#spoiler: i loved reading it so im a bit wow on some of the critiques

[mejomonster]

Sometimes reddit will hate on anything... I was looking up Three Body Problem themes to see if anyone had written any good articles on its political themes. Ran into a reddit sci fi thread tearing the books to shreds. Calling them badly written. I just?? Do some people not have proper critical reading skills? The answer is probably yes -.-

Valid critiques I saw (though on reddit they got intensified to super negative cause that's how reddit tends to go): 1. Characters exist primarily to move the plot, correct. The author definitely values using characters to tell his story over creating interesting characters for the sake of characters. So calling them cardboard is a fairly valid critique, especially given the characterization is given much less focus than the external plot. However I'd counter... you don't need character focused inner arcs to be good? Obviously? Ray Bradbury wrote characters like this, I loved his stuff. Twilight Zone did, I love that. Also I personally feel Liu writes close character perspective pov, and that adds an intimacy with these characters to make them feel grounded and unique even though they're more like you or me going through world events - human and realistic but not necessarily internally going through huge internal development specifically because of some world event (although his core characters do actually go through some decent internal arcs in my opinion). And I think he's aware of characterization as important, as in The Dark Forest his whole section about writing a novel and making a character who is alive in their own right? So fascinating and very interesting from the perspective of what it means to write. Both to interpret the author Liu and the character who made the written girl Within that arc. The writer man was going through some internal stuff all right... if a reader can't understand that without being explicitly told the guys emotions and fears and evolution then like... damn get better at reading? Please? They complained about poor writing in TBP but then also can't understand the elements of the story that aren't explicitly stated, such as emotional arcs and internal biases and feelings. A lot of the reddit reviewers could understand Ye Wenjie slightly, no doubt because the narrative has her EXPLICITLY say she hates humanity after hundreds of pages of obviously implying her fear and pain from page 1 (which I am guessing they needed that level of intense hammering to understand her?), and then the explicit sci fi ideas portion of the plot. I feel like... a lot of the humans grappling personally and as a species was not noticed by some readers. Also... as stated explicitly in Lius book notes: the books main characters are humanity and trisolaris! So of course humanity as individual characters feels lacking in the story! It's cause the sum of them depicts the main character of HUMANITY going through some shit. But something tells me the reddit reviewers who flamed TBP intensely just... definitely did not interpret the book as "main character humanity." -.-

Another fair critique they hammered to 11: that the sci fi mentioned in it is basic. That is true, a lot of the ideas in it aren't even science fiction theyre just basic science fact or one layer fiction into "What if." For me? That was enjoyable. A very Person of Interest qpproach where it feels like it could happen now in reality, which gave the story a grounded feeling in real political and social reality. Which the political UN elements and Space Force elements complimented. It also felt a bit like The 100 in that science mind blowing ideas isn't the point, the point is contemplating how humanity acts during problems. Which is relevant now to us due to global warming and always was and will be relevant to humanity and the world wide problems we face. So yeah, TBP is not the book to find uniquely mind blowing new ideas to contemplate in science future. But it does utilize some more common science fact and fiction ideas to explore humanity's nature and capacity for healing and hurting. Which is similar to Star Trek, The 100, and Person of Interests way of handling sci fi concepts. So it's a take it or leave it, because fair enough the topics aren't anything new. The only unique thing (maybe) I think this book does is really keep going with science instead of stopping at 1 single idea. But I think many novels do this, and TBP still only focuses on a few related science ideas so it stays relatively small scale in scope of exploration. It's ideas about human society and political response is more broad I think (again why it slightly reminds me of The 100).

Then of course, beyond cardboard characters and boring basic sci fi ideas... some people complained it was badly written. Goddamn... I must have a wildly different taste in writing. I wonder if these reviewers also hate Haruki Murakamis writing style? They'd definitely hate mine to bits! Mine is all biased close character pov and meaning/emptions implied and needing to be figured out oneself through interpreting the biased narrative and figuring out the truth not being directly said. I personally loved the writing style. I see critiques of his characters being somewhat basic, and overall plot structure being not ideal, as quite valid depending on the reader (if you interpret each character individually instead of as the whole "humanity" character the author intended then yeah the characters aren't much as they weren't intended to be, and the plot structure reminds me of webnovels which do wind and meander to degrees structurally lol). But actual style? What the fuck did some sci fi readers want??? Really thick paragraphs??? I have no idea. I have no idea how anyone read the chapter from the point of view of an ant and didn't think that was amazing and beautiful. I don't know how people read Lius use of nature imagery to depict people's emotions and felt the writing had no art to it and was too terse. I can only guess, again, somecpeople just cannot grasp a thing UNLESS it's EXPLICITLY said to them "he was heartbroken" rather than grasping from an imagery like "he looked at the sky turning red as the sun sank beneath the horizon" that oh I don't know maybe the character emotionally IS GOING DOWN TOO. BASIC SKILLS.... basic skills... I think the issue is partly that some reviewers have lacking critical reading and literary analysis skills tbh. I absolutely love Lius writing style. If it wasn't enjoyable and emotionally driven I wouldn't be able to read it lol.

I just. It's so funny to me how wildly different people can interpret stuff.

I fucking loved reading The Three Body problem, highly recommend if you have similar tastes to me. Friends, I'd love to know what yall thought of its artistic quality. Cause dang ToT

[trashc-anon]

Disney PJO is mellow

post with spoilers, duh. srly I doubt I'm thinking anything new, but I need these thoughts out of my head!

i recently watched Season 1 out of curiosity (i know, so late) and wow! first impression is how they mellowed out almost everything. I'm re-reading book 1 to double check my impressions and coulnd't get past chapter 3 without writing this post, because the changes in tone are so drastic!

HUGE POST BELOW kinda rant-y

First things first: I adore they decided to cast age aproprite actors, make the insanity they go thorugh obviously insane! (im englishing well)

That said: Percy in the books is an angry lil shit! Boy was ready to throw down with anyone and everyone. Series!Percy barely has a funcionting personality. Not dishing on the actor! When the character is supposed to be angry and angst-y, I can see him doing his best <3 My critique is with the writing. It seems they decided to make Percy more approable and relatable as a "good kid" as opposed to a traumatized ADHD student with consistent behavioural issues. It happened in the movies too. Movie!Percy got to be snappy because the actors and audience were older, but not nearly the level of rage and disrespect a 16 year old could have.

Given how mild series!Percy home life is vs book!Percy I don't mind as much as the the series develops because it looks like character development after repeated murder attempts.

Which brings me to point 2 - the reason I can't get past chapter 3: SALLY FUCKING JACKSON! She's a saltless cracker, overgrown teenager still wheeping over her summer romance with "the guy"! I knew the fandom had glorified her, I've seen some posts "hey, did you actually read the book?" And I hadn't since middle school, so my memory was clouded, but fucks sake! I was drinking the emo Kool-Aid to forget that mess of a plot hole. Thank fuck they rebranded series!Sally. She actually has a personality and seems like to know what is what and try to prepare Percy as a demigod who will outgrow her protection.

The diner flashback scene in which she talks to Poseidon helps her "I knew all along" know it all attitude, which doesn't work in the books because as far as she explains it: she and Poseison did the do, she got pregant and they never saw each other again. No reason to be greek mythology geek, definitly not enough to know about camp and the lastest breaking news in the mythic world.

(Poseidon's involvement creates some morality questions for me, some "how are we going to handle some topics later on" issues when episode 3 comes up, but more on that later)

I blinked and missed the reveal that she married Gabe to protect Percy, and the cascading logic of how her different personalities affected that marriage is mindblowing.

It affects the type of Gabe she married, therefore, how much of his abuse was Sally's fault. Series!Sally has agency and talks back, the kind of woman I can see attracting a god. More importantly, if she's making the decision to deliberately put her beloved son in contact with a nasty person whose smell will deter monsters, she won't put up with a monster herself, rather a loser who might as well be stanky trash sitting in the corner for too long. B

ook!Sally just doesn't sell that kind of confidence and since the books are first person POV we have to postulate that over the years Sally fell victim to Gabe's abuse (resulting in her lack of outstanding personality) and justified staying in the relatioship as "protecting Percy", which makes her complicit. Which is not great mom. And I do remember later in the books its resolved off screen and she "marries a nice guy, florishes as a person and has his baby". Errrr.... It's fiction, and I don't care for the mother character abused for the sake of her child to be saved by another marriage and have another child.

3: don't have much to say about Groover, I love him every time. <3 Book!Grover whines more and is a bit of a coward, while series!Groover is more like the sweet resilient pacificist that chooses non-violance. (and a twelve year actor saying "I'm 24" to Ares was hilarious!)

4: WILL ANY INSTALMENT WILL EVER SOLVE THE MYSTERY OF CHIRON AT PERCY'S PRIVATE SCHOOL?

He is the one functioning "trust worthy" adult in the entire camp and he leaves for months at a time to teach at private schools? Leaving behind, I don't know, teenagers and a drunk god to look after the smaller ADHD kids with powers all year round? Does no one see a problem with this? *side eye*

As a plot device it only serves to give Percy A SUPER POWERFUL SWORD WITHOUT HIM EVER HAVING BEING TRAINED FOR IT, and to have Percy trust him before arriving at the crazy camp that regularly send children to their deaths.

(AND THEN THAT PONY HAS THE AUDACITY TO PIKACHU FACE WHEN PERCY IS REAVALED POSEIDON'S KID WHEN ITS IMPLIED THE ONLY REASON HE WAS AT THAT SCHOOL, AWAY FROM HIS OTHER HUNDRED UNDER AGE CHARGES, WAS TO PROTECT PERCY THE BIG THREE KID NO ONE KNEW WAS A BIG THREE KID)

*inhale**exhale* I'm cool I'm cool

I will probably have more thoughts as I reread the book. I think I will write my impressions of series!Annabeth before she turns up in the next chapter so I have a more controled before and after impressions.

so far, overall, I was bored up until episode 3 with Medusa, and boy! that's when you can tell Uncle Rick is involved in the production process. After the first book series being critized for lacking diversity, he did his homework on many polarizing subjects which I appreciate being talked about in middle grade books/ series. And I think that will bite him in the ass when it polarizes the fandom in coming seasons and Disney cuts him out.

See ya!

[spotlightsaga]

Kevin Cage of @spotlightsaga reviews... Drag Race (S09E07) 9021-HO Airdate: May 5, 2017 Ratings: 0.694 Million :: 0.3 18-49 Demo Share Score: 9/10 **********SPOILERS BELOW********** Ever had a really terrible day where your whole world is ripped apart? That was my day yesterday... And even though I've already watched '9021H0' & 'Ru Paul's Roast' (and purposefully have avoided writing reviews), I thought it was Friday... Or was wishing it was... As was like Please, GOD, get me home so I can watch these Drag Race bitches so they can lift me up, because lorrrrrd... I'm falling apart. I'm a struggling writer with two degrees taking whatever work I can get freelance writing, working at well known South Florida Bar on the weekends (and that job along with the 5 hour total commute a day through the dredges of Miami is killing me)... But Spotlight Saga is my baby, every dollar I make in everything goes to making this existential media online mag dream come true, and it is not cheap. I hate to turn this all about, 'ME ME ME ME MEEEEE' as Valentina would croon, but I gotta have my Alexis Michelle moments too and I really need my place where I can just let everything out and connect with you all... Avid fans of the show, readers of everything Spotlight Saga, and all the people at 'World of Wonder' and the contestants of the show that will see what I will say next. For almost two weeks, I have everyone in Miami saying, 'I'M ON SPEED TOO!', 96% have no idea what they're referencing but lawd, Trinity girl... And really all the contestants who made this episode such a success really have gotten me through a tough time through dealing with 3 deaths in the past week... And a sudden realization that my fight for Nina's treatment on the show was a reflection was something I was feeling at work and in life. I identify with you, Nina, because just like you, I'm talented, deal with with depression, and am a little bit crazy, girl. All your struggles that we see stripped down to the bone, especially on WOW's 'Untucked' don't go unnoticed. And I'm always here with open arms if you need me. You are beautiful, you are talented, and are going to get you some acting classes! Again, Drag Race & Untucked is my last living connection to the 'Gay World', and even though some of you shits send me death threats after I critique this show, it really is one of the only positive experiences in Gay Culture I have left. I love that we start out '9021HO' with the girls going back to the workroom, Alexis finally celebrating a well deserved win, Nina admitting her issues with getting in the way of her success, Shea Couleé delivering the 'I'ma lift you up in church and put you on the cross and crucify your ass if you don't do you and stop this mental block you throw up that keeps you from succeeding (Not only does Nina need to hear that, so do I - You are a perfection Shea), and Trinity 'The Tuck' Taylor giving us that true Floridian 'Another one down, now the real bitch can prove it's her town' Florida 'Suit of Armor' bit. Start your engine, mother fuckers... Ru enters the workroom and announces that Jenny Garth & Tori Spelling will be the guest judges for the upcoming challenge... And that the contestants will be transporting back to 1993 putting on their version of '9021HO'... Notable, because Farrah Moan announces that was the year he was born... Alex's face is priceless, 'You were born in 93?' That was my reaction to finding out that the barback at my weekend job telling me he was born in 2000! Do you know the debauchery I was knee deep 'In the yeaaaaaar 2000000000!' Ru takes Alex's reaction up an even larger notch (cuz shhh, Ru is much older - not that Ru ages) 'Im gonna fucking fuck you up!' Peppermint won the lip sync, I'm sorry... BURNED THAT LIP SYNC DOWN TO THE MOTHER FUCKING GROUND, so Ru gives her the honor of leading the group an assigning the roles... An honor that's both a curse and a blessing. Peppermint takes the high ground and asks the contestants what roles they feel the most right for, and really tries to give everyone the role they not only want, but feel the comfortable in. Cant please everybody, especially when there's pressure to perform at your highest ability, Aja has a meltdown from hell after being cast as Grandrea... But Peppermint isn't having it. Bitch we love you, but if you don't know want the role and are going to bring that kind of attitude to the production, Shea will gladly take the role she doesn't really want and make it one of the best in the show... That's kind of what she does. And I know that Aja was regretting this one later. Those cameras are on you almost 24/7, so if you have a meltdown like that, not only are they going to feature it prominently on the show, they are going to throw it up in your face when it comes time to face the music. I have it paused on Aja's 'reaction face'... Baby, if we are to be wed, this isn't the face you should ever make again. Alex is quick to click, 'You're going to have to grow up and accept the challenge.' Queens, going forward, if Shea gladly accepts the role you don't want, worry, she will take it, make it, and easy fucking bake it... And you don't want that coming up on the runway. Garth & Spelling introduce themselves and get to work... Its a bit like Snatch Games some contestants are automatically killing it (Trinity Taylor, Valentina, Shea Coulee), some need a bit of direction but are able to take it like pros and turn it in to magic (Alexis Michelle takes notes and follows the lead of Garth & Spelling, and for the most part Farrah - she just takes a bit longer than others, but hey, that's part of her charm, and Sasha Velour who didn't do bad, but didn't do great either), and then there are the those that bombed (Aja, Nina, Peppermint).... And there's nothing worse than watching these Queens on Drag Race bomb. Despite the criticisms I get for reviewing this portion of the show (God, get me to Untucked), I grow attached to all these contestants and want everyone to succeed, sometimes despite themselves. We all get in our way sometimes, and rather than seeing everyone bomb I want to Ru Paul to be put in a position where she doesn't know who to put in the top, the bottom, or even make safe... I want to everyone to shine. Everything is taped, the editing begins, and the queens prepare for a sick runway... You know what that means... Your VH1 mandated Drag Race workroom therapy sessions (I'm sure WOW is like, can we just do things our way, PLEASE... Are the ratings really that much different from Logo's, especially on a Friday Night.) The Queens talk prom, Alex has a pic of he and his date at prom in full drag... Alexis Michelle haters, can you please give this bitch some credit... That's an act of a true pioneer, that takes balls, and if you don't have balls, it takes gumption. Valentine was prom king... Perfection isn't surprising with this one. Now I am already a huge Trinity Taylor fan, this is a Florida bitch... Its hot down here and we have to put up with craziest people in the world, and if they're not born here they migrate from literally all over the world to bring their crazy to one huge hodgepodge of sweltering, alligator 'rasslin, porta-potty lighting on fire and tippin' insanity. It takes a special kind of crazy to survive the Everglades, bitch. Hearing Trinity's story about quitting the last two years of high school to take care of his grandmother touched me, especially since my partner of 11+ years had to do the same after his mother died at age 7 and his 5 sisters abandoned him to live with and take care of his father who turned into a scared and lonely, verbally and emotionally abusive man who eventually was taken by cancer in his final hours as my partner was robbed of his high school experience. If there was one thing I could change in this world, it isn't to take that experience that ultimately made him stronger in life and one of the most loyal and amazing men I have ever had the pleasure of knowing... Not to mention a loving, dedicated caretaker and lover who sticks by me through all my bullshit, self-destructive behavior, depression, and dependence issues over the years... But to go back and just sit next to him while he has to endure it, just so that someone else was there. Trinity, the next time you are in Miami, we would like to offer you the full Prom experience. I'm not sure Ginger Cubs are your thing, but my partner is certainly not that... So you get the best of both worlds, and my offer is real. I live on Collins in Miami Beach so 'The Prom' experience is something we can definitely give you in full, the 305 'White Boys in a Cuban World' version anyway... Followed by a senior trip and the whole nine. And I totally agree with Alex, I also truly believe those we've lost are there, watching, carrying us, picking us up when we need to get the fuck up off the floor... Even if we can't see them, 'cause god knows we can feel them. Runway Time!!! Ru is ready with 90's pastel, looking mighty, like a Queen who owned the 90s... Oh she was? And the 80s? And the 00's and the 10's too... Oh, that's right! This outfit reminded me of that, silly me! The makeup is a bit, uhm, off... But we're going to act like the makeup and the wig are flawless... oh we're not? Ok. Category is... Big Hair, Everywhere! Valentina... What were you guys expecting? Anything less than perfection? Diana Ross was her inspiration and it reads, but I wanted some early, EARLY 90's touch to this runway, and this is reading 70's. Farrah Moan, Crushed it. When Farrah doesn't stand out in challenges, she's there on the runway making grown men weep. Trinity Taylor, I love her everything, she can do no wrong, and if there is wrong, I'm sure it was someone else. This look is sick, and Trinity's voiceovers just make every step on the runway that much more entertaining. Top 3 at the end or bust. Sasha Velour... Big hair is inspiring a life of 70's/80's looks and yes 'Sid ate Nancy' is perfect. Fuck it, this look is sick, no complaints and anyway punk is forever Brooklyn. Peppermint... Again with the 70's, but hey... No one said '90's twist' so I guess I should stfu. Peppermint looks ready for Studio 54, and she's jumping the line, baby. Nina... YASSSSSSS, see this is what I'm talking about. Even if Nina bombed the challenge look at this early 90's Club Kid inspired runway with a Banana Fana Fo'Fina twist, that paint, RAWR. Shea Couleé... OK. Did someone say milkshake earlier? This is one of my favorite looks. Alexis Michelle... Big Hair, Floating in the water... Oh my! Not only does Alexis give us Disney Villain realness, she also ties it in to the mirror character she played. This is a winning look. Period. Aja... I like it... This is one of her better looks and there is definitely a progression throughout the show in terms of growth in the runway. It's just hard to follow Alexis Michelle... But it's hard to deny that Aja didn't do exactly what the judges asked of her here and more. 9021-HO... Living for this intro. Nina & Peppermint open, neither one dazzle, but this is not Nina's challenge. They immediately introduce them to Shea's 'Grandrea' and it's lights out. The divide is widening, and I'm not talking about Michelle Visage 🙃. Valentina & Farrah rock, the edits are surprisingly strong for Farrah, but Valentina could outshine the sun. Sasha Velour looks like Alaska Thunderfuck & Sharon Needles had a baby and left it home by itself. If Sasha had turned the volume up, she could've been in the top, what stopped her from taking this to the next level?! Trinity, my God, this performance has gotten me through the roughest two weeks in my life as of late... And if you pause the show at any point in the prom, there is not a frame that doesn't include Trinity Taylor that won't have you on your knees, laughing until you cry. The lip sync... A classic. Let's be honest, CeCe Peniston's 'Finally' had a much larger reach than the gay community... It was an electronic music classic, it was gay club classic, and even remixed to perfection for rave and club scenes throughout the 90's and early 00's. YES, Aja has made incredible strides and growth throughout the season, but Nina took that lip sync down to the river. It is what it is. Cheers to one of the best episodes of Drag Race to originally air on VH1. Now, excuse me while I catch the fuck up!