#gail carriger verse

[lpkorra]

Just finished the Tinkered Starsong trilogy by Gail Carriger and damn do i have complicated feelings about the title. I can think i can sum it up is that it is a fun romance but all of the science fiction and metaphors were a mess. spoiler filled discussion below

Choices made by the author that in a vacuum are all good ideas and fun to play around with, but when placed together make some unfortunate combinations

Make one alien species the music producers of the galaxy that are controlling artists access to performance. I like the idea of k-pop in space. I like the critique of how artists are treated

Make the alien producers be the sexually immature life stage of the aliens species. There was actually some very good asexual representation here. There were some scenes that made me so happy as an asexual, and i enjoyed a couple of laughs at my own expense. I especially like the scene where one of the asexual aliens realized that they can now cuddle with one of their friends, because the friend won't take it romantically. I think it came a bit too late in the story, but i still like the scene.

Make the music actually sci-fi and having a weird mystery to solve about its effects and purpose of the alien producers

Ok and how can the combination of these ideas be a problem?

It is incredibly fucking messy to make the reason that two gay characters can't get together is because their asexual alien bosses don't let them. I'm 100% here for a gay romance to be forbidden not because they are gay but as a metaphor for how fucking weirdly we treat the relationships of pop idols. However, it is incredibly fucked up that part of the reason the aliens don't allow it, is they are all asexual in their current life stage and are a bit grossed out by it.

I understand the author making the alien producers asexual because they are juveniles, and the other option would be gross once the fact they are juveniles was reviled. I actually really like the conversations about them being super attractive to others but not being at all comfortable with the attraction because they do not share it. But don't make the asexuals evil beings because they can't understand the true love of two gay humans.

I also just don't think the author went far enough with the sci-fi elements if she was going to play with them. So many fucked up things were introduced and the end of the series is just left with: we will continue to do as we have been doing because the performances we put on and the families we have found are too important to us to stop. The stakes of wanting to be in a band verses what the alien producers are actually doing in a sci-fi sense have completely different stakes. This is explained away with the alien producers being in their immature life stage and the adults of the species not really caring about what they are doing. There is a conversation about how the sci-fi elements of the singing performances is a bit fucked up by "Adult" characters but they just roll with it.

so in conclusion, asexual aliens were used well in some parts but in combination with them being music producers controlling the lives of their artists, some unfortunate things that play into aphobia happened. I love the idea of space k-pop, but the final Sci-fi reveal was too serious for the rest of the story. I wanted a fun k-pop in space romp, but i'm not ok with a fun romp if series ideas are introduced but not adequately dealt with.

[rebuke-me]

please gail carriger i need your assistance

i haven’t read the books in a while but i’m pretty sure that there’s a plot point where werewolves’ hair stays the same as when they were transformed, unless they’re in a godbreaker zone. (i’m mostly sure that alexia had to hold conall’s hand while he shaved to make him human, at least.)

so basically my question is: does hair dye apply to the same rules? can werewolves dye their hair outside of being touched by a preternatural or being in a god-breaker zone?? this has been plaguing me for ages 

@gailcarriger if you’re allowed to answer

[ao3feed-bemorechill]

transformation

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2WsKpMv

by worstgirl

“He’s dying, you have to transform him.”

~~~

my first finished work for my carriger-verse au. you do not need to read any of gail carriger’s stuff to read this!!

Words: 1423, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death

Categories: Gen, M/M

Characters: Jake Dillinger, Jeremy Heere, Biffy (Parasol Protectorate), Professor Randolph Lyall, Chloe Valentine, Christine Canigula, Brooke Lohst, Rich Goranski, Michael and Jenna are there but i don’t really mention them

Relationships: Jake Dillinger/Jeremy Heere, Biffy/Professor Randolph Lyall, various friendships

Additional Tags: bmc gail carriger au, i mess up the timeline of the carriger-verse a lot, claviger jeremy, bunson boy jake, deere, dillinjer - Freeform, jakemy, mademoiselle geraldine’s girl chloe, Werewolf Transformation, Mild Gore, Emetophobia, Guns, Violence, it’s generally not that bad but just saying

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2WsKpMv

[ace-artemis-fanartist]

Sorry if this is annoying but can you explain how Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is split up (like what books are part of a series or standalones in the Discworld-verse)?? I know which books are the Tiffany Achings books since I saw it in a recommendations post, but I'm confused about the rest (also I started reading Gail Carriger because of you!!)

No trouble, it’s a lovely question. 40 books in a series can seem rather daunting, but I know of a good Discworld graph. It walks you through based on what you are looking for, and I agree on their favorites too. 

Also, Goodreads catalogues them in sub-series on this page really well.

My personal favorite is the nightwatch arc (start with Guard! Guards!), because I love a good mystery and the characters in that arc are the most diverse.

Yay Carriger books!

[krinsbez]

Book Recommendations: Da Big List, Fiction Edition

Well, I said I’d do more book recs, so here we go...

(note that some of the series recs are out of date, with additional installments written since I previously updated the list) 

-Devil's Cape by Rob Rogers is the single best work of superhero prose I have ever read. -The Six-Gun Tarot by R. S. Belcher, in which the unusual inhabitants of a Wild West town (a sheriff who can't die, a deputy who's the son of Coyote, a housewife who used to be an assassin, and more) fight an Eldritch Abomination. Has two sequels, The Shotgun Arcana and The Queen of Swords -"Craft Sequence" series (six books and counting, starting with either Three Parts Dead or Last First Snow, depending on whether you want to read 'em in publication or chronological order, respectively), by Max Gladstone. Set in a modern-esque fantasy world that runs on corporate necromancy and "applied theocracy", the first (in publication order) involves a junior associate in a necromancy firm having to investigate the murder of the god who powers a steampunk city. -The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison, in which the half-goblin Unfavorite son of the Elven Emperor is unexpectedly raised to the throne after his father and half-brothers die in a zeppelin crash. -Daughter of the Sword by Steve Bein, in which a Tokyo policewoman catches a case that involves a Yakuza power struggle and a trio of magic swords, with extensive flashbacks (as in, they ultimately take up about half of the book) to the history of said swords. Has a sequel, Year of the Demon, in which the heroine goes up against a cult revolving around a mask tied to the swords. Also, more flashbacks. Now has a third sequel, Disciple of the Wind; there are also a couple of eNovellas, which I haven't read. -Eifelheim by Michael Flynn, in which a Renaissance-era village in Germany interact with a group of aliens whose ship crashed nearby. -Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, in which the last remnant of a space warship's AI seeks revenge on the ones who blew up the rest of her and...find out why they did it. Has two sequels, Ancillary Sword and Ancillary Mercy. -The Chinatown Death Cloud Peril by Paul Malmont, in which the creators of Doc Savage and The Shadow team-up with each other (and L. Ron Hubbard and someone else who is a minor spoiler) on an actual pulp adventure involving Nazi spies, a Chinese warlord, and something which is actually a BIG spoiler. Has a sequel, The Astounding, the Amazing, and the Unknown, in which Isaac Asimov, Robert Heinlein, and L. Sprague De Camp investigate Tesla's final invention. -Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart, in which Master Li, a sage "with a slight flaw in his character", is hired by an immensely strong peasant named Number Ten Ox to investigate a mysterious plague afflicting his village in a "China that never was". Has two sequels, The Story of the Stone and Eight Skilled Gentlemen that are greatly inferior but still enjoyable. -The Kitty Norville books by Carrie Vaughn (15 books starting with Kitty and the Midnight Hour; the count includes a short-story collection and a side-novel starring a secondary character), about the host of a midnight radio show in Denver, who is also a newly turned werewolf. One night, instead of playing random music, she starts talking about the supernatural. Then vampires and other werewolves start calling in... -The Inspector Chen novels by Liz Williams (6 books starting with Snake Agent), about a police detective in a near future Singapore who investigates mysteries that require him to liaise with the Chinese versions of Hell and Heaven. -"Barsoom" series by Edgar Rice Burroughs (11 books, starting with A Princess of Mars): The ur-text of the Planetary Romance sub-genre, one of the definitional texts of soft SF. Rollicking adventures with epic characters in a marvelously imagined world. Long story short; a Civil War vet on the verge of death is astrally projected to not-yet-dead Mars, befriends a group of warlike natives, falls in love with the Princess of another, and turns the whole planet upside down in the name of love. Then he has kids... -"Lensman" series by E. E. "Doc" Smith (6 books; starting with either Triplanetary or Galactic Patrol, depending on your preferences): The granddaddy of all Space Operas, a triumphant example of power creep. The forces of Order and Chaos war for the fate of the universe, using the ultimate police force and an army of space pirates as proxies. -Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon: An exploration of the future evolution of mankind. Starting in the '30s with the then-current state of the "First Men" (that is to say, Homo sapiens sapiens) until the extinction of the "Last Men" millions of years hence. Redefines epic scope. -Star-Maker by Olaf Stapledon: A companion of sorts to Last and First Men, except with with the scope turned up to eleven, covering billions of years and the entire universe. -Slan by A. E. Van Vogt: Jommy Cross is a Slan, an evolved human possessed of superior physical and mental abilities. Years ago, the Slans took over the world, but their regime was overthrown and now the Slans are hunted. When Jommy's parents are killed, he must learn to survive in a world that hates and fears him...or does it? Jampacked with twists and turns, not to mention being the archetypical "mutant hunt" novel. -Voyage of the Space Beagle by A. E. Van Vogt: The best and brightest of man's scientific minds have been sent into space to explore strange new worlds, and then figure out how to keep the life-forms they encounter from killing them. A rip-roaring tale of of space exploration, alien monsters, and an omnicompetent protagonist. Not only was it a major influence on Star Trek, one episode is the basis for Alien. -"Demon Princes" series by Jack Vance (5 books starting with The Star King): Years ago, the five most dangerous criminals in the known universe joined together to murder or enslave the inhabitants of a small colony. Now the sole survivor is hunting them down one-by-one across the galaxy... The narrative is a great combination of action and mystery, and the setting is full of all manner of interesting worlds and civilizations. -"Planet of Adventure" series by Jack Vance (4 books, starting with City of the Chasch): An Earthman crash-lands on a planet inhabited by four alien species, and the humans they've enslaved, travels the world to find a way home. A marvelous exploration of the concept of Blue-And-Orange Morality. -"Sector General" series by James White (12 books, starting with Hospital Station): Life aboard a massive, multi-species hospital space station in a deeply idealistic 'verse with one of the most diverse bunch of aliens ever devised. The first six books are mostly collections of short stories featuring medical mysteries solved by Dr. Conway (the primary exception is the second book, which is mostly a novella set against the backdrop of an interstellar war and brilliantly inverts the "Hard Man Making Hard Decisions" trope), as he goes from being a trainee to one of the hospital's elite, while the latter six are novels featuring an assortment of characters. -"Cobra" series by Timothy Zahn (9 books and counting, starting with Cobra): A multi-generational tale of super-soldiers in war and peace, with a healthy helping of interstellar diplomacy. A really interesting take on MilSF, where out-of-the-box thinking takes center stage. -"Quadrail" series by Timothy Zahn (5 books, starting with Night Train To Rigel): Frank Compton, former agent of the human government, finds himself working for the mysterious aliens who run the local 'verse's sole form of interstellar travel; a train in space called the Quadrail. Intrigue, action, and plot twists abound, including one of the best Heel Face Turns I have ever encountered. -"Stainless Steel Rat" series by Harry Harrison (11 books, starting with The Stainless Steel Rat, and one short story, which can be found in the collection Stainless Steel Visions). In a far future where mankind has spread across the stars, crime has been eliminated. Well, that's what the authorities would like you to believe; in truth there are still a small handful of individuals maladjusted enough to commit crimes and smart enough to get away with them. James Bolivar "Slippery Jim" Digriz, the Stainless Steel Rat, may be the smartest of them all, a white collar thief and con artist who's almost pathological disregard for law and authority is balanced by a surprisingly strong moral code. Which is why when he is finally caught, the authorities put him to work catching criminals who lack those morals. This is classic SF comedy, with a surprising amount of pathos at points. -"The Parasol Protectorate" series by Gail Carriger (five books, starting with Soulless). A humorous and exciting tale of love, intrigue, mad scientists, and fashion in an alternate Victorian era where the British Empire's power derives from steampunk technology, werewolf soldiers, and vampire politicians. Has a sequel series, "The Custard Protocol" (3 books and counting, starting with Prudence) revolving around the daughter of the original protagonist. Has a YA prequel spinoff, "Finishing School" (4 books, starting with Ettiquette and Espionage) revolving around a teenager who is recruited by a boarding school that trains spies. There are, in addition, a manga adaptation of the first couple books. -Ports of Call by Jack Vance. Myron Tany has always dreamed of traveling the Gaean Reach. When his eccentric aunt acquires a spaceship, it seems his dream has come true...until she ends up marooning him on random planet. Fortunately, Myron is able to obtain a position as supercargo aboard the merchant ship Glicca. The story does not really have a plot per se, consisting primarily of a series of marvelous picaresque vignettes as Myron and his crew-mates travel to different worlds delivering cargo, trying to acquire additional cargo, and periodically running afoul of bizarre local customs. The book just kinda stops at one point, and resumes in a second book, entitled Lurulu. I'm not really describing this well, but they're both very fun, beautifully written books. -The Green and the Gray by Timothy Zahn. A night on the town for a young New York couple takes a turn for the weird when they are forced, at gunpoint, to take custody of a 12-year old girl. They soon find themselves enmeshed in a secret Cold War between two alien races that have secretly been living in the city for generations...a Cold War that is threatening to turn hot. -The Rook by Daniel O'Malley. A young woman awakens surrounded by corpses with no memory of who she is. In her pocket is a letter from her pre-amnesia self, one Myfanwy Thomas. It seems that Myfanwy was a senior bureaucrat for the covert organization in charge of controlling magic and other such weirdness in Britain, and that her amnesiac state is something that was done to her. Myfanwy must therefore investigate the mystery of precisely who that is, while simultaneously do a job about which she knows nothing, without letting anyone realize what's happened to her. Ha a sequel, Stiletto, though I cannot explain the plot without spoiling the previous book. -Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed. A tale in which an elderly demon-hunting cleric and his paladin assistant team-up with a shape-shifting barbarian girl and husband and wife alchemists to prevent an undead villain unleash an ancient evil, while trying not get involved between the conflict between the tyrannical ruler of their city and a gentleman thief-turned-revolutionary. Did I mention that the cleric's spells invoke the name of Allah, the paladin is a dervish, the barbarian is a Bedouin, and the whole setting draws it's cues not from Tolkien but the Arabian Nights? -"White Trash Zombie" by Diana Rowland (6 books and counting, starting with My Life As a White Trash Zombie). Angel Crawford is an unemployed high school dropout in rural Louisiana with a deadbeat dad, an asshole boyfriend, a drug habit, and no future. After one particularly wild night of drinking and drugging, she gets into a devastating car accident...and wakes up in the hospital without a scratch on her to find that an unknown benefactor has arranged for her to have a job at the Coroner's Office. Which is good because she now has a hankering for brains... -Under the Moons of Mars: New Adventures on Barsoom edited by John Joseph Adams. Exactly what is says on the tin, a collection of original stories set on Barsoom by an assortment of writers. As with any anthology, quality is a bit uneven; some of the stories are excellent Original Flavor pastiches, some are deconstructions or parodies, one or two are just bad. But all in all a great collection. -Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs edited by Mike Resnick and Robert T. Garcia. Same basic idea, but for the entire Burroughs oevure, including some of his non-SFnal work. -"Winter of the World" series by Michael Scott Rohan (two trilogies, the first starting with The Anvil of Ice, the second place taking place before the first and in another part of the world, and which I haven't been able to get my hands on ), an epic fantasy taking place against the backdrop of an Ice Age, in which a young man rises from slavery to become the most powerful smith-cum-magician the world has ever known, and together with some companions fights to defeat the sinister primal forces that wish to cover the world in glaciers forever. Much less generic than it sounds, even without going into the appendixes which reveal the real(ish) science behind quite a bit of the magic. -"Spiral Arm" series by Michael Flynn (4 books, starting with The January Dancer). Moderately Irish-flavored space opera, the first book tells the tale of of how a random space captain found a pre-human artifact, of the various hands said artifact passed into, and the conflicts that sprung up in it's wake. The second book turns the first's framing sequence into an epic of it's own, as a young bard hunts down the truth of her parentage. The series notably involves massive retcons with each volume, revealing that what we thought was going on was actually something else, but does so in a way that's compelling rather than irritating. -Dr. Jay Hosler is an entomologist who has written four edutational graphic novels for children (Clan Apis, The Sandwalk Adventures, Optical Allusions, and Last of the Sandwalkers). I've read three and they are amazing. In Clan Apis, a young honeybee desperately searches for her place in the hive, and ultimately finds an unorthodox solution. In The Sandwalk Adventures, an elderly Charles Darwin tries to convince a follicle mite living in his eyebrow that he's not God, by teaching him about evolution. In Last of the Sandwalkers (no relation)...honestly, the story contains so much epic awesomeness, I just want to list it, but it's all spoilers; suffice to say that the title character is A: a beetle, B: could give Sam Carter and Agatha Heterodyne a run for their money in the mad science department, and C: leads an expedition to explore the unknown and along the way discovers truths about her family and the nature of her people's civilization that some people really don't want her to (also you learn stuff about beetles). -Nightwise by R. S. Belcher. Years ago, Laytham Ballard was the Golden Boy of the occult underworld sub-culture. That was a LONG time ago, and no one would ever mistake Laytham for golden. But he's not so much of a bastard that he'll refuse the last request of one of his few remaining friends. What was supposed to be a simple revenge killing, however, turns out to be a lot more complicated and a lot more dangerous than Laytham ever imagined. Has a sequel, The Night Dahlia, which I have yet to read. -Brotherhood of the Wheel by R. S. Belcher. Jimmy Aussapile is an independent trucker, hauling cargo cross-country to support his pregnant wife and teenage daughter; he is also a member of a secret order descended from the Knights Templar that protects the highways of America from monsters both human and not. An encounter with a hitchhiking ghost finds him heading off on a quest, in which he joins forces with the heir apparent of monster-fighting outlaw biker gang who's military service unleashed some serious inner demons, and a State Trooper who's determination to solve a series of child abductions leads her to go rogue. Together, they must battle an ancient evil involving serial killers, human sacrifice, and Black-Eyed Kids. Note that it's loosely tied to Nightwise, in which Jimmy shows up in one scene as a minor side character; meanwhile, an off-hand reference to Laytham is made at one point in Brotherhood, and a minor plot thread in the later novel relates to a major plot thread in the earlier. They aren't even the same genre, with Nightwise being urban fantasy noir instead of horror. All in all, one doesn't have to have read one to enjoy the other,

[tolrais]

Sketchy thing I did to decide if I could make simplicity 8159 work for asylum (providing I can go of course :') ) A little bit inspired by my steampunk 'verse a little bit inspired by the wonderful Gail Carriger's badass ladies. The main thing would be keeping it sufficiently steampunk, me thinks

[toastweaselreads]

I once read a review of Poison or Protect that blasted it as pornography. I really, really hope that person gives The Sumage Solution a wide birth because h o l y s h i t if you thought Poison or Protect was racy, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Gail Carriger’s “The Sumage Solution”

Synopsis:

Can a gentle werewolf heal the heart of a smart-mouthed mage?

NYT bestseller Gail Carriger, writing as G. L. Carriger, presents an offbeat gay romance in which a sexy werewolf with a white knight complex meets a bad boy mage with an attitude problem. Sparks (and other things) fly.

Rating: 3/5 LGBTQA+? Yes. In. Fucking. Spades. Genre(s): urban fantasy, gay paranormal romance Enoby Approved: Sure Read This Book If You Like: Gay sex. Explicit gay sex. Paranormal Romance. Don’t Read This Book If You Can’t Handle: Gay sex. Sudden plot.

Disclaimer: I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel with the condition that I review it should I feel so inclined. Thoughts and opinions are my own. I would have reviewed this novel regardless of when or how I got it.

I have many feelings about this book. Let’s get into them, shall we? (Mild spoilers, ahoy!)

The Good.

LGBTQ representation. Gail is known for her Queer representation, but this book turns it up to about fifteen and it stays there the entire time. It’s absolutely beautiful. A work of art. Pretty much everyone in this book is some slice of Queer. Lesbians, gays, a trans/nonbinary character, mentions of bisexuality by NAME, poly couples, kink being discussed openly…. I was in Queer heaven.

QPOC representation. Main character is of visibly Asian descent. And he’s gay as hell. Hollah!

POV swap? Not really my thing. But somehow Gail managed to do alright. It was not as noticeable as some books I’ve read, which is a good sign for Competence, as that is also apparently supposed to be POV swap between the Tunstell twins.

I absolutely ADORED all the female characters in this. The lesbian Kelpie boss, the kinky poly Tonks-esque kitsune (Gladdy!!! <3 ), and Manifest Destiny. They are all Queer as hell and I love them.  

Sex positivity! Loved the sex positivity. Lots of talk about sex toys and stuff. Great to see : )

The Meh.

There were some cute mentions to how this series may/may not extension of Parasolverse…but honestly? I would have loved this series to be a clean break from the Parasolverse as a completely different thing. Nothing was gained by linking this to the Parasolverse, and the links that did exist were a bit confusing and would not make sense to any reader not familiar with it. While I am more than here for easter eggs and nudge-nudge-wink-wink references, these did not feel like that. The references to the Parasolverse felt unnecessary and heavy handed, and I believe the novel would have been better without them. I think The Sumage Solution should have existed in a new Universe completely.

(I think Gail has been doing this a lot recently. Parts of Competence felt very similar to this. I think the Parasol universe has simply gotten too large for a lot of self-reference.)

I called pretty much every plot twist in the book. I’m unsure if that is just because my brain works very similar to Gail’s or if the twists were just that predictable. You decide.

At some times it felt like Gail had just upended a bag of supernatural creatures directly into a word document. I’m pretty well versed in supernatural lore and even I got lost. It would have been nice to have a glossary of some kind or another to refer to so I did not have to pause reading to look up things on the internet (and then get distracted by the internet…).

I went in expecting romance and only romance. There was no indication on the outside it might be more, but about halfway through it shifted from Romance to Romance with Sudden Plot. I suppose I should have known better, because this is Gail we are talking about, but normally she manages to interweave Romance and Plot seamlessly. This did not feel like that; instead it felt a little sudden and a bit jarring. I was not a fan of the sudden shift. If the plot had been interwoven from the beginning, I might have been more on board. But as it was? Nah.

The Bad.

Why do all of the men have such generic White Boy Names? I’m losing track of all these white men. And one of them isn’t even white! Max, Bryan, Kevin, Colin… seriously, Gail, you come up with shit like Conall and Sidheag Maccon and Sandalfius Ulf for the Parasolverse and yet here we are with White Bread Boy 1 and White Bread Boy 2. Throw me a bone, I’m dying here.

In that vein, I lost track of who was who. Gail introduces a lot of characters in a very little amount of time. I can’t remember the names of most of them, especially the werewolves. There were a lot of characters to juggle.

I’m still not sure what the rest of the San Andreas Shifters pack looks like. I know one of them is black, and that the rest of them are white and muscle-y except the boy who isn’t (and Alec). And that’s about all I got.

More werewolves of color please. I want an entire pack of werewolves of color. None of this one-off black werewolf nonsense.

The Cringe.

I’m really over the “man trapped in a woman’s body” narrative for trans people. I’m going to give Gail the benefit of the doubt because I trust her, and the whole “man trapped in a woman’s body” narrative was brought up by a cis character and not the trans character herself. I know that character opinion does not equal author opinion, so this is probably just a cis male character trying to understand the trans experience and not Gail’s own opinion on said trans experience. That being said, I’m over that narrative and wish it would stop, especially because this is Gail’s first trans character.

Overmuch man sex. Look, I knew what I was getting into. I knew there was gonna be gay sex. I was fine with that. But this novel reads a little less than a novel and reads more like an M or E rated m/m fanfic where there is sex every chapter. I don’t have necessarily have a problem with that; God knows I’ve read enough fanfic that is all sex and no plot. I’ve also never read anything in the published m/m genre besides this so I have nothing to refer this to. Is this amount of sex standard? I have no idea, but I don’t really feel it necessary to find out. M/M sex is not really my thing. My delicate lesbian sensibilities!  

TL;DR:

I’m super conflicted by this book, because I want to love it. It had all of the things that I love about Gail’s work (supernaturals, queer elements, witty banter, etc) but this book was just a miss for me. It was a lot of little things that added up that made me dislike it more than just on large thing that put me off it.

Would I read more books in the The San Andreas Shifters series, should they come out? Possibly. I don’t know if I’d care to read more about Biff and Max. I would love to read more about the side characters, of the rest of the pack members. However, this series does not inspire me to read it over and over and over again the way Parasolverse does, and it would probably only be a one-time read unless future books really captivate me.

I feel like I’ve sinned against Gail by not liking this book, but I figure that if this is the first thing of hers that I don’t like, and she’s written 13+ things so far, she’s doing okay. The Sumage Solution was simply just not me, even though I desperately want it to be. Your mileage may vary; go ahead and give it a go. You might like it more than I do.

[calmgrove]

We’re excited to have this guest post from Marlyn Beebe, a west-coast (USA) librarian with Canadian roots. We thought a librarian would know of some fantasy books that would be new to us, and she did. With her permission, we’ve added two books to her suggestions, to make this a perfect Top-Ten list. Interesting side-note: these are all first books in series. No doubt about it, readers love a good series.

Marlyn grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, where she graduated from the University of Alberta with a degree in Library and Information Studies. Not being a fan of frozen water falling from the sky, she now lives in Southern California with her husband, Tod, and their cat, Puck. She works part-time at multiple libraries and spends the rest of her time reading, reviewing, blogging, and watching hockey games. Marlyn reviews books for School Library Journal, as well as for her blog Stuff and Nonsense. Head over to her blog to see what else she enjoys reading.

About her list, Marlyn writes:

I’ve always loved literature about strong women, whether realistic or speculative fiction, historical or contemporary. By the time the books below were published (yes, even the ones from the last century!), I was already an adult, and wished passionately that I could have experienced them as a child or teen. I’m grateful that these books, and so many more like them, are available for me to share with today’s young people!

Just to make things interesting, we (Lizzie, Chris and Marlyn) have added a tiny spin to this list. Way back in 2009, The Alan Review published “Dragon-Slayer vs Dragon-Sayer”, an article analyzing female fantasy protagonists.¹ The authors argue that when fantasy writers give their female protagonists active roles (as opposed to waiting to be rescued by and then married to the hero), the characters tend to take one of two roles: Dragon-Slayer (basically the heroine acts just like a hero, using a sword to “overpower and conquer” villains) or Dragon-Sayer (the heroine uses feminine skills to nurture and take care of the villains��� needs, thereby de-fanging the villain). Marlyn, Lizzie and Chris have identified where we think all but two of the heroines fall within this (imperfect) dichotomy. If you disagree, let us know! And if you can decide about the two we didn’t identify, let us know that as well.

Late 20th Century

Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce (Atheneum Press, 1983). The first of the 4-book Song of the Lioness series, in which Alanna pretends to be a boy in order to work as a page in the royal court of Tortail. DRAGON-SLAYER

The Hero and the Crown by Robin Mckinley (Greenwillow Books, originally published 1984). The story of Aerin of Damar, and her evolution from a shy princess to the heroic queen who saves her country from invaders (and a dragon!). McKinley’s novel won the 1985 Newbery Award, and is the prequel to The Blue Sword, a Newbery Honor winner published in 1982. DRAGON-SLAYER

Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones (HarperCollins, originally published 1986). Sophie, the eldest of three daughters, unwittingly attracts the ire of the Witch of the Waste, who puts her under a horrid spell that transforms her into an old lady. (Two more books in series: Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways.) DRAGON-SAYER

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C Wrede (Jane Yolen Books/Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1990). The first of the 4-book series The Enchanted Chronicles, which tell the story of Princess Cimorene, who leaves her boring kingdom to become assistant to the dragon Kazul. DRAGON-SAYER

Early 21st Century

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin (Little Brown, 2009). To save her village from a devastating drought, Minli goes on a quest to find and petition the Old Man of the Moon for help. Along the way, she gains companions. A revisioning of The Wizard of Oz, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was a Newbery Honor winner. Two more books complete this series. DRAGON-SAYER

Soulless by Gail Carriger (Hachette Book Group, 2009). The first book in The Parasol Protectorate series introduces us to Alexa Tarabotti, a bluestocking living in a steampunk version of Victorian London, populated by werewolves, vampires, and ghosts. Carriger has written several series and stand-alones which take place in her “Parasol-verse”.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor (Speak/Penguin Random House, 2011). Sunny Nwazue returns to Nigeria, the country of her birth, and has to adjust her New York attitudes to her new life. Soon after learning she has magical powers, she teams up with three other students to fight a powerful criminal. A sequel (Akata Warrior) was published in 2018. DRAGON-SLAYER

Born Wicked by Jessica Spotswood (Penguin Putnam, 2012). Cate Cahill is the oldest of three sisters whose mother died when she was 14. All three sisters are witches in a world where witchcraft is feared. There are two more books in the Cahill Witch Chronicles, each focusing on one of Cate’s younger sisters.

A School for Unusual Girls by Kathleen Baldwin (Tor Teen, 2015). In the early 1800s, intractable upper class girls are sent to Stranje House “finishing school”, to be turned into proper society women. Each of the (so far) three books in the series focuses on a different student, who becomes entangled in espionage. This is more Regency romance than fantasy, but the alternative history slant tips the scales to qualify it for inclusion on this list. DRAGON-SLAYER

Borderline by Mishell Baker (Saga Press, 2016). Millie Roper, physically disabled with a personality disorder, is recruited by a mysterious organization, The Arcadia Project, which acts as liaison between Hollywood and Fairyland. So far, there are three books in The Arcadia Project series. DRAGON-SLAYER

OK, Dear Readers, that’s Marlyn’s list. Have you read any of these? What faves need to be included (and are the heroines Dragon-Slayers or Dragon-Sayers)?²

¹ Keeling, Kara K. and Marsha M. Sprague (2009), The ALAN Review, Summer 2009, pp. 13-17. Available online here: https://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/ALAN/v36n3/pdf/keeling.pdf

² Lizzie Ross is too retiring and diffident to mention her own Kenning Magic (Saguaro Books 2013) which does indeed feature a kick-ass heroine and dragons; I’ll leave you to discover if Noni is a Dragon-Slayer or Dragon-Sayer! Chris

Witch Week Day 1: Ten Kick-Ass Heroines We're excited to have this guest post from Marlyn Beebe, a west-coast (USA) librarian with Canadian roots.

[rebuke-me]

claviger!jeremy heere aesthetic

[midnatt-heronweather]

2017 Questionnaire

1. What did you do in 2017 that you'd never done before? Hmmm... well, not as much as I would have liked. *Went to Scotland with my Parabatai and my dad. its not my first trip to Scotland but its the first time I've been away with my dad and my Parabatai. hell it is the first time a friends been on holiday with us ever.  don't count Haye festival as that was two sets of friends (dad and his mine and heather) who happened to be going to the same place, for different reasons so shared a car, but stayed separately) mom stayed home to Dog sit, but there are plans afoot for us all to go off somewhere. *Went to Wakefield comic con (its unusual if you know me, where I live and my opinion on said place) 2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Don't do new year's resolutions. I don' see the point in them, their promise to do things that you make to yourself all year anyway the only special thing is their made on a certain date. 3. Did anyone close to you give birth? about 15 days ago. my friend Midget had a little girl. Waverlee 4. Did anyone close to you die? no. Thank the angel. 5. What countries did you visit? England, Scotland, Wales (if you count Wrexham) 6. What would you like to have in 2018  that you lacked in 2017?. More Gigs, More cons, Less owing people, more travelling. 7. What dates from 2017 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? I'm pants with dates but: *Meeting the members of Counterfeit *Forsaken convention *meeting Casper Zafer *meeting Carlos Valdes 8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Can't says there has been any big achieving going on this year. it has been pretty limp 9. What was your biggest failure? the fact that there hasn't been any big achieving or meets going on this year. missed most of the epicness. 10. Did you suffer illness or injury? the usual teeth bs. 11. What was the best thing you bought? well I am looking at updating my camera as a christmas present as we speak. but I'd probably say at the moment the best buy of the year...can't think of one. probably my Starkweather ring which while not 'official' fits the description of a Shadowhunter family ring in the books. 12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? Ally. Anthony Rapp. 13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depresssed? how long do you have? Not going into the whys and wherefores but this year has made me really wonder about the fandoms I am part of. I'd never leave, not for all the verses but I just despair. 14. Where did most of your money go? the usual. cons 15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Forsaken - Meeting Jon Cor was...epicness 16. What song will always remind you of 2017? Counterfeit's Romeo , Clean Bandits Symphony or probably Macklemore's Glorious I think 17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder?  meh. b) thinner or fatter?  meh. c) richer or poorer?  meh. 18. What do you wish you'd done more of? cons. gigs. the usual. 19. What do you wish you'd done less of? everything else (except travelling with friends) 20. How did you spend Christmas? not there yet but I can pretty much tell you how its going to go. like every other year, slow and boring. 21. What was your favourite month of 2017? April - Counterfeit gig and Forsaken. 22. Did you fall in love in 2017? &  23. How many one-night stands?

24. What was your favourite TV programme? best i can give you is top 4. Shadowhunters, Wynonna Earp, Emerald City and Midnight Texas, 25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? oh so many people. 26. What was the best book you read? its a coin flip between Ben A's "The Hanging tree". and Miss Gail Carrigers "Romancing the Werewolf." 27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Far as I can think there hasn't been one this year. I like Auger who supported Cruxshadows in Sheffield this year but I wouldn't say they qualify 28. What did you want and get? To Forsaken, to meet Counterfeit. 29. What did you want and not get? To Meet Joseph Morgan and Paul Wesley (another case of the less said the better) To London - not been able to get to the capital properly at all this year. 30. What was your favourite film of this year? currently? don't have one but i'm still waiting to see Justice League after a month of cancelations and bad timing. 31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 33, went to York with the Parabatai and watched movies. 32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? probably going to the Italian Institute con instead of I9 33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2017? old gothic fat chick with a cosplay and geek bent. 34. What kept you sane? ha! thats a larf 35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? see 22 and 23 36. What political issue stirred you the most? Trumps determined to start world war 3, destroy freedom of speech and take us down with his country. meanwhile our country (despite election results) continiues its slide down the porcelain p hole. 37. Who did you miss? Didn't get to see Scott or Erykah this year. was odd. 40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year." " Skin to bone, steel to rust Ash to ashes, dust to dust Let tomorrow have its way With the promises we made Skin to bone, steel to rust." 41. sum your __2017 up in pictures (IN NO ORDER) This is going to be in my review which I am still working on.

[onwednesdaysnet]

Best Books of 2016: A Totally Arbitrary List

I’m not going to spend too much ink discussing what a garbage fire 2016 was; we just lived it, we all know. But one good thing about 2016? So many good books were published! We talked about a lot of them here, sure, but we didn’t catch all of them. Here’s a completely subjective list of some of the best books we read last year.   Romancing the Inventor, by Gail Carriger Parasol-verse, steampunk,…

[rebuke-me]

gail carriger-verse x bmc au

percy, combining two obscure fandoms for fun? again? you betcha

- jake’s a rich kid- probably the son of someone important. sent off to bunson’s, decided to say ‘fuck it’ and managed to get a hold on a dirigible

- michael is his engineer!! well, technically he’s smarter than all of them, and should have gone to bunson’s, but since he’s not a rich white boy, he got shafted to workstaff. on jake’s ship, though, he’s pretty much equal ranking.

- rich is jake’s best friend from bunson’s!! not the richest kid, but he’s got a good brain. tends to focus more on explosives than he really should, a la quesnel lefoux, but c’est la vie.

- jeremy’s a claviger! signed himself on to a werewolf pack, mostly because he doesn’t see many other options for him. he was michael’s friend from before his work at bunson’s, and jake snatched him up.

- chloe’s a geraldine’s girl who managed to tag along on “accident” after hanging around jake. mostly, she makes herself useful by being a bitch to jeremy, brooke and michael. otherwise, she’s the ship’s defender, and teaches them self defense.

- brooke’s a vampire drone/geraldine’s girl. she got dragged along by chloe, mostly against her will, seeing as she was promised to a hive. she’s the one that keeps their morale up, mostly!!

- jenna’s like madame spetuna, a bit. an older geraldine’s girl, close to finishing, and no one’s quite sure what her mission is. she’s very good at information gatherine, though.

- christine is literally just christine. she’s jeremy’s friend from the theater troupe they’re in, and the only one that’s normal on this entire ship. she’s just kind of along for the ride.

- feat. pickleman squip, flywayman mr reyes, and a lot of my rarepairs. because fuck you and fuck canon. 

[rebuke-me]

i think lord felix mersey and lord dingleproops know each other carnally