#me starting this series: be sure not to draw your favourite characters too soon otherwise you won't be able to finish

[flo-n-flon]

Egwene al'Vere, the Innkeeper's daughter, novice of the White Tower

#egwene al'vere #the wheel of time #wot fanart #wheel of time fanart #wot on prime #show: wheel of time #wot season 2 #character: egwene al'vere #me starting this series: be sure not to draw your favourite characters too soon otherwise you won't be able to finish #me on the second day: egwene #uh #not a wisdom am I

[lizziestudieshistory]

Books of 2021 - July

I read a lot this month! I’m not even sure how I managed it, especially when we consider I’ve read another 850 pages between Anna Karenina and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on top of this lot!

I’m just going to apologise now for not proof reading this... I’m finishing this off at 2 in the morning to schedule and I’m sick of looking at my own writing at the moment.

Amnesty by Lara Elena Donnelly - Technically I read this at the end of June, however, I was on holiday so couldn’t include it in last month’s wrap up.

I’ve already spoken about the Amberlough Dossier and anyone who’s been around my blog for longer than about 10 seconds knows I love this trilogy. Amnesty was no exception. We have the return of Cyril, he and Ari working through their relationship (or not quite understandably), and the fall out from the fall of the Ospies - this world’s equivalent to the Nazi party. It’s not an easy book to read and the glamour of the first installment is completely stripped away to deal with very complex moral and political questions. I don’t necessarily agree with Donnelly’s answers, however, I do admire her for really delving into these very difficult topics. She used the speculative nature of the Amberlough Dossier to come up with a sensitive and interesting discussion on a very difficult period in history.

I’m hoping to write a proper review for the whole trilogy at some point (once I’ve finished the monstrosity that is my Words of Radiance review) so I don’t want to say too much more here. However, I do want to say I really enjoyed that Donnelly found the space to continue looking at the smaller, private, and interpersonal consequences of the Ospies’ regime, particularly for families. It’s a sensitive look into this situation and I loved every second of it - I also adore Cyril and Ari’s relationship, but I’ll dig into them in my proper reivew.

Master of Sorrows by Justin Call - this was a slightly underwhelming read for me, although I did really enjoy it. I’ve seen Master of Sorrows praised everywhere, I don’t think I’ve seen it given less than 5 stars? Yet, for me it was a solid 4 star read. I’d wanted a 5 star read (I’ve been sorely lacking them) but something was holding me back with this one - I do think the series has 5 star potential though and I’m going to read Master Artificer soon!

This is a book clearly embedded in a love of mythology and fantasy. It’s dark and gritty, especially in the second half, with plenty for the reader to sink their teeth into. I’ve also never seen such a strong focus on physical disability in a fantasy novel - it was refreshing to see and led to an interesting use of the magic system to develop ways of overcoming physical disadvantages. Although I’m hoping this is going to be explored further in later installments as, for a large part of this book, Annev was essentially able bodied due to a magical prosthetic he never takes off.

Unfortuantely the most interesting part of this book, for me, was the mythological world building at the start of each part in the book. The myths, clearly based on Norse mythology (I’m sorry but “Odar” was a bit obvious), were fascinating, particularly as they started to have an influence on the events of the main narrative. I just wanted to know more about the gods than the actual story, this is probably a me issue though... The main plotline felt generic: Annev is a boy in a coming of age story, complete with a magic(ish) assassin school, a wise old mentor, and a destiny/prophesy surrounding him. It’s a typical fantasy story, so far, and while I do really enjoy these plotlines (I read enough of them!) it’s not exactly the most original. Nevertheless, I am excited to see where Call goes with this as I do think the rest of the series will start growing into something much more interesting and I look forward to Master Artificer.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte - this is one of my favourite books of all time, we all know this by now... See my full review for Bronte’s masterpiece here.

The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley - July has been the month of Natasha Pulley for me because I’ve rediscovered just how much I LOVE her books. I first read Pulley back in...what, 2017? (It’s been a while...) with her debut novel, The Watchmaker of Filigree Street which I remember loving, but I never continued with The Bedlam Stacks, the only other available book by Pulley at the time. To be frank with you, it’s because at 18/19 I wasn’t that interested in Peru. However, I now really want to read The Kingdoms, Pulley’s new release, but I felt obliged to read the books I already owned by her and hadn’t read - so I picked up The Bedlam Stacks as it’s the one I’ve owned the longest without having read it...

Not reading The Bedlam Stacks back then was the best decision I’ve ever made because I know at 18 I wouldn’t have appreciated what a stunning masterpiece this book is - it would have flown over my head because, at the time, I just wanted more Thaniel and Mori. At 23 I ADORED this book. I absolutely fell in love with the subtle whimsy and quite, understated beauty of this story. Pulley has such an elegant way of writing, it’s never overdone - she has a way of playing with words which reads beautifully but doesn’t feel like too much. She’s never flowery or purple with her prose, but she does create a work of art.

Unfortunately, The Bedlam Stacks is a book I think a lot of people may struggle with - there’s not a lot of plot, everything is a bit weird, and it’s largely a character study for our two main characters: Merrick Tremayne and Raphael. Merrick’s journey to Peru to find quinine - a cure for malaria - for the British Empire is really a set up to allow the rest of the book to focus on these two characters. It’s centred on the very slow development of their relationship together, coming to understand each other, and eventually open up about themselves - well this is more in Raphael’s case. It’s a poignant story about two people finding a home with each other that will endure across time and distance - it’s not quite a romance, but it’s certainly more than a friendship. Personally I read them as ace, but there is definitely scope here to read them in a variety of other ways depending on your own experiences. But what is certain is their deep connection, and that their love (platonic or otherwise) is what drives the outcome of this story.

It’s beautiful, poignant, and slightly tragic when you think about it... I loved every minuet of it and just wanted the book to continue, I was genuinely sad it was over! It’s not a novel for everyone, and I do think the opening section needed some more work as it did feel like Pulley was saying ‘lets get over this necessary but boring set up’. However, it was exactly what I wanted and I’m so happy I’ve finally read it.

I’m also much more interested in Peru now, so that’s something else to hold in it’s favour!

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley - I’m falling slightly out of order here but it seems better to continue with Pulley’s books. Most of the same praise I gave to The Bedlam Stacks can be repeated here - Pulley’s writing is slightly weaker here but it’s only really noticable because I read both books one after the other and I was thinking about her prose. The same whimsical, poetic, and understated style is used in both books and it really suits the type of stories Pulley like to tell - and again it’s a style that really works for me.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street I think is a slightly more universally likeable story - although I would argue Pulley is an acquired taste. There is a bit less whimsy, and the relationship between Thaniel and Mori is more easily quantifiable for readers. There is also a more obvious plotline to follow, whilst still developing three compelling characters with Mori, Thaniel, and Grace. Personally I don’t love Grace - I find her brash and callous - however, she does have as good of an arc as Thaniel and Mori, she’s also someone who regularly get overlooked when people talk about this book. She’s not someone I like or approve of, but I do really understand where she’s coming from and can appreciate her growth. Pulley doesn’t need us to like Grace - or any of her characters - she presents them as they are and lets us cast our own judgements on them, and I sincerely love this about her. (I’m also so up for reading more about Grace and her relationship with Matsumoto, they’re fabulous together!)

The main draw to this book is definitely the relationship between Thaniel and Mori - how could you not love them? They’re fascianting to watch - together and separately - and throughout the course of this nove you really feel them grow into their relationship. It’s beautiful to watch and feels genuine. Their bond is earnt, not just presented to us as a fact. However, what I really love about Mori and Thaniel is the slightly sinister route Mori takes to make sure he meets Thaniel. Honestly, in any other book Mori would be horrifying with his slightly callous use of his abilities to manipulate the world around him to achieve his own ends. However, with the narrative framing here he’s slightly toned down, it’s a spectacular example of framing shaping audience perspectives on a character. It’s great and I appreciate the sensitivity Pulley used to shape Mori and the relationship between him and Thaniel. I’m also really looking forward to seeing how they develope in The Lost Future of Pepperharrow.

Henry V by William Shakespeare - I don’t really have a lot to say about Henry V... I’ve never felt that strongly about this play - it’s fine? It’s a FABULOUS play to watch (I’ve partial to the Tom Hiddleston version in The Hollow Crown) but to read it’s merely okay. There are some fantastic and very famous speeches - and I absolutely adore the Chorus. However, as a whole the play is merely a decent one. I’m always left a bit uncomfortable with how Shakespeare treats the French, and I’m yet to work out where I stand on Henry as a person and the morality of the war... It’s something to ponder and maybe write something on at a later date.

Unfortunately, this one falls into a similar issue as the Henry IV plays - I just don’t like the common men plotline within this one... It’s slightly better because Falstaff isn’t in this play, except in name (I have an absolute burning hatred of Falstaff... Like we could burn him out of English literature and I’d dance on the ashes level of hatred, it’s perhaps sllightly irrational but I loathe him. I’d otherwise like the Henry IV plays but I see Falstaff and I’m immediately full of seething rage. It’s apparently very funny for my best friend.) However, I just find the common men a tedious distraction from the rest of the play. I switch off whenever I’m watching the play and they’re on stage/screen. I know why they’re there I just don’t care - it’s a me issue, I’m well aware.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling - okay I’m not going to write much on Half-Blood Prince as a whole becasue 1. Rowling herself, and 2. I’m going to rank the Harry Potter books when I’ve finished with Deathly Hallows. Overall, I loved this book, it’s always been one of my favourite Potter novels and my reread only cemented its place. The plot is genuinely interesting and well thought out, it’s one of the best books for exploring Harry as a character (I adore seeing his darker side!), and the set up for the finale is excellent. I actually perfer it to Deathly Hallows because the promises it makes are more interesting than the actual execution of the book.

However, I do want to say that this book made Snape my new favourite character - I won’t explain why yet, I need to do a full spoiler discussion of ALL the Harry Potter books, including Deathly Hallows. But Snape is by far the best drawn character in the Potter series. He’s certainly not the nicest, kindest of most likeable. Snape’s not a moral paragon, neither has he ‘done nothing wrong’ as I’ve seen argued. But he is the most interesting and morally complex.

Everytime I’ve read Potter before, Snape’s a character I’ve not really thought about - which is shocking considering how much he’s in these books, the role he plays, and the discourse around him in the Harry Potter fandom. I’ve always just gone along with the face-value presentation of his character. Yet on this reread I’ve paid attention to Snape, not deliberately, it just naturally happened. Anyway, to cut a long story short - Snape is my new favourite character! Yes Lupin is still my irrational, undying favourite. But, in terms of having a genuine interest and reason for loving him Snape is my new favourite because he is so complicated! He’s someone I’ve come to understand and sympathise with. I don’t condone Snape, I still think he’s a piece of work who should NEVER be allowed around children. But he is a good person. Again not nice, likeable, or morally sound. Yet he does spend the best part of 20 years working tirelessly for good without praise, acknowledgement, or recongition.

He’s a fascinating character and I’ve adored diving into his mind, as much as you can in this very Harry-centric series, without the accepting bias of a child’s eyes. Snape’s one of the few characters in Harry Potter I’d like to read a book about - I’ve neber been one to want a Marauder’s spin off or Hogwarts founding story. But I think diving into Snape’s mind would genuinely be worth it and an interesting experiment, I just don’t think J.K. Rowling would be the right author to do it.

#books of 2021 #reading #mini book reviews #amnesty #lara elena donnelly #master of sorrows #justin call #wuthering heights #emily bronte #the bedlam stacks #the watchmaker of filigree street #natasha pulley #henry v #william shakespeare #harry potter and the half-blood prince #harry potter #severus snape

[be-the-spark-flyboy]

Migraine

Call It What You Want (6/?)

Series Masterlist

Pairing: Med student!Poe x Reader

A/N: OH MAI GAWD we’re finally getting somewhere with the plot can you believe???I apologize for the slowest of slowburns ever also I rlly am sorry for hurting Poe like this but im not done yet oops

Chapter Summary: Bby isn’t feeling so good :(

Warnings: swearing, fluff (finally), then angst immediately after oops

Word count: 1.7k

Poe walks into the living room as Finn and Rey watch him drag his feet, dropping face-first onto the couch. 

“Did you do it?” Rey asks. Poe nods his head, his face still pressed into the cushion.

“Do what?” Finn asks.

“You didn’t tell him?” Rey questions Poe.

“Nope,” he says, voice muffled.

“Tell me what?” Finn asks again, getting confused.

“How did it go?” Rey completely ignores her boyfriend, too invested in the news Poe was about to divulge. 

“Excuse me! How did what go? What did y’all do?” Finn was getting worked up at how they were ignoring him.

Poe props himself up on his elbows. “Didn’t make a scene because, guess what? She’s already seeing someone,” 

“What the hell, man!” Rey exclaims, further confusing Finn. He was so close to shaking one of them by the shoulders demanding answers.

Poe continues unfazed by Finn glaring daggers at the two of them. “Didn’t even have the decency to end it with me first,”

“Did you break up with Sarah?” Finn exclaims, finally catching on. Poe nods. “Oh finally,” When two sets of eyes fix on him, glaring, he clears his throat and says, “I mean, oh shit, how are you feeling?”

“Like shit,” Poe whines, dropping his head back onto the cushion. A part of him had hoped he would feel better after breaking up with Sarah, but it only left him feeling more down than anything. He should’ve just listened to Finn and ended it before it got so out of hand. Well, at least he has one less thing to worry about now.

—-

Poe groans when hears a soft knock from his bedroom door. He thought Rey and Finn had already left for the dental appointment. But then, when did they ever knock before barging into his room? 

Poe had assured Rey that he’d be fine when she asked before leaving, but the migraine was really kicking his ass. He couldn’t even stand without feeling like he was going to fall over or throw up, he tried to sleep but the pain didn’t let him. So he there he was, sprawled across the bed on his stomach buried under the covers.

“The door’s open,” he grumbles and the door opens. He lifts his head from the mattress, watching you walk in. Suddenly, Poe becomes very aware of how his unruly curls stick out in every direction and how he looks like he hasn’t slept in days because he hasn’t. He blinks, wondering if he was hallucinating all of a sudden.

“Hey, Poe,” you greet him watching him squint back at you, blinking blearily. The curtains are wide open, sunlight shining straight into his eyes. You walk over to the window and draw them close.

“Thanks,” he gives you a shy smile, finally snapping out of the daze. “What are doing here?”

“Oh, Rey called. She said you weren’t feeling so well and that she and Finn won’t be around for a little while. So I volunteered to babysit,” You smile at him.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Poe replies, not even acting like he was offended that you called it babysitting, too busy trying to suppress the giddy smile growing on his face. You care about him.

“No offence Poe, but you really don’t look like you’re doing great,” You did have a point.

Poe dramatically flops back onto the mattress, groaning. “I feel horrible,”

He hears you chuckle at his antics, striding closer to him. You kneel by the bed and he adjusts his head to get a better look at you. “Did you eat anything yet?”

“Nope, I feel nauseous,” He presses his face back into the sheets. 

“Can I get you something? Maybe soup? It’s a little more light,” You suggest.

“Okay,“ the smile fully stretched across his face. The migraine didn’t seem to bad all of a sudden.

---

You’re back at the dining table, the same spot you took the first time you stayed over at the apartment. Laptop open before you, skimming through the lecture contents. 

You couldn’t help but feel bad for Poe when Rey had called you asking if you could keep an eye on him for her. Rey was bringing Finn along to her dental appointment, way too scared to go on her own. It wasn’t like Poe couldn’t take care of himself, but she felt bad leaving him alone anyways.

You had a lecture at that time but fortunately one of your classmates were willing to share notes so you thought it wouldn’t be too bad if you missed just one lecture. You didn’t tell any of trio, knowing how they’d hate to be the reason you miss out on your class.

Poe was asleep in his room upstairs. The soup you gave seemed to be doing fine with his stomach, thankfully. Rey had called to tell you that they were taking more time than expected at the clinic. You had no problems with staying a little longer.

You hear the door swing open upstairs and Poe emerges in the kitchen a few moments later. “Feeling better?” you ask him.

“Yep, much better, thanks to you.” Thankfully, he turns away as he fills a cup with water because you definitely don’t want him to see how your face briefly warms up at the compliment.

Poe joins you at the table, and you can’t help but think of the previous time you were in that position. You weren’t unaware that spending more time with him was only going to make things worse for you. If you had any sense of self-preservation you would’ve made yourself scarce around him. You did try after new years eve. It still escaped you how Poe managed to befriend you so quickly while you took forever with anyone else. You just felt drawn to him.

Poe quietly sips on his water, unaware of your inner turmoil as you blankly stared at the screen. You know you’re only going to fall harder and end up hurting yourself. You really should try harder to distance yourself from him.

---

“I used to have a massive crush on Finn back in middle school,” Poe confesses. You and Poe lay under the throw blanket on the couch, reruns of some old show playing on the TV, but neither of you are watching it. Poe suggested a game, 21 questions, claiming he was bored and it was the only thing that could entertain him. So much for distancing yourself.

The questions started out innocent, plain boring, like what’s your favourite colour? then quickly escalating to at what age did you loose your virginity? Before you know, your laughing with him on the couch clutching you half-empty mug, Poe’s empty on laying in the coffee table.

“What?” The way your eyes widen comically draws a laugh from Poe. “Does Finn know?”

“I’m pretty sure everyone knew, I wasn’t exactly subtle. Its embarrassing,” That triggers more laughter from you. “In my defense, everyone had a crush on Finn at one point,” Poe watches you laugh at his expense, smiling brighter, feeling lighter than he had for months. He would recount every single one of his embarrassing childhood memories if it got you laughing like that. He’s in so much trouble. “Okay, your turn,”

An embarrassing childhood memory. You have a plethora of those. You sip your coffee pondering, which one to share? Placing your mug on the coffee table, you lean back into the couch and Poe rests his head on your shoulder. The silence stretches as you remain like that for a few more serene moments, game forgotten, only the sounds of the characters on screen punctuating the otherwise peaceful night. 

You turn when you hear Poe whisper your name, your eyes lock on his and you can’t seem to look away. He holds your gaze as he looks up at you, making you feel so exposed with those big brown eyes you never knew could be so piercing. He looks like he’s about to say something, then decides against it.

Instead, he tilts his head up, brushing his lips against yours, breath fanning your cheeks as he ventures further when you don’t pull away. His hands cradle your jaw, touch light like feather on your skin. Your eyelids flutter as his thumb caresses your cheekbone.

You’re kissing him before you mind catches up with your actions. His tongue brushes over your bottom lips then against your own, wet and warm, tasting sweet like the coffee he had, black, with three sugars.

An arm winds around your waist, pulling you into his chest and you follow blindly. The warmth emanating from his chest and feeling of his heart thundering beneath your palms. You could loose yourself in it. In him.

Almost just as soon as you had him, you’re ripped away from him when the sound of a key turning in the front door lock jolts the two of you apart. “We’re home!” Rey sings as she and Finn walk through the door.

Oh fuck. What did you just do?

You scramble up from the couch, quickly making up a shoddy excuse before throwing yourself out the front door, your belongings haphazardly gathered up in your arms, leaving all three of your friends stunned in your wake.

---

“Damn, Poe. What did you do?” Finn asks closing the door after you.

The way you were kissing him one moment and then suddenly disappearing the next almost gave Poe whiplash. “Huh? Why do you think I did something?” Both Finn and Rey gave him a look full of disbelief. “We might have kissed,” he utters the last word like a whisper. “And she just ran out like that,” he says flailing his arms in the direction you disappeared in. Did he go too far? You wouldn’t have kissed him back if you didn’t want to, right? Fuck, what did he do wrong?

“Did you tell her you broke up with Sarah?” Rey asks him. Always hitting the nail right on the head.  

“Oh, oh no,” he didn’t, it never came up and he didn’t even think of it. 

“You fucked up, son,” Finn interjects, grimacing like he was feeling second hand embarrassment from the whole situation.

“You didn’t tell her by any chance?” Poe asks, turning to Rey. 

“Why would I tell her? Do you think we got nothing better to do than sit around gossiping about friends?”

“I’m an idiot,” Poe says, more to himself to anyone else.

“The migraine sure messed with your mind,” Finn chuckles.

---

The Dameron Taglist (open):

@writefightandflightclub​ @arkofblake​ @yougottakeeponkeepinon​ @multifandomlife22​ @skymerons​ @smol-peter-parker​ @rae-rae-patcha @demigod-dragonrider-schoolidol @spider-starry @hkmultifandom @cloud-leader @elmoakepoke @staringmoony @valhallavalkyrie9 @the-cry-of-youth @liadamerondjarin @m1rkw00dpr1ncess @takemepedropascal

#poe dameron au #poe x reader #poe dameron #poe fluff #poe fanfiction #sw fanfic #sw au

[theangrypokemaniac]

I'll state from the beginning that the images below display the sort of sweet synchronicity to which only love can give life:

MaAndPaShipping is the best ship, and here are five reasons why:

1. It Made James

Like the boy do yer? Ever felt the slightest tingle of warmth at the mention of his name?

Well get down on yer knees and give thanks to his mother and father for gifting him to the world!

Where would we be without their remarkable commitment? Could James have grown into the dandified dream boat of your desires if deprived of the safety provided by his parents?

Had they not brought him up, he'd be dead, The Dog of Flanders fantasy made reality. If miraculously he survived, foraging in the wild is not conducive to a foppish personality.

Is that to yer fancy? No? Then let's have a little respect. The luxury Ma and Pa gave enabled his macaroni tendencies to reach such heights.

Their love created him! How can it not be celebrated?

You lot would ship Jessie's parents but you can't, because she has no dad, and I don't suppose you'll ever assent to his obvious identity of Windy Miller, although 'Jessie Miller' has a wonderful ring to it, so what can be done?

Should a Pa Jess be conjured for the purpose, he still buggered off, didn't he? Where's the allure in a faithless git?

I can't comprehend the obsession with Ma Jess. As soon as here she's stiff, and what is there to remember but coercing her daughter into eating snow?

Hey, I named her. What more do you want from me?

I'd rather have the living, visible ancestors, if you don't mind.

Yeah, says the history fanatic.

Why not make the most of the chances offered, and follow a devoted couple whose love made a difference to your existence?

2. Canon!

There are many ships which I find repulsive for involving depravity, or absurd as the subjects haven't met, or don't inhabit the same fictional universe.

Video et taceo: I see and I say nothing.

Neither does anyone. Forcing decent folk in to incest, bestiality etc. is quite alright.

Perverted ideas are left alone, but woe betide a Rocketshipper, because that's offensive.

It may be the only original ship left standing, with proper evidence and sanctioned by Nintendo, but no, it's fair game for undermining. People pick at your arguments, quibble constantly and NEED to register their objections NOW. You MUST be made aware of opposition. You're not to be permitted your views the way those with twisted tastes are indulged.

Why, out of tens of thousands of combinations, does making Jessie and James an item provoke hostility?

The strength of negativity actually serves as validation, for why be so concerned if it's an impossible relationship?

However sick they are, I'm not anti any ship. I can't muster sufficient interest to do it, and if I scroll on, I forget. I certainly don't attack those responsible.

Anti-Shipping is inherently nihilistic for promoting loneliness. They aren't against Rocketshipping through wanting Jessie and James to be with someone else, as an alternative is not readily available, so the outcome of it is neither finding a companion.

MaAndPaShipping attracts no sourpuss silliness, for 'tis canon beyond question. There's nothing about being 'just friends' when married with a son.

How's the state of your O.T.P.? Not looking too clever I expect, and what's your contribution: wishing, and hoping, and thinking, and praying?

Cast it off! None of that longing is necessary in these quarters, as MaAndPaShipping is a fait accompli.

Hallelujah! Wallow in that Love!

Don't you yearn for at least one ship that all of us accept by default, to the extent these aristocrats are spoken of as a single unit?

Across the internet, Ma and Pa are bracketed as 'James's parents', never 'he' and 'she', always 'they', barely counting as distinct characters. That's how undeniable the love is between them. Sheer indifference has awarded it a blessing from everyone.

MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

Of course, now I've drawn attention to it the moaning will start, but we all know a spoilsport when we see one.

If they had any legitimate complaints they ought to have mentioned 'em before this piece highlighted the marriage!

Except it won't have occurred to 'em previously, proving the eternal, indissoluble quality of MaAndPaShipping.

You get good value with this one.

Find a post referring to Ma and Pa as individuals and I'll have written it, for that's what you call ironic.

3. It's a Fine Rocketshipping Proxy

I was at primary school when Pokémon hit the West like the bright, bearded meteor it is, atomizing all competition for a child's attention.

I have shipped Jessie and James before I knew anyone else did it, unaware shipping was even a thing.

There are other pairs where I think: 'That seems to fit', but it's incomparable to what I feel for them.

It is part of me. I bleed it.

I have shipped it longer than most Tumblerries have dwelt upon the earth.

I used to believe, what with the hints and manga finale, that this resolution was  inevitable, and all I had to do was wait.

Well I've been patient for two decades now, thus when I look at the modern incarnation, and realise it's no nearer to that goal, and instead is further away, waiting starts to wear a bit thin.

I resent the lack of appreciation shown to the fans by the cretins in charge, how any meagre shippy inclusion is done not with an interest in deepening bonds, but with the blatant cynicism of moulding us into performing monkeys dancing to their manipulative tune.

I dislike being treated like a sea lion, expected to clap me flippers at the wave of a fish, or as a panting dog begging at top table, where, because they're desperate to maintain the status quo, every scrap flung down from above now comes with an Anti-Ship kick in the teeth, just to be sure nothing progresses. Not whilst the franchise can still be milked for all it's worth.

I have lost faith Rocketshipping will happen. What passes for Pokémon today carries not the remotest indication of any intention on the so-called writers' part to finish it that way.

Even if it did, it's not my Team Rocket, it's those skeletal, gargoyle bastardisations. My Jessie and James never got the reward they deserved.

I'm somewhat in the market for a replacement. Beneath this loathsome carapace of acid and ice beats the tender heart of a true romantic, and it must have an outlet!

Shipping Ma and Pa provides a certain spurious relief, because it's as close as you can get to Jessie and James without it being them, both biologically as his parents, but they're so similar to the duo it counts as proof in itself.

Holy Matrimony! is prime Rocketshipping territory, not merely the balloon lift, but many slight additions are as important, like the haircuts matching.

Ma and Pa are therefore Jessie and James in the past, present and future:

The past for representing Jess 'n' Jamie gone Victorian, and we've all wondered how that'd turn out.

The present as it's there right now, absent of suffering the shameless whims of morons to get what you want. 'Tis yours to savour.

The future as a glimpse of Jessie and James once married with children, and they agree:

That's how they play it given the opportunity!

What, James in blue, for his and Pa's hair, and Jessie wearing purple, like Ma's, with a red shawl for her own, and Ma Jess's orange earrings to copy the beads?

• Money!

• Bun!

• 'Tache!

• Classy pad!

• Fancy gear!

• Pampered pet!

• Identical cups of Earl Grey!

4. Original Blend

Ma and Pa have only got two fans! We care more than the entire fandom has in twenty years!

Rocketshipping art is ten a penny, so why not display a pioneering spirit, sharpen up those pencils and be inspired?

Let your mind expand and marvel at the possibilities of these unchartered territories, and I'll reblog it if it's nice.

Pay attention to the condition of it being nice. I'm not putting up with any old toss.

Real Ma and Pa is what I want too, not those Sinnoh coffin-dodgers.

It's never been done! Every drawing breaks new ground!

I don't like fan fiction, but I wouldn't say 'no' to that either. Recall the 'nice' stipulation again.

Come on, be the first amongst your friends and get ship shape!

5. It Gives Us All Hope

Suppose your favourite amour one day became canon: you imagine that's the end of the matter?

Well it ain't.

Between Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, Gary and Tracey, there are three-and-a-half out of fourteen parents (Flint doesn't count as a complete man) and one out of twenty-eight grandparents, and that's not enough!

If the series drew to a close with your beloved couple apparently walking into the happily-ever-after, there's no guarantee it'll endure. In fact, the odds are they'll split up within a few years and leave another generation to fend for themselves or starve.

That's right, so don't presume the final episode is all you need to worry about. Can you rest easy knowing it'll go pear-shaped once the camera stops rolling?

It's futile soothing one's worries with:

Oh, but they know what it's like to be alone. They'd never inflict such stress on their children.

Oh really?

Look at that poor showing of grandparents. Either Pokémon has a system reminiscent of the sci-fi film Logan's Run, where everyone over thirty is vapourized, or these disappearing maters and paters were themselves victims of abandonment.

I bet when they settled down, they thought it'd be different for their kids, they'd make sure of it, but no, off they went down that same route of feckless self-indulgence, and that's being kind assuming they intended not to repeat history.

Depressing eh? What's the good in any of us surrendering to romance, real or otherwise, if love is but a mayfly of emotion, and all dreams are doomed to die?

Then Ma and Pa arrive, and suddenly the storm clouds part for a ray of heavenly light.

It's not only that they made the effort in what was probably an arranged marriage and have stayed together from youth, it's that they've stayed together when no one else has, which augments its value.

When separation is commonplace, sticking it out becomes rarer and rarer as any belief in the sanctity of wedlock erodes with every failure.

If they didn't bother, why should I? What's the use when it won't work?

Once that idea enters your head, it's over, and your gloom-laden attitude fulfils itself.

Society is collapsing about Ma and Pa's ears, but they persevere nevertheless, refusing to buckle under the turgid malaise engulfing the arrogant and weak.

It's bloody beautiful, man!

You may suggest an environment of supreme wealth erases normality, and to their class and time period divorce is still taboo, so they don't really have much of choice but to remain wedded.

Ah, but it's not as if they simply tolerate one another for appearances, or carried on for the sake of their son (which is more than anyone else did besides), not when he walked out on them.

They've been married longer than James has lived, so at least eighteen years (don't all squeal at once), and they're still blissfully contented!

They hold hands!

They use terms of endearment like 'dear' and 'my precious'!

They were made for one another!

They work as a team!

They want the same thing for James!

It could bring a stone angel to tears it's so beautiful!

See what success can be achieved when you try? When you endeavour to love the one you're with and make yourself worth loving in return?

Better that than chucking 'em at the first sign of trouble.

Ma and Pa is such an irrevocable union even the despair of losing their only child failed to tear 'em asunder, and that'd defeat many, but not this husband and wife.

Be grateful, for it means all is not in vain.

It doesn't have to be misery and pain: love can last despite the pressure of a wretched, hollow culture bent on self-destruction. Your ship might just succeed too.

God bless 'em for keeping the magic alive!

...

Why do I have the presentiment that I'm going to regret encouraging support?

#maandpashipping #team rocket #ma james #pa james #ma and pa james #james #jessie #james's mom #james's dad #james's parents #rocketshipping #kanto #holy matrimony!

[marmolady]

Choices: All the Odds / Personal : 1-5

Thankies!!!

1. First book you played on Choices?

The Royal Romance. It’s not even one of my favourites now, but it was my gateway book for sure. Many, many diamonds spent on Hana. I was early in the process of working out I was gay, and it was actually pretty helpful with that! 

3. Favorite Choices book?

Endless Summer Book 2. I love all three, but the third, despite having some wonderful moments (handfasting… duh…), it felt kinda messy compared to the other two, and the first was very Estela-lite. Some of my favourite moments are in the first book, but you really had to pay up if you wanted to see Estela for anything more than fleeting moments. But Book 2… you really start to feel a connection for the whole gang, the action ramps up, some great twists and turns (bloody Lila, man), and I got to have Estela fall in love with me. Freakin ace. 

5. Favorite Choices character?

Estela. Feckin. Montoya. *heart eyes*

Actual cutest smile of any Choices character. I just adore her development over the series, the depth of her character, how she gradually opens up and makes herself vulnerable, and has the courage to choose a different path, to actually live and be happy. I’m a pretty reserved person myself, so I always appreciate that as a character trait, and it makes a nice contrast to MC, who could probably make friends with a rock if she wanted. Also unbelievably badass, and driven by a staunch sense of doing what she believes is right (whether it actually IS what’s right is another matter entirely). Being totally gorgeous is just the icing on the cake.

7. Share a Choices unpopular opinion you have

I’m not fond of the male LIs in ES. They’re my least favourite characters among the Catalysts, and both tend to grate on me a lot, especially early on. I suspect that actually doing their diamond scenes would improve my opinion on them, as I know there’s a level of depth that you don’t get otherwise. I find Jake especially overrated. *hides behind my ass-kicking pixel wife*

9. Are you more excited for Open Heart or the werewolf book?

Probably the werewolf book, but I’m keen for both. For me, what sells a book to me is the characters. If I fall in love with a squad, you’ve got me. Because of that, it’s kind of hard to judge beforehand. OBVIOUSLY, if we got a Michelle cameo in OH, my excitement would be astronomical. 

11. Predictions on what will happen during ACOR or D&D?

ACOR, I have no idea. Going solely on how much of a bumbling idiot I am at these things, I’m not expecting MC will be successful in her mission. I live in hope, though, that I will be able to run away with Sabina. I’m not invested in either Cassius or Antony… they’re obviously gonna die soon anyway, so…

D&D, I can’t see the duel ending well for LI. Not this early in the book. Surely (praying), they won’t kill the LI. I don’t think I could handle not having an eventual happy ending with Annabelle. She makes me soft as butter that’s been left out in the sun too long.

13. What’s your Attunement?

Air. 

1. Something that makes you happy?

Right now, I would sell my soul for some really good ice cream.

2. Something embarrassing that happened to you?

Standing up in front of my high school English class and immediately bursting into tears springs to mind. I am not eloquent under pressure (actual pressure, or imagined, it doesn’t matter), and debating just broke me (who decided competitive public speaking was a good idea?)

3. Craziest thing you’ve done?

Despite being anxiety-ridden, scared of flying, and prone to social stress, I recently jetted off to Sierra Leone for a three-month internship. Thus far I am alive, and have had only one wobbly, anxious day. 

4. What do you do during your freetime?

Write sappy lez ES fanfiction, mostly! I also draw, and I photograph animals- mostly chimpanzees (kinda random, but there you go).

5. Thoughts on pineapple pizza?

I like pineapple. I like pizza. I prefer them separately.

[gold-from-straw]

Writing Process tag game

Tagged by @gothyringwald! Thank you ^_^

1. What are your favourite genres and/or styles to write in?

I recently discovered I actually LOVE magical realism. I really like world building like that. But most of all I like writing about people and relationships, so within that, anything really

2. What was the last writing project you finished and felt successful with?

I get a total buzz from finishing anything, often because I’m super excited about starting on the next thing! I think Wicked Boys, though - it’s just the first draft that’s finished, but I’m really pleased with how it turned out. The Forest Hotel, as well, I finished that quite a while ago but I still feel really positive about it, which is unheard of for me lol! My friend has finished the front cover art, so hopefully I’ll be able to publish it soon! But the most surprising success was Nature of Trust, because it’s STILL gathering hits and kudos like crazy, it didn’t slow down after I finished uploading, and I can’t even quite figure out why?! I feel like I hit on some magic formula there and I’m fascinated lol!

3. If you have a WiP how do you feel it’s going? What stage are you in?

Oh dear, hold on people. So I’ve got 2 original novels that are about 1/3 the way through. One of them I recently got enthusiastic about again, but I nearly cried when I re-read the first few chapters. They were shit. I’ve convinced myself to move past that - that’s a problem for second draft Lyndsay - and just write the damn thing. 

I’ve got a couple of first drafts that need transcribing so I can upload them - Wicked Boys, which is my current baby, Golden Prince, and Living the Dream (shit, I need to be writing that like now, so I can upload tomorrow...)

I’ve got a Drarry novel which might ACTUALLY turn into an epic re-write of the entire HP series, oops. I’m only on book 1 as well, so... it’s getting there?

There’s a short story I promised my daughter, too, I should really prioritise that...

Oh, yeah, I forgot about Zero Degrees! I have a few extra chapters to add, and a bunch of edits, but I’m hoping to publish that next year

I have too many WIPs!

4. What are your favourite places to write?

I write my first drafts in notebooks (literally because I like buying pretty notebooks...) so I actually end up writing in some lovely places, like a hill where I walk my dog! My dedicated writing place is in a golf club cafe I go to after my karate lesson (random, know), they make the best BLT baguettes, and the old dudes there tease me and ask me when I’m going to write a book about them

5. Do you prefer to write with long hand or type? Or some other method?

If it’s something long I usually write in a notebook, because I kinda like having physical evidence of the VOLUME of shit I write! Also I really like pretty notebooks. Also also, it forces me to finish a first draft - I can’t edit as easily as I can on a laptop. And then when I type it up it forces me to second draft it, I spot things that don’t flow better than if I was just reading through

6. Do you remember your first character? If so can we meet them?

Yes! I used to write stories and pass them around my school, and the first one I wrote was about a girl who lived as a stowaway in a container ship like some pre-teen phantom of the opera on the fucking ocean! I actually don’t know if I ever finished the story, but she was trippy. First story I know for sure that I finished was about a bus crash where one girl nearly dies and her body is taken over by an angel so she can heal. It’s mostly from the POV of the boy who had a crush on her and who goes slightly crazy noticing the similarities and differences between this girl’s character before and after. I mean that was trippy AF too, I’m not even sure what was going on there... I was clearly a little edgelord already...

7. Where do you get your inspiration?

I really don’t know, half the time. Daydreaming. Something will set me off and I’ll take tangent after tangent until BAM, I’m re-writing the story of how my great-grandfather walked half way across Kenya with a donkey and a wooden leg, only now he’s gay and he and his Masai friend rescue a kid from an abusive household.

8. Do you outline a story before writing it, or does it all live in your head until the first draft gets put down?

So much outline. The reason being, I have so many random ideas that if I started all of them I’d go crazy. So instead I have a book full of tangled mind-maps (my header photo is an example), and once they’re outlined there, they can hibernate for years before I get started, but they don’t go away. If I just let them live in my head I’d lose them! I also have a book dedicated to doing character notes, like backstories and random bits of info that will probably never make it into the story but which give me a good idea of who the person is before I try to write them - otherwise they tend to be a bit two dimensional. @salamanderink gave me that idea by asking me loads of questions about some of my Zero Degrees characters!

9. Where do you go/ What do you do when you’re feeling stuck?

I just leave it alone, write something else or absolutely nothing. I don’t try to push it any more. I think I used to, because I was scared of losing momentum, but now I’ve got this backlog of ideas, I know that if I ever run out of inspiration at least I’ve got starting points for loads of new ones! I don’t know if that’ll change in the future, but it seems to be OK for right now. I sometimes change and do a bit of drawing for a while instead, that usually loosens me up

10. What got you started writing/doing Art? (Because I always love origin stories)

I’ve kept a diary since I was 6 or so, on and off, but consistently since I was 11. That just sort of turned into me writing stories, somehow. I remember writing in my diary ‘nothing interesting ever happens so I’m going to write down my daydreams until I get a boyfriend or something’. Then IDK, some of the kids a couple of years below me in high school found some of my stories, and asked if they could share them around, and I started sewing them up to hand out - I’ve still got all of them! Some of them were fucking dark... 

We had a talk by an author one day, and he asked if anyone wanted to be a professional writer. I put my hand up (and got teased by the assholes in my class afterwards, because apparently the boys in my class were actual baby boomers and didn’t think writing was a real job - like mate, you’re 15, what do you care?!) but this dude looked at me with a super intense expression and said ‘never stop writing’. So I didn’t. And I self-pub my original stuff, and get my regular dose of validation on AO3, and writing is my most effective coping mechanism. Tadaa!

Tagging @slytherinvalues, @turned-her-brain, @salamanderink, @elizabethhollowswriting and @soz or whoever else wants to do this and needs to procrastinate as much as I do ;)

#writing about writing

[nerbert]

This is like, months late I’m sorry please forgive me

This was a questions tag thing that went around like a month ago, and it’s been sitting in my drafts waiting for me to finish it

I forget the rules, and I think everyone has answered these already, so I’m not going to bother tagging more peoples, but if you haven’t done this yet, and want to, answer any 11 of these questions!

3 people tagged me, so this is long

@thecrazyexfangirl tagged me for these:

1. What are you studying or what is your profession? 

I’m studying economics! I’ll graduate with an honours undergrad degree next year, and then I want to complete a masters in economics, a masters in public policy, and a phD in economics, then spend my career writing macroeconomic policy for governments. Basically I want to run the world 

2. I read a lot of opinion about FMAB and FMA03 Mustang, but what is your opinion about FMAB and FMA03 Edward?

I have opinions, and I am going to start on that essay post soon! 

3. Where are you from? 

I grew up in Victoria BC 

4. What is your favourite film/book and why? 

Across the universe is my favourite movie, because I love Beatles music, and I think the movie is just so well done. and Harry Potter is my favourite book, because, well, why does anyone like Harry Potter? It’s the first book I read all the way through, because it came out when I was a smol, the first book that had enough diverse characters that I could identify with, and rereading it it’s feels like catching up with an old friend❤ 

5. If you get a role in the FMA live action, which role would you play? 

I would love to play Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong, but I think honestly, I would want more of like an extra role, because I’d be too busy fangirling to actually act, plus, acting isn’t really my thing 

 6. FMA03, FMAB or FMA manga? 

Good golly, that’s tough. I haven’t read the manga yet, I have a processing disorder that makes it hard to read black and white manga. Between 03 and brohood, brohood is definitely a better series, but 03 is important to watch. I really love Ed’s character development in 03, and I LOVE satan Tucker’s fate. Death is too merciful for him, I love that he sufffeeeerrrrrrrrrsssssss 

7. If you get an opportunity to meet with an author who would you choose? 

I think Arakawa would be a really cool person to meet. From the little that I’ve read/heard about her, I feel like we’d get along 

 8. Which fictional character would be your best friend? 

I think Mai from atla would be my saltmate for sure 

9. Favourite fandom? 

Definitely fma 

10. When did you join to the tumblr community? 

I think I made a tumblr in like 2012, but didn’t really get into it, then after watching fma, I started looking at fanart, and found royai fanfics that soothed my soul, and then I started using Tumblr, so mid 2016. 

11. Do you make fanarts, fanfictions, amv etc.?

I wish. I am an artist, but I paint impressionist landscapes, so fanart isn’t really my domain. And I’ve never really been a writer.

@queenxolivier tagged me in these:

How did you get into fandom? What was your catalyst to finding the tumblr community?

This was kind of answered with when did I join Tumblr. But I got into fma after my brother nagged me to watch it. I got into fandom back in the days of My Immortal and the Harry Potter fandom, but I didn’t have a tumblr back then, so it was more looking at hp fanart on deviantart and MySpace, and googling fanfics, but I was never part of a fandom community until I found fma

What’s your favourite part about your favourite fandom?

I love that the fma fandom is still thriving, like, brohood ended 6 years ago, and people are still joining the fandom, making new art and fics, it’s awesome!

If you could spend the day with any fictional character, who would it be and why?

I’d love to spend a day with Katara, she’s so incredible, and I think I could learn a lot from her, like just how to be a better person in general

What fictional character has had the biggest impact on your life or has inspired you the most?

Hermione was the first character to have an impact on me. And it was because I have gigantic teeth just like her. Seriously, my front teeth are like twice the size of my husbands, and I’ve had these teeth since I was a tiny 8 year old. So I latched onto her character, and started to find more similarities between me and her, and she taught me it’s ok to be smart and a girl

Talk about your favourite book (I KNOW IT’S HARD but if you had to pick one).

Lol hp fo sho. It's just so perfect, like even now, there's still more I'm learning about the Harry Potter universe, and so many more headcanons I can get behind...and more reasons to hate Snape 

Do you have any accomplishments or anything in your life you feel the most proud of?

Ha, way too many. I have a super interesting back story, but that will take to much to talk about here

Tell us about a project you have going on! Or if you don’t have one, maybe something you’ve always wanted to write or draw?

Right now I’m doing an econometric analysis on whether minimum wage increases have impacted the CPI in British Columbia for the last 30 years, and I’m also writing about how Canada’s economy wouldn’t have developed without the help of the Indigenous Peoples

How do you feel about AU’s?

Meh. I like the funny au headcanons, like the one @izumiicurtis proposed, where everyone wears period clothing, except ed still looks like he robbed hot topic in the dark (that is the best joke in the fandom I swear) but I never really got into au's

Do you have any favourite composers or soundtracks?

I really love the Rent soundtrack 

In your opinion, what is the best Disney movie to come out since Disney’s Golden Age?

Wreck it Ralph

Fangirl about something, really go wild.

Major. General. Olivier. Mira. Armstrong. that woman is a goddess and could kill me and I’d be ok with it. She’s so powerful and doesn’t take any crap and she’s so smart and always plans ten steps ahead of everyone and she’s not afraid to admit she doesn’t know everything and she loves her brother so much and does so much to protect her family plus she’s absolutely beautiful like her hair is made of silk I swear and the way she fights with a sword instead of guns I just love swords

@haganenobeato tagged me in these

1. Would you wanted Solf J. Kimblee perish a deserving death on that train? Yes or yes? 

Yes. He should have died RIGHT THERE 

2. Is there fanart or fanfiction you feel needs to be made but doesn’t exist yet or w/e? FMA or otherwise? 

There should be more RizBecca (Riza and Rebecca) fics/ art, and more Marier (Maria Ross and Olivier Mira Armstrong) fics/art. Just more wlw content in general in the fma fandom 

3. What do you think Hayate’s Cream Shiba’s name is? 

well, I think that dog must be Roy’s, and Roy is a nerd, so he probably named her similarly to how Riza named Black Hayate

4. Knowing the FMA baddies masterplan, what would you have tried to do to stop Father? 

lol I’m 5 feet tall and I’ve never been in a fight in my life, If I tried to stop them, I’d somehow trip and accidentally press the big red button that sets the plan in motion (oh there’s no big red button that does that? surprise, when I’m around, there’s suddenly a big red button that does The Bad Thing(tm) )

 5. Which is your favorite AU? 

Idk, I’m not really into AU’s

6. What fictional character would you have a comfortable silence with? 

Riza. I feel like she’s the type who doesn’t do small talk, but when she gets to know you she starts like, making puns and when she has a topic to talk about, she really gets into it. And she doesn’t seem like the type to be awkward with silence

7. Which fictional character would you introduce to your family? 

Riza. I think she’d have a lot of fun with my family, and I think my family would like her. I would say Olivier, but she doesn’t seem like the ‘meet the parents’ type of person to me

8. Which fictional character deserved better? 

Katara in legend of korra, they really did a horrible job with her character 

9. Which FMA character (assuming they don’t know alchemy, even if they do in canon) would you rather be stuck on an island with? 

OLIVIER MIRA ARMSTRONG 

10. What scene brings a smile to your face each time? 

the EdWin proposal, it’s just so cute, and so awkward, and so appropriate for how Ed/Winry propose to each other

11. FLAIL AND CAPS LOCK SOMETHING, ANYTHING

IDK WHAT TO CAPS LOCK ABOUT. NOW I’M THINKING OF EDWIN SO MAYBE I’LL FANGIRL ABOUT THAT. THEY’RE JUST SO PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER AND THEY’RE CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND BEST FRIENDS AND ARAKAWA WROTE THEIR RELATIONSHIP SO WELL AND IT’S SO SUBTLE AND BUILDS OVER TIME AND THEY’RE SUCH A SUNSHINEY COUPLE AND THEY HAVE SUCH A CUTE LITTLE FAMILY AND I LOVE MY BABIES

if you read this all, you’re my new best friend

#tag meme #ask meme #about me

[blackboard-monitor]

@books-are-portals tagged me to answer 11 book-related questions and ask 11 of my own, which I will not do because I’m lazy. 

1. What is your favourite book from your least favourite genre? I’m not sure I really have a least favourite genre. I’m trying to think of one and I’m drawing a blank here. There are some genres that I haven’t really read at all, like Finnish mystery novels, for instance, but I can’t say I dislike them, I just haven’t read them.  

2. What well-known book/series don’t you like? I really very much did not enjoy Oliver Twist. The story did not feel engaging at all, the writing was repetitive and don’t even get me started on the ending. It was interesting as a historical document, but not so much as a novel. 

3. Which book from your favourite author has the best cover design? Oh why have you got to ask me such hard questions? Now I have to get up and go stare at my bookshelf for an extended period of time.  Okay, after some deliberation I’ll just say that my favourite are the Discworld books illustrated by Paul Kidby. If I had do pick an ultimate favourite, probably either Thud! or Snuff, both the Doubleday hardcover versions. Honestly I don’t really care what my Discworld books look like, it’s the contents that count. Although I do have a profound dislike for the Josh Kirby illustrations where every woman is drawn with enormous, bulging breasts and very little clothing.

4. What is the longest book you’ve ever read? If the single-cover edition of Täällä Pohjantähden alla which I read counts as one book, probably that. Otherwise I’m not sure, possibly Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix? Isn’t that the longest of them? Or, maybe it’s Dance with Dragons. Really, I should have checked. Either way it’s somewhere around 1000 pages. 

5. What is the shortest book you’ve ever read? Probably one of those picture books that only has one sentence per page. I don’t think I can come up with a more specific description. 

6. Whose (auto)biography would you like to read (any person, real or fictional)? Well, my first instinct was to say Sir Terry, but then I got to thinking what ANY person really means, so now I’m inclined to pick a historical figure that we know very little about. Maybe Jesus, to see what all that was really about? Or someone whose life or death is a mystery, like Amelia Earhart. Why are all these questions so hard? 

7. You can have dinner with any 3 book characters. Who would you choose & why? Sam Vimes, Lady Sybil and Lord Vetinari. It would be amazing. Vimes would hate it cause it’s a dinner party and he has to wear the shiny breastplate, but he’d put on a brave face because Sybil insisted they’d go to this thing. He would get grumpier and grumpier as Sybil and Vetinari would discuss politics over his head and make agreements that are sure to cause problems for him, ultimately. Honestly, I wouldn’t even need to participate, I’d die happy if I could just watch this :D

8. How many unread books do you own? 18(ish) 

9. What’s your favourite non-fiction book? My answer may soon change after I get to reading some of my Christmas books, but currently it’s probably Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer.

10. Do you listen to audiobooks? Apart from those kids’ cassette tapes we listened to in the car when I was little, I’ve never listened to an audiobook. I just enjoy the physical object of a book way too much, and I’m a better reader than I am a listener. I do enjoy podcasts, though. 

11. What book are you looking forward to reading? Currently mostly My Drunk Kitchen and Buffering by Hannah Hart and Fun Science by Charlie McDonnell. 

thanks for tagging me, this was a fun way to procrastinate!

#me #books #answered

[singloom]

2016 Anime Challenge Revisited ~ July

Changed the challenge somewhat from this point onward, including Western Animation because it's all animation and it's my challenge so there. I apologise in advance, the bulk is about The Lion Guard and it's not good news.

Akame Ga Kill! Sometimes, you come across a show that rarely dabbles in black and white, more likely to get muddled in the grey of morality and does a good job doing so. Akame ga Kill! is one such show, telling the tale of fighter Tatsumi who sets out for the Capitol to earn money for his home village only to come across corruption and evil. After surviving a brush with death as a result of said evil, he throws his lot in with a band of assassins dedicated to ridding the Capitol of corruption. This is the Night Raid and this is their story.

What made this series enjoyable was the cast of characters, both the Night Raid and the Jaegers (the enemy of the Night Raid,) very flawed, but likeable characters with their own draw. It is this quality that makes Akame ga Kill! heartbreaking because anyone can die and they do. You get attached and then they're gone. The range of these characters guarantee there's someone you'll like, be it the Empire's Number One Assassin (Akame,) feline girl with awesome information gathering abilities (Leone,) Badass Gay (Bulat,) Tsundere Gunslinger (Mine,) Clumsy and Sweethearted Assassin (Sheele) and Disguise Master (Chelsea.)

And Seryu. You're not ready for Seryu. You think you are, but you're not.

Despite the ending being somewhat rushed and a lot of heartache, Akame ga Kill! was an enjoyable series and I hope to hit the manga books pretty soon.

Rango Cowboy lizards. Okay, Sheriff Lizards to be more precise, but you get the idea. An unnamed lizard arrives at the town of Dirt and, eager to impress, concocts a big story about himself, calling himself Rango. He is elected as Sheriff as a result, but when the town water goes missing and he's expected to investigate, he realises that living a lie is harder than he thought. Clever with plenty Crowning Moments of Comedy that appeals to audiences of all ages.

Ride of the Valkyries on banjos. Think hard about that.

Disney's The Lion Guard <Return of the Roar> A side story of sorts to The Lion King 2, this short movie tells the tale of Kion, the son of Simba and Nala, and younger brother of Kiara, who is chosen as the leader of the Lion Guard, a group that protects the Pride Land from Danger as well as the sacred Circle of Life. You've probably heard the criticisms yourself, especially online, about what The Lion Guard accomplished and after watching it, I have some concerns of my own.

Maybe it's because I grew up with the original Lion King and also really love its sequel, Simba's Pride (mixed feelings about The Lion King 1/2, but it was still somewhat enjoyable for what it tried to do.) Everything, from the story and its iconic characters to the beautiful animation and music, made these unforgettable classics and hold a special place in my childhood. With this in mind, I felt that, far from being a love letter to those that were genuinely touched by The Lion King, it's closer to being something for younger audiences to enjoy with its sense of humour and general presentation. This is not a bad thing for younger audiences, but for myself, I was disappointed.

There is some ret-con happy liberties with the story and its characters. For example, we suddenly have a sibling for Kiara in the form of Kion, making him royal family, who has no mention in Simba's Pride. Someone who takes a large responsibility that eclipses the role of the King or Queen of the Pride Lands, given the whole Protect the Pride Lands/Circle of Life thing. We also get told that Scar from the first film was actually the prior leader to the Lion Guard, but killed his fellow members with the Roar of the Elders after desiring more power, then loses the power after succumbing to the dark side. There was at least some attempt here to explain the lack of Lion Guard presence in the first two films, but it's hard to ignore the ret-con if you're familiar with the franchise and enjoy continuity.

Aside from animation issues such as jarring walk cycles (looking at you, Simba,) I did not mind the visuals, even if there was changes to the art style. No particular musical pieces really stood out, even though they were clearly homages to previous masterpieces. I was a little disappointed at the treatment of Kiara in the story and I hope she is handled better in the animated series.

As for characters, there was no character I really disliked...except one. It took very little time to get the jist of this overly opinionated, reckless honey badger, but once realised, The Lion Guard did not let me forget it. Bunga. Kion's best friend. Timon and Pumba's adopted nephew. The bravest in the Pride Lands ("brave, bordering on stupid.") His comedy wears thin, his catchphrases are relentless and every time he talks, I cringe. Oh, and don't get me started on his solution to thwart a stampede, given the emotional investment that scene should have had.

Bunga, no. Just no.

Only particular characters got reasonable screentime (and even that was too much, BUNGA,) and unfortunately, others left you wanting more. The other members of the Lion Guard only got characterisation such as the Strongest, the Fastest and the Keenest of Sight (hope you like repetition because you'll hear those a lot.) They are built up as being rather important, but get very little attention compared to the likes of Kion and Bunga. As mentioned before, Kiara is treated as the big bully sister and in a not too favourable light. Fuli, however, rocks. Needs more Fuli.

I'm not sure if I would try the animated series based on what I just watched (as Bunga alone makes me want to run screaming for the hills,) however, if I did, I'd struggle to watch it as a connected story to The Lion King legacy and love it with the same intensity as I did with the others and viewing it as a seperate source isn't really the same. I'll give it a shot, but sadly, there are no guarantees. Perhaps with a longer series, there is more time to improve on what Return of the Roar offered audiences, such as expanding on the ret-con changes like the stuff with Super Secret Lion Guard Scar because that actually was interesting, even if it came out of left field on the first viewing?

I'm sorry, lovelies. I tried. I really did. Overall, The Lion Guard ~Return of the Roar~ is not godawful, but based on what we got, it was not exactly the same Lion King experience I had hoped for. I pray the animated series offers more meat on the bones, especially in terms of characterisation with the other Lion Guard members and these new changes to the story.

Rewatch As a lover of Bubblegum Crisis, I felt myself wanting to rewatch one of the spin-offs, AD Police, a three episode short series of sorts that showcases the titular AD Police attempting to tackle crimes involving the humanoid-robots known as Boomers. With plenty of action (when Boomers start going rogue,) interesting themes of humanity vs cyborg and that classic 80s visual style, AD Police is something I enjoy returning to along with BGC. The second episode, featuring a serial killer and a girl debating whether to get a cybernetic transplant to replace her troublesome eye, is my favourite.

Before I fell in love with the Shin Megami Tensei series, before I discovered Persona, Digital Devil Saga and...Mara, I watched an animation on the good ol' Sci-Fi Channel (one of many as part of their Japanese Animation nights) back when I was a teenager. That animation was Tokyo Revelation, which I now know is a Shin Megami Tensei feature. Back then, I didn't. It was all demons, life energy, satanic computers and a little bit of gay. Honestly, it still sort of is, but with the power of hindsight on the SMT series, I understand demons and mythological creatures are part and parcel of this franchise. I enjoyed this far more with a fellow SMT/Persona/DDS fan, so we could dig into all the fine details of the film, but it's always a fun film if you just want a takeout and something to switch your mind off to.

Honesty is the order of the day. I only rewatched Ichi The Killer the animation to let my other half listen to the most laughable dub in some time. Because silly dubs help survive an otherwise difficult experience. The animation delves into the school years of Ichi, before he became what he was in the live action movie. Make no mistake, there is plenty on show to make this an uncomfortable viewing, so if graphic violence (towards people and animals) upsets you, you might want to give it a miss. For those wanting to know a little more about Ichi the Killer, this is somewhere to start.

The Lion King. Do I really have to explain this Disney classic and why I rewatched it (given it was the same day I subjected myself to The Lion Guard?) It's Hamlet with lions. The story and script is as flawless as it gets. The musical numbers are hits. The animation is gorgeous. If you haven't already seen it, what are you waiting for?

#2016 anime challenge #anime

[gokinjeespot]

off the rack #1230

Monday, October 1, 2018

 Surprise! I'm still kicking and writing. My announcement last week about off the rack possibly ending prompted Heather to tell me her plans for Comet Comics after the move to 1073 Bank Street which included asking if I wanted to continue to work for her. Do I like to go fishing? Of course I said yes. To all of you who sent me messages that you're going to miss off the rack, I say thee nay, I get to read on and ramble on.

 Catwoman #3 - Joelle Jones (writer) Joelle Jones (art pages 1-8, 14-22) Fernando Blanco (art pages 9-13) Laura Allred (colours pages 1-8, 14-22) John Kalisz (colours pages 9-13) Josh Reed (letters). My thanks to Amanda and Ryan for giving me permission to read their sub service copy, otherwise I would have missed this issue because it was sold out by the time I got back from vacation. Selina gets read the law of the land and you know how she feels about the letter of the law. This puts her in opposition to the family that runs her new home town but she's one tough cookie and is able to complete her personal mission. I want to see how this family reunion goes.

 Hey Kids! Comics #2 - Howard Chaykin (writer & art) Wil Quintana (colours) Ken Bruzenak (letters). See if you can recognise Stan the Man and Jack the King in this thinly veiled history of comic books.

 Old Man Hawkeye #9 - Ethan Sacks (writer) Marco Checchetto (art) Andres Mossa (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). Eye for an Eye part 9. Bullseye finally catches up to Clint as Hawkeye is about to kill another old Thunderbolts member. Wounds are inflicted on both sides and someone earns redemption. The story continues next issue in the Great White North. I'll be there eh.

 Silencer #9 - Dan Abnett (writer) Patch Zircher (art) Mike Spicer (colours) Tom Napolitano (letters). Hell-iday Road part 2. Talia Al Ghul's only loyal department head uses her magic to switch Silencer and Quietus's bodies. Brain triumphs over brawn and Honor lives to fight another day. Her family is her main weakness and I hope somewhere along the way they are eliminated so we'll see her really let loose.

 Heroes in Crisis #1 - Tom King (writer) Clay Mann (art) Tomeu Morey (colours) Clayton Cowles (letters). I don't keep up with much going on in the DCU so I don't know if this is another Crisis on Infinite Earths deal where they try to clean up the universe a little, but there sure are a lot of dead super powered people in this first issue. I picked this off the rack to read because the art is sweet and it's written by one of my favourite writers right now. We start off the 9-issue story with Harley Quinn fighting Booster Gold and I'm rooting for Harley to finally rid the DCU of the time travelling doofus. A place called Sanctuary is introduced that seems to be a place where super heroes can go to get psychoanalyzed. Maybe there's a connection with Harley but it's not made clear here. The big three, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman gather in Sanctuary and the mystery of why these dead super heroes are lying around all over the place is off to a flying start. This goes on to my "must read" list.

 Marvel 2-In-One #10/LGY #110 - Chip Zdarsky (writer) Ramon K. Perez (art) Frederico Blee (colours) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). It's not quite a full reunion of Marvel's First Family but were getting closer as Ben and Johnny get their powers back to beat this world's villainous Fantastic Four.

 Stranger Things #1 - Jody Houser (writer) Stefano Martino (pencils) Keith Champagne (inks) Lauren Affe (colours) Nate Piekos (letters). Dark Horse Comics capitalizes on the popular Netflix show with this 4-issue mini following the adventures of Will Byers and his friends. I've never watched the show so I'm new to these characters and situation. The art is pretty good and the plight of young Will in another dimension is scary but nothing grabbed me here. I'm sure Stranger Things fans would be tickled to have their own comic book to collect.

 Justice League Odyssey #1 - Joshua Williamson (writer) Stjepan Sejic (art) Deron Bennett (letters). As soon as I flipped open the cover and saw the art I wanted to read about this new team. Plus I love how Stjepan draws Kory/Starfire. I didn't know who the big grey guy was but boy was I surprised to find out he's Darkseid. The big bad villain sure has slimmed down a lot or else it's Darkseid junior. Joining Starfire and Darkseid are Azrael, Cyborg and Green Lantern Jessica Cruz. They will be fighting evil in the galaxy according to the cover blurb so aliens beware.

 Amazing Spider-Man #6/LGY #807 - Nick Spencer (writer) Humberto Ramos (pencils) Victor Olazaba (inks) Edgar Delgado (colours) Steve Lieber (art pages 8-10) Rachelle Rosenberg (colours pages 8-10) VC's Joe Caramagna (letters). A Trivial Pursuit part 1. I will pretend that Peter Parker and Spider-Man were never split in two during the last arc and catch you up with the present. Peter's new roommate is the super villain Boomerang. Talk about keeping your enemies close. This issue takes place in The Bar With No Name, a super villain hangout, and it's trivia night. The category is Spider-Man. Boomerang takes Peter to the bad guys bar and guess who wins? Meanwhile, Wilson Fisk, the Kingpin of Crime and current Mayor of New York City is not happy with his lackey Boomerang. Got all that? Looks like the old Parker luck will be rearing its ugly head again. I didn't like the jarring difference in art for the 3 pages where Spider-Man is spying on the Superior Foes of Spider-Man playing cards. It didn't feel like part of the story.

 Doomsday Clock #7 - Geoff Johns (writer) Gary Frank (art) Brad Anderson (colours) Rob Leigh (letters). The first page is super confusing as the narrator jumps back and forth in time but thankfully the second page carries on the story in a linear fashion and we finally see the appearance of Doctor Manhattan. There was a big deal made when Watchmen first hit the racks in 1986 about the full frontal nudity when Dave Gibbons drew the naked Doctor Manhattan and showed his penis. No problem penis this time because this issue was overshadowed by Batman: Damned where Lee Bermejo uncovered Bruce Wayne's penis in that book. Nudity is so controversial in North America whereas in Europe people don't get their knickers in a bunch over seeing so called private parts. I'm glad we've matured somewhat so that this comic book didn't stir up a big conservative backlash too.

 Domino Annual #1 - I've been enjoying the regular series and I recommend that you check out this $4.99 US anthology to see what fun Neena Thurman/Domino has. There are four short stories in this annual. All lettered by VC's Clayton Cowles.

 "Dead Drunk in Dry Gulch" by Gail Simone (writer), Victor Ibanez (art) and Jay David Ramos (colours) tells the story of how Domino and Diamondback meet Outlaw.

 "The Good Fight" by Fabian Nicieza (writer) Juan Gedeon (art) and Jesus Aburtov (colours) features Cable.

 "Rebound" by Dennis Hopeless (writer) Leonard Kirk (art) and Jesus Aburtov (colours) shows the gloomy Colossus wallowing after what happened between him and Kitty at their wedding.

 "Domino & The Rejex" by Leah Williams (writer) Natacha Bustos (art) and Jesus Aburtov (colours) looks in on a mutant support group that Neena and Nightcrawler put together.

 These are bookended by "Saturdays Are For The Body Count" by Leah Williams (writer) Michael Shelfer (art) and Jesus Aburtov (colours).

 Action Comics #1003 - Brian Michael Bendis (writer) Yanick Paquette (art) Nathan Fairbairn (colours) Josh Reed (letters). Invisible Mafia part 3. I missed Action Comics #1002 with Invisible Mafia part 2 while on vacation but I got the gist of what's going on no problem. Batman helps out when a Daily Planet reporter gets her hands on some Green Kryptonite. I would like to see a World's Finest comic book written by Brian Michael Bendis. We go to la la land with Lois Lane and Lex Luthor on the last page which made me wonder what's going on there?

 Extermination #3 - Ed Brisson (writer) Pepe Larraz (art) Marte Gracia (colours) VC's Joe Sabino (letters). I'm getting a sense of where this story about the time displaced young X-Men is going. I think young Cable/Nathan is rescuing them from Ahab but we don't know why. I really like young Jean hanging with Domino and her X-Factor team. I will read on to see if I'm right about what's going to happen.