#they’re Whiskey and Papa respectively.

[dykeredhood]

The way I keep forgetting W and P in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet is so Dean Winchester of me

[krispyweiss]

Sound Remembrance: Gary Brooker and Mark Lanegan - Among the Best of their Respective Generations

At first listen, Gary Brooker and Mark Lanegan had little in common.

The English gentleman Brooker was the smooth-yet-powerful voice of the loved-by-a-cult-of-diehards Procol Harum, which came out of the 1960s playing a mix of Baroque, music-hall, hard-rock and symphonic music. And the American punk Lanegan was the raspy-yet-forceful voice of the also cultish Screaming Trees, who came out of the 1990s, before settling a wildly diverse, post-grunge career of solo and collaborative work.

The commonalities? Both were vastly under-recognized and both were among the greatest vocalists of their respective generations.

They also hold an important place in Sound Bites’ life, as Procol Harum and Lanegan’s solo work were first introduced to the blog by his father.

Papa Sound Bites revered Procol and Brooker and with his big ears also heard something special in Lanegan. Their music - among with many others’ - became part of the soundtrack of our shared times together.

My dad died, not unexpectedly, in the middle of the night in early 2012. And when I awoke to start the fatherless phase of my life, I immediately played Procol Harum’s Grand Hotel. When the runout groove ran out in the pre-dawn hours, the next LP was Lanegan’s Whiskey for the Holy Ghost.

The music helped to sustain me as I pondered the most-earth-shattering event in my life to that point.

So when Brooker’s Feb. 19 death at age 76 was announced Feb. 22, followed hours later by Lanegan’s death at 57, Sound Bites was shaken. Much more so than with your typical celebrity death(s).

Not only had two of my favorite musicians moved on, it felt like another severing of another string that held me and my father together.

It wasn’t, of course, because those strings are indestructible. But it felt that way.

Brooker and Lanegan’s music and legacies couldn’t be more divergent. But to Sound Bites, they’re inseparable - artists I’ve been listening to on a regular basis for decades and musicians who remind me of a man I revered, loved and, most importantly, genuinely liked and enjoyed spending time with.

I also like and genuinely enjoy spending time with Brooker and Lanegan. And if there’s any comfort in this it’s that I can still spend time with them, and by extension, my dad, through the music.

But these deaths sting.

2/23/22

[whatstruthgottodowithit]

Meanwhile Back At Mama’s

Fandom: The Outsiders

Pairing: Darry Curtis x Female Reader

Characters: Darry Curtis, Reader, Sodapop Curtis, Ponyboy Curtis, Mama & Papa Curtis, Dally Winston, Johnny Cade, Steve Randle, Two-Bit Matthews, 

Word Count: 1206 // Rating: Teen

Summary: Baby tell me what you think about this

Tags/ Warnings:  Established Relationship, Heartache, Dead Parents, Canon Character Death, Dreams, Lost Dreams, New Relationships, Wishing, Parenting, Song Fic [x]

Notes: I’m doing 12 days of Songfic’s for Halloween. Not halloween related just a challenge to write everyday [updated 9/22]

12 Days of Songfic Spooktober (Oct 19th - Oct 31st)

Runnin round in this new truck Bank lets me borrow from month to month I’m runnin out of credit, find a little Cash on the radio Standing still they’re blowing past, numbers on cars goin NASCAR fast What I wouldn’t give for a slow down, don’t ya know? Cause where I come from, only the horses run When the day is done, we take it easy

Darry Curtis used to hate living at home. Growing up he had been the eldest and therefore the tester child for all their parent’s rules and regulations that seemed to melt away when his younger siblings came along. He was expected to be the best in school, do the most to help out at home and still keep his job at the gas station to help keep the family afloat. He was allowed to date though he hated bringing girls back home as he had to share a room with his two younger brothers which gave him no privacy.  

Though he loved his brothers and his parents he couldn’t wait to escape. He’d worked hard for four years to keep his grades up and maintain his football career to earn him a scholarship. It wasn’t an ivy league college or anything but it was still respectable. He couldn’t wait to move out. His job at the gas station provided enough income that he could give some money to his folks and have some stashed away for moving into his dorm. 

Meanwhile back at Mama’s The porch light’s on, come on in if you wanna Supper’s on the stove and beer’s in the fridge Red sun sinkin’ out low on the ridge Games on the tube and Daddy smokes cigarettes Whiskey keeps his whistle wet Funny the things you thought you’d never miss In a world gone crazy as this

Then it happened. His parents went out one night and never came home. They were killed in a car accident by a drunk driver sending the boys into a tailspin. Overnight Darry found himself stuck with a dilemma, leave his family and go to college which would mean the boys became wards of the state or quit his dreams and keep his family together. He would like to say it was a hard decision but it wasn’t really. He’d lost his parents and he loved his brothers too much to leave them. So with a heavy heart, he took over everything.

For the first few months, they survived on some of their parent’s savings whilst Darry ran around to see to odds and ends that he hadn’t fathomed would be a problem. Getting a lawyer to oversee the transference of the house to be legally his was more of a hassle than he had anticipated. After that, he had to search around town for a job. Though his job at the gas station was good he couldn’t get any more hours and his parent’s savings wouldn’t last forever so he was forced to leave and get a job as a roofer. Though he could bring in enough money it meant he was home less. This meant that life became work and sleep and his eye was off the ball ‘parenting’ wise. Sodapop dropped out of school and took up his old gas station job against his wishes. 

He struggled. He was trying to keep Ponyboy on the straight and narrow whilst pinning down a job and corralling Sodapop into some sort of line. This was also a challenge because with Sodapop came a raft of waifs and strays who seemed to adopt their house as their own. Even with fewer people living there it was still jammed packed every day meaning that the only solace Darry got usually was in his own room, formally that of his parents. And bringing girls back was also a no-go. He didn’t want to promote a promiscuous lifestyle to the boys but he also didn’t want girls to think he was trying to make a new family.

Well I found a girl and we don’t fit in here Talk about how hard it is to breathe here Even with the windows down can’t catch a southern breeze here One of these days gonna pack it up and leave here

Then along came Y/N. She was a whirlwind who came into his life without warning. She was a cousin of Dally’s in town for the summer. She was a year or two younger than him but she seemed to be the maturest of the bunch and took to him like a duck to water. Whilst the boys played games in the living room she seemed to favour hanging out in the dining area/kitchen with him. She started coming over at night. Then earlier to have dinner. Then she ended up cooking dinner for the whole troop much to Darry’s delight as he hated having to cook each night. She had dropped out of school, not having much interest in it, and had been sent to stay with her aunt who was trying to convince her to go to college. Whilst in town she got a job as a waitress and when Darry had a day off the two of them would head into town to a bar or to a movie giving them both a rest from the boys. Over the course of the summer they had come to realise how much they meant to one another and when the time was approaching for her to head home Darry knew he couldn’t let her go. Without thinking he blurted out at dinner one night how she could stay with them until she found a place in town if she didn’t want to go home. 

Oh I miss yeah a little dirt on the road, I miss corn growing in a row I miss being somebody everybody knows, there everybody knows everybody I miss those small-town routes, walkin around in muddy boots The sound of rain on an old tin roof It’s time we head on back

She never left. The two fell into a comfortable relationship which turned intimate just after that Christmas and Darry felt a little more comfortable with his decision not to go into the big wide world. They still had the occasional itch. When Sodapop moved out and Ponyboy went to college Darry became wistful for the things he could have done if tragedy hadn’t struck him so young. But then he’d look at Y/N. Sitting in the cab of his truck singing to the radio or sitting on the front porch drinking sweet tea and he’d rethink it. 

They were happy. Though their routines were going to work, having dinner and sleeping they didn’t mind. It was mundane but it was enough.

Cause meanwhile back at Mama’s The for-sale signs goin up and I’m gonna Dump this truck and the little I got On a loan to own and a three-acre lot Put supper on the stove and beer in the fridge Goin’ for broke and we’re gonna be rich Watch the sun setting on the ridge

Baby tell me what you think about this Me and you back at Mama’s Yeah me and you back at Mama’s

[silverandarsenic-hcs]

The Papas & Ghouls + Drinking

in honor of my whole family being messy drunks heres something no one asked for: 

Papa I: Beers on one of those fated nights where the Emeritus brothers gather around a campfire and share old stories with a lot of anger subtext and tension like cowboys in those movies, but usually he drinks liquor and neat. Not much of a drinker, but if you get him started he can make a serious dent in a good bottle from the cellar.

Papa II: It’s well known this brother is always one for a party, no matter if it ends with plenty of women in his bed or his head in the toilet. he’ll probably drink anything but i saw that post someone made with a picture of tobias that said “hes sitting like he just poured himself some triple malt and told you to crawl to him” and that is a lot of papa II energy. Drinks on special occasions, when he’s stressed, after work, when he wants to party, when his s/o wants to drink, and every event in between.

Papa III: He can and will drink anything. Any type of wine, liquor, beer, mixed drinks, margaritas, shnops, sour puss, whatever you give him. If he’s showing off for a soon-to-be lover, he’ll drink expensive whiskey, but if he’s alone or just with friends, he’ll order a cosmo. he doesnt care what people say about the things he orders. 

Cardinal Copia: very much Mom Energy in the way that he drinks.someone brings out a bottle of Girls Night Out strawberry wine and he says “I wont tell anyone were staying in if you dont!!!!” not much of a beer guy, but can appreciate a fine brew here and there, and a good whiskey if he’s in the mood. only drinks on special occasions or at a nice dinner with s/o

Aether: BBQ beer dad. he wears New Balance sneakers and runs around asking “how many dogs and how many burgers” with whatever beer his s/o bought from the nearest store. Not one to get wild at a party, so he’s either the DD or just has a couple beers. Thinks its more fun to watch his friends get drunk and do stupid stuff than to take part in the shenanigans himself. 

Swiss and Dew: I’m going them together because they’re the same. They will drink anything. tide pods, every type of alcohol they can get their hands on, garbage juice, literally a n y t h i n g you can drink. its already in them. they are the reason aether doesnt get wasted - take care of them as best he can and stop them from burning down the whole town, and its hilarious to watch. When Swiss is alone hes still the life of the party and the craziest out of everyone, but less body slamming tables and more drunk moral conversations. Dew is the same on his own and will go absolutely fucking feral if he’s alone, around friends, or with strangers. Dew and Swiss are the Zane and Heath, respectively, of the ghouls. 

Rain: A wine guy. Bars make him uncomfortable and its really not his scene, but he’s down to go to a club and dance his little ass off any time. Shockingly, he goes alone a lot of the time, and aside from telling the occasional person that comes up to him trying to hit on him, he spends the night alone and enjoys every single second of it. He’ll have the occasional mixed drink if he’s with one of the higher ups who like them, and a beer if hes with the boys, but if theres wine, perhaps a nice chardonnay, he’ll always choose that. 

Mountain: Beer guy. Liquor makes him get drunk way too fast and he likes to keep it decently chill. He’s no beer expert, but he knows what he likes and what he doesnt, and him and Aether argue about which beer is the best whenever theyre together. Mountain says aethers beer tastes like piss and aether says mountains beer taste like something dew would drink, the ultimate insult. On the scale from bbq dad (1) to feral drunks (10) he’s a solid 4. only gets wild if he’s pissed off about something, and keeps up with Swiss and Dew EASILY.

The Ghoulettes: As soon as they get a sip of alcohol in them, they turn into the lesbian jersey-italian aunts who go over the top for everythiing, if you wake up in the middle of the night to consume shredded cheese from the bag, youll fine them splitting a bottle of wine and laughing hysterically in the kitchen over what, you dont know. They might turn on some loud music and make you dance with them if you cant escape first, but theyre both happy drunks so you don’t mind.

- Kat

[desiraypark]

When the Sun Sleeps in Canto Bight [9]

Previous Entire Series

CHAPTER PLAYERS Kylo Ren Ruby Girard Solo Sanya Solo, Daughter of Kylo and Ruby (5) Ben “Little” Solo, Jr., Son of Kylo and Ruby (4) Aida Solo, Daughter of Kylo and Ruby (2) Leia Organa Solo, Kylo’s mother Sheev Palpatine, Leader of the Palpatine Gang Ap’lek, a Knight of Ren Cheap Restaurant Patron Girlfriend of the Cheap Restaurant Patron (imagine a Jean Harlow character) Flora Chauntaine, Evin’s Wife/Ruby’s Friend Threepio, Leia’s butler CHAPTER CONTENT Fluff; happy family; slight sexual reference; mild violence; disparaging comments.

The series now takes place in a setting that can be compared to a city in 1930s U.S.A. A depression is slightly referenced through consumers’ interest in music.

Ruby intently watched her reflection as she put finishing touches on her makeup. A pink satin dress with long, ruffled sleeves adorned her curves. Her lips were still as she applied lipstick, but they twitched and formed into a smile when she heard the giggles of children. Kylo thumped into the bedroom like a fairytale giant. Sanya and Little clung to his legs like koala bears, and Aida sat on his shoulders. “Please, be careful,” Ruby urged. “Please, be careful,” Kylo mocked. “You all hear your Mama?”

The children giggled, and Ruby whirled around. “Oh, you all think that’s funny, huh?” Ruby asked. She grabbed Sanya and tickled her ribs, causing the little girl to break out into a fit of giggles. Ruby turned her attention to Little, and he left his father’s leg to run around the room--making his parents’ plush bed his destination. “Little, what did your mama say about gettin’ on that bed?” Kylo’s voice boomed. He pulled the two-year-old off his shoulders and held her in his arms, as Little quickly kicked his shoes off. Sanya took her shoes off and hopped on the bed, as well. But Little was letting his guard down. Ruby used the moment to attack--taking his little foot into her hand and tickling it. The boy fell back and filled the room with a pained laugh. Kylo watched the scene play out--looking Ruby over in the process. He bit his lip at the sight of her round ass in the form-fitting dress. “I’ve got a mind to shoot another baby in you with that dress on,” he said. Ruby’s eyes widened. “Kylo!” she said through clenched teeth. “They don’t know what I’m talking about,” he said back. He kissed Aida on the cheek and put her down on the bed. Then, he took a seat behind Ruby and kissed her neck. “What are you all going to do tonight?” Ruby asked, looking at the kids but talking to Kylo. “I know what we’re gonna do, but it’s a secret,” Kylo answered. Sanya jumped up. “Ooh, tell us, Papa, pleeeeeease!”  “It wouldn’t be a secret if I told you!” Kylo said, giving her nose a little tap with his index finger. ____________________ “Grandma, Grandma, Grandma!” Sanya and Little shouted through the large foyer of Leia’s home. The little lady with the coiffed updo flew out of the study.

“There are my grandbabies!” she said, her voice husky and strong. 

She bent down and pulled the two into her arms. Kylo followed behind, holding a duffel bag and carrying Aida in his free arm. Leia stood up and snatched the youngest right from Kylo’s arms. 

“There she goes with those chubby cheeks!” she said. Aida grabbed Leia’s lapel and mumbled and blubbered something nonsensible. Then, Leia gave her a peck on the cheek. “Kids, go into the kitchen. Threepio has a surprise for you.” “Oooh!” Sanya and Little said. They ran toward the kitchen. “Stop that running!” Kylo shouted at them. Leia’s shoulders lifted, frightened by her son’s stern voice. The children slowed their pace. “Stars, Ben. They’re alright!” Leia mumbled. Kylo wiped some drool from Aida’s mouth with his thumb. “Funny, when I was a kid, you’d have my head for running through the house.”

Leia rolled her eyes. “The past is the past.” “What kind of surprise does Threepio have?” Kylo asked. “Some fresh baked cookies,” Leia said, beaming.  “They can have two. I just took them for burgers and shakes, they’re never gonna go to fuc--go to bed.” Kylo handed the duffel bag off to Leia. “I should be back in about an hour. Two hours tops.” 

Leia stared at him in awe.

“Good evening, Mom,” she said to herself. “Good evening, Ben. How are you? Oh, I’ve been fine. That’s great. Business is good on this end. What about you?”

“Good evening, Mom. I’m glad business is good,” Kylo said. He bowed mockingly. “Business will be better for me when I make my way to it.”

He kissed Aida on the forehead and uncharacteristically kissed Leia. Both of them froze at the display of affection but said nothing of it. Kylo swallowed and turned on his heels. “Thanks, Mom. Shouldn’t take more than an hour,” he said, rushing for the door. ____________________  

“Now, your mom, on the other hand--I have a great deal of respect for her. A lot of people folded--giving up their businesses for pennies. But your mother’s got that Organa blood in her. If you ask me, the Organas are a gang all on their own.” Kylo chuckled. “I’d have to agree with you on that.” Sheev Palpatine took puffs of his cigar on the other side of Kylo’s desk. “I don’t like to force people to fall in line with me. You make the offer appealing, they’ll fall soon enough. Especially when they’re in need.” Kylo nodded. “And the Organas have never been in need.” “Precisely.” Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. “Come in.” Ap’lek opened the door. “Boss, there’s a customer who wants to meet the manager.” “For what?” Kylo asked, annoyed. “Didn’t like his food.” “Fuckin’ hell…” Kylo mumbled. “I think he’s just lookin’ for trouble, Boss…” Kylo rose from his seat. “I should be heading home, anyway,” Sheev said, also rising. “Thank you for meeting me on such short notice. Don’t forget--Trudgen and Cardo only. Through the flower shop, into the alley, and behind the bakery.”

“I won’t forget,” Kylo said. “Let me walk you out.”

Kylo and Sheev walked behind Ap’lek and into the recently upgraded dining area of The Garden Lounge. 

“I’ll be over in a minute,” he told Ap’lek. 

His eyes fell on a couple. The man looked to be his father’s age and of course, the woman he was dining with was young enough to be his daughter. She had platinum blonde hair in Marcel waves, was covered in diamonds, and wore a mink stole over her white satin dress. The man sat at the table with his arms folded. Kylo escorted Sheev to his car. Before Sheev climbed in, he held a finger up.

“Oh, by the way. Requests for Ruby’s records are going up,” he said.

“Are they now?” Kylo asked, a small smile forming on his face.

“Didn’t I tell you? You make something appealing enough--people will want it. If everyone thinks she’s tops, they’ll want to be associated with her,” Sheev said. He sat in his car, but Kylo held the door. “Now, wait, Sheev. You’re talkin’ like Ruby has no talent,” he said. “Like you’ve gotta force her on people.” “Oh, no, she is, talented Kylo. No mistake about it. But it’s like I told you before, her voice is too raw. Too powerful. People have been wanting music they can sip champagne and dance to--not drink whiskey and cry to.” Sheev started his engine. 

“But, with the way things are going now, I think people may be coming around. We’ll see.”

Sheev closed his door and waved goodbye to Kylo. Then, Kylo went back into the lounge and stopped at the troublesome table. The woman’s plate was empty, and her face was reddish--her lips pursed. The man’s plate was almost empty--some beef left on the bone; a corner of mashed potatoes left. “What’s the problem?” The man held up his check. “I just don’t think this was worth what I paid, buddy.” The blonde rolled her eyes. “But you ate the whole damn thing,” Kylo said. “Don’t get me wrong, it was okay, but it wasn’t worth this amount. I’d like a senior’s discount or something.” Kylo stared at the man, mulling over how to handle this. He looked at the plate again, then back into the man’s eyes. Then, he looked at the woman’s plate, and into her sapphire blues. 

“Did you enjoy your meal, ma’am?”

“I--” 

“It’s not about whether we enjoyed it or not,” the man said. He pointed at his date. “She could have made this for me herself for cheaper. This didn’t blow me away, at all.”

Kylo knocked the man’s plate into his lap. “Well, get her to make something for you next time.”

“Now, wait a minute!” the man shouted. He jumped up from his seat, but Kylo slapped him across the face, sending him back down on his butt. 

“Pay this ticket and get the fuck out,” Kylo said. He glanced at the woman, who was smirking. 

“I hope you find some more enjoyable company this evening, Miss.”

“As do I!” she agreed. Kylo walked back toward his office. 

“You’re always fuckin’ embarrassing me!” he heard the woman screeched.

Ap’lek watched the man pay the bill, then walked into the office, shaking his head.

“The things men do to impress new pussy,” Ap’lek said. 

“Do you got a pair of balls in your fuckin’ underwear, Ap’lek?” Kylo asked, lighting a cigarette. 

“Yeah, Boss,” Ap’lek answered, releasing air from his nostrils. “Why do you ask?”

“Don’t come in here like a little bitch askin’ me to take care of some fuckin’ table. Especially with Palpatine here. He already thinks you guys are fuckin’ useless.” Kylo blew a puff of smoke into the air. “My kids know how to handle a fuckin’ conflict with more fuckin’ brass than you. Get a fuckin’ grip.”

“Sorry, Boss,” Ap’lek said. He tipped his head in reverence. “I just didn’t want to create any trouble.”

“That fuckin’ prune wasn’t gonna be no trouble. He just wanted to get out of payin’ a bill. Use your fuckin’ common sense.”

“Yes, Boss.” “I’m gonna look over a few books, then I’m gettin’ the fuck outta here,” Kylo said, opening his desk drawer. “Yes, Sir...”

____________________

“It’s a shame you couldn’t stay for the after-party, Ruby,” Flora said. She stopped her car in front of the Ren house. 

“I know. I just miss my babies so much,” Ruby said. She looked up at the darkened house. “They’re all probably knocked out.”

Flora chuckled. “I’m sure my kiddos are, too.”

“I miss having you around, Ruby. All of that testosterone gets to be too much.” Ruby laughed.

“You know you don’t have to go to every engagement, Flo,” Ruby suggested in a sing-songy voice.

“Oh, you’re crazy!” 

Ruby threw her head back and let out another laugh. “You don’t trust Evin after all of these years?”

“Oh, I trust Evin. I don’t trust the boys. Or the chicks at the clubs. The only reason I drove you home is because I miss talking to you alone.”

Ruby rolled her eyes and smiled. “I think you should trust your husband, Flo. He loves you and wouldn’t dream of stepping out on you.”

“Yeah, sure, sure…” Flora said. She hugged Ruby. “Come record with us again,” she said, pulling away.

“I’ll try. I’m just so tied up with Sidious Records. I can’t record with anyone else right now.”

“How much longer are you contracted with them?”

“Two more years. Or until my records start to tank,” Ruby answered.

“Well, from the sounds of it, that’s gonna be a long time. Your records are always on the radio,” Flora said. Ruby smiled. 

“Yeah, it is nice to hear myself,” Ruby said, warmth befalling her. “Thanks for dropping me off. Get back to the club.” 

Ruby gave Flora one more hug before stepping out of the car and into the house. It was pitch black and eerily quiet. She walked up the stairs and peeked into the bedrooms. No Kylo, no kids. Ruby went back downstairs and grabbed the phone.

“CB West Information...” the switchboard operator said. 

“Hello, I’d like to be connected with PAR-1956.” “One moment, please.” Ruby fiddled with the phone cord. “This is Leia Organa’s residence, may I ask who is speaking?” “Hi, Threepio! This Ruby. Is Kylo there?” Ruby asked. “Good evening, Mrs. Ruby. No, he isn’t, but the children are. He dropped them off to attend an emergency meeting.”  “He did?”

“Yes, ma’am. Would you like them brought to you?” he asked.

“Um…” Ruby thought about it. “No, I’ll come to get them myself. I’ll be over soon.”

TAG LIST @aloneandsleepless​

@tsarinastorm​

@sister-winter73​

@clydes-hole​

[mutantsrisingrpg]

WHO

Name: Neve Kaplan Dossier: Portia Age: 28 Mutant Risk Level: Two Affiliation and Occupation: Kings Collective, Interrogator  Gender/Pronouns: Cisfemale, she/her Faceclaim: Melisa Pamuk

POWER

AGROKINESIS: Most commonly known as plant manipulation, agrokinesis is the ability to manipulate plant life such as trees, vines, plants, moss, and even plant parts such as leaves and roots. Mutants with this ability can mutate plant DNA, reviving plants that have recently died. Through advanced training, mutants such as Neve have harnessed this mutation for both defensive and offensive attacks and also to heal. Neve in particular can manipulate vines, roots, and thrones when needed. They can also force plants to release toxins as a defense mechanism.

AESTHETIC

They are the vines that wrap around your ankles and pull you into the darkness, the leaves that block the sun from reaching the forest floor, and the ivy that makes your skin itch and burn. They are the knife in your back, twisting like the smile that stretches across their face, teeth bared and intentions finally known. The distorted reflection in a funhouse mirror, the sound of footsteps following you through the woods, and the echo of laughter in a deserted hall. They are the one who looks like a flower, but is really the serpent underneath. 

BIOGRAPHY

TW: kidnapping

The very first thing she remembers is the sound of her parents cries then silence.

Neve is five years old when she was taken from her mother’s arms and carried outside by some man she had never seen before. She remembers the horror on her face as he clawed Neve from her embrace and into his own. Her mother struggles against some force holding her to the spot as her father begs them to him, not her—anything but her.

He held her head to his chest as they walked out of the home and whispered, “There’s no need to worry. You’re safe now, little tiger.” The moment of silence that followed in this unknown car was deafening. He told her that her parents had stolen something very important to him. The punishment had to fit the crime. For the time being, Neve would be in his care and returned to them when they returned what they stole.

As she grew she became a mirror of her parents, it was something those around her could not ignore. They saw it in the way her eyes shone when playing and the way her smile spread across her face when she laughed. She was a loose end turned ticking time bomb. Everyone but their boss can see it.

As the days turn into years, she forgot about the people who held her in their arms in the hospital room. She forgot about the four purple walls that were covered in vines and daffodils. She forgot who she originally was.

Neve is 10-years-old when she begins to see him as a father. It began with a simple statement over a game of checkers. “You’re a daughter to me, little tiger.” She froze at the sentiment, unsure of what he meant. Neve being someone else’s child was never a secret they kept from her, but instead one they discussed to show their respect for the child. But, Benjamin was the only parent she truly knew and that was okay with her. The child was happy and that was all that mattered. “You’re the only daughter I’ve ever known.”

After a moment she flashes a smile and replies. “You’re silly, Papa Ben!”

Neve is 16-years-old when she decides she hates this man. In a bought of teenage rebellion, she broke into his office to steal some whiskey for a party. On top of the mahogany desk was a manila folder, an oversight on her father’s part for not putting it away when he was done. There’s a name written in bold red marker KAPLAN, her name. Curiosity takes control and she finds herself abandoning the alcohol for the folder.

The revelation hit her like a punch to the gut, knocking the air from her lungs. She sinks to the ground, file in one hand as she fingers the photo attached to a transcript. The two people in the photo are looking around them, a child in their arms. The timestamp in the bottom right corner reads that it was taken only a few years ago.

Neve remembers her parents, can recite their names and trace every wrinkle on their hands from memories that she had since buried. But, they’ve forgotten all about her and it’s his fault. The anger that comes in waves is directed at Benjamin, not parents. If he didn’t steal her from them all those years ago, she would’ve been the child in that photo.

The funny thing about revenge is that it has a way of blocking out anything that doesn’t have to do with the end goal. Revenge snaked its way from her head to her heart like poison ivy through a garden. It put a set of blinders on the girls face the moment it settled into her heart and put her on a mission that wouldn’t end for years to come.

She repeats the same Shakespeare quote every morning she wakes up and every night before sleeping. Look like the flower, but be the serpent underneath. It’s engraved in her desk, written on her wrist, and embroidered onto the inside of her pillowcase. She reminds herself that one day a time will come and she will finally be able to strike.

Neve is 28 years old when she realizes her opening is upon her. She did her duty, suffered through countless nights as Benjamin’s surrogate daughter at dinners, gave her opinion when needed, and played the part she was given. Some days she debated on submitting herself for an Oscar for her performance; after all, she deserved some sort of reward for it. With a right hand of her own by her side, she realized she could finally achieve what she always wanted.

But with time, comes a change in motive. Now, her plan was to take everything she possibly can from Benjamin Granger and make him suffer. She would get her revenge and make a name for herself, one that wasn’t tainted by him.

CONNECTIONS

NANA YAMADA, Mentor: Neve can say that Nana was, without a doubt, her first friend. They were only a few years older than herself, but they became the older sibling she never had but needed. She would follow them around the Conservatory, annoy them into getting coffee with her, and even made sure that they were there on her graduation day. Neve confinded in Nana about her plans and thankfully, the other didn’t rat her out to their boss. But, she knows that they’re not comfortable with what she’s doing and is worried about her. 

JORDAN ROJAS, Right Hand: Every good general needs a pupil to do all their bidding and Jordan became Neve’s. Jordan was attracted to them and their plan like a moth to a flame—they reveled in it. Neve needed someone willing to get dirty while their manicured nails stayed pristine, someone who caused chaos just for the sake of, but most of all they needed someone that they could trust. Neve knows that without Jordan their plan to take over will never come to fruition.

JACKSON RAEMERS, Ex: In the brief moment Neve’s life didn’t revolve around revenge, it revolved around Jackson Raemers. There was even a possibility she loved them once upon a time. But, revenge has a way of twisting itself around one's heart and refusing to let anything else in. It didn’t take long for either to see the reality of the situation and soon the laughter turned into fights about actually living life for themselves instead of for revenge. In the end, the pair ended before they ever truly began. There are moments when their bright smile or soft eyes floats through her mind, but Neve shoves it to the back and tries to forget she ever looked at them like that.

BENJAMIN GRANGER, Target: A long time ago Neve thought of Benjamin as a father. She didn’t remember much about her parents and he was the only person who had actually taken care of her while she grew up. But, once the truth came to light she could never see him the same way. Neve has been bidding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to take her revenge on the man that ruined her life and she won’t let anyone get in the way of that.

PORTIA is CLOSED for applications. She is taken by KAYLA.

[cassiemortmain]

Erin go Bragh!

Ireland forever!  New story in my collection of AU ficlets from the Bransons’ life in Ireland - their marriage, their children, their work, and their experiences of life during the turbulent years of the 1920s and beyond.  Also published on ff.net.

It’s been a while since I posted one of these stories... this one is something I have wanted to write for a long time.  Happy New Year, lovely fandom!

All images not mine.

***

The Count at Ripon

"Really, Branson, I thought I gave the orders."

Lady Sybil's words ring in Tom's ears as he finds a place to park the car, then comes racing back to find her.

She is so reckless, so passionate. Qualities he normally admires in her.

But today, he feels they are going to get her into trouble. Both of them, if he is honest with himself.

Can you imagine what would happen to me if anything goes wrong here today? I'll be out on my ear.

Running under the archway, Tom shades his eyes from the brightness that breaks over him as he entered the courtyard.

Where is she?

He can picture her even before he finds her. Eyes wide, mouth in an O of excitement, standing on tiptoe as she tries to see what's happening on the stage.

Then he sees her. About halfway towards the front, her hat bobbing in a sea of people.

He shoulders his way through the crowd, his one thought to get to her before anything happens. "Can we call it a day, milady?"

He can hardly hear Lady Sybil's reply over the tumult. "Don't be silly. This is the moment we've come for."

The speaker on stage continues to bellow over the roar of the unruly crowd as he looks around, his senses on full alert.

He knows what that roar means. He'd been in the middle of it before, in Dublin, when things were about to go horribly wrong. And he doesn't like it.

Especially not with her there, in the heart of the action.

"This lot aren't interested in politics. They're spoiling for a fight."

Tom can hear the panic starting to come through in his voice. But Lady Sybil's not listening.

He wants to put his arm around her, shelter her, guide her outside to where it's safe. But it's not his place to do that. So he has no choice but to stand beside her.

If anyone tries to hurt her, he'll have to come through me...

A familiar voice beside them, sure of its authority. "Sybil! What on earth are you doing here?"

It's Matthew Crawley. Tom feels an unaccountable stab of dislike for him.

Lady Sybil's shining-eyed as she turns towards her cousin. "I couldn't miss this."

A rueful smile on the other man's face. "Couldn't you? I could."

But Tom has seen the interlopers filtering into the back of the courtyard and the violence they are bringing with them. He's beyond words now, knowing he has to take some kind of action to protect her, whatever the cost.

"I don't like the look of this, milady."

He steps forward to confront one of the men, trying to win him over. But he's pushed aside, hard. The man is bent on trouble, whatever form that might take, and he's not interested in Tom's efforts to make peace.

Then, the man's eyes meet Matthew's, who's in a belligerent mood.

It only takes a minute for the situation to boil over. The man takes a swing at Matthew and misses, and Matthew gives as good as he gets and then some.

But somehow, Lady Sybil is caught in the middle of it all.

Horror-struck, held back by a member of the rough mob, Tom sees her trip, fall, strike her head on the corner of a table.

Then she disappears beneath the feet of the surging crowd.

He feels his heart almost burst out of his chest as he pushes free and races over to where he saw her fall.

Matthew's there too, looking worried as he touches her head, something which would be an unpardonable liberty for Tom.

There's blood on Matthew's fingers.

Tom's focus zeroes in on a single point in the universe. The point where a girl lies, unconscious on the ground. The point where the happiness, the joy of his life, the love of his heart, is fully revealed to him.

I love her. I love her so much. How could I not have known?

"Oh, no. Oh, please God, no."

The utter panic in his eyes.. he can't hide it now.

They both lift Sybil up. Then Matthew leads the way back to the car, while Tom carries her out of the courtyard.

It's the most precious burden he's ever carried. She's so light, light as a feather. But she carries the weight of his heart with her.

***

Time is a blur after that. He's aware of nothing but her, aware of nothing but his longing for her to wake up, smile at him, reassure him that she is going to be all right.

He finds himself in the entrance hall of Downton Abbey, not even sure how he got there. Lady Mary emerges from the drawing room, an anxious look on her face.

"I've come to fetch you, my lady. We've taken Lady Sybil to Crawley House in the village."

"What's happened?

"I took her to Ripon for the count. She got injured in a fight."

The emotion on Lady Mary's face is raw. She gasps, covering her mouth before pressing his hand with hers.

In the midst of everything, he's jealous of her for a moment. Because she has the right to feel as she does, and to show it to the world.

Unlike him. Who has to remember his place.

"Take me there at once."

And he does.

When Lady Mary jumps out of the car and runs inside, there's nothing for him to do but wait. One thought races through his mind like a prayer to the God of his childhood.

Please, God, let Sybil be all right. I will do anything as long as she's all right…

At least there's one advantage to being the chauffeur. No one expects him to feel anything, so no one will be looking at him.

*** 

Later on, they bring her home. She's conscious now, leaning heavily on Matthew as he guides her to the front door.

Tom's arms ache to pick her up again, but he knows he can't do that. Ever again.

He has to know, so he speaks to her sister without being spoken to first.

"She's not badly hurt, is she?"

"I don't think so, no."

"Thank God."

"Better be prepared. I'm afraid Lord Grantham will hit the roof."

Somehow, it's important that Lady Mary understand. "I never would have taken her there. I may be a socialist, but I'm not a lunatic."

"I'm not sure Papa knows the difference."

There's a moment of mutual understanding, almost respect between them. He's never had much time for her before – he's always found her something of a cold fish, always calculating, too aware of presenting the perfect façade to the world. But now he can see her love for her sister on her face.

Which gives them something in common, for the first time.

"You'll let me know how she gets on?"

She's surprised at his request, but he doesn't care what she thinks. As long as Sybil will be all right, nothing else matters. Certainly not his so-called dignity.

She agrees. Then she leaves him alone.

*** 

Anguish fills Tom's soul as he turns away.

He walks slowly back to the car and drives it round to the garage. As if in a dream, he returns to his cottage, takes off his jacket, pours himself a glass of whiskey and drinks it so fast he coughs.

Sitting down at the empty fireside, his face falls and he runs his hands through his hair. He'll get no sleep tonight. The mingled joy and despair of today's revelation will take care of that.

His feelings overwhelm him like a spring tide as he works his way down the half-empty bottle.

It's hopeless, he already knows it. He and she can never... but it doesn't matter. The dark, star-pierced canopy of night swirls over his head, but he barely notices the time passing.

Early the next morning, William brings him a note from Lady Mary to let him know that Sybil will recover.

He reads it twice, to make sure, then closes his eyes, crunching the paper in his fist as a tear slips down his cheek. The first one he has shed in many years.

Oh, my love…

Nothing will ever be the same again. Whatever happens next, he's lost. Lost for all time.

[avani-hub]

God Save The Prom Queen. (Otayuri Mafia Au)

⚠⚠⚠ Warning! This story is gonna have some adult like moments and language, so if you’re uncomfortable with that then I don’t suggest you come here! ⚠⚠⚠

Prom Queen, they called the youngest son of the most dangerous Mafia man in the world, Prom Queen.

Otabek couldn’t imagine being so bold.

But he could see it as he looked over at the boy, biting his lip. He had the perfect. body, all long and lean, pale white skin and his hair was bleached blonde.

He also dressed like one, the boy seemed to flip one elegant finger at gender roles and binaries and wore whatever he liked, which tonight was a black shorts and a black lace top he’d stolen from Mila, topped off with pink lipgloss and dark pink eyeshadow.

“I’d stop staring Atlin, Yakov is very protective of his youngest boy, even if he does let him go out and get high as fuck at three in the morning at the club.”

Otabek jumped as he turned around to see Phichit Chaulount standing behind him, sipping on a glass of something bright purple while his date watched over him protectively and slightly possessively.

“I-I wasn’t staring at him, I was just looking at a girl…” Otabek mumbled into his drink as the Thai pimp walked closer, laughing as he hugged Otabek.

“Oh Otabear, you were staring at that boy like Ciao-Ciao stares at me, like you were starving.” Phichit teased him as Otabek’s cheeks burned in shame.

“No need to be ashamed Otabear! It’s good to see you taking interest in someone, I was close to setting you up with one of my boys.” Otabek choked on his whiskey and Coke.

Phichit truly had no shame, offering up one of his prized sugar babies, a contract with one could cost you somewhere around a million dollars. “Uh-uh, thank you Phichit but I wouldn’t have accepted, not my kind of thing.” Otabek stuttered, eyes snapping back over to Yurio as he stood up.

“I have to go.” He cut Phichit off as he started to follow the boy, he was off for cigarette from what Otabek could see he pulled a pack of menthols out of his Chanel purse and fumbled with his lighter out on an open balcony. Perfect chance for Otabek to step in.

“Need a light?” Yurio jumped a little as he stepped forward and offered his lighter. “Yeah, thanks.” Yurio took his lighter and lit his cigarette, handing it back.

“No problem, I’m Otabek, and you?” Otabek lit his own cigarette and leaned back on the railing. Even out here he could feel the heat and energy of the club. “Yuri Plisteky.” Yuri answered back sighing as he tilted his head back, exposing a pale neck interrupted only by a void black choker with a silver ring with two silver chains that disappeared into his shirt.

“I like your choker, what’s it connected to?” Yuri smirked and leaned forward conspiratorially, Otabek felt himself still.

Chanel No.5, Dove soap, raw vodka and cigarette was Yuri’s smell and it envoloped Otabek as the boy whispered in his ear: “They’re connected to my nipple piercings.” There was a rush of warmth to Otabek’s groin and he had to suppress a groan.

“And your father let you leave the house like that?” Yuri scoffed. “My old as fuck father was about six inches deep in a Russian Victoria’s Secret model, and besides it’s my birthday.”

“Oh?” Otabek felt his heart rate speed up a little, because really he wanted the boy to be legal, then woo him with his muscles and motorcycle before whisking him off to his hotel room to bang him through the weekend. “And how old is the birthday boy turning today?”

“18.” Otabek groaned then when the beat dropped on a song that could cover it. So this beautiful little fairy was legal? Otabek was going to have a stroke and love it.

“At least papa isn’t stupid, he filled my purse with everything a birthday boy could need.” He showed Otabek the contents of his purse, sniggering.

Inside was lube, about 20 condoms, the plan B pill, a bottle of Vicodin, a wad of cash and his phone along with another phone. Well beyond stocked for a one night birthday stand.

“But papa expects me to use this on a girl, but…” Otabek actually said ‘eep’ as one slender hand reached across the space between them and toyed with his zipper.

“You’ve been eyeing me all night Atlin, I’ve seen you, got everything I ever needed to know about you twenty minutes ago and I know that under all leather and linen you’re ripped and fuckin hung.”

Otabek groaned out loud then, as he unzipped his pants and a pale, slim hand darted in to toy with him through his boxers.

“Take me to your hotel room Atlin, and then fuck me until the sun comes up and don’t stop until we both pass out” Yuri whispered in his ear, Otabek blushing hard as he was groped by Yuri. For a virgin he was talented with those slim fingers.

“Listen here you little hellcat.” Otabek growled at him, wrenching Yuri’s hand out his pants and spinning around, pinning him to the wall, Yuri groaning. “I ought to take you to the back alley and teach you some damn manners, but.”

Otabek tugged on those blonde locks making Yuri groan and whine. “I’ll take you to my hotel and really show you what respect and manners mean you little brat.”

Phichit was wide eyed as Otabek dragged Yuri through the club, tugging lovingly on his chains, quickly turning Yuri in a moaning mess.

“He works quick…” Celestiano yelled over the music, Phichit nodding in agreement.

Victor wasn’t going to like it one bit that he’d let his baby brother go off with total stranger but he knew the two of needed a night of mindless passionate sex. “Enjoy yourself you horndog!” Phichit yelled to Otabek who flipped him off before he disappeared out the door with Yuri.

He smirked into his drink and raised it up. “God Save The Prom Queen!”

××××

Otabek didn’t know how he even made it to his hotel room, it was a blur of strawberry flavored kisses and purple neon lights.

'God this boy is gorgeous.’ Otabek thought with a happy groan as he effortlessly ripped his shirt off, loving how Yuri mewled in surprise and squirmed.

But what really made him come undone was when Yuri wrapped legs that seemingly went on for miles around his waist and moaned: “Fuck me please sir!” His head was thrown back, skin flushed cotton candy pink and his emerald eyes wide in lust and Otabek was hooked.

He went at Yuri for hours, the sheets soon becoming mess from orgasm after orgasm, lube, sweat and by four am overwhelmed tears.

Only when Otabek could feel the scratch marks burning on his back and those handprints on Yuri’s pale hips were staying there for a while, he rolled over and laid on his back panting hard, Yuri doing the same.

“For a first time.” Yuri huffed, wiping his hair back from his eyes. “That was fucking amazing.” Otabek nodded, so worn out he couldn’t speak, still ingraining those faces Yuri had been making in his mind.

“These sheets are fucking disgusting but.” Yuri faceplanted into Otabek’s chest and snuggled in sighing. “I want to nap here Atlin, don’t leave until I fall asleep please? I’ll feel less like a prostitute.”

Otabek nodding and wrapped his arm around Yuri’s slim waist and drifted off.

×××××

When Otabek woke up the next day, Yuri was gone but scribbled in pretty pink lipstick on his mirror was Yuri’s phone number with a message which read:

“Had a great time last night Atlin, call me sometime when you get bored and your dick too hard that even jacking off doesn’t help call me~”

Otabek groaned and shook his head as he picked up his phone and dialed in the number.

“Hey Yura, it’s me Otabek…wanna go out for dinner sometime?” He smiled as he stared out towards the water.

God Save The Prom Queen and now, save his king.

//Blame @kawaiilo-ren for this

[aion-rsa]

Best New Science Fiction Books

http://bit.ly/2MX9kqh

Here are the best new science fiction books in June 2019.

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There's so much to look forward to in our speculative fiction future. Here are some of the science fiction books we're most excited about and/or are currently consuming...

Join the Den of Geek Book Club!

Best New Science Fiction Books in June 2019

FKA USA by Reed King

Type: Novel Publisher: Flatiron Books Release date: 6/18/19

In Reed King’s wildly imaginative and possibly prescient debut, the United States has dissolved in the wake of environmental disasters and the catastrophic policies of its final president.

It is 2085, and Truckee Wallace, a factory worker in Crunchtown 407 (formerly Little Rock, Arkansas, before the secessions), has no grand ambitions besides maybe, possibly, losing his virginity someday.

But when Truckee is thrust unexpectedly into the spotlight he is tapped by the President for a sensitive political mission: to deliver a talking goat across the continent. The fate of the world depends upon it.

The problem is―Truckee’s not sure it’s worth it.

Joined on the road by an android who wants to be human and a former convict lobotomized in Texas, Truckee will navigate an environmentally depleted and lawless continent with devastating―and hilarious―parallels to our own, dodging body pickers and Elvis-worshippers and logo girls, body subbers, and VR addicts.

Elvis-willing, he may even lose his virginity.

FKA USA is the epic novel we’ve all been waiting for about the American end of times, with its unavoidable sense of being on the wrong end of the roller coaster ride. It is a masterwork of ambition, humor, and satire with the power to make us cry, despair, and laugh out loud all at once. It is a tour de force unlike anything else you will read this year.

Read FKA USA by Reed King

Best New Science Fiction Books in May 2019

Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Type: Short story collection Publisher: Knopf Release date: 5/7/19

From the acclaimed author of Stories of Your Life and Others—the basis for the Academy Award –nominated film Arrival—comes a groundbreaking new collection of short fiction: nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories. These are tales that tackle some of humanity’s oldest questions along with new quandaries only Ted Chiang could imagine.

In “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” a portal through time forces a fabric seller in ancient Baghdad to grapple with past mistakes and second chances. In “Exhalation,” an alien scientist makes a shocking discovery with ramifications that are literally universal. In “Anxiety Is the Dizziness of Freedom,” the ability to glimpse into alternate universes necessitates a radically new examination of the concepts of choice and free will.

Including stories being published for the first time as well as some of his rare and classic uncollected work, Exhalation is Ted Chiang at his best: profound, sympathetic—revelatory.

Read Exhalation: Stories by Ted Chiang

Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler

Type: Standalone Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Release date: 5/7/19

From the author of national bestseller The Book of Speculation, a poignant, fantastical novel about the electric combination of ambition and wonder that keeps us reaching toward the heavens.

Eleven-year-old Nedda Papas is obsessed with becoming an astronaut. In 1986 in Easter, a small Florida Space Coast town, her dreams seem almost within reach--if she can just grow up fast enough. Theo, the scientist father she idolizes, is consumed by his own obsessions. Laid off from his job at NASA and still reeling from the loss of Nedda's newborn brother several years before, Theo turns to the dangerous dream of extending his living daughter's childhood just a little longer. The result is an invention that alters the fabric of time.

Amidst the chaos that erupts, Nedda must confront her father and his secrets, the ramifications of which will irrevocably change her life, her community, and the entire world. But she finds an unexpected ally in Betheen, the mother she's never quite understood, who surprises Nedda by seeing her more clearly than anyone else. Decades later, Nedda has achieved her long-held dream, and as she floats in antigravity, far from earth, she and her crewmates face a serious crisis. Nedda may hold the key to the solution, if she can come to terms with her past and the future that awaits her.

Light from Other Stars is about fathers and daughters, women and the forces that hold them back, and the cost of meaningful work. It questions how our lives have changed, what progress looks like, and what it really means to sacrifice for the greater good.

Read Light From Other Stars by Erika Swyler

Westside: A Novel by W.M. Akers

Type: Standalone Publisher: Harper Voyager Release date: 5/7/19

New York is dying, and the one woman who can save it has smaller things on her mind.

A young detective who specializes in “tiny mysteries” finds herself at the center of a massive conspiracy in this beguiling historical fantasy set on Manhattan’s Westside—a peculiar and dangerous neighborhood home to strange magic and stranger residents—that blends the vivid atmosphere of Caleb Carr with the imaginative power of Neil Gaiman.

It’s 1921, and a thirteen-mile fence running the length of Broadway splits the island of Manhattan, separating the prosperous Eastside from the Westside—an overgrown wasteland whose hostility to modern technology gives it the flavor of old New York. Thousands have disappeared here, and the respectable have fled, leaving behind the killers, thieves, poets, painters, drunks, and those too poor or desperate to leave.

It is a hellish landscape, and Gilda Carr proudly calls it home.

Slightly built, but with a will of iron, Gilda follows in the footsteps of her late father, a police detective turned private eye. Unlike that larger-than-life man, Gilda solves tiny mysteries: the impossible puzzles that keep us awake at night; the small riddles that destroy us; the questions that spoil marriages, ruin friendships, and curdle joy. Those tiny cases distract her from her grief, and the one impossible question she knows she can’t answer: “How did my father die?”

Yet on Gilda’s Westside, tiny mysteries end in blood—even the case of a missing white leather glove. Mrs. Copeland, a well-to-do Eastside housewife, hires Gilda to find it before her irascible merchant husband learns it is gone. When Gilda witnesses Mr. Copeland’s murder at a Westside pier, she finds herself sinking into a mire of bootlegging, smuggling, corruption—and an evil too dark to face.

All she wants is to find one dainty ladies’ glove. She doesn’t want to know why this merchant was on the wrong side of town—or why he was murdered in cold blood. But as she begins to see the connection between his murder, her father’s death, and the darkness plaguing the Westside, she faces the hard truth: she must save her city or die with it.

Introducing a truly remarkable female detective, Westside is a mystery steeped in the supernatural and shot through with gunfights, rotgut whiskey, and sizzling Dixieland jazz. Full of dazzling color, delightful twists, and truly thrilling action, it announces the arrival of a wonderful new talent.

Read Westwide by W.M. Akers

A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams

Type: Second book in The Universe After series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 5/7/19

It’s been three years since Esa left her backwater planet to join the ranks of the Justified. Together, she and fellow agent Jane Kamali have been traveling across the known universe, searching for children who share Esa’s supernatural gifts.

On a visit to a particularly remote planet, they learn that they’re not the only ones searching for gifted children. They find themselves on the tail of a mysterious being with impossible powers who will stop at nothing to get his hands on the very children that Esa and Jane are trying to save.

With their latest recruit in tow―a young Wulf boy named Sho―Esa and Jane must track their strange foe across the galaxy in search of answers. But the more they learn, the clearer it becomes―their enemy may be harder to defeat than they ever could have imagined.

Read A Chain Across the Dawn by Drew Williams

Read our review of the first book in the series here.

Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Type: Second book in Children of Time series Publisher: Orbit Release date: 5/14/19

Thousands of years ago, Earth's terraforming program took to the stars. On the world they called Nod, scientists discovered alien life - but it was their mission to overwrite it with the memory of Earth. Then humanity's great empire fell, and the program's decisions were lost to time.

Aeons later, humanity and its new spider allies detected fragmentary radio signals between the stars. They dispatched an exploration vessel, hoping to find cousins from old Earth.

But those ancient terraformers woke something on Nod better left undisturbed.

Read Children of Ruin by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan

Type: Novella Publisher: Tor.com Release date: 5/21/19

All Bee has ever known is darkness.

She doesn’t remember the crime she committed that landed her in the cold, twisting caverns of the prison planet Colel-Cab with only fellow prisoner Chela for company. Chela says that they’re telepaths and mass-murderers; that they belong here, too dangerous to ever be free. Bee has no reason to doubt her―until she hears the voice of another telepath, one who has answers, and can open her eyes to an entirely different truth.

Read Her Silhouette, Drawn in Water by Vylar Kaftan

The Gameshouse by Claire North

Type: Trilogy of novellas Publisher: Orbit Release date: 5/28/19

The World Fantasy Award-winning author of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry Augustpresents a mesmerizing tale of a gambling house whose deadly games of chance and skill control the fate of empires.

Everyone has heard of the Gameshouse. But few know all its secrets...

It is the place where fortunes can be made and lost through chess, backgammon - every game under the sun.

But those whom fortune favors may be invited to compete in the higher league... a league where the games played are of politics and empires, of economics and kings. It is a league where Capture the Castle involves real castles, where hide and seek takes place on the scale of a continent.

Among those worthy of competing in the higher league, three unusually talented contestants play for the highest stakes of all...

Read The Gameshouse by Claire North

Five Unicorn Flush by TJ Berry

Type: Second book in The Reason series Publisher: Angry Robot Release date: 5/28/19

Only one woman with a magical parasite can unite the galaxy, in the mind-blowing SF sequel to Space Unicorn Blues

Reasonspace is in shambles after the disappearance of all magical creatures. Without faster-than-light travel, supply and communication routes have dried up, leaving humankind stranded and starving. Cowboy Jim and his complement of Reason soldiers search for the relocated Bala using the only surviving FTL drive. On their new utopian planet, the Bala are on the brink of civil war between those who want peace under old-fashioned unicorn rule and those who seek revenge on their human oppressors. Only Captain Jenny and her new brain parasite can stop the Reason plan to enslave the Bala again.

Read Five Unicorn Flush by TJ Berry

Best New Science Fiction Books in April 2019

Finder by Suzanne Palmer

Type: Novel Publisher: DAW Release date: 4/2/19

From Hugo Award-winning debut author Suzanne Palmer comes an action-packed sci-fi caper starring Fergus Ferguson, interstellar repo man and professional finder   Fergus Ferguson has been called a lot of names: thief, con artist, repo man. He prefers the term finder.     His latest job should be simple. Find the spacecraft Venetia's Sword and steal it back from Arum Gilger, ex-nobleman turned power-hungry trade boss. He’ll slip in, decode the ship’s compromised AI security, and get out of town, Sword in hand. 

Fergus locates both Gilger and the ship in the farthest corner of human-inhabited space, a backwater deep space colony called Cernee. But Fergus’ arrival at the colony is anything but simple. A cable car explosion launches Cernee into civil war, and Fergus must ally with Gilger’s enemies to navigate a field of space mines and a small army of hostile mercenaries. What was supposed to be a routine job evolves into negotiating a power struggle between factions. Even worse, Fergus has become increasingly—and inconveniently—invested in the lives of the locals.   It doesn’t help that a dangerous alien species Fergus thought mythical prove unsettlingly real, and their ominous triangle ships keep following him around.     Foolhardy. Eccentric. Reckless. Whatever he’s called, Fergus will need all the help he can get to take back the Sword and maybe save Cernee from destruction in the process.

Read Finder by Suzanne Palmer

Atlas Alone by Emma Newman

Type: Book four in Planetfall series Publisher: Ace Release date: 4/16/19

Hugo Award winner Emma Newman returns to the captivating Planetfall universe with a novel about vengeance and the lengths to which one will go to save the future of humanity.

Six months after she left, Dee is struggling to manage her rage toward the people who ordered the nuclear strike that destroyed Earth. She’s trying to find those responsible, but she’s not getting very far alone.

A dedicated gamer, Dee is endeavoring to discover a mersive good enough to enable her to escape her trauma. When she is approached by a designer who asks her to play test his new game, she hopes it will be what she needs—but it isn’t like any mersive she’s played before. When a man suddenly dies in the real world, she realizes that at the same time in the game, she killed a character who bears a striking resemblance to the dead man—a man she discovers was one of those responsible for the death of millions on Earth.

Disturbed, but thinking it must be a coincidence, Dee continues the hunt for information. But when she finds out the plans for the future colony, she realizes that to save what is left of humanity, she might have to do something that risks what remains of her own.

Read Atlas Alone by Emma Newman

Read our review of Before Mars, the third book in the Planetfall series.

Winds of Marque: Blackwood & Virtue by Bennett R. Coles

Type: First book in series Publisher: HarperVoyager Release date: 4/16/19

The first novel in an exciting science fiction series—Master and Commander in space—a swashbuckling space adventure in which a crew of misfit individuals in the king’s navy are sent to dismantle a dangerous ring of pirate raiders. 

In a dense star cluster, the solar winds blow fiercely. The star sailing ship HMSS Daring is running at full sheet with a letter of marque allowing them to capture enemy vessels involved in illegal trading. Sailing under a false flag to protect the ship and its mission, Daring’s crew must gather intelligence that will lead them to the pirates’ base.

Posing as traders, Daring’s dashing second-in-command Liam Blackwood and brilliant quartermaster Amelia Virtue infiltrate shady civilian merchant networks, believing one will lead them to their quarry.

But their mission is threatened from within their own ranks when Daring’s enigmatic captain makes a series of questionable choices, and rumblings of discontent start bubbling up from below decks, putting the crew on edge and destroying morale. On top of it all, Liam and Amelia must grapple with their growing feelings for each other.

Facing danger from unexpected quarters that could steer the expedition off course, Blackwood and Virtue must identify the real enemy threat and discover the truth about their commander—and their mission—before Daring falls prey to the very pirates she’s meant to be tracking.

Read Winds of Marque: Blackwood & Virtue by Bennett R. Coles

Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

Type: Tie-in novel Publisher: Del Rey Release date: 4/16/19

An unexpected offer threatens the bond between Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi as the two Jedi navigate a dangerous new planet and an uncertain future in the first canon Star Wars novel to take place before the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace.

A Jedi must be a fearless warrior, a guardian of justice, and a scholar in the ways of the Force. But perhaps a Jedi’s most essential duty is to pass on what they have learned. Master Yoda trained Dooku; Dooku trained Qui-Gon Jinn; and now Qui-Gon has a Padawan of his own. But while Qui-Gon has faced all manner of threats and danger as a Jedi, nothing has ever scared him like the thought of failing his apprentice.

Obi-Wan Kenobi has deep respect for his Master, but struggles to understand him. Why must Qui-Gon so often disregard the laws that bind the Jedi? Why is Qui-Gon drawn to ancient Jedi prophecies instead of more practical concerns? And why wasn’t Obi-Wan told that Qui-Gon is considering an invitation to join the Jedi Council—knowing it would mean the end of their partnership? The simple answer scares him: Obi-Wan has failed his Master.

When Jedi Rael Averross, another former student of Dooku, requests their assistance with a political dispute, Jinn and Kenobi travel to the royal court of Pijal for what may be their final mission together. What should be a simple assignment quickly becomes clouded by deceit, and by visions of violent disaster that take hold in Qui-Gon’s mind. As Qui-Gon’s faith in prophecy grows, Obi-Wan’s faith in him is tested—just as a threat surfaces that will demand that Master and apprentice come together as never before, or be divided forever.

Read Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray

A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Type: Novel Publisher: Orbit Release date: 4/23/19

When a beloved family dog is stolen, her owner sets out on a life-changing journey through the ruins of our world to bring her back in this fiercely compelling tale of survival, courage, and hope. Perfect for readers of Station Eleven and The Girl With All the Gifts.

My name's Griz. My childhood wasn't like yours. I've never had friends, and in my whole life I've not met enough people to play a game of football.

My parents told me how crowded the world used to be, but we were never lonely on our remote island. We had each other, and our dogs.

Then the thief came.

There may be no law left except what you make of it. But if you steal my dog, you can at least expect me to come after you.

Because if we aren't loyal to the things we love, what's the point?

Read A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World by C.A. Fletcher

Delta-V by Daniel Suarez

Type: Novel Publisher: Dutton Release date: 4/23/19

The bestselling author of Daemon returns with a near-future technological thriller, in which a charismatic billionaire recruits a team of adventurers to launch the first deep space mining operation--a mission that could alter the trajectory of human civilization.   When itinerant cave diver James Tighe receives an invitation to billionaire Nathan Joyce's private island, he thinks it must be a mistake. But Tighe's unique skill set makes him a prime candidate for Joyce's high-risk venture to mine a near-earth asteroid--with the goal of kick-starting an entire off-world economy. The potential rewards and personal risks are staggering, but the competition is fierce and the stakes couldn't be higher.   Isolated and pushed beyond their breaking points, Tighe and his fellow twenty-first century adventurers--ex-soldiers, former astronauts, BASE jumpers, and mountain climbers--must rely on each other to survive not only the dangers of a multi-year expedition but the harsh realities of business in space. They're determined to transform humanity from an Earth-bound species to a space-faring one--or die trying.

Read Delta-V by Daniel Suarez

Waste Tide by Chen Quifan, translated by Ken Liu

Type: Novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 4/30/19

Award-winning author Chen Qiufan's Waste Tide is a thought-provoking vision of the future.

Translated by Ken Liu, who brought Cixin Liu's Hugo Award-winning The Three Body Problem to English-speaking readers.

Mimi is drowning in the world's trash.

She’s a waste worker on Silicon Isle, where electronics -- from cell phones and laptops to bots and bionic limbs ― are sent to be recycled. These amass in towering heaps, polluting every spare inch of land. On this island off the coast of China, the fruits of capitalism and consumer culture come to a toxic end.

Mimi and thousands of migrant waste workers like her are lured to Silicon Isle with the promise of steady work and a better life. They're the lifeblood of the island’s economy, but are at the mercy of those in power.

A storm is brewing, between ruthless local gangs, warring for control. Ecoterrorists, set on toppling the status quo. American investors, hungry for profit. And a Chinese-American interpreter, searching for his roots.

As these forces collide, a war erupts -- between the rich and the poor; between tradition and modern ambition; between humanity’s past and its future.

Mimi, and others like her, must decide if they will remain pawns in this war or change the rules of the game altogether.

Read Waste Tide by Chen Quifan, translated by Ken Liu

Best New Science Fiction Books in March 2019

Radicalized by Cory Doctorow

Type: Novella anthology Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/19/19

From New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow, Radicalized is four urgent SF novellas of America's present and future within one book

Told through one of the most on-pulse genre voices of our generation, Radicalized is a timely collection consisting of four SF novellas connected by social, technological, and economic visions of today and what America could be in the near, near future. 

Unauthorized Bread is a tale of immigration, the toxicity of economic and technological stratification, and the young and downtrodden fighting against all odds to survive and prosper.

In Model Minority, a Superman-like figure attempts to rectifiy the corruption of the police forces he long erroneously thought protected the defenseless...only to find his efforts adversely affecting their victims.

Radicalized is a story of a darkweb-enforced violent uprising against insurance companies told from the perspective of a man desperate to secure funding for an experimental drug that could cure his wife's terminal cancer.

The fourth story, Masque of the Red Death, harkens back to Doctorow's Walkaway, taking on issues of survivalism versus community.

Read Radicalized by Cory Doctorow

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Type: Novel Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press Release date: 3/19/19

The Light Brigade: it’s what soldiers fighting the war against Mars call the ones who come back…different. Grunts in the corporate corps get busted down into light to travel to and from interplanetary battlefronts. Everyone is changed by what the corps must do in order to break them down into light. Those who survive learn to stick to the mission brief—no matter what actually happens during combat.

Dietz, a fresh recruit in the infantry, begins to experience combat drops that don’t sync up with the platoon’s. And Dietz’s bad drops tell a story of the war that’s not at all what the corporate brass want the soldiers to think is going on.

Is Dietz really experiencing the war differently, or is it combat madness? Trying to untangle memory from mission brief and survive with sanity intact, Dietz is ready to become a hero—or maybe a villain; in war it’s hard to tell the difference.

A worthy successor to classic stories like Downbelow Station, Starship Troopers, and The Forever War, The Light Brigade is award-winning author Kameron Hurley’s gritty time-bending take on the future of war.

Read The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley

Luna: New Moon Rising by Ian McDonald

Type: Third book in Luna series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/19/19

The continuing saga of the Five Dragons, Ian McDonald's fast-paced, intricately plotted space opera pitched as Game of Thrones meets The Expanse

A hundred years in the future, a war wages between the Five Dragons—five families that control the Moon’s leading industrial companies. Each clan does everything in their power to claw their way to the top of the food chain—marriages of convenience, corporate espionage, kidnapping, and mass assassinations.

Through ingenious political manipulation and sheer force of will, Lucas Cortas rises from the ashes of corporate defeat and seizes control of the Moon. The only person who can stop him is a brilliant lunar lawyer, his sister, Ariel.

Witness the Dragons' final battle for absolute sovereignty in Ian McDonald's heart-stopping finale to the Luna trilogy.

Read Luna: New Moon Rising by Ian McDonald

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Type: First in a series Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 3/26/19

Ambassador Mahit Dzmare arrives in the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire only to discover that her predecessor, the previous ambassador from their small but fiercely independent mining Station, has died. But no one will admit that his death wasn't an accident—or that Mahit might be next to die, during a time of political instability in the highest echelons of the imperial court.

Now, Mahit must discover who is behind the murder, rescue herself, and save her Station from Teixcalaan's unceasing expansion—all while navigating an alien culture that is all too seductive, engaging in intrigues of her own, and hiding a deadly technological secret—one that might spell the end of her Station and her way of life—or rescue it from annihilation.

A fascinating space opera debut novel, Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire is an interstellar mystery adventure.

Read A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Read our review of A Memory Called Empire

Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey

Type: Eighth book in The Expanse series Publisher: Orbit Release date: 3/26/19

The eighth book in the NYT bestselling Expanse series, Tiamat’s Wrath finds the crew of the Rocinante fighting an underground war against a nearly invulnerable authoritarian empire, with James Holden a prisoner of the enemy. Now a Prime Original series.

  Thirteen hundred gates have opened to solar systems around the galaxy. But as humanity builds its interstellar empire in the alien ruins, the mysteries and threats grow deeper.

In the dead systems where gates lead to stranger things than alien planets, Elvi Okoye begins a desperate search to discover the nature of a genocide that happened before the first human beings existed, and to find weapons to fight a war against forces at the edge of the imaginable. But the price of that knowledge may be higher than she can pay.

At the heart of the empire, Teresa Duarte prepares to take on the burden of her father’s godlike ambition. The sociopathic scientist Paolo Cortázar and the Mephistophelian prisoner James Holden are only two of the dangers in a palace thick with intrigue, but Teresa has a mind of her own and secrets even her father the emperor doesn’t guess.

And throughout the wide human empire, the scattered crew of the Rocinante fights a brave rear-guard action against Duarte’s authoritarian regime. Memory of the old order falls away, and a future under Laconia’s eternal rule — and with it, a battle that humanity can only lose — seems more and more certain. Because against the terrors that lie between worlds, courage and ambition will not be enough…

Read Tiamat's Wrath by James S.A. Corey

Read our full review of Tiamat's Wrath here.

Best New Science Fiction Books in February 2019

The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Type: Standalone novel Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 2/12/19

Um, please drop what you are doing and go read this novel from io9 co-founder Charlie Jane Anders. The second speculative fiction novel for the author, following 2016's wonderful All the Birds in the Sky, The City in the Middle of the Night is set on a tidally-locked planet (one side always faces the sun, the other... doesn't) where humanity has settled, living mostly in cities on the light side of the planet.

The novel follows two point-of-view characters: Sophie, a working class student living in the strict city of Xiosphant, and Mouth, a smuggler whose native nomadic culture has been completely wiped out. When Sophie is exiled from Xiosphant and left to die in the cold, darkness outside of the city, she is saved by the psychic, crocodile-like creatures native to the planet and viewed by the human population as dangerous beasts.

There's so much more to this tale of survival and revolution, and the messy, interpersonal relationships that complicate both. It's sure to be one of the best books of the year.

Read The City in the Middle of the Night by Charlie Jane Anders

Doctor Who Meets Scratchman by Tom Baker

Type: Set in Doctor Who universe Publisher: Penguin Group UK Release date: 2/12/19

One of the best things about the Doctor Who universe is that it is endlessly expansive. It's been decades since Tom Baker played the iconic role, as the Fourth Doctor. Now, he's back in more ways than one, with Baker having penned a novel featuring his Doctor.

Originally imagined as a Doctor Who feature film in the 1970s, Baker's idea (which he co-wrote with James Goss) has been turned into a novel. The book follows the Doctor, as well as Companions Harry and Sarah Jane, as they arrive on a remote Scottish island. They're looking for a vacation, but what they find is much creepier: an isolated village under attack by scarecrows, a trap set for the Doctor by a devil known as the Scratchman.

Grab some jelly babies and sit down for another Who adventure!

Read Doctor Who Meets Scratchman by Tom Baker

Broken Stars: Contemporary Chinese Science Fiction in Translation

Type: Anthology Publisher: Tor Books Release date: 2/19/19

Explore the world of contemporary Chinese science fiction with this anthology from Ken Liu, the English language translator of Cixin Liu's Three-Body Problem, as well as author of books like The Paper Menagerie. The collection brings together 16 stories written by Chinese authors such as  Xia Jia, Han Song, Baoshu, Hao Jingfang, Chen Quifan. The anthology gets some greater context with a collection of three essays about the current state of Chinese science fiction.

Read Broken Stars Edited by Ken Liu

Best New Science Fiction Books in January 2019

The Lost Puzzler by Eyal Kless

Type: Book one in a series Publisher: Harper Voyager Release date: 1/8/19

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, 100 years after a devastating event known as "The Catastrophe," The Lost Puzzler sees a lowly scribe from the Guild of Historians searching the puzzle-filled, post-apocalyptic world for a missing Puzzler who may be the key to restoring the fallen empire. This book was written by an internationally-acclaimed classical violinist, so that's pretty neat.

Read The Lost Puzzler by Eyal Kless

Alliance Rising by C.J. Cherryh & Jane S. Francher

Type: Set in Alliance-Union Universe Publisher: DAW Release date: 1/8/19

Political intrigue! Backwater space stations! Meet the latest installment in the Hugo-winning Company Wars series, the first new story set in the Alliance-Union universe in a very long time. Alliance Rising is set before the Company Wars, when the Merchanter Alliance is still forming, giving us a new perspective on this acclaimed fictional universe.

Read Alliance Rising by C.J. Cherryh and Jane S. Francher

What new speculative fiction books are on your radar? Let us know in the comments below or over at the Den of Geek Book Club!

Kayti Burt is a staff editor covering books, TV, movies, and fan culture at Den of Geek. Read more of her work here or follow her on Twitter @kaytiburt.

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The Lists Kayti Burt

Jun 18, 2019

Science Fiction Books

from Books http://bit.ly/2Gis8tj