#(I know epic is the odyssey but I haven’t finished that one yet)

[lizzyb880]

the references to it in the PJO tags had me curious and as a first time listener EPIC: The Musical had no business going that hard woah

#12 year old Liz’s mythology obsession is gonna have nothing on 20 year old liz #like this musical is so good and the show and rereading the books and having actually read the iliad #(I know epic is the odyssey but I haven’t finished that one yet) #I’ve just got so much more access #and so many more thoughts #epic the musical #percy jackson and the olympians

[fangirlofallthefanthings]

In case I haven’t mentioned it, I’m writing a thing! :D

Get excited people. But… probably not too excited. I finished the rough draft of chapter one and just started writing chapter two.

If you’re wondering what I’m writing, it’s a fanfic (What else would you expect from me? Honestly?) about the Odyssey that will be posted chapter by chapter- eh… weekly? Yeah. Weekly.

“Oh it’s a retelling? We have a bunch of those! Sure they’re good but like- ok?” I hear you say.

I know! I know. But hear me out!

This work will follow Odysseus from the Fall of Troy, through the Odyssey, and a short time afterwards, but with a twist: Odysseus adopts Astyanax, the infant prince of Ilium (Troy). Also, Ody will get home in half the time. Of course there will be some EPIC: the Musical inspired happenings and events cus that play caused my Greek Mythology hyperfixation to return with a vengeance by hiding in my love of theater. A “Thespian Horse,” if you will.

I’m anticipating it to be as long as the Odyssey in word count, give or take. Idk tho cus I haven’t written it yet lmao

I’m also not sure what I want to do with Polites. I know I want him to be more important of a character than in the Greek epic, but I don’t know what his fate will be.

Will he die at the hands of Polyphemus like in EPIC? Will he perish with the rest of the remaining crew for eating Helios’s cattle like in the original text? Will he find a secret third fate, somehow survive everything, and become the best uncle ever?

Who knows! Certainly not me.

This has been picking at my brain for months, and I’m so happy to be writing again! It feels so nice. I even got notebooks. This is gonna be sick! >:3

Here’s a little sneak peak:

————————————————————————

It was dark inside the horse.

No one dared to even light a torch for fear of alerting the sleeping Trojans outside. The air was warm and dank from the hours the Achaean soldiers spent hunched over in the cramped wooden space. Blind to the outside world, but not deaf.

They heard everything their enemy said throughout the previous day and the splintering of wood as one of the Trojans pierced the horse with his spear. They heard the grunts and strains of the Trojans pulling the horse to the gates. The crumble of stones as the masons of Troy chipped away at the walls to make room for the supposed gift to Athena. They heard Helen of Sparta, daughter of Zeus, the reason for this decade-long siege, impersonate their wives and call out to each of them.

The plot would have been discovered if not for Odysseus, the king of the island nation Ithaca, the mastermind behind the plan to take Troy and end the war. As Helen knocked and changed her voice, he felt Anticlus, a warrior beside him, begin to call out. Odysseus did not hesitate. He quickly and silently clasped his hand over Anticlus’s mouth, stifling his voice before he could speak. No one dared move as the citizens of Troy celebrated their victory over the Achaeans and the war's end.

The party lasted long into the night, and Dawn’s beautiful rays were fast approaching by the time the festivities ended, and the city fell quiet with sleep.

When Odysseus felt the time was right, he turned to Diomedes. They both nodded to each other, knowing Athena was with them and urging them that it was time to strike.

“Listen closely, my brothers,” Odysseus said, standing up and lighting his torch, “These past ten years, our numbers have been slowly depleted. The Trojans, our enemy, killed our friends, brothers, and fathers. But tonight, we will be the ones who slaughter all they hold dear.”

————————————————————————

Anyways. I’ll post the link once the first chapter is up. Wish me luck, fam. o7

#the odyssey #greek mythology #homers odyssey #odysseus #odyssey #tagamemnon #epic the musical #tagamennon #writing #fanfic #the king and the infant #tkati #char ramblings #char writes

[bookwyrminspiration]

Hi Quil!

It was awesome to hear from you! I had a few add-ons/clarifications to my last note to you:

By “autistic theatre kid” I actually meant myself! I’ve been wanting to kind of “come out” to you as autistic for a while, but I was overthinking my words and I think my language was a little confusing. But yeah! I’m also autistic!

I’ve actually been listening to some of EPIC: The Musical recently, partially thanks to you! I found it at first a while ago because I had to read The Odyssey for school (it was a fun read, so if you haven’t read it I’d recommend) and I was looking at musical animatics and it came up. And then I was hanging around your blog a few weeks ago and you reblogged a post talking about how the Circe Saga would be coming out for Valentine’s Day, so you actually got me back into it! Some of my favorite songs from it are “The Horse and The Infant”, “Warrior of the Mind”, and “Done For” – what are your favorites?

Also, I love the description of a “hearth”! I had to stop and look that word up but it fits really well. It also reminds me of a book that I’m reading right now that I want to tell you about, but that’s a longer story so I’ll try to remember to tell you later.

Also I had one extra question: Do you know if submissions get sent differently than asks? Every time I send one there’s this message that it’s “awaiting moderator approval”, but I don’t actually know what that’s about so if you know anything about how submissions work vs. asks that would be helpful. 

But yeah! Also I’d love to hear about your day if you’d like to share. I personally had a lower-key day today with a lot of studying because I have a really hard test coming up soon, but it was actually a pretty good day! I also finished this book called Belle of the Ball that has an all-girls love triangle going on and it’s really sweet and pretty!

Enjoy your day!

- Amethyst

~

Hello again, Amethyst!! I’ll go through your points one by one for clarity :)

1. Ah, it’s me who wasn’t clear enough here--I understood what you were saying. Me saying “I also love musicals--though my partner’s the theater kid, not me” was me making a connection to you! You said you were an autistic theater kid who loved musicals, so I went oh! I also love musicals--but am not a theater kid. my partner is though! establishing similarities and distinctions, that kind of thing. but I can 100% see how my wording made that confusing. and woo! autism buddies!

2. HELL YEAH!! I love Epic, it’s like 70% of my current music. I haven’t read the Odyssey myself yet, but I’ve always wanted to get around to it--same with the Iliad. There’s a bunch of famous classics I want to check out, some for genuine interest and some just so I can have context (like the Divine Comedy).

I think my top three songs--at least of what’s released are: Ruthlessness, My Goodbye, and Open Arms. Though I love so many more than that--Wouldn’t You Like, Done For, Warrior of the Mind. Teagan Early just has such a lovely voice.

3. Yeah!! A thing I’ll do, especially when I’m talking to other autistic people, is use atypical words to describe feelings. Feeling like fireworks, or a rusty pipe, or an aching hourglass. Because they’re such specific feelings sometimes, and I can generalize, but it’s not quite right--and I’ve found, at least w/ anecdotal evidence, it’s something other autistic people also do or understand. Also curious to hear more about this book :)

And yes, submissions are a bit different than asks. When you submit a post, it’s submitted to be posted as if I had made it. I add text to respond to you, but usually submissions are posted as they’re received. You’re using it like the askbox--which is totally fine, but a typical submission can be posted without other people knowing it wasn’t me. There is a label in the tags that marks it as a submission, but if people don’t see that (they don’t look, it gets reblogged and people don’t check the og tags), it looks like any other post I’ve made. Which means that I need to approve it for publication, as it’ll look more like it’s coming from my mouth, and I don’t want people putting words in my mouth. 

Asks clearly separate the asker from the answerer, but submissions don’t, so whoever you submit something to (me in this case) is the moderator who has to approve having it on their blog (there are a few blogs whose whole gimmicks are submissions--like one-time-I-dreamt where we know different people are submitting their different dreams, but that’s generally an outlier)

And my day! Right now it’s still fairly early (about 7:30), so I haven’t done much--I’ll have to review a few of my classmates’ short fiction pieces for tomorrow and finalize mine to turn in. But otherwise I’m going to try and take it very slow and easy, since tomorrow is my long day and I haven’t had the most restful weekend. My nana was in town with my 7yo cousin, and they were with my cousin’s friend and her grandma. And we don’t see extended family often so they wanted to visit.

However, my family is...not great with guests. We’re not rude, it’s just really hard on us. It’s a big disruption to our routines, and we’re a very routine oriented family just naturally (sans my dad). And we’re a VERY quiet household, which is interrupted by having even one person over. especially since my dog is very anxious and doesn’t even trust my dad, who he lives with. So four people in our house--especially since this side of my extended family is horrible at giving heads up--two of whom are very energetic children? woof. they came over twice so I. need to recharge a little before tomorrow.

but thank you for the well wishes! i return them back upon you :)

#submission #<- there should be a marker or something right there saying it was a submission #which is usually all the notice someone has #hence needing to be more careful in posting them #usually #not in this case since its pretty clear we're two different people talking to people like in an ask #i think i was going to say something else but I completely forgot what it was #quil's queries #amethyst nonsie #long post

[another-rogue-trevelyan]

If you liked Dragon Age Masterlist

If you’re anything like me, you’re into niche market, high fantasy, single player RPGs, preferably with a historical setting and romance options. So if you’re looking for a new game, here I am with some suggestions!

Sorted by studio:

Bethesda:

Oblivion (2006)

“In the shadow of evil, a hero will rise from the ashes of a fallen empire. The gates have been opened, and the battle has begun. Only one thing can save the world from Mehrunes Dagon and the demonic hordes of Oblivion. The true heir of the Septim line must be found and restored to the Imperial throne. The fate of the world rests in the hands of one. Find him, and shut the jaws of Oblivion.”

The Elder Scrolls series were my gateway into RPGs and hold a special place in my heart. Oblivion features a wide open world, immersive combat, and the ability to customize race, class, and gender.

Skyrim (2011)

“The Empire of Tamriel is on the edge. The High King of Skyrim has been murdered. Alliances form as claims to the throne are made. In the midst of this conflict, a far more dangerous, ancient evil is awakened. Dragons, long lost to the passages of the Elder Scrolls, have returned to Tamriel. The future of Skyrim, even the Empire itself, hangs in the balance as they wait for the prophesized Dragonborn to come; a hero born with the power of The Voice, and the only one who can stand amongst the dragons.”

I have sunk so many hours into this game and still have not experienced all there is to experience. Just like Oblivion, Skyrim offers the ability to customize your character and find a play style that suits you. A huge open world offers tons of opportunity for exploration and questing. You could play this game many, many hours and not even touch the main quest if you wanted to.

BioWare:

Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021)

Just do it. Just fucking do it I’m still sobbing I’ve never had a game wreck me in this way. I might possibly like it more than Dragon Age which feels sacrilegious to say but it was so good. You follow Commander Shepard (customizable) for three whole games and the choices have serious consequences. Also, romance. Truthfully this might be the most well written storyline I’ve ever seen in a video game. Also, same studio as Dragon Age.

CD Projekt:

The Witcher III: Wild Hunt (2015)

I’ll let the website description speak for itself, but Witcher III was good enough that I didn’t mind being forced to play as a man (those who know me know that I exclusively prefer to play women and often dislike games where I can’t do so)! The characters that make up this story are captivating and suck you into their world, leaving you with some tough choices to make. Also, bonus points for romance! (Yen is one of my all time favorite characters, Triss never stood a chance for me. Sorry Triss fans 😂)

Larian:

Divinity Original Sin 2 (2017)

“The Divine is dead. The Void approaches. And the powers lying dormant within you are soon to awaken. Choose your role in a BAFTA-winning story, and explore a world that reacts to who you are, and the choices you make. With five races to choose from, and an adventure playable solo or as a party of up to four, lay waste to an oppressive order in a world afraid of magic. Become the God the world so desperately needs.”

Full disclosure, I have not finished playing this one yet and will update when I do, but what I’ve played so far has been great! A classic, turn-based RPG that allows you a wide range of character customization. I find this game incredibly satisfying to be a rogue (my preferred class) because it lets me live my dream of throwing knives at people. Also, romance!

Baldur’s Gate III beta (2020)

“An ancient evil has returned to Baldur's Gate, intent on devouring it from the inside out. The fate of Faerûn lies in your hands. Alone, you may resist. But together, you can overcome. Gather your party.”

Fair warning, as of my most recent update to this post (March 30th, 2021) this game is still in a beta phase, which means it is NOT complete and has aspects that are missing, glitchy, or subject to change. With that being said, I’m so obsessed. It’s so, so good already and is only getting better. Another wide open world to explore with a group of companions with strong and sometimes clashing personalities, choices are abundant in this game and will affect how your party members think of you. This game so far gives me the feeling that choices are complicated and aren’t always easy to tell which is morally right, which I personally love. Also, I can be a sarcastic ass with a good heart, which is always fun. Astarion basically owns me now, but if you can resist him there are plentiful other romance choices as well! Customization is already a wider range than I’ve seen in most RPGs and they haven’t even finished the character creator yet, which has me SO excited for the finished product. Also - good hair?!??!! I love it!

Lionhead:

Fable III (2010)

“Lead a revolution to take control of Albion, fight alongside your people, and experience love and loss while preparing to defend the kingdom against a looming threat. Your choices as ruler will lead to consequences felt across the entire land.”

I’ll be honest, this one isn’t my favorite on the list, but was good enough to still make it! This game allows you to choose between playing as the prince or the princess on a quest to save your kingdom from itself, and then a greater threat as well. The game takes place in a kingdom loosely modeled after industrial England, and what did score it some major points were (SPOILER WARNING - skip the purple if you don’t want to know!) that the last act of the game lets you play as the monarch, where you are forced to make some tough decisions in order to save your kingdom. It is very easy to back yourself into a corner, pinch pennies in order to fund the army and save the kingdom, but make your citizens hate you because of it. You’re gonna have to be very, very careful, which is something I did really enjoy about this game. (I’ve heard Fable II was better, and that’s also on my list to try, will update in the future!)

Nintendo:

Fire Emblem Three Houses (2019)

“War is coming to the continent of Fódlan. Here, order is maintained by the Church of Seiros, which hosts the prestigious Officer’s Academy within its headquarters. You are invited to teach one of its three mighty houses, each comprised of students brimming with personality and represented by a royal from one of three territories. As their professor, you must lead your students in their academic lives and in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic, new twists to overcome. Which house, and which path, will you choose?”

Currently playing this one and I’m so addicted! This one is slightly outside of my usual taste but it has made me interested in playing more games like it. The player controls Byleth (you can rename them if you wish), who becomes a professor of combat and battle tactics despite their young age at a monastery and finds themself in charge of a house of students. Battles are tactics and strategy based and classes are highly customizable. I sunk like 30 hours into this game in the last three days. I won’t say more about the plot to avoid spoilers, but it’s been a ton of fun and also has slow burn romance

Spiders:

Greedfall (2019)

This game destroyed my soul in the best way and when I finished it I immediately started a new game to play it again. You play as Lady or Lord De Sardet, Legate of the Congregation of Merchants and effectively the right hand of your cousin, who has been appointed governor of your new colony on the island. While I enjoy the combat in this game, which allows you the choice between one handed, two handed, magic, and pistols or rifles (save that ammo for when you really need it!), this game focuses heavily on diplomacy and relations. Be careful what information you give to whom and how you treat every decision. The enemies you make early on might be people you need on your side later. I also love that choices aren’t always clearly right or wrong, and often are more complicated than they first appear. Even the best intentions can sometimes go awry.

Ubisoft:

Assassin’s Creed, Syndicate (2015)

“London, 1868. In the heart of the Industrial Revolution, lead your underworld organization and grow your influence to fight those who exploit the less privileged in the name of progress”

Another one that I’ll admit, I haven’t finished, and is definitely the odd one out on the list because it’s set in Victorian England, but I was having fun with what I had played so far before Greedfall distracted me. In this game, you alternate between controlling twins Jacob and Evie Frye as you explore and liberate London while meeting famous historical figures and running a gang on the side.

Assassin’s Creed, Origins (2017)

“Ancient Egypt, a land of majesty and intrigue, is disappearing in a ruthless fight for power. Unveil dark secrets and forgotten myths as you go back to the one founding moment: The Origins of the Assassin’s Brotherhood.”

In the spirit of honesty, I haven’t started this one yet, but I am so confident that I’m gonna love it when I do that it’s here anyway. I’ve purchased it, and will get to it soon, I swear! In the meantime, I wanted to put it here because I’m confident some of you will enjoy it. Will come back with a review once I know more.

Assassin’s Creed, Odyssey (2018)

“Write your own epic odyssey and become a legendary Spartan hero in Assassin’s Creed® Odyssey, an inspiring adventure where you must forge your destiny and define your own path in a world on the brink of tearing itself apart. Influence how history unfolds as you experience a rich and ever-changing world shaped by your decisions.”

Y’all this game owned my soul for a while. I’ve sunk so many hours into it. You have a choice to play as either Kassandra or Alexios and navigate the wonders of Ancient Greece. The world is stunning, the choices are important, and this game took a big step for the assassins creed series in becoming a true RPG. I can’t recommend this one enough, you should absolutely go for it!

Assassin’s Creed, Valhalla (2020)

“Become Eivor, a legendary Viking warrior. Explore England's Dark Ages as you raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power in the quest to earn a place among the gods in Valhalla.”

This game is brand new, hot off the press, and has already been a massive hit. I have only JUST started playing it and am about an hour in, but so far so good! It’s here on my recommendations list because of its wild popularity and because I’ve already enjoyed other games in this series, so I feel confident that some of my fellow dragon age fans will enjoy it. Will update again once I get further in.

Other games on my To Be Played list (otherwise known as things I don’t want to recommend because I know almost nothing about them but will update here after I know more)

-Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2

-Horizon Zero Dawn

-Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag

-Fable 1 and 2

-Kingdoms of Amalur

-Breath of the Wild

-Crimson Desert (not out yet but I’m intrigued)

#will update as I find more #if you liked dragon age #dragon age #video games #video game recommendations #op #rpgs #masterlist

[kinda-just-chillin-here]

Greek Mythology and Julie & the Phantoms

My first watch through of Julie and the Phantoms (JATP), I noticed a few similarities and parallels to certain myths within Greek mythology. On my million rewatches, I paid more attention to see if there were others. This post is all my observations of the parallels, as well as a few possible theories for season 2 the writers could follow for certain storylines. This is a ridiculously long read, I apologize.

**Disclaimers: 

There are spoilers, so if you haven’t finished watching for the first time yet, don’t read this. 

The content in Greek myths can vary depending on the source. This is largely due to the fact they are just super old. So some of the myths might be slightly different. I did my best just to compare to the gist of the myth. 

I’m going to refer to Luke, Reggie, and Alex together as either Sunset Curve or the boys to save space. 

I apologize for any typos and mistakes; midterm season has left me with an empty head.

1. Orpheus

Obviously a major motif in the first season is the Orpheum. Orpheum literally means House of Orpheus. 

Background information of Orpheus:

His mother is Calliope (muse of epic poetry), and depending on the version of the story, his father is either Apollo (god of the sun, healing, music, medicine, archery, and poetry) or King Oeagrus of Thrace. 

Orpheus was considered to be one of the greatest musicians. He had a “divinely gifted voice that could charm anyone who heard it,” no god or mortal could resist his music. 

Let’s look at some of his myths.

Orpheus and Eurydice:

The basic summary of this myth is that Eurydice, Orpheus’ wife, died after being bitten by snakes while running away from a man, Aristaeus, or a satyr (depends on source) who wanted her for himself. Devastated, Orpheus began singing sad songs until he was advised by nymphs to go to the Underworld and bring her back. After singing to Hades and Persephone, they agreed to let Eurydice return to the main world. However, they warned him not to look back before they both entered the light of the surface. He happily began his trek back to the surface. When Orpheus reached the exit, Eurydice in toe, he turned around to see her, anxious to make sure it wasn’t a trick, that she was really there. Only, Eurydice was still in the Underworld, she hadn’t crossed over yet. Orpheus turning around when he did, caused Eurydice to remain in the underworld. 

So who’s who?

Julie = Orpheus (talented musician and desperate to save their love from the Underworld)

Sunset Curve = Eurydice (dead and trapped)

Caleb = Aristaeus and Hades (wants Eurydice/Sunset Curve for himself; controls the place the dead are) 

Hollywood Ghost Club (HGC) = The Underworld

How do they relate? Stand Tall (s1e09) is where it all goes down.

Like Aristaeus, Caleb is pursing Sunset Curve because he wants them for himself (and Caleb is also threaten by the power they have).

Caleb has the boys trapped in the HGC, just like Eurydice in the Underworld. 

Julie had to deal with the idea the boys died (again) when they didn’t show up before the performance. At first she couldn’t, she ran out until she had a sign from her mom, telling her to go on stage. You could argue this sort of parallels the nymphs telling Orpheus to plea to Hades, or that it parallels Orpheus on his journey back to the surface after Hades agreed.

This is where Julie and Orpheus differ. Julie goes onstage, fully believing in the sign from her mother; that even if the boys don’t come, she can do it. The lyrics of Stand Tall are pure genius. “Keep moving on, never look back.” That’s exactly what Julie does. Unlike Orpheus, Julie doesn’t look back. And the boys appear, no longer trapped by Caleb at the HGC. Julie breaks away from the Orpheus formula and wins. 

@multifandomterrors wrote an essay on how it relates too! She has three theories of how it fits and I definitely recommend you check it out!

Bonus reasons Julie is Orpheus:

Orpheus joined Jason and the Argonauts. When the ship was approaching the Sirens, Orpheus saves the crew from death by playing his own music, drowning out the Sirens’ Song. Likewise, Julie is able to save the boys from Caleb. You can argue that her singing Stand Tall acted as a beacon, beckoning the boys away from Caleb and back to her, saving them in the process.

This one is more of a long shot but oh well. Orpheus is said to have a “divinely gifted voice that could charm anyone who heard it,” that no god or mortal could resist his music. The boys say that Julie has “the voice of an angel.” Throughout the season, as soon as Julie starts to sing, people are generally drawn in, even Carrie by the end. 

Onto the next parallel...

2. Lotus Eaters

As soon as the slightest idea of the boys missing the dance was hinted at I knew it was going to happen because ~formulas~, but once they got to the HGC, I had a strong feeling it was going to be a Lotus Eaters situation. 

Summary of the Lotus Eaters:

In The Odyssey, Odysseus and his crew encounter the Lotus Eaters. They do as their name suggests, they eat the peculiar Lotus flower. When the lotus flower is eaten, those who eat it are “overcome with a blissful forgetfulness,” and want to do nothing more than stay where they are. The crew mates had to be dragged back to the ship, otherwise they never would have returned to their duties. The most well known adaptation of this is probably the Lotus Casino in Percy Jackson & the Olympians series, where the characters spend days/years there, only thinking it was a few hours/days. It’s a time warp per se. 

So what’s what?

Hollywood Ghost Club =  Lair/island of the lotus eaters (everyone there appears to have no other worries in life)

The music & dancing = Lotus flower (sucks everyone in)

How do they relate?

Once Caleb starts performing, Sunset Curve are sucked in. Eventually, they are overcome with a “blissful forgetfulness” and forget about Julie and the dance. They only get sucked back out once Caleb mentions it’s the witching hour.

Alex literally says “This place is some sort of time warp.”

When the boys try to leave, the dancers and then Caleb try to reel them back in. 

The next is not directly Greek mythology, but distantly related:

3. Disney’s Hercules 

The story in Disney’s Hercules isn’t exactly what the myths of Heracles are. It’s Disney, so of course the stories are romanticized and changed significantly. First of all, in the original myths, Hercules is really named Heracles, and Megara is nothing more than Heracles’ wife that ends with a tragic story.

In the movie, Hades wants Hercules dead since he is the only one that can ruin his plan to take over the world. He enlists Megara (or Meg, whose soul he owns) to get to know him and find his weakness. As Meg gets to know Hercules, they fall in love. Hades uses this as Hercules’ weakness, and once he outs Meg for working for him, Hercules is emotionally defeated. However, he still gives up his power for 24 hours, as long as Meg remains untouched by harm. Of course that doesn’t happen, and Meg dies while saving Hercules. Her soul is returned to the Underworld, and Hercules journeys down there to save her, even though he might die doing so. Except he doesn’t; he saves Meg, and it’s happily ever after. 

So who’s who?

Alex = Hercules

Willie = Meg

Caleb = Hades

How does it relate?

Like Hades wants Hercules dead, Caleb wants Alex (and the boys) under his control because they are too powerful. He’s threatened by them.

Even though Willie didn’t mean to bring the boys into the mess with Caleb, he still did (no hate, I love my son). Willie acts as Meg in this situation because Caleb still uses him to get to the boys. Caleb gets to put his stamp on them.

Willie, just like Meg, decides to not help Caleb anymore, though he’s still stuck. He cares about Alex, he doesn’t want him to be stuck at the HGC like him forever; he doesn’t want Caleb to own Alex’s soul. So, Willie helps Alex and the boys with their plan to crossover. 

In Stand Tall, right before You’ve Got Nothing to Lose, Caleb appeals to each of the boys’ weakness. Caleb says “Everything you want, including Willie, is right here.” Just like Hades uses Meg against Hercules, Caleb uses Willie against Alex.

Potential Season 2 Willex Storyline

The parallel to Hercules and Meg isn’t finished. Alex hasn’t saved Willie from Caleb yet, and Caleb hasn’t been defeated yet. We don’t see Willie after the Willex hug in Stand Tall. I think it’s safe to assume that Willie is not safe from Caleb, especially since he helped Sunset Curve escape Caleb’s curse. There’s a lot of things that could happen. One of my assumptions is that Caleb is going to use Willie as bait to lure Alex back in. Another is that, like how Hercules goes to the Underworld to save Meg’s soul,  Alex is going to actively choose to return to the HGC to try to save Willie from Caleb. 

And the last parallel to Greek mythology in season 1...

4. Cheyenne Jackson

He plays Hades in Descendants 3, a Disney movie, meaning he’s the same Hades as in Hercules. 

Caleb Covington, you could argue is the “king of the dead” in JATP

That’s it, that’s the parallel.

Possible Season 2 Storylines

Cephalus and Procris (I’m not as familiar with this myth, but it basically goes like this)

Cephalus and Procris are happily married and very in love with each other. One day, the goddess of dawn, Eos, kidnaps Cephalus because she wants him to herself. Depending on the version you read, Cephalus either sleeps with Eos, or he doesn’t, but regardless, his only concern is how much he loves his wife, Procris. Eos finds that annoying, and plants the idea in his head that Procris is cheating on him when she releases him eight years later. Cephalus returns to Procris, disguised as another man, to see if she would remain faithful. A disguised Cephalus continuously brings Procris presents, and slowly, Procris is swayed by the mysterious man. When Cephalus reveals himself, Procris runs away, ashamed, and joins Artemis’ hunt. Eos wins essentially. She get’s Cephalus... until Procris returns, trying to make amends with her husband. He takes her back, but not long after Procris hears rumors that Cephalus has been unfaithful. She follows him on a hunt, hiding behind a bush. Cephalus hears a bush move, and thinking it’s an animal, he shoots, killing Procris. In the end, Eos still wins as Procris is no longer in the picture, and she could theoretically be with him. Expect Cephalus exiles himself and Eos is never seen again.

How could this apply to JATP season 2?

Julie = Procris

Luke = Cephalus

Caleb = Eos

Caleb-Possessed-Nick = Disguised man

Since Caleb possessed Nick at the end, I assume his plan is to get Julie to pick Nick, thus pushing Luke away from her. Caleb wants Luke and the boys to himself, and as long as Julie is in the picture, that won’t happen. As Caleb-Possessed-Nick tries to flirt and get closer to Julie, Luke will see this and get jealous. His jealousness could lead to tensions between Julie and Luke, making the band a bit awkward, maybe even a big fight that pushes Luke to think about joining Caleb, or at least isolating himself where Caleb would have easy access. I think it would be a very loosely applied parallel, but the idea of Caleb working to cause a rift between Luke and Julie to get Luke by himself is a major possibility. Regardless, Caleb-Possessed-Nick is going to get in the way of Luke and Julie’s slow burn pining for each other. 

A General Thought Not Related to Greek Mythology 

Regardless of what the writers end up doing, I think Caleb’s best plan would be to target the boys individually; like the continuance of the Hercules parallel with Willex and potential Cephalus & Procris parallel with Juke. I don’t know how he would isolate Reggie, maybe something with his family, but targeting the boys one-on-one would be the most strategic move for Caleb. He could even get super manipulative with it. He could say something like “Alex already agreed” or something along those lines to try to persuade the boy he is talking to. 

Additionally, I don’t have any theories on where Carrie and Julie’s relationship may go, but i’m looking forward to a Carrie redemption arc. As far as where Bobby fits in, I read someone’s theory that Caleb may approach him, offering to help keep his reputation as Trevor Wilson, if he helps deal with the boys somehow. I’m sure there’s a potential greek myth that fits a potential Bobby and the boys storyline, but out of the ones I can think of right now, there aren’t. Betrayal is a huge theme in greek mythology though.

Anyway...

While the original target audience was kids and the show probably wasn’t meant to be this deep, as a screenwriter myself, I find it super useful (and fun) to parallel classic stories and myths when I write. It can add a sense of nuance to the story, especially when done right. I hope the writers (assuming at least the Orpheus and Lotus Eaters parallels were intentional) continue to parallel the season with some form of myth or classic story, only to then completely flip the ending. 

If you actually took the time to read ALL of this, my god, I applaud you, you amazing human. Thank you so much for reading it. I’d love to hear what y’all think or what theories y’all have as well!

#julie and the phantoms #julie and the himbos #jatp #julie molina #madison reyes #luke patterson #charlie gillespie #alex jatp #owen patrick joyner #owen joyner #reggie jatp #jeremy shada #caleb covington #hollywood ghost club #carrie wilson #trevor wilson #dirty candy #flynn jatp

[kiranerysismyhero]

Homeric Epic

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19807252

Jadzia drags Kira along on an odyssey on the holodeck

For @primatechnosynthpop on tumblr for the @sapphicstartrek fanwork exchange

“I do not believe you.”

Jadzia replied without turning. “No one asked you to believe anything, Worf. I was just letting you know that I’m busy this evening.”

“The major has expressed her disdain for the holosuites many times. She would not willingly join you again, especially after her experience in the Camelot program.” 

“Who said anything about willingly?” 

Jadzia smiled when she spotted Kira arriving at Ops. “Nerys! Perfect timing.”

“Oh?” Kira said, joining Dax at her station. “Why’s that?”

“You can tell Worf here that I did in fact get you to agree to join me in the holosuites tonight.” 

Kira sighed, but her expression wasn’t without mirth. “That’s right. Against my better judgement.” 

“Hey!” Jadzia turned to Kira, “I won fair and square and you know it.”

“Only because you violated the spirit of the rules!” Kira protested. “I spent all week fundraising the old-fashioned way, and you just spent a couple evenings playing Tongo and called your winnings ‘donations from the Ferengi waiters!’ You may have won the bet, but I wouldn’t call it fair and square.”

“Oh come on,” Jadzia argued. “Deep down, you wanted me to win anyway or you wouldn’t have taken the bet. You know I usually donate to the war orphan fund around this time of year anyway. That little spark of imagination within you just wanted an excuse to get some exercise.” 

Kira merely gave her a look. 

“If you two are finished bickering,” Worf interjected, “we have a meeting in the Wardroom in a few minutes.”

Jadzia turned. “We were not bickering.” 

“And even if we were,” Kira added, “what’s it to you?”

“We’ll make it to the meeting on time, don’t you worry.” There was a bit of playful condescension in Jadzia’s voice.

“I just meant-” Worf sighed. “I hate it when you two…” he gestured for the right words “...combine your sass.”

Jadzia smiled. “I suppose maybe we should save it for tonight.”

“I can hardly wait.” Kira’s voice was deadpan, but she wore a smile.

---

That evening Kira and Jadzia walked onto the turbolift as the next shift started their watch. 

“So,” Kira started, placing her hand on her hip, “are you going to tell me just what kind of holographic misadventure we’ll be having tonight?” 

“A classic from Earth, one of their foundational epics.” Jadzia mirrored Kira’s pose teasingly. “Don’t worry about the costume, I already picked up your toga from Garak.”

Kira eyed Jadzia with a bit of suspicion. “What’s a toga?” 

---

Kira was beginning to grow impatient with Jadzia’s absence. They were supposed to be running this program together, weren’t they? So why was it that Jadzia had decided to play some apparently minor character back on the island with all the narcotic fruits, if Kira and her crew were meant to leave that island and wash up here?

Speaking of Kira’s men, she didn’t much care for the holographic crew she’d been given. First she had to drag them all out of their lotus-induced stupor to get them back on track, and now they’d decided without her permission to raid this cave of the meat and cheese they found. She absently tangled her fingers in the wool of a sheep in one of several pens around the spacious cave. 

Kira was uneasy. The crew had insisted that the laws of hospitality would compel the person who lived here to grant them a gift that would aid them on their journey, but Kira had her doubts. By the look of the cave this dwelling belonged to someone or something rather large, and there was no guarantee that the occupant shared the same cultural rules of hospitality as her crew. 

As Kira rethought the plan to wait here to meet the homeowner, the ground began to shake with thunderous footsteps. The sunlight from the cave entrance was blocked out, the only remaining light the fire that had been lit by the now-quaking crew. A flock of sheep streamed through the darkened cave entrance, followed by whatever it was that cast a shadow so large. 

The gargantuan form, back turned, rolled a large stone into place at the mouth of the cave. With the only exit very much blocked and no idea what sort of giant creature it was whose food her men had helped themselves to, Kira felt anxiety pool in the pit of her stomach. At least the program was about to become a little more interesting than just trying to command a ship of buffoons, Kira mused. 

The figure turned slowly, standing up to its full height as it stepped closer to the light cast by the torches. It dropped the wood that it had been carrying with a crash that sent Kira’s men scrambling to hide. A voice like the rumbling of a volcano called out “Who is there?”

Kira took in the looming form before her. It was dirty, a bit lumpy, and approximately fourteen feet tall but the trail of spots from the bare feet to the misshapen temples were unmistakable, as was the twinkle in the big, singular blue eye. 

“Jadzia? How are you doing that?” Kira marveled. 

Jadzia switched back to her normal voice, albeit in a stage-whisper. “Imagination, remember? Don’t pull yourself out of the story!” 

Kira gave Jadzia a look that made it clear that she wasn’t moving forward without an explanation.

“Fine, technically I’m in a sectioned-off area of the holosuite controlling the cyclops through VR. It’s a hologram that just looks like me. Well, fourteen feet of me.” Even with teeth like mossy boulders Jadzia’s smile was charming. “Now back into character!” 

Her voice boomed out “Who are you?” 

Kira rolled her eyes but adjusted her posture to that of a brave leader speaking on behalf of her men. “We are Greeks, and come from Troy. We’re trying to return home, but adverse winds blew us ashore.”

---

Kira stood tied to the mast of her ship as her crew worked around her, wax plugging their ears. They had been warned of an island ahead on their journey where Sirens lured men to their deaths with irresistible song. Kira just knew Jadzia would be one of them. She had made sure that her men wouldn’t be drawn in by the siren call but her own ears would remain unplugged. Only, she wasn’t just curious to hear the Siren. She was ready to give her a piece of her mind. 

“First you were a hippy Lotus-Eater that helped drug my crew, then you were huge freakin’ Polyphemus and ate everyone, then you… ugh, I swear you picked this program specifically so you could frustrate me!” The fire in Kira’s eyes was giving Jadzia life, though admitting as much would get her in even more hot water with her irritated friend. 

“No,” smirked Jadzia in Siren form. “I just thought you’d look great in a toga.” 

Jadzia didn’t look bad in one herself, Kira thought. For this character Dax hadn’t used any fancy holographic tricks, save for a bit of a glowing aura that only accentuated her natural beauty. 

Not that that was the point Kira wanted to focus on right now, she reminded herself. 

“If you had to pick an old ‘Earth epic’” Kira punctuated the term with finger quotes, a difficult feat with her arms pinned to her sides, “you could have at least had us be on the same side.”

“But that would take the fun out of thwarting you again and again.” Jadzia’s grin made Kira want to ‘thwart’ her right in the face. 

“You said I would like this program better than Camelot because it’s about my character trying to get home to his beloved wife, who is meanwhile using all her tricks to keep suitors off her back and stay faithful...” 

Jadzia nodded. “No kissing of married women.” 

“... and yet here you are trying to seduce me, a married man!”

“It’s the nature of my kind,” Jadzia shrugged. “You resisted Circe well enough, you honorable hero. Besides, if it really bothered you, you could have plugged your ears like the rest of the crew.” Jadzia’s voice grew sultry. “My dear Odysseus, one might think you wanted me to seduce you.” 

A heat grew in Kira’s stomach as a blush formed on her cheeks. “Your choice of holoprogram,” Kira objected, “has cast you to pursue me twice now. Maybe you’re the one who wants the seduction to happen.”

“Yet you haven’t ended the program, or attacked anyone you’re not supposed to.” Jadzia pointed out. “You may object to the Siren calling to Odysseus, but maybe you don’t mind me pursuing you.”

“Maybe I’m exercising my imagination!” Kira spat back with a bit too much bluster. “Like what I’d like to do to you if I weren’t tied to this mast!”

Jadzia completely sidestepped the threat, purring “Maybe I should come aboard ship and find out exactly what you would like to do to me.”

“Maybe you should!”

Jadzia stepped off the island, her footsteps gliding across the water as she made her way to the ship. Within a few moments she stood on the deck face-to-face with Kira, who pulled at her bonds to lean closer to Jadzia. 

“Maybe I should untie you,” Jadzia murmured.

“Or maybe you could just kiss me already!” 

Jadzia couldn’t help but smile at the genuine impatience in Kira’s voice. Leaning in closer so that her lips were a breath away from Kira’s ear, she cupped Nerys’s chin with her right hand and whispered “Okay.”

Their kiss was long and deep. Kira’s senses were overwhelmed as the taste of Jadzia mingled with the brisk fresh smell of the sea air. Maybe the holosuites had their merits after all. 

“You know, this isn’t how the program is supposed to play out.” Jadzia smiled, breathless as she pulled back a millimeter. 

Kira wore a smirk as she went in for another kiss. “You know I like to make up my own endings.” 

#kiradax #primatechnosynthpop #sapphicstartrek #im never satisfied w my own work i hope this doesnt suck

[hasansonsuzceliktas]

Spiritual Movies that Nourish Your Soul

One night in 2003, while channel hopping on TV, I came across a movie named Interstate 60. I read the summary and it looked appealing. The movie then started, and after I finished watching it, I watched it again. (That channel had a repeat function.) My mind was blown, my smile was wide, and I felt great. I had never watched anything like it before. That’s when my interest in spiritual movies began. Four years passed and then The Secret came along. It was also mind blowing for its time. Although it has its controversial aspects now, it was a revolution in spiritual documentaries. Oh, there was also What the #$*! Do We Know?, but it takes my interest only after The Secret. Afterwards, I became deeply interested in spiritual movies and watched many of them. I made recommendation lists for my followers in Turkey, and now I want to share them with you. I don’t want to give details about the movies, though, because you can look them up on IMDb or whatever. I want to instead share the reasons for why I recommend these particular movies. First let me be clear about one thing, though. What is a spiritual movie? Everything is spiritual. The life we live is spiritual, because everything comes out of the spirit. If we looked at it from this perspective, there is a vast number of spiritual movies. You can see the spirit in many such movies. For me, though, a spiritual movie is one that expands your view, your perceptions, your world, and your being. After finishing one, you do not feel like you are the same person that you were two hours ago. It has touched your soul and made you think and feel deeply. Some of them even blow your mind. Such movies have similar effects on others too. That is what I call a spiritual movie, so I selected movies based on that criterion.

Classic Spiritual Movies

These are the ones where I could say, “Haven’t you watched it yet? How can you call yourself spiritual?”

The Matrix You may well say, “Oh, come on! Starting with The Matrix? We’ve all watched it a million times. Give us something new!” Yes, I know. I also said it many times while checking the spiritual must-see lists of others. But last week, I watched the whole trilogy again because I wanted to find clues about “the loop.” By this, I mean the loop in our minds, which we may call dharma. I was thinking deeply about how I could get my mind out of the worldly plane. I then started to watch the trilogy and realized that The Matrix is about the trinity of mind, body, and soul. The machines could not understand love and therefore the soul, so the movie gives the message that the best way to get out of the worldly plane is through love.

Celestine Prophecy James Redfield’s novel was one of the first books I read in my spiritual awakening days. It is still marvelous, but the movie could have been better I think.

Peaceful Warrior Dan Millman’s marvelous book was adapted into a great movie. It touched many people’s souls, as I have witnessed many times. You have to read the book after watching the movie, though. The book has much more, as you can no doubt imagine.

Conversations with God We all love Neale Donald Walsch, author of the Conversations with God series, and this movie is about his life. It is a good movie.

Interstate 60 For me, this is the best spiritual movie of all time. In my mind, it’s a timeless classic. Yet when I checked other people’s lists on the web, I didn’t find this movie in many of them. It may well be that you still haven’t watched it yet. If not, prepare yourself for a spiritual feast. Even after watching it 30 times, like I have, you can still find many messages. Believe me when I say you can watch it many times over without ever getting bored of it.

What the #$*! Do We Know? This early spiritual documentary was labeled as talking heads (i.e., many experts coming together and talking about something). Quantum physics meets with spirituality and good drama in what is still a must-see documentary.

The Secret Ah! The Secret. We can still argue that it represents the law of attraction, but it is still a great documentary. It gave rise to the term “secret-like” when describing spiritual documentaries. Nowadays, when you mention The Secret, many people deride it, but it has still a special place in my heart.

Fight Club “The first rule of fight club is you do not talk about fight club.” Okay, I won’t, but I had to put it on the list.

Avatar If I feel like an avatar living on Earth, being controlled by someone’s conscious in another place, it is because of this great movie. I had to watch it again.

Groundhog Day A funny, classic movie about being stuck in a time loop. No doubt you have seen it already.

Baraka – Samsara Movies without words but with many deep meanings. Many years of work went into Ron Fricke’s movies, which are not just spiritual classics but also works of art.  

Lesser-Known Movies

These great movies are adored by many, but maybe you haven’t heard of some of them

Nossolar Do you want to know how the afterlife is? Based on the channelings of Chico Xavier, Nossolar is a great Brazilian movie about the afterlife.  

Bab’aziz This is the most beautiful movie about Sufism ever made. Nacer Khemir’s work is outstanding, and you can feel this great movie fill your soul. The soundtrack is also magnificent.  

Chaotica Ana This is one of the best movies about reincarnation and the goddess. Ana, a Spanish art student, meets Said in Madrid and they fall in love. After Said disappears, Ana starts to undertake hypnotherapy and finds out she has lived many past lives. You can find out the rest in the movie…  

The Man from Earth This very beautiful classic movie starts with a boring discussion between six university professors and turns into a great dialogue when one of them confesses that he is 14,000 years old. Still not watched it yet?  

Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring You cannot forget this movie, even after many years. Korean director Kim Ki-Duk uses the symbolism of the passing seasons to tell this story of a young Buddhist monk’s evolution from innocence to love, evil to enlightenment, and ultimately to rebirth. Please watch it in HD on a big screen please. It is a Buddhist poem conveyed through cinema.  

Powder IMDb describes it as follows: “An off-the-charts genius who is home schooled and shunned after his last relative dies shows the unconscious residents of his town about connection awareness and the generosity of the spirit.” It’s the story of an albino boy with psychic powers. It is a classic, and I will never forget the scene with the hunter and deer.  

Defending Your Life This movie is also about the afterlife, but its story is told in a much funnier way. It is about love, karma, and rebirth. You will remember this movie from the scenes of a Japanese restaurant in Heaven.  

Serendipity A romantic movie about love and coincidence starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.  

Sliding Doors Just one door staying open can change your life in this Gwyneth Paltrow classic.  

Little-Known Movies

If you’re saying, “Come on, we all know these movies. Give us something new!” Okay, here you go.

Valley of Flowers IMDBsays, “A great Asian love story, an unforgettable tale about passion, death and reincarnation. A mesmerizing Himalayan epic that spans two centuries, from the Silk Route of the early 19th century to the bustling metropolis of modern-day Tokyo.” It’s the most passionate story about soulmates ever made, and the love of Jalan and Ushna will take your breath away.

Looking for Muhyiddin A man (played by filmmaker Nacer Khemir, who also directed Bab’aziz) returns home to Tunisia to bury his mother. Following the burial, his father gives him an amana to take to a Sheikh named Muhyiddin. The man immediately sets out on an epic journey to find the long-lost Sheikh and deliver the amana to him. Throughout his journey, he is guided by a mysterious spiritual master and many friends of the Sheikh who he encounters along the way. As the adventure unfolds, we learn about the rich life of this Sheikh and his uncompromising love for humanity, for under his teachings, different beliefs, faiths, and ways of life can only converge and become one. The more we learn about the Sheikh Muhyiddin, the more we understand why he is so venerated across cultures and continents. Looking for Muhyiddin is a deeply lyrical odyssey into the soul of Islam through the life and the works of one of its most beloved mystics: Ibn Arabi. This is one of the best Sufi movies you will ever watch.

Happenstance Everyone knows Amelie, but did you ever hear about this other movie with Audrey Tatou. It is about coincidence and chaos theory, possibly the best one on the subject.

Un Buda IMDb says, “Un Buda follows two brothers orphaned as children when their parents were taken by the military during the ‘Dirty Wars’ of the 1970s in Argentina. Tomas is now a drifting and withdrawn young man who experiments with ascetic practices and has an instinctive compassion for others. His older brother Rafael is a university philosophy professor, detached and alone. Their struggles with each other and the world around them in Buenos Aires take a dramatic turn when they find themselves at a rural Zen center.” It’s a great spiritual movie from Argentina

Now and Forever If you want to watch an unforgettable spiritual love story, do not miss out on this one. I watched it many years ago, but some scenes still stick in my mind. IMDb summarizes it like this: “Against a backdrop of clashing cultures, John Myron and Angela Wilson find each other and over the years form a powerful bond. One tragic night, John rescues Angela from a wicked act of betrayal. Faced with its aftermath, Angela flees town, unaware that she has put into motion a dramatic and intense string of events that will forever change the course of their lives. Harboring a secret, John guides Angela to a shocking realization that will uncover the past. Now & Forever is a dramatic contemporary love story combining elements of spirituality, heart and integrity. They say sooner or later all love stories will end; Now & Forever is the exception...”  

An… This Greek movie is so special for me. We watch a choice and then the consequences in parallel universes. Demetris is a handsome man with a dog. One night while out with his dog, he meets Christina. In the alternate universe, he doesn’t go out with his dog, so he doesn’t meet Christina. We watch both sides of this simple choice. But fate says, if you are destined to meet someone, you will meet him or her whatever. Why is this movie so special for me? In one great scene, Demetris and Christina sit with a coffee and share love. I later found this coffee when I visited Athens and sat with my own love. I will never forget either that experience or this magnificent movie.  

Storm If you loved The Matrix, watch this Swedish version. It starts similarly when a man meets a mysterious woman with an evil man chasing her. The story then turns in a different direction. Please just find it and watch it.  

Ink Ink, a mysterious creature, steals a child's soul with the aim of using it as a bargaining chip to join the Incubi, a group of supernatural beings responsible for creating nightmares. It may seem like a horror movie, but it’s not. The less you know about it, the more you will enjoy it.   I know many other movies could be added to this list, but this is just a selection to start you off. There are also many spiritual documentaries, but I will share a list of these in our next issue… Read the full article

[amphitritie]

MYTHOLOGY MASTERPOST

In response to an ask, I’ve compiled this masterpost of mythology resources. It’s by no means comprehensive, as myth is an extremely broad subject, and I’ve mainly focused on Greco-Roman mythology. I’ve tried to include a range of websites alongside books and original sources, so you can get by without spending anything. The upside to Classics being a kinda dusty subject is you can find so many texts online for free!

THE ESSENTIALS

If you’re just starting to get interested in mythology then it can be pretty daunting & it’s hard to know where to start. So, to help, here’s some recommendations for websites/texts that lay out the information without assuming any previous knowledge

theoi.com is an absolutely brilliant resource for anyone interested in mythology. It is stunningly comprehensive, with information on every god, goddess, nymph, monster and hero appearing in Greek mythology! Every entry has so much well researched information about the god and stories they appear in, and even includes excerpts from the original sources.

There are, of course, countless books dedicated to telling, or retelling, myths, and everyone seems to have their favourite. Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes by Edith Hamilton is a popular one, and is really good at telling the stories without dumbing them down, and I really like the way Hamilton writes too. It also has some bonus Norse mythology at the end! 

Alternatively, Robert Graves’ The Greek Myths is also really good, and very comprehensive, although fairly hefty at about 800 pages. 

Stephen Fry recently released his own retelling of the myths, entitled Mythos, which I really need to get around to reading. It’s a bit of a random selection of myths, but includes quite a few of the LGBT ones from what I’ve seen. You can also pick up an audiobook of him reading it – if you grew up listening to him narrate the Harry Potter books, I would definitely recommend this.

INTERMEDIATE

If you enjoyed those, and want to learn more about ancient mythology, I would really recommend then starting to delve into the original source material.

Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a pretty good place to start. It’s a collection of over 250 stories from creation to Julius Caesar, all linked by the theme of transformation, but it’s fairly easy to dip in and out of – think of it kind of like a short story anthology. Here is the entire work online for free, and I also found another site here which is Dryden’s translation - a little more old fashioned but closer to the poetic style, so it just depends what you prefer. If you wanted to buy

Apollodorus’ Bibliotheca is another great ancient compendium of myths. It covers the gods taking over from the titans, Hercules’ labours, and finishes at the Trojan War. Which brings me to…

Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. With 24 books each, Homer’s epic poems can look pretty intimidating. But I would really, really recommend reading them. There are a myriad of different translations, which I will get into later, but to start off I would suggest either Fagles or Lattimore. I found full texts of both online, here and here although I'm not sure what translations they are.

EXTRA RECOMMENDATIONS

At this point I got a bit carried away. If you’re scrolling through this thinking you’ve already read a lot of these, here’s some extras.

I love the Homeric Hymns. Anddd I found a website here which has all the hymns – and displays with the original Ancient Greek and English translation side by side, which is really handy if you, like me, are attempting to learn Ancient Greece.

If you feel like you’re used to all the weirdness of Greek myths, boy have I got news for you. Ancient Egyptian myths make Pasiphae look tame. Try reading a very serious story about a god jizzing into a rival god’s salad in order to become king. If that sounds interesting: get help! Just kidding, read this book: The Complete Gods and Goddesses of Ancient Egypt by Richard Wilkinson. It’s very comprehensive, and also has lots of fantastic illustrations.

If you want an original source to read for the Egyptian myths, I’d suggest The Egyptian Book of the Dead, translated by Raymond Faulkner and Ogden Goelet

Kevin Crossley-Holland’s The Penguin Book of Norse Myths: Gods of the Vikings is another good introductory book to another set of myths, this time Norse. He’s a novelist in his own right (anyone else read The Seeing Stone?) and this comes across clearly in the ways he tells the stories.

TRANSLATIONS

Please bear in mind that there are lots of different translations of ancient texts. I am not an authority in which one is best, and there isn’t a simple answer in any case, but I made my above suggestions based on either what I’ve personally read, or a translation I’ve heard good things about. That said, if you are interested in translation theory pls send me a message and we can yell about it together then here’s a few more recommendations.

Above, I recommended Lattimore or Fagles as a good starting point for Homer. If you don’t know which to pick, as a very broad generalisation Lattimore’s is more like poetry, and Fagles’ reads more like prose. (I may get people who disagree. Everyone has an opinion on translations.) Lattimore stuck to the original daxylyctic hexameter of the Ancient Greek text and, perhaps most impressively, stuck to the same line count as Homer. Fagles is more readable, but perhaps loses something in this. I honestly haven’t decided which I prefer yet. But for a first read of Homer, I would definitelty recommend one of these two – it just depends whether you are reading more for the poetry or for the story.* Robert Fitzgerald’s translation of the Iliad is also very popular, although it’s far looser a translation than the above two. This makes it kind of easier to read, but I personally think it’s a bit too loose to be perfectly honest.

Alexander Pope’s translation is a much earlier translation, published in 1720, and the language shows. However his translation is brilliant at conveying the drama and grandeur of Homer’s work.

There was a lot of excitement on Tumblr at announcement of Emily Wilson becoming the first woman to translate Homer’s Odyssey into English. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet (and I want to so badd) but from the excerpts I’ve seen and all the interviews and articles I’ve read it looks absolutely stunning. Please read this.

There is a super handy Wikipedia page which shows the first few lines of the Iliad/Odyssey as translated by every English translator ever. It makes for super interesting reading, but can also help you choose one to read that appeals to you!

For other texts: I’m currently studying The Aeneid using David West’s translation, Medea and Hippolytus as translated by Edith Hall, and Bernard Knox’s translation of Oedipus the King and Antigone. I’ve been enjoying all of these. If you’ve been following me a while, you’ll know I’m a big fan of Anne Carson. She translated Sappho, and some tragedies as well. Her translations focus more on conveying the poetry or feelings behind the words rather than an exact translation of the words themselves, which makes for electrifying reading if you’re used to perhaps more staid translations. Antigonick was a particular favourite of mine, probably because I knew the play so well so I was able to really appreciate the changes and decisions she made, although it was more an intepretation than a translation. This difference, as brilliant as it is, is why I would, however, suggest you read other translations first before attempting Carson.

I hope this was helpful! A second masterpost focusing on more general Classics resources will be coming soon.

#tagamemnon #masterpost #mythology #Greek Mythology #classics #tsoa #hellenism #yall this took me so long #but now i need sleep #mine #soz for dumping this in the tsoa tag ill take it out later i want Recognition

[roodle-things]

Fandom Page (Update 10/22/2021)

So I know some people have not been able to see my fandom page for tech reasons, so I’ve decided to just make a post that lists all of them! If you don't see what you’re into on here you can still ask me!

Added links so you guys can see what I've done already!

This list isn’t necessarily stuff that I will 100% make for but rather stuff that I have been interested in at some point in my life. If you don’t see something on here that does not mean I won’t do it. If you do see something on here I might not do it based on what character it is for ex. 

Bold means it’s newly added 

Bold means the status has changed

:/ means bc of recent news i don’t like it anymore lol

Anime

Aggretsuko - havent seen s2

Bleach - only interested in minor characters

Eyeshield 21 - only interested in minor characters

One Piece - Never watched/read but I know everything

Fullmetal Alchemist 03 - never finished/dont prefer it 

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Hello Kitty/Sanrio

Hellsing Ultimate 

One Punch Man - not caught up/ not planning on it

Ouran Highschool Host Club - Gonna rewatch

Please Tell Me! Galko-chan

Pop Team Epic - not caught up 

Puella Magi Madoka Magica - haven't seen in years

Vocaloid

Books

Fairy Tales

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, planning on reading CO series soon 

I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream - Short Story/Game

May Bird Series

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children - Gonna reread

Percy Jackson and the Olympians 

Heroes of Olympus

The Kane Chronicles - Gonna reread

Cartoons

Adventure Time

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Ben 10/Alien Force/Ultimate Alien

Bob’s Burgers - not caught up/ not planning on it

Courage the Cowardly Dog - nostalgia

Ever After High - nostalgia

Gravity Falls

Hilda

Kid’s Next Door - nostalgia

Legend of Korra

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir - not caught up/not planning on it

Monster High - nostalgia

Over the Garden Wall

Powerpuff Girls - nostalgia

Rick and Morty - not caught up/not planning on it

RWBY - not caught up

Scooby Doo

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Star vs. The Forces of Evil - not caught up/not planning on it

Strawberry Shortcake - nostalgia

Steven Universe - not caught up/not planning on it

Storm Hawks

The Dragon Prince - caught up to season 2, not watching s3 till show continues coming out

Trollhunters - not into the other shows

WordGirl - nostalgia

Comics

DC Comics - more into the Batman universe

Marvel - kind of into

Games

Among Us

Animal Crossing: New Leaf/Happy Home Designer/Pocket Camp/New Horizons

Apex Legends- haven’t played the quests/lore stuff yet

Bendy and the Ink Machine

Cookie Run: Ovenbreak/Cookie Wars

Cozy Grove

Cube Escape/Rusty Lake

Cuphead: Don’t Deal with the Devil

Dead by Daylight

Doki Doki Literature Club

Dream Daddy

Firewatch

Five Nights at Freddy’s 

Ghost Trick

Gris

Hatoful Boyfriend

Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Life is Strange/Before the Storm/Farewell 

Little Nightmares

Neko Atsume

Night in the Woods

Overwatch

Ooblets

Oxenfree

Pokemon - games, anime, most movies included!

Poptropica

Slime Rancher

Smile For Me

Speed Dating for Ghosts

Spiritfarer

Stardew Valley

Super Mario Bros. - Completed Odyssey and LM3

The Amazing Adventures of Captain Spirit

The Arcana - not caught up/not planning on it

Undertale - not caught up/not planning on it

What Remains of Edith Finch

Where the Water Tastes Like Wine

Yearwalk

Movies

DC - Only seen Wonder Woman 1/Birds of Prey/New Suicide Squad

Disney Animated Movies/Channel

Don Bluth Movies - ask me which

Dreamworks - ask me which

Harry Potter - :/

Heathers + musical

Laika Films -  ask me which

Les Miserables

Mad Max: Fury Road

MCU - hate it nowadays :/

Over the Moon

Pixar Animated Movies -  ask me which

Star Wars - movies/EU/semi-clone wars + rebels + mando (not caught up on clone wars/not planning on watching rebels)

Musicals

Hamilton

Legally Blonde

Wicked

Other Stuff

American Girl Doll

LGBT+

Holidays/Seasons

Podcasts

Alice Isn’t Dead

The Adventure Zone - Halfway through Amnesty/not continuing 

The Magnus Archives - never listened but know everything

TV Shows

American Gods - not caught up/not planning on it

A Series of Unfortunate Events - not caught up

Game of Thrones - oof

Lucifer - not caught up

Mindhunter

Preacher - not caught up/not planning on it 

Queer Eye

Stranger Things

The Haunting of Hill House/Bly Manor/Midnight Mass

Web Series

Nyan Neko Sugar Girls

The Most Popular Girls in School - not caught up/not planning on it

Slenderverse: Watched MH/EMH/TT, but :/ on TT 

Villainous - not caught up/not planning on it

#roodle speaks #fandom page

[lattemorningwritings]

fifth meeting (first half)

Sitting on the bed in his five-hundred-square-foot apartment, Auden flipped yet another page of The Odyssey by Homer.  On his small bedside table was a cup of coffee and plate of orange slices glowing in the early afternoon sunlight.  

He had been reading since waking up at eight o’clock and had even eaten his lunch of pasta whilst bent over the book.  The bed had never been accompanied this long before, the comforter, blanket, and pillows wrinkled from the constant shifting of his body through the hours.  

As he plucked an orange slice, he leaned toward the table without letting his eyes move off the words he was reading.  He bit into it, savoring the sweet juice that surprised his taste buds.  Another page was turned.  “Poor guy,” he grinned to himself.  Suddenly, Auden glanced up at the wooden clock hanging on the wall facing him - it was two-twenty.  “It’s only been two hours?” he said as he remembered how leisurely slow lunchtime had went.  He had never read an Epic Greek poem before and trying to comprehend the prose - with its long, lyrical descriptions and numerous mythical references - had taken so much of his concentration that his pasta had even gone cold.  Apparently, he was still struggling.  How long does it take her to read these things? he suddenly wondered.  An eruption of embarrassment took him off guard then.  Here he was - the guy who had stolen just about every piece of literature the girl needed just to further irk her the way she had irked him - reading those same pieces with so much more enthusiasm than he could’ve ever predicted; in the comfort of his home and under the soft touch of light, a plate of sweet oranges that seemed to surround him in its aroma, reading a book that was as adventurous as any video game he’d ever played, Auden couldn’t deny the amount of happiness he was feeling in this moment.     

Even though the book he was reading was the only one he’d touch today, from the pile he had taken home it was certainly not the first.  Two days after meeting Giverny, he kept finding himself gazing boringly at the numerous novels stacked on his kitchen counter.  Perhaps it was inevitable that he would walk over with the caution of a burglar, trace a finger over the different titles and then pick one up from the top of the stack.  What he couldn’t have predicted was the amount of interest that would burst through his mind as he began reading through the books.  The Odyssey was, so far, his seventh book from the twenty-one he had taken and the third one from the collection of classic literature.  “I haven’t read like this for a long time,” he murmured as he began a new chapter.  As he popped his legs out from underneath him to stretch, he looked up at the remaining books still on the counter and caught a glance at the streams of dust trailing toward them along pale sun rays.  It enchanted him.  

By the time the clock changed to four-ten, Auden was only a hundred-and-fifty pages away from the end.  However, he couldn’t push away the fact that his eyelids had become heavier.  “But I need to finish this book,” he mumbled as a hand swept across his eyes.  With his head slightly turned, he saw his coffee cup.  Why don’t I take a trip to the café?

And then he thought, maybe I’ll see her.

It sped across his mind so quickly, he didn’t even have time to be surprised.

Arriving at the library by five-thirty, Auden got out of the car and was met by the beginning of a sunset - the soft orange and yellow of sky behind a sun that seemed to be growing larger and brighter as its end drew near.  

The library’s atmosphere was immediately touching when he walked in.  As expected, there weren’t many visitors to be seen.  The lines of books stood quietly in their places beneath the warm glow of both the overhead lights and sun, jazz music crooned gently above, and the shuffling of shoes could be heard from hidden figures behind bookshelves.  

He strolled toward the café with The Odyssey tucked under an arm.  Surrounded by windows, the remaining sunlight shone through much of the space like a child trying to get the attention of her mother; he had to squint his eyes when looking around for a seat.  Besides him there were four tables occupied by students and their typing, scribbling of notes, and chatting brought life into the room.  “What can I get for you?” asked the barista.

“An iced hazelnut cappuccino, please.”

Turning around as he waited, he scanned aimlessly the faces dispersed across the tables.  Despite the sun’s glare, the lights above were bright and warm enough that he could distinguish slightly the features of each person.  As his eyes moved here and there, Auden could hear two female voices talking to his right.

“Are you serious…”

“Isn’t it strange…”

“Wait, you guys saw each…”

His ears perked up.  I know one of those voices, he realized.  Spinning his head around, he saw in the corner two women sitting at a table - one’s face he could see, one he could not.  The women facing him he did not recognize.  Knowing this, Auden moved his attention to the person whose back was facing him.  Her brown hair was tied into a messy bun, a green sweater of some kind blended with the glowing orange of the sunset, and her voice…

“Here’s your cappuccino.”

The words spun him back around and he took his much-desired coffee.  Immediately, his lips closed over the straw and when he took a sip, the gratification made him feel as bright as the sun rays behind him.  Awake again with a new burst of life, Auden searched for a place to sit.  He ambled around the center of the room for a little bit, wondering if he should just plant himself here, if he should forget about the strangeness in the woman’s voice and get on with his book.  But, when he took a seat in front of the windows, he instantly stood back up.  Then, he turned around and walked toward an empty table in the corner right beside the two strangers.  He sat down in the chair facing the rest of the café.  Facing her.

“Giverny?” asked her friend.

She had seen him the moment he turned around to sit, had seen his iced coffee, his blonde hair shining in the last of the sunlight, and above all, the book tucked in his arm.  When he lifted up his head, she realized that he had chosen that spot because he somehow learned that she was sitting here.  He was staring at her as intently as she was at him, but while she knew the look in her eyes was one of shock, the expression she saw on his face was something she’d never seen before: a soft, boyish smile.  As if he was glad to see her.

Before she could do anything, he pulled his olive green eyes away from her and onto the book.  “Giverny,” her friend sang with big, confused eyes.  She looked back.  “Sorry, Irene.”  

“You looked like you saw a ghost,” she said.

“I did?”

“Yeah, your eyes grew and grew like they couldn’t believe what they were seeing.  I think your face even turned pale.”  Giverny let out a laugh.  

“You and your exaggerating.”

“I’m only telling you what I saw,” she replied, her eyebrows creased and lips pouted from feeling perplexed at her friend’s words.  A glance Giverny stole at him.  When her eyes slid down toward the book, they widened at the amount of pages that had been read.  With a head spinning in so many thoughts, she attempted to focus back on her friend.

After an hour of going over notes, Irene had to head back home.  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” they both said to one another, jolly smiles on the faces of close friends.  Giverny waved good-bye as she walked further and further away and didn’t turn back around until she had disappeared past the front doors.  

In a swift turn, she found herself facing him again.  But, he was looking at the book.  With a pout and slitted eyes that expressed suspicion, she looked at him until deciding to do something more: she slid into the seat opposite him.  Auden’s head shot up.  

“Yo,” she said.  Confused, repetitive blinks were given back to her.  “I didn’t know you said things like yo,” he smirked.  Her eyes widened in shock.  The smirk pulling at his lips was unlike the other ones before; it was quite pleasant to look at.  Suddenly, a surge of heat raced up inside to settle on her cheeks, causing her to glance down at a slit of sunlight resting on the table.

Auden didn’t notice.  As her eyes slid away, he straightened up, crossed his arms on the table and looked back at his place in the book.  When she heard the turning of a page, Giverny raised her head.  

And her cheeks turned rosier.

#library #fiction #writing #writers on tumblr #short story

[daydreamer0078]

10 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time You Must Watch

10 Best Sci-Fi Movies of All Time You Must Watch

Space, Future, Technology, Apocalpyse. These all come to the Scifi genre. Every movie lover likes a particular genre. Some people like action thrillers, some people like rom-coms, some special people like the SciFi genre. Scifi genre has a special place for every movie lover even if they like other genre. Perhaps, it's because of complexity that SciFi movies have. Sometimes, we may not understand what we are watching. Suppose, let's take Inception movie. A lot of people in their first watch didn't understand what they are seeing. But, when you start perceiving the film, you're gonna go into a different world. That's called SCI-FI. Sometimes, we want to experience how the future could be. We want to know how technology is gonna explore in the future and we want to know how space looks like and how it works. That's why we all have sci-fi movies. Scifi movies give us an opportunity to go into a different new world and experience for 2 hours. Scifi is always special and let's discuss what are the best SciFi movies you must watch if you haven't seen.   2001: A Space Odyssey - 1968

2001 A Space Odyssey is one of the old space sci-fi movies that represents the epic adventure in the space. The movie was released in the year 1968 which is too old. But, still it is one of the greatest SciFi films you have to watch.  Keir Dullea did a phenomenal performance in this film and well-directed by Stanley Kubrick. The Climax is very ambiguous that has several meanings to the film. You may need to adjust with the quality of the movie. But, still a great watch :) IMDb Rating: 8.3/10 Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, and more.. Plot: After discovering mysterious remnants underneath the lunar surface, humanity sets off on a quest to find the origins with the help of artificial intelligence. WATCH NOW   Blade Runner - 1982

Blade Runner 1982 was released in 1982 with a new great future concept. It is one of the well-made sci-fi movies of all time. The movie depicts the future and blows our minds with the concept of the movie. Recently, this movie has got a sequel in 2017 as Blade Runner 2049. The sequel has received positive reviews from people liking the movie. However, this is the first scifi movie that introduced how future could be. We may not recognize the difference b/w humans and robots ( known as replicants ) in the future. These kinds of movies still scare us that the world would completely be controlled by artificial intelligence eliminating the freedom for humanity. Although, if you haven't watched this epic sci-fi film, watch this film right away. IMDb Rating: 8.1/10 Cast: Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and more. Plot: A man who is an ex- retired officer assigned to work again known as ( blade runner ) to track down four replicants ( robots ). WATCH NOW   Back to the Future Series - 1985- 1990

Back to the Future Trilogy is one of the greatest SciFi movies released in 1985. I guess this is the first sci-fi movie has made in the cinema world. In 1985, this trilogy had an immense impact on cinema, and people have watched this film curiously to know the specialty. I think this movie is also the first time movie that introduced the concept of time travel. Many time-travel movies may come and go but, this series is a masterpiece classic that have a separate fan base. Even I'm a huge fan of this series as a sci-fi movie lover. I've enjoyed the whole trilogy with twists, comedy, thrilling, and eagerness to watch what happens next. Though, If you're still haven't watched this fantastic series, Don't call yourself as a sci-fi movie lover. You will understand why I'm saying this after you finishing the trilogy. IMDb Rating: 8.5/10 Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, and more. Plot: Marty Mcfly, high school students accidentally sent back to 30 years back in time travel machine invented by his old friend Doc. The trilogy is about how he confronts the consequences and corrects them for a better future. WATCH NOW   The Matrix - 1999

The Matrix is one of the greatest Scifi movies released in 1999. But still, it stands out one of the best Scifi movies you can watch right now. I think, a lot of people ignoring this excellent movie saying it is an old movie released in 1999. But believe me guys, you should watch this film if you haven't looked at this yet. Keanu Reeves has done a fantastic performance along with Lana Wachowski and others. In 1999, this movie made a huge impact on movie lovers and has a separate fan base for this series. IMDb Rating: 8.7/10 Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and more.. Plot: The matrix is about "A computer hacker learns mysterious rebels about the true nature of his reality and he fights many enemies to set humanity free. WATCH NOW   Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 2004

Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind is one of best romantic Scifi movies made in 2004. If you're both rom-com and sci-fi movie lover, this film is perfect choice for you to watch it right away. The film has a unique concept that will remain in our minds for a long time. Especially, the way Michel Gondry brought to the climax is extraordinary. You'll never expect how the ending would be. I was amazed with the climax and screenplay narrated by him. I think this is the first sci-fi movie that I have watched and loved the genre. Don't miss this beautiful Scifi movie. IMDb Rating: 8.3/10 Cast: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Tom Wilkinson, and more.. Plot: When a couple decides to end their relationship, they undergo a medical method that allows erasing both each other memories from their brain. WATCH NOW   Avatar - 2008

Of course, Everyone knows Avatar film. But, still few people haven't watched this epic sci-fi film. Avatar was released in 2008 directed by one of the creative directors - James Cameron. He is best known or his works- Terminator and Avatar. Avatar had made a huge impact on box office numbers shattering all records and made the top 1 film on the list. Of course, Avengers Endgame recently has overtaken this great film which had remained the top 1 movie for 10 years. So, you can understand the greatness of the movie. James Cameron currently working on Avatar 2 and Avatar 3 as well. Avatar movie is well known for the visual effects produced by Cameron and how he introduced a new experience to the audience. This is the greatest achievement for James Cameron producing this epic film and bringing to people in 2008 where there are low technological resources. Though, if you haven't watched this epic sci-fi film. What the heck are you doing then? IMDb Rating: 7.8/10 Cast: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and more. Plot: A disabled Marine dispatched to Pandora planet on a mission. Apparently, he feels pandora as his home and becomes conflict b/w humans and pandore species. WATCH NOW   Inception - 2010

Inception is also one of the greatest sci-fi movies made by Christopher Nolan. Just like he did with interstellar, he killed this movie with his unique concept. This movie has a separate fan base and admires Christopher Nolan for his brilliant work in this film. It's because of the reason that it has distinctive concept that you didn't see in any other movie. Leonardo DiCaprio did a phenomenal performance and other major roles did the same. If you're looking for a really different sci-fi film. You're highly recommended to watch this excellent movie. IMDb Rating: 8.8/10 Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, and more.. Plot: Inception movie is about A thief who steals secrets through dream-sharing technology is given the task of inserting an idea into CEO'S mind for business purposes. WATCH NOW   SnowPiercer - 2013

SnowPiercer is also one of the greatest sci-fi films directed by one of the greatest visionary directors - Boon Joon hoo who is well known for Parasite. The movie sets in post-apocalypse depict the politics and discrimination between the humans. I was amazed and thrilled while I was watching with the ambiguous climax. I thought Boon Joon hoo decided to put that ending referring to the early story in the bible. However, if you haven't watched this fantastic post-apocalyptic sci-fi film. Watch this film right away. Chris Evans did a great role in this film which is completely different from Captain America we've seen in Marvel. Ps. Despite of negative reviews, this film is so good that you can watch it. Don't know what's wrong with the reviewers. IMDb Rating: 7.1/10 Cast: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, and more.. Plot: In the post-apocalyptic future, the lucky humans who boarded the train that travels around the globe emerge class groups. WATCH NOW   Her - 2013

Her is one of the best Scifi movies made in 2013 depicts the role of artificial intelligence in the future and how it could destroy the nature of humanity. Joaquin Phoenix did a fantastic performance in this film. Her movie tells us how artificial intelligence influences relationships in the future and how it works. It is one of the unique and well-made sci-fi movies you should watch if you haven't seen yet. Spike Jonze, the director of this movie perfectly represented and narrated the storyline to the audience. IMDb Rating: 8.0/10 Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, and more. Plot: In the future, a writer develops a relationship with artificial intelligence. WATCH NOW   Interstellar - 2014

Interstellar is one of the best sci-fi movies that has made in Hollywood. It is directed by one of the greatest directors - Christopher Nolan. He is very well known for scifi genre movies. Lot of scifi movie lovers admire and adore his work. Personally me, he is one of my favorite directors. He is one of the best directors in Hollywood who have not won oscar yet. The specialty about movie is the way he represents time, space, and relativity concept. Matthew McConaughey had done an excellent job with other leading roles. You may not comprehend what you're watching for the first time. But, once you start grasping the film, you're gonna enjoy the whole movie. It's one of my favorite sci-fi movies. If you're a sci-fi movie lover, I would highly recommend you to watch this. IMDb Rating: 8.6/10 Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and more.. Plot: Interstellar is about a team of astronauts travel through a wormhole to explore the survivability of mankind on earth. WATCH NOW  

Honorable Mentions for Best Scifi Movies :

The Martian  Gravity Mad Max: Fury Road Arrival Blade Runner 2049 Annihilation Source Code Although, these are the best scifi movies you can watch and enjoy. Let me know what is your opinion and your favorite movie. You can drop down your suggestions if you would like to. If you're looking for the best thriller movies :  10 Best Thriller Movies of All Time You Must Watch if you haven’t watched some best 2019 films and want to finish them. Check out : 10 Best Movies in 2019 that You Must Watch If You Haven’t Seen If you're looking for Netflix series : 10 Best Netflix Series of All Time  If you love the genre of action and adventures : 5 Best Action Movies and Franchises of All Time You Must Watch I think this is the perfect time for you to start MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE : MCU Timeline – Watch Every Marvel Movie in Order Read the full article

#actionbestsci-fimovies #alienmoviesonnetflix #best90sscifimovies #bestmodernscifimovies #bestmoviesonnetflix #bestofscifimovies #bestscifimovies2017 #bestscifimovies2019 #bestscifimovies90s #bestscifimoviesalltime #bestscifimoviesdecade #bestscifimoviesever #bestscifimoviesinspace #bestscifimovieslist #bestscifimoviesofthedecade #bestscifimoviesonamazonprime #bestscifimoviesrecent #bestscifimoviestostream #bestscifimoviesnew #bestscitimoviesrecent #bestsci-fimovies #bestsci-fimovies2010to2020 #bestsci-fimovies2010s #bestsci-fimovies2020 #bestsci-fimoviesimdb #bestsci-fimoviesonnetflix #bestsci-fimoviesonnetflixandamazonprime #bestsci-fimoviesonnetflixandhulu #bestsci-fimoviesonnetflixjanuary2020 #bestsci-fionamazonprime

[bloodtreachery]

Everything Repeats

Part 1 of Three: The Initial First Step

Fandom: Etrian Odyssey

Words: 678

Two siblings debate their futures.

A/N: TIME FOR OC BULLSHIT EO FANDOM DID YOU MISS ME “no” alright then. Enjoy this ig also the last thing of art I posted is of them

“Hey Ella…why are we even doing this…? I mean, all of these notes this late at night…?”

“Really, Dren!? You’re asking me this now!?”

Two siblings sit together, reading newspapers and logs by faint candlelight. The older of the two, Ella, pores over every word with intense passion, and the younger, Dren, watches his sister practically lose her mind with a sense of exhausted apathy. When he voiced his opinion, she jolts her head up, her passion flaring heated emotions.

“I mean, you know why!” Ella said, holding up a newspaper covered in notes that were in Dren’s handwriting. “We’ve been reading about these adventurers since we were little, hell that’s why we started our apprenticeships! Dren, don’t you think it’s finally time we go out and join them? Travel to Tharsis, start a guild, and start making our way to the roots of Yggdrasil? You remember, The Epic Esmeralda Dancer and Medic Duo!”

Dren’s eyes dilated when his sister’s words finally sunk into his head. “Ella, are you insane? We haven’t finished our apprenticeships yet! You have another year to go, and me another 3! Besides, mom won’t even let us into the labyrinth for practice! What do you think she’s gonna do when we want to run off to a totally foreign place across the ocean!?”

Despite her brother’s scolding, Ella already had her optimism-filled response at the ready. “They always say that you learn more on the field then you do in any class! Besides, mom’s not gonna know…”

“You’re running away from home!?” Dren said, taking all of his willpower not to shout and wake up everyone else in the crowded building they lived in.

Ella simply smiled. “Not you, we.”

“No, you. There is no way I’m coming with you!” Dren said, taking a deep breath and smacking his cheeks into order to ground himself. “I need to finish my apprenticeship, so even if this exploring stuff doesn’t work I can still work as a doctor...and you need to do the same! So you can y’know, maybe perform in festivals and make people smile without worrying about what’s going to attack you next...it was all a dumb, silly childish dream from the start!”

And for a while, there was silence. Ella just stared at Dren, with no words to say. Dren stared at Ella, not really knowing what he said. Seconds felt like hours, and it seemed like they both had grown a year older by the time Ella spoke again.

“Dren…” she sighed, pouting a little. “I know your apprenticeship made you more responsible n’ stuff… but what would little Drenny say? A kid who always clung to his big sister’s side, someone who said ‘I wanna make a guild and become famous with you, sissy! We’re gonna be the best explorers around!’. Listen to your 10-year-old self for a little bit…”

“My 10 year old self thought that fish jumped into the nets of fishermen because they didn’t want to be eaten by pirates.” Dren snapped in comeback, before taking a minute to think. “But...I also did promise that I’d never leave your side…”

As Dren’s words trailed off into nothing, Ella’s emerald eyes lit up. “So?? Will you come with me??”

For a few moments she did not get a response as her medic brother pondered it over. But as those suspenseful minutes came to a close much faster than the last, Dren nodded his head. “I like to think I’m a man of my word. If nothing else, I’ll make sure you don’t get lost.”

Tackling him in a warm embrace, happy tears welled up in Ella’s eyes. “I knew you would! You just needed a little reminder! I can’t wait!”

Dren patted his sister as they hugged. “Yeah...I guess I did. One question though…”

“Hm? What is it?” Ella asked, wiping her impulsive tears from her eyes.

“Be honest, why do you want to go to Tharsis so bad?”

“Ehe, well that’s easy, Dren! I want to become famous, and go down in history!”

#Etrian Odyssey #flavio writes shit #Ella Esmeralda #Dren Esmeralda #I'll reblog this with the other two parts as I finish em

[zarinaa113]

OPINIONATED!!! 2001: A Space Odyssey

What a film to start out with huh? BTW This is NOT my type of film or the type I plan on regularly reviewing. It'll mostly be family films and musicals. But you never know what the future holds!

I may as well start out with a bang though right?!

This'll be more like a short play-by-play and then overall thoughts. It'll be long though. Sorry.

SPOILERS for those out there who found this yet have not seen the film. If you haven't seen it but want to, return after you have. For those who haven't and don't want to why are you here? Don't read. For those who aren't sure, I'll sum it up here:

Amazing! 8/10! If you have a love of sci-fi and the art of film, a lot of patience and a spare 2 and a half hours then I strongly suggest that you go see this. This film dose have a wonky ending, so if you don’t mind spoilers then read on or go discover the answers somewhere else. If you like surprises then watch a video online explaining the ending after immediately finishing the film. Just saying, one of the weirdest endings that never even gets explained.

If not, scroll on in peace.

My fellow Kubrick-ites, let's get down to business!

ACTION!!!!

Well Kubrick certainly knew how to make iconic shots!!!

I know that he IS Stanley Kubrick and that this IS 2001: A Space Odyssey. But this opining is pretty darn dramatic. Even the word "Odyssey" in the title is really going to the heights of epic. The scenes with the monkeys were done so well. And those actors in the monkey suits were really convincing.

*Insert Planet of the Apes joke* That bone to spaceship shot. LOVE. IT. The epitome of ICONIC!!!

And the getting in sync with the ship scene. LOVE. IT.

I loved hearing all that ballet music! What an interesting choice.

Love how its hard for even the flight attendants to walk in space.

Isn't it funny how back in the 60's they thought we would still be using pay phones just in sleeker designs? Irony.

Dr. Floyd's daughter in the pay-Skype scene is actually Stanley Kubrick's daughter! How cute!

The scene where Dr. Floyd is talking with the Russians on the space station is the modern equivalent of the water hole fight from the monkey days!

Kubrick really wanted to show us how cool space is. The food, weightlessness, etc. It's cool and directors are still doing it to this day, but there was a lot of it.

It's really nice to see a film just take it's time for once. Now a days there's so much quick cutting that things never get to properly build. And it's really, really satisfying when it dose.

One thing the movie got completely right about future technology: Us taking so many gosh darn pictures. No wonder The Monolith started screaming then!

I sense another iconic shot of iconicness!!!

That spaceships in this film are so cool! I love the scene where Dave is jogging on the ship.

Now THAT is how you do your exposition! Have us learn everything we need to know about the Jupiter Mission through a TV interview with the crew. Giving us beautiful shots of the ship throughout!

HAL is so scary. I know he isn't evil, just crazy, but the red eye and his voice are really misleading. It feels like he was originally going to be pure evil but they just made him more sympathetic with editing.

I also love how there isn't much dialogue. Something else modern films are lacking a lack of. That made sense right?

HAL reading their lips is just pure genius!!!

I love how half the time you're just hearing the hum of the ship. It's really immersive.

When HAL kills Frank I appreciated how it was done. (Not the killing. The cinematography.) Slowly so that your tension builds and then three quick close ups of HAL to scare you even more. Now a days, the pod would've had lasers (why would the pod have needed lasers? See? It makes no sense) that shot Frank up in huge explosions.

And I really appreciate how Dave stays calm just like a real astronaut would. He has two moments in the final part where he seems upset but he gets it together really quickly. I'm impressed. Now a days he would have been going through every emotion in the book till the end and it would not have been as satisfying.

I knew it was coming, but I feel bad for HAL. That's just sad.

More iconic shots from the Kubrick!!!

The Monolith strikes back! SO. MUCH. COLOR. I think my mind is gonna blow!!!

This must be the slow downed version of the Dr. Strange magic scene.

This scene is taking forever! I know it was the height of computer effects at the time, but come on!

And here the movie begins to make no sense. He's in a fancy room. Now he's old. Now he's in a fancy bathroom. Now he's eating but he's older. Now he's in bed but he's even older. Now the Monolith is there. Now he's a creepy, glowing probably-not-CGI-but-you-just-can't-be-sure baby in a glowing bubble. Now he's floating above the earth. Now he's looking at the screen. Creeeeeeepyyyyy- Wait that's it?

All in all, an amazing film. 8/10

I can’t really say why I enjoyed it this much. It just feels like an epic film. And it is. Usually that amount of self awareness would just make you annoyed and you’d stop taking it seriously. But here, you get sucked in. And so much of the film has inspired other filmmakers that seeing this gives you an odd nostalgia feeling. It is just great. I wish I could pin point why, but I’m coming up blank. I promise I won’t next time!

However, I felt like it was lacking necessary explanations. They never explained why HAL went mad and they never explain what the deal was with that ending! (To be fair, the book didn't either. No human could come up with a logical explanation for that creepy baby.)

And they didn't need to have the color/trip scene be almost ten minuets long. and they could've shaved off some of the unnecessarily long silent sequences.

But other then that, no complaints. Really. It was amazing.

I loved how science and technology were seen as a positive force. One worth exploring. Sci-fi films now a days don't do that. At least in Interstellar science saved humanity. But Earth was dying and that sucks.

HAL didn't go crazy because of our faulty programming or because he evolved faster then us. He just had to keep a secret and couldn't because he isn't human. We have unnecessary rules and they got in the way and ruined HAL. Science rocks and we need to embrace it.

The acting was great, the music was phenomenal, the set design was iconic as heck. Even though it's been parodied in everything from Star Wars to Star Trek.

Here's somehing that I found funny, the film seemed, even for a film taking place in the distant future, oddly stuck in the times. I am not criticizing the film for this, in fact, I find it endearing. They were not able to conceive of a world without tension between the USA and the USSR. Heck, they still thought there would BE a USSR!! They couldn't even come up with cellphones! I'm not mad, its funny. The job of a film maker is not to predict what future tech might be like, that's what Apple is for. But its weird that some things didn't cross their minds at all. Like, how the roles of PoC's and females might get larger in the next 30 years.

I'm not complaining, just pointing this out and I am not mad about it. Women are only seen very rarely in the beginning of the film and they barely speak. And I did not see one person of any color other then white. And that is OKAY! This film was made in 1968! It broke so many rules, it couldn’t afford to break the gender and color rules. Here is an amazing film and I hope we can just enjoy it for what its done for film. Don't talk about it down there please, do it somewhere else if you feel the need to.

Back to what I was saying in the paragraph on top of the last, I'd like to make a warning to anyone who wants to tell a story in any format. HEED MY WORDS!!! No matter how hard you try, your story will always be a product of your time. You may think that X is compelling and new and it may very well be for the time, but in as near as 30 years, in your own lifetime, dated concepts can still run all thought the story. To try and avoid this, (though its kinda inevitable) or at least not make your story stink of old ways, just try and make your story coherent and the characters compelling. World building will have to come next. Hope that helps you in the long run!

I've just gotta get this last thing off my chest. As a kid, I went through a phase like all kids. One of them was a Mickey and the Three Musketeers phase. A great film. I'm defiantly gonna review it at some point. One of the high points of the film was that it was a musical and that they used the tunes of famous classical music. They wrote lyrics for this iconic music and put them in the film. And they really hold up! To this day, certain classical music pieces make me start singing about how the musketeers are very manly and that we should join their family! The music in the docking sequence is the same as the Mickey and Minnie love song! The musical comparisons only got weirder from there.

Before I saw it, I watched these videos comparing the film to the book. That's how I was able to understand something's better then if I hadn't. If you want, you can watch them right here. I suggest you should:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgmUW2nKyug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCFthN-KRPo

These dudes at Cinefix are my heroes! So please go learn from them!

Hope you enjoyed my endless droning! Carpi Deim!!! 

CUT!!!

#OPINIONATED!!! #2001: A Space Odyssey #Funny #Go Me! #Review #Quotes #Kubrick #Amazing film #Film #Legendary #My writing #Mine #Play by play #Spoilers #By Zarina A113

[josie-wales]

As many of you may recall, I totally suck tail at finishing reading challenges. I have gone bust on every one I’ve attempted the past couple of years.

I’ve fallen behind on my Goodreads challenge for 2018 by 23 books thus far! LOL! I have to laugh to keep from crying!

At least I have a good excuse for failing miserably at the challenges for which I did sign up this year – I’ve been through a LOT of shitty – and amazing – changes lately.

Anyhow, I’m giving POPSUGAR’s 2019 Reading Challenge another shot – I adore the categories!

This coming year, I’ve decided that instead of simply cramming books onto a list to fill category requirements, I’m picking books based on what I want to read anyway.

This beyond brilliant technique will undoubtedly make it easier for me to at least partially complete 2019’s challenge!

A book becoming a movie in 2019…I was so happy when I stumbled across the fact that Nicola Yoon’s The Sun is Also a Star will be adapted for the big screen, releasing May 17, 2019.

I’ve loved this book since simply laying eyes on its cover. From what I’ve heard and read, I shall not be disappointed.

A book that makes me nostalgic…as a child I absolutely adored Laura Ingalls Wilder’s autobiographical Little House series.

I began rereading the books this year and up next is number four in the series, On the Banks of Plum Creek.

I’m thrilled to have begun rereading the Little House books – they truly transport me back into the throes of reading in my grade school’s library.

A book written by a musician…the Red Hot Chili Peppers are among my favorite bands; they’re seemingly ageless – the band members themselves as well as their songs.

As I’ve followed his band since at least middle school, I’ve wanted to read lead singer Anthony Kiedis’ memoir Scar Tissue ever since I stumbled across it a few years ago.

A book I think should be turned into a movie…This is a really tough one for me – I’m such a weirdo about books becoming movies so close to books’ original release dates.

OK, I’ve made an amazing – in my own mind – decision – the graphic novel series, Saga by Brian K. Vaughan is genius and should definitely be adapted into either a TV miniseries or movie.

Currently, I’m poised to read Vol. 7; however, I plan to read Vol. 8  and Vol. 9 as well in 2019. I’ve got to catch up with this amazing series!

A book with at least one million ratings on Goodreads…I had to do some painstaking research – not really – into locating a book fitting this category.

As expected, classics and Harry Potter are the highest rated books on Goodreads. With over two million ratings, George Orwell’s 1984 is my choice!

A book with a plant in the title or on the cover…At first, I thought of doing – attempting – a reread of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, but, since I wasn’t too fond of the book the first time around, I’ve decided to take a different route with this category.

I’ve chosen a book that has been withering away on my TBR list for years, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

A reread of a favorite book…John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men has been special to me since reading it in middle school.

I’ve wanted to reread Steinbeck’s tale for a long time – I want to revisit the feelings the book elicited when I first read it.

A book about a hobby…As a perennial book lover, I was so excited to find out that there are seriously books ABOUT books out there!

Hence my choice to read Book Girl by Sarah Clarkson. Why haven’t I written a book about reading?!

A book I meant to read in 2018…Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is the top book I really wanted to read this year; however, it wasn’t in the cards for 2018.

A book with “pop, “sugar,” or “challenge” in the title…I’m really looking forward to reading the first installment of the Dork Diaries series by Rachel Renee Russell – I have put it on library hold seemingly 5000 times!

So, I’ve decided to read the first two Dork Diaries tales and then read book three,Tales from a Not-So-Talented Pop Star!

A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover…The Secret Lives of Dresses by Erin McKean was gifted to me by a blog swap buddy a couple of years ago and now I have a reason to read it! LOL!

I’ve been curious about it since receiving it and am excited to finally dive between its covers.

A book inspired by mythology, legend, or folklore…I will finally be delving into the first in Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series, The Lightning Thief, in 2019!

In the midst of reading two of Riordan’s other series, the Kane Chronicles and Magnus Chase, I’m looking forward to meeting another of the epic writer’s characters.

A book published posthumously…As much as I loved Michael Crichton’s Jurassic Park, it’s only natural that I should be interested in the author’s posthumously published Dragon Teeth!

What I find so interesting about Dragon Teeth is the fact that it’s not part of the Jurassic Park series. Although its subject matter appears to regard dinosaurs as well, I’m looking forward to a different take on the topic.

A book I’ve seen someone reading on TV or in a movie…Another tough category for me, I decided to go the easy route and choose a popular book discussed on the PBS limited series, The Great American Read!

I’ve never watched The Gilmore Girls, so I felt weird picking a book from Rory’s list. However, I do plan to undertake the reading challenge based on the show, so stay tuned!

Anyhow, I’ve chosen Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White.

Honestly, I can’t remember if I’ve ever read White’s children’s classic! I know the basics of the story, but will be glad to get the full experience of the emotional tale.

A retelling of a classic…I am so damn silly! I totally thought Hunted by Meagan Spooner is a retelling of Snow White! I just discovered that the book is, in fact, a twist on aanother tale as old as time, Beauty and the Beast, making me even more excited to devour it!

While I love a good retelling, especially of a fairy tale, I have never read one based on Beauty and the Beast, so this should be entertaining and different at the very least!

A book with a question in the title…I reread Caroline B. Cooney’s The Face on the Milk Carton this year and imagine my surprise and delight when I found that its sequel,Whatever Happened to Janie?, fits right into this challenge!

A book set on a college or university campus…I was astonished to find that I already want to read a college campus-based book, The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach.

Initially attracted by its cover and title, I’ve wanted to read The Art of Fielding for quite a while!

A book about someone with a superpower…G. Willow Wilson quickly became a favorite author when I was first introduced to her amazing Ms. Marvel series.

I’m thrilled about this category and have elected to read Wilson’s Ms. Marvel, Vol. 5: Super Famous!

A book told from multiple character POVs…I’ve never before been compelled to read Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells…until tonight, November 20.

I’m surprisingly excited about reading Wells’ novel, especially after seeing the cute cover – of course!

A book set in space…Yay for this category! I’ve been about to explode to read Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi wonder, 3001: The Final Odyssey.

I loved the first three books in Clarke’s series and can’t wait to find out how it ends!

A book by two female authors…I received a gorgeous copy of These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner via a now-forgotten-which bookish surprise box.

I’ve read Amie Kaufman’s writing with Jay Kristoff; however, have never read the work that is solely hers…I must do that.

A book with a title that contains “salty,” “sweet,” “bitter,” or “spicy”…I’m mixing it up just a tad for this category – by dropping the ‘y’ in “salty”!

So, I’m going for Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys, which has also been on my TBR list for ages.

A book set in Scandinavia…this pick seems sort of obvious – at least to me! Anyway, I’ve chosen to read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson.

Yet another book already on my TBR list and that I own [YAY], I’ve been really curious about it for a long time.

A book that takes place in a single day…I have only read J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, but, I’ve been curious for a while about the author’s Franny & Zooey.

Clocking in at just over 200 pages, maybe this one-day tale will take a single day to read!

A debut novel…Kara McDowell is the 2019 debut author I plan to read, as her first release, Just For Clicks, looks like it has grand potential to be adorable!

I love that the book gives credence to the wonderful world of blogging, drawing me in even further!

A book published in 2019…Angie Thomas has very quickly become one of my favorite authors.

Her debut novel, the incredibly powerful The Hate U Give resonates with my heart and soul very much, to my initial surprise.

I’ve chosen the sure-to-be-amazing-as-well On the Come Up, also by Thomas to fill this category. On the Come Up releases February 5, 2019.

A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature…While I believe I’d call the serpent Apophis mythological rather than totally imaginary, I’m still going with – another Rick Riordan book – The Serpent’s Shadow, the finale to the Kane Chronicles trilogy.

A book recommended by a celebrity I admire…At first, I was stumped by this category…there honestly aren’t many celebrities I admire anymore and I just don’t keep up with pop culture the way I did in the past.

Luckily, I found a recommendation by Prince Harry’s duchess, Meghan Markle!

Markle suggests reading The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I’ve wanted to read this book for ages, and finally I don’t have an excuse not to do so!

A book with “love” in the title…I am so stoked to read From Twinkle with, Love by Sandhya Menon!

I adored When Dimple Met Rishi, so my expectations are pretty high for this one!

A book featuring an amateur detective…it’s no secret that I’m still in love with Carolyn Keene’s beyond classic Nancy Drew books!

Since it’s so tough to choose which of Nancy’s adventures to read, I’m just going to pull a title out of my proverbial hat! And…I’m going with…The Witch Tree Symbol!

A book about a family…I read what seemed at the time like a TON of Shakespeare throughout high school English classes.

Among my top three favorite plays by the famous writer is King Lear, which follows the tragic saga of the play’s eponymous ruler and his daughters.

I have the full-cast play on Audible and definitely plan to listen to the performance!

A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America…I’ve been really curious about Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi, a Nigerian-American author, ever since its release.

This book seamlessly slides right into the challenge and is a must-read, so no-brainer here!

A book with a zodiac sign or astrology term in the title…After perusing a Goodreads list regarding this topic, I chose Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races.

I’m really excited to have discovered this title on another challenge participant’s list. It’s really so obvious, it’s silly that I blanked on this category!

A book that includes a wedding…I’m finally at number 12 on my library’s waiting list to read Morgan Matson’s Save the Date and I couldn’t be more excited!

I have yet to read Matson’s work, so unless I get to something else by her before my official checkout date, this will [obviously] be my first!

A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter…Francis Scott Fitzgerald, legendary author of The Great Gatsby, is the one whose work I have chosen to be entertained by for this category.

This will be a rare reread for me, as, probably like many of you, I originally read the book as a sophomore in high school.

I vividly remember writing essay after essay about the symbolism and foreshadowing in Fitzgerald’s novel. My study of The Great Gatsby as a teen truly helped to expand my reading horizons.

A ghost story…The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson is a tale with which I am unfamiliar, but have heard of, especially whenever the movie rendition was released.

I absolutely love to scare myself – via safe methods – and I’m excited to get to this one!

A book with a two-word title…The Pearl by John Steinbeck is yet another little, yet powerful, book I was assigned to read in grade school.

At the time of my initial reading of the story, I hated every word. Here’s to hoping that I will be able to appreciate Steinbeck’s work as an adult reader!

A novel based on a true story…Who in the world would have thought Agatha Christie’s mystery classic,  Murder on the Orient Express, was literally inspired by the kidnapping of Charles Lindburgh’s infant son, of which news had broken a few years prior to Christie’s drafting of the novel?

This fact simply blows my mind! I researched a tiny bit and found that the Lindburgh kidnapping was still hot news, more than likely serving as a muse for Christie when she wrote the story

A book revolving around a puzzle or game…A book I read in probably seventh grade, once again, of course, in English class,The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, is one of those tales of yore that completely sticks out in my mind.

My favorite prompt from a past POPSUGAR reading challenge…Because I love a good graphic novel, I’ve chosen to use the 2016 prompt to read one!

I’ve owned – and have been meaning to read – Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening by Marjorie M. Liu forever, so, no more excuses!

A “cli-fi” [climate fiction] book…I honestly rolled the hell out of my eyes when I saw this category, I mean seriously. But, these are the days in which we live – LOL!

I was beyond thrilled to find that Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake falls into this category. As I already have Oryx and Crake on my TBR list, I don’t have to frantically search for a filler book!

A choose-your-own-adventure book…All right – I can’t seem to find a book to fit into this category anywhere, so, stay tuned for this one!

An “own voices” book…I was so thrilled to see that Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is an own voices book!

I’ve been dying to start Han’s trilogy, but I am determined to get to it in 2019!

Read a book during the season in which it is set…I’ve picked another Maggie Stiefvater tale for this category, Shiver, the first in Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy Falls series.

I’ve never read a book revolving around werewolves, so this should be a cool step in a different direction.

A LitRPG book…I really didn’t want to read Ready Player One by Ernest Cline. However, I shall bend for the category and read it!

A book with no chapters/unusual chapter headings/unconventionally numbered chapters…I am totally picking Dune by Frank Herbert for this one!

Two books sharing the same title…I find this category to be very interesting; I never would have dreamed of multiple books sharing titles – that’s something new to think about!

I have chosen to read The Lost World by Michael Crichton as well as The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

A book that has inspired a common phrase or idiom…Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll originated the saying “mad as a hatter”, making this age-old tale, which I have never actually read, fit perfectly here.

A book set in an abbey, cloister, monastery, vicarage, or convent…Since I am not fond of reading full synopses of books, I’m not totally sure that my pick exactly fits into this category; however, the priesthood and the Vatican are involved!

The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough is a novel I’ve wanted to read ever since my mom recommended it to me many years ago – really excited about this one!

And there you have it, people – my proposed list for my self-induced relaxing, laid back attempt at completing POPSUGAR’s 2019 Reading Challenge!

I’m really excited about this year’s challenge categories, as well as about the books I’m seriously hoping – and wanting – to read!

Love, Maggie

Sweet Reads 2019 As many of you may recall, I totally suck tail at finishing reading challenges. I have gone bust on every one I've attempted the past couple of years.

#1984 #2019 reading challenge #3001: the final odyssey #a tree grows in brooklyn #agatha christie #alice&039;s adventures in wonderland #amie kaufman #angie thomas #anthony kiedis #antoine de saint-exupery #arthur c. clarke #betty smith #book girl #brian k. vaughan #caroline b. cooney #carolyn keene #chad harbach #charlotte&039;s web #children of blood and bone #colleen mccullough #divine secrets of the ya-ya sisterhood #dragon teeth #dune #e.b. white #erin mckean #ernest cline #f. scott fitzgerald #frank herbert #franny &amp; zooey #from twinkle with love

[zoematherswrites]

Happy Friday!

This week was a rollERCOASter so I only wrote and edited this blog post last night…but, it is up and here obviously because you are reading it so at least I got it done! Anyways, I really wanted to make another book tag and since I’ve had to read lots of classics lately, and I thought a classic literature tag was the way to go. I hope you enjoy these questions and if you want to do this tag then I tag you! Just make sure you tag me in your post so I can read your answers 🙂

1. Oedipus the King – Pick a Book With An Interesting Family Dynamic

(WARNING: Spoilers for The Mortal Instruments series below)

    Oedipus the King is a Greek tragedy written by Sophocles and follows Oedipus, the king of Thebes, who learns the true origins of his past…and it is a little shocking, to say the least. A family like that but in more current literature is the Morgenstern family from The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Not only do Clary and Jace fall in love and then think they are siblings, but even when they find out they aren’t we still learn that Clary has kissed her brother because he is a sick and twisted demon baby…yeah, interesting isn’t a strong enough word to describe this family.

2. Macbeth – Pick a Book That Bleeds Murder and Betrayal 

(WARNING: Spoilers for the Harry Potter series below)

    Macbeth is the well-known Shakespeare play that follows a man (Macbeth) who becomes king after killing the king…and then is basically driven mad with an unquenchable thirst for power. A book with a similar plotline to this that contains lots of murder and betrayal is honestly the Harry Potter series by JK Rowling. I mean, Harry’s parents are killed by Voldemort when he is a baby, Neville’s parents were killed by Bellatrix also when he was a baby, Quirrel betrays everyone by housing Voldy on the back of his head, Dumbledore dies, Snape dies, Mad-Eye Moody dies, Hedwig dies, Fred dies, and honestly, Harry can’t nor doesn’t trust anyone towards the end of the series. Is that enough death and betrayal???

3. The Odyssey – Pick a Character Who Is On a Journey to Get Home 

    The Odyssey by Homer is one of two epic Greek poems where the main idea is that Odysseus is trying to return home. A character that reminds me of Odysseus and whose series also includes Greek mythology is Apollo from The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan! The whole plot for this trilogy is that Zeus casts Apollo down to earth as a mortal with the task of earning his godly powers back by completing tasks. Much like Odysseus, he is struggling to return home and the journey is not easy. I haven’t finished reading this series, but I am hoping to in the near future…however, my TBR list is massive so maybe we will say just sometime in the future for now.

4. Romeo and Juliet – Pick a Romance Book…But That Has a Twist

(WARNING: I spoil Eleanor and Park below so…)

  We all know the story, Romeo and Juliet, right? Honestly, I have never read it but I get the gist of it. Two young (very young) people fall in love even though their families hate each other, but they can’t help it! Raging hormones and such…well, you know us teens. Anyways, they love each other so, so much that when one of them fakes their own death, the other one kills themselves because they can’t bear to be parted from their beloved. Crazy, I know. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell is an amazing contemporary following two characters, Eleanor and Park who develop a strange, but an adorable relationship, however, their story doesn’t tie up with a pretty bow. While neither of them kills themselves, Eleanor just disappears from Park’s life and I don’t think any of us were expecting that. Much like Romeo and Juliet.

5. Pride and Prejudice – Pick a Strong Female Character Who Goes Through Lengths to Prove Herself

  Jane Austen wrote many books where the main character was a female struggling in a world of men, and even today we still see women treated unfairly. One character that comes to mind that has had to prove herself a lot during her story is Gwenyth Shepard from Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier. In Ruby Red, Gwen is from a family of time-travellers, however, her cousin, Charlotte is thought to have the gene. When Gwen travels back in time though, she realizes that she’s the one with the gene and is thrust into a world of chaos and time-travel. Since Gwen is unexpectedly the time-traveller of the family, she doesn’t have the training in languages, history, arts, etc that Charlotte does, and because of that, she is constantly undermined by most of the characters in this trilogy. While Gwen is no world-changer of a character, she is just a normal, teenage girl that is trying to weave her way in life and on top of all that, time-travel as well yet is constantly weighed down by the doubt of others…mostly men, to be honest.

6. Lord of the Flies – Pick a Book Where Morals Are Very Grey

  Lord of the Flies was not a favourite of mine but I had to include it in this tag. It follows a group of boys on an island when their plane crashes after they flee London which is currently under attack by the Germans. Without any adults, their responsibility and morals are really put to the test when they find themselves battling against nature, and themselves. I think all books need characters who are “morally grey” because that is a reality for a lot of us. Most people are neither good or bad, give or take a few, and that needs to be reflected more in literature. One series that has a quite a few characters like this is the Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi. Most of the characters are overall decent people but would do anything for the people they love or even just for themselves. They don’t always make the right or best decisions, and sometimes people have to pay for that.

7. The Hobbit – Pick a Character Who Leaves Everything Behind For An Adventure

  I love The Hobbit movies but have yet to read the books…I know, I know, but honestly, I find the books a little hard to read. One character that reminds me of this question, and I am not saying she reminds me of the main character who is a hobbit, but that is Margo from Paper Towns by John Green. Margo literally picks up everything and leaves her family and friends without an answer to go on an adventure doing who knows what and where. She is spontaneous and free-spirited because of that and is always seeking an adventure.

8. The Great Gatsby – Pick a Character Who Strives For the “American Dream”

  The Great Gatsby takes place during the Roaring Twenties where there was lots of dancing, flappers, jazz, and the gloriously, wealthy idea of the “American Dream” which is something the main character chases. However, the “American Dream” is kind of unattainable and our main character doesn’t realize this until it’s too late. A character in another book that reminds me of this, as someone who loves the lights, the camera, and the action I guess you could say, is Lola Nolan from Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins. Lola loves dressing up different each day, never wearing the same outfit twice. She also expects to live happily ever after with her boyfriend, Max and have a perfect life…but the reality is a little different than that.

9. The Tempest – Pick a Character Who Is On the Run

  Another Shakespeare plays but this one is a little different and weirder than his others in my opinion. In this story, Prospero and his daughter, Miranda are hiding from his evil brother but she doesn’t know. There is love, betrayal, and all that fun Shakespeare stuff. A character who is very much on the run is Day from the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu(or I guess series now, actually) because he is a convicted criminal on the run from the very corrupted government, called the Republic. So yeah, Day!

10. The Secret Garden – Pick a Book That Has a Secret World

  Okay, again, I have never read The Secret Garden…but I have seen the movie. I wish I read it when I was younger because I just don’t think I would enjoy it as much now! However, as it says in the title, the main character of this story is a young girl who finds yes, a secret garden. Lots of YA books have secret worlds hidden in them, amongst all the normal, much like Mary finding the secret garden which brings her a lot of good. In The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth, our two main characters, Evelyn and Philippa, as well as their brother, discover a secret world amongst the chaos of World War II, called The Woodlands. The Woodlands is a magical world of nature and beauty but much like our characters world back home, a war is upon them. The siblings stay and help out with the war, but once it is over they are sent back despite Evelyn’s protests and have to learn to adjust in the real world. They all needed this world badly for different, reasons, and it helped bring out their true selves in the real world because of it!

Okay! So those were my ten questions for the classic literature book tag, and I hope you enjoyed. Please tag me if you decide to do this tag because I’d love to see your answers! Don’t forget to check out my last blog post, as well as my social media accounts for more bookish and writing related content. Everything is linked below, thanks 🙂

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Classic Literature Book Tag (Original) Happy Friday! This week was a rollERCOASter so I only wrote and edited this blog post last night...but, it is up and here obviously because you are reading it so at least I got it done!