theskyexists

[theskyexists]

Reading a very well written romance unfortunately the first protagonist comes across as an insanely smug piece of shit through the eyes of the second. Can't Lara win? No. Because without telling HER, HER BEST FRIENDS, brought the erstwhile-enemy smug kid with the fantastic family who keeps coming on to her because oh yeah she's so hot - the thing that made her life hell once, and still makes her an outcast, to HER bonfire, the sacred goddamn sisterhood she built.

Jezus

Why are so many romances built on genuine conflict. That's why I like fake and double-agenda conflict. Attraction that is underlying things not despite things

Can't enjoy this banter because protag 1 is constantly smirking, grinning and being smug and arrogant. According to the narrator. There is nothing I hate as much in a person. Fuck

Just want to her to put this idiot in the ground. Treats her coldly, just keeps coming. Fuck off woman

Wow. And she just keeps going, like it's some kind of game. You willfully invaded this woman's circle and got everybody fawning over you and now you're like lol, got one up over you too. Repeating more intensely even the moment that made her flashback to the alienation and horror of high school. Shut the fuck up. Just slap this girl

Ok nvm.

'Ollie was extremely aggravating, but her genuine smugness at just getting to drink next to her was - okay, fine - kind of flattering.'

Huh????????????

People are so strangely completely different from other people - I.e. me. I would have long told her to FUCK ! OFF!!

I guess I'm not getting comeuppance. This idiot is just gonna roll over because who knows, sexual attraction or something. Urgh. Blagh. Grow a spine. Grow some dignity.

Oh she was finally correcting her and then her best friend comes in going: lol who cares about high school amiright?

Are you a fucking idiot? Obviously yes. High school in this town means everything, clearly, still, as was pointed out explicitly in exactly those words ten pages ago.

Yeah people changed, but that's not what this talk was about eh Sadie? So shut the fuck UP.

If this is Lara's love interest and best friend, then what the fuck is this narrative doing.

From Ollie's own pov it seems fine, but how the fuck was that supposed to be 'amends'??

Blagh. I can't stop reading!!!!!!

Ok I've stopped reading.

[theskyexists]

라아아아

[theskyexists]

Ok. MY f/f fantasy / sci-fi recs so far:

Fantasy

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath (Moniquill Blackgoose)

FRESH. Delightful take on dragons and their magic. Fresh American (and global) alternate history, tilting the world just so on its axis, a blazingly clear look at colonialism via the eyes of a Native American. The protagonist is wonderful. The romances are surprisingly wonderful. It's fantasy, and it's speculative fiction.

Spear (Nicola Griffith)

Retelling of the story of Arthurian Percival (a woman!), incorporating Welsh and Irish mythologies. Lovely material and vivid imagining of the times. It's a pleasure to read about such a powerful protagonist. The prose reminds me that that level of writing is possible.

The Warrior's Path (Catherine M Wilson)

Classic, foundational. Bronze age coming of age story of a warrior and leader. Lovingly detailed depiction of prehistoric society. Interesting thoughts on war and peace and even magic. It's hard to describe. A classic.

Daughter of Mystery (Heather Rose Jones)

Gentry-typical early modern world. Story set in a fictional European country which makes for some really interesting linguistic choices. Really romantic bodyguard / sudden heir setup. Christianity as a magic system!!

Spring Flowering (Farah Mendlesohn)

Very sweet, Jane Austen type historical fiction. Not quite fantasy but I'm including it.

Iron & Velvet (Alexis Hall)

The reckless and hilarious urban fantasy protagonist called in to investigate high stakes conflicts but f/f. Parodies a lot and effectively. The protag calls werewolves woofs. Has chemistry with every powerful female faction-leader in the city.

The Cage (A.M. Dellamonica)

Short story. One of the most touching things I've read.

Fledgling (Octavia E. Butler)

Classic. Awesome vampires. There's some f/f in there. You have to get over the protagonist looking like a kid. Seriously. It's Butler, thus just a bit dubcon.

Sci-fi

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir)

Obvious. Worldbuilding and prose both delightful and intriguing.

The Scorpion Rules (Erin Bow)

Unsettling, awful, fascinating proposal of a future with an antagonist-god I deeply hated. Great twist on Young Adult fiction that made me crow with satisfaction. Still think about this one regularly.

The Unnamed Midwife (Meg Elison)

Apocalypse, virus, sexual violence. And YET. It's neither truly icky nor completely beyond imagining.

Some Desperate Glory (Emily Tesh)

It's ok. It has interesting ideas, especially at the start. Have to emphasise: it starts out amazing. Great look at sexism and homophobia. The protagonist goes through one of the most elaborate and well-paced character developments I've probably ever read. Eventual plot/ending so-so.

The Stars are Legion (Kameron Hurley, derogatory mention)

It makes no damn sense. Compels me though...

[theskyexists]

I have such good ideas just not enough of the skill energy charisma or conviction or money to get them off the ground

[theskyexists]

Tried to read a romance book which was also a portal fantasy and the protag was an archaeologist with an interest in warrior women I was like ok sounds fun then she gave a talk and answered some questions about the Amazons and I was like ok.... Then the boob question came up and she went into a rant about how it's because they're often depicted with one boob out and it's just an age-old example of sexism and sexualisation and I was like I can't believe this is the reason I have to stop reading. They weren't at all often depicted with one boob out (generally they can be recognised by their patterned trousers, or other patterned clothes) and by all accounts the Greek men are the ones always going around naked on the pottery

[theskyexists]

she is to me what leia's gold bikini was to straight boys

[theskyexists]

everyone trying to own trump about the "he doesn't know sex isn't determined at conception" thing really fundamentally does not understand what the point of that was, and learned basically nothing from his first term. he is not invested in scienve, biology, or any rational discussion where his provably false beliefs would be subject to scrutiny. he is signaling to everyone in the country that it does not matter what you say, he will never care and he will take every action to enforce these views and embolden his followers with the same rhetoric. you cannot logically talk to a person like this when they are reasoning with emotion, not logic. you cannot dunk the transphobia away. someone post the vonnegut quote.

[theskyexists]

season 1 of xena gabrielles always like i cant wait to meet my true love do you think it might be mythias the cowpoke who joined the human sacrifice cult but thought better of it.. or maybe solonius the misogynistic poet do you think hes the one for me? and then by the end of the episode when mythias the cowpoke has fallen down a well and solonius the misogynistic poet succumbed to wasting disease gabrielle is like will i ever find my true love..anyways xena its so great to have a friend like you :) it looks like it will be cold tonight you have to spoon me under the furs

[theskyexists]

[theskyexists]

Friedrich Kunath, “Storms Never Last”, 2023

[theskyexists]

https://twitter.com/coff33detective/status/1271463582312673281

“make yourselves impossible to ignore. 10,000 signatures on twitter is a lot but 10 unique personal emails is enough to derail an entire council session.”

[theskyexists]

scientists are in labs right now creating the thinnest and worst material known to mankind so they can make women’s clothing

[theskyexists]

Some happy things from the first day of marriage equality in Thailand 💗❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

First three couples who registered their marriage in different districts:

some openly queer actresses and a director celebrating this historical day:

[theskyexists]

SOUTH OF MIDNIGHT dev. Compulsion Games

[theskyexists]

I finally made the meme I've had in my head for over a year

[theskyexists]

PS1 - Level 1s! more here: https://www.deviantart.com/vgcartography

[theskyexists]

every time i see those posts like ‘what food from a show did YOU always wanna try’ i go lol none? but i just remembered im a liar

i always wanted the fucking soup brock made in the pokemon anime