#outback gothic

[wren13]

🌾 it’s far too cold to be spring 🌾

[wil0]

[eviqur]

has anyone else died for you?

have they?

[andrexi1]

The flame trees are on fire. You leave behind New South Wales. One family stays behind. Their home is still their home even if its burning. You drive away and you run over a Koala. You’ll keep running over Koalas. You try to escape the never never.

[loversveil]

@scribeofpnakotis why must you doxx me like this

we need to make australian gothic bigger. abandoned gold towns because the veins all ran out except one family that refuses to leave. the lack of street signs once you’re 200km away from a city. towns having signs abt whether their water will kill you. the random nuclear waste storage areas. the fact that you have to accept that you will run over an already dead kangaroo or koala anytime you drive somewhere out in the country. every country town having two churches, one protestant, one catholic, and one of the either is always abandoned because everyone else in town ended up just taking one of the sides. the abandoned schools that had to be shut down by the state bc they had less that 10 students. the 2-5 snakebite deaths per year in small towns. the constant catholic imagery left over from the horrific mission schools. everyone using barbed wire as fences. there’s always a fire burning somewhere and you can’t tell if it’s a controlled crop burning or a bushfire because the landlines, are as always, broken. animal bones and skulls just lying around every field because the farmers dont bother to clean them up. the 6 metre deep lakes that go from being drought empty to full overnight despite there being no rainfall. the powerlines are broken again and you still can’t call home

[fatkish]

Hi hun!

If you’re still doing requests could I ask for a Dabi x reader fluff hcs?

Like she’s got adhd and autism and is kinda goth (this is self indulgent lol). By kinda goth I mean she loves the music, culture and has some eery home decor like fossils and skulls etc but doesn’t necessarily look the part (most of the time).

If you have any questions please lmk!!

Thank youuu xx

Dabi x ADHD and Autistic Goth reader

Reader runs a small cafe and bakery. The reader creates bento boxes that you can buy for relatively cheap but taste really good and are made with nutritional ingredients. Some heroes, office workers, first responders and other people who don’t really have the time to make food or stop for lunch often order ahead and pick up food to go.

Reader lives in an apartment above their cafe and has a few employees who are either college students, high schoolers, people with disabilities or any other person who has a relatively small work window and needs money. Their employees are all highly respectful of them.

The cafe is open from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. The reader spend most of the hours doing the cooking and making bentos, budgeting, paying bills and other tasks that are done behind the scenes. The reader has a quirk that allows them to heal people via food (kinda like the mom from Encanto)

The cafe has a very quiet and calm atmosphere and is very popular among the anti-social groups and those who have sensitivities to crowds and stuff. The decor is very soft-core/comfort and homey styled

The booths have partitions that can completely close with tatami mats and pillows, there are steps leading into the booth area where you remove your shoes and put slippers on. The tables with chairs are in the front of the cafe and the floors are mostly hard wood.

Those who work full time are often quirkless employees who need a stable job and a kind and understanding workplace environment

You met Dabi one night when an employee found him collapsed outback by the dumpsters during closing. When they told you about him, you had them help you move him to your upstairs apartment where you treated what you could of his burns and began preparing food for him

When Dabi woke up to a dark gothic room with Victorian antique furniture that looked like a vampire owned it, he had no idea what he was in for. Expecting some grungy punk ass emo person, he nearly got mental whiplash when you walked in, wearing some cute soft clothes with a smile on your face holding a plate of cutesy food

I picture the reader having a personality kinda like Mitsuri from Demon Slayer. Your cheerful and loving albeit kinda ditzy personality was not what Dabi expected.

“Oh goodie, you’re awake, I was so super worried about you when my employees found you. You looked so hurt and sad, my heart nearly broke just thinking about how much pain you must be in. Oh, here, I made you plenty of food so eat up! I already changed your bandages earlier so just rest, call me if you need anything, I’ll be just around the corner in the living room<3”

You left before Dabi could even get a word in. He looked down at the plates on the tray in his lap that you placed. Seeing all the cute food and your personality made him think you’re either a roommate or you’re some psycho killer with a split personality. But he was hungry so he ate the food.

While he ate, Dabi noticed his burns healing and even his scars disappearing slowly but surely until it stopped. When you came back to check on him and clean up his dishes, he asked about it. You told him your quirk lets you heal people by having them ingest the food make.

After collecting his dishes you asked if there was or is anything he doesn’t like or is allergic to. He told you he hates fish and that he prefers his food cold. You gave him a soft towel for him to shower with and told him where the bathroom was. After that you asked for his clothing size and went shopping for clothes for him

After bringing the clothes for him to his room you left them there. After he took a shower he saw the clothes but didn’t see his clothes/villain getup anywhere. He left the room and entered the living room and asked where his clothes were

You where watching Molang on Netflix and eating tangulu (I hope I spelled that right, it’s cut up fruit on a stick that coated in a layer of melted sugar giving it a hard candy like coating)

You turn to him and after being asked you tell him that you’re washing his clothes and then you’re going to repair them. You offer him some tangulu to which he surprisingly accepts and sits down and you both decide to watch a creature feature movie. You both enjoy seeing the asshole people get eaten by monsters

“Yeah! Get munched, asshole! Oh, sorry, I kinda tend to get caught up in the moment when watch these movies”

“It’s fine doll face”

Dabi chuckles quietly seeing you get so excited about things. He notices how you’re easily distracted but is still wondering why you haven’t said anything about him or why you aren’t seemingly afraid of him, so he asks

“Alright, be real with me for a minute, why the hell ain’t ‘cha afraid ‘a me huh? I mean, I’m covered in nasty burns and yet yer here makin’ me food, takin’ care ‘a me and shit, so what’s up?”

“Hm? Oh, well, just because you look different doesn’t mean anything, everyone hits rough patches somewhere or at some point in their life. I think it’s horrible to kick someone while they’re already having a rough time. You’ve clearly been having a rough time so it’s only right for me to help you out, that’s what people are supposed to do. People should be kind to others no matter what, I might not know you, but everyone deserves to be treated with kindness.”

“Ya’ know, that kinda thinkin’ is probably gonna get ‘cha killed sweetheart. How do you know I’m not gonna kill ya’ ‘er somethin’? I could hurt ‘cha and yer just sittin’ here?”

“I don’t think you’re going to hurt me. I think you’re a good person who’s just going through a rough patch. I’m not gonna ask what you’re going through but just know that my door is always open for you.”

You smile at him and he just sits there dumbfounded. He gives up and eventually you guys go to bed.

Over the next few days you continue to make him food and wait for it to cool down before serving him. He eventually tells you his name is Dabi. You guys get along rather well

When he leaves you tell him to make sure to come back and you even hand him a wrapped up bento. He waves you off and leaves through the back but takes the bento with him

When he meets back up with the league at their hideout he opens the bento to see a bunch of cutesy things. Toga and Twice both notice it and bring it to the attention of the others

Twice is jealous that Dabi has someone who makes him food. Toga wants to meet you and (stab) befriend you. Compress is delighted by the creativity and how well plated the food is. Kurogiri wants to exchange recipes and learn a thing or two from you. Spinner couldn’t care less and Tomura is just frustrated but makes fun of Dabi

Dabi will never admit it, but he loves that you take care of him and he makes sure that you’re safe and that other villains and heroes don’t bother you

(I hope you enjoyed this. The pictures aren’t mine I found them on Pinterest)

[monsterblogging]

Quotes from the Pacific Rim commentary re: Guillermo del Toro's aesthetic decisions

"You cannot do world creation without filling in with texture and detail."

...

"People think that world creation - movie, for example - is the big gestures. But it isn't. It's all this small details. Look at the markings. Look at the vehicles that open the doors. Look at the banners and the markings in the crawler that moves the robot. Everything is full of detail. We designed this."

....

"We going to what I call gothic tech, or goth tech. Which is to go right away into a world that is rusting, that is in decay, where you have the concrete is cheap, the paint is chipping off, the armors in the robots is dented, it's sort of pitted and they feel like knights, like these ancient knights, and we start accumulating, for example, atmosphere."

...

"I wanted the movie to be very romantic, but not romantic in the Harlequin novel sense or the romance novel sense of the word. I wanted it to be romantic in its epicness. You know, I wanted it to feel like an opera. I wanted it to feel dramatic. So instead of doing this in a well-lit street in New York I wanted this first fight to happen in an almost like, the middle of a romantic painting, like Caspar David Friedrich is a romantic painter I adore. And I wanted very much for it to happen in the rain in the middle of a tempest in an ocean where the waves are crashing into them. And the water throughout the movie becomes an incredibly complex expressive element."

...

"We're going to go from the biggest, the widest, to the little bug of a pilot crawling out of the helmet. Isolate Raleigh. You know, we isolate Raleigh. I'm telling the story: Look at the markings on his suit, the burn marks on his skin, those are going to become scars that he's going to carry for the rest of the movie. And I'm telling you this is when we started losing. This was the price for arrogance, this was the price for youth, and we're staining the white with red. I'm trying to build a character not just by the work of the actor, but by the storytelling with audiovisual elements."

...

"And look at this, Raleigh's all introduced in this one color, he'd golden, gold colors, and he's all coated in warm greens and earth tones and the light that is bathing him is always golden, and it's about that color coming together with Mako's dominant color, and Pentecost in this case, which is connected with Mako, which are blue."

...

"So this, we come to the scene where they meet for the first time. And I have color-coded this scene entirely in those two colors, in the blue and the ambers. You know, the bright ambers and the blue, the sort of cyan blue. And this is Mako meeting Raleigh, so the entire thing needs to be color-coded like that. And Mako's blue, because I'm making her origin to the kaiju, the kaiju blue, the blood of the kaiju - but also you will see in a few minutes a memory. A memory that is all color-coded in blue and splashes of red in her past as a child. And that blue has stained her hair. Even her hair has this strands of blue because she cannot get rid of that memory. She carries it in her."

...

"We color-coded, for example, the Chinese robot, we color-coded it red and gold and is patterned after medieval armor, and it needs to feel Chinese in essence, it needs to respond to martial arts movements; its musical theme is very strong."

...

"And here again we have now a robot, a Jaeger, that is designed, a mech that is designed to resemble a T-series Russian tank, color-coded like that, with like a cooling tower from a nuclear reactor on top."

...

"And we introduce Striker Eureka, the Australian Jaeger, which is designed a little bit like an all-terrain vehicle and color-coded with the outback camouflage colors and is the most masculine of the robots, of the Jaegers, of the mech, and is very much testosterone-driven."

...

"We talked about the color red; well, here it becomes very important. We have these characters fighting that is very very color-coded to be warm; we have a lot of reddish art direction here. We color-coded this arena in black and red. The stakes, the wood, the machines, the color of the light hitting the machines, the symbols on the wall, everything is permeated with red. Because again, I wanted red to symbolize sort of the heart. And Mako's going to find her heart and Raleigh's going to find his heart, or life, by connecting with Mako. We saw him bleeding - the last time we saw red with any importance other than the Chinese robot was when he was bleeding in the beach."

...

"And again, red coming in and linking these three characters; these three characters are the heart of the movie, you know. And blood for nobility and mortality is what makes us human. And Pentecost and Raleigh and Mako are the heart of the film."

...

"And now we start bringing, literally, bringing the crazy colors into the film. I wanted to color code this movie, bring it as close as possible to a living anime, or a living incarnation of a magazine that was very important for me growing up, which is Heavy Metal with Angus McKie, Richard Corben, Chris Foss, all these guys working with super primary colors, and I wanted to bring that saturation of colors to this, and for that I needed Hannibal Chau to meet Newt in Hong Kong."

...

"In shooting the film, we then came to the final moment and again, these three characters, Mako, Raleigh, and Pentecost, which have existed in a blue-amber world start to come to a red space, you know? This is the first time we used this red space properly in this film. Other than the Chinese robot, we were very careful with not coding anything in red. But now, at the end of the adventure, everybody's coming away. And at the end of the life, at the end of their life, that is Mako, Raleigh, everybody's gonna find this light is red. And now I can talk to you about the way I sort of organized the three fights for Raleigh. I wanted one fight with the kaiju to be the fight where he loses someone. He loses his brother in the beginning. That's where he bleeds red, you know? Then the second fight in Hong Kong is where he gains a partner. He loses a partner in the first fight, he gains a partner on the second fight. And in this final fight, he saves that partner. So, it's a full circle. I show him in the construction area in the beginning sitting in a sort of throne of concrete, if you remember, when he meets Pentecost; he made an incomplete circle. And here he completes that circle."

[inspector-montoya-fox]

It's always really difficult to choose between An Opera of Fear and A Cold Alliance for my favourite Sly 3 episode, but it's safe to say that Flight of Fancy is easily the most nostalgic. Not because it's rooted in my childhood memories (it is) but in the sense that it shares elements with episodes from Sly 2 during a game which presents the gang at the peak of their career. Let's discuss

I think we can all agree that the series very effectively presents the gang's development, not only as individual characters, but also as a team of thieves. Sly 1 shows the gang as teens during their first set of adventures which sprout from Sly's desire for vengeance. They make many mistakes, they don't really have planned heists or jobs - Sly just casually goes into every level breaking shit and then faces off the big baddie - and they surpass their own expectations of themselves to defeat Clockwerk in the end. Then, Sly 2 covers a crucial point in the gang's career. It felt as if up until this point they hadn't truly fucked up so they went into it being very cocky, especially Sly. And when they got their asses handed to them by Neyla, getting separated tested their individual and collective limits.

In Sly 3, the gang has evolved to master thieves, capable enough to feel comfortable recruiting and as such mentoring strangers and also worthy enough to inherit an entire lineage's stolen loot. This is also shown in the missions, which up in scale and spectacle. It's no longer just "follow this villain" or "pickpocket this person". It's a combination of missions we grew accustomed to during Sly 2 like "follow Octavio and do recon under time pressure", or something completely new. Right off the bat, for example, we send a ferris wheel rolling across Venice squashing guards in its way, like this is just a mission not Thunderbeak or something. Every Sly 3 mission evolves explosions, high-tech and the eventual mini boss-fight.

So it's then a bit surprising to see the gang reverting to their sneakier, more subtle ways during Flight of Fancy. That's not to say we don't have explosions and thrill in the episode (the dogfights, Muggshot vs Carmelita, wolf-riding, shooting literal fucking windmills into blimps), but the way they choose to sabotage the competition due to how delicate its internal politics are creates some nostalgia. Paddling around the sewers in a blow-up rowboat and breaking into the pilots' rooms is very Sly 2. It felt like something 18 year old Sly would do. Also, scaling the Baron's castle harks back to Sly 1's platforming and is reminiscent of how small Sly would seem when approaching a villain's daunting lair.

The design choices for the Netherlands seem primitive too, enhanced by the fact that we're in the countryside. I feel like there's that Sly 1 and 2 rule of thumb at play here, where Sucker Punch chose the aesthetic or genre first and then chose the location. For example, they wanted a spooky level in Sly 2 so they chose Prague which would accommodate the genre through its architecture and gothic character. That allowed them to exaggerate a lot in terms of level design. And it's the same for Flight of Fancy, where we have a spooky castle on top of a very cartoony hill and you can hide under haystacks. Oppositely, the rest of the game's levels seem to have departed from the previous entries' design principle (except Kaine Island, which is fully fictional). It feels as if SP chose Venice and wanted to play up how European it is, or the wilderness of the Australian outback but without any radical stylistic choices. The genres are explored through the narrative, not through design.

Lastly, let's close off with some Thieves in Time slander because it wouldn't be a signature me tumblr essay without it. If we really use the entirety of our brain power and manage to look past all of the game's bullshit, one additional flaw would be how it doesn't consider the gang's development when telling its story. I'm not saying that in the series' fourth game the gang should have been infallible or indestructible due to achieving master thief status in Sly 3, but here the mistakes they make feel so unnecessarily stupid and like shit they wouldn't have done even in Sly 1. Falling for Penelope's schtick twice; Sly letting his guard down during the Le Paradox boss fight after the Contessa; whatever the fuck went down in Arabia... yea.

[cha0ticr0b0tic]

For my mutuals who are into Westerns: you guys have got to check out how Australia has taken and re-invented the genre, they’re somehow even more fucked up than American Westerns. There’s a real Gothic sensibility hanging over the ones I’ve seen – some of that is due to the vast bleakness of the outback, but it’s mostly due to the understanding that much like in America, colonization damaged this place and the scars are still visible. It’s also an incredibly versatile genre – the Mad Max films count, for starters, and the Australian Gothic is a subgenre all its own. Nick Cave is a major contributor. IDK I think it’s very cool to explore what Westerns look like outside of the US

[rainbowroadonsteroids]

(Totally not me kicking myself in the fucking ass to post art on here ahaha 😀👍)

Given I'm still stuck in a TF2 phase (thanks @comet-wire /j+lh+nm) I've had to sit there and make like four separate merc OCs because they why the fuck not, and I'm gonna be posting them all soon enough. But for today, gonna post the afformentioned "ketchup and Vegemite" person, Ghost. (And also some miscellaneous stuff about him! 😀👍) Also I have not been drawing that much as of late so I need to sort of get used to drawing him lmao.

I drafted this long before the Ridley post so if some of the stuff above sounds odd that's why 🗿👍 Ghost was the second merc I made, and he's been changed a hair! Namely he was originally going to be a mechanic... but I decided fuck it; he gets to be a secondary bushman and he's a hunter now. So his official title is The Hunter. (Also, slight spoiler warning down below for the TF2 Comics!)

(Basics)

His full name is Luna Phengsavath, and Ghost is a nickname of his.

He's 5'11" (156cm) and 160lbs (72kg).

He's 25 years old in 1968, and 29 years old in 1972.

He has one of the fastest speeds outside of Scout, at 125%.

His health is 130/195. (Roughly.)

He is in the offensive class.

Similar the Sniper, Ghost is from Australia, having lived in the Outback as well. He implies even that he grew up near Sniper, living in a more gothic home decorated in a way to keep away the Mormons.

One of his item sets, Killer Kriss, is an homage to Ashrah from Mortal Kombat, as the item set has him wearing an outfit similar to Ashrah, but the outfit is in black rather than white.

Ghost has a healing item called "Surprise Sandvich"; it has the same properties as a Sandvich does, the major difference with this being the scorpion peppers that are within the Sandvich. Ghost can eat it, other mercs can too but it won't heal them as much, and it can actually cause them to take some damage from the burn. (Pyro survives this though.)

He is demisexual and transgender.

Two of his most prominent (or at least two of his most favorite weapons) are his Kriss and Kali Sticks.

His primary weapon is a set of Dual Pistols.

He's known for his gothic appearance, wearing corpse paint and plenty of black. (Oddly enough that doesn't affect him but he has to sleep with fans on him.)

His bite pattern features him having more out-turned canines, and has him missing his premolars.

He has glasses but is too stubborn to wear them like... 98% of the time. And he will never go near contacts.

(Not-so-Basics)

Ghost is a third-generation immigrant, with both sets of his grandparents having immigrated from Laos to Australia at some point. (I would say he's considered 2.5 gen, as Sa (his mum) was born in Laos; however, she was not raised there, and grew up in Australia. Loy (his dad) was born and raised in Australia, on the other hand.)

Ghost only knows certain phrases in Laotian, namely the things Sa would yell at him. ("Wash up for dinner", "clean your room", etc.)

He has autism, and as a result has texture and sensory issues. He shaves his hair down because he hates when he can't maintain it, he doesn't like certain food textures, he hates wet/repetitive noises, and he usually wears looser clothing as he doesn't like the feeling of the clothes hugging his skin.

He has issues with his mental health, and has in the past locked himself away in his room for months just due to how he was feeling. His parents always try to help him, and they at least try to get him to eat, not wanting to force him to do anything he isn't ready for yet. (He also has a fear of dentists due to his depression, as he hates being scolded by his dentist about not brushing.)

In the TF2 Comics, Ghost ends up having to deal with amputating his left hand, as well as a majority of his right leg. The hand comes from having to free himself to try and get out of the room he was locked in, and the leg... I'm still trying to figure the technicalities out with that. But, he doesn't try to push Medic to heal him solely because he knows how to manage himself for the time being, and he doesn't want to waste Medic's time when the others need healed. He later on is able to get prosthetics to use, as well as arm crutches.

He is perpetually scared of Saxton Hale.

He has been romantically interested in Sniper since around the time they were teens, and considers a sharktooth necklace (original I know) Sniper gave him to be a treasure.

He apparently did his own top surgery, and said it went smoothly. He also notes he's not into bottom surgery, and says so graciously that he's content with having a man cave.

(Miscellaneous/Random Notes)

Ghost has a brother who is 20 years older than he is, named Serina. He also has two cousins who are a bit older than he is, Celestia and Akuma.

He doesn't like sweets. A HUGE exception though is ice cream, specifically either sherbet or cotton candy ice cream.

He'd probably take the record as the most censored mercenary, as every line he'd have usually would have him cussing.

Despite not knowing Laotian, he does know German and Australian Sign Language/Auslan. He was taught Auslan as a toddler because he would go mute sometimes, and he would at least communicate that way.

A lot of his taunts are meant to insult the other mercs. Whether it be a double middle finger, "up yours" gesture, chin flick, a thumb between his index and middle finger, a forearm jerk, if it insults/pisses off the other team, he does it. (Obviously there are particularly offensive gestures he will not do.)

He's gotten high off of the Medigun before.

About two years before leaving home, Ghost and his parents found two stray kittens; an orange tabby cat and an unknown tan cat. They took the two kittens in, and named them Honey Mustard (tabby) and French Fry. French Fry was later found out to be a Maine Coon as she got to be as big as a year old great dane.

He has the highest instant noodle consumption rate in the base, eating about three to four cups of it a day. This is because instant noodles are a comfort food of his.

One of his favorite foods is a Vegemite and ketchup(/tomato sauce) sandwich. He gets a stomach ache 90% of the time he eats it but still likes it.

His last name is sometimes spelled phonetically, thus coming out to be Fengsavath. Though because of this he's sometimes gone under the pen name Luna Fang.

Ghost has a habit of either chewing his fingernails or his fingers, so his fingers look a bit weird as a result.

He's blunt. Seriously. He's called The Administrator a cunt/bitch to her face, he's called Classic Heavy a racist piece of rubbish, he's called Classic Pyro/Beatrice a cold and dry cunt, he's called Gray Mann an expired tampon, and there's plenty more examples.

He will genuinely get aggravated with the word "barbie", and will scream out "IT'S A BLOODY GRILL YOU WANK". Why this is? No one really knows.

Ghost draws in his free time, and sometimes uses his teammates as models.

[gabe495]

these are the people who deliver packages to femboy hooters, gothic ihop, tomboy outback etc.

WHO AT THE USPS PITCHED THIS 😂

[eviqur]

golden age

please lord, make me the biggest star in the whole wide world !

[andrexi1]

Australian Outback Gothic

- You see the same eastern brown snake on the trail, it only hisses you. You hide under the jacaranda tree. The hisses from the trail are still heard. One day the hissing stops, only the long grass remains. The eastern brown snake is gone. You do not go into the long grass.

- No one knew how they landed on the frontier, the men screamed with “rage”. The flame trees blazed across the bush. A black bird cries death.

You gone walkabout through the northern territory. There is a man who says he’s not from around here. He tells you he grew up here. You wonder if he is a dust eater. No one is from the down under anymore.

- You stop a cabbie. “take me to Queensland” you say. He drives you around in circles. You arrive in Queensland. It doesn’t look like Queensland. You left the banana land long ago. The driver fronts up in Queensland. It’s not the same one you know.

- “Have you ever left the down under?” the man asks. “I was born here I never left.” “Have you ever left the down under?” He asks again. He keeps asking. You realise you are not even in the down under.

- One premier falls on her own sword. The lies were revealed. She wasn’t fair dinkum. They replace her with another. There’s plenty of swords to go about.

[pagebypagereviews]

Exploring the Timeless Appeal of Historical Romance Novels The allure of historical romance novels lies in their ability to transport readers to bygone eras, immersing them in the rich tapestry of the past while exploring the timeless nature of love and desire. These narratives offer a window into the customs, social norms, and historical events of different periods, all while weaving captivating love stories that resonate with readers across generations. This article delves into some of the most popular historical romance books, shedding light on their enduring popularity and the unique elements that make them stand out. The Enduring Charm of Historical Romance Historical romance novels have captivated readers for decades, offering escape and entertainment through meticulously researched settings, compelling characters, and sweeping love stories. These books not only provide romantic escapades but also educate readers about different historical periods, from the regency era to medieval times and beyond. The genre's popularity is a testament to its ability to blend factual history with fiction, creating immersive worlds that readers can lose themselves in. Top Picks: Most Popular Historical Romance Books While the historical romance genre is vast and varied, certain titles have risen to the top, capturing the hearts of millions worldwide. Here is a look at some of the most beloved historical romance novels that have left a lasting impact on the genre. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen: No list of historical romance novels would be complete without mentioning Jane Austen's timeless classic. Set in the early 19th century, it explores themes of love, marriage, and social standing through the tumultuous relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon: This epic tale combines history, romance, and adventure, telling the story of Claire Randall, a nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously transported back in time to 1743 Scotland, where she meets the dashing Jamie Fraser. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë: A novel that blends elements of gothic mystery and romance, Jane Eyre follows the experiences of its eponymous heroine, including her growth to adulthood and her love for Mr. Rochester, the brooding master of Thornfield Hall. The Thorn Birds by Colleen McCullough: Set in the Australian Outback, this sweeping saga covers the lives of three generations of the Cleary family, focusing on the forbidden love between Meggie Cleary and the family's priest, Father Ralph de Bricassart. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell: This Pulitzer Prize-winning novel set during the American Civil War and Reconstruction era tells the story of Scarlett O'Hara, the indomitable daughter of a plantation owner, and her tumultuous love life. Why These Books Stand Out The popularity of these historical romance novels can be attributed to several key factors: Rich Historical Settings: These novels are set against the backdrop of significant historical events and periods, offering readers a detailed glimpse into the past. The authors' meticulous research and vivid descriptions bring these eras to life, making the settings almost as compelling as the characters themselves. Complex Characters: The protagonists of these stories are often complex individuals navigating the challenges of their time. Their depth and development throughout the novels contribute to their relatability and the emotional investment of readers. Engaging Plotlines: At the heart of these books are captivating stories of love, loss, and redemption. The obstacles the characters must overcome to be together add tension and drama, making the eventual resolution all the more satisfying. Universal Themes: Despite being set in the past, the themes explored in these novels—such as love, identity, and resilience—are timeless and universal, resonating with readers across different cultures and eras. The Impact of Historical Romance on Popular Culture

Historical romance novels have not only enjoyed commercial success but have also had a significant impact on popular culture. Many of these books have been adapted into films, television series, and plays, introducing the stories to new audiences and cementing their place in the cultural zeitgeist. For instance, the "Outlander" series has spawned a successful television adaptation that has brought the story to life for millions of viewers worldwide. Similarly, "Pride and Prejudice" has seen numerous adaptations, including the beloved 1995 BBC miniseries and the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley. These adaptations highlight the enduring appeal of historical romance and its ability to captivate audiences not just through the written word but also through visual storytelling. They also underscore the genre's versatility and its capacity to evolve and remain relevant in the changing landscape of entertainment. Conclusion: The Timeless Allure of Historical Romance Historical romance novels offer a unique blend of history, romance, and adventure that continues to enchant readers around the world. The most popular books in the genre stand out for their rich historical settings, complex characters, engaging plotlines, and universal themes. These elements, combined with the genre's impact on popular culture through various adaptations, underscore the timeless appeal of historical romance. Whether set in the windswept moors of England, the rugged highlands of Scotland, or the war-torn landscapes of the American South, these stories remind us of the enduring power of love to overcome obstacles and transcend time. In a world that is constantly changing, historical romance novels provide a comforting escape to a simpler time, while also reminding us of the complexities of human emotion and the universal quest for love and happiness. As long as there are readers who yearn for romance and adventure, the genre will continue to thrive, captivating new generations with tales of love that knows no bounds.

[sweetsplinteredspirit]

Athelstan was at the church with a kitten carved on it with the young monsignor. Its whiskers were black and long engraved charcoal ; a woodsy smell.

The monsignor was wearing a black suit with white collared shirt. He was a Vanir, a creature of sight. ��� Gaman at hitta pik, nice to meet you. Mitt navn er Monsignor Sebastian. ‘ Bark powdered his eyes, his gaze rather piercing, Athelstan recognising him to be the same priest who had asked him if he believes in norse. His heart thudded in his chest, where he could feel the cold cross, shy and scared of the other. The cross held significance to him, a flower sword, as he could speak to his son, Alfred through there.

SWEETSPLINTEREDSPIRIT : TUMBLR GENERAL CLASS;

I. Can login and is intact and viewed chrono in blog theme view and navigation in full beauty.

II. Login once a year to retain username.

III.  Capable of posting and interacting without any restrictions.

IV. Can look at current sessions, iOS apps > Apps in account settings, and writing Review to end of tumblr url.

V. Generally can look through each page of blog theme view to see if there is a screening filter on it, as well as tumblelog / postlog view.

VI. Overall Blogroll : Tumblr.

The hollow of the church room was a yawning yggdrasil trunk of tree. He had seen a sighting of this tree once with his fellow vikings. He says to Sebastian, ‘ Morginn, monsignor, ‘ bowing in courtesy. A moment later, he says, gathering courage to continue speaking to the priest, ‘ As I was walking through town, I saw a scarecrow of straw that looked scary. ‘

The town was in a southern gothic forest in the country, where he knows how strange it can be. He remembered he had been crucified by saxons in the harsh outback.

He had escaped to there ; pilgrimaging through the desert, the forest where he splashed through the river, to evade the wrath of high school. He had killed a bully, Matthew, for hurting his rabbit Gyda. He thought the town may frown upon this, so he doesn’t say this to Sebastian.

It was Einmanaor, a day of snow, snowflakes drifting to the ground. He was walking through the bridge where a river was, during his walk, going downtown, and strangely, green blue silk streams were flowing on another black house’s roof - a well connection. The pond he sees ahead is the Well of Urd. He saw a man sitting there, bare feet touching on the black cobblestone.

Sebastian nods at the other’s words, ‘ The scarecrow is a norse god of fertility - we sacrifice a tourist, so the town will prosper. It is a great honour to be chosen. ‘

As they talk, an elderly man is busking on the thatched brown jute stringed ground with a long grey beard, playing the harmonica ; moving his lips in sharp sound. He was sat near the steps of the church, where a priest had been killed ; his ghost haunting the town. He was a resident in a nursing home, in which he felt quite sad and lonely in - pain and paranoia too, as he was a jewish survivor. As he harmonises, he is a beautiful boy, sailing on a ship.

[inthefallofasparrow]

Congratulations to those who have read outback Australian gothic psychological nightmare, 'Wake in Fright' by Kenneth Cook! You are the least represented minority group of voters here, but I feel like Tumblr will still need more data, if it's ever going to understand its user base, so go here or here or here for another poll!

If you've read more than one of these, choose the option that you think is most uncommon.