#and I have more written that I want to sort out into posts abt Eugene's char AND my thoughts on Vedis as a Brotherhood Stan™

[birb-tangleblog]

Rise of Flynn Rider - THOUGHTS

THE PROMISED LONGER POST ON THE RISE OF FLYNN RIDER- spoiler warning!

Ok so first off, a very brief summary: the book centers on Eugene and Arnie (Lance), childhood best friends. The orphanage they've grown up in is financially struggling, under threat by a crooked tax collector, and they're both aging out of the system; the only clue Eugene has to his parents is a letter from the woman who left him there, which is signed with a ~mysterious symbol~. When a traveling circus run by the Baron (yes, that Baron) passes through town and Eugene learns of a possible lead on his past, the two boys reinvent themselves, join up, and eventually end up entangled in a scheme to steal from the King and Queen of Corona. 

I won't lie, I enjoyed this one a lot- it was a fun read, very cozy to curl up with, and even with some contradictions, it felt like a novel that was derivative of the series and set in that world. There are a lot of cameos and references, enough that I think most TTS fans will find something they like to nibble on.

Like I said in my earlier post abt the prologue and first few chapters, I'm so happy that Lance got a role alongside Eugene- he's definitely a secondary character to Eugene’s main, and he does get sidelined somewhat, but it's charming to see his friendship with Eugene and his growing passion for cooking. 

'I didn't expect anything, so I'm more delighted and pleasantly surprised than genuinely unhappy with the execution' is a running theme with this book for me and basically the tl;dr of this write-up.

There are soo many cameos and little treats- I get the impression Calonita didn't have the most complete knowledge of the series, but her chats with Chris and interest in the series’ writing definitely show. King Edmund, the Stabbingtons, all of the pub thugs, Weasel, Stalyan, and the Baron all make appearances, and we get cameos from Cap, Maximus, Pascal's mother, and even Cass gets a name drop. Several series-exclusive locations are also mentioned by name- Vardaros, the Spire, and the Forest of No Return.

I'm not immune to the fannish hit of 'hey! I understand that reference!' and I really enjoyed hunting for easter eggs, so even if the presence of the pub thugs in the Baron's crew, or the boys stumbling on Rapunzel's tower in one scene and making nothing of it (yea that happened) is a lil questionable, it made me smile and I can't be mad.

I would just describe this book as 'comfy'.

(That said, I'm a little unsure who all those references are for- I feel like if you hadn't seen the series, you'd lack context and some details would be meaningless, but if you had, I think you might long for more depth and exploration...)

Structure & Progression

Here's the part where I start criticizing the book aimed at middle and elementary schoolers lmao

It's a v short book, but the plot progression still feels a little scattered- it didn’t feel quite like a heist OR a mystery. The subplot that takes up a lot of focus is actually interpersonal conflict between Lance and Eugene- and they reconcile, but not after spending much of the book in a standoff due to a misunderstanding/'liar revealed' trope.

One of Eugene's motivations for joining the circus is spotting a man with a mark on his arm that matches the one from his letter working there, and believing he'll be able to learn more abt his parents from him. He doesn't disclose this to Lance right away, and when it comes out later on, he's upset that Eugene didn't tell him- he feels tricked, and like Eugene's prioritizing his biological family over their bond. I had a hard time with this, b/c I honestly think Eugene could've literally said to Lance, 'hey, joining this circus is a great opportunity to travel, make money, send some back to the orphanage, AND I found something about my parents, will you come with me?' and Lance still would've jumped on it. Later on, there's also another similar miscommunication that deepens the rift. 

It feels like manufactured drama, and I would've loved a book of the two of them just being buds, bouncing off each other, and trying to unravel the mysteries of the DK symbol and the Baron's ulterior motives together. Lance's fears of being left behind by his friend absolutely could've surfaced without the misunderstandings, especially the closer they got to the truth. (And I don't think that'd have been dissimilar to the unused 'Trial' episode concept and flashback.)

The pacing itself... meanders. After the boys complete an initiation mission to get a hold of a special key for the Baron, time passes (two weeks in-story) and there's some slice of life as they learn the ropes, get inducted into a lifestyle of thieving (it’s revealed the circus is a front for a crime ring), and get to know the Baron's crew.

I liked these parts and would've kept them in a longer book! But maybe there could've been some fine-tuning here so big events (Eugene stealing for the first time, the heist, the meeting with the mysterious Man with the Mark) weren’t so one-and-done. There are several points where nothing's really happening because the characters can't quite connect with each other, or they're waiting around for an opportunity passively, and that makes for a frustrating exp for me as a reader.

There were also lot of elements I thought were getting set up to come into play later, but not a lot of follow through? The folk hero Lance Archer is mentioned several times and has wanted posters, but we never meet him in the flesh. The Man with the Mark is revealed to be a former member of the Brotherhood(!) named Vedis(!!), but he isn't seen again after Eugene speaks with him... once. (More on this later this post is getting so long omg) 

The Baron’s plan is revealed to be stealing a reward offered for the lost princess when it’s on display to the public during a festival. Eugene and Lance balk b/c stealing doesn’t sit well with them, especially when it’s from what are ultimately a family trying to find their lost child- they decide to do the right thing by foiling the scheme/stealing it back and returning it to the royals. It goes a bit pear-shaped and they’re caught, but are forgiven and face no consequences after explaining, other than being ousted from the circus/crime ring and making enemies of the Baron. Eugene hasn’t given up on finding the DK, but he realizes he already has a family in Lance, and that’s the most important thing; the two resolve to travel the world and have adventures together.

I want to make another post on it, but at the least it feels like a foregone conclusion given we know ‘Flynn Rider’ goes on to become a renown thief who steals the crown of the lost princess- that’s literally the plot of the movie, and being a dashing rogue is Flynn’s defining trait- so even aside from questionable ideas about wealth, class, and morality, the novel’s ending doesn’t fit what’s firmly established about his character, and I think big fans of Eugene might have an even harder time with that then me. 

(I’m very suspicious that there might’ve been some executive meddling in an attempt to soften young Eugene’s character, and send a more palatable/upstanding message to children- it feels like Disney editing the old SW films to show Han didn’t shoot first.)

It’s def one of those novels where you can take some elements you like and leave others, but overall I’d still rly rec it for series fans! I’ve been buzzing and what-iffing about it for a few days, and I got some tasty tidbits on the characters and nods to the series, which is exactly what I wanted out of it.

And maybe it’s a funky take, but honestly I want to think of this book as the beginning of an alternate timeline where Lance and Eugene got out of crime earlier, Eugene got a clue abt his heritage by chance, and it changed his course. I think embracing the retcons and contradictions to canon makes for an interesting angle, and you’ll enjoy it more if you don’t take it too seriously. 

[izzy-b-hands]

20-30!

Thank you so much for asking!!!!

20. Favorite character to write?

Already answered, but I don’t mind re-answering cuz I thought maybe I’d narrow my three way tie, but alas, no lol. Still a tie between Ahkmenrah, Snafu, and Skwisgaar.

21. Least favorite character to write? 

Ooh-tbh, Larry from NATM just because I feel like I always make him an asshole? Like, I haven’t published all my fic ideas for NATM because I keep making him really mean? And in some it works but in others I’m like ‘jesus chill Lee he’s just a Dude trying his best’ but also at the same time I feel the way Stiller played him and his character arc means he’s got some major ego to him as the films go on? Idk that isn’t a hot take or anything just me being frustrated with Ben Stiller lol

22. Favorite story you’ve ever written? 

Hard choice, because I love all my kids, but I cried after writing this one lol: https://aboutthatmelancholystorm.tumblr.com/post/186781309036/you-know-that-i-love-you

It hit some personal stuff for me, so to be able to have it work organically in a fic so I could also like, mini therapy session myself? Cool af. Also, ppl seemed to like this a lot too, and while that validation isn’t the only reason I write, it’s always cool when my writing makes ppl happy. 

23. Least favorite story you’ve ever written? 

I don’t really have a least favorite, but I do have some I’m more frustrated with, due to how long they took me to write, etc. Currently? The answer to this is my Mark the Date series because A. it is taking me a day and an age to finish it and B. I feel like it kinda flopped, so it’s hard to pull up any energy to finish it, but like...I may as well now lol. I’ll get it done eventually.

24. Favorite scene you’ve written? 

Oh god tbh I have too many I love just cuz like

I can go back to how I felt writing them and yeah

But as of most recent fics, I really this bit: 

-Snafu patted the blanket near his head, and waited for Eugene to put out his pipe and lay back beside him before snuggling close to him. “You could be right. Could be God. Could just be love.” “How’s that?” “I think love has its own way. Even before you meet someone, even before you know you’re fallin’ for ‘em. Love’s just…out there, like the air or somethin’. Finds you when the time is right, and finds who you click with. You gotta do the rest, the stayin’ in love part, but that bringing together, that first spark…that’s love just existing, and doin’ what it needs to so the world keeps spinnin’, so people make it through tough shit,” Snafu replied. “I like that,” Eugene said. “Think love did a good job with us. Makin’ sure we found each other.” Snafu pressed a kiss softly to the corner of Eugene’s mouth. “Sure did. Wouldn’t ever want to be with anyone else. I don’t even know what that looks like, and I don’t want to.” “Same here,” Eugene’s mouth was warm as he kissed him back. “Here’s to love for making sure you found me.” -

from this fic: https://aboutthatmelancholystorm.tumblr.com/post/186926226531/absolution-is-the-taste-of-your-lips

Because I’m sappy af more than I let on, and also this was a chance to like, write out my own feelings via Snafu. And that was a pretty cool and fulfilling thing for me, ya know? 

25. Favorite line you’ve ever written? 

oh god this is another hard one to narrow down but

I always come back to this line and go ‘oh shit did I really write that. Nah, someone better than me at this had to have. They briefly possessed me or something”:  

-Music and talking and shouting and footsteps collide kaleidoscopic in his ears, but none bearing the one sound that he’d run to if he heard it.-

from this fic, mentioned twice now in this post lol: https://aboutthatmelancholystorm.tumblr.com/post/186781309036/you-know-that-i-love-you

I really love alliteration, and for me this line just sums up how it feels to walk thru a city when you aren’t just wandering really, but are looking or waiting for someone, and have that awful yet sometimes good feeling of expecting to hear or see them but it feels like you’re waiting or searching forever and in the meantime the city just lives on around you, a stopped platelet stuck in a vein full of vitality. Like, idk if it hit any of my readers that way, but that’s what I was trying to get across lol, so the line always hits me hard in a good way when I scroll thru my writing tag and see it. 

26. Story you’re most proud of? 

Gosh

I gotta choose just one kid for this aldsfkja I’m bad at choosing I love my gaggle of ragtag goofballs. I have an original piece I’d choose for this, but I’ve never posted it on here, so I’m gonna choose out of my fanfic on here instead.

One I am really proud of is this one: https://aboutthatmelancholystorm.tumblr.com/post/186781309036/you-know-that-i-love-you

and I know it’s the third time it’s been part of an answer on here but

I really love this one idk. Thinking back to how I felt while writing it, how it all flowed in a certain way. The whole experience was just something else, and I’m proud of this one in a certain way I find myself, funnily enough, unable to describe. 

27. Best review you ever got? 

Okay this sounds cheesy but like

I really do love and appreciate every review or review-like thing I’ve ever gotten so I can’t choose just one for this

Like, y’all gotta understand, I’ve deleted some of it and erased traces of it from my blog, but I’ve written for years on here, I have some stuff on my ao3, and for the longest time I got nothing back, or very nearly nothing. Maybe a few likes, but no comments and not much else. I always just rolled with it and assumed I just wasn’t writing anything good enough to inspire reviews. Idk if that’s true or not, but in any case it means I cherish every comment, like, reblog, and anything review-like in nature because I’m so grateful to have it now, and I know it could well be pure luck that I stumbled up on a really supportive bunch of fandoms with great readers. 

In other words, thank y’all for every kind word and like and reblog and also I may be an immortal feeding off of validation of my art, but we’ll see on that last bit, because I haven’t tested it. 

28. Worst review you ever got?

One from middle school. I’d just finished my very first novel, gave it to a friend to read, and he said it ‘smacked of being too fanciful and childish, something only kids and women would read’ (it was a YA fantasy novel so I mean... what exactly he expected, idk cuz he knew what it was before I gave it to him, like it’s supposed to have those elements as a lot of these sorts of novels/stories do, and that isn’t a bad thing about them at all, so like...what his damage was idek.)

Also this is the same dude who texts me randomly and is really weird abt his friendship with me and happens to be an English teacher now (RIP to his students.) 

Anyway, after he said that I tossed a review right back, because well, middle school and also I was very upset with him because I’d not asked for anything other than a general ‘if you picked this up randomly and started it, would it suck you in enough to keep reading or would you put it down’ like that was literally all I needed him to answer for me. So I told him his latest novel (his second at that point) was essentially just him masturbating to his own opinions (because he’s an arguer, who loves to tell ppl they’re always wrong, and that’s by his own admission) for one hundred pages, and not in a way that anyone else would care to read. He was pissed, but so was I. We didn’t talk for a good week, and we had almost all our classes together lol. 

Like, getting nothing back in review sucks too, but this one has stuck with me forever. Best part? I mentioned it to him a few years back, and he only vaguely remembered it, and followed it with “but I’ve said a lot of rough stuff about your work. I mean, it deserved it at the time, but you might be good at this someday!” 

I didn’t smack him, but I really, really wanted to. 

29. Favorite story/poem of another author

This doesn’t specify on Tumblr or not, so I’ve got two: one from outside tumblr, and one from on here.

A. When I have Fears That I May Cease to Be by John Keats

When I have fears that I may cease to be   Before my pen has gleaned my teeming brain,Before high-pilèd books, in charactery,   Hold like rich garners the full ripened grain;When I behold, upon the night’s starred face,   Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,And think that I may never live to trace   Their shadows with the magic hand of chance;And when I feel, fair creature of an hour,   That I shall never look upon thee more,Never have relish in the faery power   Of unreflecting love—then on the shoreOf the wide world I stand alone, and thinkTill love and fame to nothingness do sink.

B. Again, this Tumblr one could be a huge ass list because y’all on here are amazing, but one I’ve been rereading over and over again recently is @xmxisxforxmaybe ‘s Remnants series, which can be found here: https://xmxisxforxmaybe.tumblr.com/post/186702235396/remnants-complete-work

Like, Ahk as a character is captured so well, and I love the way the plot twines and also when the smut comes up? Very good A+ smut, something I value pretty highly on and off Tumblr because man, sometimes smut is just work to write, so I appreciate it when it’s really good. All around, this series has captured my heart and I legit have a link to it saved on multiple devices so if I need something to read, I can just pull it up right away. 

30. Hardest part of writing? 

Self-doubt. It’s the biggest hurdle for any artist, regardless of the art in question I think, but with writing it seems to double down a lot. Like, you have to really get out of your own head, even as you spend all your time there with your writing ideas. Shit gets weird and twisted, man. 

For the longest time, I really let self-doubt defeat me too, and I regret the time I lost to that. I still get hit with it randomly, cause I don’t think it every really goes away for any writer, not even the big names like Stephen King or Neil Gaiman (who I’m half tempted to @ on here purely because I wanna know his feelings on this stuff because I respect and admire him as an artist and his thoughts very much, but also he’s a very busy man so I’m not gonna bug him by doing that lol.) 

All there is to do is to work with it, push past it, and most importantly keep writing. I have days where that feels like the hardest thing, but each day I manage to get past it and get the words down? I let myself feel proud of that, and mark it as an achievement in my Big Book of Stuff I’ve Done in This Life. 

[insolentias]

( MICHAEL B. JORDAN + HE/HIM + CISMALE. ) — welcome to your new home, EMORY MARS. your data shows that you are currently a THIRTY year old CANCER. we’ve had a peek into your personal history and it seems you are REVERENT + DARING and also OBSTINATE + RETICENT, but you won’t be too much trouble for us, will you? you have been assigned to be a SECURITY OFFICER in camp and will be living in CABIN ONE — ( ASTRA + 19 + SHE/HER + PST. )

hello pals ! as you can see, my name is astra. this is ? my first rp in maybe 6-7 months so pls be gentle with me because i just wanna love all of u guys w/ everything i have. pls clock that read more to learn abt my son emory and if u give this post a like, i will slide into ur dms for some plots

tw: PTSD and sickness

BEFORE EDEN

the oldest of three, emory is born and raised in columbus, ohio. “a jack of all trades” is what his father had often referred to him as from beginning to end. as he laid in the center of his crib, emory’s father and mother stared at their son with such light and love. even with new siblings on the way, emory remained a shining diamond among coal, a flower amongst dirt. 

emory was raised with a competitive edge, even before eugene. his father had often made comments on how it seemed like he was always in a hurry to get somewhere, always searching for a higher meaning, a better way to live life. he learned how to crawl, how to walk, how to talk quickly, mastering the first stages of life with ease and grace. 

for him, it was easy to be a part of the mars family. the strict, yet charming nature that his parents bred into him was there for the long haul. they fed his ego, fed into the notion that emory mars was DESTINED for greatness. nothing less than that would be accepted. and so emory continued to do his absolute best, receiving straight a’s maintaining a position on the football and track & field teams as head captain and leading practices. even found himself a girlfriend, ayala, in junior year. but despite this, his social life remained almost empty. where his brother exceeded in life, emory fell short. socializing was a tiresome thing, a distraction. so he kept it to a minimum. 

before he knows it, emory mars is the valedictorian of the class and scouts from colleges begin to contact him, offering him full-rides and scholarships of all sorts. but that type of future was not written in his charts, nor was it where he needed to be. according to his father, his country needed men like him. they needed men that were willing to sacrifice. and so emory did just that - he sacrificed. 

emory married his high school sweetheart only weeks after he turned 18. once that was squared away, he left for the army. it wasn’t long before the earth began to give out. sickness effected most - including his beloved wife. years pass and emory does his best to make the situation better. when he comes home, he spends day and night with his wife, catering to her every need. when he’s away, he spend his time worried, AFRAID. 

it isn’t long before she takes a turn for the worse. years of fighting the sicknesses that overcame her had one last thing to do: kill her. she died in one of the best hospitals with no chance of hope. being unable to see her in her last moment left destroyed and broken, a cold shell of a human. 

THE DRAWING OF EDEN

emory mars was not a name anyone had expected to be drawn, especially not shortly after the name eugene mars had been uttered. brothers, together. it wasn’t luck, it was something close to misery, especially with the pessimism and criticism being whispered into his ear by his father. even emory was close to abandoning all hope and refusing his golden ticket. 

she came to him in a dream however, ayala mars. it was as though she was there, flesh and blood. she help him close and told him he needed to do it, he had to for her. by the end of the dream, he could almost smell her perfume, the gentle scent lingering in his memory. with that, emory mars took his golden ticket off of earth.

with his new life emory is ??/ still a sad bean who pretends to be a tough guy when all he wants to do is cry. he’s a hotheaded mess and way too headstrong and constantly ready to fight u on everything

WANTED CONNECTIONS:

uh so like >>??? maybe a softie that makes emory melt... doesn’t even have to be romantic. just some cute platonic love from a sunshine muse that breaks through his tough exterior and like... makes him smile occasionally. he is most likely very protective of them too !

maybe someone who was next to him on the ship and throughout the whole process of getting on ?? like they just kept looking at each other like “get a load of this bullshit” and bonded through just passing stares and moments of connection. have never actually spoken either

uhhh someone to rlly clash with him !! a hateship if u will. if it develops into something else i am ??? so down but just someone that gets under his skin would be cool

love ?? after his wife dying ?? pls?? someone love him bcs i can’t

[birb-tangleblog]

The Rise of Flynn Rider - THOUGHTS

OHHH IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I GOT TO DO A THOUGHTS POST ABOUT NEW CONTENT, MY HEART'S SINGIN

I agree w/ much of the sentiment I've been seeing on my dash, where the characterization of younger Lance (ARNIE) and Eugene is really enjoyable, but I'll still be picking and choosing what other elements I want to “keep” from the novel. Which is a good way to go abt it in general, I think!

I get the impression the author watched the series (or at least some key episodes) and I appreciate how the writing seems thoughtful, overall.

THE DK QUEEN HAVING LINES AND INTERACTIONS WITH EDMUND AND THEM BEING SWEETHEARTS AAAAA

Edmund’s POV was the highlight for me, and I really loved getting to see a glimpse of their lives together pre-series. The DK queen being Edmund's "true home".... sniffles...

Disappointed we STILL didn't get a name for the Queen, but I wonder if it might be revealed later in the book?? Not sure how but... maybe if there's a flash forward or if Eugene finds another letter?

The idea that the moonstone was previously... sealed? And not exposed to the world prior to Edmund attempting to destroy it is an interesting HC. I'm not necessarily opposed to this thought! The black rocks intensifying during the series as the result of a containment breach of sorts is neat.

Still loved seeing an official version of the events that led to Edmund losing his arm. Ed powering through an injury like that to get to his son is metal. PAPA BEAR-

I do wonder which episodes the author watched tho, and what she just chose to disregard. The sequence of events from the novel is very obviously different from the flashbacks in "Destinies Collide", but I assume the author just condensed the timing to make for a tighter prologue.

(The DK dying a slow death and the evacuation taking years/the citizens leaving in waves remains my pet theory js js) 

Same goes for the boys growing up in Corona instead of Vardaros, presumably b/c of the brand name recognition.

Despite the egress not really matching canon I did like Edmund's extended farewell to Eugene much more than in canon. Stronger emotion and sense of loss/grief to it.

"He let out a choked sob" this is the most fanficcy line in the entire thing I swear

Overall, seems like the author wanted to soften up Ed's choice to send Eugene away by giving him more of a reason to do so? And... mixed feelings. I like that it makes Ed seem more loving and tragic, and making that choice immediately after losing his wife exonerates him a bit, but I can see why other fans see it as one of those 'handwave away bad fathering/parenting' retcons.

Re. crits, there not being any allusions to the DK having female rulers in the past, despite them being spoken of by Edmund in the show and shown in the statues/stained glass was act was a bit disappointing for me. The novel only references past kings of the DK, no queens, and the line of "passed down from father to son and king to king" is... meh. It’s a small thing, but an easy fix too.

“His wife somehow knew the truth, as wives usually do" ???? I can kinda forgive this one if I think of it as being through the lens of Edmund as the POV char.

The stan in me rly jumped out for the entire opening with Edmund and the DK, but I enjoyed the parts with Eugene and Lance as kids way more than I thought I would too!! I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the book now, especially given how it’s (mostly) showing fidelity to the series.

The orphanage where Eugene + Lance grew up is written as surprisingly idyllic, and definitely not as scrappy or bleak of an upbringing as I'd have imagined- tbf it works tonally given the age group, but def takes some of the grit out of Eugene’s backstory. Either way I loved that the kids see each other as family, and the hints to both of their futures.

"But they were as close to brothers as two orphans could be" BUT BOY I SURE HOPE THIS LINE DOESN'T GET MISAPPROPRIATED AND USED AGAINST LANCE/EUGENE AS A M/M SHIP MMMMMM-

Lance was such a delight in general!! 2nd fav thing after the DK parts. All the little details about him liking to cook, having a taste for fine clothes, being a quiet kid, joking about how he might run the orphanage some day, etc. were just perf to me, I accept this characterization wholeheartedly so far.

Lance's namesake being a folk hero/Robin Hood-esque figure who may or may not exist is also kinda great?? I always assumed 'Lance Strongbow' was Flynn's sidekick from the books, but I think I like the idea that his identity developed separately more. It fits their different arcs as adults.

The letter bearing the DK symbol is obviously a plot hole, lol- but canon certainly would’ve progressed very interestingly if Eugene had recognized it earlier.

EUGENE BEING INSECURE ABT HIS NOSE BECAUSE OF AN OLD INJURY MIGHT'VE ACT BEEN MY FAV DETAIL TBH

Ofc there’s more to say (and I’m def enjoying the commentary/meta on choices like Ed actually passing the Flynn books to his son) but I’m just so excited to read something new and see all the new content hype in the fandom!!