#f damascus

[intertexts]

i neeeed 2 finish a fic b4 dember ends.... ive managed 2 finish something every month since may this year which has been fucking. crazy. & i dont necessarily want to tie myself to keeping on doing that but i do at least wanna round out this year. unfortunately this means. writing.

[amogusincidentgamingofficial]

[verdantmeadows]

Why does every single M/M romance book have to have one or both of the characters have an ex or have been in love before or explicitly fooled around with guys before I hate it sooooo much. It's just a huge discomfort/squick of mine in fiction and I CANNOT take it. I just want to read an M/M romance that's dumb and cheesy WITHOUT there being an ex boyfriend or a past fling or one or both of the male leads being attracted to every single boy they see.

(To clarify, NO there's nothing wrong with this, I just hate it. I'm very much a, "my romances have to be each other's firsts" or if they aren't, for previous stuff to not be mentioned/discussed, unless it's done in VERY particular ways. I'm just too aroace.)

[gallium-spoon]

Year in review! The halfway point! Because I feel like it

Not counting The Worst Hard Time (as I haven't finished it) I have read 4 nonfiction books so far this year which is how many I read over all of last year so I'm definitely gonna reach my goal of reading more nonfiction

I've also read 30 books so far this year, which is pretty good!

But since I don't wanna get bogged down in quantity instead of appreciating the quality of the books I'm reading, here's my top 5 books I've read so far this year in no particular order:

Bable by by R F Kuang - I was utterly gutted by this historical fantasy about the effects of colonialism at the personal and systemic level. It also has a super creative translation based magic system that is both just really cool on its own but also ties into the book's major themes perfectly

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson - Most recent book in the Stormlight Archives. I have fallen prey to the allure of the cosmere. It's too late for me. The frustrating thing is that Brando Sando is just as good at writing compelling, complicated characters as everyone says he is

A City on Mars by Kelly and Zach Weinersmith - My fav nonfiction of the year so far. Have you ever wanted to know all the little details of realistic space survival that scifi sacrifices for the sake of a good story? Have you ever wondered if anyone has had sex in space? Have you ever wondered who will own the land a future moon colony gets built on? You should start!

The Murderbot Diaries: All Systems Red by Martha Wells - I simply and utterly adore Murderbot. Best blorbo of 2024. If you like futuristic scifi, if you like journeys of self discovery, if you like painfully socially awkward protagonists gaining self worth and connecting to others, drop what you're doing and read Murderbot right now! (Also short so it's a quick read)

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle - Hey did y'all know the guy who kinda became a meme for writing absurdist but also very genuine and earnest erotica branched out into horror?? Horror about religious trauma and repression?? I've decided I need to read, like, a LOT more queer horror. I really enjoyed this one

Time for the June book report!

Book I finished this month:

Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake (I read the last 110 pages this month) (nonfiction)

Books I read this month:

Truth Will Be by BlindRadient (35 pages) (fanfiction)

Let the Shadows Fall Behind You by ErinPtah (120 pages) (fanfiction)

I am a Beautiful Bug! By Julian K Jarboe (10 pages)

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle (300 pages)

Mostborn by Brandon Sanderson (640 pages)

Book I started this month:

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan (I've read the first 40 pages) (nonfiction)

My page total for the month is 1255 pages

[carriagelamp]

My favourite books from 2024! Another really strong year of books for me -- every year will have some stinkers and a bunch of middling reads, but the highs of this year were really high so I'm pretty content

As always, I give more detailed descriptions and opinions of the books in my month reviews, but here's a quick breakdown for anyone who's interested:

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt

A non-fiction book that looks at how childhood has been “rewired”, focusing specifically on the increase of overprotective parenting, increase of tablet/social media usage, and decrease of unstructured, independent play. It was a fascinating read that really looked at how children need to be given lots of opportunities to play, take risks, and make mistakes in order to learn and grow and how a loss of that might be impacting people’s mental health. As someone right on the cusp of the age bracket that’s being focused on, it felt very exposing.

Apothecary Diaries v1-2 by Natsu Hyuuga

Maomao is kidnapped and sold as a servant to the imperial palace, where she serves as a general dogsbody in the rear palace, home of the emperor’s various consorts and concubines. She’s determined to keep her head down until her contract is up… until she helps solve a mystery and catches the eye of the powerful eunech Jinshi who soon learns about her in-depth knowledge of apothecary work and anything to do with poisons. Very funny premise, Maomao hates Jinshi soooo much and he is such a simp for it. She just wants to eat poisons and be left alone and he says “no<3” to both of those

Bury Your Gays (and Straight) by Chuck Tingle

Both of these are very explicitly queer horror novels. Straight is a novella that riffs on the format of a zombie story, but with straight people becoming inexplicably violent towards queer people one day a year. Bury Your Gays is about a Hollywood screenwriter who realises his horror creations are begin to stalk him in the real world. Both are very intentionally built around social commentary on queer issues, and despite have audacious premises they completely own their camp and end up producing really well thought out, insightful stories. I can’t say I liked either as much as Camp Damascus but either is worth a read.

Console Wars by Blake J. Harris (and Blood, Sweat, and Pixels by Jason Schreier)

Console Wars is a nonfiction book I’ve meant to read for years on my brother’s recommendation and I quite enjoyed it. It explores the history of the video game console market in North America, with a focus on how Nintendo revitalized it and how Sega then swooped in to upset the monopoly it held. The book is written in a very narrative, personable style and I found myself really rooting for the various people and companies being portrayed ahahaha. A shockingly fun read. I also read Blood, Sweat, and Pixels which wasn’t quite as narratively compelling but a related read that looked at games with complex development cycles.

Defekt by Nino Cipri

Technically the sequel to Finna which I also read this year, but Defekt works as a stand-alone and is, imho, the better of the two. Both deal with a surrealist horror Ikea setting, where the sheer density and liminal-space-ness of it all allows strange wormholes to open up between these stores from different dimensions. Finna deals with actual wormhole hopping, whereas Defekt focuses in on one employee who gets assigned to a very strange overnight inventory shift.

The Disabled Tyrant’s Beloved Pet Fish v1-2 by Xue Shan Fei Hu

Fish isekai book. Is this a good book? No. Is it a really really fun book? Yes, in spades. In this book, Li Yu wakes up in a court drama novel… but not as a character but rather as the tyrannical prince’s pet fish. He is given the task to improve the prince and is stuck figuring out how the hell to do this as a fish. This book knows exactly how ridiculous it is and leans into it. Li Yu and Prince Jing are both idiots in very unique and exciting directions. No one knows what the fuck is happening.

Down Among the Sticks and Bones by Seanan McGuire

A prequel to Every Heart a Doorway, though it works perfectly well as a standalone. Honestly I liked it more than the first. This book has deliciously gothic horror vibes, and it plays with all the tropes you would expect from gothic horror / fear of the sublime. It’s about sisters who find a strange chest that lets them descend to the sinister land of the Moors. This is where vampires rule, werewolves stalk, and mad scientist’s ply their craft. The girls end up separated on and very different trajectories as they grow and acclimatize to the brutal existence of the Moors.

Escape From Incel Island by Margaret Killjoy

Exactly what it says on the tin. Completely insane book that is very worth the read if you feel like something that is patently insane. I strongly recommend treating this as a read aloud with a friend or loved one because I read it with my brother and couldn’t stop laughing. Top notch mercenary Mankiller Jones is sent to escort a computer scientist to Incel Island to retrieve lost governmental data. There they have to survive the hoards of Nice Guys, Volcels, Betas, and every other violent inhabitant of the island if they ever want to… escape from Incel Island.

Heaven Official’s Blessing v6-8 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

I finished the main series of Heaven Official’s Blessing (without reading the extras yet), and man what an ending! I could not have asked for a more epic or satisfying conclusion! The final battle and its various stages? The character reconciliation? The villain reveal? Perfect, no notes. The series itself follows Xie Lian, a prince who has ascended to godhood twice and been cursed and cast out from Heaven just as many times, giving him the title of the Laughingstock God. The story begins with him, to everyone’s dismay, ascending a third time.

Horrorstör (and Paperbacks from Hell, My Best Friend’s Exorcism) by Grady Hendrix

This book also deals with a Strange Alternate Ikea, but is the superior book. This was one of my top reads for 2024, and it was flawless horror. It is essentially a haunted house story set in an Ikea, that manages to be both chilling, disgusting, and a shockingly insightful critique of capitalism and retail. Very worth the read. 

After reading this I also read Paperbacks from Hell (a nonfiction book that does an analysis of horror fiction from the ‘70s and ‘80s, very good read) and My Best Friend’s Exorcism (which was decent but not my favourite of Hendrix’s since possession and exorcism isn’t my favourite brand of horror. The vaguely queer undertones and ending I found interesting, and it did some cool things throughout.)

Jeeves and Wooster books by P.G. Wodehouse

I ended up listening to so many of the Jeeves and Wooster audiobooks this summer while I was travelling. There were some I really really loved and some that fell very flat for me. I think I listened to too many in a row by the end… These books are like popcorn, not deep but very fun, and follow the airheaded but good natured Bertie Wooster and his man Jeeves who unfailing swoops in to solve all the strange and inane problems the Bertie gets involved in. They tend to be funny, light-hearted, and clever in their resolution of plot problems… though some of the issues do get rather repetitive. My favourites were: The Inimitable Jeeves, Very Good Jeeves, Right Ho Jeeves, and the Code of the Woosters.

Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi

Some excellent science fiction, especially for my Pacific Rim loving heart. This bordered on the cosy fantasy genre, while mixing in plenty of science, world-building and a good dash of excitement. During the Covid-19 lockdown, Jamie Gray is stuck trying to make ends meet as a food delivery driver… until he runs into an old acquaintance who suggests he might have a very different job offer for him. Jamie ends up joining this very secretive “animal rights group” and finds out just how massive, dangerous, and otherworldly these “animals” are by being risked to an entirely different dimension filled with giant, radioactive monsters.

Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books by Kirsten Miller

One of my favourite books from this year! Tthis book managed to hit on very topical subjects with both tact and humour. Lula Dean has spearheaded a book banning crusade, managing to get a number of “problematic” books removed from the library and has made a show of setting up a Little Free Library in her yard full of “appropriate” books instead. When Beverly Underwood visits her mother and hears about this she’s so exasperated with it all that she quickly hatches a plan swapping out the dust jackets of some of the banned books with the ones in Lula Dean’s Little Free Library. The rest of the story is about various people in the town who borrow a book from Lula Dean’s library and how the book they got instead ends up impacting not just themselves but their town. The first story involves a penis cake. Can’t recommend it enough, starts out humour and quickly becomes something you want to rally around.

My Happy Marriage v1 by Akumi Agitogi

This was pure mindless fluff, it was honestly a delight. This is a low-fantasy, Cinderella-esque story set in the Taishō era. It focuses on Miyo Saimori who lives under the thumb of her cruel step-mother, haughty step-sister, and indifferent father. She’s resigned to being treated like a servant in her own home and ekeing out a strained existence, but her life takes a turn when she finds herself nominally engaged to the allegedly cold and cruel Kiyoka Kudou. It’s just absolutely overwhelmingly cute and I really enjoy the contrasting POVs.

A Series of Unfortunate Events and Poison for Breakfast by Lemony Snicket

I’d never finished The Series of Unfortunate Events when it was originally coming out, so I finally sat down and did that, and honestly it was well worth the wait! It was a very interesting series to read as an adult, especially all in one go, because it really let me appreciate everything that Snicket was trying to say. It was a much more clever and philosophical read than I was anticipating, and The End was fucking superb. He absolutely stuck the landing, it completely blew me away. Poison For Breakfast was also a very interesting standalone novella that felt like surrealist philosophy. I might have even enjoyed it more than the basic TSOUE.

The Poison Squad (and The Poisoner’s Handbooks) by Deborah Blum

Poison Squad is a very compelling and topical nonfiction about the formation of the American Food and Drug act. The state of unregulated food processing in the late 19th century was, in a word, nightmarish. Don’t read this book if you have a weak stomach. But it’s completely fascinating to see how one person, Dr Harvey Wiley, made it a personal mission to scientifically prove what all these mysterious food additives were doing to people and put limits to what could be sold to consumers. I liked it so much I went to read Blum’s other book, The Poisoner’s Handbook which is set during Prohibition and explores the rise of forensic medicine and again exposes how people were being poisoned by simply living their standard lives.

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill

The real, true history of the New York City Pushcart War!! For real!!! This is a delightful underdog story that is really written in the style of a history textbook recounting the fictional Pushchart War. This war started in New York City as the roads get increasingly congested with traffic, the worst offenders being the increasingly massive and arrogant trucks. The trucking companies hatch a plan though: if they begin to push out the little pushcarts, framing them as the problem for the congestion, then how hard would it be to push out taxis next? Or buses? Or motorcars? How long until they can make the road a perfect habit for trucks and trucks alone? How can something as small and poor as a pushcart owner fight back?

Railsea (and This Census-Taker) by China Miéville

I heard Railsea described on tumblr and it sounded sufficiently insane that I had to read it for myself. This author is truly unrivaled when it comes to bizarre worldbuilding that feels both very, very grounded in reality while also being completely unexplained and impossible. Railsea is essentially a Moby Dick meets Treasure Island retelling but with trains instead of boats and giant, mutated, vicious moles instead of whales. Unhinged. Can’t recommend enough. I followed this up by reading his novella This Census-Taker which was not as much of a frolicking adventure but fucked with my brain just as much or more than Railsea did. Genuinely not sure I even know what happened in that story but I enjoyed the experience of being completely fucking baffled for some 200 pages.

The Salt Grows Heavy by Cassandra Khaw

Another book to ideally not read if you have a weak stomach. This novella is very big on unrelenting body horror. This is a twisted fairytale retelling in which a cannibalistic Little Mermaid meets a plague doctor Frankenstein. Both of them are walking away from cruel past lives, along a trail that’s soaked in blood and viscera. You feel how painfuly and disgustingly human this book is, while also being so wildly separate from anything that resembles human anatomy or morality. Superb.

Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System v1-4 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

The last of MXTX’s three series I needed to read. It was the one I was most hesitant about, but I ended up having a really great time with it. It is simultaneously the most light-hearted and silly of the three series, while also the one that most gleefully dives into torture and sex. So you get a bit of everything with this, and as usual MXTX does a really good job of mixing the humour and series in a way that keeps things constantly interesting. The story is about Shen Yuan who dies our of pure, frothing fury after reading the shitty ending to the shitty, porny webnovel he’s been reading for hundreds of thousands of words. He dies cursing the lousy author and the lousy writing so he’s given a chance: step up and do it better! Which is easier said than done, when he finds himself waking up in the body of the series’ villain who is destined to be gruesomely tortured to death. Better get on that!

Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Brendan O'Hea

This is the written result of a number of interviews held between Judi Dench and Brendan O’Hea and she discusses her time as a Shakespearean actress. It looks into what her time working with theatre companies was like, summarizes the plays she took part in, and delivers into some fascinating character analysis of the roles she played. An absolute treasure of a book for someone who enjoyed their Shakespeare and/or Judi Dench.

Singing Hills Cycle v1-5 by Nghi Vo

Probably my favourite series that I read this year, I can’t wait for the next book! This series follows Chih and her magical bird companion who come from the Singing Hills Monastery, an order that is devoted to keep recording tales and keeping a history of the land. Chih travels all over in these various novellas, collecting stories, memories, and histories that they come across. The first book has them entering the recently unwarded palace of the late Empress to learn about her marriage, imprisonment and rise in power. The second has them trapped by a pack of tigresses with nothing to do but frantically lure them into comparing stories. 

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Ten year old Ada was born with a club foot and because of it has never been allowed to leave her apartment. She lives a hard life trying to care for her younger brother and suffer through the abuses of her mother. Things change though as the Second World War truly begins and London begins to evacuate children to the country. Ada is determined — she and her brother will evacuate, they will escape their mother’s house, even if it means her learning how to walk on her club foot. Even if it means facing how different life is for unwanted slum children in the country, and confronting how much she and her brother don’t know about life. This was a very touching book, it did a great job of balancing Ada’s justifiable pain and anger with an optimistic story. Queer elements are all subtext but there — they aren’t the main focus of this story.

When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill

This book absolutely took my breath away, it was a next level literary experience. It’s very, very solidly magical realism, so don’t go into this expecting true fantasy, everything going on here is allegorical and a beautifully done allegory at that. This story is set during the 1950s, in a time surrounding an event known as “The Mass Dragoning” when thousands of women suddenly, spontaneously, transformed into dragons and flew away. The story follows Alex Green who was a child during this event. Her aunt transformed. Her mother didn’t. Both of these things have profound impacts on Alex as she grows up, and a woman’s role in society, a woman’s anger, her joy, her desire are all questioned and explored.

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: Queer horror, part 1

We all like a good horror story, right? You know what's even better? A queer horror story!

A note: queer here does not necessarily mean “guarantee of an f/f or m/m ship with a happy ending”, but rather simply a significant presence of queerness. Some of the books feature no romance but has a same gender attracted/trans/ace spectrum lead, or features an m/f relationship with bisexual, trans or aro/ace characters, or simply features a world-building which is heavily queer inclusive in ways that don’t always compare to our own ideas of sexuality and gender. I have however disqualified works where the only queer presence is along the lines of “gay best friend” or a blink and you’ll miss it confirmation that never comes up again.

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

If you want more book recs, check out my masterpost of rec lists!

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle*

Rose, like her parents, believes strongly that homosexuality is a sin, and holds great pride that her home town hosts Camp Damascus, a successful conversion camp for young teens. But Rose is also experiencing strange and terrifying things: memories of a beautiful girl, a demonic figure that shows up if her thoughts stray, flies crawling out her mouth. Something has happened in Rose's past that her parents won't speak of and that she herself can't remember, and Camp Damascus is at the center of it all. Sapphic, autistic main character, as well as a really cool take on demonic lore that is both inspired by and a subversion of christianity.

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland*

Young adult. Something happened to Iris Hollow and her two older sisters when they were little; after having gone missing, they were all returned with no memory of what happened and identical scars on their throats. Years have passed since then, and though seen as strange the girls still lead mostly normal lives - that is, until the oldest, Grey, goes missing, leaving strange clues in her path. As Iris searches for her, a strange man with horns starts stalking her and memories start to rise to the forefront in her mind. To save Grey, Iris will have to find out the truth of what happened all those years ago. Features wonderfully morally grey characters. Bisexual lead, but little to no romance.

Winter Tide (The Innsmouth Legacy) by Ruthanna Emrys*

Aphra and her brother are the only survivors after the government raided their home, Innsmouth. Their only living family are the amphibian people of the deep, whom they will one day join, but until then they are bound to land where they struggle to build new lives for themselves after the great loss of their home and loved ones. Then rumors start to spread of a russian agent seeking dangerous and ancient magic, forcing Aphra to involve herself as they try to stop it. Does contain horror elements but is generally a much more optimistic look on cosmic horror than most lovecraftian stories, told from the perspective of one of his monsters. Lots of focus on found family and rebuilding of community. Asexual main character (however I don’t think that becomes in-text confirmed until the sequel) and multiple queer characters in the supporting cast.

Rules for Vanishing by Kate Alice Marshall

Young adult. One year ago, Sara's sister went missing. Since then, Sara has drifted away from her friends, but when she receives a mysterious text inviting her to "play the game" - the same game that supposedly stole her sister away - Sara and her estranged friends all come back together to find her. Together they set off on a path that legend says appears only once a year, leading them toward the ghost Lucy Gallows and, hopefully, Sara's sister. Bisexual main character, told in a faux documentary style.

Sorrowland by Rivers Solomon

A young pregnant woman flees a cult that left her body strange and changing in terrifying ways. Hiding from both a world wanting to oppress her and the cult seeking to force her back, she does her best to raise her children while trying to find out the truth of the cult and being pursued by a hunter in a dangerous game of cat and mouse. Bleak and scary, Sorrowland is a book that will creep under your skin with horrors both fantastical and very, very real.

Otherside Picnic (Otherside Picninc lightnovel series) by Iori Miyazawa

Sapphic light novel with a surreal and episodic horror vibe. Following the directions of an urban legend, university student Sorawo finds her way to a reality populated by horrifying creatures from ghost stories and modern urban legends (of which I’m sure you’ll recognize many). Here she teams up with fellow explorer Toriko, both to find out more about this strange world and to help Toriko find a missing loved one. Also available as a manga and (one season of) an anime. Sapphic.

Our Wives Under the Sea by Julia Amrfield

Miri thought she lost her wife Leah when her deep-sea mission ended in a catastrophe. But Leah was miraculously returned to her - or so it seems. Because something happened down there, deep in the ocean, and whatever it was, Leah has brought it back with her. Surreal and strange, Our Wives Under the Sea will not answer all your questions, but it will give you a unique experience.

What Moves the Dead by T. Kingfisher

Novella. Alex Easton, retired soldier, travels to visit their childhood friends, siblings Madeline and Roderick Usher, after finding out that Madeline is dying. In the siblings’ rural, ancestral home, Madeline walks in her sleep and looks to be fading away, while around it wildlife seems to be possessed by a strange force. With the help of a mycologist and an American doctor, Alex attempts to save Madeline and reveal the truth of her illness. Nonbinary main character.

Alien: Echo by Mira Grant

Young adult. Twin sisters Olivia and Viola’s parents are both xenobiologists, bringing them all over the galaxy. Most recently they’ve settled on a new colony world to study its wildlife, but it proves more dangerous than they could’ve ever imagined. Under attack from alien monsters, the sisters must keep each other alive while also coming to terms with a dark family secret. Sapphic horror. Part of the Alien franchise but stands well on its own.

Into the Drowning Deep by Mira Grant*

A research vessel heads towards the Mariana Trench in search of answers of what happened to a ship which mysteriously lost all its crew some time earlier. In the deep dark, something intelligent and hungry awaits them. Very much mermaids of the horror variety. Sequel to a novella, can be read as a standalone. Also contains a sapphic romance, however that is a pretty small part of the plot as a whole.

Alice Isn't Dead by Joseph Fink

Based on the podcast by the same name. Keisha Taylor thought she had lost her wife. She even held a funeral and attempted to move on with her life. But then Alice started to appear, all over America, in the background of every single major tragedy in the country. To find her missing wife, Keisha gets a job as a trucker and sets out on a roadtrip, not knowing what horrors awaits her.

Wilder Girls by Rory Power

Young adult. Over a year ago, the Raxter School for Girls was hit by the Tox, a strange disease that killed off many and left the survivors’ bodies slowly changing in terrifying ways. The island the school is on has been in quarantine since then, and the girls dare not leave the school grounds lest they become victims of wild animals changed by the Tox. But as they wait for the promised cure, one of the girls goes missing, and her friends are willing to do anything to find her. Unsettling, spooky, and sapphic, this is a unique read featuring body horror and messy, dangerous girls.

Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero

Once, Andy, Kerri, Nate, Peter and their faithful dog were known as the Blyton Summer Detective Club, until they hit their fateful final case in 1977. Now, the year is 1990, and the group hasn't gathered in years. Tomboy Andy is wanted in at least two states; Kerri, former kid genius, is tending bar; and horror nerd Nate is in a mental institution in Arkham. At least he still has the company of jock-turned-movie star Peter - except Peter has been dead for years. Now they must all come together to find out the truth of what happened all those years ago. Lovecraftian horror with a sometimes absurdist vibe and adult scooby do inspiration. Sapphic romance.

Contagion by Erin Bowman*

Young adult. After receiving an SOS, a small crew is sent on a standard search-and-rescue mission. But what they find are not survivors awaiting help, but an abandoned site, full of dead bodies and crawling with something… monstrous. No romance, but features one sapphic co-lead and one who can easily be read as demisexual (however this doesn’t show up until book two, which has more romance).

Sawkill Girls by Claire Legrand*

Young adult. The isolated island of Sawkill Rock has secrets. It hosts the legend of a local monster, and the very stark reality of decades of girls going missing, never to be found again. Now, three girls stand at the center of the horrific mystery - if only they can come together, perhaps they can save future generations of girls from a monster that may very well be real. Asexual and sapphic main characters, including a sapphic romance.

Salvation Day by Kali Wallace

A decade ago, the massive ship House of Wisdom was abandoned in orbit after its entire crew was killed in an outbreak in a matter of hours. Now, Zahra and her family of outcasts hope to claim the ship as their own by kidnapping the sole survivor to gain access. But the danger of the House of Wisdom is far from gone. Horror, no major romance but one of the main characters is gay.

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling*

Possibly one of the most unstintingly claustrophobic books I’ve ever read, and definitely the most claustrophobic. Gyre, a caver on an alien planet, ventures into the dark and dangerous underground, guided only by a woman who has no compunctions on using and manipulating Gyre as she sees fit to obtain her secretive goals down in the caves. Sapphic in the most messy of ways.

Gideon the Ninth (The Locked Tomb series) by Tamsyn Muir*

Gideon, raised as a swordswoman by unfriendly nuns, would rather run away and make her own life, but her services are needed. The Reverend Daughter, Gideon’s childhood nemesis, has been invited to a trial to win a place as an immortal by the Emperor’s side, and she’s in need of a bodyguard. Listen, if you’re on tumblr I probably don’t need to explain this book to you. Trust me when I say it’s exactly as good as people claim. Humorous and spooky but also absolutely gut wrenching and clever with a lot of political commentary. There are also, indeed, lesbian necromancers in space.

Family Business by Jonathan Sims

By the author behind the Magnus Archives. When Diya's childhood best friend and roommate unexpectedly passes away, Diya falls apart and, among other things, loses her job. When she's offered a position at Slough & Sons to clean up after the deceased, she sees no other recourse but to accept. Her new job is grisly but important, and Diya starts to get back on her feet - until strange visions of a terrifying man and the dead's last moments start to haunt her. Slough & Sons are hiding something, and it's up to Diya to find out the truth. No romance, bisexual main character and trans woman side character.

Sodom Road Exit by Amber Dawn

Starla didn't want to return to her childhood home of Crystal Beach, Canada, but growing debt has forced her to move back in with her mother, despite the trauma hidden in her old home. But Starla is haunted by more than trauma; she is, in fact, literally haunted, by a ghost that may understand her, but may also consume her. Not overly scary, but handles dark subjects such as childhood sexual assault. Lesbian main character and romance.

House of Hunger by Alexis Henderson*

In a world where the rich drink blood to preserve their health, Marion applies to a position as bloodmaid in a notorious noble house far from home. Suddenly showered with luxuries and debauchery, Marion soon gains the interest and favor of Lisavet, countess of the house. A fresh take on the idea of vampires and deliciously dark sapphic romance inspired by the horrific real-life Elisabet Báthory.

A Dowry of Blood by S.T. Gibson

Dracula inspired novella, following Constanta, who’s turned from a medieval peasant to an undead bride. As time passes the relationship between Dracula and Constanta grows all the more strained and potentially dangerous. Teaming up with his two other consorts, she seeks to unravel her husband’s secrets. Sapphic and polyamorous.

Dread Nation (Dread Nation duology) by Justina Ireland

Young adult, alternate history. In this world, the war between the American states is interrupted when the dead start walking the earth and hunting the living. Jane McKeene has been trained at Miss Preston’s School of Combat to become an attendant, skilled in combat as well as etiquette to protect the wealthy. But Jane wants a different life, and in her search for it stumbles headfirst into a conspiracy. Bisexual main character, aroace side character (who becomes a POV character in the sequel).

Manhunt by Gretchen Felker-Martin

In a future where those with high testosterone are afflicted by a zombie-like disease, bloodthirsty men have become the enemy. Trans women Beth and Fran and trans man Robbie do their best to survive in this brutal world, where TERF movements seek to exterminate them and monstrous men hunt in the wilds. VERY gruesome and bleak, but also very timely in the present political climate.

Leech by Hiron Ennes*

Unbeknownst to humanity, a sentient hive mind has taken over the entire medical profession to ensure the health of their host species. One of their doctors is sent off to an isolated location where they’re cut off from the rest of the hive mind, only to realize they’re faced with a rivaling parasitic entity. Leech hands you only just enough information to get by, and whether its historical fantasy, an alternate timeline, or futuristic post apocalypse is hard to determine. It’s spooky and a bit weird and wildly creative, and does some neat things with gender.

The Outside by Ada Hoffman*

AKA the book the put me in an existential crisis. Souls are real, and they are used to feed AI gods in this lovecraftian inspired sci-fi where reality is warped and artificial gods stand against real, unfathomable ones. Autistic scientist Yasira is accused of heresy and, to save her eternal soul, is recruited by cybernetic ‘angels’ to help hunt down her own former mentor, who is threatening to tear reality itself apart. Sapphic main character.

The Gilded Abyss by Rebecca Thorne

Nix Marr is a soldier and damned good at it, but that doesn’t prepare her for her next mission: bodyguard for Subarch Kessandra, beloved royal and Nix’s bitter ex. The two venture toward the underwater city of Fall to seek the cause of a bloody murder spree and a possible deadly contagion. But Kessandra has enemies, the answers she seeks marking her as a possible threat for the nation’s rulers. On their way in an isolated and enclosed underwater ship toward Fall, the contagion catches up, and Nix will have to put her hurt feelings aside if the two are to arrive alive. Sci-fi with flavors of horror and the supernatural and a sapphic romance.

[sayruq]

Iran sent a message to the Biden administration through several Arab countries earlier this week: if the U.S. gets involved in the fighting between Israel and Iran, U.S. forces in the region will be attacked, three U.S. officials told Axios. Why it matters: The U.S. and Israel are preparing for Iran to retaliate against Israel for an airstrike that killed a top Iranian general in Damascus last week. The Iranian supreme leader has threatened "punishment" for Israel but through private channels Iran has signaled it would be limited. Israel and the U.S. think an Iranian attack would include the launch of ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and attack drones from Iran to Israeli territory. U.S. officials say the Biden administration asked Israel to notify the U.S. and for the U.S. to have a say before decisions are made about any retaliation by Israel.

The latest: A U.S. defense official told Axios the U.S. is moving additional assets to the region to bolster regional deterrence efforts and increase force protection for U.S. forces.

The Iranian message was that if the U.S. gets involved after an Iranian attack on Israel, U.S. bases in the region will be attacked. "The Iranian message was we will attack the forces that attack us, so don't f--k with us and we won't f--k with you," one U.S. official said.

Between the lines: President Biden and other U.S. officials have said publicly the U.S. would help Israel defend itself against Iranian attacks. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant in a call on Thursday that Israel "could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against Iranian attacks, which Tehran has publicly threatened," the Pentagon said.

[jeintalu]

Israel bombed the building next to the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

The building was part of the consular staff wing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus.

The targeted building was also used as the residence of Iran's ambassador to Syria.

At least 6 people were killed by the Israeli strike on Iran's embassy.

The strike was also right next to the Canadian embassy.

Iran's Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi - Chief Commander of the IRGC's Quds Force in Syria and Lebanon - was killed in the attack.

The attack was carried out by F-35 fighter jets flying above the Golan Heights.

[dustymeadows-if]

Dust particles flow in the air, shimmering with golden light of the sun. They rise to the sky, equally golden and hazy. Your mind is empty. There is no single memory in your head. Only one thought is ringing in your brain.

You must walk forward. Walk until your feet begin to bleed. Walk until your shoes fall apart.

And for some reason you can't oppose this thought.

This is your road to Damascus.

Dusty Meadows is a short interactive story set in post-WW1 world. It's a small psychological adventure that will take you through the scarred European fields. Wander the abandoned trenches, scorched forests, poisonous valleys and silent, deadly no man's land.

You don't remember anything. The feelings, however, still linger. Feelings like pain, grief and bitter longing. Your body is mutilated, but you feel no physical pain. It's your soul that aches. It's as if an important piece of it was heartlessly ripped off. This pain urges you to go forward. The answers might lie just behind the next hill or river. Your life depends on returning. Returning your soul. Returning your memories. Returning your life. Returning home.

That is, if there's anything left for you to return to at all.

Customizable MC: choose your gender, appearance, personality and name (if you can remember it, of course).

Meet the cast of various charachters: you're not the only one wandering and seeking these desolate lands. Talk to other wayfaring souls, listen to their stories. Maybe even share the same road and experience strangely deep bond with some of them...

Return your memories: remove the shroud from your past. Remember how you got here. Remember what hides behind the scars on your body. But be wary: some memories are forgotten for a reason.

Explore different locations: travel through the remains of war, learn what happened there and remember what binds you to these places.

Maintain your sanity: nobody said that battlefields are safe even after the war. Your mind is as scarred as your body, and sometimes memories crash like tidal waves. Whether you'll hold the line or succumb to the dark depths - is up to you and you only.

Tired Infantryman - Basile (M)

This man could be a definition of word "apathy". Everything about him is grey: both literally and figuratively. Dressed in grey-bluish trenchcoat, covered in grey dust, he looks at you with dull grey eyes. Even in his dark brown hair you can see grey strands, although he's still pretty young. He doesn't seem to be interested in anything around him, except for his cigarettes. His left arm is missing, and you can't help but wonder what's the story behind this.

Frozen Operator - Johann (M)

He is... a weird man. Tall and muscular like someone working in the fields all day long. But at the same time his skin is the palest and the coldest you've ever seen, and his eyes are sunken as if he was spending many sleepless nights doing paperwork. He's also the only one without any visible wounds, which is very unusual to see in this place. Johann seems like a kind and outgoing man, but he hides something deep in his heart.

Blind Journalist - Gelsomina (F)

Upper half of her face is covered with bandages, but even so you can tell she's a very beautiful woman. Dark blood stains over the place where her eyes were never seem to fully dry. She is much alike that blood: restless almost to despair. This woman will either find peace or die, and the least seems to be most likely. Losing her eyes was a hard hit: she can't see, she can't write, she can't do her job which had always meant life for her. She lost every reason to live, but the fire of her stubbornness is blazing hard, keeping her alive and eating her from inside at the same time.

Wayward Nun - Jolan (F)

She is a strange sight. Dressed in nun robes which covers her whole body, she also wears a gas mask which she refuses to ever take off. This woman is like a walking fortress of her own, cutting off every direct contact with the outer world. She barely speaks, preferring simple gestures, or rather, not communicating at all. You don't know what she looks like, what she sounds like, but here's one thing you know for sure: guilt is seeping through every crack of her thick defense.

Demo - TBA

[girlactionfigure]

‼️ MOSSAD CHIEF RECOMMENDS ATTACKING IRAN IN RESPONSE TO HOUTHI THREATS; AL-JOULANI CLAIMS SYRIA'S LIBERATION PREVENTED WORLD WAR III AND ELIMINATED A REGIONAL THREAT

🔴 Mossad chief David Barnea advocated for a direct attack on Iran following Houthi aggression. During political discussions, he emphasized, "We have to move forward. If we only attack the Houthis, it will not help," as reported by Israeli Channel 13.

⚠️ The IDF is bracing for a significant cyberattack that could target its database containing details of all military vehicles. According to Walla News, the attack is expected to focus on stealing data and possibly disabling systems used in these vehicles.

⚠️ The Israeli security establishment is considering issuing a travel warning for Israelis planning to visit Egypt during Hanukkah due to concerns over potential Iranian attacks targeting Israelis.

A message has been sent to Egypt urging increased security measures to address these threats.

🔹 IDF have entered the city of Al-Baath in southern Syria, situated along the Damascus–Quneitra road in the Quneitra Governorate. The operation began with dismantling earthen barriers on the city's outskirts.

Following their entry, IDF troops initiated searches across various sites and homes. A two-hour ultimatum has been issued for residents to surrender any weapons in their possession, according to a report by Sputnik.

🔹 "The liberation of Syria saved the region from World War III and eliminated a major threat to the region," stated Al-Joulani. He emphasized that militias in Syria posed a significant danger to neighboring countries. Additionally, he accused the ousted Syrian government of assassinating prominent figures, including Kamal Jumblatt, Bachir Gemayel, and Rafik Hariri.

🔹 The new Syrian government has recently decided to prohibit all Iranian planes, including civilian aircraft, from flying over its airspace. This move is expected to significantly hinder Hezbollah's ability to restore its military capabilities, according to Walla.

❗ Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a stern warning regarding Hezbollah's activities in southern Lebanon, declaring: "We will not allow Hezbollah to return to the villages of southern Lebanon and re-establish its infrastructure. If Hezbollah does not withdraw beyond the Litani and tries to violate the ceasefire, we will crush its head."

🔹 The Yemeni Armed Forces, aligned with the Houthis, claimed responsibility for downing a U.S. Navy F-18 fighter jet. In their statement, the Houthis said, "The American F-18 was shot down because of us, and we managed to thwart the American-British attack."

The U.S. countered the claim, attributing the incident to friendly fire, but tensions remain high as both sides assert differing accounts of the event

[lajulie24]

My Favorite Books of 2024

I read far fewer books than I’d intended this year (read a lot more short-form articles and a good bit of fanfiction, some of which I’ll rec elsewhere), but since @hondagirll was kind enough to tag me in their year-end book roundup, I thought it would be fun to share my top five!

Rebel Girl: My Life as a Feminist Punk by Kathleen Hanna

I got inspired to read this after seeing Bikini Kill live for the first time ever, and it was fantastic and inspirational, if a bit harrowing in several places. (Content warning for sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence.) Hearing Kathleen talk about the creative process, how starting a band evolved from her work in creating art and spoken word performance, how things like The Julie Ruin came about, really made me want to write some zines and maybe start a band and just plain make some art.

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

I’ve never been particularly big on horror as a genre, but I’d heard so many good things about @drchucktingle’s novel that I had to check it out. Incredible, multifaceted characters (particularly the protagonist, through whom we discover the central mystery of the book and who fights so hard to be herself as she is rediscovering who that is), gripping action, and horror that is both fantastical and uncomfortably close to reality.

Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones

Another autobiography, this one of comedian, actor, and one of the most talented people from Saturday Night Live, Leslie Jones. Leslie is one of the most gifted, vivid storytellers I’ve ever heard, and the benefit of the audiobook is that she a) reads it and b) does a fair number of asides as she’s reading where I’m fairly certain we got way more stories than are in the printed version of the book. Plus there really is nothing like hearing these stories in her voice. You know it’s going to be hilarious, because she’s so talented as a comedian, and you know this is likely going to have some emotional moments (as this is an autobiography), but there’s something about the way she gifts us with her vulnerability, her reflections, and her perspectives (particularly on being a Black woman in an industry and a country rife with racism and sexism) that makes it so much more than the sum of its parts.

Star Wars: X-Wing #5: Wraith Squadron by Aaron Allston

This was a reread of a Star Wars EU novel I’ve loved for a long time and often recommend to folks who are trying to write Star Wars fic, especially those wanting to write characters like Wes Janson and Wedge Antilles. This is the first in the Wraith Squadron series, where Wedge Antilles builds a new combination X-wing squadron/ commando unit, using pilots who have special skills but were misfits on the verge of washing out of the New Republic navy. The way Allston combines action sequences and missions with humor and genuine character moments for each of the squadron members is amazing and a great lesson in how to build a compelling Star Wars story.

Radiant Rebellion: Reclaim Aging, Practice Joy, and Raise a Little Hell by Karen Walrond

This isn’t quite a self-help book, and isn’t quite an autobiography, but a little of both with some interesting perspectives on aging and on the barriers ageism often poses as we move through life. As her child prepares to leave for college, Walrond explores to what extent her issue is about getting older or if it’s just about having lost her “spark”, why we associate vitality and beauty with youth in mainstream American culture, and how we can think about reframing aging personally and structurally as well as think differently about the next adventures in our lives.

Who else would like to share your top five (or top two, or one) reads from 2024? Consider yourself tagged! And if you’re looking to read any of these, I highly recommend bookshop.org for book purchases and Libby/your local library for loans. (The only one I bought was Wraith Squadron, and that one I picked up from my local independent comic book store.)

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 Scenes from Al-Rashid Street where the Israeli occupation army opened fire with artillery shells, toxic tear gas, and live bullets towards displaced Palestinian civilians hoping to cross into the northern Gaza Strip to return to their damaged and destroyed homes in Gaza City. Social media rumors had suggested some civilians were being allowed to cross into the north. However, the information was incorrect and occupation forces immediately opened fire on the civilians. 📸 Just some of the results in the town of Duma following an unprecedented scale attack on several Palestinian towns and villages in the occupied West Bank, where Zionist colonial settlers burned Palestinian homes and vehicles.]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🚀🚀 🚨

DAY 191: IRAN LAUNCHES MISSILE STRIKE ON ISRAELI OCCUPATION, SETTLER VIOLENCE IN THE WEST BANK, IOF TARGETS DISPLACED CIVILIANS

On the 191st day of Israel's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 4 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 43 Palestinians, mostly women and children, while another 62 others have been wounded over the previous 24-hours.

Beginning in the early morning hours of Sunday, Iran launched a large-scale combined missile and drone strike targeting the occupied Palestinian territories in response for the Israeli occupation's missile strike on the Consulate section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus, Syria, killing at least two high-ranking IRGC commanders and at least 5 others.

According to some sources, as many as 300 missiles and drones were fired by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) into the occupied territories, with at least 7 missiles successfully hitting targets at the Ramon Airbase in the Negev desert, while another 15 missiles are said to have reached the Nevatim Airbase in the south of the occupied territories, also in the Negev desert, near Beersheba, where the Zionist occupation keeps most of its fleet of F-35 fighter jets.

As the missiles and drones flew over the heads of the civilian populations of Israeli-occupied Palestine, as well as the West Bank and Gaza, hundreds of Israeli civilians could be seen screaming and panicking in the streets, stampeding one another to reach shelter from the missiles, which were precisely targeted to avoid civilian harm, while the Palestinian civilian population celebrated in the streets, waving the Palestinian flag and honking their car horns.

In response to the Iranian missile strikes, which coincided with several rocket barrages fired from southern Lebanon to help drain the Israeli occupation's supply of interceptor missiles from its vaunted Iron Dome air defense system, at dawn, the Israeli occupation air forces bombarded several towns and villages in the south of Lebanon.

According to reports published in the Lebanese National News Agency and expounded upon by the Palestinian news outlet, WAFA, the Israeli occupation bombed a building in the town of Nabi Chit in the Barqaa Governate, in the east of central Lebanon, while occupation warplanes bombed the outskirts of the Mount Safi area, as well as the town of Jbaa in the Tuffah region and in the Deliton area, also on the outskirts of Jbaa, in the south of Lebanon.

Occupation aircraft also fired several missiles and bombs into the towns of Khiam, Kafr Kila, and Al-Odaisseh, while also bombing near several other villages, including Hula, Wadi al-Sluqi, in the vicinity of Deir Mimas, and near the Litani River.

Meanwhile, in occupied Palestine, as a result of Israeli settler violence against the Al-Mughayir Village over the weekend, a village located to the northeast of Ramallah, in the northern occupied West Bank, at least one Palestinian was killed, and at least 45 others were wounded.

Deputy Chairman of the Al-Mughayir Village Council, Marzouq Abu Naim told Palestinian media outlet, WAFA, that in addition to the dead and wounded, at least 16 Palestinian homes were burned, including 10 homes completely burned, while more than 60 Palestinian civilian vehicles were also burned.

The Deputy Chairman added that Israeli colonial settlers had also stolen at least 120 heads of sheep belonging to Palestinian citizen Imad Abu Alia after being assaulted by the settlers, who were backed by IOF soldiers during the attacks.

Settlers also burned 15 sheep pens, in addition to slaughtering 31 sheep belonging to citizen Saleh Suleiman Nasr.

Terrorist attacks by Zionist colonial settlers were also recorded in several towns and villages south of Nablus, including the towns of Duma, Burin, Qaryut, Qasr, and Beit Furik, while to the north and east of Ramallah, settlers attacked the towns of Al-Mughayir, Beitin, Deir Jarir, Silwad, Ein Sinya, Abu Falah, Burqa, Atara, and Al-Mazraa Al-Gharbiyya.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 464 Palestinian civilians have been killed, while at least 4'800 others have been wounded in the occupied West Bank since the start of Israeli aggression beginning on October 7th, 2023.

In the meantime in the Gaza Strip, a new war crime was recorded, committed by the Israeli occupation army, when Zionist forces opened fire on displaced Palestinian civilians trying to return to Gaza City, leading to the death of at least one woman, while dozens of others were wounded in the attack.

According to local sources, occupation forces stationed near Al-Rashid Street fired artillery shells, live bullets and toxic tear gas towards hundreds of displaced civilians as they made their way towards Gaza City, attempting to return to their destroyed homes in the northern Gaza Strip via the Wadi Gaza Bridge. Only a small number of the civilians succeeded in crossing into the north of Gaza.

According to some sources, social media had reported that the occupation army was allowing small numbers of civilians to cross into the north. However, the information turned out to be false and the IOF soldiers immediately opened fire on anyone that moved near the crossing.

At the same time, IOF warplanes renewed their bombing in the northern Gaza Strip, targeting at least three civilian residences in the city of Beit Hanoun, and wounding at least 8 Palestinian civilians.

Similarly, local civil defense crews recovered the bodies of several Palestinians killed following an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting a residential home belonging to the Abu Ghula family in the New Camp area of the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in the central Gaza Strip.

As though the horrors inflicted on Palestinians in Gaza by the Zionist forces weren't enough, at least one child was killed and three others wounded after humanitarian aid that had been air dropped into the Gaza Strip failed to open their parachutes, tumbling violently to the ground where it hit a child and injured several others.

Local paramedic crews confirmed the death of a child by the name of Zain Mahmoud Arouq, whom they said died as a result of humanitarian aid falling on him in northern Gaza.

Similarly, it was also reported that three Palestinian children were wounded while attempting to reach humanitarian aid that had fallen into the sea, west of Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip.

In one of the latest atrocities, the Zionist occupation army bombed several civilian residences in the Nuseirat and Al-Maghazi refugee camps, as well as the town of al-Zahra'a, in the central Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyredom of at least 10 Palestinian civilians, and wounding no less than 20 others, most of whom were transported to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in nearby Deir al-Balah.

"Israel's" criminal behavior continued when Zionist gunboats fired several artillery shells into residential homes west of the cities of Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis, destroying the targeted buildings, as well as local civilian infrastructure.

At the same time, Israeli artillery detatchments fired several shells towards residential homes in the towns of Bani Suheila, Abasan and the Al-Zanna neighborhood of Khan Yunis, wounding a number of civilians who were transferred to the Gaza European Hospital near Khan Yunis.

IOF fighter jets also bombarded four residential homes in areas of the Al-Zaytoun, Tal al-Hawa, and Sheikh Ajlin neighborhoods of Gaza City, in the northern Gaza Strip, resulting in various injuries to several civilians.

As a result of "Israel's" ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the death toll among the Palestinian population in Gaza has risen in excess of 33'729 Palestinians martyred, including upwards of 14'500 children and 9'500 women, while an additional 76'371 others have been wounded since the start of the current round of Zionist aggression beginning with the events of October 7th, 2023.

April 14th, 2024.

#source1

#source2

#source3

#source4

#source5

#source6

#source7

#source8

#source9

#source10

#source11

#source12

#videosource

#photosource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[twofielder]

Coin of the Day #160 (10/11/2024)

Another nice provincial…

Roman Province - Syria

AE25 - 12.00g

Gallienus 253-268 AD

Damascus Mint

Obverse IMP CAES P LIC GALLIENVS P F AVG

Bust of Gallienus right, laureate, draped, cuirassed, from front

Reverse COL ΔAMAS METRO

Prize crown between two purses on table with curved legs, rams head below

RPC X 63767

[stalwart-spirit]

BASICS -

B A S I C S

Name: Saeed Iscitan

Nicknames: Carrion

Age: 39

Nameday: 14th Sun of the 2nd Astral Moon

Race: Dalmascan, Midlander Hyur

Gender: Cis male

Orientation: Bisexual (equal preference)

Profession: Mercenrary, leader of the Damascus Djinns spy sector of the Dalmascan Resistance

P H Y S I C A L     A S P E C T S

Hair: Naturally brunette, undercut, longer portion bleached blonde

Eyes: Amber

Skin: Naturally tan 

Tattoos/scars: No tattoos, various scars from his work, predominantly on his hands

F A M I L Y

Parents: Unknown, was raised by fellow Rabanastrans before the establishment of Imperial orphanages upon the kingdom's occupation.

Siblings: Farah and Tahsin. Not by blood, raised together all their lives and consider one another family.

Grandparents: Unknown.

In-laws and Other: Two adopted children, twins. Polus and Leila. Adopted whilst returning to Valnain.

Pets: None, though the crows near his home have taken a shine to him and the kids.

S K I L L S

Abilities: Quick and light on his feet and a fast set of hands primed for thievery after years of running rampant on the streets as a young waif, then utilised to distrupt Imperial goings on within Rabanastre. Good head on his shoulders, can think fast when the situation calls for it. Surprising medical talent, primarily forensic.

Hobbies: Weaving, though more akin to mending and embroidery though has a keen eye for Dalmasca's more refined weaving crafts of tapestries and rugs. Fishing, even though he's not so skilled at swimming.

T R A I T S

Most Positive Trait: Determined and resolute, his mind is always set on getting the best out of a situation to benefit all, no matter the cost to himself.

Most Negative Trait: Stubborn and at times reckless, one too many times has he gotten himself into a situation and barely made it out.

L I K E S

Colors: Red and black, desert hues. A hint of sandstone.

Smells: Tobacco, coffee and inscense

Textures: Leather and steel.

Drinks: Coffee, mostly spiced, has a soft spot for wines of his home as rare as they are now.

O T H E R    D E T A I L S

Smokes: Yes. Terribly so. Hardly seen without his pipe.

Drinks: Occassionally, as a treat. Enjoys a couple glasses of wine when alone and comfortable, though won't shy away from stronger drinks when in appropriate company.

Drugs: Nothing of note to mention.

Mount Issuance: Rashad. An unruly red chocobo. More than likely doesn't even have a licance for the damn thing. Questions how he even wrangled the bastard.

Been Arrested: Countless times. Petty thefts as a youth, to barely escaping execution when Imperial headhunters come for prolifent members of the Dalmascan Resistance. For now, he's been good... Or at least not been caught.

---

I literally had no reason to do this, I was just wanting to kill time!

Not tagging anyone other than if you see this then do it! <3

[gwendolynlerman]

Discovering the world

Lebanon 🇱🇧

Basic facts

Official name: الجمهورية اللبنانية (al-Jumhūrīyah al-Lubnānīyah) (Republic of Lebanon)

Capital city: Beirut

Population: 5.3 million (2023)

Demonym: Lebanese

Type of government: unitary parliamentary republic

Head of state: vacant (President)

Head of government: Najib Mikati (Prime Minister)

Gross domestic product (purchasing power parity): $78.23 billion (2022)

Gini coefficient of wealth inequality: 31.8% (medium) (2011)

Human Development Index: 0.723 (high) (2022)

Currency: pound (LBP)

Fun fact: It hosts the highest number of refugees per capita and per square kilometer.

Etymology

The country’s name comes from Mount Lebanon, whose name derives from the Phoenician root lbn, meaning “white”.

Geography

Lebanon is located in West Asia and borders Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west.

There are two main climates: Mediterranean-influenced humid continental in the center and east and hot-summer Mediterranean in the rest. Temperatures range from 11 °C (51.8 °F) in winter to 30 °C (86 °F) in summer. The average annual temperature is 20.9 °C (69.6 °F).

The country is divided into nine governorates (muḥāfaẓāt), which are further divided into twenty-five districts (aqdyah). The largest cities in Lebanon are Beirut, Tripoli, Jounieh, Zahlé, and Sidon.

History

2500-64 BCE: Phoenicia

1650-1180 BCE: Hittite Empire

1550-1069 BCE: New Kingdom of Egypt

550-332 BCE: Achaemenid Empire

332-64 BCE: Seleucid Empire

64 BCE-394 CE: Roman Empire

394-635: Byzantine Empire

619-629 CE: Sasanian Empire

636-661: Rashidun Caliphate

661-750: Umayyad Caliphate

750-1517: Abbasid Caliphate

1099-1291: Kingdom of Jerusalem

1102-1289: County of Tripoli

1250-1516: Mamluk Sultanate

1516-1842: Emirate of Mount Lebanon

1516-1918: Ottoman Empire

1843-1861: Double Qaim-Maqamate of Mount Lebanon

1860: civil conflict in Mount Lebanon and Damascus

1915-1918: Great Famine of Mount Lebanon

1920-1926: State of Greater Lebanon

1923-1946: Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon

1926-1943: Lebanese Republic

1943-present: Republic of Lebanon

1948: Arab-Israeli War

1975-1990: Lebanese Civil War

1976-2005: Syrian occupation

1985-2000: South Lebanon conflict

2005: Cedar Revolution

2006: Lebanon War

2006-2008: protests

2007: Lebanon conflict

2011: Intifada of Dignity

2019: 17 October Revolution

2020: Beirut explosion

2021: Beirut clashes

Economy

Lebanon mainly imports from the European Union, Türkiye, and China and exports to the European Union, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland. Its top exports are diamonds, polyacetals, and gold.

It has natural gas, limestone, oil, and salt reserves. Services represent 83% of the GDP, followed by industry (13.1%) and agriculture (3.9%).

Lebanon is a member of the Arab League, la Francophonie, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Demographics

95% of the population is Arab, while Armenians make up 4%. The main religion is Islam, practiced by 55% of the population, 27.6% of which is Sunni.

It has a negative net migration rate and a fertility rate of 1.7 children per woman. 89% of the population lives in urban areas. Life expectancy is 78.3 years and the median age is 31.3 years. The literacy rate is 96.7%.

Languages

The official language of the country is Arabic. French is spoken by 40% of the population.

Culture

Lebanese culture has Persian, Greek, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and French influences. Lebanese people are very gregarious.

Men traditionally wear a shirt, a dark vest, baggy pants (sherwal), a belt, and a headdress. Women wear a shiny dress (gambaz), a wide belt, and a conical hat with a long piece of silk (tantur).

Architecture

Traditional houses in Lebanon are made of stone and wood and have flat roofs and terraces.

Cuisine

The Lebanese diet is based on fish, meat, pulses, and vegetables. Typical dishes include bamieh bi-zeit (okra and tomato stew), kibbeh (fried balls made of spiced meat and bulgur), sayadieh (seasoned fish and rice), sfouf (an almond-semolina cake), and tabbouleh (a salad of bulgur, onion, tomatoes, and parsley).

Holidays and festivals

Like other Christian and Muslim countries, Lebanon celebrates Epiphany, Armenian Christmas, St. Maroun Day, Feast of the Annunciation Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Assumption, Christmas Day, Islamic New Year, Ashura, Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha. It also commemorates New Year’s Day and Labor Day.

Specific Lebanese holidays include Rafic Hariri Memorial Day on February 14, Liberation and Resistance Day on May 25, and Lebanese Independence Day on November 22.

Independence Day

Other celebrations include the Aerial and Circus Arts Festival, the Baalbeck International Festival, which features dance and music performances, and the Beiteddine Art Festival.

Baalbeck International Festival

Landmarks

There are six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Anjar, Baalbek, Byblos, Ouadi Qadish (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli, and Tyre.

Ouadi Qadish and the Forest of the Cedars of God

Other landmarks include Jabal Moussa, the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, the Moussa Castle, Our Lady of Lebanon, and the Tripoli Citadel.

Tripoli Citadel

Famous people

Amin Maalouf - writer

Elie Saab - fashion designer

Fares Fares - actor

Jackie Chamoun - skier

Khalil Beschir - racing driver

May Ziade - poet and writer

Nadine Labaki - actress

Najwa Karam - singer

Ragheb Alama - singer

Rima Fakih - model

Rima Fakih

You can find out more about life in Lebanon in this post and this video.

[lifeofresulullah]

The Life of The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh): Before His Birth, His Birth and His Childhood

The Famous Grandfathers of the Prophet

Undoubtedly, we do not have much knowledge on all the ancestors who carried the Master of the Universe’s light as a Divine trust on their foreheads. The ancestors about whom we have the most knowledge are the ones who are closest in time. Here we will take a short glance at their lives and personalities.

Qusai

Qusai, the fourth grandfatherof the Holy Prophet and whose real name was Zayd, was a very important figure. He had only one male sibling by the name of Zuhra.

From these two siblings, Qusai was granted the honor of bearing the noor that came down from Hazrat Adam. From childhood, Qusai garnered much attention for his talents and grew up to be one of the leading figures of Mecca. In a short time, he gained much reliability amongst the people of Mecca for his fair decisions as well as his skills in governance and administration. For this reason, the governance of Mecca was given to him.  He divided Mecca into districts for the first time. He situated every tribe into the district that he allocated for them. The most important decisions of Mecca were discussed and decided in his home.  Important tasks such as safeguarding the Ka’aba, providing water for and hosting the pilgrims of Hajj, erecting the flag at times of war, and governing the Meccan assembly, were entrusted in him. The first house that was across from the Ka’aba and whose door faced the Ka’aba was specially constructed for Qusai. This house was a parliament, like a type of governmental building or the state of the Meccan city, where all sorts of works and issues were discussed. Historically, Qusai’s residency was known as “Daru’n-Nadwa” and it found fame with this name. It was conserved until half a century after the Hijra (migration).

Qusai was loved and respected by everyone without exception. The noor belonging to the Master of the Universe that he carried on his forehead, made him beloved to and the bosom friend of the Meccan people.

In accordance with the custom, Qusay handed over the role of the family chieftain to his oldest son, Abduddar when he got old and said, “My Beloved son, I appoint you as the chief of this tribe”.

However, Abduddar did not possess the skills to undertake such a great duty. Throughout his life he was unable to fill his father’s place because the noor of the Patron of the Universe was not shining on his forehead, but was on his younger brother’s, Abd Manaf who had four sons: Hashim, Abdusshams, Muttalib, and Nawfal. 

Hashim

Hashim is the grandfather of the Holy Prophet from the second generation.

Hashim was a tradesman; he was one of the notables of Mecca’s gentry. As the birth date of the Holy Prophet was nearing, the noor of the Holy Prophet on his forehead was shining even brighter. In addition, he had eminent virtues.

He was extremely generous. During a year of drought, no bread could be found. He had snow-white bread made from the pure wheat he brought from Damascus, cut several camels and sheep, and offered a huge feast composed of bread, meat, gravy, and broth to the whole of Meccan people.

Because Hashim was of high moral character, aptitude, was wise, generous, virtuous, was loved and respected by everyone, and had a noble personality, his name became the title for his family and posterity. For this reason, they termed this great lineage that includes our master of the Universe as the “Hashemites”.

Hashim had four sons: Shaiba (Abdulmuttalib), Asad, Abu Sayfi, and Nadla. 

Hashim’s progeny continued from his sons Shaiba and Asad. Shaiba is the Holy Prophet’s grandfather from the first generation whereas Asad is the uncle of Hazrati Ali’s mother, Fatimah.

However, when Hunain, who came from Asad’s progeny, did not have any descendants; every Hashemite was descended from Abdulmuttalib’s branch, proliferated, and spread across the Earth. 

Shaiba (Abdulmuttalib)

Shaiba is the Holy Prophet’s grandfather from the first generation. Since he was born with white hair, the name “Shaiba” was given to him; he gained fame with his nickname, Abdulmuttalib and was mentioned more by this name.

The story of how he was given this nickname:

Shaiba stayed with his maternal uncles in Medina during his childhood. One day he and his neighborhood friends were throwing arrows with the other children in a public square in Medina. Amongst all the children, he was easily distinguished by the noor belonging to the Master of the Universe that shone on his forehead. There, a crowd of grownups gathered to watch the children compete.

It was Shaiba’s turn to throw an arrow. He placed the arrow in the bow and stretched the bow in a confident manner. For a moment, he stopped breathing and unleashed the bow. The arrow that sprung from the bow hit its exact aim. When everyone looked at him with amazement, he brought the following words to his tongue through the happiness and excitement that he felt with this success:

“I am Hashim’s son. I am Sir Betha’s son. Of course my arrow will find its target”.

The adults that came to watch heard Shaiba’s commendatory words. One of Harith bin Abd-Manaf sons came close to him and learnt that he was Hashim’s sons by cross-examining. On his return to Mecca, this man explained the situation to Muttalib and remarked that it was not right for such a talented and intelligent child to be left in a foreign province.

Upon hearing this news, Muttalib immediately went to Medina and brought Shaiba to Mecca. As Muttalib was arriving to Mecca with Shaiba on the back of his saddle, they asked:

“Who is this child?”

Muttalib was afraid that this child would be affected with the evil eye so the words “my slave” came out of his mouth.

When he arrived home, his wife, Khadija, asked the same question. Once more, the answer was “my slave”.

The next day Shaiba began to roam the streets of Mecca with the new and beautiful clothes that his uncle bought for him. Everyone became curious about his identity and began to ask questions. Those who knew answered, “Abdulmuttalib” (Abdulmuttalib’s slave).

Despite his identity being later revealed, his nickname remained “Abdul-Muttalib” from that day on.