#Favourite sci fi and fantasy 2024

[rosemariecawkwell]

My favourite Sci Fi and Fantasy 2024

[luckystrike-x]

books i'm planning to read in 2024

[magpiefngrl]

2024 Book Review

In 2024 I read 80 books (including my current read); sort of average for me. My challenge this year was to 1. read the Vorkosigan saga, and 2. To read no (or very few) US authors besides Bujold, and I succeeded in both. The word I'd use to describe many of the books mentioned below is unusual. It wasn't intentional but a lot of these reads were weird (complimentary). I also reread a lot of books, such as CaPri (again!), Dark Rise/Heir, the first two novels of Lymond Chronicles and a great deal of KJ Charles romances.

The Vorkosigan Saga

A sci-fi space opera series of 16 novels plus several novellas, published from the 90s onwards. I read all of them, except one novella. Go me! It's a fantastic series and its reputation is well deserved. Some books were more exciting or to my taste than others, naturally, but they were all easy to read, well paced and well characterised. The stretch of books from Brothers in Arms to Civil Campaign was my fave. I tore through those novels in a few weeks. Mirror Dance, Memory and A Civil Campaign are some of my fave reads of the year.

9 other books that stood out

Vita Nostra by Marina and Sergey Dyachenko. JFC. What a novel. What a mindfuck. I didn't know what was happening most of the time but it sure was compelling. The story was weird as fuck, incomprehensible at times, with trippy magic, full of body horror and a menacing mood and dark academia vibes, and it was unlike anything I've read. It's a fantasy but not a typical one; it resists defining and needs to be experienced.

The Saint of Bright Doors by Vajra Chandrasekera. The second most exciting book of the year. An unusual, mesmerising fantasy with incredible worldbuilding and lush prose.

The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Finally read this celebrated novel and it was nothing like I'd expected. Though, idk what I expected. Definitely a book that stays with you. I'm sure a lot of the references to the time period flew over my head. One to reread.

Faithful Place and The Secret Place by Tana French. Grouping these together as they feature the same characters. Tana French is a huge favourite of mine and I can't imagine reading a novel of hers that doesn't end on my fave-books-of-the-year list. Gorgeous prose and a deep dive into characters make her books less than typical murder mysteries.

Swimming in the Dark by Tomasz Jedrowski. An atmospheric, mesmerising read about young queer love, with beautiful, lyrical prose and a hefty dose of history. I loved the portrait of Poland in the 70s-80s.

The Will of the Many by James Islington. A fantasy novel I devoured within days. Some of its elements are very traditional fantasy (secret identity of main character, tough academy to attend, end of graduation big event to complete, Roman inspired architecture and names) but the worldbuilding with the Will as a measure of power and the Pyramids is unique and fascinating. This is a hefty 600+ page novel, but easy to read and briskly paced. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

The Vegetarian by Han Kang. A Kafkaesque novel, layered and deep, with an ambiguous ending. The kind of work that leaves one unsure, full of questions and barely-glimpsed thoughts like silent things swimming in dark water. I'm keen to read more from this author.

Dark Heir by CS Pacat. Last but not least is the sequel to Dark Rise. I enjoyed it a lot more than the first novel; and in fact, I immediately went back and reread Dark Rise and enjoyed that one more the second time round--and then I read Dark Heir again, just days after my first read. To say I'm gagging for the third novel is an understatement. This one got under my skin, guys.

KJC Sad War Boys reread

On a discord I used to belong to, some fans took all the characters KJC has created that used to be soldiers and ranked from least sad to most sad. I thought that was a perfect idea for a reread, and so I started with the Henchmen of Zenda (what a fun novel! And Jasper isn't much cut up about his army service) and moved on accordingly towards the one with the saddest war boy, which is also, as it happens, possibly my fave KJC romance.

Other Notable Reading Accomplishments

Finished The Witcher series! Hooray!

Finally read Aliette de Bodard's Dominion of the Fallen series, which I'd bought many years before. I can't say I loved the 3 main novels (though the worldbuilding was interesting) but I did enjoy the two novellas featuring a fab new ship: Stab Husband and Dragon Husband. I love these two so much. (The novellas are: Of Dragons, Feasts and Murders, and Of Charms, Ghosts and Grievances)

Read THREE new KJ Charles novels. We've been blessed this year.

I read 6 novels by Keigo Higashino, who writes murder mysteries unlike any I've read. Superbly plotted and always unusually structured.

Finally got around to reading my pal's (and former drarry author) YA novel, Tim Te Maro and the Subterranean Heartsick Blues, which was as delightful as I'd expected.

Some stats

I might have read 80 novels but not by 80 authors. I went over my spreadsheet and saw a lot of the same names popping up. I thought I'd make a count, so here goes: I read 19 books (novels and novellas) by Lois McMaster Bujold, 15 books by KJ Charles (mostly rereads), 6 by Keigo Higashino, 5 by Aliette de Bodard (plus a short story), and 5 by CS Pacat.

Onwards to 2025!

Previous years:

2015 2016 2019

first half of 2020 top 5 books of 2020

2021 2022 2023

[everlastingday]

10 books for 2025

stealing that open tag from @heartstringsduet and sharing 10 books i want to read this year (i will be shocked if i actually manage to get to all of these) 💜

rf kuang writing a romance?? sign me up! i've loved mostly everything i've read by her so i'm excited for this one

i don't usually read books based on existing IPs but a book all about ambessa written by the author of one of my favourite sapphic fantasy series?? take my money.

enjoyed tessa gratton's shakespeare retellings so i'm excited to read another series from her

cozy sci-fi murder mystery from the author of one of my favourite romance novels of all time (the lady's guide to celestial mechanics - which i would 100% recommend if you like historical romance and sapphics in stem)

a 2024 release that i haven't had a chance to read yet from an author i've really liked in the past

nghi vo is my favourite author and this is a companion to her 2021 queer gatsby retelling, the chosen and the beautiful

a sci-fi orpheus and eurydice retelling that i started a couple years ago but never finished - this is the year i finally finish this!

gotta have a token cishet white man i guess? lol jk but in all honesty i'm kind of over this series but i've invested close to 5000 pages at this point so i feel like i might as well finish off this arc

finishing off the list with two classics i want to tackle this year! i've read and loved an abridged version of the count of monte cristo so i wanted to read a full version, plus this particular translation apparently is the only one that doesn't erase the lesbians from the text so....

actually criminal that i haven't read carmilla yet

open tag & no-pressure tagging a few people under the cut!

@nancys-braids @welcometololaland @reyesstrand @thisbuildinghasfeelings @captain-gillian @lemonlyman-dotcom @bonheur-cafe @carlossreaders @lightningboltreader @eclectic-sassycoweyes @firstprince-history-huh @carlos-in-glasses @nisbanisba @henrygrass @emsprovisions @paperstorm @futures-tense

[tdbkauz]

TDBK AU Week Prompt List

DATE: 20 December, 2024 - 27 December, 2024

to participate, either #TDBKdungeonsOfAU or just @ us !

details under cut :))

TYPED, COMPLETE LIST

Day 1 - Soulmate AU / Streamer/Influencer AU

Day 2 - Sports AU / Cyberpunk/Sci-Fi AU

Day 3 - Fantasy AU / Western AU

Day 4 - Pirate/Siren AU / Steampunk AU

Day 5 - Winter AU / Apocalypse/Dystopia AU

Day 6 - Villain/Vigilantes AU / Coffeeshop AU

Day 7 - Historical/Mythological AU / Famous AU

Day 8 - Your Favourite AU!

EXTRA NOTES / GUIDELINES

you can pick and choose the days you wanna do, and you can do one or both prompts of each day! any form of media welcome, anything dark / nsfw is alright so long as it's tagged correctly.

for aus like winter and steampunk, you don't necessarily have to base it off the original arts in the manga! you are free to do your own interpretation (this is true for everything on this list)

it is encouraged that you do something christmas related for christmas day but no pressure rahhh this entire thing is just my excuse for creation so let it be yours too !

if there are any questions feel free to ask in the comments or in the ask box :D

[literary-illuminati]

2024 Book Review #59 – Thornhedge by T. Kingfisher

I’ve read a few of Kingfisher’s works at this point, and I’ve had a generally decent time with all of them. None I’d really call a favourite – they’ve all been enjoyable but a bit insubstantial – but nothing I’ve ever regretted either. With expectations thus set, Thornhedge was more or less exactly what I was prepared for it to be. Was it a fun read? Absolutely. Was it, as the Hugo voters determined,, the best sci fi/fantasy novella of the year? There is I suppose no accounting for taste.

The book is in a very loose sense a retelling of Sleeping Beauty – which is to say there is a beautiful princess, a faerie cruse of eternal sleep, and a slightly bumbling fairy godmother doing her best. Otherwise it’s basically entirely its won creature. Toadling is the child of a very (very) minor ‘king’ who a few moments after her birth is swapped with a changeling by some faerie lord. She is tossed in a river as an unwanted byproduct of the swap, and taken in and raised by some of the minor river-faeries who call it home. Years and years later, a great goddess of the fae finds her and takes her to be trained as a fair godmother, put through years of preparation before returning to the human world just in time for her changeling replacement’s christening so she might give her blessing and ensure the human-seeming girl never does any harm to those around her.

Centuries later, the keep is an overgrown ruin surrounded by a wall of impenetrable brambles, at the centre of which a beautiful young girl sleeps endlessly under a heavy curse. Toadling stands vigil over her, doing the best she can with her very limited abilities to ward off any travellers or adventurers who show an interest. Which proves to be a problem when a polite, thoughtful and friendly but also very curious and very persistent knight arrives with an old and all-but-forgotten story in his head.

The heart of the story is the relationship between Toadling and the knight, with extended flashbacks filling in her history and just what happened that led to her standing vigil for so long. The dynamic between her and the knight is charming, though never exactly dramatically compelling – I am not entirely sure whether Toadling’s fretting about whether he will believe her and not try to wake the sleeping beauty is supposed to seem plausible to the reader or just a case of her own insecurity and anxiety. If the former, it absolutely doesn’t work. If the latter, then the book is kind of just lacking in any conflict whatsoever except for four or five pages at the end.

Which is the same issue with the story of the changeling and the curse. From the point of the christening it’s well-executed and well-written but also just, exactly what you’d expect? And never particularly dramatic or compelling, or ever surprising. You could replace a good chunk of it with a few paragraphs of summary and I’m not sure you’d lose that much, honestly.

I very much enjoyed how the book portrayed faeries in general, but the changeling being a complete monstrous-from-birth Omen-child who only causes misery and death until she’s killed she should have been at birth both puts a bit of a bad taste in my mouth and (much more importantly) is just incredibly boring compared to what you could have done with the dynamic.

But yeah, nice, very atmospheric bit of fluff, but not one I’m ever liable to really think about again. Of Kingfisher’s stuff that I’ve read, probably the weakest – if you need a novella I’d recommend What Moves the Dead over this in a heartbeat. Do not even slightly understand voting for it as the literal best novella of the year.

[rowenabean]

2024 reading review

(oh man I never actually title posts this is weird)

2024 was a weird year for reading for me. The entire year was weighted by moving - the first six months were stressful and busy, shadowed by the future of the move - and then the second half was full sabbatical timing. I think you can see this in my reading.

Top books:

The Ogress and the Orphans 5/5 perfect middle grade fantasy. Has everything: a lovely writing voice, plucky orphans, committed family, and a sense of grace. I love it a lot.

A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking 4.5/5 - also deeply beloved, also middle grade fantasy officially, my first and thus far my favourite T. Kingfisher novel (although I DO intend to continue reading her rather prolific output). A delight. I just placed a reserve at my library to reread it while writing this.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries 4.5/5 - adult fantasy, this time, and I really enjoyed the characters and the vibes of this one. Book 2 was also excellent; I was worried when I found out about book 2 because I felt this stood alone well, but I eventually went for it and enjoyed it! I'll read book 3 when it comes out too.

The Penelopiad 4/5 - I'm deeply suspicious of Greek myth retellings atm, but I thought I would trust Margaret Atwood and I'm glad I did. Still not reading any of the others though.

The Last Unicorn 4.5/5 - you told me I would love it and I did. Idk why I'm not giving it the last .5 star but possibly just because the Ogress and the Orphans was so perfect at what it was that I want it to stand above everything else

This Is How You Lose The Time War ok actually this one is getting a 5/5. I loved it, and devoured it in a single sitting (although it's not very long). If you like weird time travel sci fi and settings that remain unexplained and elusive, have I got a book for you.

Penric's Demon 4/5 - I've never quite got into the Vorkosigan books on audiobooks, as much as I think I would love them (perhaps I need to read them in physical form, which is often true for me). I do, however, still have an idea that I enjoy Lois McMaster Bujold based on reading of a decade or so ago. The Pen and Des books have turned out to be great as audiobooks, largely because of being novellas and thus I generally don't lose track halfway through (audio processing is not always my strong suit). I'm halfway through the second one at the moment, and having a great time. Perhaps not quite as beloved as the other books above, but certainly enjoyed.

Stats under the cut, plus more thoughts about why the stats are different to previous years (which they are)

101 books recorded (likely I missed +/-5 because I'm not that good at recording things)

40/101 rereads

10/101 non-fiction

I don't have the exact stats from last year, because I lost my notebook before I made one of these posts, but my memory is that over the years I've recorded, usually around 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 books is non-fiction. This year is a markedly lower number. My theory for this is not that I actually read less non-fiction this year: I was studying in the second half of the year, so I read a lot of NF for that, but a) a bunch of it was journal articles, which never count and b) I only record books I've completed (for a slightly variable degree of completed) and so even when I was reading books I wasn't completing them to the point of writing them down. 7/10 non-fiction were in the first half of the year, which supports this theory.

The rereads is particularly interesting, though. If you looked only at the first page of my notebook (roughly January to June) you would get the impression that I wasn't rereading much at all! I also wasn't reading much by my personal standards. Then June to September I went into an intense reread marathon, fueled largely by Diana Wynne Jones and Megan Whalen Turner; for reference, I moved in early August, so this is right around the stress high point of the year (a lot of the DWJs were also audiobooks while packing). In October I returned to my currently-usual book diet, which involves a larger number of new books spaced with rereads every sixth book or so.

This matches my experience of the year, which is that when I first landed after moving I desperately craved time doing nothing and in particular time reading on the deck in the sun, and seized every chance to do this; thus I read voraciously but largely pretty easy books for that central few months, before starting to be able to do things that weren't reading, slowing down my reading and gearing it into longer/slower/less familiar directions.

[tryingtimi]

Books of 2024 (2023 or close to it)

Thank you for the tag @barbex it sounds like a fun one hehe. 9 books should be listed that were read in the last 12 months (or alternatively liked when you read it) if I'm right. And when I read the rules I had the same reaction: mind went blank on if I ever read a single book lol. Luckily I keep track of my reading because I like watching them back.

No pressure tagging: @aninkwellofnectar, @bloodlessheirbyjacques, @the-void-writes, @circa-specturgia, @aalinaaaaaa, @dyrewrites, @italiangothicwriteblr, @cherrybombfangirlwrites, @blind-the-winds and anyone who wants to join.

All of the listed were read last year and which I liked especially.

When The Stars Alight by Camilla Andrew (@aninkwellofnectar). Bi MC, gaslamp fantasy, gothic, court intrigue, delicious spice

You've already seen this many times on my page, because I really enjoyed this book and it was a window to many things I didn't know I'd enjoy in a story. So many beautiful description, beautifully emotional and sexy sex, rarely seen complex character dynamics and so much mouth watering food.

Éjféli Iskolák (Midnight Schools) by Attila Veres. lovecraftian horror set in Budapest

It's a horror short story collection by a hungarian author who I got recommended by a collegue. Attila Veres has a talent to capture that melancholic, sometimes surrelistic feeling living in Budapest which makes his work so authentic. But also very Big Ew for all the horroristic shit he created (in the best way.) My favourite one was the 'Porn After Midnight'.

Yumi and The Nightmare Painter by Brandon Sanders. M/F romance focus, sci-fi/fantasy, anime-esque

You all know I'm a Sanderson trash. And the fact I, the slowest reader on the earth, read this book in two days, proved that very much lol. It felt like watching an anime, I swear to god. There's magic, time travel kinda thing, pretty innocent humour, loads of painting in it.

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickenes. christmas nostalgia, historical fiction?

We all know this, but I'm very behind on classics book-wise so I began to catch up last year. Espceially because I love the animated movie so much. It was a lovely and educative read.

Y/N by Esther Yi. litfic, kpop fandom and industry satire basically, comteporary

It was one of my favourites from last year tbh, because I couldn't put down the damn e-reader. A very strange little read, 100% unhinged, but made me realise I might enjoy litfic, so I'll read more this year. Also, the story is not "summarizable" but the fact that this is the first two review on GoodReads tells a lot I think: reading this feels like that one night when i accidentally smoked weed for the first time I sort of feel like I just hallucinated this entire thing Yeah.

Even Though I Knew The End by C. L. Polk. F/F romance, fantasy, novella

Lesbian magical detective. Done, sold. I wanted to read this a while now, and it did not disappoint. It gave exactly what it promised. Fast paced little adventure with some humour and a lovely couple. Not a life-chaning read but as I mentioned, it gave what it promised. I enjoyed it anyway.

Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice. M/M romance kinda, supernatural, philosophical

Finally started to read the books my all time favourite movies are made of. Loved every bits of this, though sometimes it got way too wordy or I don't even know what. Overall though, it got me. Full of contemplation about human nature, God (though I could do a bit less without that) and death, plus the iconic vampire husbands and their arguments. It's just a real long broody monologue of Louis tbh. I'm fine with that it seems, though.

Legend & Lattes by Travis Baldree. F/F romance (not focus), cosy fantasy

Read pretty fast too. It's very much what it promises also. Cosy, and relaxing, and endearing. Love the concept of how a stoic warrior woman can settle finally and do something other than fighting. It was cute.

Tress of The Emerald Sea by Brandon Sanderson. M/F romance (not that important i think), cosy fantasy, Princess Bride-vibes

Yes, I got all the secret project, because of course I would. This one was also something like Legends & Lattes imo. In Sanderson style tho. I'm also loving when the narrator is a third person telling the story. Those are always fun. Oh and the story had many cuteness, humour and Our Flag Means Death kinda pirates.

[wizardsvslesbians]

It's time for another... Recommendation Masterpost (Winter 2024).

Anybody suggested Geoff Ryman's The Child Garden? It has The British Wizard Socialist Party, it has lesbians, it has revolution in the form of spitting out the pacifier of immortality, it has a genetically-engineered polar bear furry/weird little Phantom of the Opera figure who wants to defy expectations and become a singer & composer. No promises you'll love it (it was first published in 1989, for starters), but I think it'll give the two of you a lot to talk about.

Frankly this sounds amazing. I will at the very least crack it open.

This may not be mainline wizards vs lesbians (no lesbians (queer people are around (there's polyamory!)), although wizards are there (less one specific guy and more like... Themes. And people who can control earthquakes with their minds.)) But! The Fifth Season by N.K. Jemisin is one I read recently which blew my mind in the quality of the prose and the nuance of the worldbuilding and how unflinching the author is towards having horrible and traumatic things happen to her characters without having it be gratuitous in the slightest. That + the pov and tone felt like such a breath of fresh air to me as opposed to a lot of other scifi-fantasy I've read recently. I feel like there's a good bit that could potentially be said about it and I would be fascinated to hear your takes (I am avoiding looking up reviews because I don't want to spoil myself for the sequels). Other interesting things about it: 2nd person done well and effectively. Distinct lack of europe or even the spectre of generic medieval European fantasy. Pretty accurate science to the point where I can tell what the in-world scientists are getting wrong and what's going on in modern terms (like, ohhhh she's testing for heavy metal contamination. They don't call it that but you can figure it out.) Generally very well delivered worldbuilding, sort of dystopian-post apocalyptic but with undeniable fantasy elements and I would not be surprised if the second book veers into sci-fi. That sort of fun genre non-conforming thing. And also again very well written. I don't think it's perfect though, there's been better character work. Newish listener, I've been very much enjoying the podcast despite not really listening to podcasts, came for the excellent Scholomance opinions, stayed for the interesting discussions of other books I've either read or heard about.

I think we will probably have to get to N.K. Jemisin in some form at some point, and why not here. Thanks for listening!

Have you thought about doing Babel, by R. F. Kuang? No lesbians to speak of but definitely wizards. Seems incredibly in yalls wheelhouse

R.F. Kuang's Poppy War books tend to appear in wizards vs lesbians / lesbian space atrocities / glove kink cinematic universe lists, so, yeah, probably only a matter of time. This looks like a cat squasher, though, which may be an obstacle.

this isn't so much a recommendation for the podcast as another adaptation recommendation - i previously recommended the 2019 carmilla film dir emily harris, but i'd also like to recommend the 2023 graphic novel duology carmilla by amy chu and soo lee - definitely read both volumes though because it's not complete otherwise. it manages probably one of the only ways i can actually see a 'happy ending' for the titular character that doesn't drastically rewrite her or the story's premise (though that definitely isn't the main draw - it's about the chinese and asian comunity in new york and san francisco and the aids crisis in the 90s). it is tied with the 2019 film for my favourite adaptation.

AND

finally got around to listening to your carmilla episode and wanted to recommend (not for an episode...unless haha) my favourite adaptation because it's not too well known, which is the 2019 film "carmilla" directed by emily harris. it focuses a LOT on laura's internal psychology and captures a lot of the atmosphere of the novella that i've not seen other adaptations do, despite not really trying to be a faithful adaptation plot-wise

Noted! As we've said it is very hard to get us to sit down and do movies for the podcast but that may be changing soon...

okay you know the scene in aristocrats where all the cats are partying on a piano and the piano is crashing through every floor of the house? what if the wizard is that party crashing through floors of reality and the lesbians are a new mom and her situationship? anyway i really enjoyed “the last hour between worlds” by melissa caruso

Hi Seiya! You make a compelling case, as always.

Well if your expanding most of your definitions of wizards and lesbians. I first started listening when i played we know the devil about a year ago and was scrolling through tumblr snapping up every bit of content around it, and in that episode you mentioned heaven will be mine. You could try to say like earth is being a big evil wizard in a vague way, and then theres Iapetus but hes like a personification of like, scientific chauvinism? Maybe not scientific but how his mech is described as something that divides and categorizes makes me think it and now im on a tangent I have the worst girls brainworms and id like this podcast contribute to the worms wriggling in my skull Id love to see what your analysis comes up with

It is not beyond the realms of possibility that we could have L back on to talk about HWBM - Alexis would just have to play it first.

got a book rec- The Sapling Cage by Margaret Killjoy which pits our MC, a trans girl, and her fellow baby witches, all of whom are the scrungliest puppies, against the forces of (magic) environmental destruction. it reminded me VERY deeply of tortall (which i think the author was going for) and it was a fun, fast easy read

We've been looking for more trans stories. Tortall means nothing to me but probably something to Alexis, so that's a possible angle.

a final indulgence (and i think i’ve sent an ask about this before so please feel free to ignore if uninterested!): the neapolitan novels by elena ferrante are very dear to me but they’re almost wholly unwizleslike and so are not relevant to the show (though i would argue lila is a wizard and both leading women have a love and passion for each other that extends beyond friendship). have either of you read any of them and/or do you have thoughts?

We haven't. Italian litfic, huh? The guardian calls "my brilliant friend" the 11th best book since 2000, and who am I to say otherwise

i think metal from heaven has an audiobook now, if you guys wanna cover it

It's back on the list.

i've not read it, but i am VERY introgued by the tensorate quadrilogy of novellas by neon yang - the novellas have all been bound together as one medium size novel, so you might be okay with covering all four?

I seem to remember us bouncing off Neon Yang, but I'll stick in it the hopper.

short story recommendation: the witch sea by sarah diemer. it's a really interesting fairytale, and does qualify for wizlez i think

Thanks!

Just finished “Countess” by Suzan Palumbo which was a fantastic entry in the “the wizard is colonialism” sub sub genre. but in space. it’s a short one and i can’t decide if it should have been longer or if the novella length suited it better

Well, we do like it when things are short

i finally got around to finishing it and holy shit she ra and the princesses of power really lands like all of the lesbian space atrocities beats, i'm surprised you guys didn't cover it yet

We are aware of this. Usually we cover a cartoon every 25 episodes or so - not out of the question if we survive long enough

recommending Confessions of the Fox- it arguably has wizards in the same way that baru cormorant has wizards, & certainly lesbians although not the main character historical fiction about what if Jack Sheppard was transmasc and witnessing london in the midst of the enclosure of the commons & various social upheavals plus footnotes from a trans guy professor discovering the narrative as a lost manuscript in present day it would b really interesting to hear ur thoughts on this bcuz i think it is the worst written book that has nevertheless made me cry!! plus this is one of the early books contributing to the contemporary development of Trans Literature as a genre, sorta

Ah.. the worst written book that makes you cry is a genre unto itself, I think, and one we have historically enjoyed.

Thanks to everyone as always for sending in your recommendations! Even if we never get to them we still appreciate the thought and enjoy sharing your recs with other listeners.

[farcillesbian]

"I need to protect Laios, Falin, and the others... I must protect them...!"

pt: "I need to protect Laios, Falin, and the others... I must protect them...!"

id: end credit art from the dungeon meshi anime. it shows marcille and falin running to catch up with shuro, laios, namari, and chilchuck. /end id

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about me:

my name is peach or riley, pronouns are he/they/fae, and i'm a transmasc femme lesbian - see my pronouns page for more info if you're curious how i like to be referred to!

i'm 27 (♎ libra), i've been on tumblr since 2010, and i have a master's degree in biology!

i enjoy reading (seriously, i have read over 80 books so far in 2024) with a particular fondness for sci fi and fantasy. i also read a lot of manga!

i also really enjoy music - i love listening to albums front to back when i discover an artist i like and reading up about them on the internet. I have over 100 CDs in my collection. i have spent hours on end researching songs that fit a particular vibe that i want to curate a playlist around. i also love reading about specific genres and their origins. my top genres include midwest emo, screamo, and shoegaze, but i will generally listen to any kind of music. if you say you listen to everything except rap, you're being antiblack and you should shut the fuck up and think about it.

#tunez is where i share music i enjoy.

my favourite video games are the pokemon mystery dungeon games (explorers of sky is the best), the dragon age series (zevran is forever in my heart), baldur's gate 3, the mass effect series, dave the diver, final profit, and civ 6.

previous URLs you may know me by include zevbian (will probably come back to it when the new dragon age releases), dyketorbjorn, and chubey.

i write image descriptions because this makes the internet a more accessible place for many people - first and foremost, blind and low vision people, though it can be helpful to others as well. posts with only alt text are tagged "id in alt text" and posts without any description are tagged "undescribed". descriptions I have added myself are tagged "described". i do not tag fundraising posts as undescribed even if they aren't because i believe that they need as much exposure as possible and the images they include are usually secondary to the intent of the post.

feel free to look at my carrd that I haven't updated for a few years, lol

[titleleaf]

1, 2, 8, 15, 18, 19 ?

1: What's the latest movie you watched, and what did you think of the costumes in it?

Excepting stuff I rewatched, the costumes in the recent Wicked film are a mix of things I adore and other things that are more meh. Costuming fantastical environments and musicals are two tall orders, and the impact can be muted when every character’s got something whimsical going on; but overall I liked the way Oz’s costuming (especially for characters outside the student body of Shiz) consistently reflected the setting’s historical influences and the sort of crossroads moment they’re in. Elphaba’s costumes would have been worth price of admission for me, I love how they’re visibly riffing on these visual signifiers of witchy otherness (unfashionable, severe, dowdy, plain) that evoke both Hamilton’s Witch and the trope of the witch as an old, ugly, unfashionable/out-of-date rural crone while also simultaneously looking really fucking good on her and making her unmistakable for any other character. I really loved Galinda’s little fluffy peignoir and nightie. (This has little to do with the film’s costumes, but it definitely was a hurdle for me in enjoying the film’s visual world — both leads look incredibly thin and unwell, and it’s sometimes difficult viewing/distracts from the impact of the garments.)

2: What's your favorite type of costume movie: period movie with historical costumes, sci-fi/fantasy movie with costumes from imaginary cultures, or "style" movie with contemporary fashion of the time it was made?

Historical costuming with fantastical elements, I’d say? Not necessarily a full on fantasy film but I really enjoy heightened, stylized elements incorporated in characters’ designs. My ur-example of this is Sandy Powell’s use of topstitched denim in The Favourite to evoke heavy, durable workwear. It’s not that the fabric itself is flagrantly non-period but the way it’s used isn’t an attempt to reflect the material reality of working textiles, it’s about textures and vibes. Powell’s downright operatic costuming for The Draughtsman’s Contract is also a fave.

https://fashionista.com/2018/11/the-favourite-movie-costumes-outfits-hair-makeup

I also have a special place in my heart for historical costuming pieces that aren’t showstoppers. Not necessarily casual and dressed-down, but ordinary work clothes and limited wardrobes are a really fun challenge for seeing designers flex their muscles in communicating character and place/time in subtle ways. Making stuff look specific. Some of the costuming in LA Confidential is making an overt statement and it’s full of drama and glamour (Lynn’s cape!) but the different styles of suiting on Bud, Ed, and Jack say a lot about them as people. This is something I’m really looking forward to with Queer (2024).

8: What movie or show has your favorite costumes for an imaginary culture?

Star Wars: Andor with the way Chandrilan culture and Chandrilan traditionalism is reflected in apparel! The Phantom Menace really awakened in me a love of big stagey costumes with everything the characters associated with Naboo wear back in the day.

15: What's a screen costume that you would wear IRL?

I simply think I should be allowed to wear the pink wigs from Amadeus. I also want Healy’s outfits in The Nice Guys. Russell Crowe is looking big and beautiful.

18: What is your biggest costuming pet peeve?

Coyness about showing the shape of men’s legs in settings and eras where the male leg was very much on display and an object of desire. Boring, samey color palettes in eras that had much more unusual and colorful attire than popular film ever seems to reflect, especially when that dovetails with the same impulse to convey “look, our heroes are serious and masculine!” by making everything gray and utilitarian. Bare heads and uncovered hair when head coverings all around are such a playground for opulence and texture and personality.

19: What is your costuming guilty pleasure?

When a period piece on film reflects the era in which it was made in especially striking ways. Especially in makeup (this is big for studio-era Hollywood films where the visual language is sometimes operating on a heightened level) but also when someone is visibly wearing the wrong kind of bra.

[gatheringfiki]

AUpocalypse 2024 - Start

Apologies, I have slightly missed my cue with this event, my own cue, but there was Easter and life ran away with me, as it has a habit of doing! So we're doing slightly amended dates of 06 - 30 April!

Calling all fans of AUs big and small! We would like to invite you to take part in our brand new event, which will hopefully whip up lots of wonderful new content featuring our two favourite rascals, but dumped into somebody else's shoes! Mayhem ensues, hopefully!

We are super-hyped for this one!

The ask:

Based on your favourite films/TV series/books/media, write (or draw/edit) at least 1 story (artwork/photoset) per week within each genre.

Post it on a Sat/Sun of that week, move onto the next one.

No sign ups necessary.

No word limits, minimal or maximum.

Usual pairings apply: any ficional characters portrayed by Dean or Aidan.

You can do more than one if you wish, but please stick to the allocated weeks.

If certain ideas spawn certain other ideas, as they do (I saw this edit that someone else made and now I wanna write it!) please feel free to collab, or just grab it and run with it, we're not precious

Tag #GF AUpocalypse 2024 for a reblog

If using AO3, post into this Collection.

The genres:

The Warmup Weekend: 6-7 April: Anything goes! (I'm so on fire, I just wanna braindump this idea!)

Week 1: 08 - 14 April: Drama, Action or Adventure

Week 2: 15 - 21 April: Historical, Fantasy or Sci-Fi

Week 3: 22 - 28 April: Comedy, Romance or Fairytale

The Late Bloomer Days: 29 - 30 April: Anything goes! (Whoops, I missed my cue, I'm just gonna post it now...)

Summary post will go up on the 4th of May!

Please reblog to help us spread the word - thank you :)

Any questions - please give us a shout! Otherwise, enjoy!

PSSSSST! Please also remember that there's a Deano Bingo going on throughout the month of April, so be sure to bag yourself a 2-for-1 event participation, stat! It's like a buy-one-get-one-free, but you do all the hard work ;) We've just re-blogged their event post.

~gatheringfiki

[scifimagpie]

Writeblr intro

Last Updated: Mar 2024 So, I realised I hadn't actually written one of these, and I had to fix it!

Name: Magpie, or Shelle, or Michelle.

Pronouns: she/her or xe/xer/xis.

Who: both a writer and an editor!

The Writing: I’ve been publishing since 2011, and I have a bunch of free and paid anthologies I’ve organized, but these are my most important/favourite works.

Except for The Meaning Wars series, all of my books are set in Canada!  

The Meaning Wars (complete; And The Stars Will Sing, The Stolen: Two Short Stories, The Meaning Wars, Poe’s Outlaws, A Jade’s Trick, The Meaning Wars Complete Omnibus)

Similar to: Becky Chambers’ A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and Ruthanna Emrys’ A Half-Built Garden

Vibes: Space opera! Found family! Mature (30s) protagonists! Best friends! Sapphic and queer m/f romance elements! Friendly space raptors! Space pirates! A beach episode! Antifascism! Colonization (and inequality issues)! Fighting stuff with democracy and direct action!  

The Underlighters (Book 1 of The Nightmare Cycle; Book 2, Monsters and Fools, is complete and in edits. Book 3, The Foundling City, is a current WIP!)

Similar to: Jean DuPrau’s The City of Ember, Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, the Fallout series

Vibes: Coming of age/new adult themes. Spooky monsters. Post-apocalyptic. The importance and warmth of community. Friendship. Struggling with teen problems. Polyamory. Nightmares. Mental health issues. Trauma. Hope. Recycling.

After The Garden (Book 1 of the Memory Bearers Saga; Book 2, Within the Tempest, is also one of my WIPs)

Similar to: Margaret Atwood’s Oryx and Crake, The Wachowski sisters’ Sense-8, the Fallout series

Vibes: Found family. Gentle romance. Polyamory (m/f/m). Superpowers without superheroes. Sinister cults and religious extremism. Reincarnation. An alternate future. Adorable giant spiders. Silk-weaving and fiber arts. Post-collapse societal reorganization and politics.

The Loved, The Lost, The Dreaming: A Horror Anthology includes an alternate-ending version of The Underlighters, the novella A Shot of Vodka, and a dozen or so genre-crossing short stories. All of them have spooky elements.

Similar to: Neil Gaiman’s Smoke and Mirrors, Roald Dahl’s Skin and Other Stories (this is not an endorsement of antisemite Roald Dahl; I am antifascist)

Vibes: Underground living. Spooky dolls. Abandoned houses. Queerness. Sinister fey. Nightmares. Lovecraftian eeriness. Here be monsters.

Bad Things That Happen To Girls (Book 1 of the Memory Bearers Saga; Book 2, Within the Tempest, is also one of my WIPs) Possibly my most underrated work, this New Adultish story is a standalone novella about trauma and what happens when life breaks down.

Similar to: Emily Danforth’sThe Miseducation of Cameron Post and Miriam Toews’ A Complicated Kindness

Vibes: Broken family. Abusive mother. Being queer in a small city. Religious trauma. Forbidden cross-cultural love. Teen heartbreak. Coming-of-age. Sisters.

The Hell series (Unpublished WIPs; Dark as Hell, Uncharted Hell, Hope in Hell)

Similar to: Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag, Andrej Sapkowski’s The Witcher series

Vibes: Grumpy/sunshine romance! Mature protagonists! Queer f/m romance! Thriller elements! Immortal pirate! Marxist/anti-billionaire politics—with a billionaire protag! Lovecraftian ocean horror! Historical fantasy elements! Lots and lots of boat stuff!

Prairie Weather Trilogy (Unpublished but complete, in submission; Chinook Phase, Tornado Warning, Brushfire)

Similar to: Douglas Couplands’ Jpod,Nick Sagan’s Idlewild trilogy (without the sci fi stuff), Love Actually, Heartstoppers

Vibes: Aggressively Canadian! Found family! Cozy academia! University! Set in the early 2010s! Queer romance! Ensemble cast! Aggressively queer, diverse, and inclusive! Coming-of-Age/New Adult issues! Friendship! Drama! Sex work-positivity!             

The Editing: I've been a professional freelance editor since 2013, with Top-Rated status on Upwork (a freelancing website) and several hundred books under my belt. (I don't know how many things I've worked on at this point. I've lost count!) Primarily into sci fi, fantasy, horror, and literature (and associated subgenres); enthusiastic about #ownvoices and all kinds of diversity/marginalised representation in fiction.

You don’t have to go through Upwork unless you want to; DM me if you’re looking for an editor who’s knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and gentle. I’m also budget-friendly!

Age: in my 30s.

Queer?: yes. Also poly! Happily married to two people; also have a girlfriend. Not looking for more partners.

Disabled?: yes.

Languages: English mostly, but some conversational Spanish (rusty), scraps of French, tiny bits of German and Irish. All my writing is in English, though.

Location: Southern Alberta, Canada. (Texas + Kansas + Colorado = Alberta, more or less.)

Other hobbies: Knitting, making jewelry, playing Dungeons and Dragons (and other tabletop games), singing, reading (obviously), learning stuff; playing cello, clarinet, and violin

Interests: Jewelry, gems, metalworking, fiber arts, queer issues and social justice, environmentalism, drinking quite a lot of tea (usually black; I like an assam, Ceylon, or breakfast blends, though Golden Snail absolutely slaps when I’m in the mood for it, and I love Earl Grey Cream as well)

Other internet profiles: *Website * Mailing list * Magpie Editing * Amazon * Tumblr * Mastodon *Facebook * Medium * Twitter  * OG Blog* Instagram * Paypal.me * Ko-fi

[formulaorange]

2024 Winter Anime

It's here! It's finally here!!! Solo Leveling comes out this season! There's definitely a few others to keep an eye out for but this is the star of the winter season:

Solo Leveling One of my most anticipated series. I'm caught up on the english light novels (8 volumes) and I'm honestly so invested in this story. In a way it gives the same impact as One Punch Man but if the story progressed a little faster toward fame and growth in his power. Easily the best of the season. Noteworthy On Going Shows: Frieren - Episodes 17-28 One of the most mesmerizing and well paced fantasies I've seen. Also one of my 10/10s of all time. Worth looking into if you remotely like fantasy. Shangri La Frontier - Episodes 14-25 Another fantasy game series that honestly just looks like it's a fun game. Explores a lot of game mechanics within this full-dive VR type game that almost puts SAO to shame. Fun action, fantasy and fun for game lovers. Apothecary Diaries - Episodes 13-24 My current favourite drama/romance/medical mystery series. The characters are simple but the show highlights the different dynamics and almost feels like an enemies to lovers plot. New Seasons:

Blue Exorcist - Season 3 This is one of the og shows I watched growing up. It's a mythology school themed show that I loved. It's been 13 years since season 1 aired and I'm stoked to see it come back. It's being done by a different studio since A-1 is busy with solo leveling, so I'm not sure if it'll hit the same but I'll still check it out at least for the nostalgia.

Mashle - Season 2 The funniest anime I've seen in a while. Man muscle brains his way through magic school and the whole show is a meme of harry potter and other magic series. Truly entertaining. Can't wait for this season

Delicious In Dungeon This is a series I've wanted to pick up the manga for for a while. It's about dealing with food and hunger when these adventurers are deep in a dungeon and learn to start cooking and eating what they can find down there. Funny concept but honestly looks like a lot of fun.

The Unwanted Undead Adventurer I read this manga and light novel so long ago. (Literal years - link to my manga thoughts and summary). I'm looking forward to the adaptation. I think nowadays this kind of story doesn't catch nearly as much attention as it did a few years ago. An adventurer dies in a dungeon and is reborn as an undead who can evolve as he kills other monsters and he deals with trying to fit in with the human realm again and evolving. I'm still looking forward to it after keeping an ear our for so long!

Mr. Villain's Day Off I recently heard about this series and thought it was such a cute concept. Us with all our villain complexes with enjoy this one. Will likely be a background show for me as there won't be a huge plot, regardless, still fun to watch. Burn the Witch - #0.8 - 30 min Special I think this won't be as exciting now that Bleach has come back and we aren't as depraved of Tite Kubo's work but I really enjoyed the original short series. Hoping for more of this world in the future. Sequels: Classroom of the Elite - Season 3 Tsukimichi - Season 2 (Link to review of season 1) The Dangers in My Heart - Season 2 More Continuations: Undead Unluck Ragna Crimson After going through 20+ shows every season, many with sub-par animations and the same fantasy twists, I've become real picky about which series are even worth trying to watch these days. Here are the ones that deserve at least 2 episodes in order: A Sign of Affection - Gets a special spot since it's incredibly rare to see disability representation in anime and it looks like it's done quite well- A romance between a guy and a deaf girl. Looks super sweet Bucchigiri?! - I honestly can't say this looks appealing to me personally but I've hear the name before and well it's MAPPA. (Give em a break) 'Tis Time for "Torture," Princess - looks well animated and just a fun watch Metallic Rouge - The sci-fi series for this season. I'm not sure I have it in me to watch something heavy like this this season but it looks decent. The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic The Witch and the Beast - Here for manga readers - lowkey looks like the manga will be much better and this might be a skip for me. Hokkaido Gyaru's are super Adorable (Ecchi) ALSO - Big reminder: Haikyu!! and Demon Slayer have their movies coming out this season as well (both theatrical releases so keep an eye out!!!) Demon Slayer: To the Hashira Training - Feb 2nd 2024 Haikyu!! - The Dumpster Battle - Feb 16th 2024

[trekkingaroundasgard]

Hello friends 👋🏻 I know I’ve been pretty absent recently and that probably won’t change much over the next few months but I’m here to ask a favour

I’m trying to branch out and read more in 2024 and would love any recommendations that you have for books I should try! My personal favourite genres are sci-fi or fantasy but the point of this personal challenge is to read wider so I will happily accept recs for anything - fiction or otherwise!

Bonus points if it’s queer, double points if there’s a meaningful platonic relationship at its heart (listen, I love a romance as much as the next person but my aroace heart needs nurturing too)

You can send me titles either as a dm/ask or leave in the comments, I will check them all out!

[rpgromanceplayinggirls]

Name: Love and Deepspace

Genre: Sci-Fi, Urban Fantasy, Mystery, Action RPG, Otome, Card Battler, Gacha

Platform: Android, iOS

Release: 2024

Audience: Teen

Protagonist Type: Set, Customizable

Romance type: Optional, BxG

Official Synopsis:

As a Deepspace Hunter, you will fight against the onslaught of mysterious alien creatures together with love interests. Along the way, your paths intertwine, and the secrets about your fates and humanity's future will be revealed.

Content warnings: Violence, Child Abuse, Gambling

Notes:

The female character can fight alongside her romance options in combat stages, with each love interest providing her unique weapons, outfits, and powers.

At launch, three love interests were available; the airheaded fellow hunter Xavier, the stoic doctor Zayne, and the eccentric artist Rafayel. A fourth and fifth love interest, the charismatic criminal Sylus, and the player character's adopted brother Caleb, were later added in post-release story content.

Alongside the common route provided by the main story, the self-contained romantic storylines of each man are found within cards that you pull from the gacha banners. You can experience the storylines of every character as long as you have the cards, but due to a lack of free resources it is recommended to focus on obtaining the cards of a favourite and ignoring the remaining characters. Cards are also used as equipment for the main character to give her stronger stats and abilities in combat.

Besides the card and main stories, you can play mini-games, take photos in a photobooth mode, and chat with love interests via a social media sim.

The player character is customizable, but the majority of the game is played in a first-person perspective, so her appearance only shows up in the photobooth and in combat.