#olympian affair

[rsquid2]

So, a new map got revealed for cinder spires, and I fucking hate it

it looks like this

so that is clearly supposed to be amercia, and like what the fuck, why. Theres no reason for it to be post apoclytic or alt or whatever earth, it adds nothing, I really hope this is just a one off detail and the story does just go off with it. if the reason the surface is Like That nukes or something imma gonna scream.

[necarion]

I really enjoyed The Olympian Affair (sequel to The Aeronaut's Windlass), but not as much as the first book. It has many of the same elements I liked, and introduced a couple nice characters in plots that didn't end up sprawling everywhere.

The main problem is that the book really felt like it was two separate stories grafted together. There's a primary first half of the book, which is a Politics story, involving gathering alliances and duels with champions from hostile states. It's a lot of fun! And then there is a second story which is "bad guys have a superweapon and are going to do bad guy things with it", and that's also a really strong story. The latter is interleaved into the former, until the latter part of the book when it completely takes over.

The difficulty is that the two stories feel a bit disconnected. The first story is very tightly plotted where actions have a consequences and require counter actions. The second story is tightly plotted where actions have consequences and require counter actions. And while there's stuff linking the two, a lot of that linkage is "Character A was in place P at time T in condition C when Plot 2 hits".

Ultimately, it made it feel like Plot 1 was only there to make sure everyone was in the right place, and didn't really matter much for its own sake.

The cats remain fucking hilarious.

[siras13]

I need this on a door mat. I love the etherialists, I love the cats.

[crellanstein]

Rowl & Fenli

[tempest-melody]

Series Review: Cinder Spires

[frogdisco2021]

Percy "immediately starts beef with every god he meets by having no filter" Jackson versus Nico "every god thinks he's neat even though he's been nothing but weird and off-putting" di Angelo

[manygeese]

snippet of small town affair chapter 5, probably my fave chapter so far

~*~

Jason brought his hand out of his coat and checked his watch, which made his eyes widen. He must have just realized how early it was. “What are you doing out here?” Jason shoved his hands back into his pockets.

“Mhm. Yup,” Leo agreed, running on autopilot.

“What?”

“What?”

“Are you… okay?”

“Yeah, probably. Wait, what was the question?”

“What are you doing out here, Leo?”

[gingermintpepper]

🌩️

For the ask game please :D

Thank you so much for the ask hehe!! I'm actually quite a bad measure of what's funny in my writing but most things involving Hermes tend to make me chuckle. Have something from my ongoing Hermapollo document!

"C'mon, you really tellin' me you never -" Apollo shakes his head once, the motion measured and elegant and so entirely not Artemis that Hermes is really thinking that whole twin thing is just a bit they feed the new kids for their own sick satisfaction. "But you love wide hips!" 

Surprisingly, the young sun god doesn't freak out and struggle to cover Hermes' mouth with an embarrassed hand like he was expecting. He doesn’t darken with anger or flush with irritation. There’s not even a little trace of the burning beast of wrath that threatened to damn him to Tartarus for stealing a few cows. It’s kind of creepy, honestly. Hermes ought to take him mortal watching on his next day out, maybe he just acts different when he’s on the mountain. 

Apollo's gaze is fixed on the delicate metalwork wrapped around the fountain's base. Hermes still feels as though he's looking at him with entirely too much intensity. It must be the crow nestled on his shoulder. "I also appreciate a wide back but you've never caught me pining after Ares." 

Hermes shrugs easily, "Not yet at least." 

Finally, Apollo's fingers stall, his brush blotting ink where it's still connected to the paper. "That's disgusting." 

A bright laugh erupts from Hermes, genuine enough that Apollo doesn't notice his now ruined study aa he marvels at this novel variation of Hermes' usual mischievous snicker. When he turns his attention back to his painting, a caustic frown sours his once dignified expression and Hermes nods internally around another fit of laughter. There's the Apollo he knows.

Disappointingly, his hair doesn't even flare, he simply rips the page out of the weighty sketchbook and washes the brush clean. Dips it in the empty black ink and begins anew. His crow doesn’t even ruffle its feathers. "Besides, it would be rude to Lady Cyprus" 

Hermes blinks. Stops for a fraction of a moment as he processes the information Apollo let slip with this new, blasé tone of his. A vicious smile bisects his face. "You're kiddin'."

Apollo doesn't grant him so much as a glance, "I wonder."

He immediately attaches himself to Apollo's side, mildly annoyed that the blond's stroke doesn't even waver - what a prick - but this bit of gossip takes hard precedence. "How'd you even find out?!"

Dispassionate gold eyes look down on him from behind too long and equally gold eyelashes. Actually, if Hermes really looks, there’s a sparkle in there, the same sort their father gets in his eyes before he issues a particularly troublesome task to some unfortunate servant. A soft wetness lands solidly on his forehead and when he catches himself, he realises its ink and Apollo's dumb lips are actually smiling now. He holds his brush out with elegant fingers and his crow hops atop it. "'Everything that happens beneath the sun', remember?" 

[knightofthenewrepublic]

Bridget and Rowl

[crossdressingdeath]

The dynamic I desperately want for the Underworld family post-Last Olympian is just like...

Hades: My son- Persephone, instantly:

[bartleby-the-scribbler]

well, looks like I better learn how to draw cats, cuz BY GOD I’m going to give the Cinder Spires the fandom it DESERVES!! Here’s Bridget Tagwynn and Rowl!!

[rsquid2]

OLYMPIAN AFFAIR RELEASE JUMPSACRE

I THOUGHT IT WAS TOMORROW

[red-alynore]

“Oh, that wasn’t a fight. It was more an alternate means of communication Journeyman and I have developed over the years. You never set out to fight someone. What you want to do is confront them and resolve whatever issues are at hand. It doesn’t always have to be physical. But if it is, it doesn’t matter if you win or you lose,” Grimm said. “If you’re willing to fight, you make your point and win respect. But.” He paused for a moment for emphasis. “Never. Ever. In front of the crew. It would gut his pride and their morale if you won and do worse than that if you lost. Always discipline. Never humiliation. Hear?”

-The Cinder Spires: The Olympian Affair

[ownsfare]

[lynmars79]

“He is . . . rather statuesque,” Gwen noted. She sighed and looked back at Abigail. “Would you like me to shoot him? I brought a gun.”

Abigail blinked several times and lowered her purse out of easy line of sight before saying, “Miss Lancaster, what a shocking suggestion.”

“I could shoot him in the leg, I suppose. Just a little.”

“You’re carrying a gunpowder weapon and you want to shoot him a little,” Abigail said. “Am I understanding you correctly?”

“It was a gift from my dear coz, and I’ve never yet used it,” Gwen said, reaching a hand into her purse. “Honestly, it wouldn’t be any trouble.”

Abigail choked briefly and then said, “We can’t do anything so overt. We’re merely here to watch.”

“I dislike watching when I can act,” Gwen said, removing her hand from her purse. “But I suppose reconnaissance is nearly always wise.”

-Gwen Lancaster is back in her usual form for The Cinder Spires: The Olympian Affair.

[xserpx]

Dunno if you've seen it yet, or if you were a fan of Jim Butcher's first "Cinder Spires" book or not ("The Aeronaut's Windlass") but it appears he finally got around to writing and publish the next one in that series: "The Olympian Affair."

I have seen it. I liked the Aeronaut's Windlass, but atm I'm not planning to pick up the Olympian Affair. If you've read it let me know your thoughts!