#I really enjoy Bocquet as a character

[gray-morality]

Wondrous Tails of FFXIV

Meeting the family

They spent a few days within the Shrouds, in that isolated cabin that was Bocquet's house - Seda's guardian. Thankfully, the tension of the first day had dissipated - unbeknown to them the result of the hard work of a certain rat - and thus the remainder of their visit proved to be far more enjoyable. Much to Fakhri's surprise, Bocquet demonstrated more acceptance than he anticipated. And that was in the broadest way possible. 

Fakhri's work, for starters, had been a source of worry for the man. Something he wasn't sure the Elezen would approve of. He had tried to keep it vague, to some extent, but Bocquet was anything but stupid. They most likely had an inkling as to the kind of "work" Fakhri and Seda did to be able to provide succor to people; money doesn’t grow on trees after all. It came as further surprise when the Wailer stated interest in visiting the couple in Thavnair. There were a few questions regarding Fakhri's boss, what sort of man he was. Maybe the viera could arrange a meeting? Would the Sahib make time for which was purely a matter of personal life? Nothing much to lose by asking…

Then came Fakhri's second worry, and frankly the most important - himself. In the moment he met with Seda's guardian, the viera became acutely aware of his own problems - addiction to many substances and alcoholism, his hyper-empathy syndrome, and the burden of a seer - which placed a great deal of doubts on his mind where acceptance was concerned. And, as expected, Bocquet had shown no small amount of reserve to Seda's choice of partner. That is, until they came back from their "moment of solitude" in the forest. Seda mentioned that Bocquet had erected a symbolic cairn for her mother, as her ashes had been scattered to the winds, and that they would spend time there when they had to think, as if asking the dead for their wisdom. Visibility her mother' spirit had imparted something to them, for Bocquet came back with an open mind; a very drastic change from their previous demeanor towards the couple. Not to mention a sudden affection towards Arak which made the viera ponder what had truly happened in the forest. A thought pushed aside for the time being. 

The remaining few days thus passed peacefully. Fakhri had a chance to show off his remarkable skills as a hunter, even if Bocquet's reserved demeanor was sometimes hard to read. He could still feel a warmth from them, some kind of affection that wasn't unlike a member of one's family. And Seda "felt" more at peace, happiness bubbling from her and filling the viera's heart with the selfsame feeling. Here in the forest, his senses not overloaded with the ambient buzzing that inevitably came with city life, he could rest a bit and savor those feelings that were only his, and hers. By the time they left the Shrouds to return to Thavnair, their bond had grown even more. Fakhri was well-aware of it but, was she? Theirs was something more than two people liking each other… so much more. He just couldn't say /what/ it was just yet. Where the emotional cacophony of the many residents of the city would muffle her emotions from him, now he could feel a thread between them. Was this good, or bad… He cherished that connection but such bonds usually went both ways; there would be very little secrets between the two of them as the union of their two hearts - maybe even their souls - gained in strength. What did Eorzeans say? “We’ll cross that bridge when we get there”?

“Ya, and we’ll cross it together, girl.”

[carriagelamp]

CarriageLamps Favourite Books From 2021

This is an incredibly late end-of-the-year book round up, but December ended up being Way Too Busy for me to get it finished and posted. And I figured I should probably get it done before, like... I started on my January book list, rip

This feels like an odd list, but lbr it was an odd year and my reading habits apparently reflected on it quite a bit. These books helped make it a little bit easier to get through.

I wrote more detailed descriptions about all of these through out the year, depending on which month I read them in, but here’s also some quick blurbs:

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

I read the whole Murderbot series this year and loved with with my entire heart and soul. A scifi story about a SecUnit who hacks its own governor module not so it can go on a murderous rampage and destroy humanity, but so it can do its job in the most mediocre way possible, watch space soap operas, and try to ignore the intense inbuilt anxiety.

Bear by Marian Engel

Horny Canadian literature that does, indeed, involve fucking a bear because when Marian Engel is given a challenge she doesn’t fucking pussy out. I started it as a joke, but hey guys? It actually won the Governor General’s Award for a reason. It’s actually a really solid piece of literature that gives you a lot of things to think about, I genuinely enjoyed it.

FRNCK by Olivier Bocquet and Brice Cossu

A phenomenal bande desinée series about an teenage boy who runs away from the orphanage he lives at, and ends up getting swept off to the prehistoric era where he has to contend with cavemen, hostile floral and fauna, cannibals, and a tragic lack of vowels. Beautifully drawn, hilariously funny, and frankly a crime that you can’t buy them in English. Book 4 was an amazing climax to the current arc and I’m happily reading the second arc now.

From the Holocaust to Hogan’s Heroes, the Autobiography of Robert Clary

I got deeply back into the show Hogan’s Heroes to help cope with pandemic stress and decided to buy a copy of Robert Clary’s autobiography that recounts his childhood, to his time in concentration camps during the Holocaust, to his career as an actor afterwards. Fantastic read, and I would totally recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of either Robert Clary specifically or WWII history in general.

The Game by Linsey Miller

I will devotedly read Linsey Miller’s books, even if I am very slow at getting to them and have been struggling to read over this pandemic. This novella was a change from her previous stories, and a fun one. Instead of fantasy and magic, The Game is about an annual grad game that the local grade twelve students participate in. It starts out as normal, before taking a shocking and deadly turn. Now the main character seems to be mysteriously wrapped up in it all and there’s no answers to what’s happening in sight.

MASH by Richard Hooker

Along with Hogan’s Heroes I got back into MASH as well, and decided I should read the novel for the first time. Can’t say the same for the sequel, but this book at least was hilariously funny and I can see how it spawned such a good show, even if they’re quite different in characters and tone. For those unfamiliar, MASH is about a doctor named Hawkeye Pierce who was conscripted against his will into a M*A*S*H unit during the Korean war, and all the crazy things he and his fellow conscripts do to stay sane amid the horror of war. It’s crude, but ultimately too fun not to enjoy.

Minecraft: The Island by Max Brooks

I started this as a joke but somehow it was actually really good. And I say this as someone with an almost negative interest in Minecraft. It’s about a character who wakes up on a deserted island, with no memory of who they are or how they got there, and has to learn from the ground up what to do to survive. And since it’s written by Max Brooks, an author who writes legit zombie survival novels, it takes the entire premise way more seriously than most would. Imagine how horrific it would be to wake up with no idea how your new body works, what the physics or limitations of this world are, or what these things trying to kill you are. It’s basically a Minecraft isekai but taken serious. Shockingly good, would recommend honestly.

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

A magical realism book set in Victorian England, about a chimney sweeper who is just trying to survive until she finds herself caught in a chimney fire… and is saved by the strangest of creatures.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

The author really describes it best:

“Because vampires are the original serial killers, stripped of everything that makes us human — they have no friends, no family, no roots, no children. All they have is hunger. They eat and eat but they’re never full. With this book, I wanted to pit a man freed from all responsibilities but his appetites against women whose lives are shaped by their endless responsibilities. I wanted to pit Dracula against my mom. “As you’ll see, it’s not a fair fight.” 

A very interesting novel, with lots of delicious tension.

Hunger Pangs: True Love Bites by Joy Demorra

A book that has a little bit of everything. A disabled werewolf, a very political vampire with serious anxiety, and a mysterious woman investigating the death of ancient, magical trees. I’m not sure I can describe it in a way that does it justice -- it’s fast-paced, full of sincerity and heart, and bounces between a hilarious queer romance and a relentless, amusing social satire. One of my absolute favourite novels from this year and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey

After reading River of Teeth I desperately wanted more Weird Western Vibes, and to my delight discovered that Sarah Gailey herself has written more Weird Western Novels. This novella is about a dystopian regressive future with a wild west flavour. It follows one young woman who, horrified by her “morally wrong” and illegal love for women, decides to run away and join the travelling librarians, a group of people who are supposed to be some of the most morally upright women you can find. Who else could help her but them? It involves a lot of queer characters, gun slinging, and humour.

wishtree by Katherine Applegate

The story of a much beloved neighbourhood tree who is the home to all sorts of animals. He loves all his animal friends and watches over the neighbourhood — until one day a slur is graffitied over him and now there’s talk of simply cutting him down… it’s an incredibly touching that looks at how one life can touch so many others, and what it means to be a community.