#Ouroboros duology

[fourthleafluckart]

Willa Mae/ Rory from Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon

ID in alt text as usual

Gem | Enzo

[tiktaalic]

Lebanon and ouroboros are a duology. BTW. Brilliant film making. Pieces in conversation with one another.

[thereadingchallengechallenge]

Read in July 2024

well, having top surgery in the middle of the month cramped my style a bit, but I still managed to get through a fair few audiobooks before I moved into recovery mode hehe

I'm a bit sad I didn't get to a series or any of my backlog books but I've got some lined up for next month already so hopefully I'll have more luck in August, especially now that my energy is finally starting to come back

Series read: The Ouroboros duology by HE Edgmon

Godly Heathens - DNF

Backlog books:

None

Familiar authors:

All the Blood We Share by Camilla Bruce - 2/5 (audio)

For Her Consideration by Amy Spalding - 1/5

Other reads:

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott, Mikki Daughtry & Tobias Iaconis (reread)

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (reread)

Coraline by Neil Gaiman (reread)

The Outsiders by SE Hinton - 3/5 (audio)

Nettle and Bone by T Kingfisher (reread)

Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice - 3/5 (audio)

Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker, Wendy Xu & Joamette Gil - 4/5

[put-me-out-of-my-destiny]

So, I mentioned in a previous post that I'd imagine Nico's decision to give away the Kalina Ann II to Dante before he disappeared into the Underworld would have consequences for both her career and for Lady's respect for her.

But now I'm thinking about how this would affect her role in my Machiavelli Duology (all details are in my new pinned post).

Which is to say, being deep in debt and short on clients, Nico might be desperate enough to accept a job with the Ouroboros Corporation. She has family members who worked there in the past, and she's certainly brilliant in her own right. She's highly qualified, even if she absolutely would not thrive in an office job.

Also, with the idea that Machiavelli has some relationship with the corporation, he'd certainly want to get her involved, to gain access both to her genius and to Agnus's research. He's not too proud to learn from humans.

Despite the choice to work for Ouroboros being highly questionable, I think Nico could actually do a lot of good from that position.

I want Lady to get the original Kalina Ann back, and since Machiavelli takes Dante into custody for a long period of time, perhaps Nico can get both launchers back from him somehow, probably by the same mechanism through which Machiavelli delivers his products to Ouroboros.

Plus, having an ally on the inside of Ouroboros would be highly beneficial to the heroines, when it comes to learning about the AMO's plans for Trish.

Both of these things would soften Lady's disposition toward Nico. The former would get Lady to stop adding interest, and if Nico played a role in saving Trish's life, Lady might be inclined to cancel the debt.

Also, I think we'd all appreciate the image of Nico wearing a suit. She'd feel miserable at first, until Lady tells her that she looks very sharp and she has a full-on nosebleed.

It'd be funny if after Machiavelli and Arius II are dealt with, Nico somehow becomes the CEO of the Ouroboros Corporation, she'd be so uncomfortable with that kind of power.

Remember that scene in DMC5 where she does a crazy stunt with her van, and she plays it off all cool, but as soon as Nero or V or whoever walks away it's revealed that she was actually terrified? Imagine that but instead of a van it's a billion dollar company.

Nico would certainly take Ouroboros's business far away from Vie de Marli. Ethics aside, Nico does not want to be on Lucia's bad side.

[quirkycatsfatstacks]

📚 Review 📚 Merciless Saviors

Ahh! I’ve been both looking forward to and dreading Merciless Saviors. It’s the second novel in The Ouroboros duology, and I knew it would hit like a sledgehammer (spoiler warning: I wasn’t wrong).

So, I may have put off reading it just a teeny tiny bit. That was probably a mistake because Merciless Saviors is a fantastic read. It’s dark and disturbing, with a ton of character development and even bigger stakes.

As with the first novel in this series, I should caution readers to check out the trigger warnings first. Merciless Saviors, in particular, has a new set of warnings, including involuntary pregnancy (and loss), suicidal ideation, and child sexual abuse.

I don’t know how I expected Gem to wrap up the mess that’s been created out of both worlds…but I was pleasantly surprised by everything that happened here. Again, it’s dark and twisted, but I was expecting that. The solution is oddly elegant and, dare I say, human.

Highlights: Second half of a Duology Fantasy Horror Mythology & Gods LGBTQ+

Trigger Warnings: Child sexual abuse (recounted) Suicidal Ideation Animal Death Involuntary Pregnancy Graphic Details

[trillscienceofficer]

“Sins of the Mother” (The Lives of Dax) S. D. Perry Audrid writes a letter to her estranged daughter, Neema, to explain the truth behind the death of Neema's father. This was Danelle [Perry]'s first work of Star Trek fiction. She remarked “Marco [Palmieri, editor of The Lives of Dax anthology] asked if I would be willing to write a story for Audrid. He mentioned that she and her daughter were estranged for a while. I took that suggestion and ran with it.” Marco recalls, “ ‘Sins of the Mother’ was what earned Danelle the Avatar [duology in the DS9 relaunch novels] gig. Her subtlety, strength of characterization, and pacing really shine in this story. I loved the idea of doing it as an epistolary.” This tale, together with “Allegro Ouroboros in D Minor” and “Reflections” [both in The Lives of Dax collection], eventually became integral to the post-TV DS9 fiction.

From “Voyages of Imagination: The Star Trek Fiction Companion” by Jeff Ayers (2006)

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 2/5

Book Blurb: Godly Heathens is the first book in H.E. Edgmon's YA contemporary fantasy duology The Ouroboros, in which a teen, Gem, finds out they’re a reincarnated god from another world.

Maybe I have always just been bad at being human because I’m not one.

Gem Echols is a nonbinary Seminole teen living in the tiny town of Gracie, Georgia. Known for being their peers’ queer awakening, Gem leans hard on charm to disguise the anxious mess they are beneath. The only person privy to their authentic self is another trans kid, Enzo, who’s a thousand long, painful miles away in Brooklyn.

But even Enzo doesn’t know about Gem’s dreams, haunting visions of magic and violence that have always felt too real. So how the hell does Willa Mae Hardy? The strange new girl in town acts like she and Gem are old companions, and seems to know things about them they’ve never told anyone else.

When Gem is attacked by a stranger claiming to be the Goddess of Death, Willa Mae saves their life and finally offers some answers. She and Gem are reincarnated gods who’ve known and loved each other across lifetimes. But Gem – or at least who Gem used to be - hasn’t always been the most benevolent deity. They’ve made a lot of enemies in the pantheon—enemies who, like the Goddess of Death, will keep coming.

It’s a good thing they’ve still got Enzo. But as worlds collide and the past catches up with the present, Gem will discover that everyone has something to hide.

Review:

A pantheon of gods, reincarnation, lost memories, betrayals, and queer relationships. Gem Echols is a nonbinary Seminole teen living in the small town of Gracie, Georgie. Gem is plagued by dreams filled with murder, a different version of themself, and a lover that haunts them.... and one day when a bunch of new people come to the small town of Gracie, Gem's entire life is turned upside down. Gem learns that they are a reincarnated god and that there are other gods in town as well, all gunning for them. Gem has no memories of all their past lives but will have to get them back before it's too late. All the while they are dealing with their complicated feelings for Willa Mae Hardy, the mysterious girl in town who claims that they know each other and do have a past relationship... yet there is Gem's feelings for Enzo, a friend who lives thousands of miles away... but might be hiding an identity that is much closer to Gem than Gem could ever realize. While the other gods are getting ready to attack Gem, Gem has to find a way to get back their memories, work out their powers, and figure out who they can trust. This is the first book in a duology and honestly, it was a rough one. This book has so so much dialogue with so little actual cohesive plot/ character movements. The amnesia/reincarnated gods is a fun storyline to work with but the actual arc of the story felt scattered and all over the place. I honestly could have done with more "show don't tell" method when it came to this book. I did love the representation in the book but I kind of wish it felt more natural. I guess I was expecting for something a bit more and was let down by what I actually got when it came to this book. I will read the finale to see how it all wraps up but this book just was a bit of a miss for me unfortunately.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[bloomingbora]

some i read and really enjoyed:

Werecockroaches by Polenth Blake (aroace agender mc)

Compound Fracture by A J White (aro trans man mc)

The Ouroboros Duology by HE Edgmon (aro nb mc)

Tears in the Water by Margherita Scialla (ace and gender questioning mc, demisexual trans man li)

some posts from others who have more recs:

if anyone knows any transfem books with aspec rep, please let me know, i would love to add them to my never ending tbr

Thinking about how badly I need more aroace rep in trans fiction right now 😓 I would love to read a book about a bunch of trans women who do cool shit and have complex emotions that aren’t about dating or sex. That’d be neat #aceweek

[readatrix]

(Scheduled to be released November 28, 2023)

I received an ARC of this title through Netgalley. The thoughts and opinions are my own. Godly Heathens is the first book in a series, possibly a duology, about gods cut off from their home world, and in a cycle of reincarnation that keeps drawing together -- largely to try to kill one another, using a magical knife. The main character is Gem, a nonbinary Seminole teen. (To give you an idea of the vibe, one of the chapters is There are no Cis Gods.) When we meet them, they're on the brink of discovery/remembering their divine identity. Those gory, but often erotic, dreams? Memories. They reunite with Willa Mae/Rory, with whom they've shared many lifetimes. We're told early on that the gods, even if they don't always consciously pursue one another, tend to end up in each other's lives, and so many of the people in Gem's life are, well, not people. Or not just people. Among the gods we meet is Poppy, who is a death job with a quirky fashion sense. Has that been done before? Yes. Do I still love it? Also, yes. Every lifetime she's a little more like an animated corpse, for reasons. Gem is a character dealing with a lot even without the whole god thing. They're battling mental illness, like their father, as well as a sex addiction. They were also preyed on by at least one adult. They want to be wanted/worshiped at all times. They're a teen, with all the hormonal stuff, and having a parent to appease. This is a YA title, and there's part of me that would have liked to see it as an adult title simply for the increased freedom and maturity. These characters are both formidable gods, and teens, which certainly can work but it makes them feel occasionally leashed. It reminds me of the scene in Buffy where Anya says, "For a thousand years I wielded the power of the wish. I brought ruin on the heads of unfaithful men. I offered destruction and chaos for the pleasure of lower beings. I was feared and worshiped across the mortal globe, and now I'm stuck at Sunnydale High! A mortal! A child! And I'm flunking math!" None of this is to say the book is tame. There's a lot of blood and gore. Murder and torture. Gem is promiscuous, and while not everything there is spelled out, we're talking at least PG 13. If it were an adult title, it might have been more explicit, but still these topics are mature and the author doesn't pull too many punches. TWs/CWs galore. These gods, even the ones we root for, have their villainous moments, and Gem in the events leading up to their arrival on earth was one of the most villainous of all. The gods connive, they plot, morality wars with expediency. I found myself initially less then thrilled at the (inevitable) revelation of a certain character, but Edgmon managed to win me over. All the gods have a point, even as they're trying to kill our main character. And Gem has a point in wanting to neutralize them. This is very compelling read, though. While I can nitpick some of the logic, or why characters didn't always due the logical thing, I was SO INVESTED! This book ends at a pivotal moment, and I need to find out how it shakes out. There's a god that allegedly is out of play, but are they really? I'm going to be recommending this title a lot!

See original review, and please follow me!

.

[shehzadi]

books to read based/ or around the theme of Ouroboros ?

of course!! i don’t tend to seek out ouroboros themes in books but they’ve become increasingly unintentionally-prevalent in current reads. here are my favs:

the poppy war trilogy by r.f. kuang

children of time duology by adrian tchaikovsky

solaris by stanisław lem

mexican gothic by silvia moreno-garcia

the final girl support group by grady hendrix

if you want something shorter and maybe more meta, there’s the essay ouroboricisms by alice lesperance. i’m not particularly one for poems but in the desert by stephen crane and the world keeps ending, and the world goes on by franny choi are absolute ouroborocism gems.

two of the books on my tbr also involve ouroborocisms:

hauntology: ghosts of future past by merlin coverly

atonement by ian mcewan

[defiledtomb]

Ouroboros IF - FAQ

When is the next update? Let’s just get this one over with right off the bat -- I don’t know! When I started writing Ouro, I saw it as a hobby project to get all that pent up creative energy out after working a soulsucking job. If I gain enough momentum and support on monetary sites such as Patreon and Ko-fi, I do have dreams of scaling back my work hours to focus on getting regular updates out. Alas, it is a lofty dream. In writing as a hobby, there is an ebb and flow in how I work on Ouro. Some weeks my keyboard is on fire, others it’s collecting dust. I can’t force myself to write when I’m bogged down with other stuff, it just turns into mindless, boring writing. I expect that to change as I grow used to writing regularly, but I’m still learning that! For now, I ask you to be patient with me; I love working on Ouroboros so much, but sometimes there just isn’t enough time or energy to do so. Besides being a complete novice at coding, Ouroboros is a beast of a story, and it grows exponentially with every chapter as more and more variables become relevant. Rest assured that I work on it as much as I possibly can.

Is there a discord/patreon/ko-fi? Not yet. There will be announcements made when I launch either of the above; I just need the time and bravery to take the plunge. If you’d like to create a fan-made discord, just let me know so I can lurk it.  👀

How many parts do you expect Ouroboros to have / How long is the story? For now, it’s planned to be a duology with part 1 being the shorter, more plot focused part, to really allow you to sink your teeth into the world and characters. Part 1 will still contain romance, but part 2 will have heavy branching depending on what character your MC romances. I might even split into 3 parts if part 2 gets too long. I don’t have any estimates on what the wordcounts for each game will be, as this is my first foray into writing a CYOA game, but Ouroboros is an epic science-fantasy with all that implies. It will not be a short story, that’s for sure.

Where and when will the full game be released? This is very far off still, but I plan to submit the game to hosted games when it is finished. This might change. I have a year of development for Ouroboros part 1 as a goal, but I am very lenient on that.

Are N/S/F/W questions ok to ask? They are absolutely welcome, however until I have launched discord/patreon/ko-fi, there won’t be any explicit content on tumblr. I answer the asks that I can answer implicitly.

Will there be a love-triangle route? No! We talk about our emotions here! The emotions explored in a love-triangle might be present.

Will there be poly-routes? I’m thinking about it, but it is not a priority for now.

Will there be asexual/ace routes? That is the plan! Though they will be written “last”, so to speak, as I want to write out the heavy romance first to understand how the characters would feel about it, to figure out where asexuality sits in their relationships. This is not to say that me or the characters will be reluctant to ace MC’s, quite the opposite. I’m just inexperienced in writing this and it will take lots of research and feedback to get right. I will also have to choose which part of the ace spectrum I want represented in Ouro, which is not an easy task as it is such a broad subject!

Will there be platonic routes? Though friendships with the RO’s are entirely possible, Ouroboros is a romance at it’s core. Your MC has the option to reject any relationships but you might find the content lacking if you do. 

You will always be able to opt out of any N/S/F/W scenes, too.

Will there be RO POV’s? Yes.

Can my MC romance L even if they were just friends? Yes, that’s in my planning!

Can I use your art of the characters as my profile picture/avatar? You can, and I’m honored! :> If you want to use any of the fanart, please talk to that artist first.

Can I suggest choices or scenarios for in-game Ouroboros? Absolutely! Some might not make it into the game for one reason or another, but I cherish the suggestions you come up with; they spur my creativity. Suggestions are more than welcome.

Where do I submit bug-reports? Either here through tumblr, or on the forum. Thank you for taking the time to locate them!

How often do you answer asks? Whenever I can. I can go through periods where I only reblog stuff and don’t have any energy to answer anything, but they usually don’t last very long. If you see me goofing on tumblr when your ask still waits for an answer, I can promise you that I’m not ignoring it; I just need some down-time to recharge my social battery.

Can you tag the stuff you reblog that isn’t related to Ouroboros? No. This is my personal blog, too, and was never meant to be an official site for Ouroboros. If it bothers you I would ask you to unfollow and instead keep an eye out on the forum post  -- I will post all major updates there too! You can also follow the tags found in the tag directory.

Want to see another question included here? Send it in!

[fourthleafluckart]

Gem Echols, Godly Heathens by H. E. Edgmon

Rory | Enzo

[mister-69]

WHY TRAILS IS MY FAVORITE RPG SERIES

What comes to mind when you think of a good RPG series? Often times people will say Final Fantasy, Dark Souls, Skyrim, and Witcher 3. Others will say Pokemon, Fire Emblem, Xenoblade, or Tales. But very few will mention the Trails series, otherwise known as the Kiseki series in Japan.

The Trails series is actually a larger part of The Legend of Heroes franchise, which has been around for a long time. There are 5 other Legend of Heroes series just like Trails, but we will be focusing on just the Trails series, which is the 6th installment.

It is by far the best RPG series pound for pound in existence; very few games can rival the quality of this series such as Witcher 3 and the Xenoblade series. So why doesn't anyone know about it outside of Japan? The biggest problem that stands in the way of the Trails series is localization.

Trails games have the largest script size of any video game series, which means they come over that much later when localized. For frame of reference, Trails in the Sky came out on PC in 2004 and PSP in 2006, but it was localized in 2011. Its sequel was localized 3 years later. The script size isn't the sole reason for the discreprancy between Japanese and Western release dates, but it makes quality testing, debugging, and programming much more time consuming.

Long localization times mean that the game will feel dated to Western players by the time it reaches them. Couple that being in the unpopular JRPG genre, and it's no wonder why Trails is under the radar in the West. Even in Japan, Falcom’s decisions to make most of their games on PC backfired. At the time, console gaming was more popular than PC gaming, the reverse of today's trend.

As a result, console RPGs received more attention which was further amplified by the heated console wars between Nintendo, Sony, and Sega. What's more unfortunate for Falcom was the decline of the JRPG genre, which earned a stigma in the West, therefore striking the global market off their list of considerations. So even by the time Trails in the Sky came out, it was already too late for them to capture a widespread audience.

If you go back in time and change a few things like platform choice, localization, and maybe going 3D, then Trails would have the popularity it deserves today. If Trails was as well known as Final Fantasy or Witcher 3, it would have dramatically changed the landscape of the JRPG genre.

But enough about that... So what makes the Trails series so worthy of praise? When you pick up an RPG, you're probably doing it for its story and characters. The battle system is secondary to you but of course you still want that to be fun. The Trails series does all of the above and more, to the greatest extent.

The best way I can describe the Trails series is that it's an RPG made for RPG fans. You have some of the best worldbuilding of any fictional work, profound story and characters, massive amounts of content, and an ingenius battle system. It does everything you want an RPG to do, and more.

WORLD BUILDING

It's easy to create a fictional world but difficult to create one that has a coherent geography, ecology, history, and politics. It is essential to telling a story because it’s the setting, the driving force of the plot, and the groundwork for character motives. But worldbuilding can also destroy the storyline if it's bad.

Let's take a look at Final Fantasy XIII and its world of Cocoon, a floating planetoid-shaped continent floating above Gran Pulse, a wilderness of monsters. While on Cocoon, your fugitive characters are constantly on the run from the entire human race. You never have time to take in the sights and in fact, you barely get to explore any of the wondrous cities in the game. Outside of deities and the military, you know nothing about its citizens, cities, politics, economy, or what life is like for the average person. You have no reason to care about its world.

Which I guess is the point because your characters are fugitives who plan on destroying it. Except that halfway through, your characters don't want to do that anymore but Cocoon almost gets destroyed anyway. In the end, Cocoon is saved but to what end? The players have no way to care about Cocoon even if they wanted to, so why does it matter? Its safety has no emotional impact on the player.

By the way, you can read much about XIII's lore and background in the game's database. But that's not the same as storytelling or worldbuilding. Reading about something is not the same as experiencing it. The game can have amazing characters and look as pretty as it wants, but with such awful worldbuilding its story becomes the least memorable thing about it.

Now let's talk about Trails, which takes place on the continent of Zemuria. The Trails in the Sky trilogy takes place in the Kingdom of Liberl. Zero no Kiseki and Ao no Kiseki take place in Crossbell State, and are thus known as the Crossbell duology. Trails of Cold Steel 1 & 2 takes place in the Erebonian Empire. All of these regions are within the Zemurian continent, each with their own culture, people, ideas, economy, and politics.  And there are many more countries on this continent that play a role in the Trails series, we just don't travel there- yet.

They sign treaties, trade with each other, and go to war just like real world nations. The relationship between these regions affects the overarching events of what happens within their borders, and thus become the driving forces of their respective games.

In Sky, you have an extremist who doesn't believe the current seat of authority has what it takes to protect Liberl. In Erebonia, you have a country built on the annexation of many other states in an expansion for power so that it can compete against its long-standing rival, the Calvard Republic. With the way Trails does its worldbuilding, you can see that everyone has a motivation behind their actions. You can see why the story unfolds the way it does. And you can also see how they intersect and affect each other.

But Trails is not simply a bunch of countries vying for resources or superiority. There are so many forces and organizations in play that make the story even more interesting. You have the Bracer Guild, a politically neutral organization whose purpose is to maintain peace and protect people. They don't alway get along with the military, but they are loved by the people for solving their everyday problems.

On the other hand, you have the Jaeger Corps, mercenaries for hire. They are often employed by corrupt officials and evil organizations to carry out their dirty work. They operate outside the boundaries of laws and do whatever it takes to get the job done. There are different Jaeger Corps in the Trails Series, such as the Zephyr and Red Constellation, who have a bad history together. The Jaeger Corps and Bracer Guild are not necessarily rivals, but their line of work and ideals are often in opposition.

You also have Septian Churches established all over the continent in dedication of the Sky Goddess Aidios, otherwise known as "She who dwells above." Ordinarily, these churches are insignificant to the main storyline. But in Arteria, the High Seat of the Septian Church, there is an operation of Holy Knights known as the Gralsritter. They operate with the utmost secrecy and are therefore unknown to the public. Their goal is to recover artifacts and ensure they are kept away from human hands. They have other important missions but they are a central focus of the Trails series, so there is not much we know about their Holy Knight operations. 

Also operating in secrecy is an evil society known as Ouroboros. They are the ultimate masterminds in each of the Trails games. Their intentions, members, and powers are all shrouded in mystery. Often times, their plans revolve around obtaining artifacts and manipulating influential figures to carry out their grand schemes.

The amount of detail that goes into their worldbuilding goes down to even the microscopic levels. Each city and town has its own economy, culture, and people. The main reason for Trails' large text is because almost every NPC in the game is a named character with their own story. You have a couple traveling the world together, a hopeless romantic and his best friend, and family members living in different cities wondering about each other.

These aren't your average generic NPCs that exist to fill up a town and make it feel alive. These are actual characters with their own stories with different dialogue lines throughout the entire game. What you get in the end is a living, breathing, organic world. It's something you can appreciate while traveling, something you can fall in love with, and ultimately something you want to protect.

STORY/CHARACTERS

Even with amazing world building, the writers can still drop the ball on the story and characters. In Sword Art Online, the worldwide hit MMORPG anime, you have a wonderful fantasy land and an intriguing UI for players to use. Couple that with top notch animation and attractive character designs and you have a great-looking anime. Unfortunately, that's all it is.

The show is basically being run by a Gary and Mary Stu, two leading protagonists who are perfect in every way and get what they want in the end. It's painful and annoying to watch. The show does a great job of catching your interest but an equally good job on ruining it. SAO's worldbuilding has great potential but it's ultimately wasted on poor writing and terrible characters.

On the other hand, Trails does an exceptional job with their story and characters. Their storylines have actually good plot twists and their games know how to wrap up and ending better than a Chipotle burrito. Their characters have deep histories and well-written development.

Writing a good plot twist can be difficult, because it needs to have the element of surprise, impact the storyline, and make sense all at the same time. The story has to lead up to that point without giving it away. In other words, the foreshadowing needs to be just enough so that players guess something will happen but not too much so that they don't know exactly what WILL happen. This is something Trails has done every single time.

Secondly, plot twists will change the tone or pace of the game, for better or for worse. Often times, writers just have this amazing twist in their mind but they don't know what to do afterwards. So what you get is a sloppy ending that makes no sense.

This is a problem Trails does not suffer because you can tell that they meticulously plan out their writing from beginning to end. Their plot twists properly accomodate for everything affected so there are no plot holes or inconsistencies. And because their storylines occur over several games, their endings wrap up the current arc but end with a cliffhanger to start the next arc.

Trails does an equally amazing job with their characters. Good characters are always memorable and it just so happens that nearly all of the Trails characters are memorable. They go beyond your typical archetype because of good writing, original histories, and meaningful development.

When delving into a character's past, Trails goes deep. You see their upbringing, what happened to each of the characters, and how those events shaped the person you see today. These flashbacks are brief and happen at the crux of a character's development. What you get in the end is a development that flows nicely, ties in with the story, and helps you appreciate the character more.

Speaking of development, Trails has some of the most meaningful character development in the genre. Each of these characters feel very human because they have relateable flaws, flaws that they know they have difficulty coping with. And by adventuring with companions, they are able to own up to their mistakes and make amends, which pushes their characters towards completion.

For example, there are a pair of characters who dislike each other because of their personalities and social standing. They are unable to work in a team and as a result, a mutual friend of theirs gets hurt. They are forced to realize that they are the problem and begin working together. They still get on each other's nerves, but now they are more like squabbling rivals rather than two people who hate each other's guts.

Moreover, each of them have their own realizations as individuals. The noble realizes that he shouldn't try to do everything alone. There are times when it is okay to rely on other's strengths. The commoner realizes he's too hotheaded and that he needs to be more open-minded. It's endearing, it's charming, and it's entertaining. This is the kind of character writing you will come across in the Trails series.

BATTLE SYSTEM

At the end of the day, video games are video games. It can have a great story but if the gameplay doesn't attract the player, then they might drop the game before finishing the story. So sometimes, players are forced to play a bad game to finish a story or go through a bad story that has good gameplay. With Trails, the quality of their story and characters can also be seen in the gameplay so you get the best of both worlds.

The Trails series is one of the most satisfying strategic turn-based RPGs in the genre. It's simple enough for newcomers to understand without referring to a guide but complex enough for hardcore players to have fun with. Basically, your characters battle on a field and perform regular attacks, special attacks, or cast spells. And naturally, there are other commands such as defending, using items, or running away. But there is much more to this.

First of all, positioning. Each character has a movement stat which determines how far they can travel on the field. This is important for weapon users who need to be close to the enemy to attack. During battles, you and your enemies will be all over the battlefield attacking each other, and this is where position comes to play. In this game, spells and special attacks have an area of effect that allows them to hit more than one target. For example, a linear AoE or a circular AoE. This also applies to buffs so if your characters aren't close enough together, some of them may miss out on beneficial effects.

Secondly, Trails' turn-based combat has an additional factor called Delay. In most turn-based RPGs, turns are determined solely by the speed stat. In Trails, it's based on both speed and delay. Delay is the amount of "lag" of each action, and this "lag" determines when the character's next turn will be. For example, when unleashing a powerful spell or attack, the delay may allow the enemy to take an extra turn before your character can act again. This kind of balancing allows different levels of attacks and spells to become relevant throughout the entire game.

Third, we have spells which are known as Arts in the Trails series. These spells can be offensive or supportive. Supportive spells can buff your characters or debuff the enemy, depending on their immunities. Offensive spells are separated into different tiers of spells. Stronger spells have higher costs and more delay, but they deal more damage and often have an area of effect. Certain offensive spells also have a chance to inflict a status ailment such as freeze or burn.

Fourth, we have Crafts which are the special attacks of the Trails series. These are character-specific skills that can have any number of effects. They can deal extra damage, have an area of effect, provide a buff, inflict debuffs on enemies, heal HP, and more. They consume a resource called CP, which can only be accumulated during battles (with some exceptions).

Fifth, we have Status Ailments. Yes they exist in every RPG but Trails' status ailments play a larger role in the outcome of battles than any other RPGs. Defensive buffs are significant enough to prevent character deaths and save you from wasting a turn on healing HP. And ailments such as Petrify or Freeze can completely turn the tide.

On top of that, Trails has a plethora of unique ailments unseen in other RPGs. AT Delay pushes back a character's turn. Faint prevents a character from taking a turn, and any attacks that land on them will result in a Critical. Vanish temporarily removes a character from the field. The complexity of ailments adds more layers of strategy that must be considered when battling in a Trails game.

And finally, we have Orbments, yet another defining part of the Trails system. Every character has an Orbment with several slots. Players choose what elemental Quartz goes in each slot. Quartz will affect both the character's stats and what spells they can use. For example, an Attack Quartz (Red) will increase a character's physical damage and give them access to Fire Bolt.

Orbments work differently depending on which Trails game you play, but universally you get to choose what Quartz goes into each slot. Because of this freedom, there is a high degree of customization in outfitting your party members. You can shape characters into different roles to suit your needs.

These are the defining components that make up the Trails system. Each of these adds a layer of depth and strategy to the battle system. In most turn-based games, you're essentially managing damage and healing. But in Trails, you're doing so much more than that. Its sophistication allows the satisfying experience of finding multiple solutions to the same problem and playing however you want.

A battle system can have the most interesting concepts and mechanics but it's useless without an array of enemies that take full advantage of it. In Trails, you have many different kinds of enemies that require different strategies to take down. You have enemies with high evasion or high defense, so you need to use spells to take them down. Then there are enemies who are immune or even reflect spells, so they need to be handled physically. There are enemies who explode upon KO, so you have to take them out from a distance. These are just few of the many types of enemies that you will run into in the Trails series.

You can get by on brute force, but you’ll be using more healing items and spells along the way. If you play with strategy, your battles will be more efficient and satisfying. That’s the beauty of the Trails’ battle systems. There is no single way to win a battle. There are no useless characters that get outshined by the rest of the cast (okay... I can think of one poor girl). The battle system is your playground. 

MUSIC

When people talk about amazing video game music they often refer to Final Fantasy, Legend of Zelda, and Mega Man. But the Trails series is a real contender and personally, I enjoy their music more than any other video game series (except Zelda). You have really catchy battle tunes, perfect ambient music for dungeons, and the music for cutscenes are spot-on. Most soundtracks are 50% recognizable, but Trails music is so good, I remember 80-90% of their tracks.

CONTENT

Like I said before, Trails is an RPG for RPG fans. RPG fans love a game they can sit down and play for endless amounts of hours. They love having a ton of sidequests to do as long as they are fun and interesting. They enjoy exploring every nook and cranny of fields and dungeons for hidden treasure chests. Trails caters to all of this and more.

This holds especially true for their storylines. As mentioned before, the Trails series span several games to tell the complete story. Their story isn't dragged on or inflated for the sake of having multiple games. The scale of the stories are so grand and epic, that each arc needs to be told on its own. When playing the sequel, I want to find out badly how the story ends and what happens to the characters I've grown attached to. I don't feel like the series is being milked or that they are just reusing assets to cut costs of making a new game.

CONCLUSION 

I've always found it difficult to explain to someone else why Trails is so good. It's easy to say "This RPG has good stories and characters and it's fun to play" but that's not enough to convince someone to pick it up and play it. This is a series that cannot be summed up with a few tag lines in a 30 second commercial. I wish I could hold a lecture at a campus to describe the Trails series to RPG fans.

Also, the Trails series comes in so many different flavors but they're universally amazing. So it's not just one game or a duology I am trying to sell to people, it's the entire series. I find myself saying to people "Just give it a try, you won't regret it" and then typing in all caps to emphasize my desperate excitement. But I think in writing this essay, I've done a good job making it stand out from other RPGs. 

I hope you guys give Trails a try. 

[lucky13-452]

Temptation Treachery Passion Haven Moore fled to Rome a year ago, leaving behind the Ouroboros Society and its diabolical leader, Adam Rosier. Now she's back in New York City with her beloved Iain. But Iain's supposed to be dead. And if they blow his cover, Adam won't give them any second chances. Meanwhile, Beau Decker is missing. His life rests in Haven's hands. The Horae, a group of mystical sisters, hold the key to Beau's fate. They want to lock Adam away forever, and Haven is his only weakness. To save Beau, Haven must seduce Adam and lure him into the Horae's lair. But Adam Rosier has always had a funny way of seducing her. And the closer Haven gets to her enemy, the more she succumbs to his spell. Beau's life hangs in the balance - but this time, Haven can't even trust herself. Every decision she makes will shape her destiny. How far will she go for the people she loves?

All You Desire is the second book in the Eternal Ones duology by Kirsten Miller. This series is an Hades and Persephone retelling and it was fabulous. Adam is back but he may not be the same man Haven thinks he is.

Once again we find Haven and Iain mixed up in a sinister plot that centers around both of them and Adam. Beau has been taken and it's up to Haven to figure out who has taken him. Haven is a bit stronger in this book but she is also still very much herself. Haven is very human, she is flawed character. Have has a temper, an jealous streak and she rushes into things without thinking them through. The flip side to that is she loves with all her heart, she would do anything for the people she loves, she is trusting (sometimes to a fault) and she tries to be better.

Iain and Haven are also the most realistic couple every. Iain is a sweetheart but he has his flaws like not listening to anyone, he's a little reckless and sometimes he can't see beyond Haven. They both have different opinions about things but neither is really willing listen to the other's advice or go for their plan. They always seem to be on two different roads leading to the same place. However I love them together, they love each other so completely that they manage to work things out between each other almost no matter what.

Okay, when I read I get really invested in the story and the characters, since this is the second book and I already know most of the players you can imagine I was already in deep with this book. Let me tell you, I had the shock of my life during this book. Adam, that's right the evil asshole from the first book is back and somehow I ended-up having a whole bunch of mixed emotions about him, one of them was sadness. This book is as much about him now as it was about Haven and I can't believe how my feelings for him have changed. I not saying I love the guy but my feelings are complex and that is where I will leave it because if I explain there will be spoilers.

All You Desire was a fantastic story with pretty great characters, there was evil plots, sinister people, plot twists, an unbelievable romance, past lives and old enemies. This story kept me on my toes and gave me a whole lot of feelings. My only wish is that I could have had one more book in the series, I'm greedy like that.

Overall 4.5 stars

[beyondforks]

Playing Catch Up! All You Desire by Kirsten Miler

Playing Catch Up has really been helping me through my ever growing TBR list. I'd like to welcome all other blogs to participate too! If you do, be sure to post your links in the comments section. I'd love to see your Playing Catch Up Reviews, and I'm sure others would too!! *wink*

Want to know more about Playing Catch Up? I'll tell you all about it here!

All You Desire (Eternal Ones #2) by Kirsten Miller Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal Romance) Date Published: August 9, 2011 Publisher: The Penguin Group

Temptation

Treachery

Passion

Haven Moore fled to Rome a year ago, leaving behind the Ouroboros Society and its diabolical leader, Adam Rosier. Now she's back in New York City with her beloved Iain. But Iain's supposed to be dead. And if they blow his cover, Adam won't give them any second chances.

Meanwhile, Beau Decker is missing. His life rests in Haven's hands. The Horae, a group of mystical sisters, hold the key to Beau's fate. They want to lock Adam away forever, and Haven is his only weakness. To save Beau, Haven must seduce Adam and lure him into the Horae's lair.

But Adam Rosier has always had a funny way of seducing her. And the closer Haven gets to her enemy, the more she succumbs to his spell. Beau's life hangs in the balance - but this time, Haven can't even trust herself. Every decision she makes will shape her destiny.

How far will she go for the people she loves?

All You Desire is the second book in the Eternal Ones duology by Kirsten Miller. Why does Haven always trust the wrong people? I was a little disappointed with this book. As a reader, I figured things out way before Haven did, and then it was frustrating watching her scramble about when things seemed so obvious. Adam intrigues me though. I know he's king of chaos or whatever, but he is probably the most interesting character in this story. I'm not sure why he is so hung up on Haven. The book never really explains that, but I'd like to know, because I think he'd get bored with her. Maybe it's the old "always want what you can't have" thing. I do feel the chemistry between them though. I don't really feel it between her and Iain. I enjoyed all the glimpses into the past within this book. It seemed like we got even more of them this time than in the first book, and they always grabbed my interest. The story flowed nicely, and it was fast paced for the most part. We're left with a wide open ending. It makes you think there will be a third book, but when I looked at the author's website, she says this is the last one. I don't feel like it's over though.

Check out my review of the first book in this duology!

Like all writers, I live in Brooklyn. (I’m only half kidding—I see Martin Amis in the grocery store twice a week. I'm pretty sure he doesn't see me.) Sometimes I work in advertising. My eight-year-old daughter thinks this toothbrush commercial is my greatest accomplishment in life. (For the record, I didn’t direct, write or produce the spot. I’m only responsible for the strategy that inspired it. But seriously—you can’t go wrong with a Philips Sonicare.) To learn more about Kirsten Miller and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitter.

[fourthleafluckart]

Poppy and Marian from H. E. Edgmon's Ouroboros duology