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a-gal-with-taste · 2 years

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Yours | Chapter 2.1

Or, a saga detailing the complex, and peculiarly prolonged courtship, between a Captain of Zaun, and his Lady of the Isle Promenade.

4707 WC - Silco X F!Reader - Regency AU

AO3 - Prev - Next

Warnings: Regency AU, arranged-marriage, slow-burn, romanticism, time-skip, love-letter, some humor, friendship, worldbuilding, Silco POV

A/N: Chapter 2 ended up being nearly 12k words in length, so it's getting cut into two parts on Tumblr, with the full-chapter posted on AO3. Part 2 posted on Tumblr tomorrow. Enjoy!

For, Solely, the Eyes and Acknowledgement of my Betrothed Voyaging Confidant,

Yet again, have I faltered. I ask that you not mock me-so for it, nor imagine your position has elevated in the time between your reply, and my own. Confidantes share matters of the private, occasional intimate natures, however I ask that you dare not to presume that this to be a position you might so-soon graduate from.

An acquaintance, a companion, and a sailor - promotion from this standing-status of your station is not likely to change in the form of simple letters, and so I urge your hopes to unarise from their confidence in the, entirely accidental, usage of betrothed.

Accidental, Captain S. Shimmerson. I urge you to remember that.

In addition to remembrance, in our prior correspondence, you inquired about the recollection of childhood. I daresay that it is in the best-interest of the inquiring-party to disclose their own experiences, prior to asking in-regards to another’s... I find that to be the fairer option, in the way of an exchanging, and ask that you give to me, what I desire to give to you.

Fairness and equality, S. Shimmerson, is such the nature of confidants, and those who wish to elevate their position in such a status.

Fairness and equality was also in such a way I was raised, benefitting the pastimes and education afforded in the art of diplomacy, literature, and equestrianism. My mother, bless her, desired the softer of my educational elements, yet it was my fathers wish to conduct the learning of my youth in equal factors as my brother. Who, though you have not inquired, does well, and actually has begun to succeed myself and our father in place of our work of trade and exports.

I daresay, his dip within treacherous waters may yet prove to be a baptismal of an experience, as the endurance has rid him, somewhat, of the boyish qualities.

Regardless, my brother favored the physical arts of fencing and passtime other sports, whilst I found some proficiency in way of horseback. I envision such opportunity to ride upon horseback is not one common to those of the sailor-world, however, as one who has tentatively and proficiency hosted experiences on both ship and saddle, the sway that comes with riding Standardbred is not-so very different from riding sails.

Isle Promenade is a fair island to traverse in such a way as horseback. The most iconic feature of our land comes in the form of the docks, yes, but the hills and cliffs in the lands around my family manner are truly a delight to spend an afternoon roaming. Often as a child, I would be as eager as my sibling to explore the grand wilds of the civilized isle in such a way... and admittedly, writing of past-experience has reminded me of how long-ago such a past was.

Mayhaps I'll reacquaint myself with the experience, if only to prove my prowess, should you ever choose to also indulge yourself with the joys of horseback. Quite different, would it be from striding on the sea, but with appropriate teachings, I imagine you could find a way to manage. As determination, and striving for self-satisfaction, seem to be key elements in your character, if my suspicions are to be believed from evidence provided in your correspondence.

There’s a pathway along the westernmost cliffside along the manor's property, where truly, sun meets the sea in perfect harmony as it falls from the grace of daytime sky. It is a sight not quite suited for that of a copy, in painting, only an image that is most-appropriately suited to be seen in-person along the Isle Promenade, preferably during the upcoming autumn season. The stars come out early then, sometimes at the height of the setting sun.

Quite glorious, and truly an awe far greater than certainly any I have to offer onto, even by your presumptuous, flirtatious, previous claims.

In time of writing, I do believe I will venture to retake the reins, and set-upon myself the task of repeating to familiarize myself with the trail. It’s quite lovely, and gives full expanse of the ocean’s western horizon, a sight which you might be quite familiar with, as the Port Lanes reside in the south-western direction from my island. Far be it from the realm of possibility to imagine our sights would be set upon the same direction, in the space between sky and sea, and far impressive would it be to share the same view, would it not?

Such an invitation may be forwardly presented, however, it is only a natural occurrence that the language of words be evolved into sounds, and though your coarse differs from mine, with ship far differing from that of land, it cannot be denied, good captain, that it would be beneficiary in our status as confidentials, to gaze upon the same horizon together.

Perhaps, such a possibility would occur in no such time soon. However, the Isle Promenade is an unmoving location, and you certainly have the ship to travel. Bluntly, I would encourage you to someday use it, should your courses take charge and travel, entirely coincidental, to the general direction of my Isle.

Entirely coincidental, neutrally-couraged, and up to your discretion. I shall make no such pleas on your arrival, just as I have done in letters past.

In the other realms of matters upon wish to discuss, I trust your brother has recovered from the sea-bout you so previously mentioned. A pain we share, with the ailments of foolish brothers - as you can imagine, my own finds it incredibly harrowing to so much as board a carriage, the shaking sends him as green as the pastures in minutes. Well wishes must be shared, for the both of us, on the subject of brothers, and our entirely inevitable lifetime of annoyances at their hand.

I would also trust that you-yourself keep in well-health and well-spirits. My experience in voyaging begins and ends between Promenade and the outer districts of the Alcovite Key, however, I imagine even long-term sailors grow weary.

Take care of yourself. I daren't, and will not plea on your behalf, but for the sake of a continuation to engage in friendly-correspondence, I must insist that you not strain the body, for fear that you will leave damage to your mind - your mind, and all it’s words I've come to memorize by the beat of my heart.

They’re quite remarkable - I would be hard-pressed to forget a single stroke of your letters, S. Shimmerson. And as so I have come to treasure every one that has come into my hands, I so-do look forward to the next to read.

With continued conscientiousness, care, and careful consideration,

A Continuing Correspondent...

Silco Shimmerson was not known to smile.

Indulge others in only the most occasional of humored looks, dry-exasperation covering the faintest hints of amusement, and, far more often, smirks of triumph and self-satisfaction when smiles were all the more rarer.

At your scrawl, however, the smallest of grins has become nothing less than common on his face. Amusement flickering in his gaze as eyes the color of sea rove over the papers again, thumb stretching slightly to press delicately at the writing you had gifted him with - and truly, every time you did so, it was another gift to add onto his newly-found delights.

Indeed, within the passing of spring onto summer, and hot days cooling with the precursor to the season of autumn, you were quickly developing into a new delight onto his life.

One unwanted, certainly unneeded, and yet a rare smile has become far more commonplace upon the young-man’s face despite it all, his previous fears proven correct, at the worry you would lead him to doom.

He is falling, but though it is not a descent into the abyss as he so-feared, Silco understands that where he falls, is a place escape is more than unlikely, but more of an impossibility than he’d ever expected possible.

Certainly so, when he never expected to fall in the first place - then came you.

“Devil unto my life, o’ where shall you lead me next...?” He muses, partially in form of prayer to the Gods, and an unheard question for you as a hand comes to fiddle with the golden chain about his neck.

Often tucked beneath tunic and collar during the daily rounds on deck- though, his crew shares the collective wisdom to avoid petty thievery on ship, and in particular, thievery of the gold Silco wears about the neck - but the rare occasions he spends within his determined-section of the main-cabin quarters, Silco spends with fingers often fiddling about the round, smooth gold piece he wears.

Much as he does now. By touch alone, sightless and perhaps unconscious as well, Silco could still find the exact curve and detail of the locket at his neck with ease, as familiar with the ornament as he was with the ship he jointly-commands.

There’s a nick in the southern-most angle of the piece, one a blunt thumbnail skitters upon briefly, before resuming the slow, caressing rounds along its polished surface. It’s not flawless, but there’s a certain uniqueness that comes with the discernible blemishes, the finer details that make up the piece in all its glory...

Much like you. Refined as you try to be, as poised and regal as you attempt to exhume, Silco smirks faintly at the challenge between your letters - it’s so very tempting to rise to the bait, however juvenile it was between the elegant turn of phrases, but patience is a virtue, though he may, fortunately, be no saint.

Still, it was wise to wait. He had for so long - he could wait longer, before such an occasion came to pass... Silco rather enjoyed the idea of you at the cliffside, atop a horse he wouldn’t even begin to have a clue on how to straddle, though the man would be a liar if he tried to claim his attention would be on the creature, and not the woman beside him...

Beside him, yes.

Such an image is clear, clearer than the one that Silco thumbs open the locket to gaze upon with smirk fading, eyes sharpening and attention fixated on more than the words he holds, treasured in hand.

Instead, focus becomes entirely enraptured at the idea, one that dare-not to flee him, despite its absurdity and his, admittedly vague, attempts to shoo it away, the imagination is too rawly vivid, too perfectly constructed, for him to demolish the mental-image that comes at the thought of you being by his side.

In this moment, in this space, you are in truth a thousand and one leagues away, and in this moment, in this space, you are a fragment of his imagination as he images the warmth radiating from you as you lean against him. Softness greater than silk, consuming the entirety of his consciousness and raising every hair on his body at your mere touch...

Gods, it wouldn't need to be in the act of the carnal, or in the ways of the most infamous of impurity.

Simply the sensation of you, physically and wholly at his side, is enough for the ever-sharp green gaze to grow with matte with scattering focus, before slipping close as a sigh escapes his lips, caught a moment later upon a the glittering golden surface he brings up to halt the dramatic exhale.

Dramatic, indeed.

Were there any other in the cabin at this time, they’d no doubt cackle at the sight of Silco Shimmerson, feared and awed captain of The Children, a Man of Zaun, and one of the most notorious sailors traversing the waters of The Underground, abandoned sea of Piltover, bringing up a gold locket to his lips with all the wistfulness of a man halfway in love.

Perhaps, it would be foolish to assume he wasn’t already past the point of halfway.

Silco sighs, again a release that is captured in the form of a fogged-surface upon precious metal, before he straightens, eyes opening and sharpening. Tucking it gingerly beneath his tunic, with papers placed away beneath a locked-chest of his personals with equal-care, gone is a man partway in love, and overtaking his placement, is a Man of Zaun, and a co-Captain of The Children.

A free-sailor, in theory.

A rebelling man, dabbling in the arts of revolution and independence amongst the abandoned Piltovian waters of The Underground, in truth.

Man on a mission as he was, Silco strode out from the cabin with quick steps, sea-green eyes only briefly glancing towards the nearby-shore. Home - or the sole thing in existence that could come close to such a faraway concept - lies only half a league from where the mighty ship of The Children docks, unearthly green lights highlighting the cloud of eternal pollution that stalks the air.

Clustered, would be the best way to describe the living-arrangements of the city-island. What wasn’t built atop another building, which resided atop another, was sectioned off into the underside caverns that hollowed out the island beneath its surface - the true source of the rather direct nickname of The Underground.

Hideous, shameful sight to those in the more glorious and thriving isles among these waters - perhaps that’s why they largely chose to ignore their own responsibility that created this isle, with their sanctions, restrictions, and, of course, their Naval Enforcers.

They ignore the dwellers of The Underground, but only so long as their dogs ensure they never see the light of day.

A rather tasteless tradition, one that Silco, and the crew of The Children, hope to put an end to.

“... hence why, Old Hungry is where they would expect a strike,” He completes with a dignified flourish, raising chin to catch sight of somber silver, and hawkish hazel. Gathered about the map of the most local ocean, Silco pinches the small, thumb-sized piece of wood, and takes a heartbeat to study its microscopic features as a whittled piece, oddly reminiscent of their-ship itself. “That’s where they are braced for attack. Meaning, we must converge onto where they are not braced.”

“Ah, set a vile little surprise for them?” Vander’s silver glinted, brightening to a more jovial shade of the moon; though, like the round surface, there is always the dark side of an eclipse in his gaze. “How dreadful. I quite like the sound of it.”

“Quite a certainty that you would, considering your round with cabin-fever... and that swordfish,” Benzo teases, reaching over and giving a steady nudge onto Vander’s bandaged leg, much to his chagrin. “Think you’ll be spirited enough to fight when it comes? Or, at the very least, walk?”

“I’ve got the spirit-”

“A fact that no-one doubts,” Silco says smoothly, rolling the wood between his fingers. “But Benzo, in a rarity, has made good-point. This is indeed a foul surprise we would be unveiling to our dearest officers of the sea... we need those that are able to stand on their own, and stand against those wretched Topsiders.”

Pursing lips, Vander’s eyes grew darker, more like a moonless gray sky than the celestial-body itself. He glared to Silco, an act of which he only gazed back, unperturbed and unshaken at such a look, not only for sake of the man still lying in-injury in order to lay even the smallest of blows, but for the fact that Silco knew this man.

This man, a brother in all but blood, would never raise a hand to him. Not in insult, not in injury, never. Though surely there came times where Silco desired nothing more than to strangle the fool, he-himself would never dare to griefen the man in such a way, nor as he would Silco.

As if remembering this, this bloodless-bond they shared since boyhood, Vander deflated somewhat, and looked rarely small against the threadbare cushioning of his seat.

“I can do it,” He insisted. “And you know that I must.”

“I do.”

Silco paused, then, in an action ever more rare than a smile, the man of Zaun spoke almost gently to his friend, “And though one may think it hypocritical, I know that it would be expected of yourself to halt my-own progress into battle, in fear of overexertion. Suffice to say, while no one harbors doubts of bravery and skills, my friend, ‘tis best you remove yourself from this ambush in particular.”

Vander, expectedly, was displeased with this sentencing. But at the current moment, there was little desire to commit treason - or, in less severe terms, quarreling - against his fellow captain, and so he merely sulked in a way that was more childish than his years, as was his jape. “It is understandable that you want the glory all heaved onto your own name... after-all, makes for good stories between the letters.”

Now, it is co-Captain Shimmerson’s turn to frown, tersely even as something akin to mischief glows in Houndsman’s eyes. “That is hardly the reason-”

“Wishing to look courageous and valiant? Oh, what bravery you shall tell-of, to your little lass...?”

“Aye, Benzo, ‘tis the real reason for his search of glory: freedom be damned, methinks the man is keen to have a lady swoon over his tales of valor...!”

“If you are both quite finished,” Silco interrupted with all the dryness he possessed in his being, somehow silencing those that were far from completed with their task of teasing him, but sombering nonetheless when he placed the wooden-model of their ship back down onto the map with a sharp, resounding clack. “Upon reflection, a direct raid onto Enforcer-controlled lands, or even singular vessels, would prove disastrous, if not outright suicidal.”

“Meaning,” He continued, slowly shifting the tiny model of The Children across the map, roving through the gray, brown or green splotches dictating land-masses, following through the deep teals and blues that represented the sea upon the map. “That we must go about this in roundabout fashion. Damned we be, to direct focus onto Enforcer-controlled... meaning, we need to seek out those controlled by more private institutions.”

The trading route was clearly defined, not by shades of water the map-colored beneath it, but by an organizing lining of equally-small ships, all uniformly fashioned in the gleaming white-coat of those in the trade-system.

Vander blinked, frowning deeply. “Attack a caravan? That makes us no different than pirates.”

“I would argue, Houndsman, that our persisting habit of redirecting items from exporting-plants to Zaun’s own supplies, would already make us more align with the likes of the buccaneer,” Pointing this out did little good in slacking at the prominent frown on Vander’s face, but his fellow free-sailor continued rationally regardless. “This would be targeting the source direct from where we smuggle - it’s not all that different from what we already do.”

“Fair,” Benzo coincided, albeit reluctant and with a frown only somewhat-lighter upon his face. “It would send a message none shan’t forget... publicly too, it would be a blow onto Piltover and Enforcer’s alike.”

“They couldn’t keep the stirrings of revolution under-wraps, not after a stunt such as this,” Silco states firmly. “It would present as a call-of-arms to all-those who suffer the same as ourselves. There is also consideration on the more practical... The iron and supplies of that ship can be forged as necessary.”

“You already have one in mind?” In response to Vander’s quizzical raised-brow, Silco brought up The Children’s model, and set it ‘round to a singular other model, last in the caravan’s formation.

“Northern Forgemage Trading Co. is in the market for expanding their exportation,” The wiry man comments, almost idly. “They have several reaching out to ports across the seas, each vessel bearing samples, prototypes of their metal-work... be of such-shame, would it not, for one of their ships to come so-suddenly to new management, and the wares redirected to a newer, more rebellious cause?”

At last, the frown begins to slacken off-of Vander’s face. Though not entirely pleased, there was some satisfaction as the formation of a plan was made more-clearer to him. “Huh. Appears your love-sickness hasn’t made you lacking in cleverness after-all, my old friend.”

“I am not...” Silco swallowed back the indignation, even if it was rightfully-given at such an absurd assumption, and returned his sharp-eyed attention back down onto the map of the seas. “Regardless, a fortnight of preparation, and an additional eve to properly chart the course of this ship, and it can be taken-over in a single day, mark me.” Eyes flick up, catching Vander’s and cooling the bright, joking light in them with the stern-note in his baritone voice. “Without your help, old friend. You require the rest, and this requires no mark of error.”

It wasn’t an order - never before, would neither Shimmerson nor Houndsman attempt to give one to their-other - but it was still a stern-enough request to make the larger-man stiffen.

For a moment, only heartbeats, the sway of the ship in port-waters, and the stars in the night-sky existed... and after that moment, so did the brief, stubborn challenge exist in Vander’s stormy-gray eyes.

But then, as a roll of fog overtook the sky, so did the look of reluctant acceptance cloak the momentary-defiance in his friend’s gaze, and acceptance came in raised-palms, hands rising in mock-surrender. “As the captain-commands.”

“As the captain agrees,” Silco amended, the familiar quirk upon his lips depicting a smirk that was soon shared, albeit smaller, as the peculiar tension melted away into youthful anticipation at the excitement ahead, rousing more tremendously as he turned to their first-mate. “Bloodshed is unavoidable, but I trust you to instruct the crew to strive in avoiding it, nonetheless?”

“Trust that shan’t be misplaced, I can promise you that,” Benzo said with a salute, taking the nod that followed as his dismissal. Offering a pat on the shoulder as he passed, hazel eyes flicked sharply between his two oldest companions - though the relationships’ longevity did not exceed that between the two captains themselves - and, though recalling the odd tension in the room, chose to leave it to rest in his exiting.

Leaving the two alone, and leaving the choice to revive the strain in the air solely in their hands.

Silco, as he often did, was careful in his way of approaching the issue at-hand. “You know why I must ask you to stand-aside? Tis not for pride, nor for sake of glory-”

“- tis to avoid mishap and mistake,” Likewise, Vander approached danger head-on, without delay, and without subtly. Apparently, if by his tired smile, also without much-remaining frustration. “I understand. Happy, I am not, but I understand. Never would I want you on the battle-deck, if you were caught in similar misfortune.”

“A fact I imagine I would find equal annoyance with,” Silco acknowledged, taking seat beside his friend along the other-side of the table. “This... this will change much, you realize.”

“Aye, I do.”

“This will change it all,” Silco reaffirms, a brightness taking place in his teal-eyes, of excitement and anticipation, yes, but also in the color of elation. “Think of it, my friend. The beginning of the revolution, the battle for the Isles of Zaun, the very search of our freedom, could begin with this. Brother... Our dream could be in reach.”

“Then I shan’t hope to ever wake,” Vander leaned back, swallowing the grunt of pain that came in-time with shifting his thigh too quickly, the ache that came with an unfortunately stumble off a fishing-deck still too-fresh. “Quite like the sound of it. Freedom... ‘tis a beauty of a word. More pretty than what I inspire to do, once I’ve got it.”

“And what shall you do?” Silco almost regretted asking, particularly when Vander grinned toothily.

“Never-forgot the dream of our freedom from Piltover... nor have I forgotten our dream of that pub on the Lanes.”

Indeed, Silco’s long, deep sigh introduced a long-standing regret at asking, growing louder with Vander’s volume-increasing chuckles at his expense. When the humor passed, there came a silence much like the one that had come before it, but this one wasn’t a quiet-charged by a silent defiance. It was the quiet that came with the peace of fellowship, of brotherhood - not by blood, not in this life, but still forged stronger than any storm, than any force, and able to withstand any outside-force that dared try to destroy such a bond.

The peace was broken, though not ferociously, but rather curiously, with Vander’s question. “And with your freedom, brother? What shall you do with it?” Before a reply could be offered, one promising a continuing-servitude in the establishment of independence or the like, Vander asked, “Shall you go to her?”

Silco blinked. Unsurprised, but unprepared for such a question nonetheless.

“Shall you?” Vander continued, uncharastically lacking his teasing-tone, serious and almost curious in his inquiry. “There is little doubt of your interest... and, if she writes to you-still, after almost a half-year’s time, there’s certainly some interest on her end as well. Mayhaps you go to her, in the interest of both of you?”

“I...” Interested was too-tame of a word to describe S. Shimmerson’s exact feelings in regards to you, his land-locked correspondent, but to have it's potential end-point so plainly, so earnestly laid-out before his eyes... “I... I truly do not know. Mayhaps that is only a more idyllic conclusion, than that which reality shall allow.”

“And perhaps you’re more foolish than I have ever known.” Vander’s voice lost its dry age, as he looked to his friend, contemplative in all the ways that, impossibly, made Silco shift under such a look. “Never, before, have you expressed such desire before, not for another person, at the very least.” None could deny that the majority of the co-Captain’s passion lay not in a person, or even a tangible thing fixed within reality, but rather the dream itself, of freedom, unity, of a united nation...

The Nation of Zaun.

“And yet, here you are. Spending part-way of your days mooning-”

“I am not mooning.”

“You’re in love, brother.” Vander said, firmly and unhumored at the continuously weak attempts Silco made to deny it, indeed losing strength every time he said it. “Lie not to me, nor to oneself... you love her, and you wish to go to her.”

... Denial flees, and Silco must sit back in his chair with a sigh and, much to his damnation, finds his hand traveling past his sternum, and resting upon a familiar oval shape beneath his fingers. “Am I a fool, brother?” He wonders allowed, somehow already resigned to the shameful answer. “A fool to fall for things beyond reach, beyond sight and reason... I long for a nation, and I love a stranger beyond the sea. Is it foolish, to do both in a single lifetime?”

Regret was not on the co-Captain of The Children’s mind, but that did not mean he was utterly shameless of his emotional endeavors, either.

You were not supposed to happen. If he could be so bold as to plan his life, it had not been lived with the idea of romance, of love in mind. Silco had lived for the sea, and for many, many years, had been content to commit his life to such - saltwater upon lips, blade in hand, freedom in mind and a dream in his heart, or whatever remained of it.

You were not planned to lay claim upon his heart. Yet you have, and despite feeling the court’s jester, regret is not the emotion Silco Shimmerson feels at the thought of the placement you have, unwittily and unwantedly taken within him.

You have taken his heart, and Silco cannot bring himself to regret it.

Perhaps his friend knows, and sympathizes with the plight. As, for once, he doesn’t tease nor does he jokes at the expense of a man so hopelessly in-love, that he registers the gentle-placement of a large hand upon his knee as fantasy, until Vander speaks, and rouses him from his thoughts with gruff, but honest encouragement. “I would only consider you the fool, my friend, if you do not seek what you wish for so dearly. Be it your freedom, or your landresiding lass.”

Requested Tags: @writingmysanity @medivalpersephone @spaceythangs

#silco #silco x reader #arcane #regency au #romantacism #regency #silco fic #arcane fic #arcane x reader #silco arcane #regency silco #slow burn #persuasion #persuasion au #Yours

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rad-roche · 10 months

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chit-chattin about some books i've read (or reread) recently. not a review, and i'll refrain from big spoilers in case you happen to be interested in reading any, but just a general overview and some thoughts ( ᐛ )و

been making an effort to read more lately. that thing happened that comes with adulthood, you know, things take priority, life happens, as well as the SocMed's curse i'm sure we all share; books take time, and effort, and is competing with a skinner box. i've come up with a pretty good system, which is taking me e-reader somewhere nice, or at least into a different room, away from my desktop, but not getting too hung up if i do get distracted. i'll dig out my wireless headphones, put on an album or lofi, then throw my phone the maximum distance away before it disconnects. i make a point not to make time to do it every day, like a set hour, because i know how my brain works and if i feel like i 'have' to do it i'll resent it. it's somehow much easier for me to think, independently, 'oh yeah, i've got a book to read' every single day rather than planning to do it. this is a fool's system. i do not recommend structuring anything like this.

in no particular order;

negative space - b.r yeager: i really loved this! there are a lot of 'sad kids roam around on bikes with Horrors Occurring' books, but this is very contemporary and has a very specific sort of late 10s malaise. teenagers are committing suicide en masse in a dying suburban town, and all there is to do is drink, smoke and see who comes up next so you can take a picture and talk about it on a specially made gawking message board, and that's before the hallucinogen that lets you see into another reality. explains very little and that just makes it better, don't worry about things making sense the first time through. strongly recommend if you like your books to make you vomit

the thin man - dashiell hammett: nick and nora charles. need i say anything. is there a single thing i need to say. it's fucking dashiell hammett. it's dashiell hammett writing nick and nora charles. one trillion out of ten. nora. nora fucking charles is here.

archer in jeopardy (the zebra-striped hearse, the instant enemy, the doomsters) - ross macdonald: three book omnibus from another of the Big Three (chandler, hammett, macdonald). they're all fantastic. they don't quite have the poetic turns that chandler does but also, comparing anybody to raymond chandler on turns of phrase is criminal. set in a time period you don't see so much, the transition from the 50s to 60s. a little old-man-yells-at-cloud-y about the youth, but you're going to struggle to find a noir writer who approaches his subjects with such empathy. lew archer is a kind, open-hearted man, and he suffers hugely for it. i know a significant amount of you are here for fallout stuff, so i think this is a fair comparison; nick valentine owes a lot to how lew archer is written. if you're looking to get into the genre and need a reference point, these are probably the books you should start with

mass effect revelation - gave it a whirl, couldn't stick with it. might try again later, i really like anderson as a character and i'm big into ME.

quantum devil saga; avatar tuner - yu godai, kevin frane; it's okay! i enjoyed it, but i'm super into the game it's expanding on. supplemental material, you know. i wouldn't read it by itself

body scout - lincoln michel; neo-noir set in the future where corporations run amok and pump athletes so full of experimental drugs that they turn to chunky soup on the field. i appreciate how batshit weird it gets, it's very confidently written. i finished it a month ago and have thought about it every day since, it's very up my alley, themes and such that i like and explore. you'd probably like this if you like dmt.

dishonored; the corroded man - adam christopher; an interesting read in that it takes the incredible setting of dishonored and somehow makes it tedious. didn't like it

devil house - john darnielle: now here's a fuckin tome and a half. a (fictional) true crime writer digs into an occult double-murder. but it's not about that. well it is. don't let the cover fool you, it's not a horror. but it kind of is? whatever it is, it's worthwhile. really dense, good if you want to get your teeth into some Big Questions. you'll spend the first part wondering when it will pick up speed, then you'll be screaming for it to stop

pictures of sea slugs; various sea slugs - not a book but something i've been looking at a lot lately. i think they're very cute. i love their little frills

i mean my god

#text post #bookposting #i was sort of an e-reader skeptic for a while but that convenience. my god and it's fun arranging stuff on calibre

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highfunctioningflailgirl · 1 year

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My favorite books (and audiobooks) 2022

ID: “Lancelot” by Giles Christian

An epic retelling of the story of Lancelot - the most tragic figure of the King Arthur saga. The first half of the book focuses on his youth and upbringing as a warrior on a remote island where he meets Guinevere when they’re still both kids. In the second half, we get to see him as a fully grown knight, his friendship with Arthur and his fatal love for Guinevere.

It’s a beautiful, patient, sometimes gritty and sometimes poetic novel that culminates in a heroic and tragic showdown. Its only flaw is a rushed last quarter, as if the author needed to squeeze too much story into the last 200 pages. Maybe this should’ve been a two-parter instead?

ID: “Die Diplomatin” by Lucy Fricke

A wry, cynical novel on the privileges, grey areas and limits of diplomacy. We follow a German consul from her peaceful post in Uruguay to a much less serene post in Istanbul where politics are in a fragile, incendiary state. And managing a crisis turns out to be the most disillusioning affair our protagonist has ever faced.

A very contemporary, very apropos little novel that’s written with a glimmering scalpel.

ID: “The Darkness Outside Us” by Eliot Schrefer

I almost dnf’ed this one after eye rolling my way through the first hour of teenager-y gays-in-space. But then my jaw began to drop as this YA sci-fi took a very dark turn.

Two young astronauts from enemy countries, stuck on a spaceship together, band together against insurmountable odds, and if you read this you won’t see coming what’s gonna hit you. The most surprising, wrecking read I’ve raced through in a long time. And the audiobook narrator is really, really good.

ID: “A Psalm for the Wild-Built” by Becky Chambers

A tea-monk and a robot become BFFs on an ecotopian moon. That’s it. That’s the plot. An uplifting, touching and heartwarming read that both brought me to tears and gave me so much comfort.

“What do humans need?” That is the big question this quietly philosophical little Solarpunk story revolves around. And there are no simple answers.

Becky Chambers single-handedly invented “cozy sci-fi”, and I am so grateful she did! Part two, “A Prayer for the Crown-Shy”, is just as good, btw.

ID: “Anna” by Cynthia Harrod-Eagles

Full immersion into Russian history, culture and geography in the early 1800s is what you’ll get from this underestimated historical romance novel.

We follow English governess Anna from Paris to Russia where she’s in the employment of the very attractive (and very married) Count Kirov.

Surprisingly, their love story isn’t what’s so beautiful about this book - it’s Russia herself, her landscape, culture and many different people. Anna spends time in glittering St. Petersburg, in majestic Moscow, but also in the wild Caucasian mountains. We meet Tartars, Kosaks and Mongols; counts, peasants, horsemen and warriors. We learn about Russian folklore and superstition, about traditions and rituals.

It was an eerie experience to read this book while Putin invaded the Ukraine, but what happened IRL also made “Anna” an even more valuable read. Parts of the story take place in what’s now the Ukraine, in Kiew. Back then, it was the other way around from what we’re seeing today: Napoleon invaded Russia, and Moscow became a victim of fire and flame. “Anna” taught me quite a bit of history I’d never learned in school.

In the end, “Anna” is a beautiful, sweeping saga from which I emerged reluctantly and wistfully, wanting more.

(Fair warning: the edition I read was obviously a reprint and riddled with printing errors to a degree that sometimes made it hard to read. Such negligence puts a really good novel to shame which it really doesn’t deserve. So please check which copy/edition you’re getting if you want to read this!)

Special shout-out to @hobbeshalftail3469 who recommended this book to @vgriffindor who then gave it to me as a gift!)

Your turn, bookish people! What were your favorites of 2022?!

#my reading #best books of the year #best books of 2022 #best audiobooks of 2022 #my favorite books #lancelot #a psalm for the wild built #giles christian #becky chambers #die diplomatin #lucy fricke #eliot schrefer #the darkness outside us #anna #cynthia harrod-eagles

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joys-of-everyday · 1 year

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On the Old Palace Master (and Huan Hua palace)

Alright, saga 2 of villain backstories (following this post on QJL).

Disclaimer. Villains don’t need to be tragic. Nor do they need to be less villainous than they are. 2D villains are fine! Villains with no backstories are also fine! But don’t you love brain teasers?

So the difference between a villain-with-potentially-interesting-backstory and plain-old-villain (possibly) is contradictory characteristics. We have

OPM is a rather scummy leader who scams people into fighting innocent Heavenly Demons and lusts after his own disciples.

OPM is a respected scummy leader who nobody questioned (???) when he basically started a war. And he was able to lock up SQQ by essentially pointing a finger and saying ‘look he’s sus’. And he had Gongyi Xiao – resident cinnamon roll – as head disciple. (The poor baby. Whatever did he do to deserve this?) He must have been doing something right.

So question: why the respect?

Bonus question: what are his motives? (Other than slobbering over his disciple’s kid.)

Switching perspectives for a second, we know that Huan Hua palace have a more military orientation and have the most connections to the mortal world. There’s no mention of their ideology, but it could plausibly be something like idk fight for peace, protect the common people. (I’m imagining something like Cao Cao from the Three Kingdoms.)

(Also note that Cao Cao – a fantastically morally grey figure, gotta love him – was known for doing things like killing one of his own as part of a scheme to encourage his men, as well as lusting after women. He was also known for being extremely capable and intelligent, had a great relationship with his wife, and put a firm foot down on corruption, before his much more dubious later years.)

They also seem to have vendetta against demons? OPM decided to do his shenanigans with TLJ and they had history with MBJ. Although maybe this is just a cultivation world thing.

Another small thing, this guy is pretty sharp. Other than the bits where he’s blinded by rage, he deals with developing situations quickly and does a fair amount of scheming (the thing with QHT and all).

Anyway *rubs hands* inspired by this, let’s go.

Since Huan Hua Palace allows families, a side effect is nepotism. Although the sect started with very good intentions, sometime after their establishment, they were seriously bogged down with corruption. This was when the Old Palace Master joined the sect.

In youth, the Old Palace Master was an extremely capable disciple (and I mean, intelligent + great leadership skills, rather than was a good cultivator), not from the best background but with a few family connections (think mid-tier aristocrat, or side branch of a top-tier aristocrat), which he used to rise up the ranks. Having fought through the rich kids and demonstrated his capabilities, he took over the sect.

In his first few years, he made sweeping reforms of the sect – fairer recruitment of disciples, streamlining the organisation of their now bloated departments etc. He focused on helping the common people, strengthening defences, and taking an aggressive stance against demons. This led to him gaining vast amounts of popularity among the citizens, as well as respect among other cultivators.

So now his power and popularity were based on making an enemy out of the demons.

At this point, he started getting ambitious. Instead of just defending against demons, in the background he started staging, or even inciting, demon attacks so that Huan Hua palace could come and swoop into ‘save’ the people. The argument he used to convince those involved is this: they’re ultimately working for the greater good. The cultivation world has become complacent after the annihilation of the sowers – there’s even calls for *le gasp of shock* friendlier relations with demons. But demons and humans can never live together – it’s us or them. It’s their duty to wake up the cultivation world to the dangers the demons posit.

And then the events with TLJ went down.

There’s a theory that the OPM was actually behind Juedi gorge + Jinlan, which (happily!) works in this framework (off-topic, but there’s this scene in LoGH where they kinda let a civilian massacre happen to be like ‘oh look how evil the enemy are’). I’ve also seen theories that he’d been working on ways to subtly make gaps in defences for demons to exploit. Maybe this was where he came into conflict with og!SQQ, who being #TheOnlyBrainCellInTheRoom realised the OPM was dragging them into war (which Cang Qiong would be right at the front lines of).

In terms of motives, possibly the OPM was just power-hungry (and slobbering over his disciple). I think in general an intelligent bad guy will be like… 80% good. To obtain power, you need people to trust you. To make people trust you, (on the whole) you have to be trustworthy. And when the people around you get complacent, when you’ve spread their networks of power… that’s when you can start doing bad things in earnest. (You know, get that decent looking slogan to rally up the gullible followers.)

Anyway, on the note of early days OPM, I kinda wanna see peak lord early days, when they’re all young and fresh and building their reputations in the big wide world. Respected scholar!SJ anyone?

(Also also: speaking of parallels, Huan Hua is baby Lanling Jin sect right??? And the Lanling Jin sect had the whole thing about bringing down evil - that's how they got the rest of the cultivation world on their side.)

#svsss #svsss ideas #old palace master #huan hua palace

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audiofictionuk · 10 months

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New Fiction Podcasts - 18th July

Le concours de la Saga de l'été New Audio Drama! Le concours de la Saga de l'été encourage des créateurs à réaliser en 3 mois durant l'été une fiction sonore/saga MP3/ficson pour faire passer de bonnes vacances aux auditeurs. A la fin de l'été, un vote des auditeurs permet d'attribuer des awards aux fictions les plus appréciés du public. Depuis 2008, environ 100 fictions ont été réalisées et sont disponibles sur https://sagadelete.fr/. https://sagadelete.fr/ RSS:https://saga-de-lete.lepodcast.fr/rss

You're a What?! New Audio RPG! An actual-play podcast using the Masks system. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/yaw8 RSS:https://anchor.fm/s/e5816074/podcast/rss

Will of the Dice- In search of Heroes New Audio RPG! The realm is known as Rune ath Kesha. A place of magic and mystery, where anyone can rise to legendary status and many often do. However, the realm has been plunged into darkness on multiple fronts. First the demigod Lucias(Pronouced Lu Kai Us) is attempting to unveil mysteries of the past to open the doors Vashka’s, the Death Goddess and his wife, prison to bring for a 1000 years of weeping and gnashing of teeth. His way blocked by a group of heroes who have risen to the challenge and are determined to stop him at all costs. War, its teeth sharp and gnawing has come to all lands as the beings of the underdark have bound themselves one to another to wage war against the sun walkers. Many homes lost, kingdoms toppled. The same heroes feeling empathy for the misplaced have forged a small retreat for the refugees on both sides of the campaign. Nestled in the Weeping Waste, a large unchartered forest on Shar-Kan-Dor the small canton of Sword of Hope. A beacon to the downtrodden and lost, a place of rest and encouragement. Life there is simple and the peace abundant. Or it was. The band of heroes are missing, the shield of the world seemingly vanished into thin air. The wise one’s of the refugee have decreed a lottery to take place to select a group to go in search of them. So it shall be fate will hand select a group to travel into the realm…. In search of Heroes. https://will-of-the-dice--in-search-of-heroes.castos.com RSS:https://feeds.castos.com/2ng08

AcheronVA New Audio Book! I tell stories that work with your imagination to create beautiful and impossible worlds for us to explore together. I implore only that you Listen, & Enjoy. "He who writes, remains." https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/acheronva RSS:https://anchor.fm/s/e58fc2e0/podcast/rss

Yo Te Lo Cuento New Audio Book! Yo leo mis cuentos y tambien cuentos de amigos. https://rss.com/podcasts/yotelocuento RSS:https://media.rss.com/yotelocuento/feed.xml

A Broken Horse: A Story of Helen's Suitors and the Trojan War New Audio Book! As hero after hero falls before the walls of Troy, Achaean and Trojan alike, two reluctant warriors--neither remembered as a hero--must sacrifice themselves for the sake of the people they love. Prince Paris has all the fame he ever wanted, anointed by the gods, honored as a youth for both his bravery and judgment, and gifted the most beautiful woman in the world by Aphrodite. If his theft of Helen results in a war, surely he is not meant to stop it. Let all the world burn to ash; so long as Paris has Helen, he is content to leave the destinies of kings and nations in the gods’ hands. But to keep Helen, they must survive. Paris must survive. Even as a grandson of Zeus, Polypoetes is a king of little consequence—his kingdom beyond the long-armed reach of Mycenae in ordinary times, yet forced still by oath and duty into a war he doesn’t want to fight. Desperate to save his lover Leonteus and protect the rest of his people, left behind in Thessaly, Polypoetes struggles to keep his forces out of harm’s way, even if it means making himself an enemy of Achilles. https://audioboom.com/channels/5111209-a-broken-horse-a-story-of-helen-s-suitors-and-the-trojan-war RSS:https://audioboom.com/channels/5111209.rss

I Tell Stories New Audio Book! Telling sci-fi and fantasy stories in 3 short episodes of less! THESE ARE IMPROVISED, AND NOT EDITED! Usually a full story in a week, but somtimes It takes a little longer. https://podcast.ausha.co/i-tell-stories RSS:https://feed.ausha.co/a7OxVuz4d6jO

Blackmail and Burgundy: An Age Gap Romantic Mystery New Audio Book! Blackmail and Burgundy is a fiction podcast by romance novelist Arielle Morisot. It follows the five sexy suspects in the O'Malley Blackmail investigation and the five intrepid young women they fall for. In season one, Passion Fruit Martini, Owen Jones returns from years abroad in England to visit his childhood friend, Patrick O'Malley in Washington, DC. While there, he gets wrapped up in both a mysterious blackmail situation looming over Patrick's bar, and in an ill-advised but irresistible romance with Patrick's adult daughter, Camden, a promising young adventuress. https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/arielle-morisot4 RSS:https://anchor.fm/s/e4fd4a64/podcast/rss

Gridiron Glory New Audio Book! When 29 year old New Jersey Spartans Owner Jeremy Spears looked at college Quarterback T.J. Ripper he didn’t see the dark past that would shove him out of the early rounds of the Global Football League Draft. He saw a familiar drive, a fire in his eyes that he believed would lead his organization to the playoffs and beyond. After a crushing injury threatens the Spartans playoff hopes, it is up to their rookie quarterback to win over his teammates and save the season. Little did Ripper know it would be the obstacles off the field that would threaten to sack their football season and maybe even his career. https://share.transistor.fm/s/aca2cb84 RSS:https://feeds.transistor.fm/gridiron-glory

The Happiest Days New Audio RPG! The Happiest Days is a tabletop role-playing game that is definitely not an unofficial old folks spin-off of the magic school bus. This podcast is full of very dirty goblins so only listen if you are 18+. https://shows.acast.com/the-happiest-days RSS:https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/the-happiest-days

#audio fiction

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monoukotori · 1 year

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Kain’s sleep deprived Saint Seiya’s rec list

Made for @silverzeze

Movies: These movies are canon to the anime so u could watch them first before jumping to the manga

Evil Goddess Eris (1987): The goddess Eris possesses some poor girl that is shipped with Hyoga (?)

The Heated Battle of the Gods (1988): This is loosely based in a chapter extra of the manga and was like the proto-Asgard saga (the movie got popular so Toei turned it into a very alright filler arc)

Legend of Crimson Youth (1988): happens roughly after Poseidon’s arc. A god named Abel appears, tries to romance Athena (his sister), tries to destroy earth and shenanigans ensue (this movie is very pretty)

Warriors of the Final Holy Battle (1989): Seiya and co vs Lucifer, yes that one

High Priority: Everything made by Kurumada. Not because the spinoffs are less or something, but because there are so much content people get confused about what’s canon or not. Only the things made by Kurumada are canon, and the spinoffs often contradict canon info (often because the spinoff was released before this information became public) and the spinoffs constantly contradict each other, so it’s better to read the canon stuff first to avoid confusion

Episode Zero: narrates the event of Saga’s coup and Aioros escape from sanctuary with baby Athena

Origin: Shows how the twins ended up in sanctuary and the origin of Saga’s double personality

Destiny: New scenes with Kanon and the marinas, narrates how Kanon decided to fight for Athena and how Saga was recruited by Hades

Next Dimension: oficial sequel manga. It starts almost inmediately where the OG anime left it and it deals with time travel, its wild

After this almost anything is fair game, it depends of what kind of story you’d like to watch/read

Manga

Lost Canvas: the most popular Spin-Off. Narrates the holy war from when Dohko and Shion were young (A lot of people mistakenly think this is canon when it’s not) Its finished and has a lot of Gaidens for extra content (It has an anime but has been unfinished since 2011 so don’t bother, pick the manga)

Episode G: The first Spin-off, less popular but considered one if not the best spin-off of them all. Aioria is the protagonist, it narrates his life living as the brother of the traitor, and the attack of the god Kronos to sanctuary. This manga’s characterization and story are great, but the art style is ugly and confusing :v. Its finished and has 2 sequels: Episode G Assassin (my personal favorite. Finished) and Episode G: Requiem (unfinished, releases a new chapter every month) No anime

Saintia Sho: An interquel focused in the saintias. Something like the personal maids of Athena, different from feminine saints, they do not use masks and act more like ladies-in-waiting than bodyguards. The protagonist is Shoko, and her journey to save her sister that became the recipient of the evil Goddess Eris (yes, this manga is partly inspired by the Eris movie) Finished, it has a side manga named Saintia Sho memories, which is unfinished and has only like 2 chapters so far. It has an anime but its DOGSHIT and unfinished, do not watch it. Pick the manga

Kurumada Suikoden: Crossover manga of all the manga made by Kurumada and illustrated by a BL artist. Not recommended since it has been in hiatus since 2016 :c

Dark Wing: focuses on Shōichirō, the Wyvern specter from a different dimension and the Holy war agains Athena, but things are not as they seem… This manga deals with the multiverse and is one of the newest spin-offs, it only has 22 chapters and releases a new one monthly, is the most unique spin-off I’ve read

Time Odyssey: A French official saint seiya spin-off. I don’t know a lot about this since it released last year so we have very little content still (also I want to buy the thing once it get licensed so I have not read the scans :v so my knowledge of the plot is spotty at best). The villain is Kronos again, trying to fuck up the timeline to stop the bronzies to fuck up the Olympus and kill god (Hades) Since it’s a French comic and not a manga it releases in volumes. Next Volume will release later this year. First volume is focused in Ikki, next one will be in Shun

Rerise of Poseidon: After the Hades arc, Athena and the bronzies are trapped in the destroyed underworld. The Olympus flips out and sends the goddess of divine punishment Nemesis to destroy earth as punishment to kill a god. Hades now turned into a butterfly wakes up Poseidon and temporarily revives the marinas(+Kanon) to stop this (cuz both Hades and Poseidon want to rule the earth, not destroy it). With only 2 chapters is the newest spin-off. This one is a doozy cuz it releases a new chapter whenever (1 september, 2 january, 3 will be in april)

Anime

Soul of Gold: Odin revives the goldies after dying in Hades arc to stop shit going down in Asgard. This is pure fanservice :v. The animation is not very good and the plot is not very good but again, its fanservice so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Omega: a sort of “next generation” for Saint Seiya, haven’t watch it so can’t say much. A lot of people don’t like it, but has interesting ideas. Also it has adult Sagittarius!Seiya and adult Aries!Kiki sooo, it doesn’t hurt to check it out

Movies

Legend of Sanctuary: a movie that tries to fit the entire sanctuary arc in 2 hours. It was a valiant effort. This is where the Pandora box dog tags comes from and at some point DM has a musical number with literal dancing crabs (?) watch it.

Saint Seiya Tenkai hen: Another that is a doozy. This is the first and only movie from a cancelled trilogy, this trilogy was supposed to be the official sequel to the OG anime,but at the end Toei didn’t follow the script that Kurumada wrote (which caused a fallout between them and it’s the reason Next Dimension exist) and also Toei didn’t give it publicity and released it on theaters the same week as THE LORD OF THE RINGS. So, it failed and the rest of the trilogy was cancelled. It’s probably the prettiest and best animated movie of them all, and I am very sad about everything surrounding it. It still worth checking out imo.

Light novels:

There are two: Gigantomachia and Golden Age but haven’t read either of them :/ I put them here so you know they exist

Gigantomachia is a fight against the Titans, and Golden Age is a fight against the goddess Astreia. Idk much more

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thevindicativevordan · 2 years

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Sny thoughts on that PKJ Twitter thread about his Superman not being a colonizer?

When I saw that take I wasn’t surprised considering some have had it out for PKJ since they found out what his job was. Very few people on Twitter or Tumblr were ever going to give an active duty American soldier (albeit one who is mainly a trumpet player in the Army band from what I've seen) a fair shake. Person who originated that theory going on to admit he wasn't even reading Action was just the cherry on top, classic case of Twitter using words they don't understand to attack stories they aren't actually bothering to read.

Short version is that it doesn't hold up to scrutiny, if Superman going to Warworld and fighting against Mongul's tyranny is imperialism or colonialism or whatever, then is Superman going to Metropolis and fighting Lex Luthor not that also? He's not a native Metropolitan, nobody asked him to come to Metropolis and "liberate" them. He just arbitrarily decided that he didn't like the status quo there, and acted to change it via force. Isn't that no different from his actions on Warworld? You could certainly interpret his actions in that light, just like you can cast Batman as a trust fund brat who beats the shit out of the poor and mentally ill rather than go to therapy. But that's a refusal to engage with the premise of the books wherein Gotham's problems can't be solved by throwing money at it, and Superman sending a strongly worded letter to Mongul isn't going to free Warworld's slaves.

Besides if you want a clear parallel to the Warworld Saga, the story of Moses has been pretty explicitly what the Saga is drawing on.

I've been arguing for a while that the Warworld Saga has been reaffirming Superman's Jewish roots, and I'm glad that Action Comics #1043 confirmed that I wasn't just projecting. Trying to cast Superman as an imperialist or a colonizer in this story ignores that the Phaelosians are his people. They are Kryptonian, an offshot group, but still members of his race! He has a very valid reason for coming to their aid, moreso than his reasons for helping humanity if your argument is any attempt to intervene in a group outside your own is imperialism. It's his people who are the ones suffering under colonialism, beyond enslaving the Phaelosians, Mongul and his followers have attacked Phaelosian culture, seeking to replace it with Warzoon beliefs as seen with the attitude of the Phaelosian youths, but also prevent the Phaelosians from fully participating in Warzoon culture as anything but an underclass that keeps Warworld running. It's Mongul and the Warzoons who are imperialists that sack planets and enslave populations in order to maintain their empire. If you want a stand-in for the American War in Iraq... I don't think Superman & the Authority are the ones standing in for America.

Look people have been complaining for a while that Superman tends to come across as hollow. With the world going to shit, some have been arguing that we need the Golden Age or Morrison's Action Superman back, the guy who would go after "real" problems. Well this is Superman going after real problems, but in a way we can enjoy because it's not Supes forcing his will upon humanity. Part of the reason the Warworld Saga has gone on for so long is that Superman had to earn the right to be the Phaelosians champion, he had to live and suffer alongside them so he could actually understand their situation. The months he's spent bleeding in Warworld's pits have given him legitimacy in his fight to save the Phaelosians (and the Warzoons as well as seen with how he earns Khaljo's respect, and draws many Warzoons to his cause too). He is a Phaelosian, and his victories in the arenas while remaining true to his moral code made him a Warzoon too.

It's not the story of a foreign power "fixing" another group's problems, but a long lost son reuniting with his people and leading everyone to a better life, against a tyrant bent on crushing everyone beneath his heel.

#superman #phillip kennedy johnson #action comics

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youronlyoneofcl · 1 year

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This week's Friday Reads and Fiction Friday recommendation!

It's surprising that no live-action production company/producer has taken notice of Peter F, Hamilton's Commonwealth universe/series.

This franchise can be adapted into a movie trilogy, or a TV/web series spanning 5 to 7 seasons with 16‒25 episodes each. This fictional universe that Peter F. Hamilton created tackled countless current social issues, and these were written years ago and still valid to this day.

Not to mention, there were also technological ideas that we started to see a few years after they were introduced in his novels.

Thus, for my Friday Reads and Fiction Friday recommendation, I highly encourage reading these great space opera novels by Peter F. Hamilton.

Start with the Commonwealth Saga:

Pandora's Star (ISBN: 0-330-49331-0)

Judas Unchained (ISBN: 0-330-49353-1)

Followed by the Void Trilogy (1,200 years after Judas Unchained):

The Dreaming Void (ISBN: 978-1-4472-7968-6)

The Temporal Void (ISBN: 1-4050-8884-2)

The Evolutionary Void (ISBN: 978-1-4050-8895-4)

Then The Chronicle Of The Fallers:

The Abyss Beyond Dreams (ISBN: 978-0345547194)

Night Without Stars (ISBN: 978-0230769496)

There is also Misspent Youth (ISBN: 0330480227), a prequel (340 years before Pandora's Star).

Images used under Fair Use policy, or related, in your jurisdiction.

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kitcat992 · 2 years

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yk what's a character i really enjoy your take on? wanda.

i just love how you made her much more of the "hero" type, but also more grounded... how you didn't sacrifice her vulnerability in the face of being A Strong Powerful Woman, sth which i absolutely hate marvel doing with all of its female characters, just so patronizing, yk? so it's nice seeing a woman who is strong and everything with their powers, but still human. (disclaimer, i am a woman, so i'm not being sexist and saying all women are emotionally weak or whatever)

it's currently 3:35am so i don't have the energy to get into it, tho i wanted to share the thoughts i had before i forget haha, but i'd be grateful to know more about your thoughts are on the character

Wanda has been SUCH an interesting character to write, especially as the MCU Canon goes on and I stay firmly put in my 2017 era of post-Civil War-with-a-proper-ending-this-time-around. It's a bit frustrating at times because the MCU clearly has progressed with their plans for her (ehhmmmm plans is a strong word. More like "progressed with her character sans a road map") But when I started the Identity Saga, we were post Infinity War and she was far different than who she is now.

(Also, obligatory, fuck the MCU, don't like it don't want it they can keep it Imma just play with the characters over here thank you very much)

She didn't have much of a role in the first installment, though I always wanted her to be very close with Peter and even fill that hole left behind from Pietro. You see it off the bat, with Wanda reading Peter's mind and defending his innocence despite Steve freaking the Fuck out like an overdramatic cap would do 😅 From there she immediately latches onto him, and like Steve recently put it -- Wanda's full of emotion, and it shows.

I think what's made Wanda so great in this series is actually her age. I truly don't know what the fuck the MCU has been smoking because her age changed like, 3 times in canon -- at first she was a higherschooler, then they bumped up her to 24, then WandaVision apparently has her in her 30's (again not currently taking in any new MCU content so I'm just repeating what I've been told her) Apparently, they wanted her young but changed their minds when they proceeded with the Vision romance.

I always enjoyed the concept of her being much younger, which is why I worked her age to be 22 in the Identity Saga. Old enough to be "an adult", young enough to still miss the youth she didn't get.

And that helps a lot with her relationship with Peter. He's like a little brother to her, again filling that hole from Pietro but also giving her a love she can cling onto that's familiar.

MCU Wanda will always be a hero/Avenger in my books, and I truly don't care what canon or her TV show or MoM says. If you wanna talk COMIC Wanda, yeah that bitch psycho and needs some meds. But MCU Wanda started off strong -- we got to see a traumatized female hero get the chance to use her strength, abilities, and smarts to help better the world that broke her so badly. Only instead we got "woman depressed woman crazy woman crazy with superpowers oh no."

Eh, whatever. I like writing this Wanda the way I do. The per-Infinity War/Civil War era gave us some of the best characterizations, if you ask me.

I will say, it IS frustrating to see "strong" female characters be portrayed as unbreakable. The strongest woman cries. The strongest woman screams and yells and shouts that shit isn't fair and it hurts their heart and their soul. But then they keep pushing forward, working *through* that emotion -- unlike most men, who refuse to acknowledge that they even have emotions and because of it that makes them "manly" and "tough". To me, a strong female superhero would absolutely sob and break down and let their emotion show, because in doing so you're able to move past that struggle.

Like Steve said, Wanda is full of emotion. Both good and bad.

#writing #fanfic discourse #fic discourse #fanfiction #wanda maximoff #my wanda maximoff

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sinnhelmingr · 2 years

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There are actually several kinds of dead that can be found within the borders of Hel’s dual realms:

The naturally dead, who are the most numerous of Hel’s Guests. These are simply those believers who died of age, illness, or accident who did not qualify for Valhalla and were turned away by Freyja. Most of them keep to the shadow of the lives they knew in other realms, living in small communities or out of Eljudnir. They are, by and large, a peaceful folk who respect their Queen and want to start no trouble.

Those warriors who died outside of battle, and thus missed the glory they sought their whole lives. While most of them are trained well enough to accept this lot and serve their new mistress loyally as a sort of honor guard, there are some who meet this ‘indignity’ with disrespect of their own. It is these soldiers and shieldmaidens who raise their banners in open rebellion against the Queen in pursuit of Valhalla, the kind who Hel must punish for their insult. For the most part, however, the warrior caste keep to themselves, never truly welcoming of what became of their souls, but with little to complain about otherwise.

The dishonored dead, those scoundrels and beasts in mortal skin who lived as vaingloriously as they died. These are the greatest humanoid threat within Helheim, those who actively seek out the lost outsiders to make sport of them. They are not just animals in metaphor, but animals with human intelligence. Many of them will try to tempt visitors off the path, only to ruin them completely and throw them back across the River Gjoll after they’ve had their fun. This is, invariably, fatal to whatever formerly living creature dared to wander beyond the living realms. While they can be made to obey Hel, they are largely a host unto themselves who honor no ruler or her agents.

The wandering children, those unfortunate youths who died without glory. They come in all ages in Helheim, and those too young to truly understand are often given to relatives to be kept and coddled. Some who are older and more willful, however, form their own marauding bands of mischief and take to wandering Helheim, returning every so often to its society with offerings for the Queen and demands for the communities they run into.

Dead beasts, or other creatures that had no halls in life and had no hall to face in death. They keep largely to themselves in the Niflheim, far from more humanoid spirits. There is housed every monstrous villain in every Saga, every slain creature not held sacred. Occasionally, they will wander beyond Niflheim’s borders and sow chaos, but Modgud has a reputation for facing such threats and sending them back. It can be assumed that the meat served in Eljudnir is taken from these creatures, who can die as many times as you like and still return to the great woods that separate the two realms.

Hel’s champions, those mortals who gained prestige or knowledge in life and were sought out to be at her side come Ragnarok. Hel’s headhunting missions are not always successful, but she has managed to gain a fair number of allies from various realms and cultures. Many of them are not even believers in the Norse faith, but were persuaded to help Hel after death in exchange for divine favors in life or patronage over their family line long after their passing.

#i'll be damned if i'll be found there [REALM]#why fear death [HELHEIM]#they can't get into my head [HEADCANON]#child death //#death //

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magic-is-something-we-create · 2 years

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Pax! It's wbw and I can't remember if you normally do it but here's my question to you: are there any popular pieces of media in your world? A book EVERYONE seems to know about, a song that gets played all the fuckin time, etc. Tell me about it! What made it so popular?

(Also yes I still have that One Ask you gave me last week I'm trying very hard to answer I haven't forgotten lmao)

Hi!! Happy WBW!! No worries on the delay, life happens and I don't mind waiting!! :D

I haven't thought much about in-universe media other than a couple very specific things for Millennium Saga, and one (1) semi-religious folktale with relevance for Whispers.

The first, like, fictional story that comes up in-book (for TMS) is a show that Gab is performing at the theater/circus. Flame, Ink, Glass is what I called it, but all I really know about it is that Gab's part as the secondary lead involved some acrobatics suspended in silk? And his role was probably the love interest? Storyline-wise, I have nothing.

But the tale of Tieling's journey as Chosen is an oft-repeated thing, usually backed by music. It's not totally accurate because it did not, in fact, end the way it's always presented but it is the way people are taught about who he is/what he did/what the world used to be like. And it's also a handy exposition tool for me, the author, to use for grander worldbuilding things that are deeply relevant but not immediately on the characters' minds. (e.g. the Millennium Cycle, which is a background thing that the characters know about but don't think will impact their lives at all until it's suddenly and terrifyingly relevant near the end of book one and throughout the rest of the series.)

Other than that, I've only got a couple things referenced here and there, like an in-world book called The Seasworn mentioned in Echoseers, and The Ballad of Echowind, which is a song from Tieling + Arthur's youth. Both of which are less world build-y and more symbolic (the synopsis of The Seasworn is essentially foreshadowing for a plot that kicks off in Goddess-Touched, and the Ballad mirrors Tieling + Arthur's romance, even down to romantic devotion being the downfall of the knight and the fault of the one he protects).

The folktale for Whispers, though, is actually also a short I posted back in *checks date* November of 2020. And I don't like it quite as much now as I did back then, but hey, if I end up using it in the book I'll have the chance/reason to edit it.

You can read it here, if you like - it's essentially the legend of how the sun came to be, and why people call it Hio in Emarye. It's a bit more relevant to Whispers, in particular, because the last name Greyheart is kind of equivalent in in-world media to, say, naming a character some variation of Cain, in that you're expected to kinda know the symbolism and that the character will likely fall into a very specific archetype. For Greyheart, that archetype is a tragic ending usually brought about by the consequences of digging too deep into matters not their own, and happening just before their paradise is reached.

... Needless to say, that story is also very relevant to the fact that one of the characters' aliases is Ivan Greyheart, not only because he sees what he is now as a tragic fall from what could have been, but because of my own plans for his arc.

But yeah! TL;DR: most of the in-world media I've got for the Ehlverse is legends/folktales that serve to parallel the plot of the real-life books, and anything else is set dressing for Gab's acrobat career and Dusk's bookworm habits.

Thank you for the ask!! And again, absolutely no worries with the delay on my question from last week - I have my fair share of months-old asks in my box right now, too 😅

#a&a #wbw #ehlverse #the millennium saga #talking with: space-cadead

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alexbkrieger13 · 10 days

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https://www.tumblr.com/alexbkrieger13/748126881267712000/thats-somewhat-of-a-surprise-result-malm%C3%B6-ff?source=share

Yeah for sure good facilities and conditions aren't a guarantee for success. It gives a player a fair chance to become the best player she can be and it attracts good players to a club. But in Malmö FF's case they've had players with experience from Damallsvenskan, Elitettan and division 1 since they started their climb from division 4. That was the reason they went undefeated for four seasons in a row between division 4 to division 1. Now on elite level their players get paid to play full time. Not a high salary but enough to make ends meet.

There are players like Saga Fredriksson for example. She's played for Malmö FF which then became Ldb Malmö (Rosengård), played college football in USA, played for Sassulo in Italy. And she has caps from Sweden's youth national teams. She retired at the age of 28 in early September last season due to long time injury issues.

Or Sanna Kullberg, Emma's sister, who's played in both Damallsvenskan and Elitettan for Umeå, Örebro and Djurgården where she was captain.

Ahead of this season they've also recruited the Portugese U23 national team midfielder and captain Mafalda Barbóz.

Another new signing is Sweden youth national team player Matilda Kristell who's previously played for LB07, Rosengård, Bröndby in Denmark and Uppsala.

And just four days ago they signed Danish keeper Kathrine Larsen to replace their first keeper Julia Cavander who became injured on national duty with Sweden U19. She will miss most part of the spring. Larsen has 8 caps for Denmark and comes from Western United in Australia's top tier. She's previously played for Djurgården and Hammarby in Sweden. They signed her after they saw the young back up keeper wouldn't stand a chance in Elitettan.

They do have a brand new coach though. Just nine days before the league premiere Kim Björkegren jumped ship...

I had completely forgotten Björkegren had come in. For some reason I still thought he was in the nwsl

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empressxmachina · 4 months

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"Are the Kids Alright," a photo-manipulation by me (Also on DA)

In my constant search for new poses, I did a deep dive into more ground-level positions, especially kneeling, some time ago. (See Upright Traveler as an example.) I saw the photo containing the two peeping kids and wondered, "What would they be doing on the ground?" Being me, it had to be a person, and what better person for a kid to come across than a possible friend via another kid? 2-on-1 is not fair, so I had to make it even. But then two small kids wouldn't/shouldn't wander by themselves in a home as big as a starship, so there's a guardian, too. And then my mind started going and made a plot.

(some ideas and references below)

There's more to this plot in my head, like why the phone is cracked (because, of course, there is), barely including a beginning but not an ending. There is a hell of a System™ they all live in, though, and they all have issues! In any case, I would love to deal with this dynamic more: chaos through a less mature lens, (single-) parent struggles to coalesce, finding one's place in Society™, etc. Right now, I've codenamed it Rent-Free because they're all in my and each other's heads, along with the small squad squatting in the Connolly home that way. (I have both of the screened photos separately, too, if you'd like to view them independently for whatever reason. 😊)

- Brother and sister ("Irish twins" aka born within a year of each other because of "reasons") Nina and Kai wanted to get a grander look at where they've been crashing around for some time - indeed only sleeping and occasional storage, aka no actual "borrowing" for "reasons" - and as 'it's their funeral,' their mom Tamara let them do so but under her guard.

- All was fine until the two kids from the family that habitually lived there - actual twins Rowan and Hazel Connolly - came running in, looking for something, and found the three under a couch.

- Not wanting to show fear, Tamara instructed her kids to keep moving toward the path from whence they came as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, she did the same while judging the giant youths, only to be confused when she detected they had no bad intentions, just looking and giving space until they were out of view.

- Eventually, Rowan and Hazel inform their father, Gabriel, that they have had visitors, and here he is watching security footage proving his kiddos right on one screen and getting a closer look at the trio, specifically with frame editing on the other. From his spawn being distressed from the others' lack of action to the children passing through looking disenfranchised in some way, all Gabriel could ponder over, aside from the mother being unexpectedly pretty (because I'm a hopeless romantic), was ✨ the concern within this picture's title! ✨

Honestly, I wasn't aiming for a particular size difference here. Yet, I know the tiny trio aesthetically resembles a Borrowers family. Does their sizing match the canon's 1:18 differential? From what I've seen, the legs of Chesterfield couches like this one tend to measure between three and six inches on average. But I can't be assed to detect how oversized (if at all) the couch is canonically or how kids would usually look against it. I think the miniature mother here would be a smidge under four inches if my calculations are correct, so maybe this does look right. Against the couch, I think those three look okay, but I cannot say the same with the big, little kids. What do you think?

Circa August 2023.

Put them all in the Fast and the Furious saga with all this FAMILY.

~Autodesk Sketchbook

~couch and tan office

~Connolly kids

~nervous Nina

~shy Kai

~Tamara's toughwear

~part of Tamara's face

~the other part of Tamara's face

~Gabriel's POV and private place

~video player

~phone app layout

~phone cracked screen

~vignette border

"Is the title a callback to The Who or The Offspring?" In truth, it's to Chloe x Halle, which I guess would also point more toward the latter.

Please don't be weird about the kids; that should be common knowledge. I'll snitch on you. 😠

#g/t #my art #rent-free #sm #sw #giant male #gts #borrowers #cuties all around #photo manipulation #collage #Family #Parents #Children #Kids

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eclipsecrowned · 1 year

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There are actually several kinds of dead that can be found within the borders of Hel’s dual realms:

#heltbt

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thatrandombloggerfromindia · 2 years

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BLOG 4: ANEK- FILM REVIEW

If you mention the "Seven Sisters of India," it's likely that die-hard couch potatoes would name the seven daughters of Lala Lahori Ram, played by Sudhir Pandey in the hit TV series Amanat (1997-2002). Hey, that makes for interesting trivia. However, we now have a sombre movie that strives to present a fair overview of the political issues in India's North East. Before Sikkim was added, they were the Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim. Together, they make up the North Eastern Region (NER).

Is this reviewer administering a general knowledge test, I hear you ask? No, but it's also true that throughout the rest of the country, there isn't much public discussion about the North East Region. And in the 2022 film Anek by Anubhav Sinha, a separatist talks about an Indian minister who mistakenly thinks Tripura is the capital of Mizoram. Let's face it, the North East states seem to come up more often for the rest of India while memorising their names and capitals for the IAS [Indian Administration Services], MBA, or other competitive examinations. The minister's ignorance serves as a reminder that while India is a country of anek (plenty/many), it is not, in reality, an ek (one) nation.

Anek [2022, director Anubhav Sinha] does not specifically mention the conflicts or any one state, but it speaks for the North East's population as a whole. As a result, we may observe automobile licence plates with the area listed as NE. How can the uninformed non-North East Indian learn about the anek (many) problems that have long afflicted the major North East states? A Kashmir is a global conflict that the media frequently pushes into our consciousness. However, the politics of the North East are rarely discussed in the public media, with the exception of border conflicts with China or the separatists that plague both India and Myanmar.

Perhaps the uninformed non-North East Indian is too indolent to research the problems on their own. Such a viewer might have benefited from some further detail. The film by writer-director Anubhav Sinha leaves the typical spectator in a state of ambiguity and invites speculation about the conflicts in the North East. Let's simply say that ethnic tensions are the root cause of many of these wars and separatist movements. The long-standing stigma against persons with mongoloid traits in the rest of India has only served to strengthen separatist aspirations.

Hard-hitting speech has become a cliché, yet Sinha repeatedly hits the mark, occasionally bleeding his pen. The video delineates the distinction between peace and control, the murky meaning of special status, and how entrenched interests are keeping the fire going by cleverly contrasting the North-East issue with the Kashmir saga.

The plot revolves around undercover agent Joshua/Aman (Ayushmann Khurrana), whose objective is to negotiate a peace deal with the largest insurgent group that engages in bloodshed and drug trafficking. For this, he invents a fictitious rival organisation called Johnson, but in the process, he learns that there is another group by the same name that is covertly working to rehabilitate drug-addicted youth and educate children in order to prevent them from remaining reliant on the "mainland" for jobs and rations.

Aman believes that the government should speak with the organisation that represents the voice of the people, but he discovers that his employer Abrar Butt (Manoj Pahwa) is more concerned with gaining the support of the group that causes the greatest commotion and violence. He is eager to share power with Tiger Sangha, the group's head, as instructed by his political boss Kumud Mishra (Loitangbam Dorendra). You giggle when others mention erecting a monument, making a surgical strike movie, and serving momos in a war zone.

However, it seems like there is dynamite under the seat when Abrar informs Aman that in a democracy, the voice of the people may only be heard once every five years. Abrar, a Kashmiri, applies his pet gripe to his work. Given that the agent is in a relationship with Adio (Andrea Kevichusa), the daughter of a teacher (Mipham Otsal) who is leading a clandestine operation against the State, he assumes that Aman is also carrying out similar activities.

Adio, a champion boxer competing in a parallel event, aspires to represent her nation and win a medal while experiencing prejudice due of her regional origin. Why do we refer to girls like her as Chinese when we may cheer for Adio in Indian colours? Long after the last credits have rolled, the question remains on our minds.

Anek, which does not demonise a specific group of citizens and instead holds politicians and bureaucrats accountable without regard to a deadline, may be seen as a counterweight to the movie of The Kashmir Files.

It's great to see Ayushmann Khurrana show off his strength and go above the boy-next-door roles. One of the characters in the movie says that his beard fits him. But Sinha doesn't give Ayushmann enough to think about as Aman becomes involved in a moral conflict. Aman and Aido's romance still hangs in the chilly mountain air. The naive Aido is brilliantly played by Andrea, who has an innocent yet insightful look. However, her narrative soon becomes just another box to check when talking about the Northeast.

Sinha has honoured diversity in casting, as well. In addition to the great cast from the North East, it is fantastic to see J. Chakravarthy return in a noteworthy cameo as a Telangana police officer.

However, during the course of the trilogy, Sinha, the reporter, seems to have developed the impulse to editorialise his articles. There are moments when it appears like the characters are merely reading off laudatory edits rather than contributing to a compelling narrative. They can give the impression that the filmmaker is utilising them to fill in any narrative holes.

The narrative thread about how young Niko (Thejasevor Belho) develops into an extremist is touching and heartbreaking, but when it is pushed too far, it loses its effectiveness. Even a few of the action scenes, such as the final one, felt overdone. The integration of the text and the subtext doesn't seem to work as well as it did in Mulk and Article 15, for some reason.

However, Anek has to be kept an eye on for its sharp investigation into a troubling reality that needs to be acknowledged. Anek is currently streaming on Netflix.

#anek movie #anek ott #netflix #ayushmann khurrana #andrea #anubhav sinha #bollywood #movie review #blog post #new blog #new blogger

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