Cleaning up a few meme loose ends
Dec. 6th, 2011 06:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lunasariel...Ok, wow. In the grand tradition of LJ problems fixing themselves as soon as I post about them, my RTE reappeared immediately after posting that last entry! I blame Ethel, the dorm Internet demon (Claude is the Internet demon at my house, and I haven't named the one for the campus wireless network, AirBears, yet).
I forget the origin of this meme, but it's sort of a catch-all for literary stuff, and so probably comes from either![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hamsterwoman, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
book_memes, or fandom_memes.
Day 1 - A series that ended too soon (and/or a series that should have ended sooner)
Hmm…there’s always the old “Wheel of Time went on waaaay too long” standby, but since I never got past the first book of the series, it’d be a little unfair of me to judge the later volumes sight unseen. Dragonlance has sort of become a zombie franchise, shambling along with only a hollow mockery of life, but that’s almost to be expected with a big corporate name like that. Mostly, though, I quit a series when I stop enjoying it, so I can’t pass judgment on some of the more infamous examples.
As for a series that ended too soon, the only ones that spring to mind are CLAMP’s Legal Drug (which they abandoned a few years ago, but recently they’ve been making noises about brining it back/finally finishing it) and Holly Black’s Modern Tales of Faerie, which I’d like to see a few more of, since it seems like Holly still has some good ideas left in her. On the whole, though, I’d rather an author leave ‘em wanting more than run a good series into the ground.
Day 2 - A book/series more people should be reading/talking about
Either Pamela Dean’s Secret Country trilogy, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire, or Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner.
The Secret Country trilogy is nigh impossible to find, which is a real shame, because it’s amazing. It takes the standard “dreamy kids fall into self-made fantasy world” plotline and just runs with it. The language is genuinely Shakespearian (in mode, if not quite in skill), and the plot (that part of it which doesn’t involve dimension-hopping, at least) could be described as a less incest/violence-heavy ASOIAF. Also, it reminds me strongly of the games of make-believe I used to play as a kid, and deals realistically with one of my fondest, but definitely not best thought out, childhood wishes, to step into my stories and meet the characters.
Temeraire, I’ve been banging on about enough recently, so I won’t go into excessive detail here. But if Peter Jackson makes that Temeraire movie(s) he’s been promising, I’m sure that a lot more people are going to find out about it, so here’s to him!
Nightrunner is something of a guilty pleasure for me, but a pleasure nonetheless. It is definitely not without its faults (over-reliance on the audience responding in a certain way to particular characters springs to mind), but it really does suck me in. I love the characters, and it’s a good blend of save-the-world high fantasy and sword-sorcery-and-lockpick low fantasy, balanced so that neither one overwhelms the other.
Day 3 - The best book I've read in the past year
Wow, tough choice! This has been a busy year for me, book-wise.
First, of course, The Lord of the Rings. I’m on my yearly read-through now, and if I were only allowed to read one book for the rest of my life, it would be this one. There’s something almost meditative about his descriptive writing, and he does an excellent job of conveying moods, especially the quieter, subtler ones, like the tranquility of Rivendell or the silent, lowering menace of the Old Forest.
Then came ASOIAF (wow, has it really been only ten months since I started?). As I said immediately after finishing AFFC, I don't think he quite deserves the moniker “the American Tolkien,” but he is a damn fine writer, and ASOIAF is exactly what the fantasy genre needed to keep it from stagnating. People keep trying to compare LotR and ASOIAF, but really, it’s apples and oranges. There’s personal preference, of course, but they’re just too different to compare objectively.
Finally, and more recently, came Temeraire. One of the many, many things I’m a sucker for is a competent historical fiction, and this took the standard Aubrey-Maturin formula, stripped away the cobwebs, and pumped up the action. (The jury is still out on which of the two series [serieses?] I actually like more, though.)
Day 4 - My all-time favorite literary series
Oh, definitely all of Tolkien’s Middle-earth works. The Hobbit got me hooked on reading, The Lord of the Rings has been my favorite book for over half my life (and counting!), and The Silmarillion brought the whole series from three-dimensional, which it already was, to…ten-dimensional or something.
Day 5 - A book/series I just can't stand
I’ve probably ranted on this before, but Richard K. Morgan’s The Steel Remains, which is basically what happens when a moderately successful sci-fi writer outright calls Tolkien a juvenile hack, and then attempts to prove it by writing what ASOIAF would be without the complex plot, compelling characters, in-depth worldbuilding, genre savviness, or sly humor.
Day 6 - My all-time favorite stand-alone book
Ooh, this is a tough one! (I’m a series kinda gal.) Off the top of my head, anything Jane Austen-y, since they’re all technically standalones, but especially Northanger Abbey, which I’m re-reading right now. I loves me a well-done loving parody, yes I do!
Day 7 - The plot device that most often derails books I'd otherwise enjoy
The cutesy child character devoid of personality aside from an adorable lisp, eyes the size of dinner plates, and an irresistible attraction to easily avoidable danger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against child characters, nor child characters in peril, just child characters whose only trait *is* the ability to be imperiled. Other “character as plot device” types, such as Mr. (or, in the interest of gender equality, Ms.) Exposition, I’m usually okay with, but Dawn/Short Round/Jubilee/Sebrahn just makes me want to scream. I admit that this is more of a TV/movie phenomenon than literary, especially since three of the four examples I gave are from shows or movies, but it deserves mentioning!
Day 8 - A book everyone really ought to read at least once
Avoiding pulling out the old Tolkien chestnut, Fahrenheit 451. It’s got a lot of important messages about information, society, and human nature, and is especially topical in these days of Fox News, sound bites, decreasing newspaper and library circulation, and “edutainment.”
Day 9 - My all-time favorite single scene from a book
No fair! I can pick a favorite scene per fandom, but even then, limiting it to one is difficult more often than not. To ask me to pick one favorite, out of all the books I’ve ever read? Sorry, no.
Day 10 - A book I didn't expect to like, but ended up really enjoying
I admit it took me awhile to get around to ASOIAF. I’m generally not a fan of excessive gore/squick, nor of soul-crushing cynicism, which are both the main ways I’d heard ASOIAF described. But once hype started to build for the show, I poked around on TVTropes a bit, liked what I saw, picked up AGOT, and kinda fell in love.
Day 11 - A book that disappointed me
Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. It’s so often touted as one of the great modern fantasy epics, but it was just so…stale. I stopped reading after 150 pages, after not meeting anything beside stock characters or seeing anything beside a checklist of off-the-rack plot devices.
Day 12 - A book/series I've reread more than five times
Since I don’t want to drag LotR back out, Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small. It was actually the first Tortall series I read, and remains my favorite. As long as I give it a couple of years in between re-reads, I can always go back and enjoy it over and over again.
Day 13 - A favorite childhood book (OR a current favorite YA/kids' book)
For really little kids/toddlers, The Bunnies’ Ball, by Annie Ingle. The words fit well together, have a nice rhythm, and generally sound very pleasing when read aloud. Also, the art is glowing, heavily detailed, and fantastic.
For slightly older kids/grade-schoolers, the entire Redwall series, by Brian Jacques. There are no words for how into these books I was as a kid. They might be a bit of a challenge to read alone for some kids, especially those towards the younger end of grade school, but they’re entertaining as hell for kids, and not excruciating for parents (or so I’ve been told). One warning, though: do not read these books while hungry! I’m firmly convinced that the reason I went from standard-hyperactive-kid-skinny to chubby had at least something to do with the descriptions of feasts found here.
Day 14 - My all-time favorite literary character
Ditto #9.
Day 15 - The book I read when I need a teddy bear and/or a hug
That depends. When I get fed up with the banality and small-mindedness of the world at large, it’s Tolkien (again), which reminds me that the world is still a beautiful place. When I feel unlovable and alone, it’s Tamora Pierce, usually the aforementioned Protector of the Small, which reminds me that I have worth without being gorgeous and witty, and somewhere out there is a place for me, if I’m willing to work hard enough to get there. When I feel lost and don’t quite know what to do with myself, it’s Discworld, which anchors me enough to be able to laugh at myself.
Day 16 - A favorite poem/poetry collection
Favorite poem: not even gonna try to pick just one.
Poetry collection: In days gone by, I’d have said a massive anthology called Favorite Poems Old and New that my granddad gave to me when I was a preteen, and while I still love it for sentimental reasons, I’ve kinda outgrown it. Now, I dunno. Emily Dickinson is probably my favorite poet, but I’ve never gotten around to acquiring more than a sort of “Best Of” collection.
Day 17 - A favorite short story/collection of stories
I’m actually not a huge short story reader, so those that I do read, I usually do because they’re part of the same universe as a series of novels I already like. That said, any of the Dunk & Egg stories for ASOIAF or any of the many Dresden Files shorts that have been cropping up in various anthologies (sorry, it’s been too long for me to pick favorites out from among them).
Day 18 - A favorite opening scene
Actually, none spring immediately to mind. I’m fond of in media res intros, as long as they’re explained reasonably promptly, but I can’t seem to think of any.
Day 19 - A favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Off the top of my head, I like this one, which was what my idea of badassery looked like for a good long while, which gives you an idea of what I was like as a kid:
This one for the combination of expressions on his face: “heh, heh. Suckers!” and “ohshitohshitohshit” and “I am totally awesome” and “wow, I’m up kinda high, aren’t I? *gulp*”:
This one, which is a classic! I don’t know if you can even find this edition anymore, but this is the one my mom has, and I’ve got some fond memories of paging through it as a wee one and just going “ooooh” at the (decent-sized!) map, Elvish script, etc. (although the supremely trippy unauthorized covers from the 60s definitely get an honorable mention here).
Day 20 - A favorite literary kiss
Ditto #9.
Day 21 - A favorite literary romance/romantic/sexual relationship (any gender/role)
Ditto #9. (And now I run into the dangers of shipping!). Although, a few of my all-time favorite OTPs are:
- Robin Hood/Maid Marian
- Professor X/Magneto (or Charles/Erik, if you’re coming at it from an XMFC angle, as I did)
- Apollo/Midnighter
- Willow/Tara (although Willow/Oz is a very close second)
- Jack/Ianto
- Hulkling/Wiccan
- Sam/Sibyl (the only Discworld pairing that I’m truly adamant about, although I do also like William/Sacharissa, Moist/Adora, Magrat/Verence, etc.)
- Fai/Kurogane
- Ryo/Dee
- Beren/Lúthien (although this is a least partially because of its RL basis)
- Renly/Loras
Day 22 - A favorite literary non-romantic/non-sexual relationship
Ditto #9.
Day 23 - The most annoying character I've ever encountered in a book
Hmmm… off the top of my head, Sebrahn, from Nightrunner. As I mentioned, one character type that I absolutely despise is the “cute” tagalong kid/toddler/infant/load who exists only to lisp adorably and bring out mama bear/papa wolf instincts. The White Road was fine for most of the novel (some parts were even amazing), but the parts containing or about Sebrahn were downright excruciating, especially because his mere presence seemed to somehow transform a badass warrior who has faced down gods, necromancers, and his own death into a mewling, whining pansy incapable of taking care of himself for five seconds.
Day 24 - A favorite quote from a novel
I’m afraid I have an awful memory for quotes. I can remember the basic gist of conversations and descriptions, but I’m envious as hell of those who can soak up particularly good turns of phrase and recall them at the drop of a hat.
Day 25 - Five books from my "to be read" shelf
Vorkosigan Saga (on orders fromhamsterwoman)
The Mystery of Udolpho (half morbid fascination, half research) Just started reading this one
The Romance of the Forest (ditto)
The Magician King (meh, I’ll get around to it)
Anything Dickens aside from A Christmas Carol (a glaring hole in my BritLit education)
Day 26 - "My mind very carefully boggled", aka "what WAS the author thinking?"
Editor: “Mr. Butcher, this draft of Dead Beat looks great, but it needs something to give it a little extra punch, something to really wow the audience for the big finale. Any ideas?”
Jim Butcher “POLKA-POWERED ZOMBIE T-REX CHARGES THROUGH DOWNTOWN CHICAGO”
Editor: “Mr. Butcher, you realize that Roc cannot be held accountable in any controlled-substances lawsuits that you may become engaged in.”
Jim Butcher: “IT’S POWERED BY A MORGUE ATTENDANT WEARING DICK VAN DYKE’S MUSIC SUIT FROM MARY POPPINS AND CONTROLLED BY A WIZARD DETECTIVE AND A REALLY BADASS SCOOBY-DOO”
Editor: “Jim-”
Jim Butcher “THEY’RE ON THEIR WAY TO A SHOWDOWN WITH EVIL NECROMANCERS AND AN ARMY OF GHOST COWBOYS AND AN ESCAPED GOD”
Editor: “…I love it!”
Don’t get me wrong, this comes down heavily on the “awesome” side of Crazy Awesome!
Day 27 - "All right, I have to read this": the plot element/idea/gimmick that gets me every time
A small, loyal, snarky band of close friends fighting the good fight against a near-omnipresent, totalitarian regime (bonus points for said regime being led by a spittle-emitting loony of a Big Bad being controlled from the shadows by a creepily competent puppetmaster).
Day 28 - The first book/series that really hooked me
I don’t know if this counts, but the whole Robin Hood mythos. I loved everything Robin Hood, and if it was green and had an arrow on the cover, it was mine. Also, I loved that it at least occasionally featured Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of my favorite historical figures. I dunno, there’s just something awesome about the fact that, at a time when women were legally counted as property, Eleanor was effectively ruling almost all of Europe (and, often, doing it much better than her various sons).
Day 29 - "Alas, poor Yorick": my favorite death scene
Tywin Lannister is definitely in the running, for sheer ignominy if nothing else, as is Sirius Black (Evaded the Ministry, Dementors, and Death Eaters; killed by drapery). Dorfl (later Constable Dorfl) and Levitas, both for woobieness (“WORDS IN THE HEART CANNOT BE TAKEN!” “You came.” *wibble*). Fëanor, for undiluted awesome (spontaneous combustion from sheer force of will, although this was technically more of an after-death effect than a cause of death, it still figured in his death scene, so it counts, dammit!). Robin Hood, for being the first death I remember crying over. Ultimately, I dunno. I always feel like I’m forgetting somebody.
Day 30 - A book I'm reading right now
Lords and Ladies, by Terry Pratchett. In addition to giving us our first good look at a pre-University Ridcully, it’s one of the best examples of that thing that Sir Terry does, where he takes one of the most basic tropes/plot devices/ideas of high fantasy or fairy tales, strips away our rose-colored glasses, exposes it for the strange, creepy, dysfunctional, often downright horrifying thing it really is, and makes us love him, and it, all the same.
Next, a new iteration of the pairing meme that I did a little while back. I've developed/become aware of a few new pairings since then, so here's Pairing Meme 2.0!
Six Pairings I Like:
1. Renly/Loras (ASOIAF)
2. Laurence/Granby (Temeraire)
3. Amy/Rory (Doctor Who)
4. Billy/Teddy (Young Avengers)
5. Charles/Erik (X-Men, especially X-Men First Class)
6. Fai/Kurogane (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle)
Three Ships I've Abandoned:
7. Lord Vetinari/Lady Margolotta (Discworld)
8. Ten/Rose (Doctor Who)
9. Dom/Arthur (Inception)
Three Ships I've Never Liked:
10. Bella/anyone or Bella/existence (Twilight)
11. Jack/Stephen (Aubreyad)
12. Nico/Karolina (Runaways)
Two Ships That Have Piqued My Interest:
13. Antonio/Benvolio (The Merchant of Venice)
14. Vin/Elend (Mistborn)
2. Who do you know that ships #13?
My old Shakespeare professor. We spent an entire hour on the homoeroticism between these two; we didn’t even get to Shylock until the second day!
3. What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?
I kinda wish they had been able to raise Melody/River themselves, or at least rescue her, because it just strikes me as kind of odd that the Girl Who Waited and the Deathless Centurion would just let an evil psychopathic cult kidnap and brainwash their baby girl into a vicious, amoral killing machine designed for the sole purpose of killing their dearest friend. Otherwise, the life they have now (settled on contemporary Earth, but with a standing invitation to go adventuring in the TARDIS) seems pretty good.
4. What is your favorite moment for #1?
Happy moment: the Tourney of the Hand. The rose! The glances! The asskickery!
Sad moment: when Loras absolutely loses his shit at Renly’s death. This is when I figured out that they were a couple, when Ser Charming, Debonair, and Snarky goes absolutely nuts and just snaps. We didn’t find out about this until later on, so I had to puzzle out why he freaked out to that degree when he and his family were still in a relatively good position, and then I had this little “…oh” moment, which was solidified when we find out that he stole Renly’s body to bury it in a safe, (presumably) beautiful place, and then he goes on to prove that, three years later (I think?), he still hasn’t gotten over it.
5. How long have you been following couple #6?
Oh, quite a while. Actually, I think they’re one of my oldest OTPs, dating back from 2006 or so, when my not-yet-then-BF starteddealing lending me manga. But even then, it took up until Kurogane agreed to save a dying (and suicidal) Fai by having him turned into a vampire, with himself as the sole donor. Even when Fai was doing his level best to be as much of an asshole as possible, with the direct intention of making everyone else abandon him, Kurogane absolutely refused to let him sit around and whine. And, of course, let’s not forget that Fai is known for draping himself all over Kurogane, sharing food with him, sitting on his lap…
6. What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Half fandom, and half show. The Ten/Rose fandom eventually acquired a (somewhat, although not entirely, deservedly) bad reputation for being comprised mainly of screaming teenage fangirls who are so rabid that they depict any other Companion as a worthless bitch, and Mickey (Rose’s previous boyfriend) as a borderline-retarded, helpless manchild. In the show, after Rose left, certain writers spent so much time idolizing her and devaluing her successor, I kinda got tired of the relentless hype.
7. Which ship do you prefer--#2 or #4?
Hmm, now there’s a choice! Laurence/Granby is all shiny and new, and has the added bonus of it being a forbidden relationship between close friends (and uniforms; let’s not forget the uniforms! *drool*), but Billy/Teddy is actually canon. There’s less of an age gap for B/T, but they’re both still technically underage (I think; I kinda forget how time is working in the Marvel-verse right now, so it’s entirely possible that one or both of them are 18, or even 19, by now), which is a bit squicky. B/T is more openly affectionate, but L/G has all those unspoken, intense moments…Ultimately, I’m going to have to come down on the side of Billy/Teddy. They feel very much like a real couple to me, warts and all. Also, they have no conflicting interests (apart from certain tyrannical outside forces) that could divide their interests, while it’s always kind of assumed that Laurence and Granby would be aviators first and lovers second.
8. You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Oh, definitely #10. #12 is annoying, yeah, but at least it doesn’t glorify spousal abuse. Also, Nico may be kind of a bitch, but at least she doesn’t make 50s housewives look like Che Guevera.
9. What interests you about #14?
Mostly that Elend genuinely challenges Vin’s worldview. It’s not just that he’s the one good noble and the rest of them can all go to hell, but that he points out that “I have money” doesn’t necessarily equal “I am a horrible human being and deserve to die painfully.” But on the other hand, Vin has perfectly good reasons for seeing the entire aristocracy as a bunch of worthless slimeballs. I guess it’s that they’re both smart cookies, and their opposite viewpoints both have valid (and invalid) components.
10. When did you stop liking #7?
After about an hour, I think. Discworld ships that I’m adamant about are pretty thin on the ground, so I seriously consider even peripheral ones like this. But after thinking about it, I just couldn’t see them together. Actually, it might have been that just trying to picture Lord Vetinari naked kind of broke my brain.
11. Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the series?
Not in the series, but in the fandom. For most Inception fans, Arthur/Eames is pretty much canon (all because of some half-playful antagonism and one sarcastic endearment), so it was almost impossible to find any good A/C stuff. I still like the move alright, although I don’t watch it on a regular basis.
12. What's a song that reminds you of #1?
Oh, waaay too many. XD
“I’ll Believe in Anything,” by Wolf Parade. It’s got this bouncy, upbeat, carefree, bubblegum pop-esque sound that I really associate with pre-War R/L. And, of course, the lyrics are just a lighter, less cynical version of Loras’ “king that should have been” speech.
“Rebel Prince,” by Rufus Wrainwright, which is good for pre- or post-War. It’s got a great just-this-side-of-obsession devotion thing going for it, as well as a sense of being lost and confused when suddenly bereft.
“Slow Movement” by Craig Armstrong, which is 99% instrumental, but if I was in D&D’s chair(s), this would be exactly the music to play at the moment Loras discovers Renly’s death. You’ll have to excuse squeaky baby Leonardo DiCaprioalthough that’s totally what Loras would sound like. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
“Young Blood,” by The Naked And The Famous (perfect name, heh). Again, if I were directing GOT, and I was okay with letting the world know that I am A) a raging R/L fangirl and B) secretly rather soppy, I would play this song over a montage of them riding and talking and sparring and snarking at the Lannisters and…I dunno, skipping through daisy meadows while holding hands or something.
And finally, “Sleepsong,” by Anúna, which is more or less the anthem for my ASOIAF pet project AU, where due to Ned’s ASTOUNDING LACK OF SUBTLETY, everybody pretty much knows what’s going to happen vis-à-vis Littlefinger and the advisability of trusting him and the Lannisters, and reacts accordingly. Renly and Loras take the Stark girls with them when they light out for Highgarden, and things proceed from there. There are thrilling chases and snarkery and narration from both Sansa (who ends up being betrothed to Willas Tyrell) and Arya (who ends up being a badass) and everything is roses in summer and nothing hurts. Shaddup, I can have my anti-canon sunshine-and-rainbows wish fulfillment if I want!
13. Which of these ships do you love the most right now?
Oh, probably #2 and #5. I’m still working out the kinks in my Temeraire-verse headcanon, so there’s lots of work still to be done there. Delicious, porny work. On the other hand, Charles/Erik is settling down into one of my pan-fandom favorite OTPs, so I don’t see that one fading anytime soon…
14. Which do you dislike the most?
#10, which actively insults my intelligence, my gender, and my age group (or, at least, the age group I was in when I first read Twilight).
15. If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
#3 and #4, I think. Both are strong, stable couples based around asskickery and adventure. (Plus, they’re both from fairly close parallel universes, so language/culture barriers shouldn’t be a problem.) Although, a double date for them would probably develop into them all averting the same apocalypse and swapping survival tips/funny anecdotes about their previous dates/teammates/enemies, if it didn’t start out that way.
16. Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
Offscreen No, and sadly, they probably never will, unless one or both of them turn out to be among those closeted characters that Naomi Novik mentioned. For now, though, we’ll just have to settle for all the subtext/shipteasing that the author just loooves to slip in.
17. Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Their story is still ongoing, and yeah, they look to be in a pretty good place right now. They have a good strong relationship, and I think they can go the distance, as long as neither of them dies. Of course, that’s barring intergalactic wars, reality getting rewritten (again), or the patented Lensherr-Maximoff crazy rearing its ugly head.
18. What would make you start shipping #14?
I guess I already do ship it, but in a “duh, it’s canon” way, not an OTP way. But to make me start shipping it seriously, I guess that we’d need a much closer look at Elend, who would also need to lose some of his naiveté and take a level or two in badass.
19. If only one could happen, which would you prefer--#4 or #5?
Well, #4 has already happened, but #5 happening would probably avert the creation of a genocidal maniac (of course, that’s assuming that Charles doesn’t just go Dark Side and join Erik in superpowered terrorism). But I could never, ever think of breaking up #4 so…I don’t know.
20. You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
The series is re-written to focus on Leah and her struggle to free herself from a repressive society that condones magical daterape and refuses to allow her any value beyond her ability to produce babies and baked goods. Bella is a whiny, self-obsessed peripheral character who rats out Leah’s bid for independence because it might forcer her (Bella) to think for herself. Edward is a self-righteous dictator who truly can’t imagine how women could get so worked up over the whole “independence” thing when they already have men to do everything they want: buy them shiny things, tell them they’re pretty, and protect them from the big, scary world. Emily has Stockholm Syndrome and is subconsciously approaching a nervous breakdown, and Jacob is mortified that Leah has the bad manners to defy the entirety of werewolf society and not only openly reject the validity of the imprinting process, but to go so far as to actually try to contribute to pack discussions.
Whew! I think that's all the backlog.
I forget the origin of this meme, but it's sort of a catch-all for literary stuff, and so probably comes from either
hamsterwoman, book_memes, or fandom_memes.Day 1 - A series that ended too soon (and/or a series that should have ended sooner)
Hmm…there’s always the old “Wheel of Time went on waaaay too long” standby, but since I never got past the first book of the series, it’d be a little unfair of me to judge the later volumes sight unseen. Dragonlance has sort of become a zombie franchise, shambling along with only a hollow mockery of life, but that’s almost to be expected with a big corporate name like that. Mostly, though, I quit a series when I stop enjoying it, so I can’t pass judgment on some of the more infamous examples.
As for a series that ended too soon, the only ones that spring to mind are CLAMP’s Legal Drug (which they abandoned a few years ago, but recently they’ve been making noises about brining it back/finally finishing it) and Holly Black’s Modern Tales of Faerie, which I’d like to see a few more of, since it seems like Holly still has some good ideas left in her. On the whole, though, I’d rather an author leave ‘em wanting more than run a good series into the ground.
Day 2 - A book/series more people should be reading/talking about
Either Pamela Dean’s Secret Country trilogy, Naomi Novik’s Temeraire, or Lynn Flewelling’s Nightrunner.
The Secret Country trilogy is nigh impossible to find, which is a real shame, because it’s amazing. It takes the standard “dreamy kids fall into self-made fantasy world” plotline and just runs with it. The language is genuinely Shakespearian (in mode, if not quite in skill), and the plot (that part of it which doesn’t involve dimension-hopping, at least) could be described as a less incest/violence-heavy ASOIAF. Also, it reminds me strongly of the games of make-believe I used to play as a kid, and deals realistically with one of my fondest, but definitely not best thought out, childhood wishes, to step into my stories and meet the characters.
Temeraire, I’ve been banging on about enough recently, so I won’t go into excessive detail here. But if Peter Jackson makes that Temeraire movie(s) he’s been promising, I’m sure that a lot more people are going to find out about it, so here’s to him!
Nightrunner is something of a guilty pleasure for me, but a pleasure nonetheless. It is definitely not without its faults (over-reliance on the audience responding in a certain way to particular characters springs to mind), but it really does suck me in. I love the characters, and it’s a good blend of save-the-world high fantasy and sword-sorcery-and-lockpick low fantasy, balanced so that neither one overwhelms the other.
Day 3 - The best book I've read in the past year
Wow, tough choice! This has been a busy year for me, book-wise.
First, of course, The Lord of the Rings. I’m on my yearly read-through now, and if I were only allowed to read one book for the rest of my life, it would be this one. There’s something almost meditative about his descriptive writing, and he does an excellent job of conveying moods, especially the quieter, subtler ones, like the tranquility of Rivendell or the silent, lowering menace of the Old Forest.
Then came ASOIAF (wow, has it really been only ten months since I started?). As I said immediately after finishing AFFC, I don't think he quite deserves the moniker “the American Tolkien,” but he is a damn fine writer, and ASOIAF is exactly what the fantasy genre needed to keep it from stagnating. People keep trying to compare LotR and ASOIAF, but really, it’s apples and oranges. There’s personal preference, of course, but they’re just too different to compare objectively.
Finally, and more recently, came Temeraire. One of the many, many things I’m a sucker for is a competent historical fiction, and this took the standard Aubrey-Maturin formula, stripped away the cobwebs, and pumped up the action. (The jury is still out on which of the two series [serieses?] I actually like more, though.)
Day 4 - My all-time favorite literary series
Oh, definitely all of Tolkien’s Middle-earth works. The Hobbit got me hooked on reading, The Lord of the Rings has been my favorite book for over half my life (and counting!), and The Silmarillion brought the whole series from three-dimensional, which it already was, to…ten-dimensional or something.
Day 5 - A book/series I just can't stand
I’ve probably ranted on this before, but Richard K. Morgan’s The Steel Remains, which is basically what happens when a moderately successful sci-fi writer outright calls Tolkien a juvenile hack, and then attempts to prove it by writing what ASOIAF would be without the complex plot, compelling characters, in-depth worldbuilding, genre savviness, or sly humor.
Day 6 - My all-time favorite stand-alone book
Ooh, this is a tough one! (I’m a series kinda gal.) Off the top of my head, anything Jane Austen-y, since they’re all technically standalones, but especially Northanger Abbey, which I’m re-reading right now. I loves me a well-done loving parody, yes I do!
Day 7 - The plot device that most often derails books I'd otherwise enjoy
The cutesy child character devoid of personality aside from an adorable lisp, eyes the size of dinner plates, and an irresistible attraction to easily avoidable danger. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against child characters, nor child characters in peril, just child characters whose only trait *is* the ability to be imperiled. Other “character as plot device” types, such as Mr. (or, in the interest of gender equality, Ms.) Exposition, I’m usually okay with, but Dawn/Short Round/Jubilee/Sebrahn just makes me want to scream. I admit that this is more of a TV/movie phenomenon than literary, especially since three of the four examples I gave are from shows or movies, but it deserves mentioning!
Day 8 - A book everyone really ought to read at least once
Avoiding pulling out the old Tolkien chestnut, Fahrenheit 451. It’s got a lot of important messages about information, society, and human nature, and is especially topical in these days of Fox News, sound bites, decreasing newspaper and library circulation, and “edutainment.”
Day 9 - My all-time favorite single scene from a book
No fair! I can pick a favorite scene per fandom, but even then, limiting it to one is difficult more often than not. To ask me to pick one favorite, out of all the books I’ve ever read? Sorry, no.
Day 10 - A book I didn't expect to like, but ended up really enjoying
I admit it took me awhile to get around to ASOIAF. I’m generally not a fan of excessive gore/squick, nor of soul-crushing cynicism, which are both the main ways I’d heard ASOIAF described. But once hype started to build for the show, I poked around on TVTropes a bit, liked what I saw, picked up AGOT, and kinda fell in love.
Day 11 - A book that disappointed me
Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. It’s so often touted as one of the great modern fantasy epics, but it was just so…stale. I stopped reading after 150 pages, after not meeting anything beside stock characters or seeing anything beside a checklist of off-the-rack plot devices.
Day 12 - A book/series I've reread more than five times
Since I don’t want to drag LotR back out, Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small. It was actually the first Tortall series I read, and remains my favorite. As long as I give it a couple of years in between re-reads, I can always go back and enjoy it over and over again.
Day 13 - A favorite childhood book (OR a current favorite YA/kids' book)
For really little kids/toddlers, The Bunnies’ Ball, by Annie Ingle. The words fit well together, have a nice rhythm, and generally sound very pleasing when read aloud. Also, the art is glowing, heavily detailed, and fantastic.
For slightly older kids/grade-schoolers, the entire Redwall series, by Brian Jacques. There are no words for how into these books I was as a kid. They might be a bit of a challenge to read alone for some kids, especially those towards the younger end of grade school, but they’re entertaining as hell for kids, and not excruciating for parents (or so I’ve been told). One warning, though: do not read these books while hungry! I’m firmly convinced that the reason I went from standard-hyperactive-kid-skinny to chubby had at least something to do with the descriptions of feasts found here.
Day 14 - My all-time favorite literary character
Ditto #9.
Day 15 - The book I read when I need a teddy bear and/or a hug
That depends. When I get fed up with the banality and small-mindedness of the world at large, it’s Tolkien (again), which reminds me that the world is still a beautiful place. When I feel unlovable and alone, it’s Tamora Pierce, usually the aforementioned Protector of the Small, which reminds me that I have worth without being gorgeous and witty, and somewhere out there is a place for me, if I’m willing to work hard enough to get there. When I feel lost and don’t quite know what to do with myself, it’s Discworld, which anchors me enough to be able to laugh at myself.
Day 16 - A favorite poem/poetry collection
Favorite poem: not even gonna try to pick just one.
Poetry collection: In days gone by, I’d have said a massive anthology called Favorite Poems Old and New that my granddad gave to me when I was a preteen, and while I still love it for sentimental reasons, I’ve kinda outgrown it. Now, I dunno. Emily Dickinson is probably my favorite poet, but I’ve never gotten around to acquiring more than a sort of “Best Of” collection.
Day 17 - A favorite short story/collection of stories
I’m actually not a huge short story reader, so those that I do read, I usually do because they’re part of the same universe as a series of novels I already like. That said, any of the Dunk & Egg stories for ASOIAF or any of the many Dresden Files shorts that have been cropping up in various anthologies (sorry, it’s been too long for me to pick favorites out from among them).
Day 18 - A favorite opening scene
Actually, none spring immediately to mind. I’m fond of in media res intros, as long as they’re explained reasonably promptly, but I can’t seem to think of any.
Day 19 - A favorite book cover (bonus points for posting an image!)
Off the top of my head, I like this one, which was what my idea of badassery looked like for a good long while, which gives you an idea of what I was like as a kid:
This one for the combination of expressions on his face: “heh, heh. Suckers!” and “ohshitohshitohshit” and “I am totally awesome” and “wow, I’m up kinda high, aren’t I? *gulp*”:
This one, which is a classic! I don’t know if you can even find this edition anymore, but this is the one my mom has, and I’ve got some fond memories of paging through it as a wee one and just going “ooooh” at the (decent-sized!) map, Elvish script, etc. (although the supremely trippy unauthorized covers from the 60s definitely get an honorable mention here).
Day 20 - A favorite literary kiss
Ditto #9.
Day 21 - A favorite literary romance/romantic/sexual relationship (any gender/role)
Ditto #9. (And now I run into the dangers of shipping!). Although, a few of my all-time favorite OTPs are:
- Robin Hood/Maid Marian
- Professor X/Magneto (or Charles/Erik, if you’re coming at it from an XMFC angle, as I did)
- Apollo/Midnighter
- Willow/Tara (although Willow/Oz is a very close second)
- Jack/Ianto
- Hulkling/Wiccan
- Sam/Sibyl (the only Discworld pairing that I’m truly adamant about, although I do also like William/Sacharissa, Moist/Adora, Magrat/Verence, etc.)
- Fai/Kurogane
- Ryo/Dee
- Beren/Lúthien (although this is a least partially because of its RL basis)
- Renly/Loras
Day 22 - A favorite literary non-romantic/non-sexual relationship
Ditto #9.
Day 23 - The most annoying character I've ever encountered in a book
Hmmm… off the top of my head, Sebrahn, from Nightrunner. As I mentioned, one character type that I absolutely despise is the “cute” tagalong kid/toddler/infant/load who exists only to lisp adorably and bring out mama bear/papa wolf instincts. The White Road was fine for most of the novel (some parts were even amazing), but the parts containing or about Sebrahn were downright excruciating, especially because his mere presence seemed to somehow transform a badass warrior who has faced down gods, necromancers, and his own death into a mewling, whining pansy incapable of taking care of himself for five seconds.
Day 24 - A favorite quote from a novel
I’m afraid I have an awful memory for quotes. I can remember the basic gist of conversations and descriptions, but I’m envious as hell of those who can soak up particularly good turns of phrase and recall them at the drop of a hat.
Day 25 - Five books from my "to be read" shelf
Vorkosigan Saga (on orders from
hamsterwoman)The Romance of the Forest (ditto)
The Magician King (meh, I’ll get around to it)
Anything Dickens aside from A Christmas Carol (a glaring hole in my BritLit education)
Day 26 - "My mind very carefully boggled", aka "what WAS the author thinking?"
Editor: “Mr. Butcher, this draft of Dead Beat looks great, but it needs something to give it a little extra punch, something to really wow the audience for the big finale. Any ideas?”
Jim Butcher “POLKA-POWERED ZOMBIE T-REX CHARGES THROUGH DOWNTOWN CHICAGO”
Editor: “Mr. Butcher, you realize that Roc cannot be held accountable in any controlled-substances lawsuits that you may become engaged in.”
Jim Butcher: “IT’S POWERED BY A MORGUE ATTENDANT WEARING DICK VAN DYKE’S MUSIC SUIT FROM MARY POPPINS AND CONTROLLED BY A WIZARD DETECTIVE AND A REALLY BADASS SCOOBY-DOO”
Editor: “Jim-”
Jim Butcher “THEY’RE ON THEIR WAY TO A SHOWDOWN WITH EVIL NECROMANCERS AND AN ARMY OF GHOST COWBOYS AND AN ESCAPED GOD”
Editor: “…I love it!”
Don’t get me wrong, this comes down heavily on the “awesome” side of Crazy Awesome!
Day 27 - "All right, I have to read this": the plot element/idea/gimmick that gets me every time
A small, loyal, snarky band of close friends fighting the good fight against a near-omnipresent, totalitarian regime (bonus points for said regime being led by a spittle-emitting loony of a Big Bad being controlled from the shadows by a creepily competent puppetmaster).
Day 28 - The first book/series that really hooked me
I don’t know if this counts, but the whole Robin Hood mythos. I loved everything Robin Hood, and if it was green and had an arrow on the cover, it was mine. Also, I loved that it at least occasionally featured Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of my favorite historical figures. I dunno, there’s just something awesome about the fact that, at a time when women were legally counted as property, Eleanor was effectively ruling almost all of Europe (and, often, doing it much better than her various sons).
Day 29 - "Alas, poor Yorick": my favorite death scene
Tywin Lannister is definitely in the running, for sheer ignominy if nothing else, as is Sirius Black (Evaded the Ministry, Dementors, and Death Eaters; killed by drapery). Dorfl (later Constable Dorfl) and Levitas, both for woobieness (“WORDS IN THE HEART CANNOT BE TAKEN!” “You came.” *wibble*). Fëanor, for undiluted awesome (spontaneous combustion from sheer force of will, although this was technically more of an after-death effect than a cause of death, it still figured in his death scene, so it counts, dammit!). Robin Hood, for being the first death I remember crying over. Ultimately, I dunno. I always feel like I’m forgetting somebody.
Day 30 - A book I'm reading right now
Lords and Ladies, by Terry Pratchett. In addition to giving us our first good look at a pre-University Ridcully, it’s one of the best examples of that thing that Sir Terry does, where he takes one of the most basic tropes/plot devices/ideas of high fantasy or fairy tales, strips away our rose-colored glasses, exposes it for the strange, creepy, dysfunctional, often downright horrifying thing it really is, and makes us love him, and it, all the same.
Next, a new iteration of the pairing meme that I did a little while back. I've developed/become aware of a few new pairings since then, so here's Pairing Meme 2.0!
Six Pairings I Like:
1. Renly/Loras (ASOIAF)
2. Laurence/Granby (Temeraire)
3. Amy/Rory (Doctor Who)
4. Billy/Teddy (Young Avengers)
5. Charles/Erik (X-Men, especially X-Men First Class)
6. Fai/Kurogane (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle)
Three Ships I've Abandoned:
7. Lord Vetinari/Lady Margolotta (Discworld)
8. Ten/Rose (Doctor Who)
9. Dom/Arthur (Inception)
Three Ships I've Never Liked:
10. Bella/anyone or Bella/existence (Twilight)
11. Jack/Stephen (Aubreyad)
12. Nico/Karolina (Runaways)
Two Ships That Have Piqued My Interest:
13. Antonio/Benvolio (The Merchant of Venice)
14. Vin/Elend (Mistborn)
- Why do you dislike #11 so much?
2. Who do you know that ships #13?
My old Shakespeare professor. We spent an entire hour on the homoeroticism between these two; we didn’t even get to Shylock until the second day!
3. What would be your ideal scenario for couple #3?
I kinda wish they had been able to raise Melody/River themselves, or at least rescue her, because it just strikes me as kind of odd that the Girl Who Waited and the Deathless Centurion would just let an evil psychopathic cult kidnap and brainwash their baby girl into a vicious, amoral killing machine designed for the sole purpose of killing their dearest friend. Otherwise, the life they have now (settled on contemporary Earth, but with a standing invitation to go adventuring in the TARDIS) seems pretty good.
4. What is your favorite moment for #1?
Happy moment: the Tourney of the Hand. The rose! The glances! The asskickery!
Sad moment: when Loras absolutely loses his shit at Renly’s death. This is when I figured out that they were a couple, when Ser Charming, Debonair, and Snarky goes absolutely nuts and just snaps. We didn’t find out about this until later on, so I had to puzzle out why he freaked out to that degree when he and his family were still in a relatively good position, and then I had this little “…oh” moment, which was solidified when we find out that he stole Renly’s body to bury it in a safe, (presumably) beautiful place, and then he goes on to prove that, three years later (I think?), he still hasn’t gotten over it.
5. How long have you been following couple #6?
Oh, quite a while. Actually, I think they’re one of my oldest OTPs, dating back from 2006 or so, when my not-yet-then-BF started
6. What's the story with #8? What made you stop caring?
Half fandom, and half show. The Ten/Rose fandom eventually acquired a (somewhat, although not entirely, deservedly) bad reputation for being comprised mainly of screaming teenage fangirls who are so rabid that they depict any other Companion as a worthless bitch, and Mickey (Rose’s previous boyfriend) as a borderline-retarded, helpless manchild. In the show, after Rose left, certain writers spent so much time idolizing her and devaluing her successor, I kinda got tired of the relentless hype.
7. Which ship do you prefer--#2 or #4?
Hmm, now there’s a choice! Laurence/Granby is all shiny and new, and has the added bonus of it being a forbidden relationship between close friends (and uniforms; let’s not forget the uniforms! *drool*), but Billy/Teddy is actually canon. There’s less of an age gap for B/T, but they’re both still technically underage (I think; I kinda forget how time is working in the Marvel-verse right now, so it’s entirely possible that one or both of them are 18, or even 19, by now), which is a bit squicky. B/T is more openly affectionate, but L/G has all those unspoken, intense moments…Ultimately, I’m going to have to come down on the side of Billy/Teddy. They feel very much like a real couple to me, warts and all. Also, they have no conflicting interests (apart from certain tyrannical outside forces) that could divide their interests, while it’s always kind of assumed that Laurence and Granby would be aviators first and lovers second.
8. You have the power to make one ship non-existent. Choose from #10 or #12.
Oh, definitely #10. #12 is annoying, yeah, but at least it doesn’t glorify spousal abuse. Also, Nico may be kind of a bitch, but at least she doesn’t make 50s housewives look like Che Guevera.
9. What interests you about #14?
Mostly that Elend genuinely challenges Vin’s worldview. It’s not just that he’s the one good noble and the rest of them can all go to hell, but that he points out that “I have money” doesn’t necessarily equal “I am a horrible human being and deserve to die painfully.” But on the other hand, Vin has perfectly good reasons for seeing the entire aristocracy as a bunch of worthless slimeballs. I guess it’s that they’re both smart cookies, and their opposite viewpoints both have valid (and invalid) components.
10. When did you stop liking #7?
After about an hour, I think. Discworld ships that I’m adamant about are pretty thin on the ground, so I seriously consider even peripheral ones like this. But after thinking about it, I just couldn’t see them together. Actually, it might have been that just trying to picture Lord Vetinari naked kind of broke my brain.
11. Did your waning interest in #9 kill your interest in the series?
Not in the series, but in the fandom. For most Inception fans, Arthur/Eames is pretty much canon (all because of some half-playful antagonism and one sarcastic endearment), so it was almost impossible to find any good A/C stuff. I still like the move alright, although I don’t watch it on a regular basis.
12. What's a song that reminds you of #1?
Oh, waaay too many. XD
“I’ll Believe in Anything,” by Wolf Parade. It’s got this bouncy, upbeat, carefree, bubblegum pop-esque sound that I really associate with pre-War R/L. And, of course, the lyrics are just a lighter, less cynical version of Loras’ “king that should have been” speech.
“Rebel Prince,” by Rufus Wrainwright, which is good for pre- or post-War. It’s got a great just-this-side-of-obsession devotion thing going for it, as well as a sense of being lost and confused when suddenly bereft.
“Slow Movement” by Craig Armstrong, which is 99% instrumental, but if I was in D&D’s chair(s), this would be exactly the music to play at the moment Loras discovers Renly’s death. You’ll have to excuse squeaky baby Leonardo DiCaprio
“Young Blood,” by The Naked And The Famous (perfect name, heh). Again, if I were directing GOT, and I was okay with letting the world know that I am A) a raging R/L fangirl and B) secretly rather soppy, I would play this song over a montage of them riding and talking and sparring and snarking at the Lannisters and…I dunno, skipping through daisy meadows while holding hands or something.
And finally, “Sleepsong,” by Anúna, which is more or less the anthem for my ASOIAF pet project AU, where due to Ned’s ASTOUNDING LACK OF SUBTLETY, everybody pretty much knows what’s going to happen vis-à-vis Littlefinger and the advisability of trusting him and the Lannisters, and reacts accordingly. Renly and Loras take the Stark girls with them when they light out for Highgarden, and things proceed from there. There are thrilling chases and snarkery and narration from both Sansa (who ends up being betrothed to Willas Tyrell) and Arya (who ends up being a badass) and everything is roses in summer and nothing hurts. Shaddup, I can have my anti-canon sunshine-and-rainbows wish fulfillment if I want!
13. Which of these ships do you love the most right now?
Oh, probably #2 and #5. I’m still working out the kinks in my Temeraire-verse headcanon, so there’s lots of work still to be done there. Delicious, porny work. On the other hand, Charles/Erik is settling down into one of my pan-fandom favorite OTPs, so I don’t see that one fading anytime soon…
14. Which do you dislike the most?
#10, which actively insults my intelligence, my gender, and my age group (or, at least, the age group I was in when I first read Twilight).
15. If you could have any of these pairings double date, who would they be?
#3 and #4, I think. Both are strong, stable couples based around asskickery and adventure. (Plus, they’re both from fairly close parallel universes, so language/culture barriers shouldn’t be a problem.) Although, a double date for them would probably develop into them all averting the same apocalypse and swapping survival tips/funny anecdotes about their previous dates/teammates/enemies, if it didn’t start out that way.
16. Have #2 kissed yet? Elaborate if yes.
17. Did #4 have a happy ending? Do you think one is likely?
Their story is still ongoing, and yeah, they look to be in a pretty good place right now. They have a good strong relationship, and I think they can go the distance, as long as neither of them dies. Of course, that’s barring intergalactic wars, reality getting rewritten (again), or the patented Lensherr-Maximoff crazy rearing its ugly head.
18. What would make you start shipping #14?
I guess I already do ship it, but in a “duh, it’s canon” way, not an OTP way. But to make me start shipping it seriously, I guess that we’d need a much closer look at Elend, who would also need to lose some of his naiveté and take a level or two in badass.
19. If only one could happen, which would you prefer--#4 or #5?
Well, #4 has already happened, but #5 happening would probably avert the creation of a genocidal maniac (of course, that’s assuming that Charles doesn’t just go Dark Side and join Erik in superpowered terrorism). But I could never, ever think of breaking up #4 so…I don’t know.
20. You have the power to decide the fate of #10. What happens to them?
The series is re-written to focus on Leah and her struggle to free herself from a repressive society that condones magical daterape and refuses to allow her any value beyond her ability to produce babies and baked goods. Bella is a whiny, self-obsessed peripheral character who rats out Leah’s bid for independence because it might forcer her (Bella) to think for herself. Edward is a self-righteous dictator who truly can’t imagine how women could get so worked up over the whole “independence” thing when they already have men to do everything they want: buy them shiny things, tell them they’re pretty, and protect them from the big, scary world. Emily has Stockholm Syndrome and is subconsciously approaching a nervous breakdown, and Jacob is mortified that Leah has the bad manners to defy the entirety of werewolf society and not only openly reject the validity of the imprinting process, but to go so far as to actually try to contribute to pack discussions.
Whew! I think that's all the backlog.
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no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 04:19 am (UTC)YES! I really like her Curse Worker series, but I'm still sad there won't be any more Modern Faerie Tales for a good long while at least. I really enjoy the universe, and very much like Roiben.
I've only read the first of the Secret Country books and really enjoyed it, but haven't been able to find the sequels at the library. It's definitely close to my heart for all the same reasons you mention. (Speaking of Pamela Dean, I'm almost sure that the answer is yes but will ask anyway: Have you read her Tam Lin?)
I'm thrilled to see Temeraire on you "best-of" list, and heartened to see the Vorkosigan Saga on your to-read. *rubs hands and cackles maniacally*
Terry Goodkind, oy. I read the first book and kept expecting it to get interesting, and instead it just kept getting worse and worse.
Protector of the Small! We may well have talked about this already, but it's my favorite of the Tortall series. (Also, one of those cross-fandom memes once ended up with a question that had both Kel and Laurence in it, and I kind of ship them a little bit since then.)
I've been trying to encourage my kids to get into Redwall -- I have not read them myself, being too old when I heard about them -- but no takers so far (even though, being rodents, I figure they should appeal).
I’m fond of in media res intros, as long as they’re explained reasonably promptly, but I can’t seem to think of any.
Me too, and for that reason, "The building was on fire and it wasn't my fault" is probably my favorite opening scene of all time. (There's also a respectable one in Steven Brust's Dragon, which literally starts with "No shit, there I was..." :)
Fëanor, for undiluted awesome (spontaneous combustion from sheer force of will
Heh. I adore Feanor precisely for that sort of thing :)
Actually, it might have been that just trying to picture Lord Vetinari naked kind of broke my brain.
Heh. I've lost interest in Vetinari/Margolotta after actually seeing them together in Unseen Academicals, but I did consider it intriguing before. Not as a present day thing, but back when Vetinari was young (and looked like this -- hey, why not?) and on his Grand Sneer, and Margolotta had a thing or two to teach him in addition to politics :P
There are thrilling chases and snarkery and narration from both Sansa (who ends up being betrothed to Willas Tyrell) and Arya (who ends up being a badass) and everything is roses in summer and nothing hurts.
Yes! The longer I'm in ASOIAF fandom, the firmer grows my belief that everything that is good and happy needs to be replanted in Highgarden and then everything will turn out to be OK.
(of course, that’s assuming that Charles doesn’t just go Dark Side and join Erik in superpowered terrorism)
Hmm! I wonder if fanfic AUs like that exist? Because that sounds *very* intriguing!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-07 06:43 am (UTC)Oh, Roiben...XD Tithe was the very first book I finished in a single day, and at least a part of that was me developing a massive crush, as only a 12-year-old girl can, on Roiben.
Speaking of Pamela Dean, I'm almost sure that the answer is yes but will ask anyway: Have you read her Tam Lin?
Sadly, and surprisingly, no. I'd forgotten she'd even written it! Time for a re-visit to Pamela Dean, methinks. XD
Terry Goodkind, oy. I read the first book and kept expecting it to get interesting, and instead it just kept getting worse and worse.
Ugh. I threw in the towel when the strange, eccentric old man who everybody thinks is crazy except for the hero actually turned out to be an astoundingly powerful wizard who just happened to be living in a tiny, isolated village for no reason except, apparently, to deliver exposition and deus ex machinas as the situation demanded. Creativity, what's that? XP
Protector of the Small! We may well have talked about this already, but it's my favorite of the Tortall series.
*fandom high five* It sounds like something that would have come up. Also, Kel/Laurence actually sounds like a great couple! Once Kel got over the dragon thing, which wouldn't take long, since she already at least knows *of* dragons, they could have some badass adventures. Also, Laurence would fit right in in Tortall, and make an awesome knight!
I wonder if fanfic AUs like that exist? Because that sounds *very* intriguing!
Ooooooh do they! Ever since XMFC came out, one of the most popular subgenres/tropes/what-have-yous is "dark!Charles", where Charles *does* take Erik up on his offer at the end of the movie, and the two of them proceed to rain unholy hell on humanity. They vary widely in quality from fic to fic, but some of them are quite good!
no subject
Date: 2011-12-08 12:40 am (UTC)I read Dean's Tam Lin the year after I graduated from college, and, although Berkeley is rather far from the sort of small, Classics-focused liberal arts school that Janet attends in Tam Lin, the college and college town nostalgia was a huge part of why I loved it as I did. But it's a really cool book even aside from that (plus, Tam Lin is one of my favorite ballads and I can apparently consume endless modern retellings of it without getting bored).
when the strange, eccentric old man who everybody thinks is crazy except for the hero actually turned out to be an astoundingly powerful wizard who just happened to be living in a tiny, isolated village for no reason except, apparently, to deliver exposition and deus ex machinas as the situation demanded. Creativity, what's that? XP
Um, yeah, that wasn't even the worst of it, by half, as far as originality fail.
Ever since XMFC came out, one of the most popular subgenres/tropes/what-have-yous is "dark!Charles", where Charles *does* take Erik up on his offer at the end of the movie, and the two of them proceed to rain unholy hell on humanity.
Good to know! I should see if I can find my way to some of the good ones, then :)
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Date: 2011-12-08 02:20 am (UTC)What's not to like, indeed! Of course, it helps that he's snarky and purdy. XD
Tam Lin sounds like exactly the kind of things I'd love! I'm a bit leery of modern retellings/updatings of older stuff, so I'm glad to see that it gets the stamp of approval from a real, live human being!
Um, yeah, that wasn't even the worst of it, by half, as far as originality fail.
...*headdesk*
I should see if I can find my way to some of the good ones, then :)