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aworldforastage · 2 months

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A second subjective list of favorite danmei’s I read in 2023

ABO

Miraculous Love (aka "Evil Love Appears") :: 邪门的爱情出现了 by 丧心病狂的瓜皮

Why Is It Possible For This Type Of A To Also Have An O? :: 为什么这种A也能有O by 图南鲸

老婆是顶级Alpha，我该怎么办 by 海藻大王

Entertainment Industry

内娱第一花瓶 by 三三娘

Concealed and Blended: Fendai :: 粉黛 by 七世有幸

Flower Vase :: 花瓶 by 困倚危楼

可一可再 by 反舌鸟

Modern (Miscellaneous)

Poison of the Heart :: 心毒初禾

Surrender (Book 1) :: 臣服 I by 墨奈何/墨青城

交易沦陷 by 在下小神j

Historical

Fei Ping Ying Qiang :: 妃嫔媵嫱 by 七月侯

穿成苏培盛了 by 一渡清河

九千岁[重生] by 绣生

ABO Novels

Miraculous Love :: 邪门的爱情出现了 by 丧心病狂的瓜皮

[ABO (A/O), romance, sexual awakening, reconciliation] -- This is one of those novels that leverage the ABO setting to explore topics like relationships, marriage, and sexuality. Late-bloomer Omega Fu Xiaoyu and recent divorcee Alpha Xu Jiale connect and build a relationship based on their intense sexual chemistry and attraction. Sex allows Fu Xiaoyu to feel loved, desirable, and unashamed of his own sexuality for the first time, but this new relationship forces Xu Jiale to confront his own misconceptions about marriage as well as the difficult reality of parenting a young child after divorce. Every Omega in this story has complicated histories and attitudes toward relationships because of society's prejudice against their gender, and every major relationship in this novel involves a divorcee, a cheater, or both. But in the end, they all keep living and trying.

Why Is It Possible For This Type Of A To Also Have An O? :: 为什么这种A也能有O by 图南鲸

[ABO (A/O), transmigration, abuse recovery, political activism] -- This novel uses the ABO setting to explore gender-based oppression. A surgeon transmigrates to an ABO universe, into the body of a horribly abusive Alpha, whose partner is terrified but powerless in their oppressive society. They work hard to help each other heal from deep-seated trauma, and join the work of advocates for Omega's rights. This is the most political danmei I have ever read, that shows civil disobedience and structural changes can be good and necessary. The advocates network, organize, protest, and they get threats and pushbacks. Prejudice is systemic, generational, and almost normalized in society, and it takes a massive wave of disruptive protests to finally bring about rudimentary legislative protections for Omega. It comes too late for many and is far from any semblance of equality, but it's hope and a start.

老婆是顶级Alpha，我该怎么办 by 海藻大王

(Title roughly translates to "My Wife is a top-level Alpha, What should I do?")

[ABO (A/A), "rebirth", space/interstellar, mecha, college, political conspiracies] -- Now, for an ABO novel that just wants to have fun as a OP Mary-Sue sci-fi-ish Young-Adult Action-Adventure. The protagonist is a super-soldier reborn to the early days of his military career with skills, knowledge, and an AI assistant from the future. The love interest is a prince who is rich enough to buy entire planets. Together they become the most popular power couple at the military academy, and work together to foil a conspiracy that targets talented Alphas. They get fake-married, and later discover they are each other's secret online crush. It has plenty of humor, a cute "college" romance, and the kind of dramatic "cool" characters my teenage self would could only dream of in a wish-fulfillment fic. Save it for one of those days when you just want to relax and revel in the joy of ridiculously attractive and competent teenagers who are killing assassins, saving the empire, and acing their exams!

Actors and Celebrities

内娱第一花瓶 by 三三娘

(Title roughly translates to "Top Flower Vase of the Mainland Entertainment Industry")

[entertainment industry, film-making, reconciliation, elite society ]-- Most entertainment industry novels focus on the fun parts of glamour and fame, but this story puts the focus on the creative work, with a main couple that has marvelous chemistry as great artists who inspire each other. Over the 900K words of this novel, they meet, fall in love, bond over film-making, break up, and later reconcile. It's one of those rare stories where the shou has to chase the gong after breaking up, and you can sympathize with the hurt on both sides while understanding that no one is intentionally being scummy. The novel really goes into the details of film-making and the entertainment industry -- the styles and visions of the directors, the practice and preparation of the actors, the logistics and finances of running a crew, and the strategic calculations to manipulate the media narrative and public discourse.

I have a love-hate relationship with this novel because of some of its narrative choices. Some arcs seem to just fawn over the "wisdom" and "classiness" of the ultra-rich, and conflate privilege with virtue. (The gong, whose family of casino owners once helped him pay off hundreds of millions in gambling debt, is the one making an awarding-winning movie about a regular person succumbing to gambling addiction ... ) But to be fair, I'm holding this novel to a higher standard than a typical danmei because of how good it is and how much I like it.

Concealed and Blended: Fendai :: 粉黛 by 七世有幸

[entertainment industry, actor x makeup artist] -- This is also a story about two artists who inspire and help each other develop their crafts, but a much shorter and lighter take. The gong is a makeup artist, who is "straight" but cross-dresses as a branding gimmick to advance his career. The shou is a retired E-sports player-turned-idol actor, who is secretly gay and has no real passion for performance. The novel starts off with funny interactions between "straight pretending to be queer" vs "gay pretending to be straight." Later, they develop a deep bond after collaborating on a series of projects, and help each other discover their true career aspirations. Despite being celebrities, the main character feel like normal people because we see them learning and practicing their professional skills. Fame is a fickle and cruel game that they must play in their profession, but does not define who they are.

Flower Vase :: 花瓶 by 困倚危楼

[entertainment industry, contract relationship, scum gong crematorium, reconciliation] -- This story is a classic in the scum gong crematorium genre. Wealthy business man gong pays actor shou for a sexual relationship; the shou is secretly in love with the gong, who is pining after a "white moonlight". The shou is smart, resilient, knows what he wants and isn't afraid to go after it. The gong has already started falling for him, but he hasn't moved on from his "White moonlight". Their peaceful breakup mid-story is suffocating, because they both have feelings for each other, and they almost got it to work, but the feelings are just not quite right yet, so this relationship has to end before it festers into something truly unsalvageable. But don't stress too much, the "crematorium" is so friendly it almost feels like an kiddie obstacle course the shou has set up to help them transition into a better relationship -- didn't I mention he is a very smart guy who knows how to get what he wants?

可一可再 by 反舌鸟

(The title is a reference to an Eason Chan song. I can't find an official translation of the song title, but it roughly translates to "Once and Again")

[entertainment industry, rebirth in another body, reconciliation] -- Controversial actor Jiang Yu dies in a traffic accident, and returns in the body of a D-list Idol. It's very fun to follow a POV character like Jiang Yu, whose internal monologue is dripping with pettiness, insecurity, jealousy, and adamant insistence that he is *fine* with his hard-working and kind-hearted self always being misunderstood in bad faith. His love interest is his foil in this: an award-winning actor with an impeccable reputation and a unflappable personality. As the story explore their histories, relationships, and grief over Jiang Yu's death, it also deconstructs these initial perceptions. In this second life, Jiang Yu gets a more measured view of his relationships and artistic legacy, while his "perfect" boyfriend faces his own flaws and the critical mistakes he has made in their relationship. With this clarity and honesty, they rekindle their relationship, and Jiang Yu starts a new life and career.

Misc. Modern

Poison of the Heart :: 心毒初禾

[mystery/police procedural, (sort of) social commentary] -- Instead of uncovering some mastermind criminal conspiracy, this police procedural is famous for its down-to-earth cases, so realistic it makes readers a bit depressed about life. Most of the cases see normal people gradually lose their best selves after suffering excessively under systemic social issues like poverty, misogyny, and prejudice. Their misfortunes, emotions, and reactions feel very realistic and relatable. However, since the discrete cases do not build up to a coherent arc, they also don't do much to support the development of the main characters -- a detective and a cybersecurity expert; they are fine but I just don't find either of them or their slow-burn romance too interesting. (Their slacker co-worker who becomes more motivated in his career has a more memorable character arc imo.) Personally, I think this novel is a good read for the mysteries, but maybe not so much as a romance or character drama.

Surrender (Book 1) :: 臣服 I by 墨奈何/墨青城

[BDSM, power differences, mob/gang drama] -- Young businessman Xu Ye, who has only dabbled with BDSM, stumbles into one of the most skilled dom's in town, who is also a mob heir. This dom finally gives Xu Ye the experience he wants from BDSM. But as their chemistry in the playroom soars, their personal and professional relationship in the real word grows more complicated. I love that this story shows the communication and work that goes into building a relationship, albeit one within BDSM parameters. The story repeatedly emphasizes that both partners are equals outside of play (but this rule is sometimes broken by the main couple for "drama"). Although Xu Ye is a sub, he has more agency than most shou's I see in danmei. He is experienced with sex, knows what he wants and likes, and is fairly independent from Chu Ye professionally and personally. He feels like a reasonable adult who has chosen a relationship that brings him joy and pleasure.

交易沦陷在下小神j

(Title roughly translates to "fallen in transaction")

[romance, (sort of) prostitution, family relationships, healing and forgiveness] -- This a Haitang story with lots of humour and sex, but also a surprise tear-jerker full of heart. An Li's life has been ruined by a criminal record, taking the fall for his cheating ex-wife so she can look after their ill daughter. While desperate to find work to support his young daughter's medical treatment, he is mistaken for a male escort by young CEO Xu Shaoqing. Xu Shaoqing is angered by An Li's borderline homophobic reaction to the incident, and pressures An Li to sleep with him for money. Xu Shaoqing himself is struggling with the distress his sexuality causes his homophobic and ailing father, who has sent him to conversion therapy and still pressures him to go on dates with women. An Li and Xu Shaoqing eventually form an unlikely connection, as they help each other process the hurt caused by the people they love, and salvage the good from those relationships.

Historical

Fei Ping Ying Qiang :: 妃嫔媵嫱 by 七月侯

[male concubine, imperial harem & court drama, age gap (initially 15 vs 20)] -- As an unfavored shu son, Xiao-Qi is "gifted" by his family to his brother-in-law, a prince who is known to like men. Though he has no choice in the matter, he eventually falls in love with the Prince, who has shown him more kindness than anyone else in his life. The prince (gong) has a "realistic" and gradual shift from accepting period-typical polygamy to wanting to build a life with the one partner who really loves him, but it's a messy situation because he has already married and sired children with multiple women, and his position really requires him to have an heir. However, Xiao-Qi learns a lot and grows up with the gong's help, and together they overcome political and social obstacles for Xiao-qi to be recognized as his partner.

穿成苏培盛了 by 一渡清河

(Title roughly translates to "Transmigrated as Su Peisheng", referring to the name given to Yongzheng Emperor's senior personal eunuch in the popular cdrama "Empresses in the Palace".)

[historical transmigration, Qing Dynasty/Kangxi Era, political intrigue, prince x (real) eunuch] -- Lovers of long, complex, character-driven political novels will probably enjoy this 2-million-words epic. It's not only a battle of wits, but also a examination of personal values and emotional priorities of many well-crafted characters who live in a complex political environment, including the largest and most active female cast I have ever seen in danmei. The protagonist shou is a transmigrator, and it shows mostly through him being very mature during his younger years, and having a sense of self-worth unexpected of slaves of that era. The gong is Fourth Prince Yinzhen (future Emperor Yongzheng), and he is married with children just like in history. The main couple have a bittersweet secret relationship, yet they love each other enough to be able to live with that imperfection. The plot seriously downplayed the darker implications of the shou' role as a eunuch and slave, but their idealized romance is a much-needed relief from the intense and tightly-paced political content, which is inspired by real history.

九千岁[重生] by 绣生

(The novel title literally translates to "Nine Thousand-Years-Old", which is a title occasionally given to excessively powerful eunuchs, comparing them to royals, like emperors who are said to live to "Ten thousand years".)

[ (eventual) "double rebirth", political intrigue, prince x (fake) eunuch] -- In his first life, Crown Prince Yin Chengyu is deposed after falling for political traps, and only returns to court after making a "indecent proposal" with powerful eunuch Xue Shu. Despite working together to help Yin Chengyu win the crown and govern the nation, their relationship remains complicated and contentious until Yin Chengyu's untimely death from illness and overwork. Waking up as his younger self, Yin Chengyu immediately puts a metaphorical leash on Xue Shu's neck while the latter is still young and impressionable. While they work to strengthen Yin Chengyu's political position, the prince also tries to come to terms with his feelings for Xue Shu across the two lifetimes. Xue Shu eventually recovers his memories of the first lifetime, and their second-chance romance gets a happy ending.

As a serious political novel, this story lacks depth and suspense, but as a feel-good "rebirth" novel, the plot feels a bit too slow and heavy. It doesn't stand out in either categories, but it feels unfair to completely ignore it, especially because it kept me company for weeks while I was struggling with a reading slump.

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dmbjexchange · 1 year

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🐉 Year of the Dragon Lunar New Year DMBJ Treat Exchange 🐉

We are going to HOP (get it… Year of the Rabbit!) into 2023 with an idea that is a new format for the DMBJ Fandom. The Lunar New Year Treat Exchange is a slow burn of an exchange, with low pressure and plenty of time to create, and is open to fan creators of all types - writers, artists, vidders, gif makers, and all others.

Based on the Fandom Stocking and Fandom Giftbox exchanges that used to run on LiveJournal and Dreamwidth, no-one will be assigned to create a gift for any specific person - instead, anyone who would like a treat signs up with their wishlist of characters, ships, likes, and prompts (and DNWs!). This list is open for browsing, and anyone who feels inspired to create for anyone else is free to do so and add the treat to the AO3 collection for the event. All treats will then be revealed at the Lunar New Year!

Since the New Year for ‘Year of the Rabbit’ is so soon (22 Jan 2023), the first LNY reveal will be for the ‘Year of the Dragon’, on 10 February 2024.

This exchange is open to all the DMBJ canons - if it’s DMBJ, then it’s eligible! Since all treats are to be posted to the AO3 collection, you will need an AO3 account to participate – if you don’t have one, you can request an invitation code here, or ask for an invitation from existing AO3 members.

🐉 Schedule 🐉

Sign-ups open: January 22nd, 2023 - The Year of the Rabbit

Sign-ups close: October 30th, 2023

Deadline for all treats completed and posted: January 21st, 2024

‘Pinch Hit’ period to ensure everyone signed up has at least one treat: January 21st - February 9th, 2024

Treats reveals: February 10th, 2024 - The Year of the Dragon

Creator reveals: February 17th, 2024

🐉 Guidelines 🐉

1. You can start creating treat fills whenever you like - you do not have to wait for sign-ups to close.

2. You do not have to sign up with a request yourself in order to create a treat for someone else.

3. While you do not have to create a treat for someone else if you sign up with requests for treats yourself, we ask that you do create at least one treat.

4. When choosing requests to treat for, please prioritise anyone who does not yet have a treat (the list of requests will be regularly updated to show Y/N as to whether or not someone has a treat fill yet).

a. If there is anyone without a treat fill by the time of the deadline, mods will ask for people to create treats so that everyone who signed up receives at least one treat.

5. Your creation/s must focus on your recipient’s requested characters or ship (or one or more of their requested ships, if they have nominated multiple ones). While unrequested background ships are fine (unless listed as a Do Not Want), if it is a shippy creation then the focused ship/s must be one or more of the requested ships.

6. You will be expected to create a treat matching your recipient’s request. Filling any specifying prompts is not obligatory, but try to create something you honestly think your recipient will enjoy!

7. You must not include anything that your recipient has listed as a DNW (Do Not Want). Not even as a one-line throwaway reference.

8. The minimum requirements for the treats are 300 words for fic, one sketch on unlined paper for art (traditional or digital), a 3 panel manip or set of 3 single panel manips, a fanvid of any length, or any other fanwork of equal effort.

9. You can create as many treats as you like over the creation period.

10. This is an anonymous exchange: refrain from discussing your assignment in public. After the works are revealed, there’ll be a one-week anon period when the creators remain anonymous before the creator reveals.

11. You are welcome to post your treat to other sites in addition to AO3, such as Lofter, but please ensure that you do post it to AO3 as well so that your giftee gets the notification.

12. Most importantly: be excellent to each other!

🐉 Sign-Up Information 🐉

Sign-ups will take place via Google Form, starting on January 22nd, 2023. The form will be posted in a separate post when sign-ups begin.

The form will ask you for your name and for a link to your Dear Creator letter. Your Dear Creator letter is where you will fill out your request, and can be hosted anywhere you like - Tumblr, Dreamwidth, Google Docs, etc.

Sign-ups will close on October 30th, 2023. While no new sign-ups will be accepted after this date, you are still able to make amendments to your Dear Creator letter.

Treat creation can begin at any time after January 22nd - you do not have to wait for sign-ups to close before creating treats.

🐉 Dear Creator Letters 🐉

Your Dear Creator letter should contain the following information:

Preferred DMBJ canon: You have to choose at least one. If you’re willing to receive a treat in any canon era, you can just say “Any”!

Characters: You have to choose at least one character that you would like your treat to be about.

Relationships: These can be any platonic, romantic, or sexual relationships you would like in a treat. “None” is a perfectly valid answer here.

General Likes: This isn’t a place for detailed prompts, just general themes you enjoy. E.g. getting together, established relationship, alternate universe, dark, crack, hurt/comfort, etc.

DNW (Do Not Wants): Things that your creator must not include - squicks, triggers, or characters or things that you simply don’t like. Remember that you don’t owe anyone an explanation about why something is a DNW, and that DNWs are not meant to be taken personally. Just list the things you don’t like, “DNW: X, Y.”

Prompts/specific ideas: if you have any prompts, you can also put them here! You can be as general or as detailed as you’d like, but remember that while your creator will try to make the best gift for you, filling a specific prompt is not obligatory. You can include a crossover prompt (with other DMBJ verse or other canons entirely), but make sure it’s not the only prompt you have.

Please note in your Dear Creator letter if you are happy to receive a treat in Chinese.

You can make changes to your Dear Creator letter at any time, but please keep in mind that the later you make changes, the higher the chance that someone may have already created a treat for you that will not have those changes taken into account - this includes late DNW additions, so please try to ensure that any/all DNWs are listed as early as possible, and that late changes are just additions to prompts and things you like.

🐉 Multi-chapter Fics 🐉

If you are writing a multi-chapter fic for a treat and don’t want to drop the entire fic at once, these are the posting guidelines for it:

At least the first chapter posted by the deadline, ready for the reveals on February 10.

From February 10, aim to post at least one chapter daily.

All chapters of the fic must be posted by the time of creator reveals on February 17 (If the fic is more than 7 chapters long, then this will mean that multiple chapters will need to be posted on some days).

🐉 Other Info 🐉

If you have any questions, ask on the YuCun Discord or submit a question to @dmbjexchange or @thetombraidersguild

Please follow @dmbjexchange or @thetombraidersguild for announcements and reminders.

#dmbj #daomu biji #the lost tomb #ultimate note #tomb of the sea #reunion the sound of the providence #the mystic nine #盗墓笔记 #终极笔记 #盗墓笔记之秦岭神树 #老九门 #沙海 #sha hai #lao jiu men

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