#I recommend artemis fowl

[the-desolated-quill]

I really wish people would look up what ‘death of the author’ actually means. Trust me, it does not mean turning a blind eye to someone using their vast wealth and popularity to actively hurt trans people or spread misinformation about the Holocaust.

[genderlesssnake]

I just started rereading Artemis Fowl, and now I’m very confused about Lazuli’s genetics.

Spoilers for the end of The Fowl Twins book 3

So, Lazuli is supposed to be a hybrid of elf and pixie with a little bit of goblin, and at the end of the last book it was revealed that her mom was the fairy that Artemis gets the fairy bible from. Initially I thought this was really cool, but while rereading the first book I realized that her mom is a sprite? Does that mean that her dad is also a pixel with a bit of goblin, and Lazuli’s phenotype just doesn’t show any sprite traits?

I considered that maybe Artemis mistook the fairy for a sprite when she actually wasn’t, but that seems unlikely since she had green skin, which as far as I know is only a trait that sprites have.

[three-bunnies-in-a-trenchcoat]

I'm running out of audiobooks :(

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

2025 book bingo time 📚

want a completely arbitrary set of reading goals for 2025? want to try something new in your literary diet but don't know where to start? just like a challenge for the sake of a challenge? just love a good game of bingo?

boy do I have something for you!

for anyone planning to participate, please know that I LOVE attention and talking about books, so I would be STOKED to be tagged on any and all updates about what you're reading or planning to read. I'm so, so excited to see all the different ways these prompts get filled, especially if and when they bring people away from the kinds of things they normally read. not to mention snag some new reading recs myself, hopefully!

and of course, I want to know whenever somebody gets a bingo - and ESPECIALLY if somebody fills the whole board! I don't have any prizes for you, but I can offer a sense of accomplishment :)

note that this is designed to be played as 1 book = 1 space, so even if you read, say, a fantasy graphic novel published in 1923 from an indie publisher that has a bat on the cover, you'd only cross off one space. I'm not a cop and I'm not in charge of what you read, so if it sparks more joy to check off multiple spaces per book then go nuts, but I am throwing that disclaimer out there.

EDIT: the 2025 book bingo challenge is now also on storygraph, thanks to @obi-wann-cannoli!

wondering what some of these spaces mean? seeking a couple recommendations to get you started? no idea what a zine even is, let alone how to make one? worry not! I have a guide to all 25 prompts, including recommendations + an example of what I'll be reading throughout the year to fulfill each space. read on beneath the cut!

Literary Fiction: I find that a lot of people are reluctant to check out literary fiction, as it’s often written off as not being about anything but adultery and divorce. If this is you, I implore you to take a chance, acknowledge that adultery and divorce are compelling sometimes, and also remember that lit fic has a lot more to offer than that. At Writer’s Digest, Michael Woodson describes literary fiction as “less of a genre than a category,” which “focuses on style, character, and theme over plot.” My recommendations include Raven Leilani’s Luster, Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, and Melissa Broder’s Milk Fed. 

I’ll be reading: Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar

2. Short Story Collection: You know, a bunch of short stories together in one book? It doesn’t get much more self-explanatory than that. Could be a collection of stories by a single author or an anthology—it’s up to you! I recommend checking out Mariana Enríquez’s The Dangers of Smoking in Bed (translated by Megan McDowell), Nalo Hopkinson’s Falling in Love With Hominids, and Kim Fu’s Lesser Known Monsters of the 21st Century. 

I’ll be reading: Your Utopia by Bora Chung and translated by Anton Hur 

3. A Sequel: It could be one that you’ve been meaning to get around to, one that’s not releasing until 2025, or the sequel to something you read to cross off another space on this very bingo sheet!

I’ll be reading: Heavenly Tyrant by Xiran Jay Zhao, sequel to 2021’s Iron Widow 

4. Childhood Favorite: Go back and read a book you loved as a child, tween, or teen! There’s no wrong answer here; anything from a YA novel to a picture book would be just lovely, and I can’t wait to see what people pick for this option! I’m not sure which of my old favorites I’ll be revisiting yet—should I go for the warm and fuzzy Casson Family series, or straight towards the mindfucky sci-fi of Interstellar Piggy? Or maybe I’ll go see how Artemis Fowl holds up...

5. 20th Century Speculative Fiction: For those not familiar with the term, speculative fiction can encapsulate science fiction, fantasy, and anything else that falls into the unreal. You’re spoiled for iconic choices here: the 20th century gave us Le Guin’s Left Hand of Darkness, Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale, Butler’s Parable of the Sower and Kindred, L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time, the beginning of Pratchett’s Discworld series, Diana Wynne Jones’ Howls’ Moving Castle, and countless others.

I’ll be reading: Dawn by Octavia E. Butler, love of my literary life 💜

6. Fantasy: Fantasy comes in a thousand different shades, from contemporary urban wizards with day jobs at the office to high fantasy spellslingers chasing dragons away from castles. Some examples I’ve adored are N.K. Jemisin’s The Killing Moon, C.L. Polk’s Witchmark, Fonda Lee’s Jade City, and Nghi Vo’s Empress of Salt and Fortune.

I’ll be reading: The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty  

7. Published Before 1950: This one could not be more straightforward if I tried. You have all of human history (or at least, all the parts that have surviving literature), just not the last 75 years. Dig deep! 

I’ll be reading: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, published in 1938 

8. Independent Publisher: Did you guys know that just five publishing companies (Penguin Random House, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Simon & Schuster, and Hachette Book Group) are responsible for 80% of books published in the US each year, and 25% of books globally? Break away from the big five and see what some small presses are putting out! If you need some ideas about where to start, check out this list of nearly 300 independent publishers with notes on what kind of books they put out!

I’ll be reading: Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ and translated by Lin King, from Graywolf Press

9. Graphic Novel/Comic Book/Manga: Despite my personal obsession with Batman, the world of comic books is sooo much wider than Gotham City—or anything else that DC and Marvel have to offer. If superheroes aren’t your speed, check out the Southern gothic of Carmen Maria Machado and Dani Strips’ comic The Low, Low Woods, splash around in Kat Leyh’s graphic novel Thirsty Mermaids, or stop waiting for a new season of Dungeon Meshi and go read Ryoko Kui’s manga, translated to English by Taylor Engel. 

I’ll be reading: The Fade, by Aabria Iyengar and Mari Costa

10. Animal on the Cover: Yes, yes, don’t judge a book by its cover—but do go find one with a critter on the cover and give it a read! Absolutely no other requirements here, get silly with it.

I’ll be reading: Shark Heart by Emily Habeck

11. Set in a Country You Have Never Visited: Fiction or nonfiction, doesn’t matter so long as it gives you a little glimpse of a country you’ve never visited in real life. If you’ve somehow visited every country currently recognized in the world, then I guess you get to go read something set in space.

I’ll be reading: A Magical Girl Retires by Park Seolyeon and Kim Sanho, translated by Anton Hur 

12. Science Fiction: A genre just as diverse as fantasy, with a little something for everybody! I recommend Becky Chambers’ Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet for those who want to kiss an alien in the stars and Jessamine Chan’s The School for Good Mothers for those who want a surveillance state dystopia that hits much closer to home.  

I’ll be reading: Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase

13. 2025 Debut Author: Read a book by someone who’s releasing their first book in 2025. Fic or nonfic, any genre, no further requirements. Not quite a free space, but pretty close!

I’ll be reading: Liquid: A Love Story by Mariam Rahmani, coming out March 11

14. Memoir: Per Wikipedia, a memoir is “any nonfiction narrative writing based on the author’s personal memories.” Some are funny, some are heartbreaking, some are both! I recommend Carman Maria Machado’s In the Dream House and Roxane Gay’s Hunger, because I tend to lean heartbreaking! 

I’ll be reading: Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner. Again, I like heartbreaking!

15. Read a Zine, Make a Zine: Not familiar with zines? No problem! Check out some of these digital archives for inspiration, and then craft your own zine with this simple guide (or do it your own way, I’m not in charge of you). 

Internet Archives: https://archive.org/details/zines

Gay Zine Archive Project: https://gittings.qzap.org/ 

POC Zine Project: https://poczineproject.tumblr.com/ 

Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/collections/zine-web-archive/ 

16. Essay Collection: Like a short story collection, but it’s nonfiction now. Some of my favorites include Samantha Irby’s We Are Never Meeting in Real Life, Elaine Castillo’s How to Read Now, Aimee Nezhukhumatathil’s World of Wonders, and Cathy Park Hong’s Minor Feelings.

I’ll be reading: A Little Devil in America: In Praise of Black Performance by Hanif Abdurraqib 

17. 2024 Award Winner: What award? Any award you like! And boy, there are tons to pick from. Any book that won any award in the year 2024 is free game. If you need some places to start looking, check out some of these:

Lambda Literary Awards, for excellence in LGBT literature: https://lambdaliterary.org/awards__trashed/2024-winners/ 

The Alex Awards, for adult books with crossover appeal for teen readers: https://www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards 

Ignyte Awards, celebrating diversity in speculative fiction: https://ignyteawards.fiyahlitmag.com/2024-results/  

Women's Prize for Fiction (self explanatory) https://womensprize.com/prizes/womens-prize-for-fiction/

Others: https://www.bookbrowse.com/awards/ 

I’ll be reading: Biography of X by Catherine Lacey, winner of the 2024 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction

18. Nonfiction: Learn Something New: I know very little about archaeology, anthropology, or any other fields that involve studying ancient cities, but Annalee Newitz’s Four Lost Cities: A Secret History of the Urban Age was some of the most fun I had with nonfiction in 2024, because every page brought a brand new discovery. For 2025, find a nonfiction book about a topic you don’t know ANYTHING about, and learn something new!

I’ll be reading: Cooling the Tropics: Ice, Indigeneity, and Hawaiian Refreshment by Hi’ilei Julia Kawehipuaakahaopulani Hobart

19. Social Justice & Activism: Read a book about a social issue, the history of an activist movement, or brush up on a guiding philosophy or ideology. Arm yourself with knowledge, besties, because I have a feeling we’re going to need it! if you need a good place to start, why not try Angela Davis' Race, Women & Class, Mariame Kaba's We Do This 'Til We Free Us, or Molly Smith and Juno Mac's Revolting Prostitutes?

I’ll be reading: White Feminism: From Suffragettes to Influencers and Who They Leave Behind by Koa Beck

20. Romance Novel: Listen to me. Fucking listen to me. I mean a ROMANCE. NOVEL. Not a novel that incidentally has a romance in it. Romance novel, motherfucker. Go check out the romance section and have some whimsy as two people fall in love through the most contrived series of events ever conceived. If you really need a romance that makes you feel smart (that’s still sexy and messy as hell), try Akwaeke Emezi’s You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.

I’ll be reading: Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasche  

21. Read and Make a Recipe: Could be a cookbook, could be a recipe you yoinked from the New York Times, could be something your grandparents lovingly wrote down by hand. Could be as complex or as simple as you like, just make something tasty! Some cookbooks I’ve enjoyed are Sohla El-Waylly’s Start Here, Dan Pashman’s Mission Impastable, and John Wang and Storm Garner’s The World Eats Here.

22. Horror: Slashers, zombies, haunted houses, creeping paranoia, you name it! It’s time to get spooky and scary with all kinds of things going bump in the night. Maybe this is the year to finally keep up with Dracula Daily? Not for me, I'm not doing that, but you could!

I’ll be reading: I Was A Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

23. Published in the Aughts: A throwback, but not too far back. Read something published between 2000 and 2009. Maybe it’s time to finally get into Twilight? (For legal reasons, that’s a joke.)

I’ll be reading: The Sluts by Dennis Cooper, published in 2004

24. Historical Fiction: You know, fiction that takes place in a bygone era! Please remember, this isn’t just about reading a book that’s old; we have a separate prompt for that! This is about reading something that takes place in the past relative to the time it was written. Pride and Prejudice is historical to us, but was contemporary when Austen wrote it. Think of Brit Bennett's The Vanishing Half, Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, or history + a bit of fantasy in book's like R.F. Kuang's Babel.

I’ll be reading: The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michael Chabon

Bookseller or Librarian Recommendation: This one is fun, and something I always like to do when I’m travelling and visiting a new bookstore. Ask a bookseller or librarian to recommend something they’ve liked, and check it out! If going in person isn’t feasible, many bookstores and libraries have staff picks on their websites, and the Indie Next List is a monthly list of independent booksellers’ favorite new releases. 

I’ll be reading: The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse by Louise Erdrich, which I bought at Erdrich’s bookstore, Birchbark Books, this summer :)

lastly: tagging people who asked to be tagged to make sure they didn't miss this! @thebisexualwreckoning @perfunctoryperfusions @reallyinkyhands come get your bingo sheet!

[luna1ol]

Pov- you start getting into the Artemis Fowl books because your friend recommended them to you, but you had no idea they were published in the early 2000s because your friend did not warn you. So you are just vibbin, getting engrossed in the universe and falling in love with all of the characters and then- "doing this might crash sites like yahoo" and "I hear that Justin Timberlake person is popular." And then you stare off into space for the next five minutes realizing that the book you are reading was out before you were in the womb.

[orangerosebush]

Interest in hobbyist archival research into *Artemis Fowl* online fan communities (2000-2012)

I'm working on a post about online AF fan communities in the early 2000s, and I am curious to hear whether anyone on here participated in or was aware of some of these groups (FWIW, I cross-posted this on Reddit and have a few notes regarding the francophone fansphere!).

Criminality (Fanlore Wiki link) was a fanfiction archive (2003-2016) where community members would share recommendations, create fanfiction prompt challenges, host fanfiction exchanges/events, and discuss the AF fan community (e.g., Mary Sues. Personally, I couldn't care less about the "quality" of people's OCs, as if I don't like a work, I simply stop reading it, easy-as, but fandom culture at the time was... fractious, to put it lightly, when it came to Mary Sues).

It's no longer possible to access the Criminality webpage; I can't even find much online about "breakthepressure", which was presumably the content management system (CMS) for Criminality.

Around the time Criminality came into existence, the Orion Awards collection was created on Fanfiction Net (~2001). Each year, fans would nominate fanfictions that they particularly enjoyed to be archived in the Orion Awards collection. Although I was too young to participate in fandom/use the internet at the time, my understanding of events (based on what I can find on the Wayback Machine) is that the Fanfiction Net Orion Awards community predated the Orion Awards webpage. The Fanfiction Net Orion Awards collection houses some, but not all, of the Orion Awards winners.

For the Orion Awards, fanfictions would be nominated and awarded across particular categories. Using the Wayback Machine to access the now-defunct breakthepressure Orion Awards webpage, I found the categories for the awards, which I have attached in screenshot form below.

Around 2007, the community on Criminality moved to the breakthepressure site for the Orion Awards.

What I have shared in based in research rather than personal experience with any of these communities, so I would be curious to hear about whether any fans remember what it was like to be a fan online between 2000-2012, as well as whether there are any other fan sites/communities beyond Criminality and the Orion Awards that you remember!

[artemis-fowl-incident-report]

Are you an Artemis Fowl fan?

Well we are running auditions for an Artemis Fowl audio adaptation (because what the hell was that movie Disney?). We're hoping to get it recorded this year, but we need people willing to volunteer for that to happen.

If you're interested, email us at artemisfowl.incident.report@gmail.com with your audition.

Artemis Fowl II

Casting requirements: Youthful, adolescent, somewhat haughty/arrogant voice, possibly young boy/woman with androgynous voice range. Ability to speak in a variety of accents (notably Irish/British) and with very clear enunciation. Gravitas and authority juxtaposed with age is what we’re looking for. Somewhat of a large range of emotion and modulation needed. Examples include the Ciel Phantomhive English dubbing VA.

Audition lines:

Remember this? You gave it to me for ensuring your trigger finger got reattached to your hand. You said it would remind me of that spark of decency inside me. I’m trying to do something decent now, Captain.

The problem is that I know the textbook answers to any question you care to ask.

“You hit me,” he said in disbelief.

Butler

Casting requirements: Classically masculine/deep voice, but soothing and somewhat authoritative (easy to trust, confident). Almost stoic, but definitely calm. Any accent is acceptable as long as it’s clear and understandable, as this is an audio based project. Mastery of voice projection. Any emulation of yelling if not instructed is ill-advised. Examples include the original Japanese VA for Ruthven from Vanitas no Carte.

Audition lines:

Welcome back. Glad to see everyone’s alive. Now I need to go.

The cosh, sir.

Yes, Artemis. All is forgiven. Just one thing… never again. Fairies are too… human.

Holly Short

Casting requirements: Strong, bold quality, self-assured, sometimes brash. Not deep or too dark, but not too light/bright either, a happy medium is preferred. Comfortable with a more forceful range. Irish accent highly preferred, but honestly if you want to try a Southern American country accent no one will begrudge you for it. You will have to emphasize your plosives and overall consonant sounds. Examples include Seele’s English VA from Honkai: Star Rail.

Audition lines:

Stay back, human. You don’t know what you’re dealing with.

What? You want me to cut off his thumb? Are you insane?

When are you going to learn, Mud Boy? Your little schemes have a tendency to get people hurt. Usually the people who care about you.

Julius Root

Casting requirements: A deep, authoritative voice, the typical gruff commander/mentor archetype. Somewhat harsh. Primarily this role will require a fair bit of hostile moods even if only performative so if this will strain you then it is recommended to avoid trying out for this role. Irish accent highly preferred. Timbre should be darker. Examples include Tommy Shelby from Peaky Blinders.

Audition lines: 

Looks like the gang’s all here. And guess what. I don’t like gangs.

Captain Short’s life is in danger, so push the button before I climb that tower and push it with your face!

Hit that back-stabber where it hurts, right in the ambition.

Foaly

Casting requirements: Fast-paced speech, while not too fast, a middle/lower range, perhaps more of a baritone? Excitable but not overly immature. This character is a genius, and somewhat eccentric, so allow rough edges to shine through. Nothing too dark, though. Mischief is a good standard tone to aim for. Irish accent also preferred. Examples include the Japanese VA for Kaveh from Genshin Impact.

Audition lines: 

Confidence is ignorance. If you’re feeling cocky, it’s because there’s something you don’t know.

I’m right there with you, darlin’. Unless you step on a landmine, in which case I’m way back in the Operations Room.

Pardon me for interrupting your extended circus metaphor, but what the hell is that?

Angeline Fowl

Casting requirements: Most of the time an elegant, mature voice, very distinctly high-class, possibly a mild British accent, just enough to round out the role. Motherly, calm, but also capable of hysterics/sounding younger. Aim for a middle range as well. Please be sure not to be overly bright for this role. Examples include Stelle’s English VA from Honkai: Star Rail.

Audition lines:

I’m sorry, Arty. For everything. For the last few months, I haven't been myself. But things are going to change. Time to stop living in the past.

It’s Christmas Day, you silly boy. Christmas Day! Presents are traditional, are they not?

And how about school? Have you decided on a career?

Juliet Butler

Casting requirements: Higher pitched, almost schoolgirl/teenage girl voice (just less whiny) but definitely not to an exaggerated and obnoxious degree. Just young and appropriately expressive. Headstrong, but playful and adept at teasing, bright but not airy. You have to be able to play dumb, though, as this character plays dumb a fair bit. Any accent is acceptable. Examples include Izzie from Grey’s Anatomy.

Audition lines:

Well, leprechauns. You know they’re not real, don’t you?

You guys looking for my dad? People are always, like, looking for him, and he’s never around. Daddy is so not here. And I mean that spiritually.

I don’t know about legal, Mister. I just serve the drinks.

Mulch Diggums

Casting requirements: Deep, rough voice, but not overly low, or with overwhelming bass. Open to varieties of depth/range for this role as long as it doesn’t sound like an adolescent. This character can have any accent as long as it is audible. Note that this character is meant to be a bit of a crook. Have fun with this role.

Audition lines:

Shut up, Julius! I mean, quiet a moment, Commander.

The pixie is crazy! Give me your gun, Holly, I’m going to shoot him.

All this melodrama. Someone has to poke fun.

[po1sonous-l0ve]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

Can I get book recommendations?

Books I have Read

•Once Upon a Broken Heart + Ballad of Never After

•Every book in the Riordanverse

•Icebreaker

•The Cruel Prince Trilogy and the Stolen Heir Duology

•All the books in the Grishaverse

•A Court of Thorns and Roses + sequels

•Powerless and Reckless

•Shatter me + sequels

•Twisted Love

•Artemis Fowl + sequels

•The Inheritance Games Series + The Grandest Game and Games untold.

•Divergent series

•Fourth Wing and Iron flame

•I fell in love with Hope

•Dance of thieves

Please please please give me recs I'm running out I read these at such speed

[necromancer-at-abattoir]

TFOTA's romance and why it's different from all the others (NOT BETTER, JUST DIFFERENT)

Ok, so if you ask me about romance, I'll shrug my shoulders and shake my head. I'm not interested in it and I don't have much to say about it.

See, when I was younger, romance was nearly everywhere. Actually, it WAS everywhere. I could not go ANYWHERE without tripping on romance. It still is everywhere actually.

And no offense to the romance lovers, seriously. But it felt like romance had me in a chokehold. I couldn't get rid of it. I CAN'T get rid of it.

And in all the books I read, the main character was never single. Never. Single.

There always had to be SOME romance, be it Four and Trix from Divergent. Percy and Annabeth from Percy Jackson. Sophie and Keefe from KOTLC. Aru Shah and Aiden. Tarisai and Sanjeet from Raybearer. Vin and Elend from Mistborn. Harry and Ginny from Harry Potter. Even minor books had the MC romance someone.

As time went on, it became incredibly repetitive to me. Male or female MC, meet someone, become enamoured of them, romance, rinse and repeat. It was just so ingrained in my brain that I accepted it, frustrating as it was to me. I just tried to ignore the romance and focus on the action, adventure and platonic relationships which I really liked.

And when I read TFOTA, it was no different. Jude met Cardan, blah blah blah. I mean, yes, they were toxic to each other and the relationship was built on a toxic foundation even if it did get healthier. And Taryn met Locke and then the Ghost.

It's not that I dislike Jurdan. It's just that I didn't care about them. They felt boring to me-every Jurdan scene, I was flipping pages to get to the more interesting parts.

But when I thought about romance in all the books I read, something about Jurdan was different. No, I'm not saying that they were better than any of the ships from different series I listed above. In fact, the ships above are better than Jurdan IMO.

But something clicked one day for me.

The romance in TFOTA is ACTUALLY RELEVANT TO THE PLOT.

In fact, if Cardan didn't have his weird obsession shtick with Jude, the entire series wouldn't happen. He wouldn't follow her after the coronation, he wouldn't swear to her. Both of them fall for each other and then Jude becomes the Queen because Cardan suggested it and he loves her. And Jude being the Seneschal and having power over Cardan and then becoming the High Queen of Elfhame is vital to the plot. There's no plot without the above actions. And there are no above actions WITHOUT THE LOVE.

And I realised that the romance was vital to the plot happening. It's not JUST the romance, but the romance is a big part of it.

And I'm not just talking about Jurdan. I'm talking about Locke and Taryn. They're relevant too-it's a big part of the series. Jude and Taryn fight because of Locke, Jude doesn't have Taryn by her side in TWK because of Locke, Jude gets to go back to Elfhame because Taryn murdered Locke.

And Vivienne and Heather are entirely relevant too. Heather is the one who tells Jude about the tale, Heather owns the apartment and houses Oak and Vivienne, etc. Vivienne is moving out BECAUSE OF HEATHER, and that's why she's not around.

And it was really refreshing. I'm not saying I cared about the romance (except Vivienne and Heather) but it was refreshing to find a book that had the romance already fit into the plot. The romance was an integral part of the plot.

And I think that I was tired of unnecessary romance in books. PJO, KOTLC, Aru Shah, Raybearer-none of these needed to have romance. The romance could've been removed without any repercussions, but here, the romance was necessary, and it was wonderful to me.

(Also, if you want some FINALLY romance-free books recs, I'd recommend Enola Holmes, Artemis Fowl and Jeeves. All of them are funny, interesting and immersive.)

[biscuitrule]

Sadly part of me feels like Lockwood and Co would have been a more popular book series and by extension a more popular show if the books were from Lockwood’s perspective instead of Lucy’s.

It’s unfortunate but girls are much more willing to read a book with a male protagonist than boys are to read about a female protagonist. And in the case of a series like Lockwood and Co it’s not marketed specifically towards boys or girls so it has nothing to do with boys seeing it as “girly” or whatever. And it’s not that they start it and then dislike it because they can’t relate to Lucy, in my experience working with kids and recommending this series to them, once they start it they love it, but the boys are usually skeptical to even pick it up and try it out once they find out the main character is a girl named Lucy.

They end up loving it of course, but there isn’t that same hesitation when recommending something like Percy Jackson or Artemis Fowl. And I think that’s really sad because Lockwood and Co is a series about friendship that everyone can relate to, but society’s inherent need to classify things as “for boys” or “for girls”really hinders the reach of this series.

And to be clear I’m not saying they should have been from Lockwood’s perspective I think this was a story that deserved to and needed to be told from Lucy’s pov. It’s a problem with society, not the books and this is just a trend I’ve noticed.

I truly believe this series has some of the best themes for a wide age range of kids and young adults. It’s one of those rare stories where the themes are deep but still accessible to kids, and I just wish more people knew about it and that it got the recognition it deserved.

[ceilidho]

What do you recommend to get into writing.?

I have so many ideas in my brain, but I lack the skill. I mean, I know I can write, I’ve written a short story before (back in High School). But I just can’t seem to get my ideas out on paper how I want it to. I guess what I am asking is what do you think helped you write or at least perfect your craft.? You write so beautifully and so vividly. It’s my dream to be able to write like that.

:)

thank you so much!!

mmmm honestly, just writing and reading a lot. unfortunately, it's a skill that you just need to do over and over again in order to get good at it. i've written a lot of very short drabbles (like quick, 1000 word scenes), the first chapter of like a hundred different novels (and then giving up immediately after), poems, short stories, one-shots and incomplete fics for countless fandoms (harry potter, artemis fowl, twilight, naruto, etc). i think i wrote my first story when i was like 12 years old or something, so i've been working at it for a very long time.

and i've taken really long breaks in between (like, 2018-mid 2020 was a wash...i was in school, so i only had the energy to write my essays), so reading a lot is the other half of the equation. it'll help you develop your vocabulary and internal rolodex of expressions/colloquialisms, help develop your taste in literature, and help you start understanding the anatomy of a book (like what makes a good first act, second act, twist, etc).

also, it helps if you can convince yourself that there's nothing really at stake when posting a fic. like, if no one likes it, it's not the end of the world. if you're a bit rusty at first and you're not super confident in your writing skills, it doesn't matter. also, remind yourself that you're already a million times better than any "AI writer" because at least you have the courage to actually try.

and i definitely don't think i've "perfected my craft" btw, i see soooo many faults in my writing and things i need to improve on because as you get better, your standards get higher. idk if there's a moment when you ever reach perfection or whatever. you just keep working at it forever lmaooo

[doberbutts]

So, I know you're a bit fan of fantasy novels, are they're any you're recommend that have a similar vibe as Tamora Pierce's Tortall books?

oof similar? Hard to say honestly, I feel like most good authors within the genre have their own pronounced and distinct style so they're not really "similar" to each other. Sorry that's probably a really pretentious answer but it's the one I've got lol.

You could try Pierce's Emelan series. They are (obviously) quite similar to her Tortall books but have their own style that I also really enjoy.

Something that drew me to Pierce was that she made the effort to write almost exclusively female protagonists in an age where the vast majority of fantasy was all male all the time with women regulated to mostly being healers or prizes won. If they were mentioned at all. This was pretty uncommon when her books first started coming out so if you're looking for books with a similar target demographic, most of the writing is going to feel very different because it'll be way more modern authors. On the other hand if the true writing style is what you're interested in, you're going to find a solid lack of female protags. So it depends what you want out of the book experience.

Books/series I read at the same age, though idk if I would really consider them "similar": Elfquest (comics), Inkheart, The Divide, Artemis Fowl, The Edge Chronicles, Pellinor, specifically the Dragon Singer trilogy from Dragon Riders of Pern, The Sight/Fell, Through Wolf's Eyes (I am currently on a very slow re-read of this series!), Animorphs, and of course Lord of the Rings. I think of all of those, Through Wolf's Eyes and Pellinor would probably be the most similar. I thought the Harper Hall books could also be mentioned HOWEVER in order to actually understand what's going on you really need to read more Pern books and the similarities with Pierce stop once we navigate away from the specifically female main characters.

[joellalovestoread]

hi!

My name is Joella and I love reading fantasy adventure books! Book recommendations are always welcome. Here are my fandoms:

~Percy Jackson, Heroes of Olympus, Trials of Apollo, etc

~Magnus Chase

~The Kane Chronicles

~Artemis fowl

~Keeper of the Lost Cities

~The Owl House

and most recently

-sonic the hedgehog

i have quite a few hobbies. I love dancing, practicing French (Duolingo 💚), playing my clarinet, and of course, reading!

A few things about me and this blog: I’m a minor, first of all. My pronouns are she/her, and I go through phases like CRAZY! So don’t mind me if you see something a little off topic from my blog

:D so, welcome to my blog!

[zarvasace]

Out-of-Fandom Longfic Recs

Looking for something good that you can sink your teeth into? Not necessarily LoZ? I can recommend some masterpieces and favorites. :) all these are complete!

Harry Potter and the Problem of Potions by Wyste. 180k. Yes yes HP I know. It was still a formative part of my adolescence and this is just fanfiction. Very satisfying fanfiction, in which Harry becomes a real character who desperately wants to be a potion master despite Snape's every attempt to dissuade him. Lots of fun.

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by LessWrong. 661k. Longest thing on this list but HOO BOY is it worth it. Written by a guy to teach people about... well. Methods of rationality. Applies the scientific method to the HP-verse, makes Voldemort actually smart, and is a lot of fun the whole way through. You can read on FFN or by downloading an epub or PDF. At least try the first chapter I am BEGGING YOU.

The Dragon-King's Temple by Kryal. Avatar: the Last Airbender (show) & Stargate SG-1, 200k. I knew nothing about SG-1 going in, had only seen the movie, and really enjoyed this. Once again, the worldbuilding and the mystery are very very good. Like legitimately. Zuko & Toph focus!

Thrower of the Dart by Vathara. Avengers & Artemis Fowl (books) crossover, 100k. Picks up after the first Avengers movie and AF book 5 (the demon one.) Very nice plot, good character interactions, fun worldbuilding, mostly in the AF side.

let the shadows fall behind you by Sweetbriar15. Disney's Descendants (just the first one), 155k. Did you ever feel like the movie was a bit of a waste of a good story premise? This will help. Picks up after modifying the end of the first movie, introduces a lot of awesome character and worldbuilding information. Mal-focused, but not too heavily.

Phantom of Truth by Haiju. Danny Phantom, 58k. DP is full of whump fics, and this is probably one of the very best. Its sequel, Shadow of a Doubt, has stopped updating on AO3, but it should still be on FFN. SoaD is, iirc, 100k+, and quite good, dealing with the aftermath of the first.

Bandits and Bravery by LettdViolet. Fire Emblem: Three Houses, 28k. Linhardt/M!Byleth, modern college AU, the events of the game are played out by a group playing knockoff D&D. Themes of grief and mourning a parent's death, and finding comfort. Linhardt is like a sleepy version of Vio without as much evil. Shortest on this list but I LIKE IT OKAY

Carpetbaggers by cofax. Chronicles of Narnia, 120k. Fills in some of the time post-LWW with adventures and working on gaining trust. Feels a lot like a continuation of the book, though without the heavy-handed allegory.

[porcupine-girl]

Book series recs for 13-year-old?

Series he loves:

A Court of Thorns & Roses

Wings of Fire

Warrior Cats

Last Kids on Earth

Lord of the Rings

All The Wrong Questions

He's been rereading ACoTR and WoF on a constant loop for the past year, in between reading LOTR for the first time. He needs new material. His birthday is coming up in a few weeks, so I'm trying to get the first books from a few series for him to try so we can get him more from whichever one(s) he winds up liking for his bday.

I've got the first books of Tortall, Dragonriders of Pern, and Young Wizards all on hold, any other suggestions?

We own Artemis Fowl and for some reason he has yet to read it even though I keep throwing it at him. Same for Ender's Game, A Wrinkle In Time, and Skyward by Brandon Sanderson. It can be really really hard to convince him that anything recommended by his parents is worth reading. *sigh*

[magnusbae]

13 books

What’s up readers?! How about a little show and tell? Answer these 13 questions, tag 13 lucky readers and if you’re feeling extra bookish add a shelfie! Let’s Go!

Tagged by @cuubism Thank you!! 💖 Heads up: if you're tagged, you don't need to read it alllll even if you do want to participate 😌

1) The Last book I read:

I'm pretty sure it was Tress of the Emerald Sea, what a delight!

2) A book I recommend:

.... The Way of Kings... (The Stormlight Archive)

3) A book that I couldn’t put down:

The second book of The Stormlight Archive, Words of Radiance had me by my throat like nothing else. wow. 👏🏻

4) A book I’ve read twice (or more):

Listen. I'll list something other than The Stormlight Archive just because this is getting embarrassing. The books I used to regularly reread were: HP, Eragon and Assassin's Apprentice. (full series rereads, crossing the 10 each) 😌

5) A book on my TBR:

I have a hefty amount of books I bought and never read. Ranging from classics to cheap fantasy-- but alas, my brain is fixated on the other author who doesn't disappoint me and so I just stick to his books XD

Some of the books sitting on my ineffective 'shame you into reading' shelf are: Captive Prince, the rest of the Wolfsong series, the.... shadowhunters books... the new trilogy about Fitz which I have in hardcovers yet never read. And some... others...

6) A book I’ve put down:

One of the reasons I am avoidant of taking on new books at all is because I have a very hard time putting down books I started. I'll suffer through entire series just for the few grains of gratification in the end. Or to... spitefullfy and confidently say it sucked balls.

However... three series managed to break me.

First being GoT, I just didn't manage to get through, not even 10 chapters. A true oddedity for me, but I just couldn't.

Second being The Witcher. I managed to power through like 4-5 books? And then I just couldn't do this to myself anymore. It was so, so, so not my vibe. (even while the pc game is about my most favorite game ever.) 🤷🏻‍♀️

And lastly, although I think I did finish the entire series before deciding that if ever a new book came out, I'll never read it, was the-- god what's the name of it... the First Law Trilogy – The Blade Itself etc from joe abercrombie. What a bleak series! Oh my god!

7) A book on my wish list:

My honest wishlist is just to keep on reading Brando Sando in my slow and enjoying-it phase... Although I admit that there's a large amount of those new spicy fantasy books apparently being released that shorts recommend and older folk rant about, so I naturally do want to check it out to see what's up with that but.... in truth... I just want to keep on enjoying Brando Sando XD

8) A favorite book from childhood:

I genuinely really loved Eragon. Oh and Artemis Fowl was all fun. I also really loved Tunnel in the Sky, like really.

9) A book you would give to a friend:

ngl it'll be an unapologetic The Way of Kings with big and passionate begging session of 'please give it a try' like for real.

In case any one of you is actually interested--- (you don't have to read this part) -inhales deeply-

The Way of Kings is a truly misleading book, that might leave you with the impression that the book is all about wars and kings but that is the furthest from the truth a description and a cover and a name can go.

It has fantasy, it has deep and rich world building, elaborate magic system that is deeply embedded into the story, culture and literal every single stone of the world. There's politics, culture, introspection, deep and varied characters, each reading like the main character of the story, having unique and vibrant personality and motivations.

It is not just a book, it is a work of true and deep love for the genre and writing in general. Beautifully done, enriching and enticing.

And what's most important for people who read too many books?

Hard to predict. It managed to pull the rug from underneath my feet in the most surprising and pleasing ways. Brandon writes in a way that is not 'shock just to shock' nor 'drama just for drama'. Every single scene is true, and forward. You always have everything right in front of you, the key is that you do not know how to put it all together just yet.

That can finally give that refreshing 'I don't know where it's heading but I'm enjoying the experience" I feel I had lost over the years, being able to recognize patterns too easily and predict writing intentions.

God, what a book! It does however have a rough learning curve, being such a massive world, it takes time to ease you in. Say about at least 5 chapters in at the minimum. On a personal note, I recommend the audiobooks read by kate reading and michael kramer, literally the best experience I've ever had, listening to those two bring to life every character and accent and scene, wow!

10) A book of poetry or lyrics that you own:

Come to think of it, I don't actually own any. Ha.

11) A nonfiction book you own:

I don't haha! Looking back, it's a lie, I have a few phycology books gathering dust in various hiding spots.

12) What are you currently reading:

........The Way of Kings....

13) What are you planning on reading next?

.....Words of Radiance.... haha. 😋

Y'all don't need to read all them answers in case you just want to answer it for yourself, or you can skip, too 😊😊😊

@mayhemspreadingguy, @pollyp, @nonbinary-nicolo, @msmongoose, @hardly-an-escape,

@ladymatt, @underacalicosky, @grapenehifics, @your-lordsherlockholmes-posts

@acedragontype, @palfriendpatine66, @heretolurkandnothingmore , @virahaus, @wallsinmyhead

@kittttycakes, @elcaballerodragon, @justsuffilike, @pumpkinkingsalem, @handahbear

@willameena

I am certain this is 13, I am certain. Cheers 💖💖💖