#tales of the celestial kingdom
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I have the great honor of illustrating Sue Lynn Tan's phenomenon Series Tales of the Celestial Kingdom 🏹🌙 with the cover and interior illustrations! I cannot wait to show you all!💖🙌🏻
#tales of the celestial kingdom#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#sue lynn tan#illustration
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Little Moments with Massive Impacts
I absolutely adored Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun God, and there is something lush and comfortable and quietly gripping about Sue Lynn Tan's writing. When Tan's original duology ended, I was satisfied, but honestly this is one of those worlds where I would happily take anything more the author was willing to give us. And she has given us some new small moments and an epilogue that just wrapped my heart in a warm blanket and squish hugged it. Let's talk Tales of the Celestial Kingdom.
SPOILER WARNING!!! I am going to spoil not only TotCK, but DotMG and HotSG. BE WARNED.
This little short story collection is divided into three main sections: "Dusk," "Twilight," and "Dawn." Each section covers moments before, during, or after the main duology. The only story from Xingying's perspective is the last one; the other stories are from the perspective of other characters.
"Dusk" focuses on Chang'e and Houyi and expands their relationship before Xingying's birth. It also explores the toll killing the sunbirds took on Houyi and the choices that led to Chang'e taking the immortality elixir to save her own and Xingying's life. Seeing their relationship and their clear love for each other before decades of grief and change have colored and complicated it was a delight. Chang'e and Houyi in this version of their tale are fiercely in love, and that is ultimately what makes their story so tragic.
I also loved that, despite the brevity of the stories, the emotions were clear, complex, and communicated effectively. That can be hard to do in short form (I have always been terrible at it; I like to have a little more space to really wallow in feelings when I write) and I've never been a major short story girl; I like novel-length stuff. But I was entirely here for this reimagining of the Chang'e myth.
"Twilight" fills in spaces that were implied but not explored during the DotMG and HotSG timelines. We get a little more Liwei and Xingying as students, with a quick little adventure just as Liwei realizes he is beginning to fall in love. We also get a little more Wenzhi and Xingying in the Celestial army, also as Wenzhi realizes he is falling in love. I absolutely adore seeing Xingying through their eyes, and it was very instructive to see how they perceive their relationship with Xingying. I was ALWAYS a Wenying (Xingzhi? I dunno, reblog with your preferred ship name) girl, because quite frankly Liwei had too many Prince Jonathan of Conte vibes for me to think he was a good idea. Getting into Liwei's head just strengthened that perception, and while I can understand that he and Wenzhi were both inherently flawed characters...frankly I could support Wenzhi's flaws a lot more smoothly than Liwei's. (Honestly y'all, I might actually need to slap Liwei, especially when he's out here being an UTTER DICKHEAD).
Our boys aren't the only perspectives in "Twilight." We also get Shuxiao and Mengqi's mission to free the Celestial Emperor from Wugang. We are always here for BFF Shuxiao, and honestly if we were ever to get another short story collection in the Celestial Kingdom, I want a slice-of-life first date for these lovely ladies, because they have SUCH A SPARK. Like, we get one short story for them. It is 19 pages. And yet I am HERE for them to have a long, happy life snarking off at each other. The chemistry was just beautifully done. Give our girls their own book.
Finally, "Dawn" gives us a little more from Wenzhi in his mortal life, and Yingxing inserting herself into it. It's darling, and I appreciate the subtle nuances and differences that highlight that yes, this is definitely Wenzhi, but it's not Wenzhi the Prince of the Demon Realm. And yet he and Xingying are still perfect for each other, still love each other. And they have their first mortal date at Wenzhi's favorite tea house. It's DARLING.
What the final story does, however, is give me the ending that I desperately hoped for--but notably did not get--at the end of HotSG. The end of that book gives us the hope that Wenzhi and Xingying will have an immortal life together with Wenzhi's memories and experiences as an immortal restored to him. It was a wonderful, uplifting end to a book that had a lot to do with grief, but the thing it didn't do was make it too easy. Which I think is so important for good storytelling.
That said, actually getting Xingying and Wenzhi reuniting as immortals, and--for Wenzhi--picking up after he had just sacrificed himself for Xingying was SO. SATISFYING. We had the hope, we knew it was a possibility, and that's often what we have to sit with and exist with in real life. That's fine. But every once in a while--a very great while, it seems--we get the fruition of that hope and promise. We actually get the unambiguously happy ending and we, along with Xingying, remember that happiness is crucial.
Y'all, the end of this collection is so soft and happy, and I'm so deeply grateful that it's in the world with me.
#sue lynn tan#tales of the celestial kingdom#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#xingying#wenzhi#short story collection#ya fantasy#chinese mythology#chinese literature#books and reading#books#books and novels#books & libraries#book recommendations
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Rating: 5/5
Book Blurb: Sue Lynn Tan’s highly acclaimed, bestselling Celestial Kingdom duology is expanded with this new compilation of stories from before, during, and after the events in Daughter of the Moon Goddess and Heart of the Sun Warrior, all from the perspectives of beloved characters.
Return to the Immortal Realm, a world of gods, magic, and legendary creatures—and embark upon new adventures of valor, danger, and love.
Tales from the Celestial Kingdom collects nine spellbinding stories—two previously published, seven original, including the epilogue to the duology—set in the enchanting world of Sue Lynn Tan’s stunning debut. Filled with magic and mythology, friendship and love, these stories intertwine through the past, present, and future of the two novels, told from the perspectives of multiple characters, including Chang’e, Shuxiao, Liwei, and Wenzhi.
With beautiful illustrations from Kelly Chong throughout, these wondrous tales make the perfect complement to Sue Lynn Tan’s breathtaking series.
Review:
A collection of stories that expands the world of the Celestial Kingdom, delving into the past and present of the characters. Returning to the Immortal realm this book gives you nine stories, two previously published, seven original, and the epilogue to the duology. I had a blast reading this and getting to see more of the characters from the duology. I loved getting to see more of Wenzhi and Xingyin together and what happened to them after the series ended. I thought this collection was a really nice touch to see the stories of Xingyin's parents and what lead to them events that start off Daughter of the Moon Goddess as well as the thoughts of Liwei as he takes the position of Emperor and his emotions as he decides what to do with Wenzhi. I enjoyed reading this and getting to delve back into the world and see the characters again. This is definitely a book that should be read with the duology!
*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager, Harper Voyager for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*
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i finally finished tales of the celestial kingdom and sue lynn tan will pay for my tears... holy fucking shit.
its so GOODDDDDDDDDD but so SADDDDDDDD and emotionalllllll
nonetheless 5 stars :)
#nezukoo-channn#nezukoo channn#nezukoo channn life#nezukoo channn shelf ramblings#celestial kingdom#celestial kingdom duology#tales of the celestial kingdom#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#the last story (home) is so daylight-coded#also spoilers ish: are shuxiao and mengqi gay?! because my gaydar is saying GAY
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Tales of the Celestial Kingdom review
5/5 stars
Recommended if you like: fantasy, magic, short stories, xianxia fantasy, Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Daughter of the Moon Goddess review
Heart of the Sun Warrior review
Big thanks to Netgalley, Delacorte, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was so excited to get approved for this! It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and let me say it does not disappoint.
The book is split into three sections, each with a set of short stories. Dusk takes place prior to DotMG, Twilight takes place during the events of DotMG and HotSW, and Dawn takes place after the ending of the duology.
Dusk is an overarching story told in three chapters, alternating between Chang'e and Houyi's POVs, and telling a reimagining of the Mood Goddess myth. I really liked getting a glimpse into their mortal lives and how they fit together prior to everything that happened in the Celestial Kingdom duology. We get to know Chang'e through Xingyin's eyes in the duology, and I liked getting things from Chang'e's POV here and seeing how fiercely she'll fight for those she loves. I also think Houyi's chapter humanized him somewhat and gave a glimpse into the kinds of things he enjoyed and the way he felt about his duty as an archer for the king.
Twilight has 4 stories in it told from various POVs and can be informally split into a section for 'things that happened during DotMG' and 'things that happened in HotSW.' The first story is from Liwei's POV and is a cute story of him and Xingyin going to get the snow ginseng root for the empress. I enjoyed the lightness of the story and getting insight into Liwei's tumultuous feelings regarding Xingyin and his own duty as heir to the Celestial Kingdom. The second story is told from Wenzhi's POV and details how he and Xingyin lured and battled with the Bone Devil, a powerful creature that escaped imprisonment. It was an interesting contrast to see Liwei's regard for Xingyin and Wenzhi's regard for her back-to-back, and how they're similar and different. I definitely feel more sympathetic toward Wenzhi after this short story and feel it gives a better understanding for why he was doing certain things.
The third story in this section is from Shuxiao's POV and takes place in book 2 when she goes with some of the Cloud Wall warriors to liberate the Celestial Court prisoners. I liked this one a lot because Shuxiao is a friend to Xingyin but isn't a character we get to know too much about, so it was nice seeing things from her POV. She's extremely loyal to Xingyin, which comes through here. She's also an excellent strategist and I liked seeing how she led battle/raids. There was also some good banter in this one that I found enjoyable. The final story in this set is again from Liwei's POV and takes place during the last chapter and epilogue of HotSW. In it we get a chance to see Liwei as emperor and how he's changed from when he and Xingyin were younger. He's definitely more benevolent than his father, but he also has complicated feelings for everything that went down in HotSW and before. I liked seeing Liwei in a more complex light and getting to know more of his inner thoughts and feelings about things.
Dawn is the last part of the book and is an extended epilogue to the duology. The first story is from Wenzhi/Zhao's POV and tells of his and Xingyin's first outing together with him as a mortal. His thoughts and feelings are so similar to his earlier chapter, but at the same time they feel slightly different as his time as a mortal (and lack of memories of being Celestial/Demon) have changed him. The second story in this section is from Xingyin's POV and tells of her and Wenzhi's life together. It's a nice HEA for them both and I liked seeing how in love they still were with each other, even with Wenzhi being sentenced to mortality until he proved himself.
Overall I enjoyed this collection of stories and feel it added to the duology. It was nice seeing things from other characters' POVs and I liked getting some additional background information on Chang'e and Houyi, as well as some additional closure for Xingyin and Wenzhi. I definitely recommend!
#book#book review#books#book recommendations#fantasy#booklr#bookstagram#bookblr#bookaholic#bookish#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#tales of the celestial kingdom#sue lynn tan#adult fantasy#fantasy book#wuxia fantasy#advanced readers copy#netgalley#netgalley review#xianxia
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Tales of the Celestial Kingdom book review
#books and reading#booktok#bookish#bookblr#reading#book review#march reads#sue lynn tan#tales of the celestial kingdom
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The Celestial Kingdom duology and Tales of The Celestial Kingdom
Yesterday I finished reading The Heart of the Sun Warrior and the epilogue in Tales of The Celestial Kingdom (I really was so in love with Daughter of the Moon Goddess that I had to order Tales in a language other than my native language because they are not translated yet and I think I would have gone CRAZY if I hadn't read the epilogue) AND WHAT A JOURNEY IT WAS. These wonderful descriptions, interesting characters (watching each of them evolve was amazing) - XINGYIN , WENZHI, LIWEI, CHANG'E, HOUYI, SHUXIAO, YANXI, YANMING, PING'ER I LOVE YOU ALL FOREVER ❤️. And I think I really cried all my tears because of what happened there, especially when reading The Heart of the Sun Warrior (PING'ER, YANMING AND OF COURSE WENZHI - my heart BREAKED INTO A MILLION PIECES 😭😭😭💔) but also the epilogue, although here I cried with joy and relief. I still have to read ,,Twilight'' from the Tales (because I had to, I just had to read the epilogue RIGHT NOW) but I have to spread it over time because I really don't want to say goodbye to this wonderful world created by Sue Lynn Tan 👑 (THANK YOU WITH ALL MY HEART & HATS OFF FOR CREATING SUCH A MASTERPIECES ❤️) - although I already feel this emptiness. To repeat: WHAT A JOURNEY IT WAS. Never before, no book, no duologies or trilogy has influenced me as much as The Celestial Kingdom duology, I really have never felt like I do now and I have never felt such a bond with the characters, with all the events. And it wasn't like I couldn't read a chapter because tears were covering my eyes. I'M HAPPY LIKE CRAZY, NO, EVEN MORE THAN HAPPY with the ending (including the epilogue, of course), THE EPILOGUE REALLY HEALED MY BROKEN HEART, AS IT MADE IT BACK TOGETHER, "A rival's spirit" (Liwei's pov) also had a huge impact on me. Duology and Tales are undoubtedly books that I would like to read over and over again - for someone to come to me, erase my memory and so that I could read them over and over again. LOVE LOVE LOVE. What I wrote above is only close to what I feel because I don't know what words I should use to describe it all exactly & I know it's chaotic but I'M A MESS
#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#tales of the celestial kingdom#sue lynn tan#celestial kingdom#xingyin#wenzhi#liwei#change#houyi#shuxiao#yanming#yanxi#pinger#❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️#MASTERPIECE ALERT#I'M IN LOVE#OBSESSED AF
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Thinking very hard about an AU idea of mine. Reluctant king Sabo AU!
In which Sabo isn’t saved by Dragon, but survives long enough to drift ashore and be saved by the doctors of Goa Kingdom, who do so only to ransom his medical bills from Sabo’s parents. Sabo’s parents take him back, thinking that his amnesia makes him a clean slate, but Sabo, young and stubborn and unsure of his entire identity, knows that everything is wrong and runs again, and again, and again.
Until at some point, he meets the Revolutionaries, and realizes that he can be useful to them, provide them information, make something good of an inescapable situation. From then on, he starts acting the noble that he was born as, in order to be a more useful informant to the Revolutionaries, until sunk cost fallacy hits and he believes that being a noble is the only way that he can be useful to the Revolutionaries. So at that point, why not take it all the way?
At 17, Sabo becomes one of Princess Sarie’s suitors, and at 17, he has doubts about using the princess for his own goals. Sarie is a romantic, and she wants a dramatic fairy tale of a romance, and she was already charmed, but the moment Sabo opens up to her about not wanting to use her to get to the throne, having lofty ambitions of helping the people (just not the people she thinks he’s talking about), Sabo becomes the one she simply must marry, because surely if she tries hard enough, she can make him love her back.
Soon after, the king and his son die. Sarie’s father and brother die. And while Sabo conveniently ascends to the throne, he also swiftly implicates his father, Outlook, in the assassination of all heirs to the throne, resulting in Outlook’s arrest and subsequent execution. And thus, at 18, Sabo becomes king, and begins to gradually institute great changes to Goa Kingdom.
Design-wise, Sabo wears an eyepatch because his damaged eye is considered a grotesque sight by nobles’ standards. Under the eyepatch, he wears heavy makeup to hide the burn scar. These are both at the behest of his birth parents, who spin a story about Sabo having been born half blind to hide the fact that Sabo had been shot by a Celestial Dragon and save face. To those who have seen his scar, they fabricate a second secret story that he was unfortunately kidnapped as a child. Sabo never does find out, until he regains his memories, where the burn scar is actually from.
#one piece#sabo#one piece au#king sabo au#I might write something for this#I have a lot of ideas for it#I love au’s where sabo helps the revolution while not being actually a member of the revolutionary army#but I very rarely see ones that I like#I am going to oc-ify sarie so much.#i think sabo would hate being king. I think he hates everything about the situation he is in#but I also think that in the wake of forgetting himself he needs some connection to cling onto#even if that connection is the extremely inspiring stranger that barely knows him but is proud of him for helping#namely dragon.#I’m still unsure where to put stelly in all of this#I think stelly gets extremely bitter when sabo starts surpassing him in everything#because he was supposed to be the successful replacement of a son#im also debating whether or not I want sabo to remember his memories before or after marineford#because the moment he regains his memories is very clear to me. I want garp to see him at the reverie and punch him.#but I don’t know if I want that to happen earlier or later
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Thinking about this excerpt from Fire & Blood about King Aegon III Targaryen.
During the hour of the wolf he can oft be found standing by a window, gazing up at the stars, but when I presented him with Archmaester Lyman’s Kingdoms of the Sky, he showed no interest.
Late at night Jace sneaks him outside and shows him the constellations. His favourite memory is of Luke reading him tales about the celestial beings who live in the night sky. When news comes of Jace’s death Joffrey holds him tight, he tells him dragons don’t die they become stars.
Aegon’s not gazing at the stars, he’s looking for his brothers.
#I came up with a headcanon and now I’m sad#house of the dragon#hotd#team black#jacaerys velaryon#lucerys velaryon#joffrey velaryon#aegon iii targaryen#the strong boys#hotd meta#valyrianscrolls#asoiaf meta
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Apologies if you've answered this somewhere: for your Amaranthine 'verse, are there any "hybrid" animal folk? On one hand, kwillow's Theo has a rat and a stoat as parents, but Theo himself is a rat (with his mother's coloring, but still a rat). On the other, Ambroys very clearly looks like a cross between a horse (father) and Something Else (Celestial mother). In the middle is Hayden's one night stand with the cat barmaid, which resulted in a child with a bunny's snout/tail, a flatter catlike face, and bunny ears a biiiit too wide and pointed to be 100% "bunny."
I'm super curious about the genetics of it as well as the social aspect (i.e. is son considered a bunny/cat/both by his peers?). It's one of my favorite bits about anthro worldbuilding!
Hybrids exist, but are pretty rare!
Typically, children will just inherit their species from one parent or the other. Hybridization is very unusual and typically is limited to one or two very minor traits--like the child of a rabbit having slightly longer ears, the child of a weasel having a noodlier build, the child of a carnivore having fangs, etc. In almost all cases, the dominant species of the child is very clear, and the hybrid traits tend to be very recessive--rarely preserved beyond one generation.
Particularly in the Western Kingdom, though, hybrid children do have a reputation for being unlucky, an ill omen, or even outright cursed (depending how superstitious the person you're asking is). There are a few reasons for this… the simplest is that hybrid traits are sort of a "birth defect" that can sometimes present along with other health issues. Though not all hybrids are frail and sickly, any concern about a child's susceptibility to illness was a huge deal in rural peasant villages that already tended to have high childhood mortality rates.
Over time, the perception of hybrid children = ill omen became warped and exaggerated. Western Kingdom folktales sometimes cast hybrids as vaguely supernatural trickster characters, such as tales of mysterious changeling babies whose hybrid traits eventually revealed them to be half Infernal.
For this reason, the actual frequency of hybrid traits is probably greatly under reported… anyone who can hide or ignore or lie about their hybrid traits probably will. Though most Western Kingdom superstitions fell away after the collapse of the old kingdoms, some degree of stigma in Post-Fall society remains. No one seriously thinks a sheep with fangs is half Infernal anymore (most don't believe that Infernals and Celestials even exist), but it will still probably be passively assumed that a hybrid is less fit for difficult labor, among other things.
Half Celestial and Half Infernal offspring work a bit different… they're always technically "hybrids", but specifically hybridize in such a way that they take the form of mythological creatures (unicorn, dragon, cockatrice, etc). I'll let Kwillow talk more about this when she discusses Ambroys' mother since she's been the one working on this section of the lore, but Half Celestials are most certainly seen as a blessing. Half Infernals… well, fear of them is part of the reason hybrids are stigmatized in the first place, so suffice to say they have it rather rough. How severe the stigma is varies across cultures and tends to be worse in the rural West, better in cities, and pretty much completely absent in much of the Eastern Kingdom.
In the Post-Fall present day, nobody believes Celestials, Infernals, or their offspring exist anymore... aside from those who know about The Kingdom of the Sun.
Also, once in a while, a hybrid is born whose traits are so blended that their parent species are difficult to determine. These very unlucky individuals are referred to as "chimeras" and tend to have shorter life expectancies, among other things. We may be seeing a character who fits this description eventually. :P
#I wrote up a whole thing for this and then Tumblr deleted it and I was so annoyed it took another month before I felt like rewriting it#I still think the old version that Tumblr bugged out and erased was better#ah well#furry#worldbuilding#furry worldbuilding#verse: amaranthine#wow the new post editor really doesn't play nice with read more does it
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You Have My Attention: Celestial Kingdoms First Lines
Ok, I am in general a fan of mythological retellings, and this duology and its accompanying short story collection are lush, engaging, and heartbreaking all at once. So of course I had to share the first lines. DotMG and HotSW are pretty bog standard, but because there were only nine short stories in TotCK, I decided to give you the first lines of all nine as well because this is my blog and I make and break the rules at will! So let's see how Sue Lynn Tan catches her readers.
There are many legends about my mother. Some say she betrayed her husband, a great mortal warrior, stealing his Elixir of Immortality to become a goddess. Others depict her as an innocent victim who swallowed the elixir while trying to save it from thieves. Whichever story you believe, my mother, Chang'e, became immortal. As did I.
-- Sue Lynn Tam, Daughter of the Moon Goddess
Night cloaked the sky in darkness, draping shadows across the earth. While this was a time of rest for the mortals, on the moon, our toils were just beginning. Winter white flames curled from the splint of wood in my hand. Crouching down, I brushed away a stray leaf from the lantern, wrought of translucent stone and twisted strands of silver. As I lowered the splint to the wick, it caught fire with a hiss.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, Heart of the Sun Warrior
Light filtered through the gauze screens that covered the windows, the wooden frames latticed in a pattern of squares. I blinked, trying to adjust to the dazzling brightness, my mind still sluggish. Slumber had been hard won--I'd slept with the curtains pulled back from the posts, though it did little good.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Rise of the Sunbirds," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
The skies were afire. Gone was the calm blue of day, the pale wisps of clouds drifting across the heavens. No longer did the moon and stars light the night. Our world was dying.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "The Ten Suns," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
Chrysanthemums were flowering in the courtyard, their slender petals curved in rich purples, yellows, and reds. Above, the trees were losing their coats of green, donning jeweled shades of amber and garnet. A coolness infused the air, refreshing my senses.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Goddess of the Moon," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
Night had faded. The dawn streaked with Ash and rose. The lanterns were still lit as I strode toward Xingyin's chamber.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "The Snow Ginseng Root," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
The lake was encircled by ancient pine trees. They reminded me of my home in the cloud wall--my courtyard, always fragrant with their woody scent. Except here, the rust-colored bark was veined in gray like a web of shadows had been strewn across it. Their feathery needles glinted as though tipped in Iron, clinking ominously as the wind blew.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Battle with the Bone Devil," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
General Mengqi and I flew in silence upon our cloud, the other soldiers following behind us. They were the "demons" I had feared and dreaded from the tales, but they did not seem markedly different from other immortals. Just more arrogant and unpleasant, I decided, my irritation at the general's earlier condescension unappeased.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Return to the Jade Palace," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
The moon was a bright curve, ringed by stars. Will there ever come a time that I look upon them and not think of her? I longed for and dreaded the day.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "A Rival's Spirit," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
The light of the evening sun slanted through the window, casting the room in gold. Sunset was approaching, the moment I had been anticipating since yesterday. My attendant tentatively offered me a black brocade sash, unused to my indecision.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Sun Moon Teahouse," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
Snow lay heavy upon the branches of the plum blossom tree. Clumps of ice clustered around the pink petals, a glittering frame to their beauty--all the more striking because of the barrenness surrounding it, the land stripped of its verdant glory.
-- Sue Lynn Tan, "Home," Tales of the Celestial Kingdom
#sue lynn tan#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#tales of the celestial kingdom#book quotations#book quotes#books and reading#books#books and novels#book recommendations
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Hollow Knight vs. Vivziepop character design language
I know it's kind of a wildcard comparison but Vivziepop is a fan of Hollow Knight and its designs. I wanted to explore how shape language, color usage and storytelling in design are used in both properties.
NPC designs do a great job at telling you the character's personality or occupation without being overly detailed. One well placed trait does wonders, like Cornifer with his bundles of maps or Tuk and her hoarding, scrap salvaging hobbies. Paired with the world it tells two people doing their best to survive their dying realm, one by mapping out the twists and turns and the other by scraping up whatever she can find from abandoned civilization.
Now when we look at visual storytelling in Hazbin there are some good details! Alastor's outfit design and trademark microphone give you old timey host vibes right away. Niffty (my angel) sports a poodle skirt, kerchief around her neck and apron, also telling you her occupation and time period she's likely from. Everyone in this show has a big toothy grin but hers plays well into her hyperactive and always happy personality.
But there are also really poor moments of character storytelling. Everything about Beelzebub has already been said. She doesn't read as gluttony, she doesn't read as a bee, and she doesn't read as an animal tamer. When I look at her I see every other wolf character Viv has ever done. If Jayjay is party wolf and Loona is goth wolf then Beelzebub is lava lamp wolf.
The sins are mostly misses for me. They don't read as their sins or their circus related occupations. Asmodeus has fire powers but doesn't read as fire spinner. Mammon doesn't give off greed at ALL but the jester look works (which is also wrong because he's a CLOWN apparently, not a jester.) And don't get me started on this one.
This is not Lucifer.
Nothing about this reads angel, devil or even pride. This design goes all in on the ringmaster design, which is great for the circus theme! But the apple on the hat is the closest we get to this being Lucifer. I didn't even notice the snake on his hat because it looks like a worm for the apple, and they both cover the crown.
Add a second apple on the cane. Okay, so we know for sure this is supposed to be Lucifer but...why? It's another Beelzebub moment where you're left wondering why the design went in this direction. "Apple" shouldn't be the only giveaway here for the most important man in the world these stories are being told in.
Now let's see the celestial leader of Hollow Knight.
That is a god.
Removing all story context, this is incredibly quick to read. Large wings, all white, glowing yellow eyes and a crown. It looks celestial and it doesn't even need color, which is the point!
Now lets view them both within their stories. Is there visual storytelling when compared to other characters and the world around then?
Hollownest is a dark world where every character is dully colored. The Radiance and her power stick out with a glow, juxtaposing themselves with the dark as the light.
Lucifer does not look any different than most of the Hazbin cast. He has all the red, the same sharp toothed grin, the same body type as 90% of the cast of both Hazbin and Helluva Boss. If you lined him up with everyone else somebody like Asmodeus would be chosen as the obvious leader of Hell with his stature and power in the design alone.
Simplicity can tell an entire story while overextending your designs can muddy it.
Hollow Knight relies on few details and minimal storytelling yet it weaves a tale of an usurped kingdom and a god fighting for revenge. You are void, the world is dull, and god is bright and beautiful and terrifying to your way of life.
Vivziepop wants to weave a complex tale but utterly fails to do so with her designs. I purposely did not bring up Cherri Bomb, Sir Pentious or Stolas' designs since they have elements that were taken from other people and properties. I wanted to focus on what she made with her own hands, and when I narrow it down I do not see the story being told or even what side some characters are supposed to be on. Adam and the exterminators look the same as any demon. The leaders of Hell mostly sink into the ocean of overdone details. When everybody is trying so hard to stand out nobody stands out.
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Icemav Royal Fantasy AU👑
The House Kazansky has been ruling the Kingdom of Miramar for centuries and was one of the most powerful families. The Kazanskys called themselves The Azure Children. As the tale’s been told from generation to generation, the bloodline was blessed by the fearsome ruler of the sky, the Thunderbird, who had bestowed them the power to wield weather as they willed.
However, with time, the pureblood has been washed away little by little. Mixed. Spoiled. Fewer and fewer children were born with the celestial gift. The House has grown restless for they couldn’t dare to think of what would happen to their sovereignty without the wrath of the Sky King in their hands. Challenges would come, from their conquered subordinates as well as their enemies.
Until one winter, after years of waiting and suffering, during a heavy snowstorm. A newborn cried and the sky screamed.
Thomas Kazansky II was told he was the Hope of the clan since the day he understood words. Not every gifted-one was meant to be a powerful weather wielder but Thomas was the real Azure Children. As the winter welcomed him to the world, his power naturally attuned to the cold. Moreover, being the favourite child of the sky, the lighting, the weapon of their Winged God, also called him its master. Everyone in the castle learnt at that moment that none should upset their prince.
It was a precarious time and the King would do anything to ensure the safety of their saviour. Thomas thus spent his childhood caged inside the castle wall, inside the lecture room, inside his bedroom, between a group of nannies, and between a group of armed Royal Guards.
Thomas wasn’t born cold. But the gentle boy has gone with the early passing of his mother and the absence of paternal love. He was the Crown Prince and the Hope of the House. No one would bring harm to him including companionship. By the tender age of 12, Thomas found himself to be completely alone.
Peter ‘Pete’ Mitchell had so many things to prove to the world. Born to a small family on the outskirts of the Capital, having the captain of the Royal Guard as a father, Pete dreamt of an adventure and glory of his own.
He grew up with tales of conquests, chivalrous knights, magic and monsters alongside the gentle tunes of his mother’s lullaby. This was Pete’s perfect little world until it was shattered by the murder of his father, rumours of his father’s treason, and shortly the death of his heartbroken mother. The newly orphan was taken under the wing of Michael Metcalfe, his father’s successor and closest friend, the only person who still trusted in Duke Mitchell’s loyalty to the crown.
“What do you want to be in the future, kid?” Metcalfe once asked on a calm summer afternoon. “I want to be a Royal Guard.” little Pete said, determined, only 9 years old. The old man nodded, understanding the implications behind that answer. “Then you shall be. I’ll make sure of that.”
Pete Mitchell had so many things to prove to the world.
His world was a little bit brighter when he met Nicolas Bradshaw on the first day of his training, then Papa and Mama Bradshaw who reminded him of a family he once had and lost. Pete regained little by little a piece of a normal life.
But sometimes in the moment of weakness, Pete returned to the place where his old home once stood and walked around the forest nearby where his father loved to bring him, tracing the fleeting memory that he has been fighting very hard not to forget. And one day under the shade of the pine forest, Pete, recently 18, found a stranger on the spot where he used to sleep on the arm of his late father, with the coldest eyes he ever laid eyes upon.
#icemav#tom iceman kazansky#pete maverick mitchell#nick goose bradshaw#top gun#top gun 1968#top gun maverick#icemav royal fantasy au#me being brain rot#yes it will soon become a spicy secret romance#the crown prince and his little body guard against the world#tom calls pete maverick after pete's several stupid stunts and pete calls tom iceman as a joke#pete will do anything for his prince even tho tom is 1000000 times powerful than him
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Tales of the Celestial Kingdom release!
Return to the Immortal Realm, a world of gods, magic, and legendary creatures—and embark upon new adventures of valor, danger, and love.
Tales from the Celestial Kingdom collects nine spellbinding stories—two previously published, seven original, including the epilogue to the duology—set in the enchanting world of Sue Lynn Tan’s stunning debut. Filled with magic and mythology, friendship and love, these stories intertwine through the past, present, and future of the two novels, told from the perspectives of multiple characters, including Chang’e, Shuxiao, Liwei, and Wenzhi.
With beautiful illustrations from Kelly Chong throughout, these wondrous tales make the perfect complement to Sue Lynn Tan’s breathtaking series.
Bookshop.org
Barnes & Noble
This is a fantastic add-on to the Celestial Kingdom duology! Each of the three parts--Dusk, Twilight, and Dawn--focus on a different time of life for characters of the duology. Each story provided insights into the characters and I really enjoyed seeing an expansion of their lives.
Relationships are an important part of this story collection, and it was interesting to see how each story centered a slightly different relationship and how that impacted the character(s) it focused on. There's a lot of friendship and romance in this (and we do get an extended HEA) for the Celestial Kingdom duology's main couple!
Looking for a more in-depth opinion? Check out my full review for the book!
If you're new to the world of the Celestial Kingdom, check out my Daughter of the Moon Goddess review for where the story began, and my Heart of the Sun Warrior review for its continuation!
#book#books#book recommendations#fantasy#bookstagram#booklr#bookblr#bookaholic#bookish#daughter of the moon goddess#heart of the sun warrior#tales of the celestial kingdom#advanced readers copy#netgalley#asian authors#wuxia fantasy#book release#book birthday#fantasy books
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Kickstarter Live - Celestial Crowns
The King is dead. Long live you!
Check out our Kickstarter! Celestial Crowns is a fantasy otome/BL visual novel with:
✅ Customizable MC
👑 Rule the kingdom your way!
🎭 9 personality stats for up to 9 options per choice
🎬 9 endings
💖 3 LIs — unlock more with stretch goals!
Help bring this game to life! Reblogs appreciated!
#visual novel#vndev#game development#interactive fiction#blgame#kickstarter#indie game dev#indie games#indiedev#gamedev#character customization#customizeable mc#otome merch#otome game#otome#otome romance#r18 otome#r18 blgame
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Do you have any tips on how to name a story/book? Bc I’m really struggling to come up with something good
Book Title Ideas!!
Fantasy Book Titles
"The Chronicles of Eldoria"
"Realm of the Shadow King"
"Echoes of the Lost Kingdom"
"The Crystal Throne"
"Legends of the Eternal Dragon"
"The Hitman's Apprentice"
"Sorcery of the Silver Moon"
"Beyond the Enchanted Forest"
"Tales of the Arcane Isles"
"The Last Guardian of Light"
"Crown of the Winter Realm"
"The Fireborn Chronicles"
"Winds of the Wandering Mage"
"Secrets of the Starlit Citadel"
"The Frost Queen's Curse"
"Whispers from the Ancient Tome"
"Sword of the Celestial Knight"
"The Phoenix's Prophecy"
"Echoes of Eternity"
"The Shadow's Embrace"
Romance Book Titles
"Swiping Right"
"Romantic Vibes Only"
"Coffee Shop Confessions"
"The Social Media Sweetheart"
"Chasing Sunsets"
"Love Notes and Lattes"
"Lost in Translation"
"The Dating App Dilemma"
"Love in the Fast Lane"
"City Lights and Romance"
"Instant Chemistry"
"The Modern Love Story"
"Love in the Clouds"
"Swipe Left for Heartache"
"Heartstrings and Harmony"
Mystery Novel Titles
"The Enigma of Midnight Manor"
"Murder on the Moors"
"Whispers in the Shadows"
"The Secret of Willow Creek"
"Death at Darkwater Bay"
"The Puzzle of the Poisoned Pen"
"Ghosts of Greyhill Mansion"
"Vanishing at Verona Villa"
"The Mystery of Moonstone Manor"
"Murder in the Misty Woods"
"The Case of the Crimson Cipher"
"The Secret of Sapphire Springs"
"The Silent Suspect"
"Echoes of the Old Mill"
"A Lethal Legacy"
"The Mystery of Midnight Hollow"
"Murder Among the Magnolias"
"The Cryptic Conundrum"
"The Haunting of Hawthorn House"
"Deadly Deception in Dahlia Valley"
YA Novel Titles
"The Echoes Between Us"
"Invisible Constellations"
"Catching Shadows"
"Threads of Serendipity"
"Bloom and Blossom"
"Growing Pains and Paper Planes"
"Dandelions in the Wind"
"Whispers in the Quiet Hours"
"Crossroads of Everlasting Echoes"
"Forgotten Names"
"The Color of Tomorrow"
"Redefining Normal"
"Footprints in the Sand"
"The Art of Glowing Up"
Paranormal Book Titles
"Mystic Bonds"
"Wolfblood Chronicles"
"Twilight's Enchantment"
"Soulbound Serenade"
"Nightfall Destiny"
"Nightshade Kisses"
"The Crimson Courtship"
"Bloodbound: A Tale of Moonlit Passion"
"Witchcraft and Whispers"
"Enchantress' Embrace"
"Heartbeat Hex"
"Welcome to the Coven of Desire"
"A Moonlit Affair"
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