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queer-ragnelle · 5 months

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favorite queer retellings/interpretations of arthurian legend

hello anon!

this simple question has a complicated answer if only bc some authors seem to have created queer stories unintentionally! & i like them! i'll include quotes from my suggestions below a cut as there will be some mild spoilers but that may help you decide what stories suit your tastes as they vary a lot. you can also just go ahead & assume kay & agravaine are always queer (bc they are, not accepting crit) which makes narrowing down the list difficult for me.

TL;DR: Camelot 3000 Mike W. Barr & Brian Bolland, Exiled From Camelot/Trial of Sir Kay/Hunt for Hart Royal by Cherith Baldry, Spear Nicola Griffith, Guinevere/Morgan/Morgawse by Lavinia Collins, The Queen's Knight by Marvin Borowsky, Arthur Rex by Thomas Berger, The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf.

Camelot 3000 by Mike W. Barr & Brian Bolland: reincarnation story with transman sir tristan coming to terms with his gender & sexuality so he can accept isolde's love for him & reciprocate. it's really beautifully written imo plus the art is so 80s & my exact cup of tea. it's dated in some of its handling of the subject matter but i think it was done thoughtfully for the time.

Exiled From Camelot, The Trial of Sir Kay, The Hunt for The Hart Royal by Cherith Baldry: the way baldry writes is overall my favorite ever but her kay is unparalleled he is everything to me. unequivocally disinterested in women (without misogyny, very important note). codependent on gawain if not fully in love with him the crown style. lots of hurt/comfort, kissing, holding & worrying over each other. they exchange a ring for god's sake. in exiled it says ragnelle was the only woman for gawain (based) but after she passed he's all kay's basically so this checks all my boxes. love wins.

Spear by Nicola Griffith: butch perceval pulling bitches chapter after chapter it's glorious. ends up settling down with nimue. bonus throuple arthur/guin/lance with a very sweet moment with lance talking to percy about them both. no homophobia (external nor internal) to be found its very enjoyable. beautiful prose. audiobook was wonderfully narrated by the author, which is how i read it, thus i've written out a quote here:

"Secrets may prove a burden. So...Lance, my mother is indeed Merlin's sister but I am not Merlin's sister's son." Lance frowned. "I don't understand..." "I am not his sister's son." His eyes stretched wide. He reassessed the line of her jaw, the size of her hands. She nodded. Then he reassessed how she and Nimue sat with one another. This time, Nimue nodded.

Guinevere, Morgan, & Morgawse by Lavinia Collins: these aren't my favorite (did gawain really dirty, deal breaker) but the fact is they have multiple explicitly queer characters including: kay, lancelot, morgawse, agravaine, isolde, dinadan, etc. plus there were several poly scenes including one with guin/lance/kay, another morgawse/lot/visiting king/queen swinging. wild all around everyone is sleeping with everyone no character is unaccounted for. be warned these books are extremely graphic in every conceivable way. queer solidarity in the face of homophobia is a theme throughout. kay punches phobic urien & agravaine "saw nothing." shh its fine urien sucks. this hilarious convo between agravaine & morgawse kills me.

The Queen's Knight by Marvin Borowsky: an interesting retelling in which mordred is a grown up warlord right from the outset. he also happens to be queer. mind this came out in the 50s & contains pederasty, but mordred does later have a loving tragic relationship with fellow knight calogrenant (yay crackships<3), which others were aware of & helped conceal (kay, for example). agravaine is also queer, he only joins arthur's forces bc lancelot asks him to & continues to fixate on him for the whole book. typical.

Arthur Rex by Thomas Berger: so this book is super homophobic. but it's so homophobic that it circles back around to being pretty queer bc berger saw queerness everywhere, apparently. but the green knight is purposefully queer, so the kissing game's gender-role-reversal/bisexuality....escalates. david lowery wishes. both gawain & arthur are pretty homoromantic with lancelot to the point the narrative calls attention to it & then no-homos their closeness. agravaine appears to be queer too. he's the only unmarried brother (claims to be in love with guinevere but i don't buy it), he wants lancelot so bad he gets all tongue tied & stupid around him...wrecked.

The Road to Avalon by Joan Wolf: what's this? agravaine again? so in this version, lancelot is named bedwyr (inspired by mary stewart's quadrilogy) but he's lance in all but name. anyway agravaine constantly beefs with guinevere for his attention...& loses. plus it's implied agravaine slept with lamorak before his mother which is hysterical. (my fave crackship is thriving<3) agravaine topples the empire for a much older straight man. it would be funny if it wasn't so sad. let's give it up for problematic jealous slutty queers.

these are just the retellings i have read & liked. there are more on my retellings list but those were suggestions from others i haven't gotten to yet with the exception of dishonorable mention to the winter knight by jes battis. it has gay gawain & his bestie transgirl bi kay in that but the writing style was unbearable to me unfortunately i'm so sorry i just didn't like it. anyway thanks for the ask!

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zablife · 1 year

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Peaky Blinders Rec List

I've been thinking of doing this for some time to show my appreciation to those who have given me hours of entertainment with their stories, moodboards and GIFs. Recently I've seen a few posts asking if there are any writers left in the Peaky fandom. The short answer is YES!! The longer answer of just how many incredibly talented writers there are and their amazing work is listed below the cut. Go follow them, read their work and please comment and reblog! Happy reading and thank you to all these lovely people who share their work with us!

Updated 22/2/24

@peakyscillian Masterlist Incredible Tommy smut!

@inkwolvesandcoffee Masterlist The most creative Alfie content I've read with gorgeous moodboards.

@dandelionprints Masterlist Amazing new writer with fresh Tommy fics!

@buttercupsandboys Masterlist One of my new fave Alfie series!

@moral-terpitude Masterlist So much amazing Tommy content from one shots to series!!

@raincoffeeandfandoms Masterlist Lovely, creative fics for Alfie, Tommy and Luca. As well as the most inspiring moodboards.

@dreamlandcreations Masterlist Amazing Alfie writer and incredible moodboard creator.

@cillmequick Masterlist Amazing series for both Cillian and Tommy that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

@notyour-valentine Masterlist Thoughtfully crafted stories that will touch you deeply.

@pherelesytsia Masterlist Tommy fics written in the language of pure poetry. Soft, romantic and utterly beautiful.

@little-diable Masterlist One of the best Tommy Shelby smut writers I've read! Inventive and smart, not to mention devilishly clever!

@xxblackballoonxx Masterlist My fave John Shelby writer!!

@evita-shelby Masterlist Series writer with a strong heroine OC I adore.

@peakyswritings Masterlist A gold mine of Peaky content! One of my fave writers.

@flysafepapi Masterlist Creative genius, horror, vampire AU, so many incredible ideas here.

@shelbydelrey Masterlist Tommy fics with an edge. Mysterious, intriguiging, never dull and always accompanied by amazing moodboards.

@look-at-the-soul Masterlist Cillian and Tommy fics that are so heartfelt and emotional.

@noforkingclue Masterlist Writes the best dark!Tommy ever!

@garrison-girl-08 Masterlist Cillian and Tommy series that are so so addictive!!

@runnning-outof-time Masterlist Consistently amazing Tommy content! No one works harder, but makes it look so easy!

@murderousginger Masterlist One of the most creative writers who never runs out of good ideas. Truly awe inspiring.

@amysteryspot Masterlist Delicious, descriptive writing for Tommy and Alfie one shots and series.

@madame-wilsonn Masterlist A lady of impeccable taste who writes beautifully. Check out her Tommy, Alfie and Arthur fics!

@solomons-finest-rum Masterlist My fave Alfie writer of all time!! Captures his voice like no other.

@dearshelby Masterlist Versatile writer who delivers some of my fave dark fics, smut and angst. And she has a talent for making stunning moodboards.

@theshelbyclan Masterlist A wonderfully gifted writer who provides heartwarming Shelby family fics and the most amazing OC of all time Teddy Shelby!

@pacifymebby Masterlist Writes incredibly detailed headcanons and preferences for the Peaky men that are perfectly in character.

@red-riding-wood Masterlist Specializing in Luca Changretta fics with rich descriptions and compelling narratives.

@thesoldiersminute Gorgeous GIFs I can't stop staring at!

@midnightmagpiemama Masterlist Lovely combination of fluffy, smutty Tommy fics.

@peakyblinded Amazing GIFs and all around lovely person to chat with

@toms-cherry-trees Masterlist Some of the most gorgeous prose I've ever read for Tommy as well as a few other Peaky characters.

@sneakyblinders Masterlist Creator of two separate Tommy AUs that are so creative and immersive.

@anonymooseforever007 Masterlist Writes for many Peaky characters, specializing in humorous, witty dialogue.

@brummiereader Masterlist Amazing series writer for Tommy!

@callsign-shark Masterlist Mainly writes an incredible series for Arthur, but also one shots for Tommy.

@peakyltd Masterlist Lovely one shots for Tommy, Arthur and John along with the most gorgeous moodboards.

@everythingelseisextra masterlist Formerly @priceofasapphire. Writing under a new blog now with loads of wonderful content.

@darklydeliciousdesires Masterlist Series and one shots for Alfie and John. Incredible smut and fluff!

@rysko Masterlist New writer with amazing Luca content!

I am certain I have missed writers I admire so I will add to this list as I remember people. If I have missed you, I apologize!

#Peaky Blinders fanfic #Peaky Blinders imagine #zablife recommends

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lucky-numberme · 1 year

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The House in the Cerulean Sea Fanfic Recs:

Stay (T) by @davidbowielovesyou: A rewrite of THitCS from Arthur's perspective. This is my favorite THITCS fic so far and is beautifully and thoughtfully written. The narration style is WILDLY close to Klune's and the depth that it lends Arthur's perspective is heart-rending and delightful in turn. I genuinely cannot recommend this one enough, especially if you're looking to relive the book.

love like yours will surely come my way (T) by @islanddads: A fluff/angsty You've Got Mail fusion AU in which Arthur and Linus are email pals, unknowingly work in the same office, and hijinks ensue. This was one of my first THitCS fics, and it remains one of my favorites. It's got a pining Arthur and oblivious Linus combo that I find really charming. Very funny. Extremely cute.

You Will Be My Music (T) by @theitalianerd: Linus is shaken after Charles Werner visits the island. To me, this is one of the most complex instances of insecure Linus, and I find the narration both captivating and evocative. Beautifully composed.

Golden Sands (E): Post-book, pre-epilogue fic about Arthur and Linus's developing relationship. A lot of it has to do with growing intimacy and how they learn to build a life together. One of the most kudos-ed works in the fandom for a reason.

Facts and Figures (T): During date night with Arthur, Linus reassesses his experiences of fatphobia and how they affect his self-perception. Fluffy and incredibly sincere.(this fic is mine but I'm going to rec it bc I'm very proud of it)

(note: I've only listed finished fics here, there are many fabulous unfinished fics in the fandom, too)

#thitcs #the house in the cerulean sea #fic rec

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vestaclinicpod · 1 year

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Looking for podcast recs?

I'd love to shout out two amazing shows I started listening to this week!

InCo (by @itmeblog) is a scifi adventure about an Information Courier, Nova, a mysterious boy with some unbelievable claims and an android who is simply trying her best! The episodes are delightfully short, leading to a fast paced and thoughtfully written story. I'm always in awe of podcasts where all the voices are done by one person and ItMe smashes it in InCo! I'm loving the show so far!

Folxlore (@folxlorepod) is a Scottish, queer horror anthology podcast with a particular focus on the queer and Scottish. The writing is beautifully poetic and is brought to life by a talented team of VAs. The first season follows the spooky occurrences around a block of flats in Glasgow and I was so delighted when I realised that the separate stories were linked together in intriguing ways!

Go listen! I'd love to know what you think or if you have any new shows to recommend in return!!

#audiodramasunday #audio drama #podcast recs #inco #folxlore #queer horror #science fiction #science fiction podcast #scifi

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hi-this-is-permabanned · 6 months

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Things I would have "modified" if I were an IPKKND writer. (Not change it but modify it) part - 1

IPKKND is one of the finest tv shows written. It was beautifully directed, thoughtfully written and had the best cast. It was like all the stars were alligned in a perfect constellation for this show, but still it could do better. Here, are some things I would have modified in order to make more sense of the scenarios.

Made khushi an actual model to land in Arnav's arms.

Now, people might be wondering that it's too far fetched and will change the story overall. No, It won't. But how?

My version: Khushi actually had a small modelling gig in sheesh mehal that day, the plan was simple, completing her gig during the day and attend payal's wedding by the night. Sheesh mehal was near Abhishek's house so she carried the file with herself. She was dressed in traditional attire, with hint of green, pink and RED, trying to find her way out of the hotel (Now, turned into a raizada asset) suddenly, she was pushed to the ramp by the designer because, she definitely looked like a model as she wore flashy lehenga (Sanaya is tall and slender). And what happens afterwards we all know. Arnav's suspicions will only get strong because, Khushi was actually a freelancing model.

This slight modification, would have helped the story further for Khushi getting forced to shoot as a replacement for Lisa and Mrs. India track.

Afterall, Arnav was not foolish enough to assign a modeling task to a random girl who knows nothing about shoots.

*khushi was a model with reservations Ethnic wear only.

2. Given Khushi an actual Job in Delhi

i am sorry, but being a 15 day employee and a Bahu maker isn't an actual job.

My version : Khushi, because she is a freelancing model will find it difficult to get a modeling assignment in a new location like Delhi. She can't shoot for short clothes or lingerie so she tried to get a job. So, she applied for an opening in AR office. She met Arnav, it became a Chaos and she took the 15 days challenge and left when Arnav crossed all limits. After she quit she found some modelling gigs for sarees and suits. Anjali came one day and told Khushi to groom Lavanya. She would train her from 9-3 pm and would find her modeling gigs after. Delhi had more work prospects.

3. No, Arnav did not Give meaningless tasks to Khushi. Also, extend office track

My version: Arnav actually gave Khushi the sort of work he would give to an Officeboy or a Clerk. He would challenge her with tasks that require English proficiency and quantitative aptitude with logical reasoning. Anything that can be done by an educated person. Maybe he would take her with him as a PA for a day (just to test her nerves) or overwork her.

This actually has a lot of scope because, Khushi didn't have a fixed position in the office. He could tell her to study some graphs, prepare a report merely by looking at some data, collecting some file from another AR office or becoming his PA for a day.

*note: I loved that dictation that Arnav gave to khushi. I was expecting something similar to that. Also, I don't mind that Rainy parking duty.

4. Endorsed AR designs more in the show.

my version : The show never really highlighted this brand. They could have shown that Arnav wears clothes by AR designs or he got some exclusive item of AR designs as gift for Mami Ji. It would have been interesting if we could get to see another ramp show by AR designs or seen Arnav giving a party or organising an event by AR designs for business purposes. Arnav looking at designs, his understanding of fabrics, cultural attires and fashion sense could have been highlighted. Like @jalebi-weds-bluetooth said, Lavanya could have worn AR designs rather than Motilal dresswala. C'mon. It would have reduced the costing of setting up another location for Motilal honestly, just the office would have done.

5. Khushi could give some words of wisdom to Raizada household when they tried to Change Lavanya.

My version: Khushi wouldn't immediately try to train Lavanya, rather assessing the situation she realised that neither ASR nor La had intensions of getting married. Khushi could have told Nani ji or Anjali that they should not force anything on Lavanya.

Dialogues:

"Maaf kijiyega Nani ji, chhota muh Badi baat keh rhe hai, lekin hum ko lagta hai ki, jab lavanya ji or wo laad gav....maaf kijiye, ASR agar shadi hi nhi Karna Chahte, to Hum Lavanya ji ko bhi kyu aise badalne ko keh rhe hai?"

"Lavanya ji ki parvarish aisi nhi Hui hai ki unko Ghar ke chhote mote kaam krne ki zarurat pade, or aisi hi Lavanya kashyap se ASR pyar krte hai"

"Hum Lavanya ji ko badal bhi de agar, par kya ASR apne aap ko badlenge? Or nahi badal skte to lavanya ji ke saath Aisa kyu ho rha hai?"

After hearing such things Nani ji and anjali actually positively motivate lavanya to consider marriage and when Lavanya finally understands, Khushi comes into play. Not trying to teach Lavanya kashyap how to cook, but rather, how to have a Classy behaviour in a joint family and how to carry herself gracefully in traditional way. Something or two about religion and Cooking and stuff shall come later.

6. No, Khushi didn't hit her head in Arnav's car and no, Arnav definitely did not think about Driving from Delhi to Nainital.

Delhi to Nainital is too long of a journey to drive. It makes no sense especially when Arnav is driving on his own.

Mr version: Arnav would drive to a nearby location, like Chandigarh or Ambala. How can we possibly take khushi with Arnav alone? We won't. Rather because, Khushi took out some air from from his car tire, he couldn't travel too far but, almost 4 hours far. Lavanya was bearing the consequences of her spa and didn't go with Arnav, Khushi heard Anjali talking to Arnav who said:

"Di I can't believe it, but I have a bloody flat tyre"

"Now, I am stuck at this and that location"

Khushi feeling guilty for her activities Will go with driver Mohan. Upon meeting Arnav, she would make some excuse for why she came. While heading back, the auto strike goes worse and a riot breaks out, immediate orders are passed by govt. And article 144 is imposed. Jamming the way. Mohan, Khushi and Arnav are stuck. Then rest of the story can be continued from Dhaba location.

But, how would khushi change her clothes into lehenga? She Don't have to do that. There are tons of other reasons for Khushi to be attacked by goons. To make Arnav stay at Dhaba, she can pretend to be his wife.

*note: Taking out petrol from the car is too difficult, one can do that in a bike not cars. Arnav, didn't carry a stepney. It would have been so funny if Khushi would have said "aap bina stepney k gaadi chalate hai?" "Hum araam se apka tyre badal dete"

#tellywood #khushi kumari gupta #arnav singh raizada #arnav and khushi #ipkknd #iss pyaar ko kya naam doon #barun sobti #sanaya irani #Gul Khan #fanfic #rabbave #star plus #hotstar #Bir Garip Aşk #idhu kadhala

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twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat · 2 months

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Transporting into jujutsu world ask made me think about reader getting isekai-ed into the manga 🤯

OHHHHH ANON YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE <33333 i was a quotev kid and grew up feeding on isekai fics they’re my favorite Ever actually. unironically one of my favorite tropes i think it’s soooo fun to read when it comes to fics :3

and !!! you’re in luck <333 it just so happens that my favorite jjk fic of all time is an isekai fic!!! (technically it’s composed of two companion fics and only one of them is isekai but they’re both absolutely wonderful)….. like i genuinely can’t explain how much i adore this fic. i don’t have it in me. it’s written so beautifully and thoughtfully in every single way + it has one of my favorite depictions of gojo ever + it’s made me cry at least ten times and that’s …. like . the minimum amount. i’ve cried a LOT over this fic and consider it one of my favorite books in general <333 it’s like 300 pages so. yk.

anyway i won’t leave you in suspense!! the fic is limitless by aria on quotev :33 plssss do yourself a favour and read it!!! it changed me fundamentally as a person i’m so serious. professor my most beloved reader-insert ever <333 her dynamic with gojo will live inside my heart always

#i have Many jjk isekai thoughts #maybe one day ill write smth on the concept <3 who knows <333 #ive thought abt a kenny/reader isekai au before that im rlly fond of :3 #but anyway anon!! i highly recommend this fic. im BEGGING you to read it actually.#it’s a finished fic but aria is planning on posting some more bonus chapters i think..#gojo’s ending made me sob like a baby and soooo many lines lives inside my brain :(((#just . wowowow #aria my icon my legend my liege they’re probably my favorite fic author Ever #ask tag ✩

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isfjmel-phleg · 7 months

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September 2023 Books

The Twelve Dancing Princesses and Other Fairy Tales compiled by Alfred David and Mary Elizabeth Meek

Well, that certainly was a fairy tale collection. Some of these I hadn't read before. Some were more interesting than others.

The Dean's Watch by Elizabeth Goudge

I have nothing intelligent to say about it, but it was beautifully written and well characterized, as I have come to expect from Goudge.

13 Treasures by Michelle Harrison

An initially interesting premise that I found less interesting in execution. Rather a slog to read by the end.

The Merlin Conspiracy by Diana Wynne Jones

I enjoyed seeing more of characters from Deep Secret. The worldbuilding was intriguing, and it's got twists like all Jones novels. One of these twists had implications for a major relationship that I didn't think were fully explored and resolved.

I Want to Go Home! by Gordon Korman (reread)

What if Mike and Psmith were set at a summer camp in 1980s Canada? Because that's what this book is, and it's as entertaining as it sounds. I would love to know if Korman is a Psmith fan because the similarities between this book and M&P, down to even some minor details that have parallels, seem too many to be coincidental.

Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery (reread)

It's been a while since I've read this one, and I found just as enjoyable this time.

The Sky Is Falling, Looking at the Moon, and The Lights Go On Again by Kit Pearson (partial reread)

I read The Sky Is Falling a while back and enjoyed it as a fictional portrayal of the experiences of young British evacuees in Canada during WWII. But I can't say I enjoyed the rest of the series as much. The third book isn't so bad, but Looking at the Moon is less historical fiction than it is one of those supposed-to-be-relatable tales of a teenage girl experiencing her first crush (...on a young adult) and puberty and all that Blossoming Womanhood sort of thing. Which is not a genre that I've ever been able to enjoy.

The Lightning Thief, The Sea of Monsters, and The Titan's Curse by Rick Riordan (partial reread)

I read the first book ages ago as an undergrad and figured I might as well finish out the series. Can't say I have particularly strong feelings about it, but it's been entertaining. Even if Riordan has no apparent idea what downtown Denver is like :P

Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson

I was not the target audience for this classic. Which has nothing whatsoever to do with its quality.

The Noonday Friends by Mary Stolz

I picked this up in a local antique store and was pleasantly surprised to find it a readable tale of life in a financially struggling family in 1960s Greenwich Village. Even the adults are thoughtfully characterized, which I appreciated.

Comics

I read every appearance of Chris Kent, who has joined the ranks of Superhero Children Whom I Am Concerned About. There are getting to be a lot of those.

#random personal stuff #overall not much a month for new reads that I really enjoyed #hopefully this month will be better

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minas-linkverse · 5 months

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I love Mina's Linkverse! This is easily my favorite Link Meets comic. Not only do I adore the art style (It's so pretty and charming, your understanding of color and composition makes it so beautifully easy to read), but I love how it's written. The tone is lighthearted yet serious, with important themes written thoughtfully yet with lots of hilarious comedy too. The characters are fabulous, the writing is fabulous, and I love them and I love this fic. Thank you for everything, Mina.

😭💛

#Ask

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startswithabang · 9 months

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Huge project announcement!

I'm so excited to announce that the Kickstarter for the big project I've been working on since 2021, the Encyclopaedia Cosmologica, is now live!

Two years ago, author and graphic designer Will Lidwell approached me about writing this book and doing the astrophysics calculations for it, while the legendary Jon Lomberg and Mark Garlick would illustrate it and Will himself would design it.

It was a brilliant idea and I got on board right away.

We decided that we'd start at the Big Bang and come forward in time, one page and 100 million years at a time, until we reached the present day: 13.8 billion years later.

It was an irresistible premise that I couldn't turn down. The four of us got really excited.

In late 2021, we ran an unsuccessful Kickstarter to launch the project. (It happens.)

But after it failed, we all decided we believed in the project enough that we would simply create it anyway, and convinced ourselves that "if we built it, backers would come."

And now we've not only built it, we've increased our ambitions further! We now start BEFORE the Big Bang, and after we reach the present day, we have five extra chapters: three on humanity's possible "tomorrows" and two that take us far, far into the cosmic future.

So please, consider supporting the Encyclopaedia Cosmologica and bring this beautifully designed, thoughtfully written, and gorgeously illustrated unique history of the Universe to your home and the shelf of someone you love.

Help me make this Kickstarter Campaign a great success!

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most-tragic-character-tournament · 8 months

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Going through the first round and it really strikes me that this really isn't or shouldn't be just "which character has objectively the worst life". Like it's about what emotionally hits hardest, that gives you that gut-wrenching empty feeling or any variety of feelings. And this particularly comes up with some of the more outlandish stories; like I don't care if Hate Hattington got kidnapped by cats and is always sad or whatever, or Minecraft guy got revived and killed over and over again in a death game, the whole situation just seems too ridiculous and far from real human drama to be hard-hitting. Or any of the entries of long-running series where a character gets possessed 5 times and then this and that person die, it just seems like a bunch of random (and very disconnected from reality) events that accrue as a result of something being long-running. Not saying that I don't think any sort of fantasy/sci-fi etc. character can be tragic, there are plenty I think are, just that there's a limit to how ridiculous the situations can get without just seeming comic (and maybe that would change if I actually consumed the media and wasn't just reading the propaganda second hand). And in general how well-written the story is plays a role and that's something you miss with propaganda; I would take a beautifully, thoughtfully written tragic character where "all" that happens is someone dies and also loses someone they love than a badly written one even if they objectively suffer more (say they die, are horribly tortured for 10 years, and they lose EVERYONE they love).

I’m leaving the definition of tragic up to the voter, for this one. It’s up to y’all what factors you think makes one character more worthy of the title than another. Considering it very much does depend on whether you’ve consumed the media personally or not, I try to be careful when I do have to make a judgement that affects things I’m not familiar with; a judgement that is much easier for fandoms that I do know.

#most tragic tournament

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alwayschasingrainbows · 2 months

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Trademark—being the most positive member of the LMM fandom! No matter what opinions you’re reblogging, you always find something good in them and respond so kindly and thoughtfully to everyone

~@no-where-new-hero

That's just so sweet! Thank you!!!! <3 I would say that your trademark is being A Master of Words! Your posts are INCREDIBLE and always so beautifully written.

Me after reading your ask:

Thank you again!

#Thank you #Nice ask

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liminalpebble · 1 year

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The Refugee: Chapter 18

Masterlist

Lenora dreamed of sinking, her body rigid like a slab of marble, in vast water as black and slick as Loki's raven hair. It swirled into every part of her, stained her, inside and out, seeped into wounds and cracks in her now frozen skin. The frigid liquid filled her throat as she tired to breathe or speak, iced her limbs into immobility as she sank and sank into a viscous weighty night.

She dreamed of a great green serpent coiling around her so she couldn't struggle. It hypnotized her with it's bright eyes. The creature was one long cold muscle, stilling and collapsing her with subtle but deadly constrictions. Then it slithered inside of her; into her mouth, between her legs, poisoning her from the inside, and crushing her on the outside.

"Lenora. Wake up, darling." It was Loki, looking concerned with a hand on her face in the breaking light of dawn. "You were having nightmares." He stroked her face gently as her breath returned to normal.

"Was...was I screaming?" She asked groggily.

"No. No, you weren't making a sound."

"Then how...?"

"I can see them...sometimes."

She looked at him a little warily. "I didn't know you could do that."

He laughed that charming laugh and smiled that devastating grin, and it made him unbelievably beautiful in the early light. "Eheh. Yes. Yes, I can sometimes. And I can know your thoughts occasionally, but usually only when we're...intimate."

She looked at him thoughtfully, "I suppose that explains why you're so remarkably responsive. Doesn't it?"

"Be careful with the compliments, empress. Feeding an ego like mine can be dangerous. It might bite your hand."

Several days later, Lea leaned against the corner of a desk staring up at the viewing board with brows furrowed. An example of Heksejotun text before her. It was beautifully written in a kind of wreath of script, but it mystified her. She was roused from her musings as Magnus quietly crossed the threshold. “That's beautiful. What does it say?”

She gave him a small grin at that and he was glad to see it. They laid on their sides facing each other in mirror images. She couldn't believe how inviting and disarming he was like this; black curls dancing soft and playfully around the pale angles of his cheekbones and piercing eyes. It was almost impossible to recall the monster he was mere hours ago in the darkness. The only evidence was the red indent on his lip, still tender from her bite. He snuggled a bit into his pillow, dark brows peaked in an innocent kind of curiosity and concern, but she didn't look like she wanted to talk, after the torrent of words the night before. He stroked her hair away from her eyes to meet them, and without a word, gathered her to his chest, holding her there. He reluctantly remembered, with a sad sigh of an exhale, that he couldn't simply do this for the rest of his life, and that nothing about this was as simple as it seemed at this lovely moment.

-----

“Hi Magnus,” she said brightly, hugging him warmly. “I wish I could tell you. It's Heksejotun. There's so much to untangle. I can't even figure out which direction they begin writing in. In these circles it's like they write from every direction at once, and then they layer it, backwards and forwards. Spoken it sounds something like Jotun but the jargon is so strange. Riddled with disjointed reference to history, myths, or shared cultural touchstones, used as metaphors. The verb tenses are chaos. We're trying to understand more, anthropologically, about what the metaphors might mean for them. Some we find, but some are incomprehensible.”

“It all sounds incomprehensible, but how is that particularly incomprehensible compared to the rest?”

She smiled at his interest. He enjoyed learning about her work, and she his. “For example here, there's another of those metaphors to signify something they intend to do. They're trying to communicate some kind of plan, but it says 'When the Vanir invaded the southern continent...'.”

Magnus now frowned in confusion, “The Vanir never invaded the southern continent.”

“Exactly! So we're theorizing that because they were isolated they might have gotten inaccurate historical information. Maybe some revisionist thinkers or cult-like propaganda leading to widespread disinformation. But that makes our job harder if it's true, because not only are we trying to learn Jotun history, something difficult enough, we have to figure out what the Heksejotun believe among themselves, true or not.”

“This is making my head hurt,” Magnus chuckled.

“Ha. I think I've had a headache for about three days.”

Magnus touched her forehead with a pale blue light and the pain immediately dissipated, but as his eyes scanned downward, he saw the hints of large livid bruises encircling her throat beneath her high collar. It had been several days since Loki's outburst, but the telltale marks held stubbornly to her skin. He grimaced knowingly at Lea then shook his head. Under his breath, he said, “That bastard...may I?”. She nodded, and he carefully unhooked her collar, healing her neck with the cautious touch of his fingertips. He reluctantly removed his hand from her skin, and his face farther away from hers, otherwise it would be far to tempting to kiss her again.

“Thank you,” she said refastening her collar, unable to meet his eyes as he hugged her around the shoulders.

“I wish I could say I'm just here to heal your headache, but I actually do need your help in the medical wing.”

“Oh?”

Lea had spent the bulk of the evening following Magnus around to dozens of bedsides, asking some variation of “Where is the pain?” and “How bad is it?”in different languages and relaying the answers to Magnus. There were other translators working in the medical bay too, but she seemed to be the most efficient of them. She had seen her beloved royal physician work, but never like this. He was incredible under pressure, empathetic to everyone, but cool-headed, decisive, and commanding when necessary; not to mention that he must have a strong stomach. She had seen and heard the screams and tears, complaints and thanks, of dozens of men, women, and children of various cultural groups and realms. Around two in the morning, all the patients had been seen to Magnus' satisfaction. In the final hour or so of the shift, Lea and Magnus were separated to tend to different tasks, so when Magnus decided to call it a night, he wondered around the ward looking for her.

“We have several large groups of refugees from the Jotun front. They come from several different kingdoms originally. Anyway, we need a translator.” She was about to send someone else, when Magnus quickly added, “Who speaks all the languages used in that precinct.” Lea sighed, nodded, and followed him to medical, knowing this already long day, was about to be a long night.

----

He found her seated next to an elderly man, helping him to eat a bowl of porridge while he was telling what seemed to be a long story in a language Magnus didn't understand. He noticed the old man had a necklace and earrings very much like Lea's and realized he must also be Morhari. He had never heard Lea speak her mother-tongue before (aside from the two words of a toast once) and he was mesmerized by it. It had a variety of graceful peaks and valleys, a slight sing-song quality (much like his own accent). Noticing Magnus, she smiled, and introduced him to the old man. “I'm just letting this man know you're the head physician. He says he can't thank you enough and...” She paused a minute to chuckle.

“What?” said Magnus.

“He's wondering why you have Beatrice's dancing girl feeding sad old men.” She laughed openly at that.

Magnus' eyes widened. “Is this the man you saved?”

“No, but I think he's a relative. There aren't so many of us now, but we move around a lot, and always end up finding each other...gravitating towards the same places.”

Magnus said, “and according to Beatrice you're quite the celebrity.”

She rolled her eyes at him, a gesture she had definitely gotten from Loki. She spent a few more moments saying her farewells and making sure he had enough to eat. He held her hand tightly and looked about to cry, then finally released her, smiling and holding back the tears. Magnus wondered if this emotional repression was a broadly practiced trait of Morhari culture.

As they began to exit the ward, they saw Loki in his armor, leaving the throne room after a meeting of all his military advisers and generals. They were addressing implications of the displaced civilians and what to do next in the war. Lea's best guess was that the Jotun, with the help of the Heksejotun were being more aggressive in their military campaigns, but she wouldn't know for sure until speaking with him. As the dozens of men in armor funneled out into the hall, Loki caught sight of Lea and Magnus and headed towards them. Despite the crucial moment and responsibilities, Loki looked collected and unperturbed, like he was born to lead in times like this (and perhaps he really was).

He glided up to Lea's side and kissed her on the cheek, putting an arm around her waist. She had to admit that after being this exhausted and strained in every way, the strength and special affections of a confident king were welcome. He looked to them both. “You're both looking a bit worse for wear.”

“Thanks,” she said sarcastically.

“We can't all be prancing about in golden armor in times of crisis,” Magnus quipped with a very tired smile to his friend, which Loki returned. Lea was glad to notice that there seemed to be some kind of truce between them.

Anticipating the questions on both of their minds, Loki said, “We've all had a long day. Everyone will get answers tomorrow. For now let's all get some rest.” They both nodded to him.

Magnus turned to hug and kiss Lea on the cheek, “Thank you, Lea. Truly, you were invaluable. I'm so grateful.”

“It was nothing, Magnus. Just doing my job.” She smiled. “Good night.”

“Good night, Magnus,” Loki echoed, guiding Lea in the direction of his quarters.

She whispered to him, “Loki, I'm so tired. Please. I can't...”

“That's not why I'm taking you back with me.”

“Then why?”

A room in Loki quarters (which were more like an entire wing of the castle) was devoted entirely to a large warm bathing pool. It was vast and designed like a bath house, with divided sections and levels. Even small waterfalls and streams festooned the area. She noticed that the sprawling mosaic surfaces were the exact same aquamarine shade as Loki's eyes, laced with forest green and glimmering flecks of gold. Lea had no idea this room existed. “Is this all just for you?” she asked.

“You just look like you need to be taken care of, and I owe you a proper apology.”

----

He smiled. “It was. Now it's all for us.” He magicked his golden armor away and stood naked in the luminous indoor lagoon. She couldn't say she minded. He was undeniably beautiful to look at, statuesque and graceful. She supposed that if she were a man and looked like him, she wouldn't be particularly shy about being naked either. He noticed her staring, thinking he was gorgeous. He came up to her smiling, completely unabashed, and began to slowly undress her. He began by pulling the writing stylus (her makeshift hairpin) out of her hair and letting her locks cascade down. He carefully took each item off and folded it into a tidy stack. She found this touching. He could have just magicked it away, but he didn't. He wanted to take care of her and take his time. Once she was naked, he held her by the shoulders. “As beautiful as you are like this. I'm not going to try to seduce you. I just want us to enjoy having a really nice bath, and for you to enjoy being doted on by your king. You deserve it.”

Lea felt very touched by these gestures and she was too tired to worry herself into a hole of rumination about his motives like she usually would. As he helped her lower herself into the pool with him, she felt every tired ache and pain dissolve in the placid water. He watched her sigh in simple, physical ease and release, and it gave him genuine joy. “This feels wonderful. Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said, meaning it in a way he had never meant it before. She grabbed a bottle of shampoo (there were a variety of soaps and scrubs, shampoos and extracts placed all over the room) and began to massage it into her scalp when Loki said, “Let me”.

She enjoyed his talented fingers massaging the fragrant soap into her scalp and down her tresses, gently pouring the hot water over when he was finished. “Thank you, Loki. This is really relaxing...all of this...a really lovely gift.”

“You know I'll take any excuse to play with your hair,” he said kissing her head and smiling, and she found herself smiling back. As he said, he didn't push it, didn't try to seduce her. They simply went to different areas to finish cleaning themselves and then swam back to a bench to drowsily sit in the chest-deep water. She noticed with surprise that now he actually did look serious and tired, feeling the burden of his responsibilities. His head dropped back to rest on the tiles and his eyes closed. To his surprise and delight, she came up next to him, putting her head on his shoulder. She stroked a hand through his beautiful jet black hair. Wet, it looked like the richest ink. She kissed him on his sharp cheekbone, nuzzling against it. “Not that I'm complaining about your sudden affection, by any means, but what was that for?” he asked.

“You just looked like you needed it,” she said simply, with a little smile and a timid glance. She was about to swim away when he caught her hand. He pulled her in to wrap his arms around her, overcome with affection and touched by her thoughtfulness. He cradled her to his strong chest and she rested her head in the crook of his neck. Both of their minds were quiet now, completely in the comfort of the moment. He felt as if the nervous stray kitten he took in had finally come up to him and let him hold her without scratching, biting, trembling or running off. Instead, she finally accepted his comfort and warmth. She sought it out, in fact.

He noticed, before long, that she had fallen asleep. He smiled watching her peaceful face, her long hair and eyelashes glittering with the warm water, lips flushed with soothing humid warmth. She felt so small and breakable in his long powerful limbs. Her tranquility felt so fragile that he realized he would rather break himself than break it, or her. When he couldn't delay it any longer, he carried her out of the water with him, used sorcery to dry and clothe them in warm nightclothes, and carried her to sleep the rest of the night cradled in his arms.

@unlucky-number-13 @lokisgoodgirl @peaches1958 @goblingirlsarah @gigglingtigger @sweetsigyn (Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! Thanks for reading!)

#loki fanfic

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ijustkindalikebooks · 7 months

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I had such a good reading month!

I had five five star books, that never happens.

I finished War & Peace, I didn't even know I could do that.

It's been an awful whirl of news this month and books for me have been a way of escaping that a little, I must admit and I hope that if you are reading this, you are safe and that you are in a good place.

Places you can donate:

Oxfam | Red Cross/Red Crescent. | Medical Aid For Palestinians. | UNRWA.

Blue Exorcist Vol. 2 by Kazuo Kato - A manga series recommended by someone I follow on YouTube, I wasn't sure this series wasn't for me, however the more I get into it, the more I enjoy it. The story of a boy who realises his dad, well more finds out his dad is the devil after his mentor is killed by him, he then joins an academy to learn how to fight with his brother. I feel like reading it is by far better than any description I can give to be honest but I do recommend it!

Amari And The Great Game by B.B. Alston - One of the best middles grade series right now, the Amari and The Night Brothers books are so good. Amari continues to be a strong and brilliant character and the plots are gripping even for an adult like myself. Middle grade books now are some of the most diverse and exciting stories right now in my opinion and this series is certainly proof of that.

Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid - I've always loved stories where the characters are straight forward and honest with the reader, and no one is more honest and direct to the reader than Lucy, our protagonist. The story of a young woman who moves in with a couple as she begins to figure out her life, it explore life, love, sex, and packs it all in perfectly in so few pages.

Another Day In The Death Of America by Gary Younge - A book that has been on my TBR for way too long, this book tells the story of 10 young people who were killed by guns in the US in the cycle of 24 hours. Thoughtfully written and emotionally impactful throughout, the stories of these young people are profound and heartbreaking. If you can handle this book, please do, it's beautifully written and deeply researched and shines a light on the gun control issues that America faces today.

The Barmy British Empire by Terry Deary - I have always loved Horrible Histories, and this book really does convey honestly how bloody awful the colonial past of the British empire was and really should be compulsory reading for anyone old enough capable of reading it. Though I have also read 'adult' books on the impact of colonialism, this is a great place to begin and a book that doesn't shy away from the cruelty of empire, not just from Britain but also Belgium and Portugal.

Those were five star reads from October, what did you read this month? Have you read any of these? Let me know!

Thanks again for reading!

Vee xo.

#booklr #bookblr #book #books #book reviews #october #october 23 #fiction

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chainrave · 5 months

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I got back into KH recently and discovered your story Intravenous. I spent the last few days reading it and I honestly forgot I was reading fanfiction and not a published book. It is so beautifully and thoughtfully written. It is one of those stories that will stay with me for a while. I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

i never know how to respond to compliments because i'm highly critical of myself and my writing (we're our own worst critics, etc etc) but your words mean the world to me. thank you so much. i think of all the stories i've read over the years that have stuck with me and if i can leave an impression on at least one reader the same way, i'm happy

(p.s. welcome back to the kh shit show! once you're here, you're here forever. life sentence. you can never outrun the mickey mouse anime boys and their homoerotic subtext ♥)

#ask #.txt

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tnbc-thoughtsandheadcanons · 2 years

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Long Live the Pumpkin Queen: Complete Review

Here’s my entire review of the LLTPQ sequel novel. In this, I’ll be comparing it to other sequel adaptations like Zero’s Journey, Mirror Moon, and Oogie’s Revenge. I’m also going to take a look at the characters, writing style, and plot. This will be a pretty lengthy review, so let’s get into it!

Spoilers to Long Live the Pumpkin Queen below.

As an overall summary, I adored this novel. I think it’s a worthy continuation to The Nightmare Before Christmas franchise, that expanded on the world-building and character opportunities. For a film that’s nearly 30 years old, we haven’t seen the other Holiday Worlds nor any new characters/villains(until the Zero’s Journey 2018 comic book.) LLTPQ finally sheds light on unexplored aspects of the film we haven’t seen until now.

I’ll be breaking into different segments, starting with:

The Writing

The novel is written in a First-person Point of View, from Sally’s perspective. First POV is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I'm personally neutral. Shea Ernshaw’s writing style is descriptive - she makes sure you know what the Holiday Towns look and smell like, while knowing what’s going through Sally’s head. I share a minor criticism that, since the text is so descriptive, we don’t really get into all that much action until the later portion of the book. It picks up -- but you have to read through a lot of setting description to get to that point.

(Also, Shea describing Halloween Town smelling like ‘black licorice and pumpkin spice’ isn’t the worst thing in the world. Places can have a variety of different smells depending on where you are - I’m sure it has different scents when it rains or the weather changes. This is simply her interpretation, that I felt got overreacted to.)

This is probably obvious, but my heaviest writing complaint is having to read the glorification of Queen Elizabeth II for seven pages(YES, I counted). Considering the controversies, it was uncomfortable reading Sally idolizing her. While Halloween Town is closely mended to the human's world, it almost hits a preternatural line with the Queen in here and the brief mention of climate change. I feel this was Shea’s attempt to throw Nightmare into a modern setting -- but in a questionable way.

There are also some odd choices in the writing, like referring to Jack’s sockets as ‘eyes’ and having Sally literally refer to her ragdoll body a few times (”my soft ragdoll hands” is not my FAVORITE thing I’ve ever read). While I’m not a fan of certain choices, the novel was overall beautifully written, where we get a good understanding of places like Dream Town and Valentine’s Town.

The Characters

Quick links to posts I’ve made, about Sally’s character, as well as her relationship with Dr. Finkelstein.

One of the flaws with this book, in my opinion, has to be Shea’s insistence with rewriting the backstories of Sally and Dr. Finkelstein. This could’ve been done thoughtfully, but she chose to separate her from the Doctor entirely. If you read the links above, you’ll understand why this was a mistake, from my perspective. He’s crucial to her character -- she freed *herself* from him, only to have that invalidated with a “new story”.

I would’ve love to read the difficult process of forgiveness between the Doctor and Sally - or delving into his backstory, explaining to us *why* he made Sally and was so attached to her. Their situation can be looked through the lens of abuse, which would’ve been interesting to explore, how Sally moves on from the Doctor, while he learns to better his ways with this new creation, Jewel. But he’s villainized instead, made into a kidnapper, which sits terribly with me, and many other people. Shea had the opportunity to look into Finkelstein’s character(’fix’ him, if she was insistent), but refused to, in favor of completely separating Sally’s story from him. :/

(Nevermind Jack's friendship with the Doctor being completely dismissed, chalked up to Jack 'never trusting him', despite asking for his help in the movie twice...)

--Besides that, we’re introduced to new characters, including Albert, Greta, the Sandman, and Queen Ruby Valentino. There are minor appearances from the Dream Town citizens and a leprechaun from St. Patrick’s Town. But I’ll focus on the main ones:

Albert and Greta are fantastic characters, governors of Dream Town who helped overthrow the Sandman from his cruel and demanding reign as King. They are also a rag doll species like Sally, explaining they’re Dream Weavers, who help human children fall asleep. However, they’re also presented as her ‘parents’ - which could be a fine idea on its own, if you ignore the whole thing with Dr. Finkelstein. They care about Sally, though I wish they had been held accountable for their actions.

Queen Ruby Valentino is the first new character we meet when Jack and Sally have their honeymoon in her town. I love the description of her appearance(someone taller than JACK) and how she rules her town - I’ve been waiting to see another Holiday Leader. <3 I only wish we could’ve met and seen the other Leaders in detail (besides the small appearance of the Easter Bunny).

The Sandman is the antagonist of the novel - based on a real folklore, except he steals dreams in LLTPQ. He was the King of Dream Town, but banished to the forest after overworking his people. I like his character and how he’s described - though I find it odd Shea decided to give him a redemption. It doesn’t feel like he was held accountable for putting all the Holiday worlds and humans to sleep. I understand the point of his character: he’s suffered the effects of sleep deprivation for a long time, that drove him to seeking dreams and getting rest for himself - so of *course* he felt better after Sally helped him. But why didn’t he face the consequence of his actions, while Dr. Finklestein had to? 🤔 The Sandman nearly wiped out the holidays, since no one could run them while they’re asleep. For something so major, it felt like he was let off easy.

Shea hesitating to do ANYTHING with Jack Skellington's character shows so badly. He doesn't serve much presence beyond fawning over Sally and being swept up in Halloween planning. The original movie was about Jack feeling unhappy with his role as Pumpkin King - surely, he could've offered more to Sally with her situation here..? His role could've been so much larger here, but the potential was never taken...

The Story

LLTPQ’s story is great, for what it is. I love seeing Jack and Sally finally getting married, going on their Honeymoon, preparing for the official role as Pumpkin Queen, facing her insecurities, and going on a journey to save her home as well as the Holiday and Human Worlds. This novel does a great job going into light of her character!

However, the story chose to derail into Sally reuniting with her ‘lost parents’, taking a good chunk of the novel. I feel like the book would be outstanding on its own without these parts/concepts - if you removed and/or replaced them. This major subplot has to be the biggest thing weighing it down. Other fans have come up with better alternatives for Albert, Greta, Sally, and Dr. Finkelstein -- that I feel would've ultimately made a better story.

I adore the new addition to the lore and worldbuilding - revealing Jack Skellington knows children’s fears by heart, and the Hinterlands Forest contains trees to many unexplored doors, that expand the further you go. There are so many holidays, celebrations, and concepts the humans have - it makes sense a magical forest dedicated to them houses so many, that have simply never been opened. I LOVE the idea that Jack and Sally Skellington are the ones to be exploring them - as it was Jack who uncovered the doors to begin with, and inspired their connection in the first place.

As a Sequel

LLTPQ brings us the most as a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas, that a continuation *should* do, imo. I go with the idea that follow-ups should do a few things: expand the universe, continue the story, expand on themes, and leave an impact on the franchise. Following these requisites, I think the novel delivers. Here’s why:

Zero’s Journey didn’t bring a new major villain to the franchise, while Mirror Moon introduced evil clones/copies that aren’t new characters. Oogie’s Revenge reuses Oogie Boogie as a villain who is resurrected from the dead(as do the Kingdom Hearts games). Long Live the Pumpkin Queen is the FIRST material to truly give us a new Nightmare villain(although this is up for debate, since The Sandman gets redeemed in the end...)

It’s also the only Nightmare media to show us another Holiday Leader not from the film, Ruby Valentino. If you play Oogie’s Revenge, the Leaders were stuffed in bags and held hostage, but there aren’t any dialogue/models of them, so they’re only in...bags. They return to their worlds, so we don’t see or spend any time with them. While LLTPQ only goes in detail about *one* - it’s more than what we’ve been given before.

(Also, this being the only media bold enough to establish Jack and Sally's martial status...taking the next step with officially crowning Sally...)

LLTPQ continues the story and spends time outside of Halloween and Christmas Town, which we’ve been given plenty of. We learn what the other towns look like and how things work in their worlds. The Epilogue alone expands on TNBC’s universe and gives us an impact to leave with - Jack & Sally exploring these unearthed Holiday Doors, and what that can mean for them + their world.

LLTPQ delivers what a Sequel should, with new world-building, themes characters, a villain and impact - though not being the best in quality, it's delivered more than other adaptations have in comparison. Take what you will.

Additional Thoughts / Comments

The Disney and Tim Burton situation with this book is still quite boggling to me. Disney has wanted a Sally POV sequel for years, and Tim + his team approved everything in this book. He read Shea rewriting Sally’s story, but didn’t step in to make any changes. Which means he must’ve thought the story was fitting or either didn’t care. Which is curious to me. But he’s not the writer behind Sally, so I can’t say I’m surprised. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This book was once delayed due to supply issues, but has continuously sold out multiple times after its release and repeatedly made it on Best Seller's lists. LLTPQ is succesful. Only time will tell if this'll pass, or Disney feels bold enough to do/want more from this franchise. Tim Burton is caving in - so who knows what more may come.

Overall:

As I said, I personally LOVED this book, how it portrayed Jack & Sally's relationship, and delivered so much as a Sequel. It stands as my favorite continuation thus far - but not without my criticisms and nitpicking with it. I still feel like I have so much more to say about it. But, at the end of day, I highly recommend buying this book and reading it for yourself. I had a blast.

It's unfortunate the author didn't like a character, and had the power/freedom to simply write him off in her interpretation of canon. I'm convinced this detail is what is detouring so many people from the book - the insistence on a backstory rewrite in what's supposed to be a continuation. And that it's done with almost...ignorant intentions...?

This book will remain subjective among fans (hell, even I don't consider most adaptations as 'canon'). But I'm glad I got to read it and thoroughly enjoyed LLTPQ, despite its issues.

#the nightmare before christmas #sally skellington #shea ernshaw #long live the pumpkin queen #zero's journey #oogie's revenge #mirror moon #tnbc #nightmare before christmas #review

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