#ongoing book review

[salmonandfox]

Update on reading One for All by Lillie Lainoff

I still can't tell you exactly what the MC's diagnosis is, I'll leave that to someone better versed in chronic illness, but it's gotten... a bit better? We have at least a few other girls now that haven't been -immediately- written off as 'too stupid to want anything but marriage' and questionable grasps on how corsetry works and fit. (I'm not entirely convinced that adding pants UNDER some of these skirts wouldn't have just created more chances for fabric tangling) but she's at least not magically the only girl ever who wanted 'more' than sewing.

Although the MC is very ready to write off everyone who's actually met her as being 'just' sick even though they all seem very impressed by her skills and have made no effort to spare her rigorous training like the rest of them, though they did make allowance for her inability to climb a staircase safely.

This may just be a flaw in the MC, she's been very set on saying -everyone- writes her off like this except her dead father so she may just be incapable imagining anyone else sees her any other way than that... except for Henri who is kind of -obviously- our intended beau character who she never sees as looking down on her for some reason. Just the girls.

Edit:

Still digging the cover though, the artist CLEARLY was inspired by that cat-and-knives meme and it's kinda hillarious and I love it.

[thebanishedreader]

Ongoing Book Review: Dead Inside (Chandler Morrison) Pt. 1

I take way too long to finish books since I read like 7 at a time, so I have decided to start posting my thoughts and reviews as I go along. Also, that way I can actually commit to posting these reviews once I finish the book, which is yet another thing the commitment devils have kept me from accomplishing.

Anyhow, though, here we go: the first ongoing review will cover what I have read so far of Dead Inside by Chandler Morrison.

(CW: mentions of necrophilia, cannibalism, and sex. NSFW I guess).

Description by Seller (amazon.com): "A young hospital security guard with a disturbingly unique taste in women. A maternity doctor with a horrifically unusual appetite. When the two of them meet, they embark on a journey of self-discovery while shattering societal norms and engaging in destructively aberrant behavior. As they unwittingly help each other understand a world in which neither seems to belong, they begin to realize what it truly means to be alive... And that it might not always be a good thing."

Here I am, 15% through the book. I know it's not far, but honestly, it's far enough. All I have to say is-- wow. Wow.

This book kinda sucks. Just an all-around drag. A bore, but not the pleasant boring drawl of a lecturer putting you to sleep. The harrowing, suffocating boredom of having to work a shift with that coworker that you hate, that makes you cringe so hard that it's not even entertaining to hate them anymore. Get me out of here. That's how this book feels.

For a book constantly boasting how readers say it's "not for the faint of heart," it's surprisingly underwhelming. I'm frankly disappointed, and yet this book keeps embarrassing itself so much within only 15% that I can't even be angry at myself for falling into its trap.

My reasoning falls into 3 categories: Let-Down, Cringe, and Excuses.

First things first - I was expecting something raunchy, something gruesome and disturbing. I'm not one of those people who shies away from Dead Dove content, far from it. I love that shit. Literature is a place to explore the dangerous, the taboo, the fucked up-ness of being a person. So, finding a book that pledged it was disgusting, disturbing, and medically horrifying? Sign me up. This book is... not that.

What was promised to be a horror novel that pushes the boundaries of what is too much horror, what toes the line between gratuitous and entertaining, this novel relies on one thing: shock value. And the biggest bummer for that tactic is this: if your audience is not shocked, then there is nothing left supporting the narrative.

Dead Inside relies entirely on the audience not being familiar with horror stories or even true crime stories involving necrophilia or cannibalism. The concept of a perverted security guard using his power to violate corpses is supposed to be mortifying, unbelievably despicable. Yet for a seasoned horror fan, it's nothing short of lame. Juvenile, almost. There is hardly any risk when our security guard goes into a morgue which he holds the key to, wherein there are no security cameras, where he can do whatever he pleases, lay on the floor afterwards, and go back to work-- in a tiny, unbusy hospital. It's boring, it's lame, who gives a shit if this weirdo gets his rocks off in weird ways; it's horrible to think of it happening in real life to the body of a loved one, certainly, but this is horror literature. Stephen King would have had worms crawling up the dude's dick and blossoming into a parasite that whispers in his ear until he castrates himself. Chandler Morrison just has our (I hate to even call him this) protagonist fuck a corpse. Cool, I guess.

2. Number Two. Let's talk Cringe Factor.

This narrator is unbearable. Unbearable. He sounds like the stereotype of a discord edgelord who is narrating this book with the sole purpose of scaring off the normies. He relishes in saying gross things, being gross, all while acting as if he is so much more sophisticated than he is.

It doesn't help that the book is narrated in first person. This goes back to how I described the experience of reading Dead Inside to be equivalent to working a shift with a coworker that is very much not your friend who disrespects you the same way a friend would tease. It's just plain oblivious. Our necrophiliac incel narrator is the epitome of the Riverdale meme where Jughead says "I'm weird. I'm a weirdo. I don't fit in. And I don't want to fit in." Like, Christ man, we get it, you don't shower and your hair is greasy and people don't want to be around you not because you're "weird", but because you're inconsiderate and unhygienic and put 0 effort into anything whatsoever. Having to listen to the narrator's commentary on how he's aware how disturbing his own actions are, how he knows the ordinary person would see him as a freak, it's just so lame. That's the only word I have for it, really. Just completely and utterly lame. This novel reads with the same tone as a Reddit incel jerk-off posting about Elliot Rodger. It's just pathetic, but there's no pity there. It's entirely self-induced patheticness that the narrator excuses as being "unique."

It's fine to have characters in books that are frustrating, irritating, that make you just want to smack them upside the head for yapping too long. But it's never a good sign when the person I want most desperately to shut the fuck up is the narrator. It's not good writing if my method of making the narrator quit talking is closing the book and contemplating whether or not it's even worth finishing. Extraordinarily poor quality character. But it's not intentional - we are supposed to find this character disturbing, threatening, and eerily fucked up. We're supposed to wonder why he got this way, and what it will take to break him. We are supposed to hate him, and relish in his demise. I feel nothing but exasperation from this man. The simplest way to resolve my hatred for him is to close the book and put it away. I don't give a fuck what happens to him. I don't think he even deserves my attention, and he's the narrator. This is bad.

3. And finally. Excuses.

This complaint is a short, but prudent one. The writing quality is mediocre at best. One of the biggest rules of any creative work, but particularly writing, art, and filmmaking, is that your audience is smarter than you think. Leave things open for interpretation. Leave opportunity for ponderance, and analysis. Show, don't tell.

Dead Inside is all tell, with nothing to show. Our narrator is a loser, but Morrison doesn't let us own it. Instead, excuses are made; the most infuriating example of this is after our narrator has finished fornicating with a poor, lifeless victim. The section goes:

"... but my lovers are all equipped with the best birth control the world can offer. As in, dead reproductive systems. I know that goes without saying, but I like to say it." (p. 21)

If it goes without saying, then don't say it. The segment would have been entirely fine without that last remark; if anything, it would have been better, and bolstered the narrator's character as a whole! And this is only one of the outright examples I have of this characterization.

The bitter, dark humor of our narrator would have been brilliantly given if the quote ended at "dead reproductive systems." We would have been left with the pure objectification and lack of emotion our narrator possesses, how he sees dead bodies purely as anatomical tools for his own peak control and pleasure, his own performance. We as the audience would have been victims of him as well, subjected to listen to the gross things he says and does and entirely unable to resist it-- pure puppets for his sick fantasies, just like the corpses he violates. It would have illustrated an actual level of mystique and unsettling nature to the relationship between narrator and narrated and audience. The novel's ongoing themes of fetish and object, the definitions of violation, it all would have been so interesting if only the narrator didn't say something so juvenilely self-aware every five seconds, like he's vying for our attention and approval. Look!!, Morrison makes our narrator constantly wave his hands in our face like a child, Look!! Isn't that fucked up!! Look at how fucked up I can be! Tell me I'm gross, tell me I'm weird!! Look at how gross that is, right!! That's scary, right??

No. It's annoying, and it gets old before it even got a chance to start.

Again, I'm 25 pages into a 191 page book. It's mid as fuck. I hope it turns around, but I don't think it will-- I can see from only 15% where this story is going, I bet I can plot out most if not the entire rest of the book. I think the concept is one spooky "what-if" that goes no deeper than that. Honestly, I'm really disappointed. I wanted to be disturbed. I don't have much motivation to keep reading this book except the pervasive nagging of my soul to finish most books I pick up. Plus, I want to know if I'm wrong about how dog this has so far turned out to be.

If you made it this far, holy shit. Congrats. You're running the Athens marathon by reading this. You're amazing. I'm giving you a small kiss on the forehead.

[sniffer-the-whiffer]

Currently on chapter thirteen of “We” by Yevgeny Zamyatin.

All these lines hit hard

[troythecatfish]

Here’s my personal Manga Recommendation: Dai Dark by Q Hayashida. ( No Spoilers ). The art style is wonderful and gritty. The WorldBuilding is very unique. The characters have a ton of life, depth, and nuance to them. This manga is a Horror/Comedy/Science Fiction. The story is amazing and unique. 12/10 Absolutely Recommend to everyone, especially fans of horror and/or Science fiction.

[mythos05reviews]

4/5 star

I think this is a fun manhwa to reread. The MC isn't as much of an asshole compared to the typical protagonists featured in this type of web comic. If they are being asses, it's usually towards the bunny. It's still ongoing, but I am caught up so far. The reason I liked them was because of the companions he gained along the way that actually stayed as recurring characters. The fact that some of them were animal companions was a plus because I had been looking for manhwas with animal companions. It's more lighthearted, although it still includes action scenes. The ultimate goal so far seems to be to find a way to get out. There are currently around 154 chapters, so I would say that it is not fast-paced at all and that each arc is given its time.

I would recommend this to others, especially if you like the action but don't want it to get too dark. Although, if you like fast-paced books, this is not for you. My opinion on this may change depending on the chapters that are released in the future.

[ilikereadingactually]

about & lists!

i like to read. i always have! and, as happens for lots of kids who like to read, i became an adult who likes to read in theory, but doesn't really have the time. the energy. the money. the space in my life, my day, my brain. even though i went to school for english lit, and grad school for children's lit. i worked in children's bookselling for a decade, and burned out when i couldn't afford basic healthcare. (support your local independent bookstores, and support their workers when they make efforts to unionize!)

i settled in an academic library instead, tired and jaded and broke, and for several years i stopped reading almost entirely; new stories just didn't hold the appeal for me that watching the same tv shows over and over again did. (except for fanfiction! fanfiction always has my back.) fast forward to now, after a lot of loss and grief and fear and working through possible adhd, i am rediscovering that I like reading, actually! if i can just get over that hump where it seems too hard to start something new, if i can just get a book into my hand and get it open, i'm good, i'm happy, i'm in it! for the first time in a long time, i'm excited about reading again.

so tl;dr, if you miss reading but you just can't seem to fit it back into your life, or you can't focus, or you haven't found the trick that works for you, i see you! this blog will be a record of stories that got me over the obstacles, and maybe they'll tempt you too, in spite of everything that gets in the way.

BOOK REVIEWS

this post of links got too long, so now it's a Google Doc full of links to all the reviews!

[youtwitinmyface]

CHAPEL #7

Written by Jim Valentino and Robert Loren Fleming Drawn by Richard Horie Published by Image Comics

Released in April 1996, two months after the release of the previous issue, this issue is actually part two of a five-part crossover called SHADOWHUNT that ran through five of the Extreme Studios comic book series'.

This storyline focused on Jim Valentino’s character Shadowhawk, one of the original Image heroes. Shadowhawk was Paul Johnstone, a Black man who was a district attorney in NY, who was injected with HIV+ blood by some mobsters. This was back when that was basically a death sentence. Johnstone decided to use his remaining time as a vigilante, building some crude armor to fight crime as Shadowhawk. Except instead of just beating up criminals like Batman, or outright killing them like The Punisher, his signature movie is that he would break their backs.

Shadowhawk and Chapel crossed paths before, in Shadowhawk #12 as they both were checking out a secret U.S. government facility where they suspected there was a cure for AIDS (Chapel had also been injected with HIV by his previous boss Jason Wynn). Later Johnstone sought out the WILDC.A.T.S. for help, and they instructed a cybernetic body that they could transfer his brain into so he could live, but for some reason the project didn’t work, and Johnstone eventually succumbed to AIDS and died. Chapel eventually killed himself to become a demon and then was resurrected and, apparently, his HIV was erased, as it hasn’t been mentioned in this series. So this storyline, which began in Shadowhunt Special #1, had that android body Johnstone couldn’t use gain sentience and decide to resume Johnstone’s crimefighting work, except it has zero human compassion. So the robot is brutally murdering every criminal it comes across, even someone simply jaywalking. It’s also killing law enforcement officers who gets in its way, and occasionally the victims of the criminal (in this issue we see it slit the throat of a woman who was screaming because that was “disturbing the peace”). In this issue, we see that the FBI has hired Chapel to take down the robot.

Chapel, armed with guns, swords and a bazooka, tracks the robot in NY and basically we get a long brutal fight. There’s also an unnamed female FBI agent who is accompanying Chapel even though he doesn’t around and keeps trying to get rid of her. She does end up saving him at one point, however, it’s not enough. In the end, Chapel is defeated, and the Shadowhawk robot emerges victorious, with the FBI realizing it’s time to call in Youngblood, so this storyline is set to continue in the next issue of that title.

As a Chapel story this is actually pretty good. This is the kind of status quo that would work for a Chapel ongoing series, he’s retired from Youngblood and traditional superhero adventures now and is working as a mercenary for the U.S. Government, tracking various superhuman threats that the public superheroes can’t handle. This should have been the premise from the beginning. The problem is that as the final issue of this series it’s unfulfilling, ending with the lead character defeated. But it is what it is.

Chapel (08/1995 2nd Series) 

[fandom]

It's been a thirsty week on ye olde tumblr dot com

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Deadpool & Wolverine is about as gay as it gets without kissing—though some of you are convinced they did, in fact, have relations in that car. For Jujutsu Kaisen fans, some fears were apparently confirmed, and you are all feeling many feelings about that. The Book of Bill was released last week to much acclaim here on Tumblr, and you all keep on proving you really do love a sexyman, whatever shape he might take. And the ongoing sports in Paris continue to give you all much to yell and art about (shout out to all the art of the air pistol podium icons). This is Tumblr’s Week in Review.

Olympics

Artists on Tumblr

Gravity Falls: The Book of Bill

Deadpool & Wolverine

House of the Dragon

Dungeon Meshi

Bill Cipher | Gravity Falls

Interview With The Vampire

Batman | the DC universe

Jujutsu Kaisen

Palestine

Logan Howlett | the Marvel universe

Poolverine | Logan Howlett & Wade Wilson, the Marvel universe

Billford | Bill Cipher & Stanford Pines, Gravity Falls

Wade Wilson | the Marvel universe

US Politics

Jason Todd | the DC universe

Baldur's Gate 3

Hugh Jackman

Laios Touden | Dungeon Meshi

[bookstattoosandtea]

Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway: Fangsgiving by Robert Winter

Blog Tour, Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway: Fangsgiving by Robert Winter

Blog Tour, Excerpt& Giveaway: Fangsgiving By Robert Winter HOLIDAYS SUCK!, Book 2 Over the river and through the woods, to a vampire’s lair we go.… Paul and Taviano approach their first Thanksgiving, happy together but wary. Paul frets he’ll one day die and leave Taviano alone, but the demon that shares Taviano’s body won’t even consider turning Paul into a vampire. On top of that, Paul is…

[theabigailthorn]

Do you think you’ll ever write a book, either philosophy related or maybe memoirs? I really love your content and your ideas and would love to know more about how you organize your worldview.

FUNNILY ENOUGH

I've been seriously considering writing a book about the way the NHS treats trans people, and more broadly about institutional pathologisation in the current global moment we're having. I've had meetings with some big publishers, even drafted an introduction and proposal, and gotten offers back!

BUT

I don't think I'm going to do it, for a few reasons. In no particular order:

Writing a book about that subject might raise the consciousness of a few folks, but does it help build material power for trans people against my country's healthcare system, and the other systems that subjectify trans people globally? Not really, no. In fact it would legitimise the elite media consensus that engaging with elite media is the path to achieving change. Books aren't just books, they're "media events," and accordingly they increase the power and prestige of the media they happen in. If I wrote this book, newspapers would review it, chart it, I'd be invited onto Radio 4 and shit to "debate" and "discuss" it... Does doing that actually help get medicine into trans people's hands? Not really! Writing books and "getting ideas out there" is pretty busted as a theory of change unless it builds power. The fantasy of writing a really good speech or article or book and suddenly the scales fall from cis people's eyes is just that - a fantasy. No minority group has ever gotten change or justice that way. All that would happen is I'd "enhance my brand" - which means that I, with my private education and privilege and opportunities, would make money and get clout whilst contributing to the elite capture of trans rights as a political struggle. I'd become "a leader in the community" and get invited to some dinners and media events and blah blah blah - meanwhile the violence continues. That media event would also enhance the brands of those cis-dominated media outlets and the "having conversations" industrial complex, who are part of the fucking problem! The struggle should be led by the poorest and most vulnerable among us and link up with other material struggles like resisting immigration raids, prison abolition, decriminalisation of drugs and sex work, etc. So I could likely do more good for my community by donating my time and money to good causes and also by some uhhhh... other stuff - let's call it 'direct assistance' - which I already do and find fulfilling.

The offers aren't that big! ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Writing that book might do harm if it's co-opted into ongoing right wing attempts to dismantle the NHS and all trans care. It'd be intellectually satisfying but not creatively satisfying or fun. I'd have to immerse myself in a very bleak world for a long time: I would enjoy having done it but not the doing.

It'd ruin my career. Right now I actually fly pretty under the radar of a lot of my country's nastiest transphobes. That would end if I wrote a book about the NHS. Newspapers, editors, publishers, journalists, and probably some MPs and Lords would become very invested in tearing me down. I've seen it happen to queer writers and journalists before. Remember, Britain is a small country and our media is run out of one city by a very small group of people who all know each other and who also know all our politicians, in some cases because they're literally the same people! That book would be like kicking a hornets' nest. Maybe they'd come after me publicly, or maybe it would be more British: somebody would make a quiet phone call and I'd suddenly be radioactive. Bye-bye acting career, bye-bye any public career.

For related reasons, writing that book and doing the necessary media campaign would expose me to a WORLD of harassment and shit from some of the worst people in the universe, which I frankly don't want. That might include lawsuits.

My dream job is to play [REDACTED] in [REDACTED]. Writing a book wouldn't take me closer to that. It would cement my brand as 'trans educational writer' instead of 'actress and writer,' which is what I am.

So yeah, all in all, I don't think I'm going to do it. Not right now anyway. I reserve the right to change my mind. Think I'll write a screenplay instead!

[trigun-manga-overhaul]

Important News Regarding the Project!

Hey, everyone following our project, both new and long time fans!

Today we've got some news that aren't entirely positive, unfortunately.

THE OVERHAUL PROJECT WILL BE PUT ON HOLD.

The decision was made with the main team, as we've discussed the ways we've attempted to stay going with our deadlines. We've concluded that pushing ourselves, even if very gently, is not making our motivation came back.

While we still love Trigun dearly, we have felt somewhat alienated from the community lately. Beyond that, real life responsibilities and struggles have taken much of our personal energy, cutting us off from other aspects of our lives. We've decided to focus what energy we have into reconnecting with friends and focusing on personal creative projects, all avenues that suffered during our burnout.

So, for the foreseeable future we will not be uploading any new volumes, nor will we be posting monthly updates. We will still be answering any questions you send to our blog, we will reblog something here and there, and engage with with ongoing Trigun Bookclub (though under our personal accounts.)

We will also still be doing that review of the Trigun Deluxe book eventually, though much there is to say about it has truly been said in the community in general.

If we feel up for it, we might make a surprise upload some time of smaller releases, like: artbooks, comics, magazines, etc. Usually a posting notice will be uploaded a week in advance, so people hopefully won't miss it when we do upload.

We're sorry we won't be continuing our Japanese uploads for now, but as we know, and encouraged by fans as well, we must look after our own health first and foremost.

Thank you for your understanding!

[cb-writes-stuff]

I am doing a note challenge thing

UPDATED RULES

5 comments per person

No spam reblogging—only a few times a day, please

No tag limit

White means the milestone hasn’t been reached

Orange means it’s reached but pending

Green means it’s reached and done or ongoing

25 notes - Start brushing my teeth every morning after breakfast (if/when I remember)

50 notes - Buy little bells to put on my backpack (to go ding ding when I walk)

100 notes - Start doing a little bit of Japanese review every day

150 notes - Be more consistent about using Tuesdays after class to do online class work

200 notes - Draw a new PFP for myself

250 notes - Get back to reading Stormlight Archive (it’s been like. A year. I never even finished the first book.)

300 notes - Purchase solid-color thigh highs

350 notes - Learn a new song in Japanese

400 notes - Write a continuation of Too Many Hats (continued from whatever I last wrote, might do this anyway but no guarantees)

450 notes - Purchase patterned thigh-highs (I will need suggestions though)

500 notes - Start going to social events at college

600 notes - Post a recording of my singing (a Japanese song ofc, those are easier)

700 notes - Draw a PFP/banner (idk which) featuring my facets

800 notes - Buy shirts and stuff from games/things I like (instead of not being attached to my shirts)

850 notes - Stop only eating food I brought with me / generally get more protein

900 notes - Be more consistent about going to bed before midnight

1000 notes - Infodump about the magic system in Project Opal

1250 notes - Start writing Too Many Hats updates regularly and post it on tumblr

1500 notes - Post Too Many Hats to AO3 as well

2000 notes - Consider that maybe it is possible for me to be happy, somehow

5000 notes - Stop ignoring things that might help me (not telling you what they are though) (I’m never gonna get this many notes)

Every 50 notes (up to 5000) - Write 100 words in Project Opal

[probablyasocialecologist]

Most of the daily crimes against Palestinians on the West Bank take place only a few miles from the homes of Israeli citizens within the pre-1967 borders of the state. Particularly vicious events are sometimes reported, in relatively subdued and peripheral ways, in Haaretz, the only respectable newspaper in the country, and also, rarely, on the evening news that everyone watches. Still, even peace-oriented, left-wing Israelis often express shock when I tell them of witnessing violent attacks by settlers and soldiers on Palestinian shepherds and peasant farmers. It is as if that kind of knowledge were pushed away from conscious awareness, or as if the knowledge itself exists somewhere in the mind but knowledge of that knowledge does not. (Classical Indian logicians claim that one doesn’t know something unless one consciously knows that one knows it.) In short, much of the population of Israel has lived through the last five decades in varying modes and intensities of denial. Here’s a typical example. One night in late July I slept in the Bedouin village of Ras al-‘Ain in the southern Jordan Valley. Adjacent to the village, in a fiercely hot, arid zone, a cool, clean stream flows down from the hill country. The villagers need that water to survive and to sustain their herds of sheep and goats; each day they fill up five or six tankers, hitched to tractors, from the stream. Israeli settlers from the illegal outposts nearby are doing whatever they can, including committing vicious attacks, to block Palestinians’ access to the water; the goal is to dry them out so that they will have to leave their homes. The army, the police, the Civil Administration, and the military courts are all colluding with the settlers in their ongoing minibattle with the shepherds. Our activists are by the stream, night and day, to protect the Palestinians as best we can. We spent an hour or two that evening fending off knife-wielding, masked young thugs from the settler outposts who were trying to block a lone tractor and its attached tanker from bringing water to the village. Often Israeli settlers from the older settlements, who may be less prone to violence than those from the new outposts and are usually Orthodox, come to picnic by the stream. A friend of mine, a long-standing member of the Israeli peace camp and an Orthodox Jew—and thus adept in the settlers’ language—spoke to two of these middle-aged settlers about the situation in Ras al-‘Ain. “What?” they said. “You mean there is violence here? That’s impossible.” A total surprise—for people living in the heart of the West Bank, on stolen Palestinian land. I don’t think they were pretending to be shocked. Mainstream Israelis living in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem are even less likely to grasp the reality of systematic state violence directed against innocent Palestinians when news of it somehow filters into the public sphere. Simply stated, they don’t want to know, or maybe they don’t much care.

21 August 2024

[troythecatfish]

( No Spoilers ) Here’s my personal recommendation of a manga to check out: Apple Black by Odunze Oguguo. The world and art style are very impressive. The characters have quite a lot of depth and nuance to them. The story has quite a lot of depth, nuance, and layers to it. 25/10 Absolutely Recommend

[mariacallous]

“There are only so many books on Ukraine we can review each month,” an editor from a major British newspaper tells me at one of the country’s largest literary festivals. He looks a bit uncomfortable, almost apologetic. He wants me to understand that if it were up to him, he’d review a book on Ukraine every day, but that’s just not how the industry works.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, I’ve had a glimpse into how several industries work: Publishing, journalism, and the broader world of culture, including galleries and museums. Even before the big war, I knew more than I wanted to about how academia works (or rather doesn’t) when it comes to Ukraine. A common thread among all these fields is the limited attention they allocate to countries that do not occupy a place among the traditional big players of imperial politics.

Cultural imperialism lives on, even if its carriers often proclaim anti-colonial slogans. It thrives in gate-keeping, with editors and academics mistrusting voices that don’t sound like those higher up the ladder, while platforming those who have habitually been accepted as authoritative. “We’ve done Ukraine already” is a frequent response whenever you pitch an idea, text, or public event centering the country.

The editor who can’t keep publishing reviews of Ukraine-related books walks away, and I pick up a copy of one of the UK’s most prominent literary magazines to see their book recommendations. Out of a handful of reviews, three are on recent books about Russia. It seems like the space afforded to Russia remains unlimited. I close the publication to keep my blood pressure down.

Keeping my blood pressure down, however, is challenging. When my social media feeds aren’t advertising another production of Uncle Vanya, they’re urging me to splash out on opera tickets for Eugene Onegin. What happened to the dreaded “cancelling” of Russian culture? The Russia section in most bookshops I visit in the UK is growing daily with everything from yet another translation of Dostoevsky to accounts of opposition figures killed or imprisoned by the Kremlin.

The international media focus on the August 2024 release of Russian political prisoners was yet another example of how the more things change, the more they stay the same. While these released prisoners were provided with a global media platform to call for an end to “unfair” sanctions on “ordinary Russians,” there was no mention of the thousands of Ukrainian civilians who continue to languish in Russian jails.

The ongoing international emphasis on all things Russian goes hand in hand with a reluctance to transform growing interest in Ukraine into meaningful structural changes in how the country is perceived, reported on, and understood. Although there has been some improvement in knowledge about Ukraine since 2022, the move is essentially from having no understanding to having a superficial grasp.

Each time I read a piece on Ukraine by someone not well-versed in the country’s history and politics, my heart sinks. The chances are it will recycle historical cliches, repeat Kremlin propaganda about Russophone Ukrainians, or generalize about regional differences. And to add insult to injury, such articles also often misspell at least one family or place name, using outdated Russian transliterations. A quick Google search or a message to an actual Ukrainian could prevent these errors and save the author from looking foolish. Yet aiding this kind of colonial complacency seems to bother neither the authors nor the editors involved.

I often wonder what would happen if I wrote a piece on British or US politics and misspelt the names of historical figures, towns, and cities. How likely would I be to get it published? And yet the same standards do not apply when it comes to writing about countries that have not been granted priority status in our mental hierarchies of the world. We can misspell them all we like; no one will notice anyway. Apart from the people from those countries, of course. And when an exasperated Ukrainian writes to complain, I can almost see the editors rolling their eyes and thinking, “What does this perpetually frustrated nation want now? We’ve done Ukraine. Why are they never satisfied?”

It is not enough to simply “do Ukraine” by reviewing one book on the war, especially if it’s by a Western journalist rather than a Ukraine-based author. It’s not enough to host one exhibition, particularly if it is by an artist or photographer who only spent a few weeks in the country. Quickly putting together a panel on Russia’s war in response to a major development at the front and adding a sole Ukrainian voice at the last minute doesn’t cut it either. This box-ticking approach is unhelpful and insulting.

It is important to acknowledge that some Western media outlets have significantly enhanced their coverage of Ukraine over the past two and a half years. They have typically done so by dedicating time and resources to having in-house experts who have either reported from Ukraine for many years, or who are committed to deepening their knowledge enough to produce high-quality analysis. However, many of these outlets still seem compelled to provide platforms for individuals entirely unqualified to analyse the region. Surely this isn’t what balance means?

Since February 2022, more than 100 Ukrainian cultural figures have been killed in the war. According to the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture, by May 2024, over 2,000 cultural institutions had been damaged or destroyed. This includes 711 libraries, 116 museums and galleries, and 37 theatres, cinemas, and concert halls. In May 2024, Russia bombed Factor Druk, the country’s biggest printing house.

When I attended this year’s Kyiv Book Arsenal, Ukraine’s largest literary festival, each panel began with a minute of silence to honor the memory of colleagues killed in the war. All this is in addition to mounting military losses, many of whom are yesterday’s civilians, including journalists and creatives who have either volunteered or been drafted into the army. This is the current state of the Ukrainian creative industry.

To save time for Western editors, publishers, and curators, let me clarify what all of us perpetually frustrated Ukrainians want. We would appreciate it if they turned to actual Ukraine specialists when working on Ukraine-related themes. Not those who suddenly pivoted from specializing in Russia, or who feel entitled to speak authoritatively because they discovered a distant Ukrainian ancestor, or those who have only recently shown interest in Ukraine due to business opportunities in the country’s reconstruction. We would be grateful if they took the time to seek out experts who have been studying Ukraine long before it became fashionable, who understand the country in all its complexity, and who care enough to offer Ukrainians the basic dignity of having their names spelt correctly.

I like to fantasise about a time when editors of top Western periodicals will choose to review books on Ukraine not simply because the country is at war and they feel obliged to cover it now and again, but because these books offer vital insights into democracy, the fight for freedom, or the importance of maintaining unity and a sense of humor in times of crisis. I hope for a day when galleries will host exhibitions of Ukrainian art, not just because it was rescued from a war zone, but because the artists involved provide fresh perspectives on the world.

I also dream that we, the perpetually frustrated Ukraine specialists, will eventually be able to focus on our own scholarship and creativity rather than correcting the mistakes and misleading takes of others. This will happen when cultural institutions, publishing houses, universities, and newspapers acquire in-house experts whose knowledge of Ukraine and the wider region extends beyond Russia.

Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She is the author of The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022). Khromeychuk has written for The New York Times, The New York Review of Books, The Guardian, Der Spiegel, Prospect, and The New Statesman, and has delivered a TED talk on What the World Can Learn From Ukraine’s Fight for Democracy. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at several British universities and is currently the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London.

[if-whats-new]

What's New In IF? Issue 29 (2024)

By Aj, Dion, Briar, Jen and Peter

Now Available!

Itch.io - Keep Reading below

If you read the zine, consider liking the post: it helps us see how many people see it! And sharing is caring! <3

~ EDITORIAL ~

Small Talk... is back!

As you might have read in our last Issue, the Small Talk... section is back due to our amazing interviewers! Continue reading and check out their short debut interview with Leia Talon!

If there’s someone else you’d like to see them interview, don’t hesitate to let us know!

We want some feedback!

As we’re starting to get a hand of things, we would love some feedback from you guys! What you enjoy, want more or less off, how we could improve... Anything goes! We even have a nifty form.

We hope you enjoy this new issue!

AJ, DION, BRIAR, JEN AND PETER

~ BE A PART OF THE ZINE ~

THIS ZINE ONLY HAPPENS WITH YOU!

Want to write 1-2 pages about a neat topic, or deep-dive into a game and review it in details? Share personal experiences or get all academic?

WRITE FOR THE COLUMN!

Prefer to be more low-key but still have something to share? Send us a Zine Letter or share a game title for Highlight on…!

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Came across something interesting? Know a release or an update announced? Saw an event happening? Whether it's a game, an article, a podcast… Add any IF-related content to our mini-database!

EVERY LITTLE BIT COUNTS!

Contact us through Tumblr asks, Forum DMs, or even by email! And thank you for your help!!

~ ENDED ~

The 7th edition of inkJam is over and you can check out the result here.

You can now check out all 58 entries for the Monstrous Desires 2024 Visual Novel Jam.

The October Bitsy Jam has also ended. There were only two entries, so be sure to show them some love.

~ ONGOING (VOTING) ~

The voting for ECTOCOMP 2024 has officially started! To vote and participate as a jury, you must do so by giving between 1 to 5 stars on each entry page of the jam. The voting period ends on November 30.

~ ONGOING (SUBMITTING) ~

Disabled Rep VN Jam has a very simple premise but a very important message.

Once upon a time, a game jam was held to create stories around the theme of fairy tales… and that game jam is the Once Upon A Time VN Jam. It’s running from October 1st to January 31st.

Concours de Fiction Interactive Francophone 2025 is for all French-speaking enthusiasts. Submissions are accepted March 3rd 2025.

Are you perhaps a fan of more somber, melancholic themes? Then check out the Dying Year - Visual Novel Jam! You have until the end of the year to participate.

The Black Visual Novel Jam is all about working with creative professional developers who work in visual novels to bring more Black stories to life. The goal is to create a space where Black creators can show their unique storytelling through visual novels.

~ OTHER ~

Jams are a great way to find new games! Don’t be afraid to check out submissions from previous years as well. There might be some gems hiding between them!

~ SMALL TALK… ~

> WITH LEIA TALON @leiatalon

Joining us today is a fantasy romance writer Leia Talon! ~ Author of the newly released “Ink and Intrigue”, “Their majesties’ Pleasure” and and The World Tree Chronicles book series.

⟶ Hello, Leia! Welcome to Small Talk. We are absolutely thrilled to have you here with us!

Thanks for giving me a chance to chat with you!

⟶ Before we begin, would you mind sharing with us a bit about yourself and how you got into IF writing?

A few years ago I was looking for writing opportunities that were outside the box, so to speak. I’ve gone the self-publishing route and tried my hand at getting a traditional publishing deal as a novelist, and was hoping there were other avenues to earn a bit of money doing what I love, which is writing fantasy romance.

At that time I’d written a dozen novel manuscripts and dabbled in screenwriting, then stumbled upon Choice of Games and Heart’s Choice, which piqued my interest in a big way! I thought I’d try my hand at interactive fiction. Many of my manuscripts aren’t published, so I thought I’d be able to pull source material from stories I’d already created. What actually happened is I made up a completely new world for Their Majesties’ Pleasure, my first game with Heart’s Choice, then built on that and pulled from one of my unpublished stories for Ink and Intrigue.

⟶ Now, onto the questions! Would you ever try different mediums when it comes to IF? (i.e Ren'Py, Twine)

I’m not opposed to it, but I’m a storyteller more than a gamer, so it would really depend on how well I could use each medium to tell a story.

⟶ What are the similarities and differences between writing a “simple” novel and an interactive fiction one?

So many! How about some bullet points?

Similarities:

Both need strong characters,

A strong plot,

Vivid worldbuilding,

And plenty of motivation and conflict for characters.

Differences:

Outlining is a must! You can write a novel on vibes and figure out the plot as you go. You can’t do that with IF, at least I don’t think it can be done well, or at least it would prove extremely difficult for the author to pull off. Having a plan helps figure out pacing, scope-creep, and gives you a definite outcome (or outcomes, as the case may be) to work towards. Planning is helpful for novels, too, but essential for IF.

With novel writing there’s the phrase “K!ll your darlings,” meaning you cut any scenes, sentences, or words that don’t advance the plot or add something vital to the story. In IF, all your darlings can come out to play! If someone isn’t interested, they can skip that choice, or if they are interested, they can enjoy the side-quest or conversation or glimmer of information that would otherwise be omitted in a novel.

Writing IF adds coding, obviously, and a lot more details and complications to a story, keeping all the variables in play and making sure to wrap up all threads at the end. You have to do a certain extent of wrapping up plotlines with novels, but nowhere near the extent required by an IF.

A novel is typically 90,000 words or so, whereas an IF can be far longer (or shorter, if the author prefers). I’m honestly still blown away that Ink and Intrigue ended up being over 300,000 words! A playthrough obviously isn’t that long, but that’s like writing three novels.

I’m sure I could keep going with other similarities and differences, but these are some big ones.

⟶ What made you come up with this idea for an IF?

Ink and Intrigue is based on one of my unpublished manuscripts, though it’s vastly different in myriad ways. I took some of the worldbuilding from that story and meshed it with the world in Their Majesties’ Pleasure, and then made up an entirely new cast of characters.

⟶ What is your biggest source of inspiration? A lot of people say music, but we are interested to know what yours is.

Fantasy books, nature, and the characters who come to life in my head.

⟶ It's normal for creators of all kinds to encounter writer's block. What do you do when this formidable foe appears between you and your will to write?

I stick to my outline and keep writing, or take a break if that’s what I need. Going for a walk works wonders.

⟶ Tattoos have power in this IF; could you describe what that feeling is like? Is it like a burning sensation across your skin or more akin to releasing a breath you didn’t know you held?

The actual tattooing process is painful in this story as the dragon ink is painted on, but after the tattoos heal there’s no pain involved. It’s more like a rush of power or a tingling of awareness, depending on the strength needed. I think different mages would feel it in different ways, depending on how long they’ve been using dragon runes. The sensations might be strange to an initiate, but second nature to a master.

⟶ Tell us about your favorite ROs and why you feel drawn to them. When you were writing this character were you including traits you find ideal in partners?

I love all the ROs, but Kai is special. Partially because he’s the only character I brought over from my manuscript, and also because he’s this delicious blend of stoic, funny, driven, kind, and constantly working to better himself. I think those are ideal traits in partners. He also has other traits I enjoy in fictional characters, like a dark past and a dash of vengeance.

⟶ What’s the most important thing you consider when designing ROs?

I aim to write distinct characters who are genuinely good people, even if some are also morally gray. Otherwise, the characters basically form in my head and tell me who they are as I’m writing. I do a basic sketch when I outline, just a short description of each character, then see how they develop as the story progresses.

The characters are in charge. I’m just along for the ride.

⟶ Which RO do you think is the hardest to write and which one is the easiest?

I don’t think any were harder or easier. I had previous material for Kai, so that helped, but each character was fun and offered up plenty of dialogue and personality as I got into the story. Rae is feisty, Thea is quiet but playful, Teo is a compassionate artist, and Kai is humble and at the same time he’s one the most powerful mages on the island.

⟶ Which characters from your previous IF would get along with the cast of Ink and Intrigue?

All the main characters would get along, though there would definitely be some sparring on the training field to see who was the best fighter and blow off steam. It would be a wild party if you brought the cast from Their Majesties Pleasure together with the characters in Ink and Intrigue. That would be fun!

⟶ Could you give us an idea of the future your choices hold for Kitherin?

I don’t know how to answer this without spoilers. lol! Suffice it to say you can help the Kitherin in many different ways, including protecting from otherworldly threats and traitors within.

⟶ How do you manage the branching in your story?

The outline helps, but it still gets out of control. I write notes in future chapters as I go about how I’m going to pull each thread through to be sure I don’t drop any branching plots along the way. Editing and getting feedback is key. Beta testers to the rescue!

⟶ Was a scene exceptionally challenging to write?

It’s not like a single scene jumps out at me, but there are always places in the story where I just don’t want to write what needs to be written because I want to go on to something else that I’m excited about. There’s definitely a degree of discipline required.

⟶ Some people find it difficult to write spicy scenes. Do you have a certain mindset when writing these?

Honestly, spicy scenes are some of the hardest to write. My mindset is I’m trying to write something that has heart to it, as well as physical tension—where you can get to know the characters in a more intimate way. It can be hard to balance the art I want to bring into it with the choices and variables, as coding all those can complicate a scene that I really want to flow well. I also work hard to ensure there’s a range of spice, sweetness, and options that don’t involve physical intimacy at all, but that still feel fulfilling and special.

⟶ Would you like to give some advice to people who want to get into IF writing?

OUTLINE! Seriously. Know where you’re going and what endings you’re aiming for. Things will change, but at least you’ll have a road map. Otherwise, keep at it. Consistent practice really does pay off. Just keep going and have fun with it!

⟶ Thank you for sitting with us here today! It was lovely to have you, Leia.

My pleasure! If any of your readers are into magic tattoos and legendary love, you can play the demo of Ink and Intrigue for free!

> ONCE AGAIN HUGE THANKS TO LEIA TALON FOR SITTING WITH US AND ANSWERING OUR QUESTIONS!

~ NEW RELEASE ~

Sacred Veins is an 18+ game collective with a classic art aesthetic, creating games with focuses on narrative. They just released their first game collection: Righteous. Check out Apistis Sophia, Disiecta Membra, Heaven For A Heathen and Svipul. @sacredveinscollective

Werewolves 3: Evolution’s End (CScript) is the third installment of Jeffrey Dean’s acclaimed “Claw, Shadow, and Sage” series. After years of conspiracies, secrets, and escalation, the fight has finally come out into the open.

A (self-proclaimed) heartwarming visual novel about spending the days with your dog. Mugi-chan was abandoned at the shrine; now it's time to take him home! You can now play the un-official English release of I Can't Be Human (TyranoScript).

Légumes de saison (Decker) is a compilation of two games - 1 Duck, 2 Ducks and 33 // Apocalypse : Le Banquet.

You wake up in an unknown room with no memories of your past. With nothing, you must research, find and choose to find the way out from here in Silent Perception (Ren’Py).

Protect Mina from haters and find the recipe for the most delicious secret dish in Mina’s Cooking.

As always, don't forget to check out the submitted entries to the events mentioned in the previous pages. They deserve some love too!

~ NEW RELEASE (WIP) ~

Kassja is ill, and being too weak her village throws her into the forest. Yet, as she is dying under the scorching sun that trespasses the greenery, the spirit patron hears her hateful prayer of death for those who used to be her folk. Check out The Rerooting of an Asphodel (Ren’Py)! @thebreezyslothstudios

In The Chronicles of Salt and Iron (CScript) you’re trapped on an Iron prisoner ship after incurring the Triad’s wrath. Your future seems bleak, until a freak disaster grants you a new chance at freedom…and a glimpse of a deadly secret that could topple the entire regime.

In Fortune Forsaken (CScript) ancient shackles bind you to the mortal realm, a soul severed from a home lost to the sands of time. A curse on you, a blessing for those who take command; Who wouldn't like to own a God? @fortuneforsaken-if

The Lost Bride (CScript) is a reimagining of Bram Stoker’s iconic novel, Dracula. Play as Mina and shape her fate as she visits her childhood friend Lucy, who’s seeking her company and counsel with an urgent matter concerning her very own future.

King Arthur: Living Again (CScript) - After being badly injured by Mordred, King Arthur finds himself as his 15-year-old, inexperienced self.

As you learn the ways of the criminal underground you reconnect with people you never met. Reforge bonds that you've never made. And recall memories you've never had. You were a god once upon a time, can you become one again in God Syndicate (CScript)? @god-syndicate-if

~ UPDATES ~

Blackwood Manor (CScript) released Chapter 2 Part 1. @ang3lwithapen

The Sunhold Coven (CScript) released Chapter 3. @the-sunhold-coven

Vanguard (Twine) updated Chapter 1. @vanguard-if

A Shriek of Ash and Fire (CScript) released update no. 5. @krogpile

Haunted (Twine) updated a final part of a rewrite.

Honor Amongst Thieves (CScript) added extra content to their Patreon demo. @leoneliterary

Hubris (Twine) updated Chapter Two- Luminary Fever. @hubris-the-if-game

Reincarnation Of The Archdemon (CScript) released Chapter 2.

Sanguine Sky (CScript) added new content to their Patreon demo. @sanguinesky-if

The In-Between (CScript) released Chapter 11 for early access. @dalekowrites

Thicker Than (CScript) released their monthly update. @barbwritesstuff

Viatica (Twine) released Chapter 11. @fir-fireweed

Universal Constants (Twine) released Episode 3.

Keeper of Life and Death (CScript) updated their demo. @keeperofthesunandmoon

Fallen Hero: Revelations (CScript) updated their demo.

Weeping Gods (CScript) added new content to Chapter 2. @jcollinswrites

Tri City Monsters (Ren’Py) released Amir Chapter 3. @tricitymonsters

~ OTHER ~

A collection of high resolution artworks from the game Chronicles of Taldun: The Remainder is here.

The VNture podcast is back with episode #124.

~

As always, we apologize in advance for missing any update or release from the past week. We are only volunteers using their limited free time to find as much as we can - but sometimes things pass through the cracks.

If you think something should have been included in this week's zine but did not appear, please shoot us a message! We'll do our best to add it next week! And if you know oncoming news, add it here!

~ MAYBE YOU NEXT? ~

We did not get a submission this week. But if you have an idea for a short essay, or would like a special space to share your thoughts about IF and the community...

Shoot us an email!

~ HIGHLIGHT ON ~

A couple of games that we thought were cool.

Dominion of Darkness by Adeptus7 (Twine)

"Dominion of Darkness” is a strategy text game in which the player takes on the role of a Sauron-style Lord of Darkness with the goal of conquering the world.

Vendetta by @vendetta-if (CScript)

*drum rolls* for the game highlight!!!!! Vendetta by @ vendetta-if !!! THIS IF IS FANTASTIC! DESERVES SO MUCH MORE LOVE 💖👏

//submitted by anon//

Apistis Sophia by @sacredveinscollective (???)

Whew, this one is an experience and I loved everything about it!

A big thank you to the anon who brought our attention to Sacred Veins and their work!

//recommended by Dion [Team]//

Your favourite game here?

Do you have a favourite game that deserves some highlighting?

An old or recent game that wowed you so much you spam it to everyone?

Tell us about it! And it might appear here!

WE LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU ALL! WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD, OR EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN...

Have something to say? Send us a message titled: Zine Letter!

As we end this issue, we would like to thank:

our awesome anon!

For sending us their game Highlight!

As always, huge thanks to all you readers who liked, shared, and commented on the last issue!

What might be tiny actions are huge support and motivators to us!

Thank you for cheering us on this journey

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Would you like to know more about the Team? Check out our new Meet the Team post!

And see you again next week!

AJ, DION, BRIAR, JEN AND PETER

WHAT'S NEW IN IF? 2024-ISSUE 29