#i know so many book specific things despite not even reading them what the fuck

[in-tua-deep]

i need you to know that ever since three years ago when you posted the first part of your tua hogwarts au, i have been deeply obsessed with it. it has lived with me rent free for three long years. nonstop.

adfsSFDghASDF i'm glad !! i do really have a guilty pleasure for hogwarts aus, though it's for a version that i've built in my head based on my siblings retellings and fandom over the years! admittedly i,,, never actually read the whole series even as a kiddo

though fun fact: one of my earliest memories is going to see the first harry potter movie in 2001 when i was like, four-ish? i fell asleep and woke up during the part where the unicorn is being vampire'd which certainly made an impression lol

sometimes i think i'd like to properly write it up but that would require a deeper dive into hp than i'm willing to make tbh, though i get away with surface knowledge and quickly googled questions in my little scribbly tumblr posts ;3c

[darkcircles4lyfe]

This doesn't have anything to do with anything, but i had a talk with a friend a few days ago, about shonen biasis and the way this shapes our expectations, and mha came up so i remembered how so many people apply those biasis HEAVILY into the manga, to the point that they sound like they're looking for a different story.

And one of those things that it seemed to be MOST talked about is exactly bkdk's relationship.

I have seen many times people from the fandom (sometimes really angrily) point out how in most cases Katsuki seems to basically take up not one, but four roles in Izuku's life and this includes putting him in situations that people associate with the MC's love interest, and it is weird that, despite Izuku "having a girl" for people to make assumptions about, he seems to completely repulse any female character that could be the counter part to Izuku's.

And this made us wonder if Katsuki's placement in those roles and lack of interest was made specifically because the author precisely did not want the actions that both do for each other as romantic but a whole another thing entirely, as a subversion for the these classic tropes, as he did by making the conflict between Ochako and Himiko not a "rivals fighting for the affection of a boy" but something that is connected to the plot of these characters instead.

Oh you bet! I am always down to talk about this, because I think about it a lotttt.

This reminds me, recently I remembered a funny habit I used to have with books I read. Like, back in middle school. I used to start by flipping directly to the last page and reading the final sentence. Usually this did not spoil anything whatsoever, but sure enough, by the time I read through the whole book, that sentence would take on new meaning.

So I started musing about what it would be like if only I could do this with bnha, if everything was already out. It made me feel so nostalgic…

Will the last panel be something grand, or something small? Hopeful or sad? Distant? Intimate? A parting message to the reader? Will it look like almost nothing of consequence to the unknowing eye—yet burst with hard-hitting subtext?

Of course I wonder about all the twists and reveals that might be still ahead of us, but it’s kinda soothing to think about how the whole thing could be put to rest. Because then I realize I’m not worried.

For once, this is not because the story is following so many tropes so predictably that I know exactly, in so many words, how it will end. It’s more like the story is a close friend who I’ve gotten to know well enough that everything they do is so “them” it makes me smirk. I'm often marveling at how Horikoshi has managed to pull all this off. How is it that (at least here in the west) people who aren't really paying attention call it basic and cookie-cutter. Even a Japanese animator called it "classic," and this interview shows such obvious dissonance between Hori and the interviewer, just... wow. But it's so clear that bnha has broken just about every rule in the book at this point, so much so that I struggle to condense it into words. I'm like--*gestures broadly at everything*--why haven't more people picked up on it??

Yet we still get bombarded with people saying "it's a shonen, c'mon, we all know how this will end." Um. No you don't. I KNOW there has to be a bunch of people who are secretly frustrated by Kacchan taking up all the roles and getting all the moments. It's not even in a mysogynistic way, because Kacchan is the most anti-dudebro character imaginable. Bkdk's relationship isn't intended for them and they know it... and you know what, I'm starting to ramble. You've heard all this before. The thing I should really be focusing on in your ask is the part where you mentioned how you and your friend were speculating about bkdk ending up as "a whole other thing entirely" rather than simply romantic.

Well, fuck it, I've been biting my tongue, but now might as well be the time I talk about this. I got into a bit of a disagreement with someone over it once and then I shut up. Because it's very difficult to approach the subject without being lumped in with those people who see bkdk as "brotherly" (ew) or otherwise try to push some "crisis of male friendship" agenda, or at the very least without being accused of enabling people to make excuses against bkdk being canon ad infinitum. So let me be clear that I do NOT want bkdk to have an ambiguous or open ending. I want their complexity and importance to be acknowledged. I want them to use their words. I think we may have created a bit of a false dichotomy there.

I am aromantic, and to suggest romantic relationships are inherently the most important and intimate goes against every fiber of my being. I also reject the idea that cut-and-dry gay representation is more desirable just because it is more easily understood by the masses than aspec representation or representation of relationships "beyond" both romantic and platonic. We recognize how ridiculous it is for people to expect Izu*cha at this point, right? Well, the reason they're so confident anyway isn't just because of heteronormativity. It's also because of amatonormativity, the assumption that romantic attraction trumps all: no matter how much focus bkdk get, Izuku blushed at Ochako, so that automatically makes them more "important." THAT is the notion that I want to challenge most. More than anything, I want bkdk's relationship to be fully acknowledged because they have so much more going for them than just attraction.

You and your friend make an excellent point, that it would be very much in line with Horikoshi's taste and the patterns of his writing so far if he chose to subvert the shonen romance trope not just by giving it to two boys, but also by disregarding its premise entirely. It's unlikely he'd try to stuff them into such a copy-paste ending right at the end.

So maybe they won't get the blushy confession, the obligatory kiss, the wedding, the 2.5 kids and a white picket fence. That's fine, we shouldn't pretend those tired tropes are suddenly revolutionary just because they're gay. But don't be disappointed! Without them, we have more room for things that are actually personally meaningful to bkdk to stand out and receive the nuance they deserve: talking through their feelings openly, building each other up like no one else can, understanding each other like no one else can, smiling at each other, embracing, holding hands, rushing to the other in the hospital, being glued at the hip (or even closer), healing mutual trauma, putting each other first in all things. Maybe we'll also get confirmation on Ochako's side as she moves on from her crush on Izuku. You know what other shonen manga took this exact angle as a way of subverting tropes and presenting genuine complexity? Blue Flag! There are so many ways to do bkdk justice.

Even a kiss isn't out of the question, if the right opportunity comes along. A perfect example of what I'm talking about is Good Omens (major season 2 spoilers) because the kiss between Crowley and Aziraphale was not at all about canonizing them. It was an expression of pain and desperation that just made sense at that particular moment. Neil Gaiman was adamant that if it took that kiss to understand the context of their relationship, you really weren't paying attention. I respect the hell out of that.

Recently I was even daydreaming about bkdk getting something similar to the sort of uh, shall we say tasteful nudity, that togachako got, because of how Izuku appears in the vestige realm.

Ya know like not in an nsfw way but in like a "this is so deeply intimate and soft that I feel like I'm intruding" kind of way... yeah. Because it represents vulnerability and openness and acceptance of someone as they are. And I don't care if people call that bait. It's not. It's beautiful. It’s honest.

[angel-of-the-moons]

pavitr who can reads minds and he accidentally reads reader mind and it's just full of horny thoughts abt him ngl

Okay okay this one is like such a neat idea because I remember in the comics (I haven't read in forever) that Miguel could do this! So... Omfg poor Pavitr!!!

Intrusive Thoughts

Pavitr Prabhakar x Spider-Person!Reader

Because I'm tired of repeating myself: PAVITR IS AGED UP IN THIS FIC

TW/CW: Horny thoughts, NSFW, bit of smut, our poor boy was not prepared.

MINORS DNI I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT YOU CONSUME

A/N: This is shorter than my usual fics, but like asdfghjkl omfg it was fun.

🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷🪷

He wasn't sure why he developed this power. Miguel seemed at a loss and told him maybe it was a delayed mutation brought on by his spider bite.

Miguel had been coaching him on how to control the influx of thoughts that bombarded him, how to tune them out, how to focus on specific thoughts in particular. It honestly made it easier in some ways to fight, not just relying on his Spidey senses.

But... He couldn't help but be curious... He wanted to know what you, his partner (in every sense of the word) thought of him.

Pavitr was not prepared for that.

Your brain was...

He expected the innocent thoughts, how you thought his smile was cute, what were you going to make for dinner, etcetera...

But what he didn't expect to hear or see?

The thoughts swirling through your brain about him and you, naked. Doing... All sorts of things. Together or alone.

The thoughts of him pressing you down into your bed, fucking you relentlessly from behind as he kissed your shoulder.

You on top, riding him like your life depended on it.

In the backseat of your car, you grinding your hips down on his, feeling him twitch inside of you as your muscles squeezed him like a vice.

On the couch, biting into the cushions to stifle your moans and cries as he fucked you.

Him laying you on the table, on his knees, using his mouth and tongue on you until your brain couldn't work and your vision blanked out on you.

In the shower, pinning you to the wall as he slides in and out of you, the hot water slicking your skin and helping him glide in and out of your greedy hole.

The sweet, charming things he'd moan and hiss through his teeth and into your ear.

Pavitr Prabhakar was not prepared. He was thankful he was wearing his mask, otherwise he was positive someone would have taken notice of the bright red pigment that had taken over his tanned skin.

You were sitting in the cafeteria of HQ, eating your lunch, pretending to read the book in your hand, looking so innocent despite the impure thoughts that were at the forefront of your mind.

He almost jumped out of his skin when Miguel tapped on his shoulder.

"Yeah, that's why I don't read minds unless it's necessary." He said, leaning down to Pavitr's level to talk quietly to him.

"I--I can't even--" Pavitr sputtered. "How did you--?!"

"You've been standing there, ramrod straight for almost ten minutes. I can hear your heart rate up." Miguel sighed, standing up straight and crossing his arms. He didn't seem too uncomfortable by the subject. Just how many times as he heard thoughts like these from other people?

"And yeah, lesson for the future, don't read your lover's mind in public. Things are going to shock you." He patted Pavitr on the shoulder, a bored expression on his face before he walked away.

When Pavitr looked back at you, you were staring at him. Oh, so innocent-looking.

When you'd disposed of the rubbish of your meal, Pavitr whisked you away to speak to you privately.

"Pav? What's wrong?" You asked curiously.

He checked the area, making sure nobody was listening; before gripping your shoulders and giving you a light shake, his voice sounding almost traumatized and shell-shocked:

"WHY ARE YOU SO VILLAINOUSLY HORNY?!"

[juyeonszn]

LIKE THAT

PAIRING lee sangyeon x f!reader

WORD COUNT 1.40k

GENRES fluff ﹒smut

WARNINGS 18+ MINORS DO NOT INTERACT, mature language, being obsessed with sangyeon’s nose, in my head i was thinking about that interview where doja cat says she likes big noses bc u can sit on them, oral (f! receiving), face riding, cum eating 👀

SUMMARY what waxing poetry about your boyfriend’s nose in your head instead of paying attention to the tv rewards you with.

MORE HAHAHAHAAH happy day 1 of fawntober!! today is the start of my most insane idea yet tbh. this one is a little short but dw some will be longer!! shout out to my bestie baes for beta’ing and also reese for proofreading <3 and another shout out to doja cat for providing me inspiration once again!! pls reblog if u liked this 🫨

PERM TAGLIST @winterchimez @maessseongs @itsbeeble

Look away, Y/N.

All you needed to do was look away and you could save yourself the embarrassment that you were sure was to come. But no, you didn’t care about your mental well-being all that much, so you do the opposite of that. In fact, you stare just a little harder, your magazine falling into your lap as your grip on it loosens.

Sangyeon wasn’t even doing anything. He was merely watching whatever movie was on the TV, paying you no mind as you practically eye-fucked the side of his head. God, you couldn’t help yourself, what with how attractive his side profile was. Especially that nose.

His fucking nose.

You could write poetry about the facial feature, drawling on and on with as many metaphors as the English lexicon could provide you. And despite being together nearly two years at this point, you still felt a bit shy when it came to intimacy. The thought of admitting your attraction to his nose was humiliating.

Yet, you couldn’t stop fucking staring.

“I can feel you burning holes into the side of my face, baby. What’s up?”

You blink, like a prey cornered by its predator. Now that you’d been caught red-handed, you didn’t know what to do. Your cheeks warm up, and so does the rest of your body when he slides a hand up your thigh, thumb rubbing a comforting circle into your plush skin. Here he was, being your sweet, doting boyfriend, and you were thinking about sitting on his face like a goddamn horndog.

“N-Nothing!” Nice going, Y/N. If he wasn’t that skeptical of you before, he certainly was now.

“You know I can see right through you,” he raises an eyebrow, finally turning his head to look at you and your comically wide eyes. “So tell me what’s bothering you.”

You shake your head. “I mean it! Nothing’s bothering me, I just…”

“‘You just’…?” He coaxes, scooting closer to you.

“I’m just feeling a little… hot… is all.” You settle on, dodging the bullet entirely. At least, you thought you did. But again, Sangyeon can read you like an open book. He wasn’t dropping it that easily.

“Yeah?” His fingers trail higher, slipping under the hem of your (his) t-shirt. He licks his lips upon the realization that you have no pants underneath the oversized top. “Why is that? You’re hardly wearing anything, baby.”

You shiver when his fingertips run along the waistband of your underwear, the blunt edges of his nails leaving goosebumps in their wake. Why did he have to be so attentive? By all means, it wasn’t a bad thing, but right now you were wishing he kept his focus on that stupid movie. “Sangyeon…”

He grins, a smile reserved specifically for times like these. Your legs rub together instinctively, also catching his eye in the process. You swallow thickly as he continues teasing you, touching you everywhere and nowhere all at once. It’s driving you insane, even more insane than you were just ogling at his nose.

“What do you want, sweetheart?” He makes no effort to move, glued to his spot on the center couch cushion. “What do you need?”

You bite your cheek. If only you could just move your lips and say the words. If only you could just tell him what you wanted without feeling so shameful about it. Maybe it was a bit of an odd request, but there really wasn’t much wrong with wanting your boyfriend to go down on you. Well, technically speaking, he’d be the one under you, so did that classify as going down on you? Going up on you?

Whatever it was, you weren’t getting it, because you were too chicken to ask.

Sangyeon dips his fingers into the band of your panties, dangerously close to where you want him most. That alone has you springing into action, completely disregarding your dignity and pride. You buck up your hips into his hand, forcing out a chuckle from the back of his throat.

“I need you to use your words, baby.” He tsks, using the heel of his palm to keep your hips pinned to the sofa beneath you. You whine, throwing an arm over your eyes.

“I want… to ride your face…” You half-whisper the last part under your breath, not sure if Sangyeon even heard you. He pries your arm away from your face, smushing your cheeks between his thumb and index.

“You what?”

You pout at him, because there’s a high possibility he’s having you repeat yourself for self-satisfaction. Then again, he did sometimes have trouble hearing. This truly was a hit-or-miss moment for you. “I want to ride your face, Sangyeon.”

He all but groans at that, pulling you into his lap and connecting your lips messily. You reciprocate immediately, a bit confused by his quickness. However, now you’re wishing you would’ve spoken up sooner had you known he’d react this way. You’d just been torturing yourself for far too long for absolutely no reason.

“Fuck baby, that’s so sexy,” he murmurs against your mouth. “You’re gonna look so pretty on top of me.”

You moan into the kiss, hands wandering up to his hair and tangling in the soft strands. With his encouragement, you felt so much better about fulfilling your biggest fantasy. Getting to experience this with Sangyeon was quite literally a dream come true, and you think you can die a happy woman after today.

He helps you pull your shirt over your head, moving to sit on the floor, his head laid back on the couch awaiting you. You nip at the inside of your lip, nervously placing each of your thighs on either side of him. Your hands find purchase on the backrest, your eyes squeezing shut when you feel him pull your panties down your legs, blowing cool air onto your warm and wet cunt. Another shiver skips down your spine, and you find yourself glancing down at where you hover over him.

His large hands wrap around your thighs to keep you in place, pressing an experimental kiss to your lower lips. The small whimper you give him is enough to kick him into high gear, attaching his mouth to your sensitive clit as if it depended on it.

The warmth of his tongue gliding between your folds has your back arching, sounds you’ve never made before filling both of your ears and bouncing off the walls of your shared living room. Sangyeon releases one of your thighs in favor of thrusting his ring and middle fingers into your pussy, sucking your clit simultaneously.

If you felt crazy earlier, that was nothing compared to how you feel now. It feels *so* good, the wet heat of his mouth on you, as if he was damn near making out with you. His nose nudges against your clit every now and then, further increasing the tightness of the knot in your stomach, clouding your head like a stormy day overpowering the sun.

You risk a second downward glance at Sangyeon between your legs, to find him already looking at you. His deep, dark brown eyes are full of lust as he mouth fucks your cunt, rocking your hips against his own face. You bite your arm to keep from actually screaming, the pleasure so immense you feel like you’re about to explode.

“Fuck, Sangyeon, I’m s-so close,” you mewl, nails digging into the cushions.

The sight of him so willing and so eager to please you, to bring you to the edge with his sinful mouth because that’s what his darling girlfriend wants, has stars forming behind your vision. And with one particular bump of the bridge of his nose on your clit, you let go, cumming all over his lips and tongue with a cry so voluminous, you’ll need to apologize to your neighbors.

Your breathing is heavy as Sangyeon helps you calm down, pecking your thighs and slowly pumping his fingers until your walls have ceased their spasming. He pulls them out gently, sucking them clean without hesitation. You whimper at the view in front of you, reaching out to bring him closer and kiss him once more, this time a little less hungry.

“I know you’re still really sensitive, but do you think you could keep going?” He asks between kisses. “I don’t think I’m finished with you just yet.”

© juyeonszn. do not steal, claim, or repost.

[razorblade180]

A Book of Love

[Steam Bird]

Aether:Hey Charlotte! You wanted to see me? Is there an article you want to run by me before publishing?

Charlotte:No it’s not an “Eligible Adventurers” incident. I uhh…wanted to give you something and have a quick escape of I got too embarrassed.

Aether:…*stands in front of the door*

Charlotte: Gasp! My escape route!

Aether:Your honesty is both wonderful and your enemy. Anyways, what gift could be so embarrassing.

The reporter pulled out a very hefty scrap book with Aether’s emblem on the front. His mind couldn’t help but wander off to the last time Charlotte gave him surprise polaroids. His face went red.

Aether:Ummm I gotta ask. Is that book safe to open in public?

Charlotte:This gift is nothing like that last gift. Well…in spirit I guess it is, but far more safe! Have a look!

Despite not being inspired with confidence, Aether took the book and opened the first page. The words “Tales of Fontaine” were in bold blue letters above a collage of photos of himself. There was him before court. Another fishing with Freminet; there was even a tea party photo with Navia.

Aether turned the page to find many more moments like him and Paimon at a magic show and the time he swam with otters. Charlotte had even collected more dynamic photos of him in the midst of battle among friends and the more exciting part of the court cases.

Charlotte:Feels like yesterday when that happened. Now you’re off to Natlan soon, right? *smiles* Aether, I’m truly grateful for being apart of your amazing adventure. It’s one thing to be told about it, and another to live it. It wasn’t always grand for you; there’s a thousand pictures I never took that showed the rough times few ever get hear about from an adventurer.

Aether:Hehe, it comes with the job…

Charlotte:I know. I also know that Natlan will be no different, which is why I made the book. Whenever you’re down, I wanted you to have a way to remember the fun side of adventuring; the memories you made in this land of justice.

Aether:Charlotte, this is…beyond incredible. There’s so much here. Why the heck would you be embarrassed by this!? It’s awesome.

Charlotte:*red*Because of the red tab…

Aether:Red tab?

He looked at the side of the pages and found it. The tab skipped more than half the pages and led him to “Tales of Us.” First thing of note was a photo of the first time they met in Mondstadt with the caption, “New Friends wherever you go.” The next photo was them on their first date here. Specifically, it was the photo of him blushing while attempting to drink his coffee and avoid eye contact. “I think he likes me” was written underneath.

Aether couldn’t help but laugh sheepishly. His eyes went towards the photo of her on their second date when he had playfully given her a rainbow rose. He remember snapping this bashful photo of her a couple minutes after doing it. The caption read, “I know I like him.” First dance, dinner dates, strolls, fishing, so many little miscellaneous moments of them together perfectly captured on several pages. Aether kept flipping through as Charlotte looked at the floor to keep her cool.

Charlotte:I remember telling you and Paimon that if the world were to end tomorrow, I’d still do my job. I maintain that thought. However, if I were lucky enough to know you were close by, I’d make sure everything I had to do was finished then race your way for the final moments without fail. Aether, I really, truly…*looks up* huh? Hey! You’re crying!!!

Damn straight he was! If he were Neuvillette, it would be pouring! The boy had two streams running down his face.

Aether:Of course I’m crying! This gift is so fucking sweet! This might be the nicest thing I’ve ever gotten! I’m not used to farewells like this. I always try to smile and say “see you later!” *sniffles*

Charlotte:…Pfft hehe. Is that right?

Smiling fondly, Charlotte stepped closer and gently wiped the tears away. To think her gift would move him so. Aether was always full of surprises, but that’s what she loved about him. Slowly, she leaned in, kissing him and holding in a giggle when she felt him kiss back just as quickly. She wasn’t great at long confessions anyways and frankly, neither of them needed it. Their lips parted but they remained in each other’s arms while pressing their foreheads against one another and continuing to smile.

Charlotte:See you later, Aether.

Aether:Until next time, Charlotte.

[thefloatingstone]

Not to be like "haha I'm better than you guys!!!" or elitist or anything because that very sincerely is NOT the point of this post.... but I never really understood people extremely love for Harry Potter.

I read them as they were coming out. Most of the time they came out soon enough that I was the same age as Harry. I liked them. They were cool. Goblet of Fire was my favourite and I was always happy to see what story the next book would bring but that's all it was. Interest to see the next story whenever it came out. Like a sitcom you enjoy but you didn't set your tv to record for you in case you missed it.

And then the word "Chosen one" was uttered and, just like that, I fucking lost all interest. Honestly there was "Chosen one" talk in the 4th book and already I was like

Honestly I think I liked Goblet of Fire the most because there was no friggen Quidditch. And there was less focus on the SCHOOL part of Harry Potter and more this weird Video game Quest setup which just appealed to me more.

In retrospect, I think that might be a big part of why I enjoyed it but never LOVED it like other people.

Like

"Oh boy my absolute biggest most favourite fantasy! THE BRITISH EDUCATION SYSTEM!!!!"

The fact that the books take place in a school seemed like a default to me because, well, most teenage focused cartoons and shows I watched had the main characters at school. Because they're teenagers. But the school wasn't why I enjoyed the books. The school was just a location. No I didn't want to go to Hogwarts. No I didn't want to get attached to a specific school house (although I feel it worth mentioning that when I was 13 I did the online house quiz thing on the official site and it said I was Hufflepuff so make of that what you will).

I really disliked whatever the one was that came after Goblet of Fire. So much so that it completely killed any and all enjoyment I had in the series. Which, considering I was only mildly entertained by them wasn't a massive loss or anything.

I know I read whichever book it was where Dumbledore died but I very genuinely cannot remember one single thing that happens in that book whatsoever. I read half of the Deathly Hallows after coming back from College and gave up because I wasn't enjoying any of it and I never picked the book up again.

I saw the first movie in theaters when I was 13 and I did not like it. It was visually very very dark and gloomy and just... extremely uninteresting to me. Idk how to explain it. The first book just felt so much more vibrant than what I was watching on screen.

I know I saw the 2nd movie although I have no memory of where or why. And I... THINK I saw the third one??? I think??? I'm actually not sure. But that's about where I just stopped and completely lost interest.

Because it wasn't very good.

They just weren't very good books.

They weren't TERRIBLE or anything like that but they were just so.... blah. The earlier ones 13 year old me enjoyed the one time I read each of them but I don't think 13 year old me had the best taste considering I also disliked the Princess Bride at this age.

But I was reading other books because I was a kid with ADHD in high school who desperately needed something stimulating to stop myself from going insane. And frankly, there were just far better books out there. Books I actually re-read. Books I borrowed from friends which ere just... so much better and more interesting.

So I just don't understand this insane appeal so many people have for it, even if they have severed that connection due to Jowling Kowling Rowling's bufoonery and showing herself to be a withered old crone with a shrivled heart and mind every time she opens her mouth.

I grew up with these books the same way as a lot of people. I was the exact age to go through the series' highest popularity and I just did not click with them despite reading them.

So seeing so many people my age or a little younger try and do their best to re-analyse and de-tangle what the books actually are and that... maybe.... just maybe.... they might not have been very good?? Maybe?? is very weird to me because I'm just like.

"Yeah they're overrated as hell and not that interesting."

It's a very weird thing to live through because it's like looking into a bizarro version of the world you remember living through... but not like THAT. I remember the Pokemon craze and yes, it was like that. I remember when anime started to become big and yes, it was like that. I remember DBZ airing and yes, it was like that.

But this insanity around Harry Potter while it was releasing?

Yeah I don't remember it being like that at all.

They were just mediocre books I read because I needed something to occupy my attention and eventually they got worse and worse and I just stopped reading them. That's all.

[the-descolada]

Spoiler-Free Advance Review:

Exordia by Seth Dickinson

I could not put this book down, my god. Staying up super late multiple nights because I couldn’t stop reading is such a great problem to have, and Exordia gave me that problem more than any book I’ve read in a few years.

This is a very different book than Baru, but Seth’s evocative prose and dark humor is familiar from page one, and the laser focus on defamiliarizing real world injustices is again the core of the work. Despite being far more immediate (Exordia is set during the Obama administration in our world, with an alternate history beginning from the moment the book starts), the heaviness of the topics never gets overwhelming. There’s some incredible (and extremely fitting) tonal dissonance here, with every perspective character having their own sense of disaffected humor about the apocalyptic situation they’ve been thrown into.

I described this to my friend after just starting as “if the Books of Sorrow were written with Gideon the Ninth’s tone and just straight up in our world,” and I think that remains true throughout. There’s a huge amount of references peppered in, and it helps maintain that lighter tone to balance the despair of what is essentially a doomsday clock ticking down throughout the book - and it helps keep things grounded, honestly. I never felt it took away from the gravity of things, or was unnatural - after all, if I, an early 21st century sci fi nerd, was thrown into some fucked up alien bioweapon mystery, it’s hard to say my first thought wouldn’t be “oh shit, this is just like the Andromeda Strain!”

Having seven (eight?) different protagonist (or deuteragonist, I don’t know which they qualify as) PoVs is pretty wild but works perfectly here. Every character has such a unique outlook that you can instantly figure out whose head you’ve popped into even before any identifying names or things are mentioned - Seth’s mastery of the tonally cohesive PoV shifts was something I had loved in Tyrant, especially, and they’re equally impressive here. The characters are lovable, hatable, and everything in between - and each as mentioned is so distinct and compelling that I can’t say there was a single character who I was unhappy to get into their head. And that’s saying something, given who some of these characters are, but I’ll leave the specifics a surprise. Predictably, my favorites were the dysfunctional autistic butch-femme lesbians, but I really loved all of them in the end.

The base premise is almost comical in how small it starts to how much it escalates - a cynical, disillusioned Kurdish genocide survivor, Anna Sinjari, meets a terrifying (and yes…very hot. I’m a simple woman) alien in Central Park, and this seemingly chance encounter sees her roped into a small group of scientists, soldiers, and her own mother in a desperate countdown to solve an otherworldly mystery and save their world. The twists and turns of the plot are intense, so engaging that I was bouncing up and down at times (there’s plenty of sci-fi insanity that I absolutely eat up), and tightly paced.

Seth seems to really enjoy writing ethical dilemmas to great effect, and Exordia is ruthless in that area, taking the base concept of the trolley problem and the moral justification for what someone would sacrifice for the greater good and carving it apart for narrative weight. What greater good does the sacrifice serve? Is it actually good? Who gets to make the choice, and do they have a choice but to make it? There’s a lot to dig into here, and Exordia is a four course meal.

One aspect of this simply taking place in our world, rather than being an alternate universe like Baru, is that the defamiliarized commentary is even more on the nose. Whereas Baru is a commentary on empire and homophobia as a whole, transparently pulling from primarily American history of genocide and imperialism to shape a culture unlike our own in many ways to defamiliarize this moral exploration, Exordia is just literally about real world American imperialism and enabling of genocide in the MENA region, primarily the ramifications of the military industrial complex’s usage of drone warfare and the extremist regimes armed and encouraged by “counterterrorism.”

All this sets the stage for the question of what happens when a bigger fish arrives, one just as hell bent on empire building and justifying its own atrocities. The sci-fi intervention into this banal evil is at the same time a reflection of that evil, and asking if the world has the capacity for resistance to both. Exordia’s answer is profound, and far from easy, but entirely fitting for the ethical dilemma that runs throughout the book, creeping up on you slowly as you start to recognize what shape it takes in this story.

The central material conflict of the book, a locked box mystery of sorts that you piece together with the characters, is fucked up and fun and scary, a reality shifting threat that treads the line between body horror, meta-narrative, and lovecraftian math. It’s extremely cool, and I think it’ll be right up the alley of fans of The Andromeda Strain, The Locked Tomb, The Books of Sorrow and other parts of Destiny lore, and a lot of other SFF stories where ethics, horror, and mystery mix together.

I don’t want to say too much about the climax and the ending - going into this book without knowing too much was an incredible experience that had me on the edge of my proverbial seat - but the ending left me asking myself some very similar questions as I had at the end of Traitor, and I cannot wait for a reread when the physical book is in my hands to see what little foreshadowed things I can pick up on.

I don’t think people are going to be quite as completely emotionally Destroyed at the ending of this one as Traitor, but…it is very much a Seth Dickinson book, and they have quite the talent for making every thread tie together at the end to make the reader feel every emotion at once and realize that this could never have gone any other way. I cried, I laughed, sometimes simultaneously, and a book that can do that to me is entirely worth the experience - and what an experience this was.

Absolutely fucking incredible, I want more of these characters and everything they’re wrapped up in, 10/10.

I received an ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hi! I want to thank you on the way you talk about The Marius Issue, it really helped me understand readings of it outside my own (i think most of the critique is very valid, and absolutely in line with the books and even with in-universe judgement on the events. Its just wild how many people seem to run on the few descriptors and believe that's all there is to it)

I am actually concerned that the way they introduced the idea of Marius, it would be easy falling into a kink-negative rabbit hole of "every Dom is inherently an abuser, every Sub is actually a victim and there is no way that dynamic could be fun or consentual". Because there has been similar thing already established with Louis and Lestat and now also with Louis and Armand. And then we will get to Daniel and Armand as well... That's so much revisiting to do, i am scared the show would not be able to pull it off, should we trust the writers?

For me, a cool thing about Armands and Mariuses relationship is that they affect each other pretty equally. Armand knows exactly where to push Marius to get what he wants, and Marius complies, always. Very often against reason. (EXPOSED! ThE MoSt ReASonAbLe TVC character is weak in the face of one specific boy and fumbles hard on his so-called Morals!)

Marius is portrayed to be very concerned for Amadeo distancing himself from humanity, and he tries over and over to push Amadeo back to it. His moral failure is that he can't do it fully, never actually commits to it - there is too much love, too much obsession and too much underlying conviction that Amadeo will recieve the Blood one day, hence the grooming.

There is so much nuance to it, like a fucked up tapestry of doom unrevelling its horrid beauty from the day Armand did not die in the brothel.

Yes, do trust the writers.

I know it was reduced to "dom/sub" in interviews, but I do think it is all a lot more complicated, and we see that already with how Loustat has shifted in this season already, despite it being "only" Louis.

We are on a POV show.

S3 will be Lestat's. I firmly believe we will have more characters there "chiming in", so to speak. There will not be a black and white picture of any of these characters, pun not intended - they will all be morally gray, and their actions understandable - and horrendous.

I am sure the show will make a very firm commentary re Marius, and I have a feeling that.... there maybe was a past to Daniel and Marius already, and now that Daniel knows... that commentary will come from him, maybe (after he remembers, of course). I think there is a lot of potential in it all, without watering anything down.

I disagree a bit that Marius is "only" weak in the face of Armand... there was more to it all in the books. Hints, mostly. The "ankles of the boys", for example.

I do think it good that the show makes it's commentary. And not everything they point out will be comfortable to acknowledge.

But I for one appreciate them for doing this.

[female-malice]

One of the things I really enjoyed about the Three Body Problem trilogy was how Cheng Xin, despite of being one of the most objective wholesome and goodly characters of the series she managed her actions turned to be the ones more polarizing and controversial and even at some point "incorrect" at the point that a big part of the fandom keeps acting like if she was some kind incompetent idiot, when in reality she was just... an engineer who ended being chosen as the one in charge of one of the most fucked up defense mechanisms made by humans.

The fact that Cheng Xin "failure" defending Earth is because she took serious her ethics instead of it being a product of some moral failure, is something I loved and it hurt me as reader when she realized how wrong she had been for acting "right". Probably if someone like Thomas Wade had been the one taking a fucked up option instead of her I would be like "damn that's sad but it was bound to happen ¯\_(ツ)_/¯". But fandom act like if having a characters taking wrong choices by right reasons are stupid as if we could not end doing something like that in our daily life.

Like, no wonder why sometimes popular media chicken outs about making an authentically morally ambiguous female characters who are not antagonists or give a powerful female character a moment of objective failure; fandom can't even deal with a "nice" woman failing due keeping her ethics in place.

90% of the fandom failed to pay attention to the last 100 pages of the series.

(spoilers ahead)

Cheng Xin "fails" to save the solar system. But that's not where the book ends. There's 100 more pages.

We learn a lot about the universe in those 100 pages. But by that point, most of the fandom is too angry with Cheng Xin. So they don't read the ending carefully.

Cheng Xin chooses to return her micro-universe's mass to the main universe. She does this due to her sense of duty and ethics. This is the same sense of duty that informs all her decisions throughout her life. Sophon greatly admires Cheng Xin for her choice and her sense of duty and ethics.

In the ending, just over 1 million civilizations made it into micro-universes. That includes Earth civilization, galactic humans, and Trisolarans. Cheng Xin is the lone representative of Earth civilization at the end of the universe. And she does her part to save the universe. She rejects survival inside the micro-universe and embraces the chaos and danger of the aging main universe.

The first axiom of cosmic sociology is that survival is the primary need of civilization. Remember what Wade tells Cheng Xin? "If we lose our humanity we lose a lot. But if we lose our bestial nature, we lose everything." A civilization can survive eternally within a micro-universe. What would happen if it was Wade at the end of the universe instead of Cheng Xin? I think it's obvious. He would remain in the micro-universe and destroy the main universe.

Cheng Xin's act only returns the mass of 1 of millions of micro-universes. But Cheng Xin is quite the influential figure for both Trisolarans and galactic humans. However, how can she influence anyone while she's in a micro-universe? Well, Sophon is there. Sophon says that it's impossible to transmit information into the main universe. But the Trisolaran micro-universes are designed and programmed by Trisolarans. Maybe there's a way to transmit from one Trisolaran micro-universe to another. And the Trisolarans put Sophon in there with Cheng Xin! Sophon says Cheng Xin's universe was designed specifically for her. It's the smallest micro-universe they ever designed. Trisolarans were obsessed with humanity, Yun Tianming, and Cheng Xin. I know they'd want to watch Cheng Xin in her micro-universe. I'm sure they found a way to do that.

So Cheng Xin's choice might have been transmitted to all the Trisolaran micro-universes. But what about galactic humans? Well, it's implied that Trisolarans may have conquered many galactic humans. And they may have put them in Trisolaran micro-universes. So it's possible that two civilizations saw Cheng Xin's choice.

Cheng Xin's choice shows that at the end of the universe, cosmic sociology is no longer helpful. Survival is no longer the right choice. Duty is the right choice.

Returning mass to the main universe would've been impossible for Wade. He couldn't Return. He could only Advance.

Hopefully, there are thousands of Cheng Xins from various civilizations at the end of the universe. And hopefully, there are no Wades.

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

HI MAC!!!! DROPPING INTO UR INBOX FOR ENRICHMENT!!! i am still thinking about villains au tidalwave and a mark being a hero actually. what do u think that whole fuckin Dynamic is like between them. bc tide is clearly a well known hero right?? made specifically to be hero, one of the fuckin elemental guys w all of his brothers, etc. and mark is like. more on the level of locust man or some shit. small hero. doesn’t do many public appearances and doesn’t have any statues or anything, very secretive about his citizen identity, works with self made technology instead of getting watch to provide it for him, probably doesn’t have any comic books or figurines of him (and if there r any u just KNOW superhero fans who are collectors go crazy every time they see a poor quality wavelength figurine somewhere out in the wild that shit sells for like five hundred dollars on ebay). he’s just trying to lay low and provide for ashe. meanwhile tide is out here with his face in the public, has comics and figurines (that he didn’t ask for but he doesn’t rly care that they exist bc he was literally made 2 be a hero and that comes with the territory).

tide is Out There!! easily recognizable!! and i like to think that despite that juxtaposition between their roles as heroes, they fight together a lot. if tide is facing a villain, literally everyone knows that wavelength is in the shadows somewhere, either dealing with a smaller villain or setting up a team attack so he can jump out and send an electric current thru tide’s water to (mildly) electrocute a villain until they’re incapacitated. they fight like they’re one person. tide will always stick around for the reporters afterwards and let mark slip away from the public. hey do u think mark keeps his face a secret from all of watch except for tide. do u think mark has shown his face to tide and ONLY tide. hey mac what do u think about villains au tidalwave 🎤

i have a lot of feelings and emotions about villain au mark being a hero youre so fucked up for that. man. its almost hard for me to picture because like. look at him. worlds most miserable morally grey man ever. that drives me so crazy. would he and tide get along? would they act more like friends? or would they still pretend to hate each other. mark acts like hes all annoyed by bigshot heroes how they need the spotlight on them all the time (are they even doing things for the right reasons or do they just like the attention) (sorry ive been reading a lot of worm) .

holyyyyy shit i love the idea that its just. kind of a given that mark is around somewhere whenever tide is. even if theyre not somewhere together, sometimes he just Shows Up. is it a coincidence? who knows not me !! they fight like theyre one person.... they fight back to back totally trusting that the other persons got them. they dont even have to speak they just instinctively understand each other enough to know what to do in a fight. tide is the only one that knows his face. ohguhghhghh. gay as hell to look at another heroes unmasked face. what are you gonna do? kiss about it? ohhhhhhh this is gonna fuck me up dude. hey side note u know how one of pds first missions was fighting wavelength. how would that work in villain au.

[megamuscle885-blog]

kinda fucked up how egwene destroyed the confidence and social standing (between themselves) of a woman whom she trusted and respected, to the point that nynaeve has a massive crisis of self-confidence that may have contributed to her being beaten by moghedien, the whole deal with birgitte, and her decision to take the group to salidar and hand over her responsibilities and the threat of the forsaken in tel'aran'rhiod (though smart) in the hands of strange aei sedai who might not even support rand.

all so egwene can avoid punishment by the aiel for dreamwalking when she shouldn't be, because they would cease teaching her as per their threat, and rightly so. iirc she only ever decides that she needs to apologize for misleading them on being a full aei sedai (which is a pretty fucked up thing when everyone assumes everything you say is the whole truth, though the fact that egwene helped rand blow shit up at cairhien should've clued the aiel in that she's not bound by the three oaths like all tower trained aei sedai, and I am certain moraine must've brought that up at least once.) and only ever gets punished for her specific toh in that moment.

it is never reconciled, never apologized for, never explained, and egwene belittles nynaeve twice for almost revealing to the wise ones that she's dreamwalking. i don't think they see eachother again until egwene is in salidar and she is then raised to amyrlin seat, and then egwene places special emphasis on nynaeve not undermining her while she leads the rebel aei sedai.

worse still is how egwene's brow beating worked in preventing nynaeve from figuring out that egwene is hiding something from the aiel wise ones, especially after the blowup from egwene in front of amys, who egwene should really trust with anything said in tel'aran'rhiod, and nynaeve and elayne, who already know she's dreamwalking into elaida's study. its really emphasized a little later when nynaeve gets to salidar and shows that she's an incredibly smart person when she's not being rode over and bullied, and figures out the entire scheme between siuan and leane, something they're keeping from the salidar aei sedai so they can continue to manipulate them, practically instantly.

fucked up. sorry if anyone likes egwene particularly and is defensive regarding her, i like her too and she has many redeeming qualities and as many amazing accomplishments, but this is one of the many things that she's never apologized for. it shows more and more that her story is about a complete abandonment of emond's field to become the most aei sedai she can be, and she's certainly adopted bullying and brow beating to get her way in a topic she knew she shouldn't have gotten her way, but valued knowledge acquired through any means necessary over her personal relationships. the aiel aren't spared here either. she ferrets out their secrets, pushes dangerously far beyond what they've taught her and almost damages her relationship with them too when it becomes impossible to continue the lie.

she doesn't even reveal that she's an accepted until she's no longer going to be in the wise one's camp to learn from them, summoned to salidar, at which point there's no real punishment she can suffer from them, short of death, since she'll have learnt everything she can out of them and won't be able to learn anymore anyway, and despite all her talk of acting like an aiel and fulfilling her toh, I seriously doubt she would've calmly accepted death as her punishment if that was what the wise ones decided, even though any other aiel apprentice would have.

anyway, I know I'm not doing a liveblog, I'm just re-reading the wheel of time books and I'm almost finished with the fires of heaven (book 5). wanted to get this thought out there.

[thefanboyhub]

My laundry is on the floor right now and I decided right now was a good time to do some digging into one of the most interesting characters in KOTLC.

It's time to dissect Fitzroy Avery Vacker!

So we all know Mr. Ritz Cracker,

Mr. "We're Cognate's!"

Mr. Golden boy

Mr. You-get-the-damn-point!

Fitz was the Elf who found Sophie in the Forbidden Cities. He was the one who introduced her to his— their— world. He was the first person to see Sophie cry, first person in the Lost Cities to support her.

From reading the books we learn a lot about how Fitz grew up, and you might be saying "uh... no?" BUT HA! YOU FOOL! You cannot just simply read the words, you must read behind the meaning and watch a characters behavior to learn how they grew to be who they are! (It's why I love characters so much, there's so many ways to learn about them)

From context clues and how he behaved in the books we know he was the golden child. First kid to manifest at the tender age of 13, and lose his leaping bracelet early too, not to mention he was a telepath and was basically flawless in school. He took pride in it, like most kids do. But you see here, that's the problem. He never had someone to take him down his pedestal that his parents practically built for him (fucking Alden). He grew up being told he'd do great things, that he was a strong Elf, that he was better then anyone else. So naturally he started to believe it and act like it. He wasn't necessarily vicious either, but he didn't need to be; he always got what he wanted anyways.

I think he felt alone. I mean he reacted so viciously towards his brother Alvar after finding out he was a traitor— UNDERSTANDABLY SO BY THE WAY! But my confusion with this was how angry he was. But I thought about it a lot through my rereading of the series and I realized that he was so angry because he had loved, trusted, looked up to, and felt inferior to his older brother. Despite— No— Because he was treated so much better by Alden(bitch) and Della(ILoveYouWifey) Alvar gained resentment for his siblings, mostly Fitz.

There was a part of Fitz sports thing in book 8.5 KOTLC Unlocked where he talked about playing with Alvar. He said it's no fun playing base quest (I think) with him because he'd stay invisible the entire time. What this tells me is Alvar agreed to play the game but would dip out of his own jealousy and pettiness. Which takes me to my previous statement—

Fitz felt alone. The one thing he never got was a brother who actually liked and loved him. The one thing he had been patiently waiting for and hoping for since he was younger and treated like the golden boy was his older brother. But he never got it, instead he got a traitorous older brother who hated him so deeply he'd hurt his friends without a second thought.

In my opinion, Fitz's rage over his brother is reasonable. It's honestly so real and raw that I can't even say he's being idiotic. Especially considering what I just said.

BUT

His fatal flaw his his anger— or more technical — His tantrums.

Like I said before, he always got what he wanted, he was spoiled and treated like a little prince. So every single time he didn't get what he wanted, his anger would rise. His emotional intelligence has been stumped because he never had someone say no to him or been rejected for something. So he's confused and angry; "Why not!? This never happens to ME!" Type of mentality.

This also comes along with jealousy and the need to compete with others. So when Keefe started to show his affections for Sophie a lot more openly back in book 4 KOTLC Neverseen, specifically when they ended up in Alluveterre for protection that was provided by the black swan, he started to act jealous. He realized how Keefe felt and noticed something about how Sophie acted and he automatically felt the need to compete which is why in book 9 KOTLC Stellerluna he has Sophie on a pedestal like a prise in his subconscious. He doesn't see her like a lover or a crush, he sees her as a prise to win over, subconsciously though. Consciously he thinks it's a crush. He went from thinking of her as a sister to someone he wanted to date; that doesn't happen for no reason.

Moving on from the relationship drama aspect of this, we can talk about his outbursts when something goes wrong. He needs someone to blame. Always. And it's never himself. He needs someone to push all this fear and anger out on because he's not emotionally or mentally equipped to deal with it. It's a self-destructive flaw he posseses. Same with his jealousy.

Which is why I love his character! He actually has some pretty bad flaws! But he also recognized it and is attempting to fix it; what he doesn't realize is that it will take time and whatever he broke will most likely never be fixed again. Simple as that. It's sad and will probably hurt him a lot but I will help him grow.

In conclusion: Kill Alden and get Fitz into therapy :D

[kerubimcrepin]

Live-read: Trying to understand the Aux Tresors novels without actually reading the novels in question.

NOTE: 1/5 OF THE NOVELS HAS BEEN SCANNED AFTER THE WRITING OF THIS POST. SAID SCAN HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH+RUSSIAN BY ME, AND THEN LIVEBLOGGED. THIS NOTICE WILL BE UPDATED IF MORE BOOKS ARE TO BE FOUND AND TRANSLATED. YOU CAN FIND THEIR LIVEBLOGS IN THIS SAME TAG ("NOVELS")

This is the last, and the most borderline-experimental and cringe-flop part of the reading break #1, because in this post, I will be discussing the five novels based on the show.

Without actually reading them.

Nobody has seemingly ever scanned or copied them, and I don't have the ability to buy them. If you're French, or a rich person, perhaps you could get your hands on them and tell me how wrong I am, but until then, let's speculate.

You can find the... (sighs deep as fuck) Plot Summaries on Otakia. Everything I will discuss here comes from Otakia. You can find the books somewhere else. Perhaps Amazon, probably some other site too... Because as far as I remember, Ankama's literal official shop only has one of the five.

Roman Kerubim (Dofus) Tome 1 : Le ciel sur la tête

>Read about it here

To regurgitate a bit of info from Otakia: just like the Wakfu novels, which apparently also exist, these five novels are kind of like... a bonus episode in a written form, following the structure of the show.

When grabbing quotes from Otakia I will be putting them into a translator and then screenshotting, so that you can quickly read them, and so that I don't have to copy things.

But I won't be copying the descriptions or summaries of the books, just the bits I'd like to elaborate on. You can read them yourself there.

To reference that one meme: Why didn't he start thinking about his dead parents? Is he stupid?

OKAY, I really didn't expect this post to go anywhere, but it's funny that even in Dofus times, Porkass people were known to eat Twelvians.

You will never fucking guess with what nation Bonta of the Waven era, is involved in a seemingly mutually cannibalistic war with.

Roman Kerubim (Dofus) Tome 2 : Une étoile pour le shérif

>Read about it here

I want to thank whoever runs Otakia for uploading this image specifically. Thank you Monsieur/Madame Otakia.

You may notice that, I will be upscaling all the images I bring here from the Otakia articles. The reason for this is that I am a normal and sane person, and need to look at it in a crispier way.

As you may remember, Kerubim already said that he used to be a sheriff in episode 16, West of Astrub.

The writer of this article will literally be like "the book gives you candy, sucks your dick clean and dry, cleans up your home, and then it gives you a hundred dollars, so I didn't like it."

I wish Kerubim would be a fucking loser and a menace more often.

In the Judgement of The Twelve episode, Kerubim and Bashi had already mentioned meething each other many times as young adults, and having stories about it, so it's nice to see this factoid utilized for more than 2 episodes, if only in a book.

Also, yet again, Kerubim literally doing his job and Bashi being fucking insane and hating him for it, despite doing far worse things.

Roman Kerubim (Dofus) Tome 3 : Panique à Astrub

>Read about it here

Indie is insane for this btw.

Joris canonically eats burgers and YES reading this article a while back is the reason I put burgers into my Joris fanart.

You can see full art on my general artblog @atcham-crepin. Yeah, my blog naming scheme is very creative, I know.

I just think his refined ass eating burgers is funny, even though in canon he is only depicted doing this as a kid.

Roman Kerubim (Dofus) Tome 4 : Le décapiteur de soiffard

>Read about it here

Including the cover art because it is very nice, and to draw your attention to THE best novel none of us will ever get to fucking read.

My dream Joris & Simone story, and I can't even read it. Smh.

List of things I love about this:

Joris stealing stuff.

Joris stealing stuff.

Joris stealing stuff.

Simone being a leader.

Kerubim, as we had seen in the past episodes, literally the type to text something like "I am not long for this world.... tell my family I love them." over a tummy ache. I hate this man so much it's unreal.

Of Course he sent them on a wild goose chase over some random bullshit.

Simone and Joris @ Kerubim at the end of this book:

Roman Kerubim (Dofus) Tome 5 : Tous en piste

>Read about it here

I will be real, I don't think any living being can tame that fucking beast.

These books are just treating us with characters in outfits we hadn't seen them in, in the show. It would be... a better world, if these books were episodes instead.

Also, want to yet again remind you that I am upscaling the shit out of these images. Because I'm normal. But at times the results can be wonky.

The World of Twelve has never seen, and will never see again, a couple more toxic than them. Sad!

Unlike the Simone & Joris book, I yet again don't have much to say, but, I'm sure I would, had the books been available to me.

This brings me to a close with the first reading break. After this post, I will resume liveblogging about the show. But I do have ideas of what the next reading break entail, and I think they're rather fun! Like "trying to read Dofus manga without reading Dofus manga" or "reviewing Dofus Aux Tresors merch without buying Dofus Aux Tresors Merch", or, perhaps, "scrying on a crystal ball to read Tot Ankama's thoughts."

...Yeah. Only the last one is a joke.

[papermonkeyism]

Finished my first re-read of this book in twenty years. (original name Homeland, this is the Finnish edition.)

And yup, this sure is a thirty year old book. I don't know why I feel kinda disappointed, I knew exactly what I was getting into. It was somehow both not as bad as I remembered while also being in a way worse than I expected.

But nah, they're just evil. Grinning maliciously and taking unholy pleasure in being evil.

It's kinda frustrating read, to be honest. The story in itself isn't all that bad, I'd say, but it's hindered pretty bad by being based entirely on DnD mechanics, specifically the alignment system. Like, the story in itself makes sense, it tells about dark elves, who basically live in a cult, and the protagonist who's born into it, but will eventually abandon it and leave.

But instead of actually examining what living in a cult would be like, they're just evil. Maybe it's just my perspective, being someone who's been on the internet for a couple decades. I know people who come from abusive bacgrounds, and I've heard stories from people who've survived actual cults, and it would make perfect sense to treat the drow as a cult, except with their god being actually real and actively meddling with their lives to make the brain washing just that much worse. There's a lot of potential in there!

Like the main character is raised from the very start being indoctrinated in the spider cult, there's even a scene where he gets whipped (with a multi-headed magic whip made of living snakes) at the age of four or five for daring to look happily at a woman while being a child of inferior sex, yet he never acts like this kind of raising left any marks in the way he behaves. No trauma at all, what so ever. He keeps being openly surprised by his people not being nice to each other despite the book telling how he was raised to know his place. The guy has no self-preservation at all, he keeps wondering out loud at people with the power to hurt him and I just keep wincing so bad.

He somehow just speed runs his thirty years of life in life lessons in the last few days of the book. Like, you were raised into this your whole life, yet you're only learning all of it now?

(and why do you keep calling it "unholy" all the time, it's the only religion you've ever known. Also that one time he openly gasped about the unholiness at his sister, who's an entire priestess, and her reaction was along the lines of "yeah, but she's the goddess of our people", like why are you agreeing with him about the unholyness?!)

Honestly, you could very easily just rewrite the whole book, keep all the story beats as is, and take out the "always evil by default" racial setting without losing pretty much anything. You'd probably still need to keep the gods as real, physical entities the way they are, but it'd still make it a lot more beliveable.

I have much gripe about the tone of this book, apparently.

I mean, I do like some of the tropes it has, not gonna lie. More prominently in the later books, but still. There's a reason Drizzt was the favourite character of teenage me twenty years ago, and it's been so weird revisiting this story after all this time. I'm still having many mixed feelings here. Multiple emotions even. I don't even know what they are, but they sure are many.

Though, you know what's the worst thing? I am notoriously bad when it comes to names, I have some serious trouble learning and remembering even people I live with for extended periods of time. I can't name most of my old classmates despite them being people I spent 3+ years with, and it once took me over three months to learn the name Paula despite being such a simple and common belonging to one of my closest friends at the time. I'm bad with names. So why is it that I can still remember things like fucking Daermon N'a'shezbaernon, that's an absolute monster of a name, and I haven't thought about it for a single second in the past two decades, why the fuck do I still remember that one???!?

Anyway, onwards to the next book!

[mionghairearracht]

Oh shit yeah huh... do you think part of the reason why so many teens are anti fiction is because of the mandatory reading in schools so when they get on the internet they don't know how to exercise the choice they now have.

ALSO please check out "does the dog die" for mandatory readings as it has an extensive list of trigger warns and I hope it will help take the edge of atleast!

so like preface that we're on the end of a 4?5? day migraine and not the best with words right now. also pretty much any time you is used it's the general you

honestly we think the whole "force kids to read triggering material with no support or warning" is probably the cause of a ton of media related issues not just people* not understanding that the can disengage with triggering material, or that reading things can trigger you and that's completely independent of morality on anyone's part**

like the whole "you need to keep engaging with current events even if your triggered and/or burnt out" is basically what many people where taught for years directly and indirectly in school and by many authority figures.

kids and teens are constantly told their boundaries around media don't matter and that those bounderies can be violated for education. thus a shit ton of people thinking that the proper way to educate on current issues being expose yourself constantly even if you are triggered is a pretty natural consequence.

this also ties into the whole "people can't do media analysis" yeah no shit. if you are spending most of your time and energy dealing with the effects of being triggered by the thing you are supposed to analyze, you probably aren't actually learning much about the media or how to analyze it, that's what happens when you're triggered repeatedly

and yeah no shit you're going to think analysis is bullshit if your experience is "the thing i was forced to trigger myself into breakdowns to do" because that's fucking bullshit and a disgustingly normalized experience.

basically i think the lack of choice, respect for the bounderies and triggers of kids/teens, and the normalization of what's basically emotional abuse under the guise of education has fucked shit up

also does the dog die is great, i think we actually made a post about it a while ago thanks for reminding us of it

for books specifically we hightly recommend storygraph***. its a book tracking app that has an extensive inbuilt trigger list that users can add with reviews and there are a ton of books from bestsellers to indie and self published on there.

if you want to start reading but worry about triggers its a great resource.

and since this is long enough already, tangents/context notes are under the read more

*in our experience this effects people of all ages, and despite the idea of teens being particularly pro-censorship our experience is that its more a case of specific fandoms just having more young people in general and thus more young people who are pro-censorship (and those people being extremely loud and aggressive in general) driving/drowning out others; and the fact that a lot of pro-censorship groups online vs. offline are pretty different demographics wise and having issues with one doesn't guarantee experience with the other

**often people are taught that not being able to handle certain topics is basically a moral failing or willpower issue of their part, which is not true. this can lead to thinking that the moral failing actually came from the topic that hurt them, also not true.

the real problem was being forced to engage with it to the detriment of health under the threat of varies penalties, but that is a huge complex problem which isn't as easy to grasp or readily apparently

*** we really recommend it if you are a reader or looking for information on books in general not just triggers. its much better then goodreads imo and as a bonus you can actually filter out certain warnings from being shown in recommendations.

[secondchoice-ragdoll]

I saw your answer to that other anon asking if K’s unrequited love was T and I appreciate your response but I wanted to throw another idea into the ring! First of all I think T&K love each other deeply in ways that are definitely more than just friends, and it’s never been unrequited. But I think K probably thinks T never felt the same way that she did since she was rejected that one time (despite all the evidence to the contrary that T very much still thinks about it in a way that’s more than just jokes). But it’s not like either of them has said I love you as in I’m in love with you (that we know of) so like… how would the other know how they really feel about each other if they’ve never clearly expressed it?

Anyways my theory is that K is talking about the guy back in Boston who she used to hook up with who she said if things had been different, she would’ve married him. K wrote about him at length in both of their books, but she’s mentioned him a couple of times in stories too. He was the ex military construction worker who was a client that she said she would’ve fucked for free (she also said this on unhhhh) because he always overplayed and tipped and she would make him pay for STI tests she wasn’t actually taking and he would still pay even if she canceled and even with all of that he was respectful and the best sex of her life at the time. She also implied that she liked talking to him too and it wasn’t just about the sex for her. K said that he was the one who would make comments like I would never know you’re not a woman (complimentary) and if things were different he would’ve walked down the street with her (not complimentary). Both of those stories K has told many times and clearly they had a lasting impact on her with regards to her identity. So yeah, that’s why I think she was talking about this man because she said that she was in love with him and would’ve married him but he said he had plans to marry (another) woman. It’s heartbreaking honestly. I often thought she was talking about her 16 year old straight friend crush too, because he’s another that has come up often. But I don’t believe K really considers that love. I recommend reading about the sections on sex work in both of their books because when she talked about this guy, that’s what convinced me she was in love with him and he’s the one she as talking about.

I know it’s a common theory amongst fans that K is talking about T, and maybe on a subconscious level she is too, but I don’t think K would be so obvious like that in front of T. I think she’s thinking about someone specific and it’s the Boston guy. Though I do think T has thought it’s about her at times and I agreed that she wants to know so many details about K’s love and sex life because her mind is imagining what if it’s me. Just, if T does feel that way and after 10 years it seems like she she does, why not tell her you love her when you love her? What’s the worst that could happen at this point? They’ve survived worse and have only come back stronger. Why not give it an honest shot? I truly believe they would still stay in each others lives even if the relationship didn’t work out. But maybe that’s the risk they don’t want to take and the fear of losing each other is too strong. That’s the tragedy of them.

hi u r amazing. just wanted to get that out of the way😋😋

srsly thank you for contributing to the conversation!! i actually havent read their books bc they r not avaliable in this godforsaken country i live in (i need books in hard copy, sorry😭), so i didnt know i missed out on such stories, but good to know!

i a 100% agree w u on T&Ks relationship being not unrequitedly more than friendship, and id say that K is in this exact particular belief. despite T being soooooooo loud abt it... (u couldnt shut her up abt loving and knowing K even if u tried)

like i said, i had no idea that the (otherwise rarely?) mentioned Boston guy left such an impact on K, so this is a really fascinating addition. and yeah, knowing what i know now, i believe it is probably this guy, not the "bj w braces" one😭😭 (i would have been surprised if he had been the one K identified as her one actual romantic love, he seemed more like a "first crush that things happened w" thing?)

its really so sad, this Boston guy seems like such a nice man? i can see how the comments he made to K and how decently he treated her could have led to her counting him as the one person she was in love w :((( yes it is very heartbreaking that he went on to marry that other woman, poor K baby.

my point is quite similar, like if they could just somehow magically have a damn discussion abt the topic.... but nooooo! ugh😩

i do think T thinks K is talking abt her, or at least has that in her top 3 guesses. and i mean, she is not wrong? but still i wouldnt think Kd say it like this infront of her so many times.

THE TRAGEDY OF THEM. yes. exactly. srsly if anyone catches me being in love w my friend for a decade and they reciprocate the feelings and i dont do anything abt it u should call an ambulance bc smth if off-track. i literally dont know how it would be such a risk they appear to see it as, like, its not like they dont know each other? not like they dont want each other? not like they dont hang out (well. usually) a lot? soooooo? i really dont know, i get how it can be scary BUT GOD.