax’s Appendix N in the Dungeon Masters Guide. Gygax mostly recommends novels, which is a bit of a complication for an anthology of short fiction. Gygax’s list is also not entirely sensical, too. Why on earth did he only list volume three of Swords Against Darkness? Why did he mention Lin Carter’s World’s End books and not the Thongor books, or just the third volume of Fred Saberhagen’s Empires of the East series? And no Clark Ashton Smith at all? Bebergal addresses these odd oversights with his selections — my favorite in this regard is the reprinting of Frank Brunner’s “Sword of Dragonis,” a gorgeous 1971 comic story. Gygax cops to being influenced by comics, but doesn’t get into specifics, so Bebergal shows us something from the period that could have been on Gygax’s mind.

It’s a fantastic, clarifying anthology. Perhaps less useful for finding the secret source of D&D and more for getting a full and varied look at the fantasy of that moment. It should be on your shelf, probably. And I hope we get a volume two.

#RPG #TTRPG #Tabletop RPG #roleplaying game #Novel #Appendix N #Strange Attractor #Peter Bebergal #D&D #Dungeons & Dragons

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aristocraticelegance · 3 months

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Reading for February 2024. This was a Tanith Lee heavy month, because as I try to make my way through my backlog of books purchased at secondhand book stores I have been forced to confront the fact that I own far more Tanith Lee than I've actually read. This is because I don't come across her books that often, so when I do I buy them all and hoard them.

The Secret Books of Paradys I & II, Tanith Lee, 1988. I started reading this several years ago, because the first half is 2 novellas, so I would read one and then go do other things, and then come back. The second part is a novel, but it is organized in such a way that it reads similarly to a collection of novellas, but more clearly interconnected. The thing about Tanith Lee's writing is that she presents you with any number of fantastic, horrible, or fantastically horrble things and doesn't blink once. In one story a character is buried alive and then comes back a different gender. Another one starts off with sexual assault AND THEN SOMEHOW GETS WORSE. There were regularly parts throughout this collection where I had no idea where it was going next, but it was great. If a collection of horror-fantasy stories set between ancient Roman and 1920's pseudo-Paris sound like a good time to you, it's worth reading.

Cordelia's Honor, Lois McMaster Bujold, 1986-1996. Technically this is two books, Shards of Honor and Barrayar, but I had already read the first one and while I thought it was fine, I wasn't really interested in reading more. However, I've heard enough good things about the rest of the series that I decided to read the second half, and I'm glad I did. Technically sci-fi, but set on a planet that's late 18-early 1900s coded, it's an interesting look at pregnancy and motherhood through that specific lens. There's not a lot of pregnancy in sci-fi; you'd kind of think there'd be more by now. Still not my favorite of McMaster Bujold's (the Chalion books are great), but I feel motivated to read more of this series now.

3. The White Serpent, Tanith Lee, 1988. I have no idea how she published all of this in one year. I assume it was not all written in one go. Anyways, in a bold move I chose to read the third book of a trilogy without having read the previous two books. This is because I found this one at Half Price books, saw it was by Tanith Lee, and thought the cover looked cool. This wasn't a huge issue, because this seems to be a series of stories set in different generations in the same world, so events from the previous books are mentioned as historical details. I really liked this one; Lee is great at telling big, sweeping stories in a relatively small space. I also like her approach to rendering deeply sexist societies, simultaneously blunt in the way the characters are confronted with the reality of their situation and nuanced in how they manage to navigate it. Also? She can describe a sunset like no one's business. This is what's wrong with fantasy today: no one describes the sunsets or the trees. I want to know about the trees!! (Also weather plays a weirdly important part in this book. Like a major plot point hinges on some really bad weather). I realize I've said nothing about the plot, and that's because it A. doesn't matter and B. is impossible to summarize. At the core of it is a guy who is a gladiator in a kind of fantasy Rome-type city, but a lot happens before and after that. There are also some white people (literally white) who might be aliens. I'll probably go back and read the first two books, since this one was pretty weird. Modern readers might take issue with the way race is handled (see above RE: bluntness and nuance) but I can't really say much on that front.

4. Black God's Kiss, C. L. Moore, 1930s. A collection of the Jirel of Joiry stort stories from the 30s, which I only learned existed about a month ago. There was a lady protagonist in sword and sorcery! Written by a woman! Amazing. I did generally like these; the titular story was great (except for the very end, which I did not like, but the sequel story kind of made it better). I've seen these stories described as female Conan meets Alice in Wonderland, but the wonderland bits reminded me more of Arthur Machen's work. Some great descriptions overall, even if some parts felt dated in an annoying way. Also, this particular cover is ridiculous, but she is described as running around in a chain mail shirt with her thighs out, for some reason. Presumably because sword & sorcery abhors a pair of pants.

Link to January's books

#reading #books #reading 2024 #tanith lee #c. l. moore #lois mcmaster bujold #text #honestly if you like anything on this blog you should be reading Tanith Lee

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cheeto-flavoured-pasta · 11 months

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An (Albeit Late) Writeblr Intro

I'm seeing all the Writeblr introduction posts going around and I'm starting to realize that, damn, I should have started my blog that way. But I didn't, so I might as well post my intro a while after I've written and reblogged other things, because it's the least I can do.

So, with that out of the way: excuse my fuck-ups, and here's a really late Writeblr intro…

______________________________________________

Hi! I don't think anyone wants to type out my long username whenever they're referring to me, so just call me 'A.' (He/him). I've been lurking on Tumblr for a while and I figured I'd actually get up and make a blog for writing. I don't exactly have any particular focus outside of just "random crap that relates to writing in any way, shape, or form" so I could be putting up memes, drabbles I wrote, excerpts from my WIPs, writing memes, etc. etc. I'll make other blogs if I wanna focus in on one specific writing aspect later, but for now, I'm keeping things general.

My current major WIP as of now is APS (stands for 'A Powerful Secret' but I usually just call it the acronym since it sounds cooler). It's a sci-fi dystopia trilogy centering around the idea of superhumans being discovered by an already-corrupt government. There's also a spinoff I want to work on, but that's way off into the future. I'm currently working on B2 of the trilogy; it's currently in the first draft. Considering that this series is still a major work-in-progress, I might not be able to post anything about it until a bit later.

I do have plenty of other side projects that I most certainly want to share on here, since I feel more confident posting those first (when I get back to writing them, of course). Some of these side-WIPs include:

The Devil On My Shoulder: A fiction centering around a depressed college-aged student, and how his life changes when a demon is kicked out from hell and comes crashing right into his home.

This is probably the story I'm most excited to work on, given that I've mapped out all the twists and turns in my head already, and all I need to do is write it.

ATM (placeholder title): A story — possibly a series — revolving around a civilization that relies heavily on elemental magic which takes the form of specific jewelry (ex: elemental rings, necklaces, wristbands, etc.). It's often used to fight back against the monsters that invaded the world decades ago. The source of the creatures is something that nobody knows, but the protagonist, Nadeline, is dead set on finding out.

This story may take a longer while to write, considering that it's a high-fantasy type of story, which is a genre I don't write often but want to write more of.

Don't Leave: (That may or may not be a placeholder title; it depends). A novel that focuses on the town of Bayholde, which forbids anyone from traveling outside of it and has closed itself off from the world almost entirely. Kaguya, a young man who is fed up with being trapped inside, makes his escape from Bayholde one night just to see what lies in the outside world. What he finds is most certainly not pretty.

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You can bet I'll be posting at least something related to the first or third WIP sometime soon. In the meantime, though, I'll probably fill up the blog with all the other things I mentioned before: drabbles, excerpts, memes, maybe the occasional writing prompt/idea if I feel like it.

I really look forward to seeing what the rest of Writeblr brings, along with reading everyone else's works/WIPs! :)

— A.

#writeblr #writers of tumblr #writing #writing community #writeblr introduction #writeblr intro #wip intro

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wondereads · 7 months

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Weekly Reading Update (11/06/23)

Reviews and thoughts under the cut

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (6/10)

This book has very little space for the kind of story it tries to tell, and it does its best. For an almost space opera-like plot, with intergalactic academies, alien conflict, and ancient tech, less than 80 pages is ridiculously small. As such, a lot of this book feels really rushed. A lot of worldbuilding stuff, such as the history between the Meduse and humans, what Binti’s edan is, and how otjize is so special, is just never explained. I definitely found this book interesting; there’s a major tone shift a third of the way through, and I loved the message of understanding differences and peaceful conflict resolution. However, everything is wrapped up too neatly, especially concerning Binti’s emotional state. Trying not to spoil too much, Binti goes through an incredibly traumatic event and has a very important aspect of her changed without her knowledge or consent, but she seems just fine at the end. I appreciate the attempt to wrap up such an ambitious story for a novella, but I would’ve much preferred a more open ending concerning that.

A Study in Drowning by Ava Reid (6/10)

This book started out very strong. The writing style really has that drifting, surreal style that fits a book trying to emulate gothic horror, and I really liked where the plot is going. I love books where the main character can't figure out if they can trust themselves or not, and the whole idea of discovering the secrets behind a truly impactful novel was so interesting. It was a little slow, but I was fine with that. Unfortunately, the ending is all kinds of rushed. The main antagonist is defeated very easily with virtually no explanation as to how, and although there's a character that the entire story practically revolves around, she only shows up at the end once everything is said and done to fill in the holes. Then there are multiple issues, plot and character wise, that are just never resolved. Unfortunately, the ending kind of ruined it for me, otherwise this could've been a 4 star read.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire (9/10)

After over a year, I'm continuing the Wayward Children series, and I'm loving it so far. This book functions as a prequel, telling the story of Jack and Jill in The Moors. I loved the very obvious classic literature influences, namely Frankenstein and Dracula, and Jack and Jill are both amazingly complex characters with an incredibly interesting relationship. I will always have a soft spot for Jack, and her unexpected romance was one of my favorite parts of the book. I'd say the only thing I didn't like was that Jill is so unlikable to me. I really wanted her to face some consequences after what she did, and while I can see how she became this way, it doesn't mean she should get away with it, especially considering the context of the first book. However, the series is unfinished and has multiple books I haven't read yet, so perhaps we'll see them yet again!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (CR, 43%)

I'm really enjoying this one so far! After so much intense fantasy and sci-fi, it's like a little palate cleanser. I love how this book takes tropes usually used in contemporary romcoms and repurposes them for the historical setting. There's also a fair amount of worldbuilding, since this is a very different history from what we know. I'm glad it's established to be that way, because there is some pretty blatant messing with the timeline, but I appreciate it since it brings more diversity than historical romances typically have.

Lodestar by Shannon Messenger (CR, 43%)

There are things happening in this book, and I don't like it! I've grown fairly attached to these characters, and I'm constantly stressed about them. I feel like stakes are rising rather quickly in this installment, like more is happening than in the others. One thing I noticed during this segment of reading was that I quite like the addition of Tam. Linh is still sort of a half-formed character to me, but I really like how blunt Tam is and how he still has the perspective of an outsider on Sophie's group and their dynamics. He seems to say things none of them think of, and I like how he shakes things up.

A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon (CR, 42%)

I know, I know, I've been working on this one for a while, but it's a very dense book! I've put it aside for now in exchange for Gwen & Art, since I have to review that one, but I'm hoping to finish this before the November halfway mark.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare (CR, 16%)

I’m finishing up my reread of The Infernal Devices, and this one is not that great so far. While I love the smaller interactions between Jem, Tessa, and Will, virtually everything so far has been interpersonal conflict despite the fact that a madman with a clockwork army is just out there somewhere. Like, did they forget they have like actual jobs to do? It’s mentioned that a good amount of time has passed since the last book…and you’ve done nothing? I know you’re all in the most complicated romantic relationships teenagers can be in, but please, think of the world.

#books #reading update #binti #nnedi okorafor #a study in drowning #ava reid #down among the sticks and bones #seanan mcguire #gwen and art are not in love #lex croucher #lodestar #shannon messenger #a day of fallen night #samantha shannon #clockwork princess #cassandra clare #tid

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samasaur · 1 year

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answering your tags, I haven't read any of Brandon Sanderson's books yet, but he teaches a sci-fi/fantasy creative writing class that's on youtube and been highly recommended. have you read from him, if so what did you like the most?

yes i am a Big Fan of his — it is probably more accurate to describe me as a fanatic. I just tried to go through his list of works to see which i've read and which i own, and while i wasn't able to get a solid count, I've read most of them and own a fair amount.

the thing to understand about recommending any of Sanderson's books is that the vast majority of his works are set in the same overarching universe, called the Cosmere. While different series are (usually) set on different planets, the magic systems all follow an overarching set of rules, and as the Cosmere continues, we're going to see more and more crossover. that being said, you can read almost all of his currently published books without knowing the wider implications. so with that said, I recommend starting with either The Emperor's Soul or Tress of the Emerald Sea.

I've been suggesting The Emperor's Soul to people for years as a gateway to Sanderson's work, for a couple of reasons. First, it's a novella (I think somewhere around a hundred pages?) rather than some of his gargantuan other works (multiple of his books are over a thousand pages). Second, I think it has a really cool magic system, which I feel is one of Sanderson's strengths. Third, it won the Hugo Award for Best Novella, so I have some critics backing me up. And last but most definitely not least, I really like it. Which is always something you should look for in book recommendations!

Tress of the Emerald Sea was one of the "Secret Novels" Sanderson wrote while quarantining during the pandemic and published through the biggest Kickstarter of all time. Although I still haven't gotten my physical copy, I read my ebook copy on New Year's Day, the day it came out, and I really loved it. The inspiration for it was "What if, in The Princess Bride, Buttercup goes after Westley to rescue him?" It was a very fun read that, like The Emperor's Soul, teases connections to other Cosmere books without relying on you having already read them. This book also has a cool magic system, but even cooler is the worldbuilding, which I think is Sanderson's greatest strength.

I'll also point you to Sanderson's page on where to start.

As for my favorites, the two above are probably my two favorite single stories of his, but I also love The Stormlight Archive (epic fantasy) and Elantris (because the magic system is like programming) and Mistborn because the magic system is cool in a different way and Warbreaker because of the humor and

I like pretty much all of his work. Sanderson's works are also varied enough that even if you don't like any of the above works, you may still like some of his other works.

If you have any other questions, please do ask me — clearly, I love talking about them (and books in general).

Also, just because I love how Sanderson announced his Secret Novels, here's the video:

youtube

#brandon sanderson #cosmere #reading recs #miabrown007 #asks

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thiswaycomessomethingwicked · 1 year

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So I was thinking about modern AU!Grima, and I had the idea of him having a secret fondness for trash TV courtroom shows; he loves the bickering and the drama and just the overall schadenfreude of it all, and I wanted to get your opinion: In a modern setting, what genres/films/shows do you think Grima would enjoy?

love modern AU!Grima - he's a hot mess no matter what but now he has access to Twitter.

(oh no, the worst person you know has access to twitter [affectionate])

I can totally see him being into things like Law & Order, Run Away Jury (lol) and so on, but also Judge Judy and bad day-time television of that ilk. There's a part of me that also thinks he'd be into bad reality television like Love Island because he likes the interpersonal drama and chaos. He also is aware that they cut and edit for the greatest dramatic effect so likes to try and guess what was actually happening before the crew spliced it to make it Melodramatic.

He'd enjoy his political dramas like House of Cards (both UK and US versions), the Goodwife, Vice, Designated Survivor, Kingmaker etc.

We all know he watched Succession - I can't tell if he would be into it or mildly annoyed by it. The lack of real consequences might get to him after a while (like, 'oh no, they lost this $9million deal, what a shame. Too fucking bad it's just pocket change and doesn't mean anything to them' [grumpily eats pasta and complains to Eomer. idk, they're always together no matter the world or iteration I have going in my head]).

However, I can see him totally invested in their interpersonal dramas and how they're all utterly despicable people just living their lives (just like him). He'd have a Thing for Shiv. Literally just watches the show so he can see her in well-tailored trousers perching on a counter top or something. Eomer is like, 'Really?' and Grima's like, 'what?? I'm only human.'

I can't see him being into Game of Thrones or other shows and films of that nature because the politics are so unrealistic and nothing works Like That.

Eomer would be like, 'That's not the point. The point is terrible yet sexy people doing horrible things but also dragons and battle scenes.'

And Grima is like, 'so first off, the political machinations make no sense. Also "power is power" fuck that. That's not---ugh never mind. Second off, Ramsy Bolton's people would have lynched him. He's a quasi-Gilles de Raiss and they hanged and burned that bitch. Third off--'

Eomer, 'it's fine babe, you've made your point.'

Grima, 'I'm not done. I have a List.'

Because he likes puzzles, I can see him being into the slow, melancholic murder mysteries like Happy Valley, Three Pines, Bletchley Circle, Karen Pirie etc.

In general, I don't think he's a fantasy or sci-fi person. He likes his political dramas, biopics, some thrillers (but he's picky), some historical dramas (again, picky), some mysteries etc. He'd for sure be a bit of a pedant when watching shows or movies - but only about really specific things. Otherwise, he's fine if shows just follow Rule of Funny or Rule of Conflict/Chaos.

---

Thank you for the ask! <3 <3

#grima wormtongue #ask #reply #anon #Modern AU Grima #grima thoughts

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enigma-absolute · 1 month

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11, 14, 18 for the ask game. I asked you about romance earlier but realized I wanted to ask about other things as well :)

11. What do you consider to be romance?

OOF. That’s a tough answer since uh. I haven’t had the best examples of it in my own life to watch from and haven’t really experienced any romantic relationship in real life. I can tell you what I think from a more logical, brain-based standpoint, but… I’ll get back to you on that once I’ve had some experience.

14. What’s something you’ve always wanted to do but maybe been scared to?

Breakdancing or parkour. Mostly because of ‘you don’t have the body for this yet’ kind of mentality perpetuated by family that I hate, but I also hate that it’s seeped in. Especially for the latter.

18. Do you believe in ghosts and/or aliens?

Somewhat? Ghosts are either the demonic or just people’s soul fragments or a secret third thing I can’t find the words for at the moment, to me at least. One of the three depending on the situation. As for aliens? They’re demons, Jim. It’s fun to talk about and discuss and theorise in the realm of sci-fi and science fantasy stories, but real life? I don’t trust like that.

#enni answers #screwtornadowarningsimsouthern #cryptids can also fall into the demonic realms too but I don’t have a mega interest in those #especially since they’re so… American-based and nowhere near my own home lands lmao #that being said. I think Mothman is funny #what if we just get a giant lamp to summon him. what if.

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therhythmafterthesummer · 2 months

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hai hai haiii it's been sosoos long :((

life has been..... intense heh but i'm okay now!! i remember that the last thing you posted was that cute oneshot of our wr!binnie and the bestest autumn and the stress about their wedding!! and i loved it so much!! i keep coming to re read wereroomies all the time because i truly enjoy how you created their little world, and also because it's a great inspiration!! the last instalement i read was the one about hyunlix and moss because i really really miss them :(

but it's okay. i'm really curious about the boys you haven't posted about in that universe, and also about second and even third parts to some of the fics (even if they're standalones i'm super invested and it feels like the kind of series where every episode has its own story but somehow when you put them all together you see the development and... i just need more kajhkajshaks)

i won't ask for spoilers of your top secret wr!projects on docs (👀) buuut i'll sit here and wait for the next update. i was thinking about coming off anon too akjshkajsd (could you guess who am i??) but for the mean time, are there any of your fav works you would recommend rn? no context, just fun. the ones you have a great memory of, or you're really proud about

have a super super nice day rhythm, - ❤️‍🩹 anon

hi hi hi!!

i'm glad you're okay now! and i hope it continues being that way💜

makes my heart warm to think that you come and reread wereroomies often. it's still shocking to me that people do that sdkjnskjdnfsd

i think that's actually a good way to describe the structure of wereroomies... "a series where every episode has its own story but somehow when you put them all together you see the development", i like that~

i can't wait for the day i get to show you all all the stuff that's partially cooked in my docs jkdfnskjdfn i always wonder how y'all would feel with the storylines and personalities i've given to the other boys... but since i've been struggling to write these days, i'm just taking my time, so i won't be able to share anything any time soon i think ):

as for coming off anon... do what's most comfortable for you!

it's hard for me to figure out who's an anon unless they make it really really obvious, so i've got no idea honestly skdjfhnsjfdn

and finally, recommendations... i think Safe Haven is one of the pieces i'm most proud of. i poured a lot of love and work into it. it's something that still makes me smile when i think about anything related to it (be it the characters or the lore or the story itself...). i'm glad i got to rework it last year so i could make it an even better version of itself. i think it's a fun read for anyone that enjoys long stories that involve fantasy and that bit of sci-fi.

also, Five-Point Star is another one i'm proud of. especially the second part. i just loved coming up with it sdkjsdf

#❤️‍🩹 anon #ask #wereroomies ask

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cloudcover23 · 1 year

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Just finished reading (listening to) The Bloodright Trilogy by Emily @skrutskie and it was SO FUN and I’m miffed!

Yes!

Absolutely miffed!

That there isn’t more chatter about it here.

It’s one of those sci-fi/fantasy universes where queerness is a totally normal accepted thing.

The best-written trans man I’ve ever read. The fact that he’s trans doesn’t even come up because there are no outright sexy scenes (NUMEROUS innuendos and implied sexyness? Oh. Hell yah). I’m only sure he was from little snippets and my own experience being one.

It’s got roommates to lovers (omg they were ROOMMATES)

Super exciting action scenes.

Secret, covert plans within plans inside a plan sandwich.

Some really cute “we know we both like eachother but we shouldn’t be together, and now we have to pretend to be together but we aren’t, and now we have to pretend we’re NOT together but we are” shit without too much angst.

I love how the author wrote the characters. Everyone’s motives and thoughts and actions make complete sense given a character’s personality and history, and it’s an incredibly colorful cast.

There are some really excellent character arcs.

Really good fun sci-fi action adventure shit without getting too into hard sci-fi territory.

Politicking and plotting and strategizing.

A bit of graphic violence. Not gonna lie. Just a smidge.

Uhhhgggg someone please read these and come yell with me. The audio books were really good too. Well, the first was hands down one of the best audio books I’ve ever heard. The second was not as good. The third was good and had 4 different narrators. You can listen to them for free on Libby if you have a library card.

#bonds of brass #oaths of legacy #vows of empire #the Bloodright trilogy #Bloodright trilogy #gay sci-fi #gay fiction #gay books #gay book recommendation #book rec #gay book rec #lgbtq books #ettian + gal #gal + ettian

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kestrellady · 6 months

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17, 20, and 25 for the book asks?

17. Did any books surprise you with how good they were? Lovecraft Country! It had so much hype and those almost always disappoint, but I really enjoyed it. I loved the interconnected short story format (how was that never a thing that got mentioned about this book?) It was funny and the horror came from a really fascinating intersection of sci-fi and real life. Also, Where Peace is Lost by Valerie Valdes. I read her Chilling Effect trilogy and those were funny and snarky and very referential to every sci-fi/fantasy under the sun (thank you so much to my husband for letting me a catch a Mass Effect reference) and Where Peace is Lost was a very different book. Softer and kinder in a lot of ways and I wound up liking it way more than I expected.

20. What was your most anticipated release? Did it meet your expectations? I think the two I was most excited about at the beginning of this year were System Collapse, the new Murderbot book, and The Secret Service of Tea and Treason, the third book in India Holton's Dangerous Damsels series. The Murderbot book was wonderful as all Murderbot books are, though it took me a minute to get into because it starts right after the end of the novel and I had to remember what had just happened. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason was amazing. I've loved the Dangerous Damsels books and this one was just beyond even my expectations for the book. Y'all. They do a reverse romance closet trope. The hero and heroine literally stop in the middle of making out to chart personal preferences and boundaries to their relationship. If you like historical romance and fantasy, I highly recommend this series.

25. What reading goals do you have for next year? I've got my third Spanish language book on my list for next year, so that's a big goal. I want to get to the point where I can just put Spanish books on my list without having to really work at them. I think I also want to let myself mood read a little more. I have lots of books that I wind up kind of rushing through because they need to go back to the library and I want to be more okay with just letting them go back if I'm not in the mood for them.

Send me an End of Year Book Ask from this list!

#kestrel reads #ask game

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flightdescending · 2 years

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I need some book recommendations! I mostly like fantasy, some sci fi and historical. Here are some books I either love forever or read recently and liked, which if I wasn’t typing this up on my phone I would explain them more but I am mostly listing them so that things can be recommended to ME

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton (this is one of my favorite books of all time, I have read it many times)

Temeraire series by Naomi Novik (just reread the whole thing again. So so fun books)

The Hidden Sea trilogy beginning with Children of a Hidden Sea, which I really wanted to have one more book in it, by A. M. Dellamonica

A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Read the first three books of the 1632 series by Eric Flint. They were solidly OK. I don’t want to read any more of them but they were fun.

All T. Kingfisher books, the Paladin series especially. Nettle and Bone was good, the horror ones are Alright.

I enjoy a good Tortall. I think Beka Cooper were my faves. The circle of magic series weren’t as good to me.

The Kingsbridge books by Ken Follett, although honestly the only one I’d ever personally recommend to anyone is Pillars of the Earth, which after reading the entire encyclopedia of a series in order last year still stands out as the best one. They are all fun though

His Dark Materials, classic forever, and the sequel La Belle Sauvage, but what a miserable book The Secret Commonwealth was. Still gonna read the third one when it comes out but jeez.

The Scythe books by Neal Shustermann I ended up deciding I didn’t like after I finished them. But they were enjoyable enough, including for evidence of reading more futuristic sci fi I guess lol

I’m going through my library checkout history for these lol.

Oh Liliths Brood by Octavia Butler, also fun to read but I just got so annoyed by the aliens being hypocrites that I saw it on the list and got mad at it lol.

The Martian was fun. Artemis by the same author was just alright.

Trying to think of some other faves. Jonathan strange and mr. Norrell. Uhh u kno like, Watership Down. Oh the Alien Chronicles by Deborah Chester. I liked Enders game and shadow a lot way back when but can’t bring myself to reread it anymore because of the author, u kno how it goes. Diana Wynne jones books, the chrestomanci ones and dogsbody were my faves. I have read a lot of Michael Crichton books, my faves were great train robbery and timeline I think. I don’t know I have read a lot of books

Anyway please recommend me some books I am bored at work again

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trans-rites · 7 months

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Tagged by @larky-lark

coke or pepsi? Honestly neither, but I guess I'll take pepsi.

disney or dreamworks? If I must, Disney. A higher percentage of Dreamworks animation gives me the heebie-jeebies.

coffee or tea? Tea. An excessive amount. Every day.

books or movies? Books. Films are for watching with friends.

windows or mac? Windows. Mac is an illusion of the demiurge.

dc or marvel? DC. Marvel has Spiderman (and Gwen, and Gwenpool,) but DC has everything else.

x-box or playstation? Neither.

dragon age or mass effect? Dragon Age. It's not even close.

night owl or early riser? A secret third thing.

cards or chess? (Trading) cards.

chocolate or vanilla? ...like, ice cream? Vanilla.

vans or converse? Is it bad that I don't know the difference?

Lavellan, Trevelyan, Cadash, or Adaar? Lavellan. Shamelessly.

fluff or angst? The ideal story has both. Like that deadly pink candyfloss they put in walls.

beach or forest? Forest. Sand is hell. Dirt is truth.

dogs or cats? Cats. I respect a little guy who has their needs.

clear skies or rain? Clear skies, baby. I appreciate the whimsy of rain, but I want wind, and I don't want it to soak me.

cooking or eating out? Cooking. Eating out is always uncomfy.

spicy food or mild food? Mild. I have a weak, weak, palette.

halloween/samhain or solstice/yule/christmas? Halloween and Samhain! They aren't the same, but I love them both. The happiest time of year.

would you rather forever be a little too cold or a little too hot? Cold. If I want to be warm, I can put stuff on. If I want to be cold, there's only so much I can take off.

if you could have a superpower, what would it be? Shapeshifting. That's always been my go-to answer to this question, and I can't imagine it changing.

animation or live action? Animation! It's such an underappreciated medium and it deserves more big-budget respect.

paragon or renegade? I like being nice.

baths or showers? Showers, but I'm pretty sure I'd love a bath in a big enough tub.

team cap or team ironman? If we're talking MCU, then Cap. The Sokovia accords are a deranged invasion of freedoms.

fantasy or sci-fi? In my soul, it's fantasy.

do you have three or four favourite quotes, if so what are they? - Tiffany's 'All witches are selfish...' speech from Pratchett's The Wee Free Men - 'There is another shore, you know, upon the other side', from Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - 'Someone will remember us, I say, even in another time,' Sappho - 'This is the new touch,' We Know the Devil

youtube or netflix? Youtube. Anything else is for pirating.

[REDACTED] [expunged]

when do you feel accomplished? Too much of my self-worth is based on feedback for my creative projects, but, uh, then.

star wars or star trek? Trek. Easy.

paperback books or hardcover books? Either, or digital.

to live in a world without literature or without music? I wouldn't, not if I couldn't somehow bring one back.

who was the last person to make you laugh? @larky-lark <3

city or countryside? Anywhere with good internet.

favorite chips? Not a crisps sort-of gal.

pants or dresses? Dresses, baby. Skirt really do go spinny.

libraries or museums? Libraries. God, libraries.

character driven stories or plot driven stories? Character driven!

bookmarks or folding pages? What in the goddamn is a folding page?

Dream job? I do not dream of labour.

What gives you comfort? Gentle companions.

what are some of your favorite song lyrics? Play with matches if you think you need to play with matches Seek out the hidden places where the fire burns hot and bright Find where the heat's unbearable and stay there if you have to Don't hurt anybody on your way up to the light And stay alive Just stay alive

favorite ice cream flavor ever? Vanilla. No, I'm not ashamed.

first fandom? Err... Doctor Who?

Your desert island band? The Mountain Goats. Easy.

tagging @melleonis @kishona

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