#It just feels so weirdly sci-fi for a high fantasy series

[marinsawakening]

TBH I think my biggest issue with Null is purely the name. Like 'endlessly consuming cosmic horror' is a little odd of an addition to the LOZ franchise but not jarringly so and I think it's fun. But the name 'Null' just sounds so sci-fi and feels really out of place compared to names like Nayru/Farore/Din/Hylia/Demise/etc. If Null had been named something like the Nothing or the Quiet I think I'd be fully on board for it as an antagonist/lore addition.

[hedghost]

What’s your opinion on men writing sapphic books?

i mean it’s not like my fave thing in the world. normally my opinion is men should stay WELL AWAY from lesbians, but i think it depends on the book and the content

for example, legends and lattes is one of my fave books, it’s not a romance but it does have a sapphic romance side plot, and that was written by a man. there’s no sex, there’s no deeply lesbian specific experiences, it’s just that two female characters happen to get together, and i don’t think there’s anything wrong with a man writing that.

also my absolute favourite book of all time is this is how you lose the time war, which was jointly written by a man and a woman. again, while that’s completely focused on a sapphic relationship, nothing in it feels like fetishisation, probably because it’s also sci-fi. i have no problem with that partially being written by a man, because it just feels like good storytelling, that happens to be about women (debatable bc one’s kind of a fairy alien and one’s kind of a robot alien but they both use she pronouns so we won’t get into that)

i would say if it’s a book about specific wlw emotions and experiences, for example coming out as a lesbian, or comphet or internalised lesbophobia etc etc, i don’t think a cis man should be writing that, because he has no business doing that. mainly because like, why would a man even want to write that? also like it would just be shite.

on the other hand, a specifically lesbian romance written by a man? (especially if there’s smut) fucking weird. that just reeks of fetishisation, and you know it’s just gonna be gross. none of that thanks.

but yeah, i think there’s nothing wrong with men writing books with sapphic characters or romances in theory, as long as intentions are pure. for example say a man wrote a high fantasy series with various plots and romances, some of which were gay - nothing wrong with that (unless the lesbianism is weirdly sexualised or misogynistic ofc). however if it’s like a book which is focused on the sapphic experience then i don’t understand why a man would even want to write that, so that’s a no from me.

(for the record this also goes for women writing mlm books, fetishisation of gay relationships is not talked about enough and i personally think it’s weird)

there’s a lot of lesbian books which i would feel very weird about had they been written by a man. but there’s probably a few which had they been written by men, i wouldn’t mind. (i can’t think of any atm but i’m sure there are some)

so overall, completely depends on the book and the author. i’d say it depends on how forefront the sapphics are. it’s not a complete no, but there’s a line, you know?

[threewaysdivided]

Yes, the weak writing in TOA is what mellowed me out on the series. Despite my distaste for all the decisions after the first third of the movie I can't say it disappointed me because no matter how excited I was I didn’t have high expectations because I know what it's like. It's funny because I never completed the series. I got through half of Trollhunters and 3lbelow before I just had to leave. It took me a month to finish Wizards and that one's my favorite. So yeah.

(Following on from this ask.)

That's fair. Like I said before, I'm in a pretty similar boat when it comes to Tales of Arcadia. Trollhunters was good and - barring a couple of episodes which I fast-forwarded through because the tropes/ execution of the premise wasn't for me - I had a really enjoyable time with it. But then it reached the end and it felt like there were a lot of questions (changelings etc.), worldbuilding (heartstones etc.) and general complexities (Merlin as he was talked about throughout the series vs Merlin as he appeared at the end) that were left hanging to a frustrating degree.

Now, in fairness, I tend to experience "wait, that's it?"-ism at the end of a lot of TV shows that run for more than a single season - it's probably just the nature of the medium/production environment that makes it hard to match the impact of hours of build-up in just a handful of final episodes, especially since a lot of shows won't know they're on their final season until that season - but with Trollhunters, it was a very intense feeling of "wait, that's it?".

Part of the reason why I initially watched 3Below was that I had hoped it would continue building on the unanswered lore questions from the first series (a fairly common thing for sequels/ spinoffs to do) but instead it took a hard right-turn into aliens and sci-fi. And - much as Douxie is probably my favourite ToA protagonist - by Wizards it became clear that even when we were going back (heh) to the more Troll-adjacent fantasy world, most of those questions still weren't going to be satisfyingly answered, if at all.

Part of me wonders if this might be a small blind-spot of Del Toro's when combined with Netflix, since outside of ToA most of his resume is film, and film has different structural/ worldbuilding/ storytelling conventions due to the much shorter run time. A 'film ending' would probably feel underdeveloped at the end of a TV series because shows by necessity have to add and flesh out more concepts to fill their run time. Just speculation through.

By about halfway through 3Below I was definitely watching more out of a sense of analytical curiosity and 'might as well see it through' than because I was still invested and suspending my disbelief. If I'd made it dedicated watch (rather than something to have on while sewing the Purrloin Plush) I probably would have stopped at about midway through 3Below, so I totally get where you're coming from with that.

As a sidenote: The way Wizards handled the Merlin/amulet/Morgana's-hand point from Trollhunters felt almost like a cop-out to me. Like they were trying to walk back/ distance Merlin from the morally callous nature Trollhunters both showed and suggested in some antagonists' dialogue, by making it seem like far less of a deliberate scheme from him, having her turn 'bad' for unrelated reasons ahead of time and someone else being the one to actually cut her hand off. Which kind of retroactively makes it weird that she claims he "took her hand" in the first series. That line made it seem more morally complex (that maybe she became a villain' because she was directly betrayed/ wronged by one of the heroes) but then her character gets weirdly flattened. Tales of Arcadia's moral stance on Merlin is just very unclear and strange in general.

With all that said though, I think there is value sometimes in going in to something with no expectations - or knowing/ expecting it to be bad - as an exercise in analysing storytelling. One upside is what you said; because you're not really invested/ aiming to become invested you don't end up being as disappointed by bad writing. (It's that weird sort of optimistic pessimism - if you expect the worst then you'll either be right or pleasantly surprised).

Consuming media with the intent to dissect it from the start does give a different experience... but then again no-one watches True Crime Documentaries or Mayday: Air Disaster because they want to experience a perfectly normal day where everything goes well and no-one gets hurt. Some days you just want to watch a train wreck in slow motion and try to work out what went wrong.

I actually did this with Dreamwork's Voltron - I went in having already read discussions, watched a full analysis and knowing it was going to go downhill, because I was curious to see how it was going fall apart so thoroughly that the fandom almost unanimously agrees that it's a mess. Funnily enough I was kind of surprised: not because it wasn't bad (although the first three seasons are genuinely fun) but because it got bad in ways I didn't expect. Most of the discourse I had seen was ship-related so I'd sort of expected a generically mediocre story with some 'Kataang vs Zutara' level character chemistry fanning the flames, but no - the central narrative and structure of Voltron just completely falls apart. It's wild.

And - much as it's always is sad when a series doesn't live up to it's potential - I kind of prefer when a story 'shows its hand' so to speak fairly early on in terms of writing weaknesses. For me, it's almost more tolerable to see the flaws and accept that you have to look past them as the price of entry. It lets you manage your expectations - you're consuming the story in spite of known problems, so it doesn't feel as bad if/when those flaws get big enough to make the story not worth continuing with.

Call it honesty, or maybe just closure, but I'd rather a series that's kind of stupid from the start to one that starts off strong/competent and then gets really unexpectedly stupid all at once. The former tends to sting a lot less.

[docholligay]

Doc recommends novels ask: Hi, Doc! I enjoy a fantasy realm or two, but could happily leave the romance/love triangles/etc behind. Also, it would be great to get to know a world that has real impacts and consequences for their magic system, with logical and interesting world-building included. Any recommendations of novels that might fit this description?

This is hard because I don’t generally enjoy fantasy! Which isn’t to say it’s without merit at all, it’s just not something I personally enjoy, partially due to something you bring up, which is that the magic systems are incredibly flexible to the moment, and I don’t much care for that. That and I am less of a person who enjoys building out a fantasy or sci-fi world than I am the person who wants to get into the brass tacks of what people are thinking and feeling and what is the human element of all of it? 

"I stopped believing there was a power of good and a power of evil that were outside us. And I came to believe that good and evil are names for what people do, not for what they are."--His Dark Materials

Honestly the best fantasy series I can think of with this criteria is His Dark Materials. The fantasy is not a distraction from the story and emotions itself, any romance in the story is not something that the story needs or necessarily even wants you to give a shit about, and to some extent, I would argue that it’s there at all. It IS a YA book, which is my only stop point here, but I would argue its one of the more complexly written YA books, and has good prose, some nice grey moralities, and there’s no system in it so complicated that you have to sit down and pattern out the rules around it. It’s a world very much like our own, only slightly different. 

It also does a really good job with the nature of goodness and gets into some extremely weird and interesting shit about God that I feel a lot of ways about at once. Can’t recommend the series enough on that level. I have read it as an adult and stand by it, and that’s my Big Test. 

"The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you would take a man's life, you owe it to him to look into his eyes and hear his final words. And if you cannot bear to do that, then perhaps the man does not deserve to die." --A Song of Ice and Fire

Ahahahah there was a time I would have recommended A Song of Ice and Fire in this, which, to a point, I LOVED, I started reading it as a ...middle schooler? Maybe young high school? When I started falling out of love with fantasy. I still think the first few books are good, but I think  Martin’s biggest problem is he simply took too long, and what is the feel of fantasy now, and what most fantasy readers want, is out of his grasp. Though HONESTLY, if someone took a series of mine I hadn’t finished and made me fucking millions, would I keep writing? Or would I be like, “Aw, I’m retired now, I’m good”? I dunno, it’s easy to pretend you have morals when no one’s giving you  ten million dollars. But it also didn’t rely SO heavily on magic or anything, it was mostly about political machination. 

"where the world ends is where you must begin" --The Gunslinger

I almost forgot that The Gunslinger would actually completely be termed as fantasy. The Gunslinger is a fucking fantastic novel by Stephen King. I avoided reading the entire Dark Tower series for years, because people kept telling me, “Oh it’s nothing like Stephen King” and well I happen to very much like King’s THING, even when it aggravates me, so why would I read something that is nothing like him? Fortunately, what they meant was, “It’s not a horror novel.” I don’t know if I can recommend the entire series even though *I* ended up fucking loving it--I read the whole series in a year and that was with a huge break, but if I said it didn’t have it’s occasionally aggravating moments, I would be lying. But when it’s amazing, it’s so amazing, and the first book is all killer, no filler, and if you just wanted to leave it there, that would be fine. If you DO read the series...read the cliffnotes on Wizard and Glass, it’s boring as shit, and it’s clearly all of King’s backstory notes on Roland while he was trying to get back to writing the series, and like, no hate, but also, it made me stop reading the series for months. Wolves of the Calla, the one that comes after it, is an IMMENSELY fun fantasy-western, which in many ways I guess the series as a whole is? But mostly Wolves of the Calla. 

“Time and I have quarrelled. All hours are midnight now. I had a clock and a watch, but I destroyed them both. I could not bear the way they mocked me.”--Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell

This one is given with caveats--I haven’t read it since I was eighteen, and it might not be as good as I remember it being. I’ll look to reread it next year. But I know at the time I adored it! It has a really fun style to the writing that echoes the style of Dickens and the larger styles of the era, which makes the book an immense amount of fun for people named Doc, who are me. It is an INTENSELY English novel in a number of ways, and how both Strange and Norell can be so strangely (hah) fussy and so competent, and yet inept and caught up in their own petty backbiting drama (especially with each other--the story is, in many ways, about their friendship) just absolutely charmed the shit out of me as a youth. Now I want to reread it ahaha. It’s also, as I recall, a pretty easy read, though long. 

"What is the point of having free will if one cannot occasionally spit in the eye of destiny?" --The Dresden Files

Ohhhhhh boy does this come with caveats. This is a popcorn pulp series. It is a popcorn pulp series that at a certain point fails to deliver even on that promise. But for the first, oh, eight or nine novels, GOD did I love the Dresden Files. One of my favorite things was that it made me discover that though fantasy largely does not speak to me, I can quite love what I have come to find out is called ‘Urban Fantasy”. It had me from the moment where it was like, “Our world, but wizards are real, and they also have to go buy milk at the store” and I was like, “Oh fucking sold” because it allowed me to get into magic without all the “She was born of the CLydroffer lineage of witches, which took their power from air. She ran down to the village of Stratford-upon-Badger’s Nose and took to seeing the local Scriddonk” and anyway, avoiding the medieval setting made me enjoy it so much the more. They have a very fun lawful good character, Harry is that kind of smug asshole protagonist that’s JUST this side of enjoyable, and while there’s romance, up to a certain point at which I hope you abandon the sinking ship, you can ignore it.  Like I said, they’re not any great literary giant, but they’re immense fun in the way that like, Anita Blake was fun for awhile (for my mother at least) or Anne Rice.* 

*I don’t know what this counts as, but Interview With the Vampire is a hell of a book.  I can’t really recommend the others. I might, weirdly, have a copy upstairs in paperback? If you want it I’ll send it along, if I do.

[captain-athos]

ST:Picard thoughts

(For the record I’ve kept this spoiler-free except for some mention of key themes that you could have picked up from the trailer anyway)

I was browsing the Star Trek reddit when a title caught my eye that just said “I’m tired of high stakes sci fi” and it kind of stunned me because it suddenly put a lot of things about my personal preferences re: sci fi/fantasy into perspective for me in a way that I hadn’t previously articulated

Like I think the reason I didn’t enjoy Picard at all (poor characterisation aside, which I won’t elaborate on here) was because everything just seemed too big, which came at the expense of the little everyday details about 80s/90s Trek that made that world seem so real and lived-in. 

For me, watching the series was like trying to trudge through endless reams of exposition and feeling like I’d gotten nowhere by the end. Plus every character detail seemed so weirdly calculated for either maximum big story drama or ticking a box of Things Cool Impactful Shows Need To Have. There was so much in there that could have been, but the whole storyline was just so big there was very little opportunity for emotional connection (that didn’t already exist as something carried over from TNG)

Plus, in terms of being a challenging show... they did a great job of signposting the Big Themes they were tackling (the struggle for relevance once you’re “past your prime,” moral relativity between alien cultures, the question of the humanity of augmented/artificial life forms) but there was just no room for complexity or nuance. And nothing new to say that hadn’t been explored (in much more detail) by TNG already. It was just there, usually yelled across the room by actors wearing very serious and solemn expressions.

On that point too, I think I was just exhausted with everything being so relentlessly miserable. There was just too much going on plot-wise for anyone to have any real complexity in their characterization, and the desperate need for the “cool” characters to be sarcastic and cynical (but hiding a Deep Pain) in a lot of new media is really wearing. 

Does this make Picard a bad show? I don’t know. I don’t think so - a lot of people seem to enjoy it, and I’m glad because we were all very excited about it. But it’s not for me and I’m glad I can finally explain why.

[nicolemagolan]

Books I Read In June 2019

This month was nearly entirely dominated by science-fiction, but Nicholas Eames’ high fantasy novel prevented that. I have no regrets! Not a wholly satisfactory reading month, as these books ranged from excellent to underwhelming. Read on to find out which was which!

Sand by Hugh Howey

3.5/5 stars

“And so it went, sand piling up to the heavens and homes sinking toward hell.”

Sand is a sci-fi story in the same vein as Howey's previous Wool series, set in a scary dystopian future. This one, however, despite being exceptionally well-written, falls short of greatness.

The plot doesn't ever seem to go anywhere -- nowhere interesting anyway. There is a lackluster feeling to the world-building, and a lack of threat because of this. In this world, the characters live in a desert, and make their living by diving through sand as if it's water to collect treasures buried under the dunes. An interesting concept, but the society around it was not explained much, and I am left unsure of how their society actually functions.

The characters were great though. The focus was on a family of 4 siblings, and I loved seeing their dynamics and how they played off each other. There was a lot a nuance to the characters and their relationships.

Hugh Howey is an excellent writer. There were so many beautifully crafted sentences and paragraphs, and riveting action scenes. The dive scenes were horrifying and enthralling. I was constantly in awe of how good Howey's writing style is. Despite the lack of world building, Sand developed a gritty atmosphere that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work, but I hope they're more balanced.

I was under the impression that Sand tied into Wool in some way, but I couldn't find a connection. It's possible that the buried cities are the Silo's, but it wasn't used for any effect. Could have been any old city, and it wouldn't make a difference. I was disappointed at the false advertising.All in all, I would recommend the Wool trilogy over this. But, if you read and enjoyed that this might just fill the void.

The Walking Dead, Issue #192: Aftermath by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard (Cover Art), Dave Stewart (Cover Art), Stefano Gaudiano (Artist), Cliff Rathburn (Artist)

5/5 stars

I can't believe they actually did the thing. This issue is brilliant. I don't have anything else I could possibly say.

Star Wars Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden

4/5 stars

“It’s all for the glory of the Empire, honey, and don’t you forget it.”

Another win for the new Star Wars canon! Inferno Squad is a gripping tale of undercover imperial agents going undercover in the Rebellion to find out where or who is leaking top secret information. It's somewhat lacking in true white-knuckle action, but it makes up for that with well-developed and distinct characters. Iden Versio, the lead character, at first seems like the typical Empire-loving, cold, and one-dimensional trooper that we're familiar with in Star Wars canon. But as the story unfolds, her character builds into a complex, intriguing, and empathetic -- and yet still rather cold -- lead. 

I was worried this would be a typical, cheesy story of an imperial agent suddenly realising the error of their ways and joining the rebels...but that wasn't the case. Nor was it completely a one-note "the Empire is always right" perspective; there was enough nuance to keep it compelling. 

As for the other characters, they were all fine, and developed individuality. But I didn't feel there were any other standouts. 

There were a few cringey moments within the writing style -- MULTIPLE instances of "they let out a breath they didn't know they were holding"...Can we let this overused line die, PLEASE. And descriptions were a bit lackluster. But for a Star Wars novel, I would say it was actually pretty decent.

I highly recommend this to Star Wars fans!

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames 

4/5 stars

“As individuals they were each of them fallible, discordant as notes without harmony. But as a band they were something more, something perfect in its own intangible way.”

Kings of the Wyld is an epic romp through a world both colourful and gritty. It has incredibly balanced flavours of Rock & Roll and hard-hitting fantasy. Plus, it's hilarious. And heartfelt. And totally badass.

Okay, Kings of the Wyld is a little vulgar for my tastes. The language and gore doesn't pull punches, and the depiction of female characters is sometimes over-sexualised. Not always though, thankfully, and it's usually for some purpose. 

The world-building is wack. The fantasy setting feels like it's being pieced together with bright lego bricks as you read, but sometimes instead of sticking together lego, you're just getting pelted with mud. Information about the world is dropped in dialogue and metaphor as if you already have any clue what they're talking about. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's overwhelming. The informal and funny style of writing gives it a cartoony feel (and I don't mean that in a negative way), and it feels very original while still reshaping classic tropes and paying homage to the greats.

But the characters. The characters. The story follows this group of old warriors, getting their mercenary band back together long after their glory days are over. They've settled down and had families, become fat and drunk, gone a bit mad. And when one of their daughters is in mortal danger, they reunite to take on the impossible quest to save her. 

The lead character is Clay Cooper: the sweetest, most wholesome murderer you'll ever meet. Easy to root for, plenty of compelling back-story to dig into, and snarky comments galore.

My second favourite is the wizard Moog. He is a total weirdo and he knows it. I love how ridiculous and passionate he is.

There's Mattrick, who's become a sad, fat King with a terrible marriage and kids that aren't his. But he's still a menace with his knives.

Gabriel is the leader of the group, and the one who is trying to find his daughter. He was one of the less-developed characters, but it worked because he was wholly focused on his daughter. His love for her was nice.

Lastly there's Ganelon, the terrifying warrior with no emotions. Except there are emotions! The scenes showing his vulnerability are fantastic, but where he truly shines is the battlefield.

The comradeship of the band is so natural and entertaining. Their relationships felt fully developed and like they had real history. They are so easy to root for!

The plot does plod a bit, with a bunch of mini-quests along the way that begin to drag towards the end. I think one or two of the little adventures could have been cut-down for the sake of building towards the epic final battle and touching conclusion.

I'll definitely be looking out for more from this author. And if you want a fantasy novel that's a little something different, definitely give this a go!

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

2/5 stars

Brightly Burning is a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, but set in space! Wooooo! I don't know why I thought I would like this. It does exactly what it says on the tin. It has the plot, characters, and atmosphere of Jane Eyre. But when a character looks out a window...it's space. Maybe if I was a huge fan of the original story, I would be able to appreciate this re-imagining of it. But I don't think Brightly Burning did anything exceptionally interesting with the premise. The language is full of modern colloquialisms that are weirdly balanced with the futuristic world building. It often feels cheesy or just plain silly to me, but this is much lighter sci-fi than I anticipated. I'm kinda dumb though, because of course it's a fluffy/angsty/tropey romance and not a compelling, twisty, or fresh sci-fi take on the classic story. It serves its purpose and it does so with moderate success. me @ me, closing this book:

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

3/5 stars

Sleeping Giants is..........good? I guess? It's a kinda entertaining sci-fi tale told through interviews, self-recorded journals and other audio files. It follows a cast of mostly-military characters as they discover and search for the scattered remains of some strange and potentially alien technology. This premise could really be taken in any direction...unfortunately the compelling concept is bogged down by a dumb LOVE TRIANGLE. Whyyyyy. Minor spoiler territory here, but it becomes clear early on that the alien tech is essentially a mech-style robot thingy. I am wondering how anime it's gonna get, when one of the characters is like 'gee, this sure is something out of Star Wars huh.' GIRL WHAT. No. It really isn't. Anywayyy I love the title, and the cover, and the characters are well-developed. Nothing of real interest happens within the story to be honest, and the ending is kinda lame. I'm not interested in the sequels but I appreciated my time with the audiobook -- it has a full and talented cast.

My reading hopes for next month are high as Semester 1 is over and my holiday has begun! I have big reading plans, folks. Big plans. Like, 5,000 page plans. :) 

Have you read any of these books? Let me know what you thought of them!

[convenientalias]

Yuletide Rec List

Y’all there are 3365 fandoms in the Yuletide noms and some of them are really good so I thought I’d just make a promo post here and also rant a little bc I’m excited even tho it’s barely October just looking at this list.

So I’m gonna put the rest of this barely coherent ranting under a read more but like guys, I’m excited.

So here goes. Some fandom recs!

Books

The Alpennia Trilogy by Heather Rose Jones

Mistress/bodyguard ship in the first book, which leads to so many possibilities! Loyalty kink! Power imbalance! All that shit!

Amazing worldbuilding and magic mixed in with religion

I’ve only read the first book but I’m totally gonna request it

Best for femslash fic tbh, but I guess you could do gen.

The Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab

Again the worldbuilding is good. But the series is overall very dark. Also, an ensemble kind of feel.

My ship is two powerful magicians who seem to be the last of their kind, both working for royal families, one of whom lives as a prince and the other of whom is enslaved.

They’re enemies most of the time but still.

But a lot of people ship other things bc ensemble cast. There is one canon m/m ship. There is a slightly OP female crossdressing thief. There’s angsty brothers. There’s lots of people basically.

Good fandom for m/m, f/m, gen, even poly. Very good fandom for dark fic or whump imo.

Peter Darling by Austin Chant

Trans Peter Pan who used to be Wendy Darling

Ship is Peter Pan/Captain Hook

Writing style is gorgeous

Captures the cruel, childlike side of Peter Pan.

Good fandom for slash mostly, but I imagine you could pull off gen too.

Nero Wolfe series by Rex Stout

Detectives in New York in some vaguely historical time period.

Narrator is Archie Goodwin, very snarky and charming, one of my favorite characters of all time.

All the mysteries are fun but you’re mostly here for the dynamics between Archie, Nero Wolfe himself, and all the other regular members in the series--the detectives sometimes brought in to help out, the house cook, the pissed-off policemen, etc etc.

Also totally fine to read out of order, I’ve never really paid much attention to the order myself. Includes both novels and novellas.

A lot of people write slash in this fandom; I don’t really ship any slash ships for it (I’m kind of a gen bitch here) but I admit the potential is there.

Queen’s Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner

Technically YA fantasy but I’d say it’s not that firmly YA except for the first book.

Land of twists and intrigue with the occasional questing adventure. Pseudo-Greek setting.

Includes one of my favorite f/m ships for which I long for more dark fic.

Surprisingly active fandom, I am nowhere near caught up on the fanfic for the last book published.

Good fandom for het, slash, occasionally poly, and very good for GEN (sorry, the MC’s name is Gen and I couldn’t resist).

Goblin Market by Christina Rosetti

Idk why there’s a fandom nomination for a poem but I guess I’ll go with it, it’s a good poem.

Very ripe for femslash tho technically the MCs are sisters (but do they read like sisters? No, no they do not) so you might have to go AU for it.

Kind of dark and weird but childlike at the same time.

Movies/TV Shows/Anime/Literally Anything But Books

Kakegurui (anime/manga)

I’ve only watched the anime but I hear the manga is good.

Crazy high school obsessed with gambling gets even crazier when Yumeko the gambling freak shows up just to start drama.

Weirdly dark even tho nothing life threatening really happens. Ridiculously grotesque facial expressions on absolutely everyone.

Very good for femslash, decent for het and poly. You could probably write gen. But how.

Kado: The Right Answer (anime)

It’s sci-fi show that’s half about contact with aliens and half about the unhealthy relationship between an alien and his favorite human. And when I say half I mean “gets really dark in the last third”. But if you’re mostly interested in that part, it’s short enough that you still get there pretty quick.

I really just want dark slash fic, that’s all guys.

Two Faces of January (movie)

This is also a book by Patricia Highsmith but I nominated the movie bc it has Oscar Isaac and Viggo Mortensen.

Dark thriller vibes

Slashy vibes with weird daddy kink overtones (it can’t be helped, and this remains constant whether it’s book or movie)

Somehow I still ship it despite not really liking daddy kink.

Just trust me

Singin’ In the Rain

I’m really hoping this was nominated by someone who wants OT3 fic.

That’s all.

Gattaca

If you don’t already know about Gattaca are you even following me

It has Jude Law in it

Also it explores dystopian ableism and yet has an oddly ableist ending which consistently PISSES ME OFF, which is why I always request fix-it fic.

People really like slash for this movie and I get it but I don’t really ship it but a lot of people do so if you watch it, you will probably ship it too.

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell

British miniseries which I somehow like despite not liking most BBC shows. (Seriously, my roommate and sister have both tried to get me into Sherlock and Dr. Who and I just can’t, good for y’all who like such things tho.)

I’m mostly here for the fae aspects and one of the MCs being traumatized and descending into insanity.

But the aesthetic is also pretty rad.

 Harlots

It’s about harlots. Kind of Victorian? I think? Idk time periods guys.

It portrays sex and sex workers in interesting, pretty down to earth ways.

It’s a good place for femslash but I somehow find myself craving gen.

The aesthetic is strong.

Luke Cage

I’ve still only seen the first season but it was rad

A lot of black people, guys

Also superhero-y things

Probably best for het, tbh, tho I would slash ship Luke with Cornell. Why doesn’t anyone seem to ship that?

Sakeru Gum

It’s like a five minute commercial compilation that will change your life.

I’ve probably reblogged it at some point. Otherwise, search it on Youtube.

Loooong looooong mAAaaaaan

Fandoms I’m Not Actually In But Might Join If The Prompts Look Good

There’s a couple different books nommed by Mary Renault! I’m reading the Alexander Trilogy right now (Alexander the fuckign Great, guys), which is nommed, so if things work out I might write for that. There’s also The Last of the Wine and Mask of Apollo.

Also, there are two series nominated that are by K.J. Charles. I’ve only ever read The Henchmen of Zenda by K.J. Charles but that was really good, so I may have to try one of these series out. Of course, I’d have to actually have time, and series are a bit lengthy for me this semester! But I might read a book or two if the prompts look excellent.

Someone nominated Learning Curves by Ceillie Simkiss? Which is an indie lesfic romance novella which was published only this August. I’m shocked it somehow ended up in the tagset and very curious about prompts. But I haven’t actually read this book, I’ve just heard of it.

The Caper Court series by Caro Fraser sounds interesting, too. It’s about a guy trying to become a lawyer who needs to fulfill a pupillage first, whatever the fuck that is, but apparently there’s gay people and intrigue, so I’m interested. I’ve started the first book.

Also, Zorro by Isabel Allende is nominated. I’ve never read this book but I’ve always wanted to because I love Zorro--the old TV show was one of my favorites as a kid. But I’ve never read a literary take on it.

If I can watch the Kdrama for Orange Marmalade, I’m interested in that too. I’ve only ever read the webmanga, didn’t know it was a live action now. It’s got vampires :) and high school drama.

So this rant was kind of unnecessary, but I just have a lot of feelings, guys, okay? Just...a lot of feelings...

[little-goose]

"You don't have to test everything to destruction just to see if you made it right.”

One of my favorite quotes from Good Omens, and the only thing I was thinking about while watching Infinity War. It's been a week for me to process and collect my thoughts and let's just talk about it a bit shall we? I'm not going into full on spoilers, but since this is my account, I don't think I need to follow the weird "Thanos Gag Order" that won't stop circulating the internet.

Oh Infinity War. The fault in our wars. Where do we even start with you?

Here's the thing, regardless of whatever else you might feel about this film, good or bad, it's overwhelming. It's exhausting. And after waiting for 10 years, and 18 movies, you just REALLY want it to be a tribute to good story telling. I know that my reactions to the film were aggressive and immediate, both during the film and the second I left it. And it went through waves of, "that was the worst film I've ever seen," to, "maybe I'm overreacting, I mean, it's only part one."

And I truly think that I wanted to make those excuses because this was part one of the penultimate storyline for the MCU so far. I wanted to believe that I was just so upset by the events and the deaths and resurrections in this film because they were shocking on an emotional level and not because they're clearly for shock value. It's really disheartening to be let down by a movie you were looking forward to but I was. And I can admit that. I really should've expected it because each movie the brothers Russo have directed has had that gritty comic borderline-DC movie feel. And in some ways that's fine, it makes the stakes feel more "real" for people. But if the recent films in the MCU prove anything (Black Panther, Ragnarok, Homecoming, Guardians 2) it's that you can still have an emotional pull without complete devastation. If anything, the deaths in those films are more emotional, and the villains' motivations are still compelling because there is moderation, because you have that sense of true finality. Dad isn't coming back, your friend is really gone, and your planet is definitely blown up. Keep moving forward.

The absolute biggest problem with Infinity War is the Infinity Gauntlet itself. It resides in that tricky space of TOO MUCH. I think it absolutely wouldn't have been with better treatment. But the problem is now that we've established how limitless the power of the stones are, the stakes become so high they push past any level of believability.

I felt nothing at the deaths in the second half, because the Russo's "cleverly" dangle the plot point of time travel in front of us, and then expect the audience to be too dumb to see it. How do you expect me to feel any loss if you've just proven that you could bring anyone back? We know these characters have to, in some cases, because they already have solo films announced. It's the Schrödinger's cat of character deaths, because you lacked any closure in this film, and I know that anyone can come back, so does it matter if anyone is really dead at the end of part 1?

In fact the only deaths that could be final, Pre-Snap, as I like to call it, are the ones that I'm most upset about. I'm sorry but your movie opens with a bunch of dead refugees that add up to maybe a fourth of the original asguardian population, and then say your goal is just to cut civilizations in half... so was all that necessary? Was it to get Thor and Loki to cooperate? Because if it was, we didn't see it, I don't want to have to reach that far to guess your character's motivations. And, since Loki has to die once a movie and he had such an obvious tactic switch do you really expect me to believe he's really dead this time? Forgive me for reserving my tears.

Not to mention the fact that you're faced with the issue of the Collector, who multiple times, has been killed then re-spawned 20 seconds later. What? Did you realize you couldn't kill another character so you conveniently left his ENTIRE interaction with Thanos and the stone off center stage? How did you get the gem then? Why is there no follow up? It feels like you're trying to say, "no this is just us limiting the perspective of the story to the heroes," even though multiple times I have to suffer through close-ups of Thanos' gross chin as we delve into the '""complicated depths"" of his narrative.

The other main issue that made me realize this movie was just a Bad Movie is how it's presented to us.

Infinity War doesn't feel like a movie. It feels like I'm watching a series of short films with seemingly random mismatched pairs, that are meant to hook me into watching Part 2 next year. And it's not because of the size of the cast. Plenty of fantasy epics and sci-fi franchises manage that balancing act just fine. I lost all concept of time in the theater, since the film jumps around so often, it feels hard to follow regardless. Then all of a sudden people are confessing their love on death's door and it feels SO cheap. It's rushed and undercooked.

The whole thing feels a lot like when I would power-write a final essay the night before it's due: it might have some great lines, but overall it's sloppy, disorganized, and there are a bunch of passages in there that were clearly added for the sake of hitting the target word count.

And while I personally have always loved the witty one liners that are almost too common in every marvel film, and I liked several specific scenes in Infinity War, the humor just felt clunky in comparison to the stakes. The universe might get blown up and no one makes a single nihilistic joke?? Let me make this film instead.

The only real relationship they develop is the one that I could give less than half a shit about. We've spent at least 3 movies specifically talking about Thanos as a mentally and physically abusive father figure that I LOVED to hate for the sake of hating him. But the Russo brothers looked at the recent trend of sympathetic villains and said, "that's what the kids are into! We can do that!!" Without stopping to look at the villain they already had to work with. Because if this movie does anything consistently, it's them cherry-picking their favorite character traits from other films and reducing everyone to a few manageable bite sized traits so we can give Thanos a weirdly compelling backstory.

I don't want to feel like I should be sympathizing with an abuser. Ever. I don't need that in a film, thanks. Gamora should not be crying when she thought she killed him. Full stop. It should not have been a thing. And the shoehorning in of "he really loved Gamora and it costs him everything to achieve his dream." Sure, Jan.

This has gone on so long, that I'll leave any feelings about specific characters out, and simply say: you had at least three people with PhDs, plenty of seasoned fighters who have at least half a brain and no one, NO ONE, thought of just... I don't know, cutting off the arm that held the glove?

So no, this movie didn't emotionally devastate me. This movie made me mad, because it felt like they had to take every cheap shot, and rip out every good character by the roots because poor story tellers through that was the only way to get enough of an emotional response out of viewers when everything could be reversed with a snap of your fingers.

[fuckyeahevanrwood]

Evan Rachel Wood on Suits and Sci-Fi

When Evan Rachel Wood walked onto the red carpet at the annual Golden Globe awards in January, where she was nominated for her role in HBO’s fantasy Western series “Westworld,” the simple fact that she was dressed in a suit created a frenzy. A few weeks later, when she again eschewed a dress in favor of a suit at the Screen Actors Guild awards (where she was also nominated), a trend had been cemented.

“I knew that when awards season rolled around I wanted to walk down that red carpet in a Marlene Dietrich suit [and] just take a stance, because I know there’s pressure and I know there’s all this fear involved of not being liked or not being wanted or not making a best-dressed list,” Wood says. “And I just thought I don’t want to live my life like that — and I don’t think other people want to either.”

The role in “Westworld” has provided the 29-year-old with dual opportunities to raise her profile: her performance has been highly celebrated (she is now up for an Emmy, rounding out the season), and the subsequent awards circuit has given her a platform on which to model her commitment to freedom of expression.

Wood is on the phone from California with a nearly lost voice from several days of filming out in Santa Clarita. “We’ve been shooting this really intense sequence for the past week and we’re shooting in the desert, and there’s no service and we have all this stuff to do,” she says, the morning after a long night shoot. “I try to explain it to people sometimes; they’re like, ‘Dude I can’t get hold of you, what’s going on?’ and I’m like, ‘You don’t understand. ‘Westworld’ is all-consuming. Once you’re in, you’re in.’”

The intensity of the show — an average day includes filming in 113 degree temperatures or coming home to “wash dirt and blood off of me every day” — is what has drawn its masses of fans; the series is HBO’s most-viewed first season of an original series to date.

“It transcends the genre that is you think of a sci-fi show — you don’t expect it to be so profound or emotionally riveting,” Wood says of the show’s power. “And I think the themes it touches upon are all eerily relevant. Even though it is science fiction, it still is based in reality, weirdly, and [touches on] where technology is headed and the nature of human beings.”

Her character, Delores, is originally read as the classic damsel-in-distress trope but is revealed to be a much more layered woman. “When the show first came on the scene everyone was really worried because they had seen these images of me getting dragged and [took it as] violence against women and everyone sort of thought, ‘Oh great, here we go again,’” Wood says. “And then it turns out she’s this fierce warrior who is completely breaking that mold and taking a stand and saying no and changing the story.”

The show is tied with “Saturday Night Live” for the most Emmy nominations this year, including one for Wood. The ceremony, on Sept. 17, is the final big awards show for television stars — and the actress plans to arrive in her now-signature suit.

“I knew how I felt as an actress and as a woman, and I figured that if I felt that way, other people must feel that way, too,” says Wood, who has been acting since age 9, including a Golden Globes-nominated role in the film “Thirteen” in 2003. “I remember growing up as a teenager in the industry, there was massive amounts of pressure and a lot of opinions being thrown at you about what is good for you and what is good for your career, that goes against what feels right for you and your identity. I remember being a teenager and doing some photo shoot for a teen magazine and I really didn’t wear dresses — I was very shy and tomboyish and gangly, and had not gotten comfortable in my body yet — and they kept sending me dresses and I kept saying I really didn’t want to wear a dress, and they were, like, ‘You either put the dress on or we’re not taking your picture.’ And I remember doing the photo shoot with tears in my eyes because it was just so f–king uncomfortable.”

Wood is heavily inspired by David Bowie, whom she calls her “high priestess,” and by Dietrich in her top hat and coattails.

“I’d grown up looking at Dietrich, going ‘what a badass’ and that amazing suit that she wore was such an inspiration for me,” Wood says. “I was like maybe if I just go for it then we can start making it OK and have less pressure to feel like you have to fit the mold. And also because it didn’t feel honest to kind of perpetuate that, especially when young women are watching, and they take a lot of the cues from you and pop culture and fashion. So when I found out I was nominated I was, like, ‘All right, that’s it.’”

Wood has worked with celebrity stylist Samantha McMillen since she was a teenager, and together they partnered with Joseph Altuzarra to create custom suits for her various carpet appearances.

“I really admire Evan’s style and confidence to take chances and affect change through her look,” Altuzarra says. “The message she wanted to convey on the red carpet really resonated with me, so to work with her on tailoring options was a special collaborative experience.  She’s such a dynamic individual and her commitment to her look is so powerful, it’s contagious.”  

“It’s helping her to express the message that she wanted to send — it was kind of being who you are and wearing what you want to wear and not worrying that you won’t get your picture in the paper or be in the best dressed list because you’re in a suit,” says McMillen of Wood’s choice to wear suits. “Obviously, we try to look our best, but being who you are is the main thing — to be comfortable in what you’re wearing and not being afraid to be yourself and not conforming to what you think everybody has to look like.”

And if equating a red carpet fashion choice with real social power seems trivial, the reception Wood has received this past year — and is likely to see at the Emmys — disagrees.

“Look, I wore the suit and that might seem like a dumb, insignificant thing to some people, but little things like that really do make a difference,” she insists. “Anytime you can put something out in the world that you know people are going to see that might inspire them or change the way they think about something, then do it. Now is the time.”

[thesffcorner]

February Wrap Up

Despite being the shortest month of the year, I read 7 books and 10 graphic novels, or 17 things in total. It was also another month where I read a lot of diverse genres: I read 10 contemporaries, 4 of which were thriller/mysteries, and 6 of which were romance; 4 sci-fi, 1 speculative historical romance, 1 fantasy romance and 1 historical fantasy. Instead of doing highest to lowest, since I have so many graphic novels and some are part of the same series, I decided to group them by the date read, so without further ado, let’s get into it.

Fence vol. 1-3 by C S Pacat and Joanna the Mad (3, 4, 3 stars)

I wanted to read this series for a while, and I finally binged it this February. Fence follows Nicholas, a young fencer with a complicated past and poor background who comes to Kings Row, a school with the fourth best fencing programs in the country. There, to his shock he finds Senji, a junior champion with Olympic aspirations; and the two can’t stand each-other.

This series is just a whole lot of fun. It’s written like a Western style sports anime/manga, and Joanna the Mad’s artstyle is very reminiscent of manga, with lots of action line, pretty boys and expressive, large eyes. The first volume is a fine set up of Nicholas’ first confrontation with Senj, and arriving at the school, while the second and third volume deal with the qualifications at the school for who will make the fencing team. As Nick is on an athletic scholarship, he has to qualify or he gets kicked out, but like many of these series go, he has some stiff competition, and develops friendships with said competition.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between all the characters, especially Senji and Nicholas, and if you’re a fan of sports anime, cute queer comics, or painfully slow-burn enemies to lovers stories, check this out.

Check, Please! Year 3 by Ngozi Ukazu (4 stars)

The first thing I read in February was the third volume of Check, Please! This was as cute as the previous 2 volumes, as it follows Bittie’s third year in college. What struck out to me upon rereading this specific year, is that it actually has way more angst and conflict than I remember it having; there’s a lot here about Bittie and Jack coming to terms with not just their long distance relationship, but also coming out and finding acceptance within the confines of a major sports league like the NHL. It also deals a lot with Bittie coming to terms with the hockey team changing as Ransom, Holster and Lardo graduate. Overall, a good continuation of the story.

Deadly Class vol 1-2 by Rick Remender and Wes Craig (3, 2, 2 stars)

Deadly Class is a series that if I had started reading when I was in late high school, early college, I know I would have loved. However now, as an adult, I find it grating, pretentious, and far too extreme for no real reason. The story aspects that I liked the most, I’ve also already seen or read in far better works; it doesn’t help that up to volume 3, there are only 2 characters left that I remotely care about, and one of them just got introduced in that volume.

The series follows a group of kids who go to an elite training school for assassins. We mostly follow Marcus, the son of a Nicaraguan expats, who ends up at the school after he meets Saya and a few of the other students during a stick up. Though the first volume started out promising, volumes 2 and 3 kept getting less and less good, and unless something drastically changes in my life, I can’t see myself continuing on with this series.

Contagion by Erin Bowman (3 stars)

This is a sci-fi book set in the near-distant future, and it follows the crew of Odyssey, a research vessel that is sent to Black Quarry to investigate a distress signal. Once there, the crew realizes that something bad has happened, as they find bodies and a potentially deadly thing haunting them; and the mysterious ‘young boy’ the engineer of Black Quarry warns them about is not making matters any easier.

This was a rather mediocre sci-fi, but I still enjoyed it. As it’s part of a duology I will definitely be finishing the story out, but as is it doesn’t do too much with this well-tread premise. Bowman does have a good grasp on action and suspense, but a lot of the character decisions in the novel were akin to ones characters in Blumhouse horrors make, and considering most of them are some form of scientists, that wasn’t an ideal route to take. Still if you enjoy stories about aliens, sentient viruses, isolated space incidents and horror, it’s worth checking out.

Prince Charming by Rachel Hawkins (4 stars)

This is the first book in a series of contemporary romances, all centering around the fiction crown family of Scotland. In this first novel we follow Daisy, the younger sister of Eli, who gets engaged to Andrew, the Crown Prince of Scotland. After an incident in a parking lot with her ex, Daisy gets blackmailed into spending the summer in Scotland with her sister and fiance, and get acquainted with the royal family; cue shenanigans, romance and lots of sisterly yelling.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book; it was very funny and entertaining, and I haven’t related to a characters quite like I did to Daisy, since Princess Mia Thermopolis. While there are some tropes these stories tend to have, Hawkins manages to avoid a lot of the cliches, and she actually has some really good commentary on the economy of the royal family, the outdated and outright sexist traditions, the close-mindedness, and the prejudice that both sides are steeped in at the start. I found the romance very cute, the shenanigans were funny and entertaining, and I will definitely be reading the sequel.

Heart of Gold Part 1 by Eli and Viv (4 stars)

This is an webcomic that I stumbled onto by complete accident, but it blew me away. It follows Ionel, a concert pianist who is slowly losing his sight, and Kasper a priest with the power to heal people. Ionel moves to the small town and starts attending mass, in hopes that Kasper will heal him, but every time it gets close to, or his turn, Kasper refuses to help him. Through his attendance, the two become close, with Kasper seeming to have a crisis of faith, all while people from the town start dying; and they might be connected to Kasper.

This comic drew me in almost immediately. The art is absolutely beautiful, and it’s hard to believe that this is a free web comic. The story too is very mature and interesting; it deals a lot with religion, faith, and sacrifice, and the slow build of Isonel and Kaspar’s relationship feels very natural. I can’t wait for Act 2, and I’m really hoping the answers to what is happening in the town deliver on the build up we’ve gotten so far.

Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson (3 stars)

I heard about this book a lot when it came out, and I decided to check it out, since it’s a mystery following a girl who wants to become an FBI agent, coming to Ellingham Academy, a Montessori type private school, to solve an old cold case; that of the founder, Albert Ellingham’s daughter’s kidnapping.

I won’t lie; this book did not live up to the hype for me, though it was entertaining. I have a much longer and more detailed review of why, but it mostly boiled down to a few things. First, I didn’t like that it ends of a cliffhanger, and we get no answers; this is a bit odd for a mystery, especially a series which has more than two books. Second, I thought the way the past and present mystery connected wasn’t very well done, and I kept losing interest in the past, because of the way the book was written. And finally, I found some of the writing dry and lacking in proper atmosphere.

However, I still enjoyed the story, and the main character of Steve, and I will probably read the sequel, since I still want to know what happens.

S.T.A.G.S. by M A Bennet (3 stars)

S.T.A.G.S. is a British thriller, set in Saint Aidan the Great’s School or STAGS, a private boarding school with a long tradition. When new student Greer gets invited to a weekend of huntin, shootin, fishin at the estate of the leader of the most popular clique in the school, Henry, she accepts, not knowing what waits for her; and what does is a nightmare that might turn deadly, where the hunting, shooting, and fishing, might be a little too real and dangerous.  

I really enjoyed this thriller; I thought it was entertaining, fast paced and had a plot that kept me invested to the end. I also weirdly enjoyed the subtle romance between two of the characters, which isn’t often the case.

However, this book isn’t without it’s problems. The ending is a bit predictable, and having seen the Riot Club, I knew what I was getting into, in terms of what the weekend actually entailed. I also found that the book lacked a lot of tension, because we found out early on who lives through it. However, it was still enjoyable, and if you like these types of thrillers set in boarding schools or private estates, I think you will enjoy this one.

Undead Girl Gang by Lily Anderson (4 stars)

Like Prince Charming before, I was genuinely surprised at how much I ended up enjoying this book, because when I started it, I was really caught off guard by the humor. However, once I got used to it, this became one of the funniest things I read this month.

Undead Girl Gang is a horror/comedy that follows Mila, a Mexican-American teenager who practices Wicca. After her best friend Riley supposedly commits suicide, just a week after a double suicide of two of her other classmates, Mila decides to perform a spell and bring Riley back; but instead she brings all three of the girls back. The problem? They can’t stand each-other, and if they don’t want to be walking zombies, they need to stay within a 100 steps of Mila.

This book was hilarious and very dark. I really enjoyed all the relationships between the girls, and I found the look at grief very well done and moving. The ending was climactic, and the conclusions Mila comes to worked well for me; if you enjoyed the Craft, Mean Girls or Heathers, check this out, you will probably like it.

Gilded Wolves by Roshani Chokshi (5 stars)

This was by far my favorite thing I read this month. I struggled writing a review for it, because I just didn’t know how to talk about it without just relegating to spoilers and gushing about the characters and the puzzles. It’s a book that follows a group of thieves, who steal magical artifacts, each with their own motivations and goals. When they steal a magical Chinese compass, the discover that it leads them to a Horus Eye; an artifact so powerful it can show them the way to the fabled Fragment of Babel.

It’s the Mummy, mixed with National Treasure, mixed with Ocean’s 11. It’s fun heist story, set during the Exposition Universelle, and if you are like me at all and like any of these things, you will love this book.

Sleepless vol. 1 by Sarah Vaughan (4 stars)

This was probably my favorite of the graphic novels I read; it’s a fantasy that follows Poppy, the illegitimate daughter of a King, and a famous star reader. When her father the King dies, Poppy is forced to navigate court life, as his brother takes the throne, but things become increasingly hard as several assassination attempts are made, and her Sleepless protector Cyrenic starts drifting.

There’s just something about this series that ticks all my boxes. The art is absolutely gorgeous, the story is interesting and a bit different from the usual fantasy I read, and the Sleepless vow is a very unique type of magic. To top it off, I really like the two leads, Poppy and Cyrenic and I’m curious to see what turn the story will take after the ending we get in issue 6.

Motor Crush vol. 1 by Brenden Fletcher (3 stars)

I’ve been meaning to start this series for a while, and I finally did in February, and man was it a great time to do this, fresh after seeing Battle Angel Alita.

This follows Domino, a bike racer, who is trying to make it big and qualify for the world circuit. However, to survive she needs Crash, an illegal substance that is used to fuel the bikes in this universe, but she needs to inhale it. Through the first volume we find out a bit about her mysterious past, her ex-girlfriend Lola, and a man who seems to either want to help her or kill her; all while she races to win the qualifications and the Crash.

This series was a fun, fast paced ride, but it’s not without its problems. The art is beautiful, but the story needs some more polishing; there’s too many plot threads and not enough time to develop them. I can’t imagine how things will resolve in the next volume after that climax, but I will definitely be continuing it; the world was gripping enough to have me enjoy it, and Domino was a character I definitely rooted for.

Umbrella Academy vol. 1 by Gerard Way (3 stars)

Since the show is all anyone talks about, I decided to finally start this series and boy is it cooky. We follow the Umbrella Academy, a group of 7, who were adopted by a crazy millionaire savant Reginald Hargreeves, after being born in a spontaneous event all over the world where 48 mothers gave birth. Hargreeves trains the kids to stop the apocalypse, and now 10 years after his death brings 6 of the 7 back to his house, unaware that the apocalypse is here; and it’s a direct consequence of their reunification.

There is a lot of good and a lot of weird in this series. The characters have glimpses of interesting personalities and the idea of 7 kids being raised from birth to be superheroes by a man who is a British version of Ra’s al Ghul is interesting. But unfortunately the series doesn’t fully explore this, and the ending is really abrupt. The humor is quirky, and sometimes it works, but more often it makes the tone weirdly uneven, as we swing from graphic, albeit cartoon violence to slapstick. I think the show does a much better job with the tone, and while this first volume gets a lot right, it’s by no means perfect.

Sadie by Courtney Summers (4 stars) 

This was by far the hardest book I’ve read in a long time. It’s a mystery that follows Sadie, a girl who disappears after her younger sister is brutally assaulted and murdered; and West McCray, a podcast host who is retracing her steps, trying to find her. It’s a book about grief, assault, pedophilia, violence and the lies we tell ourselves so we don’t have to think about what happens to girls in this world, and it’s dower, dreary and oh so real. It made me feel things I don’t normally do when I read, and if you can stomach the content, I recommend it. If you can, get the audiobook; it’s a full cast and the podcast bits are done like a real podcast, which makes the story feel that much more immersive.   

The Disasters by M K England (5 stars)

I needed something light and fun after the last two things I read in February, and this was the perfect way to end my month. This was my favorite book I read so far, maybe even more than the Gilded Wolves. It’s a sci-fi that follows a group of 4 rejects from Space Academy who have to work together to survive a terrorist attack, and prevent another one from happening. It’s fast paced, incredibly entertaining, and I fell in love with all the characters.

I absolutely cannot wait for whatever else M K England publishes, and I loved this to pieces.  

[cibokilley]

Cross-post from Pillowfort.io

So, the following Blanket Box is for worldbuilding. The world I'll be exploring with this BB is from Cosmosis, a story/graphic novel/whatever I've been developing in the past few months.

General concept: LA PLEROMA is an abstract, enclosed internal world with no borders. There is no 'outside' -- everything in this world is an interior, just an entire plane made up of building interiors. Exiting one interior just brings you into another one, and so on. These repeat-borders cannot be mapped, however, as the interior continually and gradually builds itself larger and larger based on human observation. Some say the world is a living thing, eating and growing at a glacial pace. While it is believed that the interior runs on forever, there are some who believe there is an end to all of it. However, this is countered by another school of thought that declares that La Pleroma merely loops in on itself, but no one knows exactly at what point does it begin to repeat. Other angles suggest that La Pleroma exists in a spiral, and goes on further to suggest that it's not just a spiral but a tesseract in a Fibonacci spiral, in which both time and space do repeat themselves.

Most of La Pleroma is unchecked and feral. Pockets of civilization exist here and there, and sometimes they even interact, for better or for worse. Everywhere else is a liminal space. Monsters abound, hidden and insidious.

I’m going for more conceptual than realistic. It’s been a fun thought exercise so far.

Warning: LONG ASS. So very long. Like ten pages long. Prepare thine asses, assholders. That paragraph two lines above IS the tl;dr version.

1. What was the original inspiration for your world? Why are you making it?

Echo for the PS4 (now on PC and GoG) was the initial inspiration for the world of COSMOSIS. I super loved the concept of a never-ending palace structure full of weird shit, which I then paired up with an Escheresque flair to flip this palace dimension off its predictable axes. Ideally the place is still structured with occasional recognizable patterns, and only in very messed-up sections of the COSMOSIS world is there true chao -- a teratoma-esque mishmash of elements that aren't supposed to be crashing or clipping into each other, etc.

The other huge influencer is the cybergoth-industrial world of BLAME! by Tsutomu Nihei. This is one of the first manga I really invested in from start to finish due to Nihei's use of scale to show just how huge and expansive his insular, interior world can be. That and I adored the concept of the Network superstructure just... slowly, constantly expanding itself despite the lack of humanity to give context to these lonely, unused spaces. Areas are so vast that time and space operate differently in parts of the maze, as well as weather, species, species of human, as well as technology and specific atmospheric phenomenon.

2. Does your world have any kind of 'aesthetic,' or a predominant genre (other than fantasy/sci fi/etc)?

Definitely high fantasy. No elves or DnD races, though, just humans.

For overall flavour, I want it to feel like a whimsical fantasy, not to be taken too seriously. Most events will be entertainingly cartoonish, but with some serious moments as well. I also want to maintain a sense of wonder and open exploration, to inspire readers to stay on so they can explore the world along with the characters. It feels like a post-apoc setting, but in a world where people didn’t live in. The eerie liminal spaces suggest a mysterious past, a story half-told and forgotten, where in the inhabitants are bereft of a cultural history to explain how and why they exist in a setting where 'outside' has an ominous meaning.

On the conceptual side, much of the gnosis presented here is supposed to be a bit technical in nature, almost like a proper science, but is really just a lot of comparable analogues and metaphors and borrowed terms. I wanted to create a sense of deep lore and dogma while leaving enough room for interpretation.

3. Introduce us to your continents and major cities/countries.

Oh here we go. The primary reason why I'm answering this questionnaire is to force me to come up with distinct cultures and locations for the narrative to explore. The places visited by the main narrative are as follows:

THE ROYAL PALACE

At the center of the story is a castle-like juggernaut of vertical space occupied only by the Royal Family. The Palace maintains a sense of baroque opulence, cold and sophisticated, utilized but never truly lived-in. It is believed that the ancestors of the Royal Family not only built the Palace, but created the Capital. Thus, the royal descendants are not only divine, but are gods or demi-gods themselves. This is somewhat true: Castelin, the first of the royal family, had some involvement in the creation of La Pleroma in full. The details remain a secret known only to the Royals.

THE CAPITAL

Outside of the Palace is the Capital, a series of concentric rings of humanity living in close proximity. These rings form a massive city that radiates outward from the Palace. Each level is larger than the one before it, and it is spread out so vastly that entire generations are born and die in their home rings without having ever exited the city, and not for lack of trying to get out. The Capital tends to have housing and buildings that make relative sense, but further along the outward radiation the structures begin to clip into one another, creating the bizarre hodgepodge that defines La Pleroma.

A feudal system keeps the Capital running. Not all rings are urban — some rings are dedicated to farmland and primary resource cultivation.

THE WILDERNESS

Outside of the Capital is pure wilderness. Structures make less sense, with stairways leading to nowhere and exits with no meaning. Though no one has been able to ascertain, it is believed that even the wilderness is contained within a ring-like structure as the Capital. Cartographers have tried, and died.

Greenery and foliage occur randomly where water can be found, but not all parts of the wilderness are forest. Most of the wilderness is made of stone buildings, sterile and dry. Other places do not have water, but other creatures and organisms may inhabit nonetheless. Not all living things have been documented or discovered. Plants grow where they can, structures decay under the weight of encroaching nature, and some places are subterranean, filthy and murky. Some places are completely alien, and usually super unpleasant.

The style of the terrain varies per region. Some places suggest medieval European with vaulted arches, stained glass windows, ornate outcroppings and arrow slits spiralling for miles up along massive towers, while others might look like parts of the Palace, richly trimmed, furnished, but empty. Domiciles appear transplanted or teleported straight into existing structures. Some places are utterly ruined, as though devastated by quake or ballistics or fire. Occasionally, bits and pieces of robots can be found lying about. Sometimes, humans can be found out here. Different types of human…

AEONIC GENERATORS #1-30

Still working on these. Will update when I get to it, narratively.

HISTORY

As mentioned before, La Pleroma is beset with a vague sense of history. There was a time when La Pleroma was actually coherent, a finite space serving an organized purpose, but for some reason modern civilization has forgotten how this came to be. Why would a television set occur out in the wilderness? Did someone make it and abandon it? Did it just appear one day? Why are the power grids so random? Why do some stairs climb sideways, why do some ceilings have doorways, why is the world built to the shape and size of humans? Who discovered chirality, or discovered how to harness the magical powers of the Kenoma? How do human beings even know of the Other Place?

Nobody knows. But someone is set to find out.

AND ONE MORE THING

Also, while there does appear to be some form of gravity, the endless chambers of La Pleroma are not all built along the same plane or axis. Doorways that do not open and aimless stairs may appear upside down or sideways, since the artificial nature of this world seems human-built, but gravity usually falls only one way.

4. What cool species does your world have? This can be people races, aliens, neat wildlife, monsters, whatever.

Humans exist as the dominant species, but they also share ground with animal people. They're not furries, per se, they're just humans with animal heads or animal features. The story doesn't really explore this concept too deeply, as they're merely window dressing and flavour for the setting.

Humans exist in full racial ambiguity. Like cats or dogs, human beings in this world don't segregate by race or colour, though they may separate on religion or ideals. Also, curiously -- all humans are considered and assumed bisexual until proven otherwise. For some reason cleaving to your own sex is seen as ‘developing a habit’, while being strictly hetero is considered a bit limiting albeit necessary for procreational reasons. Marriage is less about nuclear family and more about gaining resources via declared relationships. In this way, even homogeneous couples can secure formal married status with a lack of children. Adoption is common.

Wildlife varies. The usual normal animals exist, albeit it slightly altered to their weirdly unnatural surroundings -- for example, wolves that know how to use the urban jungle for hunting and ambush tactics, parkour deer, tigers that know how to use doors, creatures with urban camo, etc. Also insects, lots of flying creatures, and fish. And weird shit that is unidentifiable; vegetable, mineral? Misc?? What is that?

Monsters -- there are lots of these. Anything that is distinctly oversized, or is clearly expressing gigantism, is considered monstrous.  Also, anything with more teeth than usual is also seen as monstrous. To be considered a true monster, however, is for creatures to have mystical abilities such as teleportation, illusory talents, shape-changing, anything magical or that cannot be explained by biology alone. And also, anything that can’t be easily identified is probably a monster.

Animal people are weirdly common. They are not as numerous or recognizable as humans are, but relations usually tend to be friendly. They do not interfere with human affairs, preferring to keep to themselves. But on the occasion where rival communities wage war on each other, the animal people think and behave exactly the same as humans do, so the only real discrimination among them is cosmetic at best. Usually they appear as normal humans, except with animal heads.

There are also strange instances of humans becoming animals, and animals becoming human. No one knows how or why this happens.

And then there’s the Royal Family. With a lineage that dates back to the beginning of time, members of the Imperial Royal Family are distinct in that they are semi-human. Though outwardly they appear normal, they are known sorcerers who can cast magic spells without components or incantation, and need only one voice to cast: their own. They are also said to be clairvoyant, can walk through walls, and appear in two or three places at once. Otherwise, they too behave like ordinary humans. What services they provide to the Capital include organized defense of borders, city planning, disaster relief, and actual governmental social services.

And last but not least, the kosmikoi are ghosts and phenomena that originate in the Kenoma, but are somehow able to express themselves in La Pleroma. They are highly dangerous in that anything coming into contact with the kosmikoi can and will implode, violently. Small instances tend to burn themselves out in tiny flashes when they immediately come into contact with positively-charged particles constantly present in the air space of La Pleroma, but large instances appear surrounded by a hazy fog of matter and antimatter particles cancelling each other out in the presence of air. Also, looking directly at them at close range causes madness.

5. Tell us a fable or myth from your world.

Bonus round! I’ve got not one but TWO myths to expound upon…!

THE WELL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD

There is a story about the Well at the Bottom of the World. They say it is the only place in La Pleroma that opens up on the opposite side of the world, tunnelling right through. Some say it exits straight out into the Kenoma, and that the presence of the sea is the only thing keeping La Pleroma from being sucked out like water down a drain. And some say the well does have a bottom, and if you manage to get there, your greatest wish comes true. However, the few tales that trickle down to the Capital never end well.

CREATION MYTH

The creation myth of La Pleroma is not well-known. There are spinoff legends and localized versions of the origin of the world, but here is the myth as it is known by scholars:

In the Beginning, there was Nothing. Then, Nothing contracted from itself and became Something and Nothing. This separation was called tzimtzum (borrowing heavily from Lurianic Kabbalism). The space contained within itself was called La Pleroma (innenwelt), and the negative space surrounding it was called the Kenoma (umwelt). Or: the universe was a wave before it became a particle.

Vague interpretations of  this story created a unique collective memory of a time before Nothing, a previous cycle of existence that was either the same or slightly changed from the present. Whatever it was, the first cycle has definitely informed the present — as though the world suddenly begat amnesia, and is now struggling to remember who they were and why they’re here.

Application and Imago

Scholars have attempted to prove the validity of this myth mathematically (to put it lightly). The end result is a bizarre non-euclidean geometry proving the shape of the world: that there is no edge, but the interior of the model goes on forever.

The scholars theorize that the world is a Schroedinger's box: that the world is actually a cloud of possibilities that do not resolve until a sentient being observes it. They theorize that this is the reason why no one can find the edge of the world -- because it merely expands when someone is there to observe, and then contracts when no one is around. In short, if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, it does not in fact make a sound. But then the problem arises that if everyone were to suddenly fall asleep simultaneously, or a sudden die-off erased all living creatures in existence, would the world end?

The philosophers have an answer for this issue. La Pleroma  is actually a living thing in and of itself, and does not sleep. The world-entity remains stable because it is aware of itself -- it observes itself, therefore it exists.

6. How do magic (if you have it) and technology work in your world? What tech level are you at? How does magic influence technology, and vice versa?

The study of 'magic' is called psycho-science (borrowing heavily from Masamune Shirow's Orion), and is a property possessed by those with an advanced parietal third eye. This eye is located inside the brain, and acts as a portal to the Kenoma through which miracles may be drawn. La Pleroma is opposite to the Kenoma in concept -- if La Pleroma is mostly mass, then the Kenoma is mostly energy. This energy can be traded via the parietal third eye and then used to grant miracles, such as walking on water, healing, raising people from the dead, and assorted elemental powers. The exact mechanism that enables human flesh and the brain to activate this phenomenon is still unknown, though the concept of conscious will being the key driver in directing Kenomic energy into agency has already been proven. Practitioners of this ability are called mages, or sorcerers.

Those who do not possess a well-developed parietal third eye can still use mechanical means of channelling Kenomic power into agency, as follows:

SPELL COMPONENTS

Through the use of certain materials, such as metal, wood, stone, etc., Kenomic energy can be exchanged using the material itself. The 'exchange' occurs when matter is swapped out for energy, so all spells must rely on mostly transient components. Metal and stone take the longest to wear away from use, while wood and paper tend to be used up in one or two charges at most. Dense mediums like platinum or diamond have a near-infinite capacity for use. These materials are fashioned into convenient apparatus such as rings, jewellery, talismans, etc. Technically a good wizard or witch can use anything in their immediate surroundings, but purity of elements will result in a cleaner, smoother spell effect whereas a less homogeneous conductor may interrupt the flow. That said, the mass to energy conversion is never 1:1, as there must be some energy from the caster to initiate the exchange.

Sorcerers typically do not require components to cast, but they may do so in an effort to conserve personal stamina. In this setting, sorcerers are extremely rare.

CHANT and INCANTATION

The amperage of a channelling event is determined by the power of incantation, using voice as the unit of measure. (Eight voices is a chord, twelve voices is a chroma, etc.) The purpose of the chant is to invoke the vibration of the material to be sacrificed, to initiate the matter-energy exchange. The more voices, or embodiments of conscious will, are added to a chant, the greater the flow of Kenomic energy. One voice will have a small effect, but many voices can increase the strength, duration, and distance of effect.

The incantation, also called the chant (the term is interchangeable), must be cycled repeatedly to create a psychic/aetheric vibration that weakens the morphic field of any given physical component. This weakening allows the matter to lose its shape and convert into pure energy, which is then redirected to perform work dependent on the will of the caster. The general rule is the Law of Conservation of Energy, in which energy cannot be created or destroyed within an isolated environment. Something must be exchanged.

The preferred chants come from a set of scripture called the Heavenly Tenets, which contain different chants and hundreds of lines to be memorized. The chant used most often for spellcasting is called The Oscillatory, which is the first chant in the series and is usually studied the most. In this manner, individual casters can use custom chants for similar spells so long as the pitch is correct. Also, to prevent confusion between dialect and spell voice, the chant is usually performed in the ancient tongue. (For the use of this story, Latin.) Because of this, the Heavenly Tenets are considered holy words with the power to create miracles when uttered.

There is a theory that the specific emanation created by voicing the Oscillatory actually performs an anthropomorphic role in using components to activate. Recitation ‘reminds’ objects of their origins and coaxes them to return to their natural state, ie. pure energy, or zero-point vacuum energy potential. The psycho-scientific community cannot prove or disprove this theory as of yet.

AETHER

Aether is the transmutation of Kenomic energy into mass. Raw Kenomic energy behaves like light, which can be trapped inside photonic crystal. A secret method is then used to compress the light into a plasmatic state, resulting in a gel-like substance that evaporates when exposed to air. Small amounts of aether can be stored for use in talismans, but large amounts cause greater instability, and must be stored separately. Linking Aether jars together with electrical connections is standard procedure.

AMPLIFIERS, TALISMANS, MAGIC/ENCHANTED ITEMS

Advancements in modern magical technology have allowed users to control the chant using talismanic resonators, or amps. Artificial voices can be added to a chant to enhance its strength. The core element of an amplifier is Kenomic aether condensed into a semi-liquid called copy-gel inside an airtight vessel. Stored in this aether is a brain. Originally, only real human brains were effective. Animal brains did not react as predicted, though dog brains could occasionally be substituted. But modern science has been able to develop artificial vat-grown brains, embedded with a personality impression, for the use in amps. Echoes of a voice or many voices can be recorded into the brain, and using copy-gel as a medium, the brain acts as a surrogate for a conscious will, or ‘voice’. These brains can occasionally remember certain patterns of incantation if used repeatedly for the same cast. Also, brains with a suitable personality embedded on the psyche can perform better than brains that have been impressed by old personality code that has eroded or been duplicated too often. Personality can also affect the ‘tone’ or ‘texture’ of a cast. For example: a chaotic personality may result in an unpredictable spell effect, or a ferret’s personality will give the spell effect a whimsical, playful aesthetic. However, brains do have an expiry date, so they must be replaced every now and then.

There are mixed reactions among the casting community on the use of amplifiers. Some argue that even artificial brains that can be added as voices are actually conscious and capable of developing unique personality, and thusly, can also suffer emotional and psychic pain. While studies indicate that these vat-grown brains do not register ECG when idle, the more spiritual and empathetic argument still chooses to abstain from using amps, for fear of karmic retribution.

In this vein, extra voices can also be acquired simply by employing a choir of singers to activate seals and spells, since individual humans are the main providers of conscious will. Chants by choirs of novices were the only way to enhance rituals, back in the old days, as they say.

Amps come in different shapes and sizes depending on use. Mega-amps can convey the will of up to ten chords or more for larger, more complex rituals, while single-use amps can boost spellcasting for up to one or two voices. Amp effects stack as well, enabling modern casters (with sufficient availability and budget) to cast spells with enormous potential, utilizing hundreds of voices (also called tone clusters) provided by multiple amps connected together and plugged into an electrical generator or electric power supply.

Also, copygel is a non-Newtonian fluid.

CAUTION and CONSEQUENCES

The consequences of the misuse of Kenomic exchange, or magic, are usually fatal. Like the implosions that occurred during the formation of the universe, casters and surrounding matter can be sucked straight into the Kenoma. There is no surviving this event, as all and any physical objects passing through go through traumatic spaghettification. In short: soft squishy structure being sucked through a tiny hole. The implosion radius differs depending on the caster’s individual control.

TECHNOLOGY

In addition to aetheric tech, electricity has existed for a very long time as well. Some parts of the La Pleroma actually contain foundries and devices designed for use with electricity. Power is provided via land cable, but finding these connections is difficult, as the grids are usually embedded right in the structure itself, bricked up behind walls and trap doors, hanging from windows, etc. Random power sockets may or may not be connected to anything at all. It takes an entire guild of electricians to keep a city running, provided they can find a power supply, or if the city has ways of generating their own.

Techwise, the level is all over the place. Certain civilizations have up to a 1920’s level of sophistication while others have already harnessed nuclear fission/fusion. Some are still scraping about in the stone age. The vast distances between groups in La Pleroma are mind boggling.

7. What are the major religions of your world? How have they affected the rest of society and history? How are they organised?

CELESTIAL LAW aka the Laws of Heaven aka the Heavenly Tents

Above all things, even gods, is Celestial Law. Rather than governing the lives and behaviours of human beings, the Law focuses more on karmic cause and effect, the rule of threes, and the expectation that you reap what you sow. Also, Celestial Law includes the expectations of gods, demigods, spirits, saints, and other spectral forces. Only through ritual may these beings pass into the living world, and that only by exorcism will they be allowed back out. Celestial Law also dictates how Nature should preside, ideally keeping ice cold, fire hot, water wet, etc.

Usually people don’t want kosmikoi, lost souls or spirits, wandering around in La Pleroma, but the Kenoma does house a myriad of special forces that can be called upon to act within mortal bounds. It is expected that the soul migrates to the Kenoma as pure energy, having left its body behind on the mortal plane.

Celestial Law is not a direct analogue of Buddhist dharma, but it’s similar.

GODS

Religion in La Pleroma operates on a dualist cosmology with a single Creator god, flanked by a broad array of saints and some ancestor worship. The Creator God is assumed to be omniscient with a dark twin, a Demiurge, mirroring his/her/its existence in the Kenoma. Here, the Demiurge exists as a mindless force that governs Heaven and Earth. While even God must adhere to the laws of Heaven, he/she/it is not subservient to them; instead, God has the ability to take shortcuts, but never does he/she/it break celestial law. In this fashion, God and the Demiurge cooperate to keep Creation running. This principle has given rise to a gnostic religion called Chirality.

In La Pleroma, religion is more of a cultural product, a way of life, rather than a strict adherence to a code of virtues.

Orders and Denominations

Chiralism is organized by a brief hierarchy of novices, deacons, ministers, priests, priestesses, and a High Priest. While rural Chiralism makes due with ministers, only in the capital does this advanced hierarchy serve any purpose.

The Royal Church of Chirality is divided into two schools of thought on the shape of the world:

The Helexites believe that La Pleroma turns in a spiral in which both time and space repeat themselves, with slight differences per revolution. They posit that the world has both a beginning and an end, and that with each iteration the world advances upward towards some ascendant tier.

The Möbii believe that La Pleroma is much simpler, and that it exists in a loop. They are still working out the exact point where the world begins to repeat, as no one has found a way to head west and inevitably end up returning to the same point from the east.

Both denominations recognize that La Pleroma exists in chirality to the Kenoma, though exactly to what degree is yet unknown. (Chirality means mirror-image flipped only on one plane, ie. looking in a mirror.)

While the two denominations will disagree with each other on this detail, it must be noted that they do not war with one another — both acknowledge that potentially, both ideas are correct simultaneously according to the Laws of Heaven. These Laws are more like fundamental physical laws rather than laws in the bureaucratic sense, in which consequence is preceded by cause.

That said, there are offshoots and cults formed around extremist interpretations of dogma of both denominations, with with one side denouncing the other with lethal intent. These heretic orders can and will pit God versus Demiurge, in which the spiritual is seen as morally good, while the material life is seen as evil. Opposing factions reverse the order: God is seen as a dark, masculine oppressor, while the Demiurge is considered soft and feminine and imbued with the powers of procreation and rebirth of living things.The Church of Chirality openly rejects these splinter factions, but the abuse continues.

Worship

Chiralist worship has no liturgal ritual or need for mass gathering. Rather, the style is more eastern, in that people engage in casual ancestor worship at home or pay homage to shrines. Chiralism is Shinto-esque in that it focuses more on establishing a connection between the present and the past, and that there are rituals to be performed in order to do so. Chirality has no leader, authority, or political influence. There is only the sacred scripture called the Heavenly Tenets, aka Celestial Law.

8. Tell us about a cool geological or magical feature of your world.

Lol to be honest, La Pleroma is a cool geological AND magical feature in itself.

9. Introduce us to the major 'civilisations' or societies of your world, if you haven't already. How do they interact? What do trade routes look like? What did 'ancient' civilisations look like-- or are the current ones the first?

THE HUMAN SPECIES

Civilization exists in remote pockets throughout La Pleroma. Because of the massive distances involved, subspecies of humans have evolved differently per region. Some humans are extremely small — not short, but miniaturized. Other species of human are very large. Humans in more isolated communities that have existed for a very long time tend to develop specific sets of shared features (ie. townies who’ve been intermarrying for generations), certain resistances and vulnerabilities, etc. Other species of human have only retained the chiral symmetry and silhouette of the human body but nothing else.

Another subset of humans are the animal folk. Like humans, animal folk differ per region. Imports include: food, water, assorted primary resources, tertiary services. The Capital exports: manufactured goods, clothing, weapons, secondary services.

The heroes of the narrative set in this world are regular humans. However, they may not be considered ‘normal’ by other species of human.Some communities have been documented, but La Pleroma is otherwise a kind of wild expanse full of danger and surprises. There are vast stretches of uninhabited space, so trade between entirely different species of human is difficult.

The story starts off with just one nation of humans, who call themselves Chiralists. This group has never made contact with other human subspecies, though they trade regularly with animal people.

10. Tell us an important story in your world. This could be the planned story arc for a campaign, the story you're writing set in this world, or just the story of an underdog prince and how he changed a kingdom.

So here we go, the summary for COSMOSIS:

Prince Anton Kovec, a high-ranking member of the Royal Family, is a caster, Holy Interpreter, and edgelord who, after the Capital is attacked by a hole in the sky, sets out to repair the damage. Accompanying him is his lesbian sidekick Sister Gladys Degunais, a cheeky yet resourceful priestess and Anton’s childhood friend. Together they must find ten Grand Sacrifices (a buncha mystic macguffins) with which to repair ten of the thirty Aeonic Generators, sacred towers at the edges of the world that supposedly keep the world together.

In this adventure, Anton and Gladys come upon interesting people to add to their party, including the vigilante royal treasury accountant Brigga Irene, Officer Damien Acanthus Holley of the Royal Army, and Kuno, a frog.

The cast will encounter strange beasts and terrifying enemies on their quest to find the relics to use as Grand Sacrifices, and they will also encounter other Interpreters on the same mission.

But there's one thing Anton wants to understand: Hasn't this happened before...?

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New Post has been published on https://shovelnews.com/crazy-fun-maniac-on-netflix-demands-you-binge-the-next-episode/

Crazy-fun Maniac on Netflix demands you binge the next episode

Right up front in the new Netflix’s show Maniac, someone says, “The only question that matters is, do you know what’s real?” And that’s when things get weird. 

Streaming now, the 10-episode series stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, last seen on screen together in the raucous teen comedy Superbad. Maniac is certainly very funny. But mostly it’s just really weird, and brilliantly so.

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone get manic on Netflix.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

Hill plays the downtrodden and deadpan Owen, living in an off-brand present day and struggling to escape both his wealthy family and his own hallucinatory idiosyncrasies. When he isn’t obsessing over his sister-in-law or fellow drug tester Stone, he’s trying to avoid seeing an imaginary secret agent who keeps passing on cryptic instructions. 

Hill’s somnolent character, who barely lifts his eyes to meet the camera or raises his voice above a mumble, is kind of hard to root for. But we get the sense this mentally troubled man might be the sanest guy in the mixed-up mashup of past and future that passes for Maniac’s reality.

Sleepwalking into a high-tech pharmaceutical trial, Owen meets Stone’s luminous-eyed addict Annie. It’d be reaching for a cute phrase to describe her as Maniac’s pixie dream girl, even if the pair do find themselves star-crossed across various dream worlds and catalysing each other’s catastrophic backstories. 

Stone brings real grounded emotion to her character’s loss, layered with a succession of nuanced performances as she inhabits different versions of the character.

Tripping through mini-narratives that range from Coenesque to Scorsese-style, from Kubrick to John Wick in a matter of moments, they face a trial where finding happiness is as simple as taking drugs A, B and C.

Maniac gives Stone and Hill a showcase for different versions of their characters.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

On broadcast TV, these illusory interludes are the sort of thing that would be introduced from the get-go, but in the relaxed plotting of a Netflix production they roll around a few episodes in. That’s a bit of a clunky shift, and inevitably some of these visionary vignettes are more fun than others. Mostly, though, Stone carries things with her charming modulations, while Hill saves his best for episode 9. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga — ready to take the helm of the next James Bond movie — keeps a deft grasp on the interweaving strands and styles.

A bit like mind-bending hit Westworld, the show cuts between fantasy realm and the “real world” voyeurism of the monitoring scientists. The experiment is masterminded by Justin Theroux’s breathily expressionistic mad scientist, putting the fun in fungible — it means “interchangeable” or “adaptable” — as he brings his own maternal mania to the research.

Maniac’s retro-futuristic style feels like an 80s sci-fi movie you’ve never seen before.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

Maniac also calls to mind the original 1970s Westworld movie with its retro-futuristic aesthetic: All chunky computer terminals and chattering dot matrix printers and flashing walls of LEDs, it revels in the weirdly dated look of old sci-fi. Rainbow colours streak brutalist concrete, while dog-eared robots skitter across the sidewalk and characters smoke up a storm, giving the whole thing an oddly old-fashioned feel. 

It’s kind of like watching Terry Gilliam’s Brazil or Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner well after the years they were supposed to be set, a version of the future that got forked somewhere way in the past.

Black Mirror that doesn’t make you want to kill yourself. It’s very Philip K Dick, of course, with isolation, loneliness and loss among the themes. But, y’know, funny.

It’s also a lot like Legion, another recent show that sees a mentally troubled man wrestling with reality while fixating on a beautiful blonde. While filled with patterns and coincidences and visual panache, Maniac isn’t as dizzying dense as Legion — Legion Lite, perhaps.

Ultimately, Maniac doesn’t delve as deep into its weirdness as it initially promises, drawing back from the hallucinatory brink for a fairly conventional resolution. Still, it’s easily one of the freshest, coolest and most satisfying shows to come from Netflix. Assured, amusing and genuinely heartfelt, Maniac is weirdly wonderful and wonderfully weird.

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Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/maniac-review-on-netflix-jonah-hill-and-emma-stone-get-weird-and-it-works/

[sincerelykarenjo]

Review - No Vain Loss

No Vain Loss

(No Ordinary Star #3)

M.C. Frank

5 ★ – EPIC CONCLUSION

PUBLISHED BY CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING PLATFORM DECEMBER 5, 2017

GENRE(S): YOUNG ADULT, SCI-FI, FANTASY, DYSTOPIA, ROMANCE

PAGES: PAPERBACK 302

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Synopsis 

A soldier is summoned to the North Pole, days before the year changes, told to fix the great Clock for a celebration. He has no idea what to do. A girl, hunted for the crime of being born, almost dies out on the ice. She is rescued by the last polar bear left alive. A library waits for them both, a library built over a span of a hundred years, forgotten in the basement of an ice shack. The world hasn’t known hunger or sickness in hundreds of years. It has also forgotten love and beauty. This is the One World. The year is 2524.

Inspired by the short stories of Ray Bradbury, this futuristic young adult novel in three parts is set in a world where Christmas -among other things- is obsolete and a Clock is what keeps the fragile balance of peace.

Written in three parts, this is the breathtaking story of how two unlikely people change the world, and each other, one book at a time.

In No Vain Loss, the world is on the brink of the greatest war humanity has ever known. Lives will be lost. New truths will be revealed.

Review

It’s ten heartbeats to midnight. Ten heartbeats to the greatest war humanity has ever known…

Where do I even begin… M.C. Frank wonderfully concluded this series with so much epicness that I’m still reeling and my emotions are just all over the place. No Vain Loss just blew my mind away!

Before I started NVL, I just knew it would be a quick and beautifully painful read. Frank’s writing never ceases to amaze me – it’s utterly beautiful, positively emotional, and breathtaking through and through. With that being said, I decided to take my time and read NVL as slowly as I could. I wanted to enjoy this insanely lovely story for just a little longer and spend more time with Felix and Astra… And I can honestly say that it was not easy. The story is so much more thrilling than the first two installments — incredibly fast-paced with plenty of nerve-wracking action, unexpected twists every which way that kept me on edge, sweet moments that surely pulled my heartstrings, and an electrifying ending that was absolutely satisfying. This book… this series… it will become your addiction that you’re going to want to devour every single page and then do it all over again because it’s just that amazing!

It was definitely an absolute pleasure going on this journey with Felix and Astra. They were such wonderful characters who stole a huge piece of my heart with their bravery, their sacrifices, and their love. Even with their losses and pain, Felix and Astra fought for a new world. A better world where beauty, hope and love can exist. I really don’t want to say anything more because you just have to experience this mesmerizing series for yourself.

No Vain Loss is a lovely and heartwarming ending that left me feeling so full of hope and joy and understanding. It’s a story about friendship, forgiveness, acceptance, love and so much more. It’s such a beautiful series about what it means to be human and while I’m quite sad to see it end, I know that I will always have a special place in my heart for Felix and Astra and this breathtaking series. It’s thrilling, ugly at times, incredibly emotional, and so real in every way.

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If you’re looking for a book/series with gorgeous writing, exhilarating plot, inspiring themes, and lovable heroes, then I highly recommend this. I promise you… you will fall head over heels in love with this series.

As a member of the NOS Street Team, I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest and fair review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Author Interview

Describe this series in 3 words? Frozen, heartbreaking, Christmassy.

What was the hardest scene for you to write in the No Ordinary Star trilogy? The battle scene.

Who are you more like Felix or Astra? I’m like Astra in that I love books and stories, but my dark side is all Felix.

What was your favorite scene in No Vain Loss? The scene that happens right after the Clock is unveiled *wink (spoiler).

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? When I was five or six and realized that was my dad’s job. I wanted to be like him. Two years later, when I started reading books, then I knew for sure (but I thought it would be the impossible dream).

Which author(s) have inspired your writing? Ray Bradbury’s short stories inspired the entire No Ordinary Star series. In general, all the great classics, like Austen, Bronte, Dickens and Shakespeare… and many more. These were my writing “teachers”.

Favorite snack while writing. I don’t think it counts as a snack, but I drink tons of water.

What was the first book that made you cry? The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis (from the Chronicles of Narnia).

If there was a zombie apocalypse and you can only choose one book to take with you, what would it be? Ahhh you’re killing me with this question. I don’t know… Could I take a kindle reader?

If you were a superhero, what would your name be and what power would you have? I don’t know about my name (I’ll need to think about it, that’s serious stuff right there) but I know my power: flying.

Game of Thrones or The Walking Dead? Neither.

If you won the  lotto, how would you spend your winnings? Would you believe, I’ve thought really extensively about this. I’d build a school. Yep, I’m dreaming big.

Favorite movie of all time? You’ve Got Mail.

Are you working on any other projects right now that you could talk about? Any new books coming out? Yes, I am writing a Robin Hood romance, and I’m so excited to finish it and get it into the hands of lovely readers like you!

Other Books in the Series 

ADD NO ORDINARY STAR ON GOODREADS

Read my Review for No Ordinary Star 

ADD NO PLAIN REBEL ON GOODREADS

Read my Review for No Plain Rebel 

About the Author

(Taken from M.C. Frank’s Website)

I am M.C. Frank: writer, reader, designer, editor, physicist and teacher. (To mention a few.)

I have been living in a world of stories ever since I can remember (that’s before I knew how to write). I started writing them down when I could no longer stand the characters in my head screaming at me to give them life and while those first scribblings weren’t exactly good (nor were they books, although I insisted on calling them that), they were enough for me to discover my passion in life.

I started writing seriously a few years back, pursuing my dream of a writing career. I started small, in a magazine, but ever since I’ve been dreaming of doing what I absolutely love for a living, and finally I am getting there! I feel so blessed and happy.

I got my university degree in physics a few years ago. People look at me weirdly when I tell them I’m a physicist, so I say, I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I’m like Sheldon, only a bit crazier! I am now free to pursue my love of reading and writing, as well as my free-lance job of editor-in-chief. I live with my husband in a home filled with candles, laptops and notebooks, where I rearranges my overflowing bookshelves every time I feel stressed.

Which is often, since (as you might have noticed) I don’t pick the easiest subjects for my novels. I put my characters in icy-cold dystopian worlds where kissing is forbidden (among other things), or place them in green forests ruled by evil Sheriffs. If they’re in Jane Austen’s London, they have to be running away from a traumatic childhood, or if they are in our current, contemporary world, they’re scared they’ll die before they have finished high school. That sort of thing.

Don’t worry, though, I know we all are in need of a little hope and joy in our lives, so there’s a good dose of those as well in everything I write.

Follow and Connect with M.C. Frank 

 Website/ Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

  Thanks for reading my review and have a wonderful week! Don’t forget to leave your comments down below. I’d love to hear what you think.

Sincerely Karen Jo

Review + Interview – No Vain Loss No Vain Loss (No Ordinary Star #3) M.C. Frank 5 ★ – EPIC CONCLUSION PUBLISHED BY CREATESPACE INDEPENDENT PUBLISHING PLATFORM DECEMBER 5, 2017…

[rieshon]

Best of 2016

Another summer, another way-too-late best-of post.

10: Girlish Number ∥ Diomedea ∥ Dir. Ibata Shouta: Obviously, Girlish Number gets significant bonus points for being an anime about the seiyuu industry, something I'm heavily invested in. Watari Wataru's cynical but ultimately inspiring look at this girls trying their best seems a more fitting tack than Sore ga Seiyuu!'s when dealing with what we all know is frankly a borderline "black kigyou". I can't think of a better face for this industry than the solely self-interested and delusional Chii-sama. Industry commentary aside, Girlish Number also functions as a perfectly good coming-of-age series of sorts, as Chitose and her castmates slowly come to terms with the roles they've come to play in the industry (no pun intended) while supporting each other.

9: Kuromukuro ∥ P.A. Works ∥ Dir. Okamura Tensai: I didn't have very high expectations coming into Kuromukuro. It's a robot anime with copious CG animation, and the Okamura Tensai anime I've seen recently have all been solid but never amazing. Kuromukuro, though, ends up being a testament to the importance of execution. A cast of lovable characters (including the main lead!) with solidly-written relationships and pitch-perfect direction carries what would otherwise be a merely passable-at-best science fiction story to the height of being one of the best series of the year. It helps that it's a two cours series, which gives the characters time to breathe without constantly being shoved out of the way to deal with the encroaching danger in the plot. It also features one of the most satisfying endings I've ever seen in an anime, which is a medium not known for great endings, much less satisfying ones.

8: Netoge no Yome wa Onna no Ko Janai to Omotta? ∥ project No.9 ∥ Dir. Yanagi Shinsuke: Man, was I ready for spaghetti when I first read the title of this show. MMO-based light novel anime are a dime a dozen nowadays, but Netoge Yome ends up distinguishing itself from the pack because of what it's not. Unlike most MMO-based stories, the game really isn't that important (except to Ako), you don't die in real life if you die in the game, and there's not really any philosophizing about the nature of reality in a fictional world... It's just a story about some dorky friends playing a video game, and I love it for that. The friend group depicted here actually makes me feel nostalgic for my high school days of playing video games day-in and day-out, and I think the show will do the same for a lot of people. Of course, most of us didn't have an angel like Ako in our friend group, but no one's life is perfect.

7: Amanchu! ∥ J.C.Staff ∥ Dir. Satou Junichi: Undoubtedly the most healing anime of the year. ARIA is one of my favorite series of all time, and Amanchu! reunited Satou Junichi (the king of healing anime himself) with an Amano Kozue original work and it's every bit as wonderful as you would imagine. If you've seen ARIA you know exactly what you're in for here: cute girls forging cute friendships at as slow a pace as possible. The scuba diving stuff is interesting but ultimately inconsequential; this show is all about the atmosphere and the comfortable feeling of slowly passing the time with friends. Also, Teko is angel.

6: NEW GAME! ∥ Douga Koubou ∥ Dir. Fujiwara Yoshiyuki: Gambaru zoi! NEW GAME! combines the best of a Kirara anime's trademark cute girls doing cute things style with a premise straight out of one of P.A. Works' working women series to create one of the more unique series that has come out of that venerable magazine. The author of the original manga formerly worked in game development, so on top of the cute girls it also offers an (adorable!) look at what it's like to be an (adorably!) exploited artist in Japanese corporate culture. No one is really here for the social commentary, but it does add an interesting additional layer to the show. More importantly, all the girls are angelic. Between this and Mideshi, Douga Koubou's Fujiwara Yoshiyuki is rapidly proving himself one of the best directors of cute-girls-doing-cute-things anime.

5: Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu ∥ White Fox ∥ Dir. Watanabe Masaharu: This was undoubtedly the biggest event anime of the year, at least among series I watched. The plot and pacing took me back to the likes of Code Geass, another show where week-to-week you're simply riveted to the screen just to see what kind of crazy twist the show will throw at you next. The show is a bit of a rollercoaster ride, not just emotionally but also in its highs and lows. If every episode were as good as episodes 18-19, this would undoubtedly be my show of the year, but it struggles to carry that momentum through to the end. Still, Re:Zero offers one of the most compelling protagonists of the year in the detestable yet somehow still heroic Natsuki Subaru, who is almost too relatable in his sad and pathetic existence.

4: Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! ∥ Studio Deen ∥ Dir. Kanasaki Takaomi: It seems fitting that Konosuba is sandwiched between two isekai anime; this show, a hilarious send-up of the genre, came at exactly the right time. Satou Kazuma is also a wholly self-interested loser trapped in a fantasy world with nothing but his own delusions of grandeur. The difference is that when his life falls apart, it's just funny. The cast of female heroines, all uniquely "dame", are what really make this show shine. The voice acting is some of my favorite of the year: Amamiya Sora is brilliantly pathetic as Aqua and Fukushima Jun is a perfect foil to her, while you've also got Kayanon being made to say lewd things and Rieri playing a deadpan loli. This A+ cast is gifted with some of the sharpest comedic wit this year, both in script and in what I'm sure is a healthy heaping of ad-lib. I read the source novel recently and the anime is honestly much funnier, probably due to the quality of the acting.

3: Hai to Gensou no Grimgar ∥ A-1 Pictures ∥ Dir. Nakamura Ryousuke: I almost forgot this show aired this past year, since it was way back in Winter. Grimgar is undoubtedly one of the most unique (and one of the best) isekai fantasy anime that has been produced in recent years. Dark without ever being brooding, Grimgar is an at times sobering look at life in a hostile and brutal world. It has the trappings of power fantasy insert isekai stories, but none of our protagonists here are heroes: they're just people in extraordinary circumstances fighting to stay alive and make a place in the world. For a show that spends a lot of time on the moral justification (or lack thereof) for killing goblins, this show probably speaks more to young people in the modern world than anything else that aired this year. There's a level of accomplishment in writing here that is rarely seen in this medium.

2: Occultic;Nine ∥ A-1 Pictures ∥ Dir. Ishiguro Kyouhei: I never thought I'd see the day that a semicolon anime ends up this high on my year-end list, but Occultic;Nine is a masterpiece. The show is an exercise in how manically you can tell your story without losing your viewers, and the result is a bewildering web of interlinking characters and plots to which one has to hang on to for dear life as they're whipped from twist to twist to yet another twist. It's fitting that this is based on Shikura's first paper novel, because like a great novel it's the kind of story that should really shine on the second and third viewing. Watching this show. I felt at times like I wanted to take notes in the margin to keep from getting lost. With lesser execution, the sci-fi story here would probably come across as nothing more than stupid, but the audiovisual ringer that this show puts you through really makes for a unique and memorable viewing experience.

1: Flip Flappers ∥ Studio 3Hz ∥ Dir. Oshiyama Kiyotaka: Speaking of audiovisual experiences... I waffled on whether I really should make Flip Flappers my anime of the year because of how the story falls apart towards the end, but just the first six episodes of this show outdoes anything else that aired this year. It's the purest anime ('Pure Illusion' pun not intended) I've seen in a long time: each episode is an adventure of creativity in visual storytelling. Color pallets and art styles change, we find ourselves in different genres and different styles of storytelling, and through it all we're treated to some of the most inspired art direction and most skillfully put together animation of the year. Individual episodes of this show put entire other series to shame; there's enough creative juice flowing here to fuel another ten single-cours anime. Yes, the story after Ayana Yuniko left the project leaves much to be desired, but if you're picking an anime of the year, nothing this year embodied the spirit of animation quite like Flip Flappers.

Then there's the shows that didn't make the top ten...

There are a couple of non-full-length shows that didn't make it into the above top ten. Uchuu Patrol Luluko is peak Trigger, and if you're a fan of any their previous works you'll find plenty to love here. Really, it's just pure Trigger fanservice. Inferno Cop even makes a cameo. Oshiete! Gyaruko-chan is probably my favorite show that didn't make the list. It has that choice feel animation but more importantly is a surprisingly frank depiction of high school girls talking about their bodies, and in a way that actually isn't weirdly sexualized. I guess you could still get turned on hearing Gyaruko talk about inverted nipples and periods though.

In a year where we got Amanchu!, it's a little overshadowed, but Flying Witch was a wonderful return to form for the healing anime archetype, and was one of the most comfy shows of the year. orange was an example of a teen drama done right, with a remarkably good depiction of depression and very strongly performed characters by an all-star cast. Finally, planetarian deserves some recognition simply for being the only Key anime I think is good. It's short, sweet and to the point. CLANG CLANG.

And the awards go to:

Best Actress: Amamiya Sora as Aqua, Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo! Konosuba is one of the funniest anime in recent memory and as I mentioned in the top ten, a large part of that is due to magnificent performances from the voice cast. For me, "Ten-chan" is the best of the bunch as Aqua, whose moronic-sounding nasal voice is perfect for the arrogant and incompetent damegami, and the vocal gymnastics she does when Aqua goes into a screaming fit never cease to make me bust a gut.

(Honorable mention: Minase Inori as Rem, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu. I actually wrote an entire paragraph for this before remembering Konosuba was also last year. The most memorable single episode last year in terms of acting was the ep of Re:Zero where Rem monologues to Subaru for 24 minutes, and that's all thanks to Inosuke's great performance; Kurosawa Tomoyo as Oumae Kumiko, Hibike! Euphonium 2; Kakuma Ai as Kurihara Yuki, Momokuri)

Best Actor: Kobayashi Yuusuke as Natsuki Subaru, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu. I don't know w hy everyone hates Subaru when he's one of the most compelling male protagonists in LN anime history. I've gone into depth on why Subaru is so great before, but Kobayashi deserves credit for giving him the humanity that makes him so despicable and pitiable at the same time. This role is an emotional rollercoaster and Kobayashi delivers both the comedic highs and the soul-wrenching lows as well as anyone could.

(Honorable mention: Fukushima Jun as Satou Kazuma, Kono Subarashii Sekai ni Shukufuku wo!; Kaji Yuuki as Gamon Yuuta, Occultic;Nine; Yamashita Seiichirou as Naruse Kakeru, orange)

Best Director: Ishiguro Kyouhei. A couple years ago this man delivered us Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso, one of the best seishun dramas of all time, and now he's given us Occultic;Nine, the show that finally made semicolon anime good. Occultic;Nine is unlike anything else I've seen, with manic pacing and some truly adventurous camerawork, which is something I don't know I've ever singled an anime out for before. Occultic;Nine is a shock to the senses both visually and auditorily and you couldn't ask for a more quality production.

(Honorable mention: Oshiyama Kiyotaka, who directed Flip Flappers. This was his directorial debut, so we'll need to see more of his work before we can say for sure, and he was most intimately involved with the worst episodes of the show (the end) but he should get some credit for directing the anime of the year.)

Best Animation: Flip Flappers, by Studio 3Hz. Their debut work, Sora no Method, may have been a flop but 3Hz came back and delivered the most visually striking show of the year with Flip Flappers.

Newcomer Seiyuu of the Year: Hanamori Yumiri. For someone with as cute a voice as she does, Hanabee doesn't get nearly enough work, but what she lacks in quantity she makes up in quality. Her first major role was Uritan in Etotama in 2015, which quickly put her on my radar. Recently, she played the leads in both Anhapi and Shakunetsu no Takkyuu Musume, which showed she could carry a show emotionally as well as being adorable. And recently, although it's out of the scope of this awards post, she showed she has dramatic chops as well with a great performance as Zero in the otherwise terrible adaptation of Zero Kara Hajimeru Mahou no Sho. This is a character I had imagined as Ayaneru, mind you, so the fact that I have no complaints about Hanabee's portrayal -- she plays it just as I thought Ayaneru would play it -- is high praise indeed. Hopefully she'll get more work going forward so we can see how wide her range really is.

[aion-rsa]

INTERVIEW: McDuffie Award Winner Talks His Experimental Sci-Fi Comic

Since 2015, the The Dwayne McDuffie Award for Diversity has been awarded each year at Long Beach Comic Expo, celebrating the work of new comics which not only tell an interesting story with a diverse cast that represents voices who aren’t heard often enough in the industry — but which are changing the way people view comics as a whole.

Winning the award has become a signifier of work which is notable, fresh and contemporary, experimenting with comics as a form and bringing something new and thoroughly entertaining to comics fans. This year’s winner, Ezra Claytan Daniels’ “Upgrade Soul,” is certainly an example of that.

Originally released as a digital app in collaboration with Erik Loyer, the comic transitions the pages in a fashion unique for the digital format, and features a soundtrack from musician Alexis Gideon which flows through the pages as the reader moves through the story. It’s not just an incredibly well-told and smart piece of comics narrative, it’s one which explores what a comics narrative can be. Following Daniels’ win at this year’s ceremony, CBR spoke to the cartoonist about the project, how it came together and what it was like to win this year’s coveted trophy.

CBR: What’s your background as a writer and artist? How did you first get into making comics?

Ezra Claytan Daniels: I’ve been drawing comics since I was a little kid. I had a really terrible yet deadly serious comic strip about a troupe of circus performers fighting a manipulative alien in my high school paper. But my professional background is in graphic design and commercial illustration, with detours into forensic illustration and user interface design (I designed the UI for the mobile app, iAnnotate PDF). I started making autobio zines a few years after high school, largely as an excruciatingly juvenile attempt to meet women. Seriously, those old comics are the worst thing ever.

You’ve published several comics over the last decade or so, including “The Changers” and “A Circuit Closed”, but when did you first start work on “Upgrade Soul”? What made you want to tell this story?

I first started thinking about the ideas behind “Upgrade Soul” in my early 20s, before I did “The Changers.” I wanted to write a horror story, so I thought, “What’s the scariest thing I can imagine?” At the time, it was obsolescence. Being faced with someone who’s better at being me than I am. I was actually more into “Upgrade Soul” as a concept, but I knew I wasn’t a good enough writer yet to do something that ambitious. So I did “The Changers” first, sort of as a practice graphic novel. “The Changers” was ambitious, too, but it’s really low-key and straight-forward. It’s essentially an escape fantasy about myself and my roommate being super-beings from the future. I learned so much about making comics by self publishing that book, though, from publicity to working with distributors, to touring. I had a blast. After the dust settled, I sat down to really try to figure out Upgrade Soul. That was about 12 or 13 years ago. I’d been working on it off and on until I finally finished this past December.

Who are Hank and Molly, the two leads of the series? What kind of people are they, and where do we find them as the comic begins?

The two main characters, Hank and Molly, are based on my grandparents, Leon and Barb. They were like second parents to me growing up, and we were super close. I wanted the main characters to be people you don’t see in comics very often. I wanted to try to put myself in the shoes of people I knew very well, but who were very different from me. I wanted to make a book that didn’t feel familiar. Something I personally would’ve been really excited to see on a comic shelf as a reader. The story introduces Hank and Molly as wealthy investors in an experimental cellular rejuvenation procedure. Their only stipulation for support of the project is that they be the first to undergo the procedure.

The drama begins when a the procedure fails and Hank and Molly are faced with clones of themselves who are severely disfigured, but intellectually and physically far superior. The story is thematically about which counterpart better represents the identity of the individual; the one that looks and sounds like the person, or the one that’s, by every non-aesthetic metric, a perfect idealization of that person.

Your art style seems to primarily draw from both European and Japanese influences — is it fair to say those were the comics you grew up reading and loving?

I liked comics fine as a kid and teen, but I was way more into animation. And you called it, the films I loved the most were definitely Japanese and European. “Fantastic Planet,” “Akira,” “Lensman,” “Venus Wars,” “Fire & Ice” — these were on constant rotation.

I think there’s a very animation-y feel to my art — it’s very flat and clean, like animation cells. But after I dropped out of art school, I fell into trial graphics, doing medical and technical illustrations and infographics for court cases. That industry is all about clarity of information, with no room for embellishments. I definitely read “How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way” when I first started getting serious about comics, but I vehemently disagreed with a lot of it, particularly the part about using dynamic angles to heighten drama. I hated in comics when you couldn’t keep track of where characters were standing in a room because every panel was drawn from a different angle on the floor or ceiling. I think this aversion came from my time doing crime scene diagrams.

I never want my reader to be distracted from the narrative because I drew something weirdly. I sometimes describe my style as looking like an aircraft safety card.

You’ve released the story as an app in collaboration with Erik Loyer. Was it difficult to make that leap to digital, after first planning and developing “Upgrade Soul” in a more traditional format?

I’d been working on “Upgrade Soul” for a few years, pitching it around every once in a while but not really getting any traction. I’d done some work with Erik on smaller interactive comics projects, like his Reuben and Lullaby app, and an interactive essay he designed for academic Caren Kaplan, called “Precision Targets.” He started to develop an interactive comics platform for iOS and asked if I wanted to do something for it. I was deep into “Upgrade Soul” by then, and it hadn’t found a home, so I said “sure”!

I hadn’t done enough work on it by that point for it to be a huge hassle to imagine it for the digital platform, but it definitely still has roots in the print format. It was a seamless transition to the print version I’m shopping now. I’m definitely historically interested in technology and gaming, but I hadn’t given any real thought to digital comics before Erik approached me. Although, now that I think about it, I did put out the last issue of my crappy auto-bio comic a few years prior as a CD-ROM, so maybe I’m not giving myself enough credit! The “Upgrade Soul” app is on hiatus, though. It’s only the first half of the story.

Hopefully, after I find a publisher, we can work out a way to come back to it because I’m totally in love with it. It’s just not on the road map right now.

At what point did the audio aspect of “Upgrade Soul” first come into place? How did musician Alexis Gideon come on board the project, and what did that decision bring to the story overall?

Once Erik and I decided to work together, we just started having all these really heady conversations about the definition of comics and what to do and what not to do with the technology at our disposal. Our conversations eventually evolved into a manifesto that became the centerpiece of a digital comics portal I designed with Amsterdam-based Submarine Channel, ScreenDiver.com. A huge part of our digital comics philosophy was to never take temporal control from the reader. This meant that literal sound effects, which would have the effect of representing a passage of time, were out. But music, designed to create and maintain an atmosphere, was fair game.

In “Upgrade Soul,” the music follows your progress through the story, so every panel triggers a specific musical cue. You play the music almost the same way you read the comic, at your own pace. I’d done some design and animation work with Alexis, and we worked really well together. I’m just such a huge fan of his music; his singular brand of classically-trained experimental weirdo hip-hop was the perfect fit for “Upgrade Soul.”

When did you find out you’d been nominated for the Dwayne McDuffie Award?

I follow the Dwayne McDuffie Foundation on social media, and they posted a call for submissions a few weeks before I finished “Upgrade Soul.” The timing was perfect. I didn’t think I had any chance in hell of winning, but it’s just really helpful to have hard goals like that to finish something, especially since I was really losing steam toward the end. I guess it was a month or so later that I got an email from them letting me know I was among 5 finalists. I was incredibly honored, but even then, I didn’t think I had any chance of winning. I’ve never won anything in my life. And I was up against Dave Walker, who’d been having like the best year ever.

I didn’t find out I’d won until everybody else did, at the ceremony at Long Beach Comics Expo. It was so funny and awesome and weird. I happened to be the only nominee who was able to attend, since I live in LA, so they asked me to give a little talk before the winner was announced about what Dwayne McDuffie meant to me. I was so worried about how awkward it was going to be when I didn’t win! But little did I know that all the judges and Dwayne McDuffie folks already knew.

The ceremony was MC’d by Phil Lamarr, and it was such a surreal honor to get to hang out with the voice of Static Shock. Everybody involved in the foundation, and the judges, were so amazing and sweet and supportive. Charlotte, Dwayne’s widow, was just incredibly inspiring. It was most definitely the highlight of my career thus far.

Was Dwayne McDuffie a creator you were aware of, prior to your nomination?

My brother and I were constantly looking for heroes that looked like our dad, who was Black. We latched onto every Black character in the action movies we loved. The white neighborhood kids would fight to be Arnold when we played “Predator,” but we’d always be Bill Duke and Carl Weathers. We collected every black “G.I. Joe” and “Star Trek: The Next Generation” figure. But those characters were always sidekicks or bit players. So when the “Static Shock” cartoon came out, we were just transfixed. It was pure magic. I didn’t learn until years later how important Dwayne McDuffie was to so many other kids of color, and how monumental his legacy was.

It’s an award specifically noting works which offer representation within the pages — was that something you had at heart when you were making the comic, that idea of representing people whose stories don’t usually get told, and digging into their personalities and culture?

Absolutely. As a mixed race person (my mom is white), it’s an inextricable part of my being. “Upgrade Soul” gets into the ways in which our experience of life, or how we are treated by the world, forms our identity. It looks at the ways racial discrimination is both similar and distinct from age, sex and ability discrimination. These are the kinds of ideas that interest and challenge me as both a writer and a reader.

What’s next for you, following the conclusion of “Upgrade Soul” and as it now looks for a publisher? Do you have any other projects coming up?

Fingers crossed “Upgrade Soul” finds a good home, but it’ll come out this year one way or another. I also recently finished a short film collaboration with Adebukola Bodunrin that just started it’s festival life. It just screened at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Whitney in New York, and is screening at the Boston Underground Film Fest in March. It’s an experimental sci-fi animation that reimagines the Yoruba creation myth in a space station built around a simulation of the Big Bang. It’s called The Golden Chain.

I also have a new graphic novel on the home stretch with the incredible Ben Passmore, tentatively called “BTTMFDRS.” I’m writing it and he’s drawing it. It’s a horror comedy about gentrification and cultural appropriation and I’m so excited for people to see it! We should wrap that up by this summer so look for that this year, too!

To find out more about “Upgrade Soul” and Ezra Claytan Daniels’ work, check out his website and his Ttwitter account here.

The post INTERVIEW: McDuffie Award Winner Talks His Experimental Sci-Fi Comic appeared first on CBR.

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Maniac on Netflix: Jonah Hill and Emma Stone get weird, and it works

Right up front in the new Netflix’s show Maniac, someone says, “The only question that matters is, do you know what’s real?” And that’s when things get weird. 

Streaming now, the 10-episode series stars Jonah Hill and Emma Stone, last seen on screen together in the raucous teen comedy Superbad. Maniac is certainly very funny. But mostly it’s just really weird, and brilliantly so.

Jonah Hill and Emma Stone get manic on Netflix.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

Hill plays the downtrodden and deadpan Owen, living in an off-brand present day and struggling to escape both his wealthy family and his own hallucinatory idiosyncrasies. When he isn’t obsessing over his sister-in-law or fellow drug tester Stone, he’s trying to avoid seeing an imaginary secret agent who keeps passing on cryptic instructions. 

Hill’s somnolent character, who barely lifts his eyes to meet the camera or raises his voice above a mumble, is kind of hard to root for. But we get the sense this mentally troubled man might be the sanest guy in the mixed-up mashup of past and future that passes for Maniac’s reality.

Sleepwalking into a high-tech pharmaceutical trial, Owen meets Stone’s luminous-eyed addict Annie. It’d be reaching for a cute phrase to describe her as Maniac’s pixie dream girl, even if the pair do find themselves star-crossed across various dream worlds and catalysing each other’s catastrophic backstories. 

Stone brings real grounded emotion to her character’s loss, layered with a succession of nuanced performances as she inhabits different versions of the character.

Tripping through mini-narratives that range from Coenesque to Scorsese-style, from Kubrick to John Wick in a matter of moments, they face a trial where finding happiness is as simple as taking drugs A, B and C.

Maniac gives Stone and Hill a showcase for different versions of their characters.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

On broadcast TV these illusory interludes are the sort of thing that would be introduced from the get-go, but in the relaxed plotting of a Netflix production they roll around a few episodes in. That’s a bit of a clunky shift, and inevitably some of these visionary vignettes are more fun than others. Mostly, though, Stone carries things with her charming modulations, while Hill saves his best for episode 9. Director Cary Joji Fukunaga — ready to take the helm of the next James Bond movie — keeps a deft grasp on the interweaving strands and styles.

A bit like mind-bending hit Westworld, the show cuts between fantasy realm and the “real world” voyeurism of the monitoring scientists. The experiment is masterminded by Justin Theroux’s breathily expressionistic mad scientist, putting the fun in fungible — it means “interchangeable” or “adaptable” — as he brings his own maternal mania to the research.

Maniac’s retro-futuristic style feels like an 80s sci-fi movie you’ve never seen before.

Michele K. Short/Netflix

Maniac also calls to mind the original 1970s Westworld movie with its retro-futuristic aesthetic: All chunky computer terminals and chattering dot matrix printers and flashing walls of LEDs, it revels in the weirdly dated look of old sci-fi. Rainbow colours streak brutalist concrete, while dog-eared robots skitter across the sidewalk and characters smoke up a storm, giving the whole thing an oddly old-fashioned feel. 

It’s kind of like watching Terry Gilliam’s Brazil or Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner well after the years they were supposed to be set, a version of the future that got forked somewhere way in the past.

Black Mirror that doesn’t make you want to kill yourself. It’s very Philip K Dick, of course, with isolation, loneliness and loss among the themes. But, y’know, funny.

It’s also a lot like Legion, another recent show that sees a mentally troubled man wrestling with reality while fixating on a beautiful blonde. While filled with patterns and coincidences and visual panache, Maniac isn’t as dizzying dense as Legion — Legion Lite, perhaps.

Ultimately, Maniac doesn’t delve as deep into its weirdness as it initially promises, drawing back from the hallucinatory brink for a fairly conventional resolution. Still, it’s easily one of the freshest, coolest and most satisfying shows to come from Netflix. Assured, amusing and genuinely heartfelt, Maniac is weirdly wonderful and wonderfully weird.

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Source: https://www.cnet.com/news/maniac-review-on-netflix-jonah-hill-and-emma-stone-get-weird-and-it-works/