#the compleat crow

[soaringonblackwings]

Soar Onto the Future

AO3

Summary: It was the end of the dark signer war. A time for cheers and celebration. But Crow couldn't celebrate just yet. Once everything is over all that is left to do is live day by day.

Part two of Wings That Carry Wishes. (Can be read as standalone).

Crow woke up feeling a haze in his mind. It was bright and sunny. Something he thought was never going to happen again. Looking around, he saw the kids sleeping soundly. He reached out to touch Hikari's cheek only to stop himself. He didn't want to wake her up, but also there was this nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Telling him that they are not real.

It gave him all the more reason the want to see if she was real or another hallucination. He took a deep breath and continued his actions. There was warmth. She didn't fade into oblivion. It relieved Crow.

Now he had to do something about this pain in his body. He got beat up pretty badly during the fight. He thought that many a few of his ribs are broken. Nothing that resting couldn't fix. Medicine was hard to come by in Satellite anyways, so Crow would just sleep of the pain.

The days came and went. He had not seen Yusei or Jack since the end of the battle. Crow knew they would be fine. They always were. From the looks of everything, you would never tell there was a war. Everything was done and over with. It was time to go back to normalcy.

One morning Crow heard a motor outside. Wanting to protect the kids he grabbed his duel disk and met the intruder. He had nothing to fear as it was just Yusei.

"Yus!" Crow ran up to his brother. "What brings you here. I'd thought you would be kicking it in the city."

Yusei shook his head. "This place feels more like home to me. I have some good news."

Yusei walked to the area that had a better view of the bridge.

"The city is going to build a highway connecting the two cities together." Yusei smiled.

Crow was shocked into silence. Never did he think the bridge would ever be compleated. The dream of freedom will no longer be just a dream anymore.

Yusei turned to him. " When the bridge is complete. I want use to live together in the city. That way all of us can be close to each other."

Of course Crow would agree to that. His dream of leaving the island is in grasp. It was a promise the two of them made that day.

-

"The bridge is huge!" Exclaimed Dachi.

The kids watched from a distance at the bridge. Day by day it was getting more complete. The children will finally have a future for themselves. It made Crow happy.

"Hey, Crow." Hikari said. "Are you going to cross the bridge when it is done?"

The question caught him of guard. He hadn't told them yet that he was leaving. He didn't know how to explain it to them. He didn't want them to feel like he was abandoning them.

"Well...."

"Don't hold back on our account!" Ginga said. The others promptly agreed.

"Promise to visit us big brother." Hikari said.

"With you leaving. It's just like the story." Kokori said.

"I promise to visit a lot okay. I won't let you all down." Crow said.

Crow had talked to Martha and she agreed to watch over them. His time to move to the city is coming closer. The bridge would be complete any day now.

- 10 Years Later -

Crow was watching the screen. Looking at the Fortune Cup that was held in Neo Domino.

He heard that there was an up and coming new duelist that was sweeping the competition.

"Spread your wings that carry wishes! Go! Floowandereeze Snowl!"

"One day we will grow up." Dachi said.

"We will live our lives out one day too." Said Taiga.

"So don't miss your chance to live as well." Kokori said.

"After all, you are our dream." Hikari said.

"When I get older, I am going to challenge you!" Ginga said.

"You are on every one's watch list. Tell the world, what is your drive Ginga?" The announcer asks.

"My big brother!" Ginga declared. 

Crow smiled and revved up his dual runner. Driving off to his next destination.

#crow hogan #crow works #yugioh 5ds #I love Crow and the kids

[danco110]

“Well, Lukka, I made it, despite your…YOU!”

The compleated planeswalker flinched at his own summon’s shout, jostling both himself and the Phyrexian centaur creature melded with him. The bound bonder willed his mount to turn him around, anger flashing across his metallic face as he spoke.

“Yes, Endris, me. I am now monstrous, as you can plainly see…even moreso and more literally than before my exile. But I merely ask that you again cast your banishment magic as always. So, let’s just cut the-”

“Not you! YOU!”

Endris pointed past Lukka, much to the Phyrexian’s surprise, across the battlefield to where a winged woman was quietly giving orders to a nearby aven, both flying a fair distance above the ground. The bird heard Endris’s shout and turned to face him, her expression growing panicked at the sight of the incompleat human.

“Er…Magistrate Endris!” chirped the aven. “What…ever seems to be the problem?”

Thoroughly confused by the situation, the aven’s companion reached over and tapped her on the shoulder. “Derevi, do you know that man?”

“W-What? Why, of course not, Miss Elspeth! I was merely-”

“You know me, you crow!” Endris roared, as he stomped past a bewildered Lukka. “You are guilty of…eleven counts of commander tax evasion! Not to mention, ignoring any and all casting requirements on your teleportation magic!”

“T-That is an absurd claim, sir! And…unprovable, besides. Heh.”

“Oh, I’ll prove it, all right!”

Endris began firing bolts of light magic into the air. Elspeth descended to dodge the spells, but Derevi flew in closer, giving the attacks a much narrower berth as she closed in. Soon the two summons were clashing, Endris on the ground and Derevi just above him. Meanwhile the two planeswalkers stood to off the side, their own quarrel abandoned in favor of watching this new one.

“Commander…tax?” Lukka murmured to the archangel beside him.

Elspeth merely shook her head. “Don’t worry about it,” she grumbled.

[Headcanon: Drannith Magistrate and Derevi have a kind of cops-and-robbers thing going on; whenever they’re summoned, they’ll gun straight for each other!]

#mtg #magic the gathering #shandalar #story bites

[dontcallmenans]

22 Acacia Ave- Ch 9 Stand Your Ground

Rating: M

Ship: Eddie Munson/Billy Hargrove

Chapters: 11/11 COMPLEATED

Current word count: 65,431

Excerpt from Chapter 9- Stand Your Ground

It was while Eddie was dabbing the drying blood off of Billy’s lip that the sound of a car quickly approaching drew them all to a stop.

Wayne had only shut the screen door, probably wanting to be able to get the jump if Neil decided to come back, so they could see clearly as a familiar maroon Beemer pulled up hastily to the front of the trailer. 

Wayne moved to stand up with a growled ‘what now?’ but Eddie put out a hand to stop him. He rolled his eyes and got back to checking Billy over, again.

“Billy” Steve Harrington called out as soon as he was out of his car, “Munson?”

“We’re in here?” Eddie yelled out across the trailer to the open door. What the fuck was Steve Harrington of all people doing here? 

Harrington snapped to attention and hurried up the steps, throwing the door open wide enough that it smacked into the side of the trailer.

"Hey Harrington, nice of you to finally join us" Billy crowed with Wayne’s fingers in his face, as the door slammed shut behind Steve fucking Harrington . 

Eddie was having a hard time getting past that. 

"You just hung up all of a sudden,” Steve blustered, “I wasn't sure what to do, man. And then I wasn't sure if I was heading in the right place. Are you okay?"

Is that who had been calling? Steve Harrington?! 

Eddie was pretty sure he must have hit his head at some point, actually. Maybe he should have Wayne check him over next.

"Awe, I’m just great” Billy stuck his tongue out impishly, “didn't know you cared Stevie" 

"Shut up,” he sighed, rolling his eyes, “Max has been calling code-reds nonstop since your dad left. She gave me Munson’s number and begged me to call . She's freaking out, man"

#stranger things fanfiction #stranger things #eddie munson #billy x eddie #billy hargrove #mungrove #mungrove fanfiction #22 acacia ave

[feedergoldfish]

He went directly to the nearest bookshelves and almost immediately spotted half a dozen titles so rare as to make them half-fabulous.

Titus Crow is pretty thrilled to begin working in the library of his new employer, Julian Carstairs. His feelings about Carstairs himself are a bit less thrilling. From the novella, “Lord of the Worms” by Brian Lumley, published in The Compleat Crow.

#titus crow #brian lumley #the compleat crow #lord of the worms #horror #lovecraft

[peashooter85]

A Pickle for the Knowing Ones

Timothy Dexter was an American businessman who is probably best known to history for failing upward and becoming extremely wealthy through the most ludicrous and sure to fail business schemes that by sheer luck always worked out.  This included selling bed warmers, wool mittens, and stray cats to the Caribbean islands. Sam O’Nella Academy has an excellent video on him.

In 1802 he wrote his memoirs which he titled A Pickle for the Knowing Ones. The book contained no punctuation, random capitalization, and he made up his own spelling. While he wrote it as his memoirs really the book was just a collection of his random thought, beliefs, and endless ranting. Here is an excerpt from his book about how he plans to build a museum...

“Ime the first Lord in the younited States of A mercary Now of Newburyport it is the voise of the peopel and I cant Help it and so Let it goue Now as I must be Lord there will foler many more Lords prittey soune for it Dont hurt A Cat Nor the mouse Nor the son Nor the water Nor the Eare then goue on all in Easey Now bons broaken all is well all in Love Now I be gin to Lay the Corner ston with grat Remembrence of my father Jorge Washington the grate herow 17 sentreys past before we found so good A father to his children and Now gone to Rest Now to shoue my Love to my father and grate Carieters I will shoue the world one of the grate Wonders of the world in 15 months if Now man mourders me in Dors or out Dors such A mouserum on Earth will annonce O Lord thou knowest to be troue fourder hear me good Lord I am A goueing to Let or shildren know Now to see good Lord what has bin in the world grat wase back to own fore fathers Not old plimeth but stop to Addom & Eve to shoue 45 figers two Leged and fore Leged becose we Cant Doue well without fore Legd in the first plase they are our foude in the Next plase to make out Dexters mouseum I wants 4 Lions to defend thous grat and mistry men from East to wist from North to South which Now are at the plases Rased the Lam is Not Readey in short meater if Agreabel I forme A good and peasabel govement on my Land in Newburyport Compleat I take 3 presedents hamsher govener all to Noue York and the grate mister John Jay is one, that maks 2 in that state the king of grat britton mister pitt Roufus King Cros over to france Loues the 16 and then the grate bonnepartey the grate and there segnetoure Crow biddey—I Command pease and the gratest brotherly Love and Not fade be Linked to gether with that best of troue Love so as to govern all nasions on the fass of the gloub not to tiranize over them but to put them to order if any Despout shall A Rise as to boundreys or Any maturs of Importence it is Left france and grat britton and Amacarey to be setteled A Congress to be always in france all Despouts is to be thare seteled and this may be Dun this will balless powers and then all wars Dun A way there [15]fore I have the Lam to lay Dow with the Lion Now this may be Dun if thos three powers would A geray to Lay what is called Devel one side and Not Carry the gentelman pack hors Any longer but shake him off as dust on your feet and Laff at him there is a grate noise aboute a toue Leged Creter he says I am going to set sade black Divel there stop he would scare the womans so there would be No youse for the bilding I should have to E rect sum Noue won Now I stop hear I puts the Devil Long with the bull for he is a bulling 2 Leged Annemal stop put him one side Near Soloman Looking with Soloman to Ladey venus Now stop wind up there is grat ods in froute I will Let you know the sekret houe you may see the Devel stand on your head before a Loucking glass and take a bibel in to your bousom fast 40 owers and look in the loucking glass there is no Devilif you dont see the ould fellow but I affirm you will see that ould DevelUnto you all mankind Com to my hous to mock and sneare whi ye Dont you Lafe be fore god or I meane your betters think the heir power Dont know thorts and Axsions Now I will tell you good and bad it is Not pelite to Com to see what the bare walls keep of my ground if you are gentel men you would stay Away when all is Dun in marble I expect to goue out myself to Help if thous grat men will send on there Likeness all over the younited States I wish all the printers to give Notis if pleases to in form by printen in the Nouspapers for the good of the holl of man kind———I waus to make my Enemys grin in time Lik A Cat over a hot puding and goue Away and hang there heads Doun Like a Dogg bin After sheep gilty stop see I am Afrade I Rite toue hash my peopel Complane of backker spittel maks work to Cleane it up——in the women skouls A bout it spit in ther hankershif or not spit A tall I must say sumthing or I should say Nothing therefore make sum Noise in the world when I git so ouely to Nash my goms and grising for water and that is salt water when brot A yong Devel to bring it and A Scoyer to wate and tend on gentelmen A black Suier his breth Smelt wos then bram stone by far but Let the Devel goue in to Darknes an takeld his due to Descare mankind for A Littel while this Cloven foot is seen be sum but the trap will over hall the Devel in tim I pittey this poore black man I thinc his master wants purging a Littel to har ber mr Devel A most but I did Not say Let him Run A way good Nit mr Devel Cary the sword and mwney with you tak John mekel Jentel man good Not”

There’s 22 pages of this nonsense. It sold well enough in New England that another edition was printed in 1805. I shit you not. You can read it for free at the Gutenberg Project.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/43453/43453-h/43453-h.htm

#history #literature #timothy dexter #weird

[ladyloki76]

Dear Odin,

Hey, thanks for sending the crow this morning to sit in the middle of the road as I came barreling towards it…maybe faster than I should have been. Once I came to a near-compleat stop it finally hopped across the street, seeming to glare at me. I was then glared at by another crow once on the grounds of the hospital I work at. Huginn & Muninn out doing your work this AM? Could you maybe not send them to sit in the road? I’ll go slower from now on.

Thanks,

Me

#Odin #norse paganism

[thus-said-the-soul]

“Greed may do your bidding, but death serves no man.”

Latin: Avaritia compleat tuum iussum, sed mors servit non homini.

Greek: ἡ φιλοχρηματία ποιῇ τὸν σοῦ πρόσταγμα, ἀλλά ὁ θάνατος θεραπεύει οὐκ ἄνθρωπον.

—Leigh Bardugo, Six of Crows (2015)

#Leigh Bardugo #Six of Crows #dark academia #bookblr #classics #literature #greek #latin

[interplanaranathema]

I'm actually very curious about Detlev, his home plane and how dullahan work on it, could you tell me more about him, please?

Dullahans on his home plane are semi-like vampires. In that they're a long living black mana- aligned race that feeds on the life force of another creatures, but in the case of dullahans, they feed off the release of death of a creature or others. They're much more rare and have to rely on other races to repopulate. And the offspring has a minimal chance of becoming one. However, they do need tangible food to survive such as meats and vegetation. Typically the kid will be shown to be a dullahan via a faint scar appearing to wrap around their entire neck almost as if the head was violently torn off and was place back on. Then they gain the feasting and longevity nature of the race. On detlev's home plane they're typically considered to be human- or elf- appearing races. However they can be mixed with other humanoids such as Vedalken, Merfolk and others alike. This is why detlev can be considered a half dryad (while it works with the original mythology of a person doing a soul binding contract with a tree and becoming a tree nymph). But he looks like to be a standard red headed half-elf They are also aligned with a shadow animal steed. Detlev's father had a giant crow for his while Detlev's has a stereotypical horse. That's permanately what they will always be after formation most of the time. A phrase that is said on his homeplane is: "If you see a dullahan, someone recently had died. If you see multiple, run." It relates to the fact of dullahan being attracted to the stench of death. As well as to give to the superstition that Dullahan causes death. Detlev is a person who's very much reserved and amoral typical of a Black mana planeswalker. He enjoys writing and a solitary lifestyle. But in the current magic story, Detlev is one of the many Silverquill professors at Strixhaven with his Kaladeshi vedalken wife, Volan, being a prismari professor. Volan has definitely soften him up with the few centuries they have been together Two of their children, Javatti, their youngest, and their eldest daughter are dullahans due to the nature of being on different planes. The eldest however ran away in the Tangle on Mirrodin and was soon compleated becoming a phyrexian dullahan while Javatti is only now showing their dullahan nature at roughly their mid twenties, only having it pointed out by one of their classmates during a study hour. In the case of the eldest, her steed also became compleated due to how the compleation affected her. Volan, via a strong spell, is also able to passively consume the death, as well is bound to him and vice versa. They have the same thing of the kenrith twins, however they have their own separate sparks, that are tightly bound together due to said spell. So, the "till death do us part" is null in the literal sense.

#detlev broens #fanwalker #ask casebox #long post

[adleryoung]

It looked like I had my work cut out for me.

With a sigh, I readied myself for a long and tedious study session.  I reached into the bookshelf, pulled out one of the scrolls, unrolled it, and began to read.

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit," the scroll began.

"What is this gibberish?" I exclaimed in dismay.  It wasn't similar to Old High Elvish, or Standard Elvish, or any language I had ever seen before.

I pulled out one of the other scrolls and found that not only was it written in the same mysterious language, it contained the exact same text!!  Another scroll was covered with cryptic diagrams full of dotted lines and numbers interspersed with blocks of the cryptic "Lorem ipsum" message again.  Whatever it was, it must have been important for the scribes to have copied it so many times .. but unless I could find a Gibberish-to-Elvish translating dictionary, it wasn't going to be much use to me.

All of the scrolls turned out to contain the enigmatic text, so I set them aside and turned to the books.

This was slightly better - at least it was in a language I knew, but I quickly realized that the books were almost as useless as the scrolls.  They seemed to be in some sort of code or technical jargon which assumed the reader already knew all the basic principles of operating the tower.

Tour Scryinge for Compleat Dummyes, the most basic of the guidebooks, still had instructions such as:

"Elevayte ye Veeblefetzer to ye fourthe positione & apply Ebenezum's Equatione, rememberinge to applye Wuntvor's Corollarie to ye factorial resulte."

Nowhere among these books could I find a basic guide to explain what a Veeblefetzer was, nor how to work these equations.

The only use I could see for these books was perhaps as shields / bludgeons for warding off crows the next time I went outside .. but that wasn't going to help me operate the scrying tower.  Was it even possible for me to do so?  I stared at the orb and thought.

The last time I had been here, I had touched the orb.  This caused it to show me a brief glimpse of a strange empty field, and then the orb had dissipated and the rings had fallen onto their pedestal.  So, touching it was probably not the right thing to do.

Somebody must have come in here and repaired it, because clearly the orb was present and operating again now.  I wondered who had done that, but there was no way to guess.

At a loss for anything else to try, I focused my mind and composed a Gramarye commanding the orb to open and let me use it.

The next thing I knew, I was standing in the middle of the eerie plain that I had seen before.

Thanks for reading!  Please click the like button and reblog if you can.

#furry #elf #adventure #plot #story #tboay

[fanlit]

The Compleat Crow: Short stories of Lumley's master occultist https://t.co/cF5Avyd20T #SFF https://t.co/IWabxCQvyf

[compleattraveller]

During my 2012 American trip, I spent five nights in New Orleans and among the numerous activities I engaged in during my stay in the Crescent City, were tours that included the Laura, and Oak Alley plantations. Being the political animal that I am, I was very much aware of what seemed to be the ‘whitewashing’ of history associated with both these beautifully preserved sites, and the part they must have played in supporting one of the worst stains in human history—the institution and maintenance of organised slavery on a massive scale.

#Slavery #Laura Plantation #Oak Alley Plantation #Whitney Plantation #American Civil War #Ante-bellum South #Compleat Travel #Jim Lesses #Museums #Politics #New Orleans #Louisiana #Travel #African American #Jim Crow

[danco110]

“Huatli! Two more lancers, on your left!”

The warrior-poet gave a taxicab whistle to command a nearby altisaur to chase down the pair of now-fleeing Phyrexians.

“Two down…more to go.”

Huatli stared out at her eclectic coalition. River Herald, Sun Empire, and Dusk Legion forces all united to take on the mechanical invaders, many of whom wore faces eerily similar to the defenders. The line was holding, for now, but Huatli still stared curiously at the chaotic melee.

“Wait. Where are the…PIRATES!”

Huatli whipped around, shouting and brandishing her weapon. But no one was behind her, friend or foe. The planeswalker breathed a sigh of relief, but kept her weapon raised and trained on her force’s flank.

“Where in the world are those thugs? I would’ve guessed…turned…But we haven’t seen any of them attacking us, yet. So, where…?”

—

“Captain! We found some more of those weird oily coins in the vault!”

“Just give em to the other crew who wanted metal bits!”

Captain Beckett Brass stamped her foot down in frustration.

“Grrrr, any…actual, legal tender in there, Grick?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, plenty. It’s the overwhelming majority, in fact.”

Beckett’s expression finally softened. “Well, at least our return trip wasn’t completely fruitless.”

The Phyrexian goblin deckhand eagerly raised a metallic finger. “Also, those of us who’ve gotten greased seem to be a lot tougher now! I mean, I survived that lightning strike up in the crow’s nest!”

“But you also sink, now!” Beckett roared. “Hello? Made of metal? We’re pirates!”

“Oh yeah…Well, at least I can swim through these real coins, finally!”

Beckett smirked, despite her best efforts not to. “That you can-”

A thundering boom from outside interrupted the captain.

“What was that?”

Beckett waved a hand. “No doubt it’s just those other three gangs, fighting for control of the city. Again. Forget about them and keep looting. No breaks, robot or no!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Grick chimed, as he began wading through another mountain of coins.

[I could be misremembering, but I seem to recall Ixalani pirates being significantly more chill compared to the other three factions. I’d like to think that carries over to compleated pirates, too!]

#mtg #magic the gathering #ixalan #story bites

[kmalexander]

My Reading List for 2019

The next decade looms. But for now, it’s time for reflection. It’s been an exciting year full of amazing experiences. Plus, I did a ton of reading! So, as I do every year, I’ve compiled a list of the books I’ve read over the last three hundred and sixty-five days, and I’m here to share them with you all.

Overall, I’m thrilled with my reading for the year. It contained several firsts for me. I read a plethora of great books—my most in a single year. (Forty-seven!) I Did-Not-Finish’d my first book ever. (It’ll remain nameless.) I quit listening to the news/sports during my commute and have now switched over to audiobooks one hundred percent of the time. (Those are labeled with the emoji.) I beta-read three upcoming novels—my most in a single year. And, on top of all of that, I managed to read a bunch of great short stories and got to spend more time reading graphic novels as well. So yeah—it’s been a great year of reading.

This list correlates with my Goodreads 2019 Reading Challenge but always includes a few extra since Goodreads doesn’t let me count beta reading and I don’t list comics or short stories over there. Remember, this is all strictly reading for pleasure—I typically forgo listing any research/history books. Since this list is always enormous, l skip reviews except for my top three in each category. However, I’d invite you to follow me on Goodreads, where I do occasionally leave other reviews.

As before, all links will go to Amazon through my affiliate account by default. If one of these books sounds interesting to you, I’d encourage you to skip Amazon and instead visit your local independent bookstore and purchase through them. It’s essential for your local economy to buy local whenever you’re able, and always good to build a relationship with your local indie bookshop.

Okay, to the list!

Novels

Tomorrow’s Shepherd (The Verdant Revival #2) by Michael Ripplinger

Beta Reading (Fantasy) by REDACTED

Promise of Blood (Powder Mage #1) …again  by Brian McClellan

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

Authority: A Novel (The Southern Reach #2)   by Jeff VanderMeer

The Traitor Baru Cormorant (The Masquerade #1) by Seth Dickinson

‘Salem’s Lot   by Stephen King

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Nine Princes in Amber (The Chronicles of Amber #1)  by Roger Zelazny

The Last Kingdom (The Saxon Chronicles Series #1) by Bernard Cornwell

The Haunting of Tram Car 015 by P. Djèlí Clark

Beta Reading (Sci-Fi) by REDACTED

The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote

Butcher Bird …again. by Richard Kadrey

House of Furies by Madeleine Roux

A. Grimsbro, Warlord of Mars (Futhermucking Classics #2) by Matt Youngmark

I Am Providence by Nick Mamatas

The Compleat Crow by Brian Lumley

Orconomics: A Satire (The Dark Profit Saga #1) by J. Zachary Pike

Beta Reading (Fantasy) by REDACTED

Four Roads Cross (The Craft Sequence #5) by Max Gladstone

The Reality Dysfunction (Night’s Dawn #1) …again  by Peter F. Hamilton

The Grand Dark by Richard Kadrey

The Forever War by Joe Haldeman

Vermilion by Molly Tanzer

The Terror  by Dan Simmons

The City of Brass: A Novel (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S. A. Chakraborty

The Black God’s Drums by P. Djèlí Clark

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

It: A Novel  by Stephen King

City of Blades (Divine Cities #2) by Robert Jackson Bennett

The Dream-Quest of Vellitt Boe by Kij Johnson

Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire #1) …again by George R. R. Martin

Every Heart a Doorway (Wayward Children #1) by Seanan McGuire

Carry On (Simon Snow #1) by Rainbow Rowell

Interview with the Vampire (The Vampire Chronicles #1)  by Anne Rice

Agents of Dreamland by Caitlin R. Kiernan

Abaddon’s Gate (The Expanse #3) by James S.A. Corey

Imago (Xenogenesis #3) by Octavia E. Butler

Punktown (Punktown) by Jeffrey Thomas

A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs

Perdido Street Station (New Crobuzon #1) …again  by China Miéville

Uncanny Collateral (Valkyrie Collections #1) by Brian McClellan

United States of Japan by Peter Tieryas

A Clash of Kings (A Song of Ice and Fire #2) …again by George R. R. Martin

Grass (Arbai #1) by Sheri S. Tepper

 Favorite Novel of 2019

A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs

The Sea Dreams It Is The Sky was one of my favorite books last year, and when paired with its counterpart, My Heart Struck Sorrow, the two quickly merged to become my favorite book of the year. Connected via theme (and set in the same world), both novellas tell intense stories within stories unsettling accounts of humanity and history, obsession and turmoil. This is the new weird at its most exquisite. As unsettling throughout as it is enthralling. Phenomenal.

Favorite Novel Runners-up of 2019

Mapping the Interior by Stephen Graham Jones

Jones is a modern master of horror and always approaches the genre in unique ways; Mapping the Interior is no exception. Told from 12-year old Junior’s perspective, the story is one part family-struggle and one part ghost-story all woven with a heartfelt earnestness that’s easy to believe and hard to shake. It’s a book about childhood, family, heritage, legacy, and the cost and ramifications of all four. The ending devastated me.

The Terror by Dan Simmons

At first glance, this would appear to be a fictionalized account of Captain Sir John Franklin’s lost 1845 expedition to find the Northwest Passage. But there is more to this than historical account—much of this book delves into the psyche of survival while interspersing elements of the thriller and horror genres to weave an extraordinary and sometimes supernatural tale—Darkly disturbing, severely bleak, and utterly unforgettable.

 Honorable Mentions of 2019

As I did last year, I wanted to highlight a few other books. These honorable mentions are books that resonated with me long after I had finished them, and they deserve a callout. In no particular order…

The Grand Dark by Richard Kadrey A diesel-punk reflection on the ramifications of war. Kadrey’s best work.

Abaddon’s Gate by James S. A. Corey The 3rd entry in the incredible Expanse series.

Tomorrow’s Shepherd by Michael Ripplinger Giant machines and power armor continue the battle for Verge.

Punktown by Jeffrey Thomas New weird sci-fi anthology about the citizens living in a city on the frontier.

It: A Novel by Stephen King Um, it’s It. And It is so very, very good. Except for that one weird scene.

The Civil War: A Narrative: Volume 1: Fort Sumter to Perryville by Shelby Foote Detailed history of military campaigns during the first third of the American Civil War.

Short Stories

Ours by Randy Ribay

The Farm by Charlie Jane Anders

A Catalog of Storms by Fran Wilde

Bull Riding by Richard Kadrey

13 Ways of Destroying a Painting by Amber Sparks

Hell is a Parade by Nathan Crowder

Artificials Should Be Allowed to Worship by Steven James

The Three Stigmata of Peter Thiel by Brendan C. Byrne

Space Angel (Denim Superheroes) by Lee French

Beta Reading (Horror) by REDACTED

A Study in Emerald …again by Neil Gaiman

Beneath Their Hooves by Katharine Duckett

Favorite Short Stories of 2019

The Farm by Charlie Jane Anders

A short yet striking tale of a terrifying future that cuts too close to home. A reporter named Roy struggles to maintain his journalistic integrity while trying to keep advertisers happy. Anders is a great writer, and her tight prose works wonders here. The best short stories can alter how one views the world and as I watched the news cycle play out throughout the year, The Farm was never far from my mind.

 Favorite Short Story Runners-up

Hell is a Parade by Nathan Crowder

A violent little story of a parade that quickly shifts into a scene of horror as one young woman allows obsession to send her down a dark path. The descriptions are wonderful, the emotions hot and raw, and the parade personified as a living beast whose glamor corrupts as much as it enthralls. A wickedly subversive warning on the dangers and ramifications inherent within vengeance.

Artificial Should Be Allowed to Worship by Steven James

My favorite short stories dress modern struggles in fictional costume—Star Trek excelled at this—and this piece continues that tradition. Written as an op-ed, the piece pleads with the reader to understand and empathize with artificial individuals seeking a place to worship. The set dressing might be different, the plight fictional, but one can’t miss the echoes from the modern efforts towards equality.

 Graphic Novels

Monstress Vol. 1 by Marjorie Liu (Author), Sana Takeda (Artist)

Saga Vol. 7 by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Fiona Staples (Artist)

Paper Girls: Book One by Brian K. Vaughan (Author), Cliff Chiang (Cover Art, Artist), Matthew Wilson (Artist)

The Promised Neverland, Vol. 1 by Kaiu Shirai (Author), Posuka Demizu (Illustrator)

Die, Vol 1: Fantasy Heartbreaker by Kieron Gillen (Author), Stephanie Hans (Artist)

Blackbird Vol. 1 by Sam Humphries (Author), Jen Bartel (Artist)

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (Author & Artist)

Gideon Falls Vol. 1: The Black Barn by Jeff Lemire  (Author), Andrea Sorrentino (Artist), Dave Stewart (Artist)

Gideon Falls Vol. 2: Original Sin by Jeff Lemire  (Author), Andrea Sorrentino (Artist), Dave Stewart (Artist)

Uzumaki by Junji Ito (Author & Artist)

Trees Vol 2. by Warren Ellis (Author), Jason Howard (Artist)

Gideon Falls Vol. 3: Stations of the Cross by Jeff Lemire (Author), Andrea Sorrentino (Artist), Dave Stewart (Artist)

Death or Glory Vol. 1: She’s Got You by Rick Remender (Author), Bengal (Artist)

 Favorite Graphic Novel of 2017:

Uzumaki by Junji Ito

Kurôzu-cho is a coastal town haunted by uzumaki—spiral patterns that infest everything, distorting the village and its inhabitants. Everything starts simple enough, but as the chapters breeze past the effects of the uzumaki becomes more and more profound. With engaging characters and an incredible premise, this is quite easily one of the great horror comics ever written.

 Favorite Graphic Novel Runners-up of 2017:

Gideon Falls by Jeff Lemire, Andrea Sorrentino, Dave Stewart

This nearly took the top spot from me, and for a good reason; it’s an amazingly told tale. A young man becomes obsessed with a conspiracy theory found in a city’s trash, and elsewhere a priest becomes entwined in the rural legend of The Black Barn—a strange building that appears at random throughout history, leaving death in its wake. And then things get really weird…

Through the Woods by Emily Carroll

This creepy anthology horror collection was one of my favorites. It’s not “scary” in the traditional sense we Westerners expect; instead, there’s a folklorish creepiness to the tales therein. More Poe than Barker. Plus, the visuals that accompanied those spooky accounts only enhanced each tale. I read it cover to cover on a foggy October morning, and it remains a memorable and unforgettable read.

So, there is my list! A lot of reading in a variety of places I didn’t make time for last year. It was good to get back into comics and to start reading short stories. I’m considering adding a poetry section next year as well, but we’ll see. If anything suffered from this, it was my television and game systems, they’ve been lonely, but I’ve felt a lot more fulfilled with the fiction I’ve devoured. Fiction is the perfect way to step into the shoes of someone else and discover new points of view. So thanks, 2019—it’s been a fantastic year in reading. Here’s to more in 2020!

Are you looking for a good book? Want to see my reading lists from previous years? Check any of the links below and see what I was reading in the bygone halcyon days of old.

• 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 • 2017 • 2018 •

Next year, why not join me? Goodreads does a reading challenge every year, and I am an active participant. First, follow me on Goodreads (leave me a review while you’re there), and once the New Year arrives, participate in the Goodreads Reading Challenge for 2020.

Want to stay in touch with me? Sign up for Dead Drop, my rare and elusive newsletter. Subscribers get news, previews, and notices on my books before anyone else delivered directly to their inbox. I work hard to make sure it’s not spammy and full of interesting and relevant information.  SIGN UP TODAY →

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[feedergoldfish]

The brightening air was strangely sweet.

Titus Crow lives to see another day.

From the novella, “The Caller of the Black” by Brian Lumley, published in The Compleat Crow.

#titus crow #the compleat crow #brian lumley #lovecraft #horror #the caller of the black

[mystic-heuristic-blog]

Jubilate Agno

Jubilate Agno is a religious poem written by Christopher Smart between 1759 and 1763, while hospitalized in London for lunacy (a very 12th house experience). Christopher Smart was born with Jupiter in Sagittarius. Note all the animals in the excerpt below.

(cover art from the Jubilate Agno reprint from Factory Hollow Press)

Let Elizur rejoice with the Partridge, who is a prisoner of state and is proud of his keepers. For I am not without authority in my jeopardy, which I derive inevitably from the glory of the name of the Lord. Let Shedeur rejoice with Pyrausta, who dwelleth in a medium of fire, which God hath adapted for him. For I bless God whose name is Jealous—and there is a zeal to deliver us from everlasting burnings. Let Shelumiel rejoice with Olor, who is of a goodly savour, and the very look of him harmonizes the mind. For my existimation is good even amongst the slanderers and my memory shall arise for a sweet savour unto the Lord. Let Jael rejoice with the Plover, who whistles for his live, and foils the marksmen and their guns. For I bless the prince of peace and pray that all the guns may be nail’d up, save such [as] are for the rejoicing days. Let Raguel rejoice with the Cock of Portugal—God send good Angels to the allies of England! For I have abstained from the blood of the grape and that even at the Lord’s table. Let Hobab rejoice with Necydalus, who is the Greek of a Grub. For I have glorified God in greek and latin, the consecrated languages spoken by the Lord on earth. Let Zurishaddai with the Polish Cock rejoice—The Lord restore peace to Europe. For I meditate the peace of Europe amongst family bickerings and domestic jars. Let Zuar rejoice with the Guinea Hen—The Lord add to his mercies in the west! For the host is in the west—the Lord make us thankful unto salvation. Let Chesed rejoice with Strepsiceros, whose weapons are the ornaments of his peace. For I preach the very gospel of christ without comment and with this weapon shall I slay envy. Let Hagar rejoice with Gnesion, who is the right sort of eagle, and towers the highest. For I bless God in the rising generation, which is on my side. Let Libni rejoice with the Redshank, who migrates not but is translated to the upper regions. For I have translated in the charity, which makes things better and I shall be translated myself at the last. Let Nahshon rejoice with the Seabreese, the Lord give the sailors of his Spirit. For he that walked upon the sea, hath prepared the floods with the Gospel of peace. Let Helon rejoice with the Woodpecker—the Lord encourage the propagation of trees! For the merciful man is merciful to his beast, and to the trees that give them shelter. Let Amos rejoice with the Coote—prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. For he hath turned the shadow of death into the morning, the Lord is his name. Let Ephah rejoice with Buprestis, the Lord endue us with temperance and humanity, till every cow can have her mate! For I am come home again, but there is nobody to kill the calf or to pay the musick. Let Sarah rejoice with the Redwing, whose harvest is in the frost and snow. For the hour of my felicity, like the womb of Sarah, shall come at the latter end. Let Rebekah rejoice with Iynx, who holds his head on one side to deceive the adversary. For I shou’d have avail’d myself of waggery, had not malice been multitudinous. Let Shuah rejoice with Boa, which is the vocal serpent. For there are still serpents that can speak—God bless my head, my heart and my heel. Let Ehud rejoice with Onocrotalus, whose braying is for the glory of God, because he makes the best musick in his power. For I bless God that I am of the same seed as Ehud, Mutius Scœ vola, and Colonel Draper. Let Shamgar rejoice with Otis, who looks about him for the glory of God, and sees the horizon compleat at once. For the word of God is a sword on my side—no matter what other weapon a stick or a straw. Let Bohan rejoice with the Scythian Stag—he is beef and breeches against want and nakedness. For I have adventured myself in the name of the Lord, and he hath mark’d me for his own. Let Achsah rejoice with the Pigeon who is an antidote to malignity and will carry a letter. For I bless God for the Postmaster general and all conveyancers of letters under his care, especially Allen and Shelvock. Let Tohu rejoice with the Grouse—the Lord further the cultivating of heaths and the peopling of deserts. For my grounds in New Canaan shall infinitely compensate for the flats and maynes of Staindrop Moor. Let Hillel rejoice with Ammodytes, whose colour is deceitful and he plots against the pilgrim’s feet. For the praise of God can give to a mute fish the notes of a nightingale. Let Eli rejoice with Leucon—he is an honest fellow, which is a rarity. For I have seen the White Raven and Thomas Hall of Willingham and am myself a greater curiosity than both. Let Jemuel rejoice with Charadrius, who is from the height and the sight of him is good for the jaundice. For I look up to heaven which is my prospect to escape envy by surmounting it. Let Pharaoh rejoice with Anataria, whom God permits to prey upon the ducks to check their increase. For if Pharaoh had known Joseph, he would have blessed God and me for the illumination of the people. Let Lotan rejoice with Sauterelle. Blessed be the name of the Lord from the Lote-tree to the Palm. For I pray God to bless improvements in gardening until London be a city of palm-trees. Let Dishon rejoice with the Landrail, God give his grace to the society for preserving the game. For I pray to give his grace to the poor of England, that Charity be not offended and that benevolence may increase. Let Hushim rejoice with the King’s Fisher, who is of royal beauty, tho’ plebeian size. For in my nature I quested for beauty, but God, God hath sent me to sea for pearls. Let Machir rejoice with Convolvulus, from him to the ring of Saturn, which is the girth of Job; to the signet of God from Job and his daughters blessed be jesus. For there is a blessing from the stone of jesus which is founded upon hell to the precious jewell on the right hand of God. Let Atad bless with Eleos, the nightly Memorialist ελεησον κϮ..ριε. For the nightly Visitor is at the window of the impenitent, while I sing a psalm of my own composing. Let Jamim rejoice with the Bittern blessed be the name of Jesus for Denver Sluice, Ruston, and the draining of the fens. For there is a note added to the scale, which the Lord hath made fuller, stronger and more glorious. Let Ohad rejoice with Byturos who eateth the vine and is a minister of temperance. For I offer my goat as he browses the vine, bless the Lord from chambering and drunkeness. Let Zohar rejoice with Cychramus who cometh with the quails on a particular affair. For there is a traveling for the glory of God without going to Italy or France. Let Serah, the daughter of Asher, rejoice with Ceyx, who maketh his cabin in the Halcyon’s hold. For I bless the children of Asher for the evil I did them and the good I might have received at their hands. Let Magdiel rejoice with Ascarides, which is the life of the bowels—the worm hath a part in our frame. For I rejoice like a worm in the rain in him that cherishes and from him that tramples. Let Becher rejoice with Oscen who terrifies the wicked, as trumpet and alarm the coward. For I am ready for the trumpet and alarm to fight, to die and to rise again. Let Shaul rejoice with Circos, who hath clumsy legs, but he can wheel it the better with his wings. For the banish’d of the Lord shall come about again, for so he hath prepared for them. Let Hamul rejoice with the Crystal, who is pure and translucent. For sincerity is a jewel which is pure and transparent, eternal and inestimable. Let Ziphion rejoice with the Tit-Lark who is a groundling, but he raises the spirits. For my hands and my feet are perfect as the sublimity of Naphtali and the felicity of Asher. Let Mibzar rejoice with the Cadess, as is their number, so are their names, blessed be the Lord Jesus for them all. For the names and number of animals are as the names and number of the stars. Let Jubal rejoice with Cœcilia, the woman and the slow-worm praise the name of the Lord. For I pray the Lord Jesus to translate my magnificat into verse and represent it. Let Arodi rejoice with the Royston Crow, there is a society of them at Trumpington and Cambridge. For I bless the Lord Jesus from the bottom of Royston Cave to the top of King’s Chapel. Let Areli rejoice with the Criel, who is a dwarf that towereth above others. For I am a little fellow, which is intitled to the great mess by the benevolence of God my father. Let Phuvah rejoice with Platycerotes, whose weapons of defence keep them innocent. For I this day made over my inheritance to my mother in consideration of her infirmities. Let Shimron rejoice with the Kite, who is of more value than many sparrows. For I this day made over my inheritance to my mother in consideration of her age. Let Sered rejoice with the Wittal—a silly bird is wise unto his own preservation. For I this day made over my inheritance to my mother in consideration of her poverty. Let Elon rejoice with Attelabus, who is the Locust without wings. For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I had the grace to obey the voice of Christ in my conscience. Let Jahleel rejoice with the Woodcock, who liveth upon suction and is pure from his diet. For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I was willing to run all hazards for the sake of the name of the Lord. Let Shuni rejoice with the Gull, who is happy in not being good for food. For I bless the thirteenth of August, in which I was willing to be called a fool for the sake of Christ. Let Ezbon rejoice with Musimon, who is from the ram and she-goat. For I lent my flocks and my herds and my lands at once unto the Lord. Let Barkos rejoice with the Black Eagle, which is the least of his species and the best-natured. For nature is more various than observation tho’ observers be innumerable. Let Bedan rejoice with Ossifrage—the bird of prey and the man of prayer. For Agricola is Γηωοργος. Let Naomi rejoice with Pseudosphece who is between a wasp and a hornet. For I pray God to bless polly in the blessing of Naomi and assign her to the house of david. Let Ruth rejoice with the Tumbler—it is a pleasant thing to feed him and be thankful. For I am in charity with the French who are my foes and Moabites because of the Moabitish woman. Let Ram rejoice with the Fieldfare, who is a good gift from God in the season of scarcity. For my Angel is always ready at a pinch to help me out and to keep me up. Let Manoah rejoice with Cerastes, who is a Dragon with horns. For christopher must slay the Dragon with a pheon’s head. Let Talmai rejoice with Alcedo, who makes a cradle for its young, which is rock’d by the winds. For they have seperated me and my bosom, whereas the right comes by setting us together. Let Bukki rejoice with the Buzzard, who is clever, with the reputation of a silly fellow. For Silly fellow! Silly fellow! is against me and belongeth neither to me nor my family. Let Michal rejoice with Leucocruta who is a mixture of beauty and magnanimity. For he that scorneth the scorner hath condescended to my low estate. Let Abiah rejoice with Morphnus who is a bird of passage to the Heavens. For Abiah is the father of Joab and Joab of all Romans and English Men. Let Hur rejoice with the Water-wag-tail, who is a neighbour, and loves to be looked at. For they pass me by in their tour, and the good Samaritan is not yet come. Let Dodo rejoice with the purple Worm, who is cloathed sumptuously, tho he fares meanly. For I bless God in behalf of trinity college in cambridge and the society of purples in london. Let Ahio rejoice with the Merlin who is a cousin german of the hawk. For I have a nephew christopher to whom I implore the grace of God. Let Joram rejoice with the Water Rail, who takes his delight in the river. For I pray God bless the cam—Mmr higgs and mr and mrs washbourne as the drops of the dew. Let Chileab rejoice with Ophion who is clean made, less than an hart, and a Sardinian. For I pray God bless the king of Sardinia and make him an instrument of his peace. Let Shephatiah rejoice with the little Owl, which is the wingged Cat. For I am possessed of a cat, surpassing in beauty, from whom I take occasion to bless Almighty God. Let Ithream rejoice with the great Owl, who understandeth that which he professes. For I pray God for the professors of the University of Cambridge to attend and to amend. Let Abigail rejoice with Lethophagus—God be gracious to the widows indeed. For the Fatherless Children and widows are never deserted of the Lord.

#jupiter

[art-of-illlustration]

Stephen E. Fabian - The Compleat Crow, 1987.

#Stephen E. Fabian #The Compleat Crow #1987