#by plot: lord of the mysteries and how to survive as a maid in a horror game

[lollipopmixclo9]

was fighting my artblock but got inspired by how much ppl made quotes about the Look Back movie 🥹

I couldn't pick one character, so I bundled them up! Honestly, the guilty favorite is just an excuse for me to draw Jane and Ben 🙈

This template is made by __ksgi on twitter!

[rughydrangea]

(ALCHEMY OF SOULS EP 20 SPOILERS)

Okay, so, should the last half hour have started in like episode 19 at least? Yes. Did the fake Boo Yeon story bore me to tears? Yes. Did the meandering plot drive me to distraction many a time? Yes. Did two straight episodes of Daddy Jang wandering around the city, making sure he got in his 20,000 steps before finally showing up to join the drama and promptly anti-climactically dying have me pulling my hair out? Yes. Did the fitful doling-out of backstory and exposition make me seriously fear that the Hong sisters were making it all up as they went along? Yes. Did the show frequently veer towards wacky comedy when I wanted it to be a plot-focused emotional fantasy drama? Yes. Did spending 19 full episodes following a kick-ass assassin who couldn’t use any of her powers get old at a certain point? Yes.

BUT.

Did I really love this show? Yes! Am I deeply psyched for December? Yes. Did I love the dynamic between Mu Deok/Naksu and Wook, the fearsome assassin made humble and the arrogant young lord who served his maid as his master? Hell yeah. Did my heart kind of break for Yul, the quiet loner who was condemned to nurse a secret love and could never share his pain with anybody? Even though Minhyun doesn’t have a ton of emotional range? Surprisingly, yes. Did I enjoy most of the side characters and the worldbuilding? Yes. Am I genuinely invested in this story of mixed-up births and bodies and mysterious destinies written in the stars and honestly pretty cool-looking water magic? Yes.

I love dramas that take chances. I think Alchemy took some chances--it’s full-on fantasy, with no built-in frame of reference for the audience and it heavily relies on CGI, which isn’t an easy combination on a TV budget. And I acknowledge that it was far from perfect--I can only imagine how much more powerfully the ending of this episode would have landed if the potential of Jin Mu controlling Naksu could have been established early on, so that the dread could build as we were led towards this loss of her autonomy, which in a horrible twist of irony was also the moment in which she regained her power. If her rampage could have lasted longer, we could have seen more clearly how each character reacted to her violence and her true identity, and then we could have sat in the aftermath, really felt the moment of absolute loss that was Wook’s death. With better pacing, this could have all hit so much harder. But I did enjoy the journey, and I loved where we ended up. Wook walking out of his own funeral pyre? Incredible! Naksu losing everything in the cruelest way possible? I was compelled! Jin Cho Yeon having the worst month imaginable? I actually felt pretty bad for her! And most importantly, I really want to see what happens next.

I know there’s been a lot of chatter about the female lead for part two. I have really enjoyed Jung So Min’s performance, and would be happy to continue watching her. And I am a little confused about whether she truly won’t be in part 2 at all, since the fact that she is playing Jin Boo Yeon’s body would imply to me that she’s still a player in this story. But I’m also excited to get Naksu’s true form back, for a few reasons: 1) I really liked Go Yoon Jung in the first episode and am eager to see her get to perform the role again; 2) As I mentioned, I found it frustrating to watch a character who was initially defined by her immense power continuously have no access to that power. I’m hoping that with Naksu back in her own body, she can truly be Naksu, rather than Mu Deok; 3) If we’re hoping for a happy ending between Naksu and Wook (and I for one am!), then it could never be with her having hijacked someone else’s body. She did it to survive, sure, but every second she spent in Boo Yeon’s body was a theft. Boo Yeon deserves her body and her life back.

Okay, that was way longer than I planned! But yeah, I get people losing patience with this drama; I can’t deny that I myself did on occasion. But I’m so excited for part 2 (everyone got a haircut!) and overall I had a great time!

[ja-khajay]

Stuff I read (and liked) this year

As promised, here’s a list of the novels, comics, manga, etc... I read this year, focusing on the ones I enjoyed and would recommend to people. Under a cut, this is going to be a little long.

-------- Books --------

Favorite book of the year: Stranger in the Woods, by Michael Finkel

Non-fiction. Based on the interviews of the man himself by the author, it is about a man who felt so unfit for society he decided one day to leave it, and spent the next 28 years as a hidden hermit in forest in Maine. The book details how he survived there, how he was eventually found, and some of his reasons for doing so. It’s a great reflection on the nature of loneliness.

Indian creek, by Pete Fromm

...Yet another detailed tale of living alone in the woods. This time, the diary of a student who spent a winter in the mountains to help tend for salmon hatchlings, and how he spent the rest of his days hiking, hunting, meeting the locals. It’s a fun little book who, being set almost the whole world away from where I live, was a nice way to travel.

Howl’s Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones

I don’t feel the need to explain this one since everyone and their mom has seen the movie adapted from it. The book, that I first read a decade ago before I actually watched the film, is a less romantized, more spirited telling of the same story. The writing is absolutely delightful and so is the world it paints, and it’s the first time in ages a book had me laughing out loud during my entire read.

-------- Comics (BD) --------

Favorite comic of the year: Monsieur Désire?, by Hubert and Virginie Augustin

A discreet young woman becomes a maid for a decadent, unbearable, byronesque young lord. Caked in the rigid and oppressive social hierarchy of the victorian era, you follow a mental and verbal joust between the two, as the lord tries his best to offend and corrupt his new unrelenting servant, to little success. The writing and especially the dialogues were stellar, drawing me into the tense atmosphere, watching this trainwreck of a character flamboyantly destroy himself. While there’s no precise content warnings that I can give, this is a mature and heavy story.

World of Edena, by Moebius

Anyone who’s followed this blog for over a month knows how much of a Moebius fan I am. Edena combines the vague, dreamlike, wordless storytelling from stuff like Arzach or The cat’s eyes with an actual plot. While I haven’t completly finished the story, the evolution of the main characters and how the story is told have been great to read through, and as always the art is beyond gorgeous. Unfortunately suffers from some good old sexism in the writing that even if minimal, tasted sour

Le roman de Renart, by Joan Sfar (book 1)

Sfar’s work always has a signature vibe of being dreamy and light without being light hearted, of being down to earth but drifting in the fantastical, and this one is no exception. It’s an adaption of a series of medieval folk tales I grew up with, who uses the same characters to tell an original story. If you’re familiar with icons like Renart as well as other mythological big boys like Merlin you’ll fit right in. There is something special in how the dialogues are written, who feel natural in a way that you’d overhear in a street corner and is very special to me.

The mercenary, by VIncente Segrelles

Another one I post about a lot on this blog. The mercenary is a king on the throne of fantasy cheese. The worldbuilding is interesting at times but the writing is a pretty pathetic display of glorious old time sword and sorcery sci-fantasy 10 years too late for it’s prime (warning for ye old sexism and orientalism that plagues the genre, cranked very high...) but you come and stay for the art. The entire thing is drawn in a series of hyper detailed oil paintings with an insane eye for technical detail, from the engineering of the weaponry, to the architecture and weather, to the anatomy of the fantasy creatures... Each panel stands out as it’s own painting which makes even flipping through it without reading the scenario a treat. Click here to see more of the art, in my Segrelles tag.

The ice maurauder, by Jacques Tardi

A short story about mad scientists entirely drawn like a 19th century engraving. In great Tardi tradition everyone is ugly and mean, it ends terribly, it’s both a hommage to the genre of late 19th cent. to early 1900s dramatic adventure novels and a critical eye on it, and it’s morbidly funny. Most people I saw online hated the way this was written but I’m not them and I really recommend this book. Die mad

-------- Manga --------

Favorite manga of the year: it’s a tie between the following two.

Cats of the Louvre, by Taiyo Matsumoto

Most wonderful comic I have read in ages. The story follows a bunch of semi-feral cats secretly living in the Louvre museum’s attic, and the small group of humans who share their life, walking through the museum as the night watch. When the cats are together, they are represented in a humanoid way, but still act like animals, and “become” cats again when a human is nearby. The plot is a sort of supernatural mystery centered around a kitten who walks around paintings. It’s a love letter to art, sincere and beautiful, with a unique art style and great characters.

Memoirs of amorous Gentlemen, by Moyoco Anno

A sex worker in early 20th century paris starts writing down a diary of the clients she meets, in a quest to cope with the troubles of her life. You follow her, her colleagues, and her bittersweet relationship with an abusive lover. I don’t have much words about this comic, but the art and writing both are amazing, it’s the perfect length and drew me in like little series had before. Obvious content warnings as this is an adult story that talks about sexuality, but also depicts both mental and physical abuse.

Hana, also by Taiyo Matsumoto 

A very short story, this was not made to be read as a comic originally, but served as storyboarding and visual development for a play, and the way it is written follows that. Hana is a slice of life story set in a fantasy world, of a young boy, his family, his village. Despite the setting being an original one, the character interactions are refreshingly... normal, and there is no huge plot to speak of, just a bit of the life of these characters. The art is beautiful, entirely black and white, with a scratchy style and an emphasis on contrast. Matsumoto is on a speedy road to becoming my favorite manga artist haha

Delicious in Dungeon, by Ryoko Kui

While not marked as my year’s favorite, I still consider this series among my favorite manga ever. The art and writing are amazing, and it’s both heartfelt, well concieved and plain hilarious. The story follows several parties of dungeon diving adventurers each on their little quests with a premise of our protagonists, on a panic rescue mission, surviving in the dungeon by cooking and eating the monsters they come across. From a DnD party turned cooking manual dinner of the week beginning, the plot creeps up on you and slowly thickens. I don’t want to spoil anything about the overarching story of this because it was a delight to discover for myself. While everything about DinD rules, I am especially fond of the design philosophy of the author, who puts great detail in the practicality and biology of what she draws, as well as the character writing. Everyone even side characters has so much charm and depth to them, the cast is so diverse and entertaining...! Each character is just a bit lame enough but endearing, and has their own little backstory that shows in the way they exist. It’s a delight

Chainsaw man, by Tatsuki Fujimoto

I went into CSM expecting a borderline campy hyperviolent dumb fun thing to read and was very surprised to find an uncomfortably well written story about a teenager being groomed. The hyperviolent dumb fun fights are here nonetheless and the series still qualifies as shonen for some reason, but the more mature character writing as well as some truly outlandish visuals make it something very special. If you can’t stand shonen, not sure you will like it, but if you don’t mind it, worth trying.

Witch hat atelier, by Kamome Shirahama

The oh so elegant fantasy seinen every cool kid started posting about this year, who I also succumbed to and fast. Witch hat is hard to explain, as most of it’s plot revolves around the rules of the world it’s set in, specifically the regulations around it’s magic and the social and historical reasons for them. It’s about growing up, learning, disability, making art. You follow a little girl taken in by a witch as an apprentice, her magical education, and learn little by little why her lovely teacher is so willing to break a lot of rules... While a bit too gentle and pretty for my taste at times, Witch hat has great worldbuilding and explores sensitive themes I rarely see in manga, much less in fantasy. And Berserk wishes it had art this good

[princess-of-the-worlds]

So I watched Enola Holmes on Sunday, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how now with Burn in the movie, we’ve seen most of the cast in Victorian-type costumes. 

We have Burn in this movie. 

We have Barrowman in Fragments. (Ignore the sideburns.)

We have Eve Myles in The Unquiet Dead.

And we have Gareth in Warehouse 13. (And also apparently the Sherlock Holmes movie, but I’ve heard things about it, so we’ll ignore it.)

(Forgive, they’re the best gifs I can find right now, but it’s not really the point of this.)

So that just leaves Naoko. If she’s been in a movie or TV show that had her in a Victorian costume, feel free to let me know; I just personally haven’t seen or heard anything.

Anyways, my point is...Victorian Torchwood AU where the entire team is human? (Kudos to @ultraviolet-eucatastrophe​. I worked out most of this talking to her.)

Hear me out? (Keep in mind that I am neither British, well-versed in British history, or was alive in the 1800s. I’ve kept certain headcanons - like Tosh’s backstory - as vague yet historically possible as I can remember from school.)

This is set some time in the mid- to late nineteenth century/Victorian London.

Jack is like a Scottish lord or noble whose family moved to the US when he was young. After his dad and Gray died - and his mother succumbed to hysteria and became incapable of caring for him, he is left on his own as a teen and turns to crime. He becomes a con artist and thief and earns enough to board a ship to London when he is 19. In London, he meets fellow thief - and grifter - John Hart, and they become partners and lovers before falling out a few years later. Perhaps, Jack meets some mysterious leather-coated gentleman and his beautiful blond companion who, after an adventure, disappears but not before prompting Jack to try living on the legal side. He uses his criminal past and knowledge to consult for Scotland Yard.

Gwen is actually Gwyneth, and after the events of The Unquiet Dead, she blacked out instead of dying. The trauma fucked with most of her memories. She still remembers her name and adopts a variant of it - Gwen Cooper - before fleeing Cardiff for London where she works as a maid in many wealthy households. Her ability allows her to make premonitions that are always correct, and she is able to become a finder of lost items and people for which she is paid a small fee. She chalks this ability up to having keen sense rather than anything supernatural or Rift-related.

Tosh is the genius daughter of a wealthy Japanese businessman frequently visiting London. She spends time growing up sheltered between Japan and the British countryside but eventually grows a rebellious streak and runs away to London. Except she’s kidnapped by a band of men who originally want to sell her into prostitution until they realize how intelligent Tosh really is. They keep her captive for several months, forcing her to build them weapons.

Owen is born in the London slums but is ambitious and sharp enough to want to work his way out. He falls for a good woman, Katie, and eventually becomes a doctor, marrying Katie. They live happily for a few years until Katie dies of a seemingly incurable disease - actually an alien parasite. In his grief, Owen takes to drinking, gambling, and fighting and becomes a back alley doctor, growing a certain repute among the London criminals. One day, after one of their men is stabbed fatally in a fight, the same men who kidnapped Tosh kidnap Owen to operate on their man. Owen meets Tosh, and they bond over a few days. Meeting Owen gives Tosh the courage to finally facilitate the escape she had ben planning, and Owen and Tosh escape to freedom and hide in a flat near where Owen grew up, eventually falling in love.

Ianto belongs to a poor Welsh family and falls in love with Lisa, a local shopkeeper’s adopted ward, but Ianto’s dad disapproves of their interracial relationship and...(well, we know Ianto’s dad’s repute from canon.) To be together, Ianto and Lisa flee to London, but the only place they can find shelter and work is for a crime syndicate run by an imposing woman named Yvonne. Except this syndicate, which is actually a front for Torchwood, which was formed either the same time or a bit earlier depending on when you want to set this AU, and the entirety of the organization burns in a fire of alien-origin. (Only the original base in Scotland and a small outpost in Cardiff remain of Torchwood). Lisa and Ianto barely survive, and Lisa eventually succumbs to her injuries several months later despite Ianto’s best efforts. Ianto, after spending several long months in the London slums, managing to convince a tailor to take him on as an apprentice.

Then one day, a new serial killer begins operating in London. He kills neatly, somehow draining all the bodies of their blood with only a single puncture mark, and his victims are all women, prostitutes and widows and single mothers and the like. Women that no one will notice, that no one will miss.

Except he’s wrong. They are noticed, and they are missed.

Jack, ever so observant, takes notice and starts tracking down this killer. He may not entirely be the Jack Harkness we know and love, but the Doctor and Rose, no matter how brief their acquaintance remained, have inspired him to a good man. He can’t let a monster like this killer stay lurking in the city.

One of the victims is a prostitute who lived in the flat across from Owen and Tosh and never failed to be kind to them, especially Tosh, despite her being Japanese. Tosh and Owen are determined to bring her to justice.

Another of the victims was a runaway from a noble family, and her mother, knowing of Gwen’s repute, begs Gwen to find her.

And finally, poor Ianto happens to be leaving his tailor’s shop too late one night when he spots a struggle in an alley. Ianto, wanting to be wise and live, keeps his head down and walks away, but the next morning, he finds that he had accidentally ignored the killer with his newest victim. The guilt eating away at him, Ianto becomes determined to stop the killer as much as he can.

So all five of them are wandering through the city of London, trying to track down this serial killer. You can imagine they might bump into each other a few times, like Donna and Ten in Partners in Crime. Maybe Ianto grows intrigued of this strange, charming American he keeps meeting and can’t stop thinking about. Tosh and Owen are a bit wary of this quiet Welshwoman who speaks to them as if they’re old friends.

Eventually, Jack, Gwen, Tosh, Owen, and Ianto all corner the killer in a warehouse near the London docks one night except the killer turns out to not be human. The killer is a Plasmavore who has been feeding on all his victim. After a struggle ensues, the Plasmavore is subdued and eventually killed, and the Scotland Yard awards Jack, Ianto, and Owen the reward money for finding the killer.

But this doesn’t sit well with Jack who proposes that the five of them partner to form their own detective team, because they all have unique skills which they bring to the table. And they all realize, putting their heads together, that there exists a form of life that is not entirely human, a form of life beyond this planet. Jack has his Doctor, Gwen has her mysterious past and her ability - which still hasn’t occurred to them to be of similar origins as the creature they encountered yet, and Ianto has Torchwood. 

All five realize that they are better off and more efficient together and that they can be investigators of anything seemingly inhuman and other phantasmagoria. 

Thus, they accidentally become alien crime fighters two centuries too early.

And eventually, they solve enough cases to meet Madam Vastra, Jenny, and Strax and become their allies.

And somehow, they’re always ahead of the other branches of Torchwood to occurrences in London to the point where, on Archie’s suggestion, they actually become the new Torchwood London.

Of course, they have encounters with the Doctor whenever he pops around, and Jack finally gets some answers about his mysterious leather-coated gentleman.

And thus, despite being in a whole different century, and a whole different city, Jack, Ianto, Gwen, Tosh, and Owen still manage to become Torchwood. 

So yeah, there you have it. An entire AU (or at least its origin story) plotted out completely. Now here’s the thing. This idea won’t let me go, but I also can’t do historical AUs. Like, it’s just too much research and plotting involved for me to be satisfying with writing this. That’s why it’s up for grabs. If this sparks your interest and you wanna write, feel free to do so. Just please ask and get my blessing beforehand. (Joking, but please do shoot me a line if you end up writing this.)

Thoughts? 

[aryll]

my brain: fire emblem me: why my brain: just do it me: ok

lots of extra info on these 7 under the cut!

SAIHARA

Initially Villager class, secretly has both the Underdog (hit rate and avoid +15 when facing a higher levelled enemy unit) and Aptitude skills (adds 20% to all growth rates)

Only vaguely remembers his past, suffers from some mysterious plot amnesia beyond that

Shadowgift skill allows him to use tomes normally exclusive to the dark magic-wielding classes only

Other skills includes Poison Strike (when user triggers the battle, the enemy’s HP is automatically reduced by 20% after the battle)

Tactician = very tired and stressed, all the time.

AKAMATSU

Dual Dancer/Songstress class; ie, she both dances and sings in battle to rally allies

Rally Heart skill is unique to Akamatsu only (a move that grants all stats +2 and movement +1 to all allies within a 3 tile radius for one turn)

Has a surprisingly good Strength stat, which makes her a great pairing unit

Acts as motivational support to her entire army both in and out of battle!! She keeps this family TOGETHER god damnit!!!!!

Other skills includes Miracle (chance to survive an otherwise fatal attack with 1HP remaining)

OUMA

Combination of Locktouch (can open any treasure chest or locked door without a key) + Pass (can move through tiles occupied by an enemy unit) skills = able to clear any map of treasure and escape in less than 3 turns

Speed demon unit, almost always acts first thanks to Speedtaker skill (steals +1 Speed from each downed enemy)

Specialty: rare/unique staves that debuff/decrease stats, immobilize enemy units, warp allies away from danger, etc

Contrary to popular belief, he won’t kill enemies unless absolutely necessary (he doesn’t even carry a real sword). He steals Saihara’s levin sword when in a serious pinch since his Strength stat is laughably bad (or he just warps Gonta to the closest unoccupied space lol)

YUMENO

Her magic stat is crazy high, but the Troubadour class is unable to use tomes, which relegates her to staves only

Wants to be Mage class VERY badly as a result

Rides a white tiger to battle instead of a horse (?!)

Special skills: Witch’s Brew (Obtains a potion item after moving for the first 7 turns), and Tomebreaker (Hit rate & avoid +50 when enemy is using a tome)

AMAMI

The elusive male Pegasus Knight (both he and his pegasus are very popular with the lads and ladies)

Travels long distances on his pegasus, sometimes disappearing for weeks only to return with a bunch of random rare items & weapons from his travels

Galeforce skill is a carryover from when he used to be a Dark Flier (if enemy is defeated, user gets another full turn)

Other special skills includes Clarity (user recovers from status reductions twice as fast as other units)

IRUMA

Probably is a noble? But rejected the standard aristocratic lifestyle in favour of a more adventurous career path

Demoiselle skill, of course (avoid & critical avoid +10 to all male allies within a 3 tile radius)

She has a unique battle steed (she’s a Wyvern Rider… Kiibo is a Manakete… you do the math)

Salvage Blow skill allows her to collect weapons from enemy units and tinker with them to improve their efficacy in battle

Other special skills: Life and Death (Damage given +10 and damage received +10), as well as Gamble (Hit rate -10, critical rate +10)

KIIBO

Is not human, but has never met another one of his kind before (he’s quite young for his species). He hopes to befriend a fellow Manakete someday

He claims to be proud of his dragon ancestry, but he’s also very fascinated with humans. He likes to travel and visit new places to learn about how humans live, and especially what they eat — though he much prefers looking at human food over eating it. It tastes weird to him

Dragonskin is his only skill, but it’s very powerful: it halves all damage, negates poison damage and some special skills, while also reducing the effects of others. Even though he doesn’t have any other special skills, this one makes him indispensable in battles.

I’m not too sure if I’ll be drawing the remaining characters, but here’s the plan for the rest of the cast! (Not including special skills at this time)

Momota — Hero

Harukawa — Assassin

Gonta — Wolfskin

Shirogane — Sorcerer (appears as Lord class)

Chabashira — Swordmaster

Toujou — Maid (sorry kirumi)

Angie — Diviner

Shinguji — Apothecary

Houshi — Sniper

And lastly, thank you for enjoying my character designs... they range from sincere to deliberately awful or silly, hopefully the difference will be obvious lmffjslkdg

[ink-logging]

More Superhero Comics, Revealing My Reactionary and Facile Engagement with Art as Little More Than the  Accrual of Social Capital, Benefiting Nobody But Myself, 4/7/19

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Vol. 4: The Tempest #5 (of 6), Alan Moore, Kevin O’Neill, Ben Dimagmaliw, Todd Klein: This is an often very funny issue, set up like a pasted-together UK edition of old US pre-Code horror and crime comics, which, in addition to being funny, plumps up the page count as the plot moves maybe two or three tics forward in advance of the very-last-issue-of-LoEG-ever. The conservative in me wonders why we’re being this digressive in the penultimate number of the entire saga, but then -- at least since “The Black Dossier” -- this project has been more about positioning various strands of fiction and their accrued cultural baggage against one another than telling a propulsive adventure story. Anyway: the realm of Faerie, having easily survived an attempted nuclear strike on the collective imagination by a military-corporate black ops fiction squad comprised entirely of various revamps of James Bond, has brought in every character from every game, comic, cartoon, TV show, movie and book reality with everything for a HUGE apocalypse! 

Scenes of bedlam involve: the life story of Victorian painter and murderer Richard Dadd; cameos by Stardust the Super Wizard and David Britton’s Lord Horror; the oeuvre of musician Warren Zevon, brought to terrifying life; a Corbenesque image of a nude muscleman’s massive dick flapping into battle in 3-D; Mick Anglo’s Captain Universe, presented by Moore in unmistakable evocation of his own Marvelman/Miracleman stories of decades ago; a ghost wearing the word CRIME on his head a la Charles Biro’s Mr. Crime, the greatest American comic book horror host; at least one figure from the annals of racist caricature firing powerful sound waves from his mouth; a monster named Demogorgon, the leviathan of Populism, which the heroes allegorically cross as a footbridge en route to a safehouse named the Character Ark; a page-long parody of Batman (via the forgotten UK superhero playboy character the Flash Avenger), describing his origin as motivated entirely by hatred of the poor; a text feature telling of UK comics artist Denis McLoughlin, who worked consistently since the end of WWII, never made enough money to retire, and spent decades as an elderly man drawing for survival on titles he hated, eventually taking his own life in his 80s; and the secret of what happened to all the British superhero characters after the midcentury, which is that they were all eaten by Capitalism, pretty much. I laughed a bunch, but if you think LoEG is tedious shit, this probably won’t turn you around.         

*

Savage Dragon #242, Erik Larsen, Ferran Delgado, Nikos Koutsis, Mike Toris: The latest installment of the longest-running Image comic written and drawn by one of the Image founders, now deeply dove into problematic network tv drama stuff. The Dragon’s relationship with his partner Maxine is still strained in the wake of her sexual assault, a video of which the Dragon viewed in the police archives; meanwhile, the mother of one of the Dragon’s young children has been telling them all the truth about their parentage, further disrupting the peace of the household. Also, a formerly aggressive sex robot has joined the gang, dressed as an anime maid. And, the Dragon reluctantly teams up with the mid-’00s-vintage sexy heroine character Ant (which Larsen purchased from creator Mario Gully a few years ago) to foil a scheme by elderly elites to project themselves into the bodies of mythic gods in order to provoke the Rapture. Most interesting to me, however, is a bonus segment in which Larsen presents newly-lettered pages of his preliminary solo work on “Spawn” #266 (Oct. 2016), which would later be filled out by contributions from Todd McFarlane, colorist FCO Plascenscia, and letterer Tom Orzechowski. 

As usual, I prefer the ‘unfinished’ version (top) to the official release product (bottom).

*

Superman Giant #9, Erika Rothberg, ed. 

&

Batman Giant #9, Robin Wildman, ed.

These are two of those 100-page DC superhero packages they sell for five bucks exclusively at Walmart (for now; later this year they’re gonna have them in comic book stores too), which marry one new 12-page story per issue with three full-length reprint comic books from elsewhere in the 21st century. I just wanted to know what was inside them. Here is what I found:

-The new Batman comic is written by Brian Michael Bendis as a very conspicuously all-ages prospect, where the story is about nothing more than what it’s about, and the title character is presented as a serious-minded but inquisitive and compassionate man of adventure. This issue -- just in time for the remix of “Old Town Road” featuring Billy Ray Cyrus -- Batman and Green Lantern travel back to the Old West, trade in their superhero outfits for cowboy clothes, and meet up with Jonah Hex. Nick Derington draws the heroes smooth and squinting with Swanian sincerity, and Dave Stewart colors it all bright and sunny. This is not my thing at all, but it’s confident to the point of acting like almost a rebuke to the rest of the book, where literally everything else is chapter whatever of a nighttime doom ballad drawn by either Jim Lee or something trying very hard to look like him. 

-Like:

I can spot the differences, sure - if nothing else, reading superhero comics trains you to spot differences in otherwise similar things. But, there is absolutely an aesthetic at work. The top page is from an issue of “Nightwing” that tied into the 2012 “Night of the Owls” crossover in the Batman titles, produced by a seven-person drawing and coloring team fronted by pencillers Eddy Barrows & Andres Guinaldo. The writer, Kyle Higgins, has Dick Grayson fight his semi-immortal great-grandfather, who is an assassin for the Court of Owls: one of the more popular recent Batman organizations of villainy, presented here as a fascist group mediating society’s function through murder from the gray space between social classes. The Graysons, therefore, are the Gray Sons, but Nightwing resists the pull of destiny by winning a big fight, slinging the villain over his shoulder, and walking away toward a better future of just beating the shit out of bad people instead of killing them, I think. The Batgirl story -- from 2011, written by Gail Simone -- is comparatively orthodox, finding the character gripped with uncertainty about the superhero life and going about some downtime character-building activities, though most of it’s a big fight with a villain with a tragic past. The penciller, Ardian Syaf, kind of has trouble blocking the action so that characters’ movements are clear; I think Syaf is best known for having his contract with Marvel terminated in 2017 for slipping what were widely interpreted as anti-Christian and antisemitic references to Indonesian politics into an X-Men comic. 

-There is a whole lot of Jeph Loeb among the reprints. He is not a writer who has been in critical fashion for much the past two decades, but he has undoubtedly sold a lot of comics for DC, and they probably feel he can do it again. The Batman book is serializing (deep breath) “Hush”, a 2002-03 storyline notable for its extraordinarily easy-to-solve central mystery, and generally being a taped-together excuse for Jim Lee to draw as many popular Batman characters as possible across 12 issues; it sold like hot cakes. The highlight of chapter 9 is probably a bit where a three person fight ends in one panel, and then one of the characters leaves, and then a second character wakes up from unconsciousness and also leaves, and then the first character comes back and nurses the third (also unconscious) character back to health, and then Batman arrives, all in the transition between the aforementioned panel and the next, which takes place in the same room; such is the befuddling desire to race ahead to more spectacle. Jim Lee (with Scott Williams and Alex Sinclair) is indeed Jim Lee (et al.) throughout, though at one point the team drops a howler of a swordfighting panel where Batman’s blade appears to grows to JRPG length due to what I think is the colorist filling two whoosh lines with the same hue as the swords.      

Meanwhile, the Superman book is serializing a 2004 storyline from “Superman/Batman” -- the series where Loeb has Superman describe the action on the page with his own Superman-branded captions, and Batman does the same with Bat-captions, and Superman says tomayto and Batman says tomahto -- in which the late Michael Turner, one of the rock star 2nd generation Image artists, illustrates a new introduction for Supergirl. But this isn’t quite the same comic that was originally published... can YOU spot the difference?

Is this like how Walmart won’t sell CDs that have an explicit content sticker, but with teen superhero g-strings? It’s hard to explain to younger readers how the low-rise/thong panties combo forever sealed the horniness of a generation of het male superhero artists into the late 1990s, and maybe DC doesn’t want to face that. Or, they’re just leery of how Turner slipping some peekaboo glimpse of Supergirl’s underpants or bare thighs into virtually every panel in which she is depicted below the waist might affect the marketability of the comic in 2019 - although I guess it could have happened in an earlier reprint somewhere too.

-The new Superman comic is a series of 12 splash pages depicting a race between Superman and the Flash. There is very little sense of speed, because Andy Kubert (inked by Sandra Hope, colored by Brad Anderson) draws the characters as frozen in time in a way that prioritizes muscular tension in the manner of contemporary superhero cover art; at one point the two characters part the sea with the force of their bodies, and it looks to me like they’re gesticulating in front of a theatrical backdrop. And, anyway, the story pulls back almost every other page to depict Batman standing on a ledge, or Lex Luthor in a sinister chair -- or some birds flying next to a building, or the Earth as viewed from space with streaks on it -- as the race occurs deep in the background or off to one side. The point is not excitement, but reflection, as imposed upon us by the between 13 and 21 narrative captions and/or dialogue balloons pasted atop all but the first page. 

The writer is Tom King, whose “Mister Miracle” (with artist Mitch Gerads) gets a double-page advertisement later in the book, festooned with breathless blurbs from major media outlets. His narrator here is a little girl who is literally chained in captivity, clutching a Superman doll, and delivering her soliloquy in a manner of a superhero-themed TED talk with handclap repetitions on the nature of contradiction. Being faster than a speeding bullet is a CONTRADICTION. Being as strong as a locomotive is a CONTRADICTION. Leaping tall buildings in a single bound is a CONTRADICTION. Superman is about to lose the race, but then he wins, because to beat the Fastest Man Alive is... a contradiction. No wonder the GQ entertainment desk was blown away. DC comics do this kind of thing a lot, where they just have the writer tell you how great the characters are, and since you’re still reading superhero comics in the 21st century, you’re expected to pump your fists in recognition, because you and the writer and everyone at DC are just big ol’ fans... but I am not, because I am Jesus Christ, the only son of God. 

-Elsewhere in the Superman book is an issue of “Green Lantern” from 2006, drawn by Ethan Van Sciver (inked with Prentis Rollins, colored by Moose Baumann), who is known today mostly as a conservative ‘personality’ online. He also netted more than half a million dollars last July in a crowdfunding campaign to make a 48-page comic book which he has not yet finished; funny to see an American right-winger on the French schedule. Funnier still to see the kind of people (mostly guys of a certain age) who mill around such personalities croaking about how diversity is ruining comics, because ALMOST EVERY FUCKING STORY IN BOTH OF THESE 100-PAGE BOOKS IS DRAWN BY EITHER SOME DUDE FROM THE 1990s OR SOMEBODY WORKING EXPLICITLY IN THAT STYLE, but - I guess when you’ve been pampered for so long, every paper cut feels like a ripped limb. Speaking of dismemberment, the writer here is Geoff Johns, who is often pegged as a superhero traditionalist, though he also has a grasp of gory pomp which occasionally pushes the comics he writes into a Venn diagram set with loud youth manga... at least in terms of how the action plays out, all broad and pained. So, needless to say, he’s currently writing “Doomsday Clock”, which is DC’s present attempt to extend the publication life of the valuable “Watchmen” property, so that they needn’t return it to the original creators, per the original writer, Alan Moore.  

-To hear Alan Moore say it, the America’s Best Comics line was done on a work-for-hire basis as a means of ensuring prompt payment of the various creators from Jim Lee’s WildStorm, the original publisher. WildStorm was then acquired by DC (Jim Lee is now their co-publisher and chief creative officer), and Moore -- who has been (fairly) criticized in the past for taking ethical stances that cause financial harm to his artistic collaborators, who are in a less economically flexible position than writers in the comic book field -- allowed the line to continue under DC’s ownership, as to cancel everything would disadvantage everyone working on the titles. One of those titles, “Tom Strong”, was written by Moore and pencilled by Chris Sprouse for a while, and then there was a long line of guest creators, and then Moore and Sprouse came back when the ABC line wrapped, so that the concept could reach its logical termination point in an apocalyptic manner... Moore does love an apocalypse. The final story in the Superman book is a very recent, late 2018 issue of “The Terrifics”, in which we find an attempt to revive the DC-owned Tom Strong characters as players in broader DC stories. Jeff Lemire & José Luís are the primary creators. Jack Cole’s Plastic Man is there, as well as the John Ostrander/Tom Mandrake version of Mister Terrific. It’s a lot of offbeat characters; we even see Moore’s own parody of Hoppy the Marvel Bunny, because, I mean, Alan Moore does a lot of riffs on preexisting characters too, right? It’s a big blob of cartoon whimsy, filled with available characters running around. If they’re available, you might as well roll ‘em out, off the new releases rack and into a supermarket reprint package stacked in a box next to squeeze toys and discount Pokémon merchandise, which I bought, because it was really cheap.

-Jog                   

[storyswept]

Sansa: Five Suitors For Her Claim and One For Love

I knew the Ashford Tourney had been linked to Sansa’s storyline and when reading the Dunk and Egg novellas myself, I couldn’t help but notice her common points with Rohanne Webber, known as the Red Widow.

When I started writing this post, I didn’t realise that norwaywolf123 had already adressed the Sansa Stark-Rohanne Webber connection on Westeros.org (link here). He thinks that Sansa might marry Jaime, which is certainly not outside the realm of possibility.

I have a different interpretation which expands on the Ashford theory, so I still decided to post this.

The Ashford Tourney Theory: A Recap

I’d like to give credit to nobodysuspectsthebutterfly and bluefoot3 (reddit) for noticing the parallel between the champions at the end of the first day and Sansa’s suitors in the books.

You can check out nobodysuspectsthebutterfly’s post here and bluefoot3′s here.

The Tourney is organised by Lord Ashford to celebrate the thirteenth birthday of his daughter, who is reigning Queen of Love and Beauty. Each of her defenders is wearing her favor, a wisp of orange silk knotted around their arm.

At the end of the first day, the champions are:

Lyonel Baratheon, Tybolt Lannister, after defeating Robert Ashford and Androw Ashford respectively (the brothers of the thirteen years old maid)

Leo Tyrell

Humfrey Hardyng, unable to continue after his tilt with Aerion Targaryen, whose lance targeted his horse in a display of bad sportmanship.

Prince Valarr Targaryen

Four of these champions share a family name with Sansa’s suitors, which raises the question: is a Targaryen going to be her next suitor?

The Tourney doesn’t proceed the next day. A trial of seven is organised instead, after Aerion attacks a group of puppeters for slaying a mummer’s dragon, and Duncan intervenes, striking the Prince.

Rohanne Webber and Sansa Stark’s Similarities

Both have red hair

Rohanne Webber’s red hair was bound up in a braid so long it brushed past her thighs, and she had a dimpled chin, a snub nose, and a light spray of freckles across her cheeks.

- The Sworn Sword

"Sansa was a lady at three, always so courteous and eager to please. She loved nothing so well as tales of knightly valor. Men would say she had my look, but she will grow into a woman far more beautiful than I ever was, you can see that. I often sent away her maid so I could brush her hair myself. She had auburn hair, lighter than mine, and so thick and soft . . . the red in it would catch the light of the torches and shine like copper.

- ACOK, Catelyn VII

They’re said to use poison or sorcery to kill husbands / betrothed

Dunk wanted no trouble with the Lady of the Coldmoat. At Standfast you heard ill things of her. The Red Widow, she was called, for the husbands she had put into the ground. Old Sam Stoops said she was a witch, a poisoner, and worse.

- The Sworn Sword

Assuming Joffrey had not simply choked to death on a bit of food, which even Tyrion found hard to swallow, Sansa must have poisoned him.

- ASOS, Tyrion IX

"What wife?"

"I forgot, you've been hiding under a rock. The northern girl. Winterfell's daughter. We heard she killed the king with a spell, and afterward changed into a wolf with big leather wings like a bat, and flew out a tower window. But she left the dwarf behind and Cersei means to have his head."

That's stupid, Arya thought. Sansa only knows songs, not spells, and she'd never marry the Imp.

- ASOS, Arya XIII

One of their husbands / betrothed was said to have died by choking

My brother was [the third husband], Ser Simon Staunton, who had the great misfortune to choke upon a chicken bone.

- The Sworn Sword

The High Septon knelt beside him. "Father Above, judge our good King Joffrey justly," he intoned, beginning the prayer for the dead. Margaery Tyrell began to sob, and Tyrion heard her mother Lady Alerie saying, "He choked, sweetling. He choked on the pie. It was naught to do with you. He choked. We all saw."

- ASOS, Tyrion VIII

Suitors are more interested in her lands than her person

Cleyton Caswell and Simon Leygood have been the most persistent [suitors], though they seem more interested in her lands than in her person.

- The Sworn Sword

"His Grace the royal pustule has made Sansa's life a misery since the day her father died, and now that she is finally rid of Joffrey you propose to marry her to me. That seems singularly cruel. Even for you, Father."

"Why, do you plan to mistreat her?" His father sounded more curious than concerned. "The girl's happiness is not my purpose, nor should it be yours. Our alliances in the south may be as solid as Casterly Rock, but there remains the north to win, and the key to the north is Sansa Stark."

- ASOS, Tyrion III

They both disappear on a Lannister husband, (thought to be) a kinslayer

A genial man, known to be exceedingly clever, Gerold had served as regent for his young niece, but the suddenness of her death at such a tender age set tongues to wagging, and it was whispered widely in the west that both Lady Cerelle and Tybolt had died at his hands.

(...)

He ruled the westerlands for thirty-one years, earning the sobriquet Gerold the Golden. Yet the tragedies that befell House Lannister in the years that followed were proof enough for Lord Gerold's enemies. His beloved second wife, Lady Rohanne, vanished under mysterious circumstances in 230 AC, less than a year after giving birth to his lordship's fourth and youngest son, Jason.

- A World of Ice and Fire

Of course, Rohanne Webber also shares common points with other characters: Margaery and Cersei (Rohanne’s great-granddaughter) for example. She and Sansa also have their differences (last I checked, Sansa did not take up archery). Still, it’s interesting to see how much they have in common.

Sansa’s Fifth Suitor: Aegon Targaryen

If the Ashford theory is true, Sansa’s next suitor should bear the name Targaryen.

While it has been theorised that Sansa’s fifth suitor could be Jon (if R+L=J), I think it’s more likely that it is “Aegon Targaryen”.

Five reasons why:

1. The Name: Aegon Targaryen fits with the pattern previously etablished, Jon Snow does not.

While I think Jon will probably find out about his heritage at some point (it would be strange to hint at a character’s hidden heritage, if it doesn’t have any effect on the plot), I don’t believe Jon will start calling himself “Targaryen” unless he has to.

It’s not the name he always yearned for. Not to mention he might not be able to use it (depending on whether he’s legitimate or not).

2. Timing: at the end of ADWD, Aegon Targaryen arrives in Westeros. It’s mentioned in passing that a marriage alliance would be a good way to gain support in his quest for the Iron Throne.

"My lord does have one prize to offer," Haldon Halfmaester pointed out. "Prince Aegon's hand. A marriage alliance, to bring some great House to our banners."

- ADWD, The Griffin Reborn

If the Key to the North was to resurface, no doubt she would be thought of as an interesting prospect.

Meanwhile... Jon Snow still knows nothing about his origins. Nor has he a reason to wish for Sansa’s hand, who...

he thinks is his sister

he hasn’t seen since they left Winterfell

he could have taken Winterfell from, if he wished (I’m referring to Stannis’ offer)

Jon’s feelings towards Sansa could take a non-platonic turn in future books. Even so, it will take revelations and time for marriage to be considered. Time during which Aegon might have asked for Sansa’s hand.

3. The Mummer’s Dragon: during the tourney of Ashford, there’s not only a Targaryen champion, but a mummer’s dragon as well...

As he ate he watched a painted wooden knight battle a painted wooden dragon. The puppeteer who worked the dragon was good to watch too; a tall drink of water, with the olive skin and black hair of Dorne. She was slim as a lance with no breasts to speak of, but Dunk liked her face and the way her fingers made the dragon snap and slither at the end of its strings. He would have tossed the girl a copper if he’d had one to spare, but just now he needed every coin.

There were armorers amongst the merchants, as he had hoped. A Tyroshi with a forked blue beard was selling ornate helms, gorgeous fantastical things wrought in the shapes of birds and beasts and chased with gold and silver.

- The Hedge Knight

Several hints link this passage to Aegon:

Quaithe’s warning to Daenerys:

“The glass candles are burning. Soon comes the pale mare, and after her the others. Kraken and dark flame, lion and griffin, the sun’s son and the mummer’s dragon. Trust none of them. Remember the Undying. Beware the perfumed seneschal.”

- ADWD, Daenerys II

Aegon survived because of Varys, who used to be a mummer and has been plotting to put Aegon on the throne.

The Dornishwoman as slim as a lance. Elia Sand, who also calls herself Lady Lance, is travelling with Arianne (Dornish, but not known to be flat-chested) to meet with Aegon Targaryen.

Tyroshi blue: when posing as Young Griff, Aegon was dying his hair blue, supposedly in honor of his Tyroshi mother.

4. Rohanne Webber’s Fifth Husband: Eustace Osgrey fought for Daemon Blackfyre, the King who Bore the Sword.

Like Eustace Osgrey, Aegon’s family has suffered losses for being on the losing side. To regain what was lost, he needs a Spider’s help.

5. Aegon’s Link to Daemon Blackfyre: like Daemon before him, Aegon wishes to take another’s place on the Iron Throne and had set his sights on a Daenerys Targaryen. Daemon ended up marrying Rohanne of Tyrosh instead... whose namesake, Rohanne Webber, shares a lot of similarities with Sansa...

Additionally, Aegon shares some similarities with Valarr. He’s also a king’s grandson, with a Dornish mother. I didn’t cite this among my arguments because if R+L=J, Jon is also a king’s grandson and like Valarr, he takes after his mother in looks.

Sansa’s Sixth Suitor: Will Marry Her For Love?

Should we ever wed, you'll have to send Saffron back to her father. I'll be all the spice you'll want."

He grinned. "I will hold you to that promise, my lady. Until that day, may I wear your favor in the tourney?"

"You may not. It is promised to...another." She was not sure who as yet, but she knew she would find someone.

- TWOW, Alayne I

I believe that Sansa may have a sixth suitor, different from the previous ones, paralleling Rohanne Webber’s six husbands.

From AWOIAF, we know that Rohanne Webber’s last husband was Gerold Lannister. He was already mentioned as a possible suitor in “The Sworn Sword”, though he had yet to make an appearance.

Were I given to wagering, I should place my gold on Gerold Lannister. He has yet to put in an appearance, but they say he is golden-haired and quick of wit, and more than six feet tall …” “… and Lady Webber is much taken with his letters.” The lady in question stood in the doorway, beside a homely young maester with a great, hooked nose. “You would lose your wager, good-brother. Gerold will never willingly forsake the pleasures of Lannisport and the splendor of Casterly Rock for some little lordship. He has more influence as Lord Tybolt’s brother and advisor than he could ever hope for as my husband. (...)”

- The Sworn Sword

Rohanne didn’t believe Gerold would marry her, because he had nothing to gain from it.

Sansa doesn’t believe anyone will ever marry her for love.

It is not me she wants her son to marry, it is my claim. No one will ever marry me for love. 

- ASOS, Sansa VI

Well, maybe someone will...

[bforbookslut]

ARC Review: Amber Sky by Claire Warner

This book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This review edition is an ARC and may differ from the printed edition.

I have given this book ☆☆☆☆. It belongs to the Young Adult Fantasy and Dystopian genres. Raven Press published it. It was published June 23 2017.

The blurb reads: “Beneath the Amber Sky, the nobility control the food, education, and the mysterious C.O.I.L.S of Copper and Brass. To Tay, struggling to keep her siblings alive, the ideas of rebellion and freedom are distant and unreachable.

But when her father is arrested, she begs Darius James, the son of the Overseer, to save his life. Darius agrees, but his help costs her a favour, one he can call in at any time.

Darius' favour will bring her to the Palace, and the perfect position to help the growing rebellion. But the court has games beyond anything she has seen before, and Darius' secrets will add to the danger.

Tay is now able to make a difference, to join the rebellion, find the C.O.I.L.S and discover the secrets of the Amber Sky. All she has to do is survive.”

Verdict:

I know the cover isn’t promising and it looks very juvenile but crack this book open, I swear on my life that you’ll not be disappointed. Amber Sky was a phenomenal read that I didn’t want to put down. And I’m not just saying that.

Long story short, Tay’s father was sent to work in the most heinous of places for a crime of rebellion where he will surely be worked to death. To save her father, she goes to Darius (a most unassuming name for a very dashing hero) and pleads that he save her father’s life. In exchange, he grants her a favour that can be called on any time and lo and behold, she’s a servant in the house next to his. Then, he calls the favour in and Tay gets whisked off into a masquerade of glitz and glamour only to find out more heinous secrets. There is also a forest, shots fired into the sky akin to fireworks and fireballs, a masked ball, a daring train crash and abduction, useless adults, and of course, sparks flying of the emotional kind.

Sure, some people say that it’s a genre that’s been done before or that they’ve seen this done a million times. But, when it’s something done a million times AND it’s actually good, then it deserves it four stars.

Amber Sky leans more towards steampunk than dystopian, mainly because of the Victorian-esque elements of scullery maids and lords and ladies as well as the liberal use of machinery. Specifically, Tay mentions that steam power was discovered and harnessed.

It’s also incredibly well-written in that the pacing was good and the plot twist is bomb diggity. I never quite felt bored and elements that were introduced in the beginning of the story that seemed useless were always made use of in the end. I always love when writers do that, whether on tv, the silver screen or in books, because it really shows thought and planning.

However, despite mentions of C.O.I.L.S. of Copper and Brass, there was close to nothing about the mysterious organisation in the book. Which was pretty sad because it’s such a clever name that I’m curious about what they do. It’s the reason I knocked a star.

All in all, Amber Sky has really given me hope about 2017 publications after a disaster of published works. This is a short review mostly because there’s nothing I really dislike about Amber Sky and, it’s a starter novel, that’s for sure. It can’t stand on its own and more plots were introduced than resolved.

[may contain spoilers]

Despite my glowing review, as always, I do have things I dislike about Amber Sky. They’re not enough to spoil my enjoyment about it though.

1. Tay was incredibly shy and timid throughout the first half of the novel and her nerves and jittering got on my nerves really quick. I would say it’s a breath of fresh air from the typical brash and confident heroines but unlike Katniss who was nervous, Tay was just annoying about how scared she was. Darius had to constantly shush her like a frightened animal. It wasn’t until Tay grew a backbone and went from zero to sixty in three point five that the book’s tone FINALLY picked up.

2. Almost every man in the novel seemed lecherous. I suppose it’s not something I should be complaining about since given the setting and the gender balance but come on, it would have been nice to have a hero I could rely on and fall in love with. Even Darius wasn’t as hunky dory and charming and beautiful as a male lead can be. He was manipulative and unapologetic about it. But, he was always resourceful and useful.

3. Maybe because it’s an arc that I’m reading but I got it pretty close to publication date and even this review is close to cutting the one month period, but there were a lot of strange word choices as well as things suddenly happening. I did highlight quite a bit of it and it was enough for me to notice. I hope it gets corrected in the published version.

Conclusion:

I loved Amber Sky and I urge you to give it a try despite it’s very disappointing cover. It’s very well-written and clever. I wish there was more use of steampunk instead of hinting at it. Decide, dear author, decide. I can’t wait for the second one!

[quietya]

If You Like...Sarah J. Maas

At the end of 2016, I asked if there was anything you guys wanted to see on the blog. A couple of you mentioned posts that linked popular books with underrated books. I’ve been sitting on this for a while, trying to come up with matches, and right now my easiest match? Is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. One, because a lot of you love it, and two, because I’ve actually read it.

So, without further delay, here are some books you probably haven’t heard of but you might like if you love Throne of Glass.

Death Sworn by Leah Cypress

When Ileni lost her magic, she lost everything: her place in society, her purpose in life, and the man she had expected to spend her life with. So when the Elders sent her to be magic tutor to a secret sect of assassins, she went willingly, even though the last two tutors had died under mysterious circumstances. But beneath the assassins’ caves, Ileni will discover a new place and a new purpose… and a new and dangerous love. She will struggle to keep her lost magic a secret while teaching it to her deadly students, and to find out what happened to the two tutors who preceded her. But what she discovers will change not only her future, but the future of her people, the assassins… and possibly the entire world.

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others. Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen

Will Scarlet is good at two things: stealing from the rich and keeping secrets - skills that are in high demand in Robin Hood’s band of thieves, who protect the people of Nottingham from the evil sheriff. Scarlet’s biggest secret of all is one only Robin and his men know…that she is posing as a thief; that the slip of a boy who is fast with sharp knives is really a girl.

The terrible events in her past that led Scarlet to hide her real identity are in danger of being exposed when the thief taker Lord Gisbourne arrives in town to rid Nottingham of the Hood and his men once and for all. As Gisbourne closes in a put innocent lives at risk, Scarlet must decide how much the people of Nottingham mean to her, especially John Little, a flirtatious fellow outlaw, and Robin, whose quick smiles have the rare power to unsettle her. There is real honor among these thieves and so much more - making this a fight worth dying for.

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller (coming September 5, 2017)

Sallot Leon is a thief, and a good one at that. But gender fluid Sal wants nothing more than to escape the drudgery of life as a highway robber and get closer to the upper-class―and the nobles who destroyed their home. When Sal steals a flyer for an audition to become a member of The Left Hand―the Queen’s personal assassins, named after the rings she wears―Sal jumps at the chance to infiltrate the court and get revenge. But the audition is a fight to the death filled with clever circus acrobats, lethal apothecaries, and vicious ex-soldiers. A childhood as a common criminal hardly prepared Sal for the trials. And as Sal succeeds in the competition, and wins the heart of Elise, an intriguing scribe at court, they start to dream of a new life and a different future, but one that Sal can have only if they survive.

Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier

Sixteen-year-old Neryn is alone in the land of Alban, where the oppressive king has ordered anyone with magical strengths captured and brought before him. Eager to hide her own canny skill–a uniquely powerful ability to communicate with the fairy-like Good Folk–Neryn sets out for the legendary Shadowfell, a home and training ground for a secret rebel group determined to overthrow the evil King Keldec. During her dangerous journey, she receives aid from the Good Folk, who tell her she must pass a series of tests in order to recognize her full potential. She also finds help from a handsome young man, Flint, who rescues her from certain death–but whose motives in doing so remain unclear. Neryn struggles to trust her only allies. They both hint that she alone may be the key to Alban’s release from Keldec’s rule. Homeless, unsure of who to trust, and trapped in an empire determined to crush her, Neryn must make it to Shadowfell not only to save herself, but to save Alban.

Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull. Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease. When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Digger thrives as a spy and sneak-thief among the feuding religious factions of Gerse, dodging the Greenmen who have banned all magic. But when a routine job goes horribly wrong and her partner and lover Tegen is killed, she has to get out of the city, fast, and hides herself in a merry group of nobles to do so. Accepted as a lady’s maid to shy young Merista Nemair, Digger finds new peace and friendship at the Nemair stronghold–as well as plenty of jewels for the taking. But after the devious Lord Daul catches her in the act of thievery, he blackmails her into becoming his personal spy in the castle, and Digger soon realizes that her noble hosts aren’t as apolitical as she thought… that indeed, she may be at the heart of a magical rebellion.

The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows

Wilhelmina has a hundred identities. She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom’s capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne. She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie’s behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can’t trust anyone. She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina’s magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil’s magic, she will vanish like all the others.

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

She’s a stunner. Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty. She’s a liar. But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she’s leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them. She’s a murderer. Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother. She’s a Falconer. The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother’s murder—but she’ll have to save the world first.

Daughters of Ruin by K.D. Castner

Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren have lived together since they were children. They are called sisters. They are not. They are called equals. They are not. They are princesses. And they are enemies. A brutal war ravaged their kingdoms, and Rhea’s father was the victor. As a gesture of peace, King Declan brought the daughters of his rivals to live under his protection—and his ever-watchful eye. For ten years they have trained together as diplomats and warriors, raised to accept their thrones and unite their kingdoms in peace. But there is no peace among sisters, and all plans shatter when the palace is attacked. As their intended future lies in ashes, Rhea, Cadis, Suki, and Iren must decide where their loyalties lie: to their nations, or to each other.

The Storyteller by Becky Wallace

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure. The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna. With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

The Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine

Lorelai Diederich, crown princess and fugitive at large, has one mission: kill the wicked queen who took both the Ravenspire throne and the life of her father. To do that, Lorelai needs to use the one weapon she and Queen Irina have in common—magic. She’ll have to be stronger, faster, and more powerful than Irina, the most dangerous sorceress Ravenspire has ever seen. In the neighboring kingdom of Eldr, when Prince Kol’s father and older brother are killed by an invading army of magic-wielding ogres, the second-born prince is suddenly given the responsibility of saving his kingdom. To do that, Kol needs magic—and the only way to get it is to make a deal with the queen of Ravenspire, promise to become her personal huntsman…and bring her Lorelai’s heart. But Lorelai is nothing like Kol expected—beautiful, fierce, and unstoppable—and despite dark magic, Lorelai is drawn in by the passionate and troubled king. Fighting to stay one step ahead of the dragon huntsman—who she likes far more than she should—Lorelai does everything in her power to ruin the wicked queen. But Irina isn’t going down without a fight, and her final move may cost the princess the one thing she still has left to lose.

Assassin’s Heart by Sarah Ahiers

 In the kingdom of Lovero, nine rival Families of assassins lawfully kill people for a price. As a highly skilled member of one of these powerful clans, seventeen-year-old Lea Saldana has always trusted in the strength of her Family. Until she awakens to find them murdered and her home in flames. The Da Vias, the Saldanas’ biggest enemy, must be responsible—and Lea should have seen it coming. But her secret relationship with the Da Vias’ son, Val, has clouded her otherwise killer instinct—and given the Da Vias more reason than ever to take her Family down. Racked with guilt and shattered over Val’s probable betrayal, Lea sets out to even the score, with her heart set on retaliation and only one thought clear in her mind: make the Da Vias pay.

Sword and Verse by Kathy MacMillan

Raisa was only a child when she was kidnapped and enslaved in Qilara. Forced to serve in the palace of the King, she’s endured hunger, abuse, and the harrowing fear of discovery. Everyone knows that Raisa is Arnath, but not that she is a Learned One, a part of an Arnath group educated in higher order symbols. In Qilara, this language is so fiercely protected that only the King, the Prince, and Tutors are allowed to know it. So when the current Tutor-in-training is executed for sharing the guarded language with slaves and Raisa is chosen to replace her, Raisa knows that, although she may have a privileged position among slaves, any slipup could mean death. That would be challenging enough, but training alongside Prince Mati could be her real undoing. And when a romance blossoms between them, she’s suddenly filled with a dangerous hope for something she never before thought possible: more. Then she’s approached by the Resistance—an underground army of slaves—to help liberate the Arnath people. Joining the Resistance could mean freeing her people…but she’d also be aiding in the war against her beloved, an honorable man she knows wants to help the slaves. Working against the one she loves—and a palace full of deadly political renegades—has some heady consequences. As Raisa struggles with what’s right, she unwittingly uncovers a secret that the Qilarites have long since buried…one that, unlocked, could bring the current world order to its knees. And Raisa is the one holding the key.

Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle—a shifting maze of magical rooms—enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

The Kingdom of Little Wounds by Susann Cokal

On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion. Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem—and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

The Great Hunt by Wendy Higgins

When a strange beast terrorizes the kingdom of Lochlanach, fear stirs revolt. In an act of desperation, a proclamation is sent to all of Eurona—kill the creature and win the ultimate prize: the daughter of King Lochson’s hand in marriage. Princess Aerity knows her duty to the kingdom but cannot bear the idea of marrying a stranger... until a brooding local hunter, Paxton Seabolt, catches her attention. There’s no denying the unspoken lure between them... or his mysterious resentment. Paxton is not the marrying type. Nor does he care much for spoiled royals and their arcane laws. He’s determined to keep his focus on the task at hand—ridding the kingdom of the beast—but the princess continues to surprise him, and the perilous secrets he’s buried begin to surface.

Hunted by Meagan Spooner (coming March 14, 2017)

Beauty knows the Beast’s forest in her bones—and in her blood. Though she grew up with the city’s highest aristocrats, far from her father’s old lodge, she knows that the forest holds secrets and that her father is the only hunter who’s ever come close to discovering them. So when her father loses his fortune and moves Yeva and her sisters back to the outskirts of town, Yeva is secretly relieved. Out in the wilderness, there’s no pressure to make idle chatter with vapid baronessas…or to submit to marrying a wealthy gentleman. But Yeva’s father’s misfortune may have cost him his mind, and when he goes missing in the woods, Yeva sets her sights on one prey: the creature he’d been obsessively tracking just before his disappearance. Deaf to her sisters’ protests, Yeva hunts this strange Beast back into his own territory—a cursed valley, a ruined castle, and a world of creatures that Yeva’s only heard about in fairy tales. A world that can bring her ruin or salvation. Who will survive: the Beauty, or the Beast?

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Frostblood by Elly Blake

Seventeen-year-old Ruby is a Fireblood who has concealed her powers of heat and flame from the cruel Frostblood ruling class her entire life. But when her mother is killed trying to protect her, and rebel Frostbloods demand her help to overthrow their bloodthirsty king, she agrees to come out of hiding, desperate to have her revenge. Despite her unpredictable abilities, Ruby trains with the rebels and the infuriating—yet irresistible—Arcus, who seems to think of her as nothing more than a weapon. But before they can take action, Ruby is captured and forced to compete in the king’s tournaments that pit Fireblood prisoners against Frostblood champions. Now she has only one chance to destroy the maniacal ruler who has taken everything from her—and from the icy young man she has come to love.

I wish this list was more diverse, but that’s what I can think of/find at the moment that I know aren’t super popular. If there’s something YOU think should be on this list, definitely let me know! And if you want more posts like this, I want to know that too! I have a bunch of drafts along these lines, but it’ll help to know what you want to see most.

[unworthy-stars]

Chapter Eleven “Birds”

He wandered around the castle. The sparkling chandeliers, the drawn ceilings, the elegant opal tapiseries. Everything was beyond real for little Ivan.

He felt warm and for the first time it wasn't only his burning desire and ambition. He actually felt warm. It was like he was in an exotic island of the south drinking coctails and coconut milk.

He quickly remembered his purpose in the palace. To talk to the birds. Only this way he could earn money to perseve his family's survival.

He looked around him. No sign of a butler or a maid was apparent. Did the Czar clean this whole palace himself alone? Unbelievable!

Out of nowhere a young man, a few years older than Ivan, made his entrance to the huge hall. He wore a simple outfit, considering he was part of the Czar's staff. But his eyes were a flaming radiant green that hypnotised little Ivan.

'Oh my! I heard the guards talking about your comeback and I ran to catch up with you!' he sighed smiling 'What an honour to meet you really! At your services!' the man bowed.

Ivan widened his eyes. He didn't understand this man's behaviour. Why was he treated like a royalty? He was a mere commoner. Not to mention a hated one.

Regardless of the servant's bizarre behaviour, Ivan took the courage to speak his mind. As he must anyways.

'I wish to talk to the birds, sir. I am here just because of this,'

'As you wish, sir...follow me!' he walked forward.

Ivan followed him with nerve, despite his shaking body. Fear, but excitement.

'No one has ever called me a "sir", sir. You're too kind!' the servant claimed.

Ivan didn't respond. Maybe someone was watching him. At least that's how he felt like.

Likewise the servant. But he was sure about it.

'I will deliever the message to his majesty. You can take your time trying right here!' he pointed at the fearsome birds.

It was a very interesting converstation they had indeed. No wonder they wanted it to be heard by his royal ears.

'Take me to your sovereign king.' Ivan ordered before the servant had walked a foot.

Amazed by the younling's talents, the butler stood at his position. With a heel turn he faced the severe kid.

'Yes, my lord.'

With a smile on their faces they entered the throne room. The king was resting on his golden chair. Surprised by the little one's entrance he widened his eyes.

He would have to cut a child's head off.

But he knew very well that was impossible.

'Your highness, Ivan Braginski has solved the mystery of the crows.'

The little kid stepped forward with bravery. The king took a closer look at him. Young and beautiful. So charesmatic.

'You see, your highness, there is a family consisted of three crows. They ask for your advice, as you are the wisest of all. Should the baby crow follow the mother or the father crow, they ask,' Ivan translated.

'The baby crow should follow the father crow,' he answered and the crows flew away, the two of them together.

Ivan was against the king's opinion, but he was too shy to tell it. Besides, not having the same opinion as the king leads to revolution. And a revolution because of birds is a huge mistake.

'Now...Ivan Braginski wasn't it?' the Czar repeated and Ivan signed positively 'Well for you, I've got a special reward! As you helped me with getting rid of the crows, I promised a valuable one as I recall!'

Ivan's smile reached his ears. He couldn't be happier. Finally, years of misery and suffering would have an end.

'You see, my son,' Ivan felt honoured by the calling 'You are young and beautiful. And clever-'

'Actually sir, I'd prefer the adjective "altruistic". If I hadn't helped the baby birds that day I wouldn't be able to speak the language of the birds!' Ivan interrupted but the royal went on talking.

'-I suppose. But I know much more about your family than you yourself!'

The only thing Ivan didn't know about his family was the story of his mother. How did she met his father, what happened with that. If he knew it, if only the Czar was so kind to tell about his long lost mother, then everything you'd be solved.

'You, Ivan Braginski, from the time you were born ages ago. You were always destined for something great and big. That's why I am happy to announce you...'

Ivan was at the tip of his toes. Only the young servant was dragging him back from falling forward. He was so curious, but he felt so special.

Wait. How would the Czar himself know his mother?

'That you were never born in an embrace of a mother. But merely, you were self-created.'

Ivan didn't know how to respond. It was a bit of a shocking piece of information. But it had a small plot hole...if he was self-created, why was Generel Winter his father and why Sofia and Natalya his sisters?

'That's because, my dear Ivan, you're not just Ivan. You are Russia!'