#non-western sci-fi

[suzukiblu]

WIP excerpt for qwertynerd97 behind the cut; Billy adopts Conner and it actually goes pretty good! (( chrono || non-chrono ))

If Lynn wants to hug him later, that’ll be really great, but he just–he really doesn’t want to be one of those foster parents who always pushes. Pretends like they’re closer to a kid than they are or like that kid should be grateful for every little thing or give them everything they want or . . . whatever. 

Even if Lynn never wants a hug from him at all, at least then Lynn can know Billy’s not gonna punish him for it. Can feel–safe, knowing that. 

More than anything else, Billy really, really wants Lynn to feel safe with him. 

“Safe” is . . . 

It’s just harder to come by than a lot of people think it is, that’s all. 

Lynn . . . hesitates, again, and looks at the pillow Billy’s holding out of the corner of his eye for a moment, then gingerly wraps his arms around Tawky in awkward imitation of him. Billy beams at him, trying not to be weird about it or anything. Lynn kind of thinks like a teenager, obviously, but also he’s just a baby, so . . . well, it’s kinda hard to be sure how to balance that kind of thing. 

Billy just has to figure it out, though. He can do that. His dad would’ve, so–yeah. 

So he’s gonna do it too. 

“Yeah, like that,” he confirms, and Lynn looks embarrassed and looks away. “Tawky’s nice to hug, right?” 

“. . . sure,” Lynn says, still looking embarrassed. Billy isn’t sure if it’s the “thinking kind of like a teenager” thing or if he’s just feeling awkward about doing a new thing, but figures that’s Lynn’s business anyway. He sneaks a glance at Tawky while Lynn’s still looking at the wall and flashes him an encouraging thumbs up, and Tawky stays contentedly hugged in Lynn’s arms. Billy’s glad Lynn feels comfortable enough to hug him, at least. Sometimes being a stuffed animal is even more useful than being a superhero. 

He wishes he could hug Lynn right now too, but–well, like he said, he’d rather Lynn feel safe with him than anything else. 

The ten minutes is pretty much up by then, so after Lynn and Tawky have gotten in a little more hugging, they all walk to the library together. Lynn looks at the sky a lot and seems a little awkward carrying Tawky, like he’s still not sure what the best way to do it is, but Tawky’s obviously still content to just hang out quietly and people-watch a little on the walk. Billy points out where some stuff is in the neighborhood, and at the library Lynn looks totally overwhelmed, which, well . . . it’s not a very big library, honestly, but it’s still gotta be thousands of books and Lynn’s never been in one at all before, so Billy can’t blame him for it. 

The librarian helps “Rocky Morgan” sign up for a library card, since “Lynn Morgan” doesn’t have paperwork or anything yet and Billy’s not sure how that’d work and doesn’t wanna test it before Batman gives the all-clear, and then they walk through all the sections together one-by-one. Billy figures they can just pick out a book each from each of the main sections, and then there’ll be lots of different stuff for Lynn to try. 

They get a couple big art books and a couple mysteries, a couple romance novels, some sci-fi, fantasy, westerns, thrillers, history and autobiographies, some classics, and a few different picture books, though Billy figures they can skip the hard science stuff and self-help for right now. Though he does find a cool-looking astronomy book, and maybe Lynn’ll like that? He’s not actually an alien, obviously–Billy guesses he’d be more like . . . what, a second-generation immigrant or something?–but space is still cool. They also pick out a couple of cookbooks, because Billy figures it’ll help Lynn decide what to cook and help him remember the recipes without having to ask Lynn what he’s supposed to do every five minutes. 

It’s a lot of books, but they’ve got super-strength and also Billy doesn’t want Lynn to end up stuck reading things he doesn’t like just because there’s nothing else in the apartment; he wants to give him a lot of options to pick from and figure out what he likes from. Lynn’s a baby. He shouldn’t get stuck with just boring stuff to read. 

The library’s old and kind of fancy. Lynn looks out the high wrought-iron windows at the sky while the librarian checks them out, looking . . . confused, a little, or maybe just like he’s thinking. Billy doesn’t really know his expressions well enough to tell either way. The library’s bright, though, and there’s a lot of windows and a lot of places to sit and read with a lot of natural light in them, so if Lynn decides he likes to read, maybe they could come regularly? Like, once a week or every couple weeks, maybe, depending, Billy figures. He’s spent a lot of time in libraries to get out of the rain or cold or snow, personally, and it was . . . nice, sometimes. There was always stuff to read and somewhere to sit and the librarians were usually nice too, as long as he didn’t fall asleep anywhere too public. So–nice, sometimes. 

Nicer than hiding in a doorway or a stairwell or under the slide at the park or in a gazebo or–

Just–it was nicer. And safer. And sometimes he’d look at the archeology books and pretend Mom and Dad were just still on a dig, and they’d be coming to get him soon. Coming to–take him home, soon. 

. . . maybe Lynn could come to the library by himself, if he ever wants some alone time or something.

[novaandmali]

ARTISTS WANTED! 

We’re making a new book filled with pulpy sci-fi illustrations based on classic artworks (pre-1800), and, as always, LGBT and POC inclusive <3

Applications open March 25th at noon - the application will NOT be available before that time and will be removed after apps close. HUGE shout out to @ Nukeillustrate for this absolutely stunning piece, lovingly borrowed from “And They Were Monsters.”

The application will NOT be available until that date - we will post it here, instagram (nova_mali), bluesky, and tumblr (novaandmali). The application will be open for five days (March 29th) or until we hit 1000 applications. Please be sure to set an alarm and get your application in ASAP - we will not be able to take any applications through email, dms, or after they close.

A tentative schedule:

Results emailed by April 3rd - everyone will get an email! Sketch due May 15 Final work due June 15 Kickstarter runs July 1-31

We are looking for 50-60 artists (who MUST be 18+ years old by April 3) to join us to create a piece of digital art and/or merch. Traditional art is also accepted if scanned/photographed at a professional level.

We're looking specifically to increase the diversity of our artists, both in regards to race and gender - we want to be including all kinds of voices. Same thing with our art - we're looking to increase the variety of cultures, body types, and disabilities represented.

This is a PAID job. We’ve paid in the range of 200-300 for similar projects in the past, based on a set contract amount plus anything left over after production and shipping, split between everyone. Example: $150 in the contract and $100 extra per artist share. The additional amount will depend on how successful the Kickstarter campaign is.

I’ll post more later this week but first and foremost, get ready to go looking for interesting classical art to re-do into pulpy sci-fi! Your app will ask you what you’re thinking about creating. This is not a final answer but we want to know what vibe, what era, etc what you’re thinking about. 

We’re asking for art pieces that are pre-1800. I want you to really get digging and find some epic cool old stuff, particularly from more women artists and artists of color. Non-Western art is very very much included in our scope of work - we can’t wait to see your ideas!

I know older art tends to have weird people or weird perspectives - that doesn't need to translate to your final art. Just get funky with where you're finding inspiration! We will discuss this in more detail once we’ve hired everyone.

We really want to play with the idea of taking something very very old and make it very very futuristic - it should be funky and fun, and of course full of delightfully gay art <3

I’ll post exactly what questions the app will entail later this week.

The application will include things like: a link to your portfolio (instagram and twitter are NOT accepted as a portfolio) and an idea of what art pieces you’re thinking about and how to transform them.

We also ask for a short artist bio, like twitter style - short and sweet. Please don’t talk down about yourself or your skills - talk yourself up! Make me excited to see your art!!

About us: we’re two non-binary lesbians who really love cats and gay art. We’ve enjoyed our work as a queer publishing house and can’t wait to do more! Some of our previous works include classics but make it gay, And They Were Monsters, and Cover Me Queer.

Check out our work at www.novaandmali.com . 

[issuesntissues]

watching a movie with 141—

Price

he’s a suspense/thriller type of guy, but also likes a good drama

despises romcoms and musicals (says they suck out the realism)

likes popcorn but doesn’t eat much of it

prone to falling asleep (he just gets really comfy)[typical peepaw behavior]

will glance at you to watch your reactions (and he’ll remember them too)

Gaz

Loves a good action flick but down for romance too

Definitely puts an arm around you regardless of what you’re watching 😳

Might skip on popcorn but he’ll always get some sort of candy

Will commentate on some things that you might not notice 👀

definitely the best person to watch a movie with out of the team tbh 😭

Soap

Loves action and comedy, anything loud with explosions & corny jokes

Horror movies make him uneasy, and he gets mad when the jump scares get him 😭

This mf loves popcorn he’s a never ending muncher, and you bet it’s getting stuck in the couch too

Will literally talk at the characters while watching, talk about how he’d feel if he was in whatever situation, make snide comments, just non stop yammering

Doesn’t fall asleep, but if he’s bored he’ll eat or get handsy 💀

Ghost

this mf loves his documentaries (nature ones are his favorite), and he loves horror movies (for obvious reasons 👀)

the quietest when it comes to movies, but he’ll let out a chuckle now and then

prefers other snacks than popcorn

if you’re really skittish during a horror movie he’ll put an arm around you (he’ll tease you about it later though)

Hates watching movies with Soap sober, but after a few drinks he can get just as loud and obnoxious as him 💀

!!BONUS!!

Konig

loves horror movies but he definitely watches sci fi and animated movies too

if he wants a horror movie, he’s getting one, no exceptions—

and if you’re begging him to turn it off bc it’s too much…he’ll make you beg for other things afterwards 💀

he loves popcorn! he always offers you some too 🫶

if he falls asleep, he’s a rock. don’t even bother trying to wake him up 😭

Keegan

loves crime and thrillers, but thinks sci-fi is cool too

quieter than ghost really 😳 he smiles at jokes

munches popcorn, finger licking the butter is his guilty pleasure

if he falls asleep you’ll never notice because he’ll stay sitting in the same position 💀

i think he’s more of an audiobook person overall tbh

Laswell

if she’s present, then the team will be watching a romcom (cue peepaw groan)

gets popcorn but she’ll have dinner and a few drinks too

her and gaz are besties during this time 👀 they get along the best

she’ll tolerate Soaps nonsense but if he starts getting too rowdy she’ll kick him out 💀

honestly has the best movie recs with epic female leads 💕

Graves

this man lives and breathes military, western, and action movies *cough* top gun mav

popcorn is a must, always gets the biggest size

gets up multiple times for random shite 🙄

bro will whoop and cheer during high intensity moments 😭

claps at the end, and will want to binge the next right after

[xinyuehui]

I don't know if I want to write a massive essay about this, but they missed the whole point with all the characters, especially Ye Wenjie. I'm assuming everyone who said this portrayal is accurate and a raging angry Ye Wenjie is good is because they either never read the book, or non-Chinese, or both. (Or maybe projecting their own views on Maoism). Ye Wenjie received higher education during a time period where it wasn't common for women. She believed in science, she believed in people, but time and time again, the people in her life let her down and never showed any signs of remorse. What I've gathered from the text is that she isn't fuelled by rage, more so she is dead on the inside, she has lost all hope in people. Her decision to reply is not because she wants to destroy, she believes that a civilisation from a higher standpoint could save humans, and this roots in the fact that she is educated. She's not some crazy rage driving women who would ever say "time is a motherfucker", not even a Chinese equivalent.

I'm not sure why the writers decided to write Ye Wenjie and Yang Weining's relationships out of the story...Oh so she is rescued by a white man later on hmm??? (Coincidentally, all the characters driving the plot are also non-Chinese in this). Ye Wenjie marrying Yang Weining and giving birth to Yang Dong gave her a glimpse of light in the life from which she had lost hope. Spending time in Qijiatun also gave her a bit of warmth. When she pushed Yang Weining off the cliff, it marked another significant point, she was calm, cut the rope with no hesitation. She did not care to get herself entangled in romantic affairs. Making her have a child with Evans is laughable. They also dumb down Yang Weining, to the extent that Ye Wenjie had to explain 43+8=51 to him. Mind you, he was a real proper engineer. (Weirdly with all the diversifying, they did not keep a single male Chinese scientist in the main team huh)

Anyways, before I go on a tangent. The writers have fast tracked everything and left out the finer text about the characters in the book. I'm not sure if they missed the point or that nowadays the audience are ruined by fast media, something like the tencent version are simply too slow for the people in the west. Any of my moots and followers who watch cdramas will know that the real good stuff is all in the build-up. It's all the little text that adds up to a fleshed out character. If the culture difference is too much for Netflix, leading them to change all the characters and most of the plot, why not just buy a western ip. There's plenty of good western sci-fi ips.

I can't help but think they want to do this because they wanted to film the scene where Ye Zhetai is beaten to death. Have an excuse to turn Ye Wenjie an angry woman. We all know why. If they really cared about showing a true China during that time, they would have spend some care with the Red Coast details as mentioned above (we did not have screens in 1960s that display Chinese text!!! And definitely no simplified Chinese characters on computers!!!!). Instead of having her snog Bai Mulin off - unrealistic since people were a lot more conserved back then, they would not have done this and it's ooc for Ye Wenjie. Falling in love with Evans - a real blasphemy. I guess the 3 Body Problem here means 3 bodies pounding at each other. Jin-Raj-Will also seem to have their own 3 body problem going on too.

(One last tangent) Ye Wenjie and Yang Dong(Vera) as scientists not believing in god but having monks at her funeral ??????????? Not even a typical normal Chinese funeral will have monks. The stereotype enforcing is real.

[mdhwrites]

I was thinking your takes of how TOH fails at making a bigotry allegory with the witches that I can’t help be reminded of this post regarding Netflix’s The Dragon Prince (I’m not sure if you watched the show): https://www.tumblr.com/chronicallylatetotheparty/757857588414152704/i-think-western-media-has-relied-on-non-human

The writers of both TOH and TDP have far more interest on [insert magical creature]. They’re unintentionally bias that narrative reflects on it.

They make humans look worse than [insert magical creature] for reason that justified (in TDP villagers attacked a dragon who was harassing them for days and TOH have witches eat babies in the 1690s while they have a main villain be against witches and was probably in the same time period). They ignore certain details that make [insert magical creature] look bad and result in messy world building and messages (in TDP there was a reference to the Trail of Tears that the humans have to endure from the elves and dragons and in TOH witches sees humans as inferior).

Amphibia actually doesn’t ignore that the fantasy creatures can be messy. In fact they have Anne deal with being treated like a freak because the frogs never met a human.

They have Andrias and the Core be the bad guys who attempted to take over Earth. They considered humans as lesser beings because they have knowledge, power, and technology humans don’t have.

Amphibia is by far the only recent fantasy story that is willing to let the magical creatures be flawed and their society changed.

So I think you and the blog you cite are actually two very different points. The blog you linked is about lazy recycling of tropes from better media to the point where we have stopped considering what made those tropes powerful and those stories impactful. Anime is also facing a problem of this but when you try to apply it to more allegorical elements, like trying to use non-humans as an oppressed underclass (something even most classic fantasy fucks up in a number of ways) you get some really abhorrent, accidental undertones.

Your complaint on the other hand is... A little hard to tell if I'm being honest, especially since the TOH stuff (I haven't watched TDP) appears to either be VERY arguable (the Isles does not give a flying fuck about humans, positive or negative) or seems to be taking words that I assume either were said as a joke or by Belos, the bigot, about witch behavior in the past. "They eat our babies" is just about as stereotypical of bigot speech from someone who's a moron as you can get.

And I keep trying to find something to grab onto with your point and I'm just struggling. Honestly, it just sounds like the general complaint of 'smart' stories actually being dumb as rocks. The stories that can actually tell a complicated narrative that portrays every side properly in a conflict is extremely rare. This is how you get TOH being so pro-self expression that acknowledging ANY societal requirements, or any amount of engagement with 'the system' is portrayed as negative when like... Luz assaults people in the first five minutes as part of her 'self expression'.

It is preachy and lazy and leaves these cultures with no actual culture because they are there to make a statement. A lot of sci-fi struggle with this because of The World of Hats problem where they want to comment on one type of person so an entire race is just that type of person, like the ever present Warrior Race in all speculative media. It is the storytelling equivalent of writing an analytical piece with the conclusion set in stone. Your ability to make the piece properly will inherently be tainted.

I haven't watched TDP but for TOH, this is how you get Belos' death as it is in the show. Belos claims that humanity has mercy. Has sympathy. That a human is moral enough that if they see someone in agony, they will be compelled to save them, unlike these witches. However, the thesis behind TOH is that witches are good and people like Belos are pure evil. As such, he is written lazily and so are the witches. Belos' speech is 100% just recycled from elsewhere. A final plea to a hero to be saved, with the witch response being a badass one liner or meant to be one that makes them look cool and superior. It plays to the thesis and 'theme' of TOH... Without examining the details for even half a second because if you do, yeah, they're rancid. This race accused of not caring for other people or their lives just agrees with the villain before proving him right by stomping him to death. This isn't saying that Belos should have lived, absolutely fucking not, but that someone who was worried more about their point, who was being careful about their allegories, might have made it so that instead of glee, literally one of them calls murder 'satisfying' which... Dear god why? They might have made it horror, or hesitation or a dozen other emotions that do have this race thought to be monstrous consider reaching out to this man who has hurt them so much. That in his final moments, Belos would be proven wrong because while they hurt him and so they could never forget, they at least provide him with mercy. Genuine empathy that he never gave them despite everything he's done because, you know... They're good people and not what he thinks they are.

But if you are certain about your message, entirely unquestioning... Why would you do that? Not when you can do the 'subversive' thing despite the fact that these tropes exist for a reason and subverting them might not happen a lot for a reason. That some plot beats are just mandatory for the sake of making your point function. It is being a confident dumbass about your story because you're never going to blink as far as questions on how well you did go.

But do you know what happens when you don't blink? Irritation, which sure seems to be how people feel about these mixed messages. See you next tale.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[krysalla]

smoke break.

bo sinclair x gn!reader

word count: 1k

read on ao3

warnings: smoking

You and Bo take a smoke break.

You spend the day tending to the yard. The hydrangea bush you planted beneath the porch is teeming with life. The mopheads burst with rich blues and purples. It had been near death when you found the parent, all of its branches cracked and dying, except for one. The branch almost escaped your notice, but you caught the shimmer of green, it was faint, almost yellow in color, but it was still alive. You came back with a pair of shears from the house and brought the small bundle back home with you. 

From that small cutting, it’s grown like a weed under your love and care. 

Your garden is your pride and joy. Before Ambrose, you knew nothing about gardening, could barely even keep the monstera you were gifted alive. Now the wild, unruly lawn is a paradise. One of the homes on Main Street had dozens of books on gardening. Between that and Bo’s collection of old sci-fi and western novels, it was an easy choice to make. You devoured the books, aching to fight the mind-numbing monotony of being trapped in the same cycle day in and day out. Cook, clean, laundry, rinse and repeat. You’re not some homemaker and you were never built to be one.

Bo is strolling up the hill that leads up to the house, hands shoved down the side pockets of his black coveralls. He whistles a happy little tune, a smile playing at his lips as he comes closer to you. He always wanders back up to you sometime in the afternoon, bored of tinkering with the shitty old Mustang he’s been working on since before you showed up here.

“Hey there, hot stuff.” You shade your eyes as you look up at him.

“What’re you up to?” Bo asks. He’s got a cigarette between his lips.

“Mm, just making sure everything’s okay.” You turn back to your plants. This particular bush of amsonia is worrying you–the leaves are starting to turn yellow and the flowers wilted. You hold out your hand to him blindly, index and middle finger spread in a V-shape. “Let me get one of those.”

He snorts, “These things’ll kill you.”

“You quit and I’ll stop bumming smokes off you.”

“Fat chance, sweetheart.”

“Then don’t tell me not to smoke.” You turn back toward him. His eyes are crinkled in fondness and his responding scoff is more playful than offended. 

He takes the cigarette he’d been puffing on, already half smoked, and slots it between your middle and index fingers and you can’t help but wrinkle your nose when he lights up a new one for himself. As always, nothing gets past Bo, he barks out a laugh and smirks. “That’s a compromise, baby.”

You scowl at him but begrudgingly accept the cigarette. You take a drag. The taste of mint an odd surprise. “Since when did you start smoking menthols?”

“Ran out day before. Didn’t feel like going into town to pick up a carton.” 

You hum. You can see past his vague statement. You know where he got these–the sugar mill is rife with suitcases and backpacks, most of them completely untouched by him and Vincent, it’s not the first time he’s gone through the sugar mill ripping through the dead’s belongings in search for cigarettes or beer or whatever other little vices he can get his hands on so he doesn’t have to drive the forty miles to town. He must be desperate to even be smoking these. Did he get lucky on his first suitcase or did he tear through them with a manic edge trying to find a pack of non-menthols before giving up. He doesn’t like the mint taste, says what’s the fun in smoking if you aren’t going to taste the tobacco and smoke. You think he sounds pretentious.

“What’s for dinner?”

“Hadn’t thought that far ahead. Got any requests?”

“Whatever you want, baby.”

“You’re no help, you know that?” You push yourself up from your squatting position and slide up against his side. His arm slings his arm low on your hips, hand wandering down to grab at the fat of your ass and jiggle it in his grip. You laugh and swat at him. “Bo, knock it off.”

“Can’t help myself, sweet thing. You look good enough to eat.”

You have serious doubts about that. Your hair is plastered to your face and neck, you smell like a lawnmower and your very sensible overalls are smeared in dirt. But you won’t put up an argument, if a man as handsome as Bo tells you he thinks you’re attractive, who are you to say otherwise? 

He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and angles for a kiss. You step out of his arms, avoiding his kiss completely.

“Not happening, I’m busy.”

Bo furrows his brow. “Busy with what? Thought you and I were taking a smoke break?”

“If you haven’t noticed,” you start, “I’ve already finished my cigarette.” You flick the butt on the ground and grind it with the toe of your shoe. “Get going, there’s leftovers in the fridge for lunch.”

“Startin’ to think you love those flowers more than me.” 

“My flowers don’t talk back.”

He growls and wraps an arm around your waist and pulls you back into his chest. Bo kisses your cheek, breath fanning out over your skin. “Watch that mouth of yours.”

Bo buries his face in your neck. You feel him take a deep breath through his nose, sniffing at you and trying to swallow up your scent. He’s so pathetic sometimes it hurts. Jealous of some silly flowers, as if they could replace him. If you acted the same way when he went down to work on his cars, he’s laugh in your face and mock you to no end. You bite your tongue, he’s much too sensitive–not that he would ever admit that–to tease like that and you’re not in the mood to get into a screaming match right now, not when he’s all sweet on you.

“Go on, Bo. Get yourself something to eat.”

“Only if you come with.”

You suppose it wouldn’t hurt to take a longer break. It would be better to water your plants when the sun starts to set and the air begins to cool off a few degrees. You nod and let him drag you into the house.

[akajustmerry]

Hi

1 love your blog and podcast

2 I’m really enjoying your weekly Palestinian film recs

3. Do you have more recommendations for Arab and Middle Eastern cinema ?

Thank you ☺️

helloooooo, thank you 🥰 I have a whole sideblog which I don't promote enough called @swanasource where I and my co-mod @thatidomagirl frequently post middle eastern/SWANA film and films made by swana filmmakers in the film tag here:

I myself am still on my journey of watching more swana films (and non-english and non-Western films) so I won't claim to be any sort of exhaustive expert. but here are some of my favourites!

Salt of this Sea (2008). Dir. Annemarie Jacir. Palestinian film about a Palestinian-American woman heisting an Israeli bank

The Persian Version (2023). Dir. Maryam Kershavez. Comedy about an Iranian-American lesbian who gets pregnant after a one night stand and so decides to learn more about her family history.

Kedi (2016). A calming and beautiful Turkish documentary about the cats of Istanbul

Ali's Wedding (2017). A rom-com about an Iraqi-Australian Muslim who falls in love with the Lebanese girl from his mosque who's helping him get into med school.

The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020). Tunisian thriller about a syrian refugee who agrees to let his back be tattooed and be part of a living exhibition by a notorious artist so he can get a visa.

Sirens (2020). A documentary about the queer Lebanese all-girl metal band, Slave To Sirens, set around the Beirut explosion.

In Vitro (2019). A short Palestinian sci-fi film about an elderly woman in an underground bunker trying to describe the world before to a young woman who's only ever known the bunker.

Cairo Time (2009). Dir. Ruba Nadda. Look, this film isn't perfect but It's about a white American woman who's husband is a UN worker in Egypt. She goes to visit him in Cairo, but her husband is waylaid so he sends his bestie played by the beautiful Alexander Siddig to take her around Cairo and oh my GOD the romantic tension of this movie keeps me up at night.

Butterflies (2018). One of my fave movies ever. A Turkish comedy about 3 estranged siblings who have to take a chaotic road trip to fulfil their father's last wishes.

[temporary-tats]

Hey I'll take you up on that offer of a list of your favourite Bees fics 👀👀👀

Always looking for more. I feel like I've barely scratched the surface though. And if they're half as good as the Midnight Bees fic then yes please!

Oh Anon do I have a list for you.

A Note Before We Begin: Most of these Bumbleby fics are lengthy, multi-chapter pieces, often coming in at 70k+ words. The majority of these recommendations are not light reads because I am a sucker for emotional journeys full of ups, downs, and angst. If you're looking for more lighthearted recommendations, then I am unfortunately too much of an emotional masochist for you! (But, considering you've come here as a fan of MM, I have a feeling you'll enjoy these)

I'll also be updating this post with new fics occasionally, and to update my Top 5! So if you ever need something new to read, come back and check out this recs list :]

~ 💛💜 Now, let's begin 💜💛 ~

My Top 5 Favorite Bumbleby Fics (as of April 2024)

Paring down this list is Incredibly (TM) difficult, but these are 5 fics that brutally obliterated me, emotionally, physically, spiritually, etc.

when I dream of dying I never feel so loved by lescousinsdangeroux - Mature; 73k Words; Alternate Universe - Edge of Tomorrow/RWBY Fusion (Sci-Fi, Time Loop, Grimm, Semblances); TW: Repeated (Temporary) Major and Minor Character Death and Mild Gore

I Know You by Monochrome_Gray - Mature; 238k Words; Alternate Universe - Witches; Semblances as Magic; Clairvoyance; Poly Raven, Summer, and Taiyang; Slow Burn; TW: Minor Character Death, Depression, and Minor Dysphoria (NB Yang)

hear her in the wind by lescousinsdangeroux - Mature; 109k Words; Alternate Universe - The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild/RWBY Fusion (Remnant = Hyrule, Maidens = Champions, Adam = Ganon; Yang = Link and Blake = Zelda; Grimm) TW: PTSD

Gunslinger by pugoata - Mature; 218k Words; Alternate Universe - Western; No Semblances; Sheriff Yang; Politics; TW: Intense Faunus Racism (it's 90% of the plot), Public Execution, Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, Implied/Referenced Abuse

you're a mountain, full of glory by lescousinsdangeroux - Explicit; 111k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern/Snowboarder and Skier; No Semblances; No Faunus; Friends with Benefits; Found Family; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse

The Hall of Fame

These are fics that, at one point, touched the Top 5 list. They may have been nudged out by another work, but they're still top tier.

They Can't Steal the Love You're Born to Find by timeespaceandpixiedust - Mature; 101k Words; Alternate Universe - Courtroom, Childhood, College/University; Non-linear Timeline; Adam on Trial; Very Emotional Conversations; Healing; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Brief Depictions of Violence, PTSD, Depression;

Compass by pugoata - Mature; 74k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern, Roadtrip, Soulmates; No Semblances; Hitchhiker Blake; Tense Tai and Yang Relationship; Healing; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse;

Shelter by pugoata - Mature; 73k Words; Alternate Universe - Farm; No Semblances; Runaway Blake; Farmer Yang; GOATS; Healing; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Brief Depictions of Violence, PTSD;

Brighter by y8ay8a - Explicit; 212k Words; Alternate Canon; Events from Volume 2/3 - Beginning of Volume 7; Very Emotional Conversations; Blake and Yang in the Before and Healing Through the After; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Depression, PTSD;

let you see my wilder side (if i can see your bones) by explosivesky - Explicit; 107k Words; Alternate Universe - Hollywood, Rockstar and Movie Star; Actress Yang; Rockstar Blake; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Brief Depictions of Violence;

take it from your grave by explosivesky - Mature; 48k Words; Alternate Universe - Gothic Horror; Monsters; Curses; Forbidden Romance; Forbidden Found Family; TW: Brief Depictions of Violence, Depression, PTSD;

Other Amazing Works

Didn't quite reach the Top 5, but these fics were still phenomenal.

Midnight Menagerie by Kaelidascope - ONGOING; Explicit; Currently 289k Words; Alternate Universe - Future Dystopia, Sex-Industry, Crime Syndicates; No Semblances; No Faunus; Bartender Yang; Dancer Blake; Street Racing; Gritty Fic, but with Lots of Fluff; Slowburn; Gunning For the Top 5 Once Finished;

NOTE: This fic tackles VERY emotionally intense and gritty topics. While done (in my opinion) very masterfully and with great care, please proceed with caution. TW: Graphic Depictions of Violence, R@pe/Non-Con, Human Trafficking, Past Abuse/Assault of a Minor, Death, PTSD, Emotional Manipulation, Physical Abuse, Suicidal Thoughts;

Praeludium and Allegro by yangsbandana - Mature; 68k Words; Alternate Universe - Orchestra, Conservatory; Viola/Violin Blake; Cello Yang; Healing; TW: Depictions of Abuse, PTSD;

Best Laid Plans by Sawrin - Teen and Up; 10k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern; Dog POV; Fluffy;

Expecting by Sawrin - General Audiences; 8k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern; Best Laid Plans Part 2; Dog POV; Baby on the Way;

From the Heart by Softlight - Mature; 77k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern, Bakery; No Semblances; Baker Yang; Bookstore Owner Blake; Healing; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Brief Depictions of Violence, Depression, Grief

what if it's all just a black abyss (and lips that kiss you) by lescousinsdangeroux - Teen and Up; 30k Words; Alternate Universe - Star Wars; Force Bond; Found Family; Smuggler and Pilot Yang; Runaway Sith Apprentice Blake; TW: Brief Depictions of Violence;

it's not living (if it's not with you) by explosivesky - Mature; 10k Words; Alternate Universe - Pop Punk/Rock Band; No Semblances; No Faunus; No Angst Just Fluff;

Crash Landing by kienava - Mature; 43k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern, College/University, Text Messages; No Semblances; No Faunus; Crack but with Serious Moments; Slow Burn; TW: Implied/Referenced Drug Use;

roads that lead you home by lescousinsdangeroux - Teen and Up; 15k Words; Alternate Canon/Future RWBY; Weiss POV; Bumbleby Included but Not the Full Focus; Found Family; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse;

you've got me seeing stars by explosivesky - Mature; 25k Words; Alternate Canon; Beacon Never Falls; Happy and In Love Bees; Pining; Partial Sun POV;

shake us together like a snow globe by explosivesky - Mature; 34k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern, College/University, Fake Dating; No Semblances; Home for the Holidays; Mutual Pining; More Emotional than Angsty; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse;

Mixed Melodies by EmpressOfEdge - Mature; 25k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern, Rock Band; No Semblances; Drummer Yang; Bassist Blake;

Waiting (on You) by Mikotyzini - Teen and Up; 133k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern; No Semblances; No Faunus; Ultimate Slow Burn; Yang is Oblivious;

You and Me, and One Hot Summer by EmpressOfEdge - Mature; 98k Words; Alternate Universe - Modern; No Semblances; Summer Romance; Ultimate Wingman Sun; TW: Implied/Referenced Abuse;

[max1461]

Ok, after a few years of mulling around rat-adj tumblr, here are my assessments:

Classic, Yudkowskyan rationalism: super silly but kind of cool. Obviously I don't believe in all the AI apocalypse stuff but it's neat to lurk in their spaces and inhabit their worldview for a bit. I consider myself kind of a connoisseur of funky little worldviews, I like cannibalizing them for interesting insights and tidbits even when I think they're irreparably flawed, and Yudkowskyan rationalism has been kind of a goldmine for this. And I actually do think the basic premise of AI safety research is worthwhile, even if Yudkowsky and co. don't seem to be very good at it. Unfortunately it does seem from what I've heard that some organizations/communities in this part of the rationalist sphere have traits of high-control groups, which is not very good.

SSC-type (or perhaps "Alexandrian"?) rationalism: less silly and less cool. There are definitely some interesting posts on SSC, and I've enjoyed the same kind of "cannibalizing the interesting bits" thing that I've enjoyed with respect to Yudkowskyan rationalism, but overall I find Alexandrian rationalist ideas much more likely to be frustrating instead of entertaining. I think they're generally less out-there, and so less fun, and they also foreground hot-button social issues more often. In terms of specific frustrations, I often feel there is an overwillingness to buy into loose heuristics as gospel, an insufficient skepticism towards received cultural narratives and categorization schemes (I'm struggling to pull up a really representative example here, but for a throwaway case I recall Scott at various points commenting on "the basic difference between Eastern philosophy and Western philosophy", a definite description whose referent I suspect does not exist), a tendency towards insight-porn, and an enthusiasm for ranking and categorizing human beings which I find at best distasteful.

Neartermist/Non-Longtermist Effective Altruism: really good. I don't have any deep insight into the community, but from what I've seen, really good. Making the world a better place. Thinking about seriously important issues. I have almost wholly positive things to say. Almost certainly the best/most important thing to come out of rationalism thus far.

Longtermist Effective Altruism: completely idiotic. A hodge-podge of sci-fi bullshit and megalomaniacal venture capital nonsense. Might be evil if it wasn't so dumb. Nigh-valueless.

[ltleflrt]

Just saw a tiktok with a young woman demanding that people publish more non-spicy books, and I'm like gurl. If you're in the romance section of the store/library, that's the ENTIRE POINT of that genre. If you want something non-spicy, walk over to another section. There's SO FUCKING MUCH fantasy and sci fi westerns and horror that have romantic sub plots and zero smut. You want to read romance with less spice? Look for older books. There were already thousands and thousands of romances published before you were born that have zero to mild spice, and you can still find them in libraries. Look for the Harlequin label, they'll feed you.

And QUIT READING THE RECS FROM THE SPICY SIDE OF BOOKTOK. Fuck's sake, if the books they're recommending are not to your taste, then STOP READING THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS. Start exploring other genres and make your own fucking rec lists you goddamn whiny baby.

[arguablysomaya]

the problem is that whenever i search for “diverse fantasy books” I get shown books that yes don’t take place in a setting where everyone is white but they take place in settings that are analogous to other heterogeneous places. which is fine, i’ve enjoyed many books that take place in Fantasy China or Fantasy West Africa or Fantasy Arabian Peninsula.

but i don’t know how to explain that when im looking for “diverse sci-fi/fantasy”……… im actually looking for DIVERSE sci-fi/fantasy. as in, the characters themselves come from diverse backgrounds 😭

i think it’s because we use “diverse” in place of “non-western” which like… are two entirely different things 😭

so does anyone have recommendations for DIVERSE sci-fi/fanasy books?

[prokopetz]

Do you have any recommendations for TTRPGs that emulate JRPGs well, or have a very JRPG-like setting? I find the unself-conscious mixing of fantasy, sci-fi, and steampunk elements that's commonplace in JRPGs very appealing, as well as the inventive combat and advancement mechanics (for reference I am playing the first Trails in the Sky game right now and I am enjoying it very much).

You've got several distinct questions there, though you may not realise it, and I'm going to tackle them in order.

First, with respect to emulating JRPGs and JRPG-like settings at the tabletop, it's hard to go wrong with, well, actual tabletop JRPGs. While English localisations of Japanese tabletop roleplaying games are admittedly thin on the ground, there are a few of them out there, including official translations of Double Cross, Golden Sky Stories, Ryuutama – Natural Fantasy Roleplay, Shinobigami, and Tenra Bansho Zero, as well as the odd partial fan-translation, of which Meikyuu Kingdom and Nechronica are probably the most notable. (No direct links to the latter two because fan-translation is technically piracy, though I'm sure you can chase them down on your own if sufficiently inclined!) There are a lot of cultural assumptions about what an RPG is and how it ought to work that aren't going to come across in an Anglophone author's attempt at genre emulation, so you'd be well served to go straight to the source.

(I vaguely recall that there are also a couple of Japanese indie RPG authors self-publishing their works in English via itch.io, though it’s late and names escape me at the moment – if anyone reading this can point us in the right direction, please do!)

Second, with respect to emulating the steampunk science-fantasy settings that Western fandoms often associate with JRPGs (though they're far from universal within the genre – their apparent prevalence is more a reflection of what gets localised than of the genre as a whole), the above-cited Tenra Bansho Zero will give you that in spades, though it's also one of the most rules-heavy entries on that list. If you have a specific desire to play in a game where the party consists of a cursed samurai, a child mecha pilot, a Shinto MiB, an oni Jedi knight, and Robocop, that it'll do.

If you'd prefer something less crunch-heavy, or more American-style in its game design approach, you might alternatively have a look at Anima Prime. It's not a localised title, but its lighter and more familiar approach may be an easier sell for your group than dropping Tenra Bansho Zero's seven hundred page rulebook on them. Aesthetically, it sits somewhere near the RWBY-meets-Final Fantasy XIII intersection.

Finally, with respect to emulating the combat of The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky specifically, that’s a tough one – I don’t think any Japanese tabletop RPGs with proper grid-based tactical combat have workable English localisations at the moment, even taking fan-translations into account. In terms of non-localised games, I’d probably go with something like Valor; it’s basically an anime-themed Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition clone, but then, most games that focus tightly on grid-based tactical combat are to varying degrees these days – D&D4E is extremely good at what it does, the protestations of certain vocal grognards who don’t approve of what it does notwithstanding.

[souldagger]

I've been writing my own sci-fi universe on and off after new Trek disappointed me, and has continued to disappoint me. If I had to sum it up it would be Star Trek but more overtly communist and also military sci-fi. I've mainly been inspired by things I've read/played/watched, which has mainly been made by white or western creators, so I wanted to ask if you had any recommendations for sci-fi made by POC creators to broaden my horizons.

omg of course!!! (with the caveat that unfortunately non-Western scifi specifically is a bit of a blindspot for me, so most of these will be Western authors of colour)

Babel-17 by Samuel R. Delany

Dawn by Octavia E. Butler

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor (& i recommend reading the complete trilogy - imo it works best read together as one whole)

The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson

Stories of Your Life and Others by Ted Chiang

New Suns: Original Speculative Fiction by People of Color ed. by Nisi Shawl

How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin

I'm Waiting for You and Other Stories by Kim Bo-Young

And 2 that i personally haven't read yet but i think NEED to be mentioned, especially if we're talking space stories:

Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee (also military scifi!)

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

also, short story anthologies!!! if you're looking for new authors or want to explore works from a specific culture/place, they're a great way to do that. here's a couple from my own reading list for this year:

Palestine + 100: Stories from a Century after the Nakba

Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction

Readymade Bodhisattva: The Kaya Anthology of South Korean Science Fiction

Sinopticon: A Celebration of Chinese Science Fiction

& finally, i don't really watch a lot of tv/movies, but i do wanna wholeheartedly recommend:

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Janelle Monáe's Dirty Computer (free on youtube and an absolutely top tier example of afrofuturism)

Nope

They Cloned Tyrone

[t-hornapple]

ORNAMENT ILLUSTRATION COMMISSIONS - OPEN

the basics:

- black and white linework - traditional ink done on recycled, toothy 24lb paper - usually 7”x9” or 9”x7” - base price starts at $300. Payment is half down, half on delivery - you get the original, jpegs/pngs and one or two prints of it

I am very interested in and comfortable drawing:

- nudity - trans and queer bodies - historical interiors & exteriors - western weapons and armor (from the early middle ages on) - richly patterned fabrics (but richly patterned all sorts of things) - religious motifs - bdsm scenes & fetish wear (leather, pup & pony play, bondage, etc) - occult and esoterica - soulsborne stuff

I do not draw:

- underage or bestiality - furry art (yes, ik there's a small overlap w this in some fetish wear, but I do not draw fursonas) - anything sci-fi, futuristic. mechs, androids, machines, that sort of thing. idk how! - fan art of anything live action, or living people

More detailed info:

‘Ornament Illustrations’ is what I call these highly-patterned black and white linework pieces. Base price for these pieces starts at $300 and goes up for extra complexity. There are no hard-and-fast rules to what is included subject matter wise in that $300. Most subjects (unless it's an orgy of 100 people and you want it drawn to 18" x 24") is gonna fit in a $300 price tag.

(This more simply put: I don't do the type of commissions based on number of characters & complexity of background.)

These are entirely traditionally drawn, and usually put together here and there digitally if I'm layering in patterns, or have a lot of black fill to do. I do not do digital linework or color.

I am not super inclined to draw a lot of fan art, mainly due to unfamiliarity with the subject. I'm open to discussing it however! Some prompts for a commission I might reject for reasons not shown here.

Payment is required half up front, half upon completion. Completion time varies, as this depends on how quickly you get back to me with reviewing sketches. It's usually about 2-4 weeks. I do have shit hands these days, though, and can't ink as much at once as I used to be able to. So my work goes a bit slower now.

For your money, you get:

- the original inked piece - one or two high quality prints of the finished piece - digital files of the work

Please note that I tend to layer in patterns and background shading digitally sometimes, which means they will not show up on the original inking. That's why I provide a print.

I do enjoy being able to provide prints in my shop of commissioned pieces, but let the client choose whether or not they want prints made available to the public.

How to commission:

Email me at thornapplepress(a)gmail.com with your idea. It can be fully fleshed out—Hades as a leather daddy & Cerberus as a non-binary sub in 3-headed pup play—or more vague—something sapphic, intimate and lush.

I do my best to get back to commission requests in 2-3 days, but please do note that I don’t do email on the weekends to help preserve my attempt at work/life balance and my sanity.

[easternmind]

- Lessons in Japanese Game Design #3 -

Aside from what is easily one of the most stylish presentations in a videogame from the 1990s, one of Front Mission 3′s truly remarkable features consists of an in-game internet browser running within a simulated operating system. Expanding on the concept first rehearsed by Squaresoft in the second entry of the series, this massive component of the game can be accessed during breaks between missions, offering the player access to a number of pages for government entities, enterprises or other institutions. Access to additional websites is permitted as the game progresses.

This inventive solution offers unparalleled insight into the fictional universe of the game, in that it paints a very granular image of a futuristic society, its economy, geopolitical environment and zeitgeist. The information contained in these pages comes in the form of of bulletin boards, institutional updates, press releases, top secret data volumes, or the occasionally amusing curiosity. The user interface itself permits some degree of customisation, such as the option to disable the startup animation - itself a gorgeous visual relic that one hardly tires of watching - or changing the wallpaper pattern. Certain websites will also provide the option to download content, including images which can be set as said wallpaper. Other resources require secure access via the insertion of a password. Moreover, the player will have access to an email inbox to both read and send messages as may be relevant to advance onto the next stage.

Make-believe computer front-ends in video games were no novelty by the year 1999. Several sci-fi adventure, role-playing or action games allowed access to often very believable GUIs for the purpose of, for instance, retrieving precious clues or, say, disabling security locks. Aside from Front Mission 2, Final Fantasy VIII fans will likely remember the exciting Balamb Garden Network terminal. Kowloon's Gate's unforgettable Kownloonet terminals gave access to an email inbox, an all-important database and various other quotidian curiosities that helped fleshing out its mystic sci-fi narrative. The Japanese were privileged to have a complete version of Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere with access to an in-game encyclopedia the player could browse, as well as additional story elements told through email exchanges between the characters. 

That same year, the western Tactical RPG sensation from the West, Jagged Alliance 2, dabbled in this idea. Only three short years later, CyberConnect2′s singular .hack series was designed around the idea of a MMORPG that plays offline, allowing for countless interactions with non-playable characters which simulate messaging formats of the era. Other notable examples include the 2chan boards in Steins;Gate or, inescapably, the passionate love letter to web 1.0 that is Hypnospace Outlaw.

Generally, all of the aforementioned titles are either entirely dedicated on a similar concept, or merely resorted to it as a secondary, amusing distraction. Front Mission 3 pioneered the use of this device as a storytelling technique. No other game of the time, at least to my knowledge, had dedicated so much of its resources to producing a credible replica of design and functionality of the internet as it once existed.

[venomous-qwille]

Whenever you have a chance, what genre of movie/book would each of the gitm folks enjoy most? :0c

Oh boy! Thanks, these types of questions are always fun! Sunspot Mk1 - He reads detective fiction and crime drama! He does have a love for childrens books though <3

Misuta - He is a voracious reader, (he can and will read EVERYTHING) particularly loves classics buuuut he has a wicked soft spot for romance novels (both trashy and non trashy).

Fool - He does like comedy but is first and foremost a fan of theater and musicals! He knows his shakespeare back to back and is well versed in other classics as well as myths and epics!

Sol - Ah Sol. Sol is not much of a reader (he has other outlets). He is very soft for disney (which he has only been exposed to over the last five years) but that's a secret ;) Nova - Hard Sci-fi. He loves his space operas!! Also westerns :)

Clip - Has never read a book in his life :( He would probably watch horror movies just as an excuse to scare/cuddle yn.

Ruin - has yet to experience life outside Fazco daycare, it will be fun to see what he likes most :)

Bonus Sanii - only reads manga. Unironically would enjoy superhero stuff.