Tag: books

The Art of Survival

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

When I first started reading the Three-Body Problem, I had high expectations. The science fiction trilogy, known formerly as Remembrance of Earth’s Past, had been described as a seminal and poignant piece on the human condition. One that was being adapted to Netflix, no less (though by the time I eventually got to it, the Netflix series was already out). And, on paper, it ticked many of my boxes when it came to something I would want to read. More importantly, I wanted to see how the many disparate threads planted in the blurb would all come together. What with the video game element, the existence of extraterrestrial life hidden among the stars, and the Cultural Revolution.

Though it took me a little by surprise at how abrupt it was, I enjoyed reading about Ye Wenjie’s past as she grew up during a difficult period in China’s history. As someone born to Chinese immigrants, I had heard stories about how my family navigated those times. From the limited food rations, the biting cold of northwest China…

But I’d never quite understood, on an intellectual level, the utter devastation of those years. It wasn’t until I picked up Frank Dikotter’s The Tragedy of Liberation and Mao’s Great Famine that I was able to actually gain a proper appreciation of the China my parents lived through. After all, it all seemed so far away when my own life was filled with plenty. Sure, there were still concerns about kidnappings and racist attacks but I’d never had to worry about stripping the bark off trees just to feed my belly.

Poverty, on such a national scale, is still a far cry worse from the current cost-of-living crisis we face now. That said, the struggles many face now cannot be so easily dismissed. Wage stagnation and the inflation of the prices for common everyday items means many families have had to go without.

Armed with this foreknowledge of what people had to go through during Ye Wenjie’s childhood, I was quite sympathetic to the character. Especially when her father was killed before her and the family was torn apart by the need to comply with the dictates of an authoritarian leader.

Was it any wonder she lost faith in humanity and sold us out to the Trisolarians? And as a student of history, and a self-described misanthrope, I will readily admit humans are the biggest obstacle to solving many of the world’s problems. If we ever want the world to be a better place, it, honestly, might just be better to eradicate us all.

Humans suck. What more is there to say?

Just look at the current state of the world if you think I’m talking out of my arse.

The only times humans ever band together over a common cause is when disaster strikes. See 9/11 or the Los Angeles Fires.

Of course, there will still be those out for themselves. It’s human nature, after all, to covet what others have and take it for ourselves.

And so it was with the Three-Body Problem.

While most of the first book saw humanity try to uncover the plot behind the Earth-Trisolaris Organisation (ETO), which was dedicated to helping Trisolarians invade Earth and destroy human civilisation, the next two books of the trilogy were an examination of how humanity might deal with the threat of its very destruction at the hands of aliens. Strong premises which should have been interesting to explore…and yet I was let down by much of the plot and the characters.

It should be noted the Remembrance of Earth’s Past trilogy was originally written in Chinese. As such, the books I read were actually the English translations. But for all the novel concepts being explored, I couldn’t help but feel like some of the work could have been edited down. Of note were the second and last book.

While I understand Liu Cixin wanted to paint the bleak nature of what humanity faced, there were many moments that could have been described in a sentence or two – or wholly cut out entirely. For example, almost all of Luo Ji’s interaction with his imaginary ‘perfect’ woman. Or even Wang Miao’s exploration of the Three Body video game. Did we really need to see him witness all the cycles of Trisolaris society being consumed before finally coming to the conclusion the world was tangling with three celestial bodies? I mean, the title of the book is The Three-Body Problem.

Then, of course, there’s my entire issue with the third book as a passive bystander. Was there truly a need to see humanity descend into barbarism when the Trisolarians decided to herd them all to Australia? I goddamn live in Australia. And having Cheng Xin’s entire perception of the country I live in be boiled down to Baz Luhrman’s Australia film felt…well, the less said, the better.

Or spend so long on the evolution of society that it was acceptable for men to adopt incredibly feminine appearances during times of peace? Before changing once more to their militaristic ‘masculine’ counterparts following the possibility of a Dark Forest strike?

One of my current sticking points when it comes to identity politics is the concept that good times breed ‘weak’ men and how hard times create ‘strong’ men. With the idea of ‘weak’ men being long-haired fem-boys and ‘strong’ men being roided out dude bros all clamouring to be the alpha. When, in all actuality, a demonstration of strength means rising above traditional ideologies of what constitutes masculinity and learning to be empathetic.

Not to mention the chapters dedicated to Yun Tianming’s fairytales, the adventures with 4D space…

The list goes on.

Plot aside, my other main issue were the characters. Both Wang Miao and Luo Ji had an obsession with the women in their lives bordering on unhealthy. Their entire character arcs and motivations were centred on the women they liked. Luo Ji, especially, came off as a patronising socially inept incel.

Of course, some of that could be attributed to Chinese culture or the imperfections of the translations but even when it came to Cheng Xin (the only female protagonist), her entire role was boiled down to what Yun Tianming (a man) bequeathed her with, using the money he had obtained. And she, smitten by the fact he had bought her the rights to a distant star, carried a torch for him until the very end of the book.

In my opinion, it would have been better if Cheng Xin was never gender-swapped to be a woman. In fact, I would have preferred a torrid gay love affair between a male Cheng Xin and Yun Tianming. And, instead, they should have gender swapped Thomas Wade (the psychopathic anti-hero who actually helped save humanity because they could make the hard decisions Cheng Xin could not).

If I’m being truly honest, the only character I liked in Death’s End was 艾AA. Now, she was a woman who would have served as a better protagonist to hapless and indecisive Cheng Xin (who basically slept through most of the book, woke up, made a terrible decision that essentially doomed the human race before someone else came to fix her problem before repeating the cycle all over again). Much like Thomas Wade, 艾AA, was able to make hard decisions. Yet she was also affable and friendly, helping Cheng Xin along before the entire solar system was sucked into the second dimension.

I suppose my main issue is how the characters never felt like characters but simply vessels to drive the story forward. There is no real autonomy afforded to them. They are simply there to fill a hole as required by the plot Liu Cixin wished to write. Or perhaps to explore a concept he wanted to drive home.

Overall, Remembrance of Earth’s Past provides an intriguing take of what it means to reach out across the universe and make contact with another intelligent civilisation, even when it falters to the overarching plot and the characters. It is certainly something worth pondering over and if we, as humans, face a Dark Forest of our very own.

Of course, other films of first contact have pointed to possible positive relations to extraterrestrials.

I, for one, believe curiosity may stay the hand of any who may pay us a visit. But I also understand the underlying fear of what it might mean to stumble upon an aggressor in the dark depths of space. After all, why take the risk of being conquered and having one’s home taken? It’s not like that’s happened in the history of humanity…right? *cough colonialisation cough*

So, perhaps it is easier to eliminate all possible threats to the continuation of our race than face extinction.

Food for thought, dear reader. Food for thought.

Brooding Bad Boys – Winged Fae Males Edition

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

After sinking my teeth into Sarah J Maas’s Throne of Glass series, I delved deeper down the rabbit hole with A Court of Thorns and Roses. While the first writing style wasn’t my favourite, and I felt I could have edited the first book in Feyre journey a bit better than the one we got, I didn’t hate it. Probably because at the time I read it, the series had yet to blow up on TikTok. So, of course, when Sarah J Maas announced her first ‘adult’ fantasy series set in a whole new world, I was intrigued. If a little cautious.

Reading the blurb for Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood, I thought the story being told would follow a lot of urban fantasy tropes. After all, with the male lead named Hunt Athalar, I was certain there would be plenty of brooding.

And smut. Copious amounts of poorly written smut meant to tantalise the uninitiated.

In fact, I even flipped through, scanning each page to prove my suspicions correct. I was so sure I would find every second scene devoted to some sort of yearning look shared between the main characters if they weren’t doing the horizontal tango. Maybe a touch here or there. A frisson of tension for all involved.

Words fail me when it comes to describing the overall plot. I’ve not reread the series prior to writing up this post. More importantly, I read them quite staggered based upon their release.

What I do remember consisted of unnecessary scenes that could have been cut, drama for the sake of drama, and attempts to hoodwink the reader to keep them on the backfoot. Although, Bryce did not scheme half as much as Celaena Sardothien, AKA Aelin Galathynius. Suffice it to say, our main character is one Bryce Quinlan. She’s half human and half Fae. Her best friend, Danika Fender, died in tragic circumstances a year or so before the start of House of Earth and Blood. When more murders begin popping around the city of Lunathion, Bryce is thrust into the heart of the investigation. And as the plot slowly unfurls, she uncovers secrets behind the very nature of society on Midgar. Subsequent books in the trilogy have her teaming up with a band of unlikely allies to overthrow the parasitic overlords that rule her world in an iron grip.

If, however, you want a succinct and, more importantly, interesting recap of the books, look no further than YouTuber: cari can read. All lowercase.

She also did a recap of the A Court of Thorns and Roses series including the novella and the Nesta smutfest. Which, if I’m honest, was the impetus for me turning away from Sarah J Maas’s stories. Unfortunately, since I had already started the Crescent City series, I could not just stop halfway through.

Granted, it did take me quite a while to read through House of Sky and Breath as well as House of Flame and Shadow after their release dates.

But finish them I did.

And while I can’t say I hated the books, I have to admit, the narrative didn’t particularly stand out to me. Worse, Bryce Quinlan felt like an amalgamation of all of Sarah’s previous protagonists mushed into one. Except this time, she had red hair.

Hunt, too, exemplified a lot of the same traits as the previous male romantic leads. If I closed my eyes and simply heard a description, I probably would not have been able to tell the difference between him and Rhysand or Rowan. Let alone Chaol or Tamlin.

Thankfully, though, her side characters had a bit more going for them. Fury and Juniper felt like actual people, rather than extensions of Bryce (although their appearances were few and far between). Hypaxia and Ithan, too (even though some of their extended scenes could have been cut).

And, it’s important to note, Sarah also included some LGBTQI+ flavouring into her world. Though TOG an

A shame, though, that she still preferred to keep her main couple straight. Even though she could have totally gone the sapphic route between Bryce and Danika. But I digress.

Actually, no. I don’t. Bryce’s relationship with Hunt was always just there. As if it was written in to appease Sarah’s audience, or her own kink for winged Fae. Danika, on the other hand, was a character Bryce treasured above all others. More than that, she was secretly linked to a whole host of matters that Bryce was never away of, including the inking of the Horn to her back as a tattoo.

What I disliked the most, though, was the fact Danika’s soulmate was the male Baxian (no shade on Baxian, though. The Hound has had it rough. Definitely a step above frat boy Ruhn). It would have been more intriguing if she had no mate of her own.

Then, there was the whole Lidia/ The Hind romance with Ruhn. While I enjoyed it for what it was, the foreshadowing in the second book was very on the nose. Then, in the third novel, I felt like Lidia lost so much of her agency. Especially when it came to Ruhn.

Even when she did show some backbone, by getting mad at Ruhn for only bothering to listen when she had laid out her sob story, she still could not resist the allure of Eau de Ruhn.

In fact, now that I think on it more, I feel like Sarah’s whole idea with ‘soulmates’ a little outdated. The way they call each other mates…the animalistic tendencies of the men (which she always denotes as male instead because, I suppose, man and woman are off the table if they aren’t human) just rubs me the whole way. True, she lampshades this a little by having Bryce call out problematic behaviour and labelling Hunt and a few others ‘Alphaholes.’ But, Sarah, if you want to write Omegaverse, just write Omegaverse!

Ali Hazelwood did it! You can too!

I suppose if I can pinpoint where my ambivalence for the stories comes from, it’s these small bits and pieces of characterisation and worldbuilding. Sarah both encourages and lampoons the same behaviour. The other part, I suppose, is her characterisation of faeries. In almost all of her stories, they often don’t adhere to the norms of actual faerie lore. Rather, Sarah creates her own that her characters abide by.

While also being hot and sexy. With a variety of magic at their fingertips.

It’s also clear after reading A Court of Thorns and Roses and the Crescent City novels that she has a thing for hot men with wings. So, there’s that too.

But perhaps the problem I have with most of the books is how predictable the stories are. After reading the summary on the back and skimming through a few lines, I knew exactly what type of book I’d be indulging.

Now, I’m not much of a critical reader. I’ll read most anything that has good sentence structure and spelling.

Yet, when your stories become the template for a whole host of books in the romantasy genre, everything becomes a little too trite. The interactions too stilted. And characters become walking talking cliched tropes.

Perhaps it’s the reason why House of Flame and Shadow doesn’t receive the attention its predecessors did.

And that’s coming from a person who believes there are NO original ideas.

I might not be on TikTok, or a lot of other social media for that matter, but I’ve found a dearth of content when it comes to the urban fantasy epic penned. Maybe others can see the writing on the walls. Or it could be the author’s politics (I know that’s been a thing on many people’s minds in recent years when they look to support burgeoning authors, and the drama that unfurls).

Whatever the case may be (I personally think it’s the power creep and the fact there were too many plot threads with too little payoff), I’m sure we can all rightly agree Crescent City was a series of all time.

And maybe that’s okay.

Not everything HAS to be the next BIG thing.

Still, at least for all the romantasy lovers out there, at least there was some sexy Shadow Daddy and Winged Fae smut going on. So, yay?

Does make one wonder when my favourite stories will rise to the peak of popularity. Here’s hoping it’ll be soon!

When the River Meets the Sea

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

I don’t tend to hype up books or signal boost ones I like too much but, as you, dear readers know, there is a series I’ve stumbled upon in recent years that I am most enthusiastic about. Why it isn’t a TikTok darling is a mystery to me. The cover is GORGEOUS, the plot a work of GENIUS and the characters are some of the most lovable I’ve ever set my mind’s eye on. Don’t even get me started on the world-building!

The work of fiction, of course, is none other than the Rook and the Rose trilogy by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms. AKA M.A. Carrick – the pseudonym they chose to write under.

From the moment I cracked open the first book and stepped in the city of Nadezra, I was spellbound. Quickly, I came to love the world within those 600 or so pages. But if I have to shout out one character who resonated strongly with me, it would be Ren.

Hers is a story many may know. An orphan with no name trying to eke out a living in an unforgiving city.

While many fantasy authors these days tend to make their protagonists thieves or assassins or royalty in disguise, Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms went a different route. Yes, Ren is a thief and con artist but she isn’t a character living on the fringes of high society. Instead, she throws right into the political machinations of the gentry and find a way to put her name onto a noble family register. Along the way, she makes new allies, finds love and gets adopted into a loving family. And all through the use of her silver tongue and skill at pattern-reading.

As such, she’s a refreshing protagonist when so many are either hyper-sexualised (although she isn’t afraid to use her feminine wiles to her advantage) or turned into another stoic caricature of what people think a strong female protagonist has to be. In all honesty, it’s probably how she relies on her wit rather than brawn to win battles that won me over.

The city of Nadezra, too, is a the perfect microcosm of many issues our current world faces when it comes to the divide between ricfh and poor, white and black. True, the Vraszenians are more akin to gypsies rather than, say, African-Americans or Indigenous Australians but their struggle is similar. Nadezra, after all, is the holy city of the Vraszenians, conquered by the Liganti (a light-skinned race with many of their attitudes reflecting that of the Western European gentry although their names were very Italian-esque).

In the history of the world, it was the Tyrant King who first took control. Though he died centuries ago, the city of Nadezra, has, however, remained in the hands of the Liganti. Their control of the city remaining tight due to the influence of special medallions charged with the power of a Primordial.

While the third book in the trilogy, Labyrinth’s Heart, manages to resolve these issues by the end, I thought it poignant the authors made it clear the racism and institutionalised disadvantages the Vraszenians faced hadn’t completely vanished overnight. House Traementis, while being more open-minded to befriending Vraszenians and granting them contracts was still trying to unlearn many of the prejudices they held.

Still, the fact Ren is of mixed heritage and that she saved the city numerous times with Vraszenian, Liganti and mixed blood Nadezrans allies was an important step towards equality and making a fairer multicultural society.

It also helped this was a fictional fantasy novel where such problems can be more easily resolved. Nevertheless, I liked the inherent message within that diplomacy rather than violence is the key to navigating differences. Of course, for it to work, both parties need to approach the thorny issue of past grievances in good faith. Nothing would get done if people held onto old grudges instead of setting such things aside. That isn’t to say compensation shouldn’t be paid to those that have suffered.

I’m sure in the world of Nadezra, there is still many things that will need to be addressed but I’m also appreciate of the fact the conflict between the two races wasn’t so black and white. In fact, the extremists among the Vraszenians were also a threat Ren and her allies needed to manage.

But while racism and the impact of one’s cultural and socio-economic status play large roles in the narrative, I felt the crux of The Rook and the Rose trilogy, was the theme of family. If anything, given it’s a trilogy with three main characters it revolves around, I’d say it was a fitting theme given the Tricat numinatria represented family as well as the number three in the world’s lore.

And who would have thought this fantastic story would all come from the two authors playing a table-top role-playing game?

Certainly not me!

Which is why I would like like to see these books being boosted more on social media. Be it BookTube (thank you Reads with Rachel for showing off Mask of Mirrors) or Booktok. After all, can you imagine this wondrous and colourful world being turned into a TV adaption? Just the set dressing and costume design has me salivating given how much attention Alyc Helms has given.

Now that Shadow and Bone and its spinoff Six of Crows has been cancelled, what better faux European world to have fun in? When you also mix in the brooding Rook and the scheming Vargo, the cast of characters are set. The Rook and the Rose is one part Game of Thrones, one part Bridgerton high society (at least, I assume that’s what Bridgerton is all about. I’ve never watched it) and one part Lies of Locke Lamora/ Six of Crows. Viewers would get to see the inner workings of the nobles and how Ren manages to disrupt their very conservative views by showing off her arms without sleeves! And then, maybe in the same episode, we could see how the other side lives as Ren dons the disguise of a szorza to figure out why children are disappearing in the city.

Heck, you even have the terrifying zylzen to be your creepy CGI enemies Ren and her allies will have to do battle with!

And then in the second season, you get to enjoy a nice cruise on the river before the plot embroils us all into a secret cult!

It just makes sense!

Throw in the very liberal view when it comes to LGBTQI+ relationships and you have a WINNER!

Please, anyone, if you’re a TV producer, I’d really like to see the Rook and the Rose as a television series. Can you just IMAGINE the playground the writers could have with this world and setting? It’s CRIMINAL not to adapt it to the silver screen.

Anyways, that was my many cents take on a trilogy I stumbled upon at my local Kinokuniya and immediately fell in love with at the first sight of the cover. And while I’m sad Ren’s story has come to an end, I would like to dive back into the world Marie and Alyc have created to see what else the world has to offer.

Like Seteris!

Or whatever adventures Alsius might be having in the Realm of the Mind.

I’ll miss you, Mr Peabody.

Someone, anyone, please draw me a picture of a green spider wearing gloves. I beg of you!

Backlog Catch-Up

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

With all the new releases coming out in 2023, I am reminded once again of the limited time I have as someone that must work for a living. Coupled with the fact that I’m out socialising more and exploring the world when I use my leave, what little free time I have must be used in the most efficient way possible spread out thinly across video games, writing, reading and keeping up with shows and movies.

As of the writing of this post, I’m in the fourth chapter of Tactics Ogre Reborn, mopping up most of the side quests and unlocking new characters and classes before the final battle. But the temptation is there to put Tactics Ogre Reborn down and play through The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom instead since it’s new and shiny and everyone who is anyone is hyped for the new Zelda entry.

I even saw someone play on the commute to work!

While that something most gamers will do, hopping from one game to another, I’ve always found that the best way for me to tackle the glut of video games that catch my eye is to finish them off one by one before moving on. Otherwise, I’d have far too many incomplete games and not enough storage space on my consoles for anything more. A terrible dilemma given the size of games nowadays.

At least, that’s what I tell myself as everyone else is raving about the latest games that they’ve got their hands on.

Of course, even if I were to finish the game I was currently playing at the time, it doesn’t always mean I’ll play the latest and greatest title. The game I start could be part of my backlog or a fairly new and flashy game. And though it shouldn’t matter if that title is the one in the current zeitgeist or if it was something that came out years ago, I know in my heart of hearts, I should only be playing what’s new. If only to keep up with the discourse.

Still, the FOMO that I feel is a reminder that I can still engage in the content, though I may not have the entire experience. After all, I’m not one that shies away from a few spoilers. In fact, I relish them. 

But I’ve found that when it comes to my gaming habits, and even on dates when I chat to others, it’s always been a struggle for me to be open about my favourite games. While some hyperfixate on a title, I tend to enjoy the stories for what they are without diving too deep. Some of that could be from the fact that I’ve managed to glean all that I can from unofficial wikis. Other times, I’ve simply not felt the need to obsess over every small detail in the game.

Still, I have to wonder if some of that comes from my childhood. Growing up, there weren’t many people around me that played video games. Even if they did, they were older than me and didn’t want to entertain the curious preteen. In high school, there was still the perception that games were played by boys and what was a nice girl like me doing spending so much time in front of the computer screen?

Even now, I don’t talk about games with my work friends or those that don’t really play anything more than cosy games like Animal Crossing. Sure, I now know of people that play the big releases and that’s something we can talk about briefly but those titles serve as conversation starters. Water cooler conversations, if you will, because neither of us know how far the other has gotten and don’t want to ruin the experience.

If I wanted a hot take about a game, I turn to the internet. One glance at YouTube and you can see why. I couldn’t tell you the number of videos I’ve seen reviewing game titles, assessing games and what they bring to each individual or just having an opinion about something controversial. You name, there’s a podcast. And if you engage with those creators, form a parasocial relationship, you’ve essentially found ‘your people.’

So, maybe it’s fine for me to take my time instead of racing through. Even though popular discourse seems to favour remaining relevant when posting reviews or impressions on the internet. Something that I’ve done with my games.

The same, however, cannot be said of books. Perhaps because I’m not on BookTok or on BookTube. Even if I were, there’s no real rush to be on top of the latest releases unless it’s YA. And given my favourite genre and my minimum page count being 500 pages or more, I’ve never felt compelled to quickly finish a book just to get to a new one. In fact, the more time I can spend with a book, the better. The atmosphere, the worldbuilding, the characters…these are all important aspects to me and there have been times when a book reaches the end that I wish the author had simply written more about their characters.

I very much like exploring someone else’s head and seeing their interactions in the quiet moments.

That’s probably why I insert so much of it in my own writing. I like to get to know a person inside and out.

Beyond the occasional YA novels, though, you won’t find whole wikis filled with the history of characters or their backstory. Books are a completely different medium and their fans interact differently with the source material. While yes, you will get the occasional fan art, it’s only recently that I’ve seen Rhysand and Feyre fan art being sold at conventions. I might have shuddered, but given that there’s no movie or TV show of Sarah J Maas’s work, it’s very impressive that there is actual fan art that exists for a wholly book series.

Books, more than games, have always been something I’ve been passionate about. And while there are books that I will put down something else to read if the chance arose, I don’t feel the immediate FOMO that one might have if a new game comes out. Yes, there’s hype but I never feel like I’m missing out on the conversation.

Maybe, of course, there’s the fact that reading is a much more passive experience than gaming. True, tehre are people out there that will immediately buy a book as soon as it releases and finish it within a day but even with BookTok and BookTube becoming increasingly prevalent, public discourse doesn’t have such a huge emphasis on new book releases. At least, not on the scale of video games or films/ TV shows. For example, Sarah J Maas became increasingly popular with the advent of TikTok but back when I was still reading the first few books of the Throne of Glass series back in 2015, there was no-one I knew within my immediate circle that had read the books.It’s only been in recent years that I’ve seen people fall in love with the world of A Court of Thorns and Roses and jump on the fae bandwagon.

And don’t get me started on Robin Hobb!

Too bad, of course, that no-one has truly been trying to promote the intricate worlds of M.A. Carrick in the Rook and the Rose series. Or have started reading the Black Magician trilogy by Australian author, Trudi Canavan. Honestly, those worlds have been some of the BEST I’ve ventured into.

Then again, much like games, I don’t talk about books very much to my friends. Mostly because it’s hard to find someone that has read the same type of genre that I do. Even if we DO read the same genre, we may not have read the same books. Have you SEEN how many books are churned out each year? Something, of course, I want for myself but I’m sure if I am ever published, I’ll just be one of the dime a dozen authors that disappear once more into the woodwork. It takes talent and grit and a fair bit of luck to become the next Sanderson or Rowling or Martin.

Still, now that I’ve joined a book club at work, I’ve been able to talk about books freely with people that have, at the very least, read the same book that I have for the month. No longer do I have to spy on people on the train and muster up the courage to chat to them about the latest Stormlight Archive book that they’re reading (which I’ve finished) and nerd out over Kaladin and lashings and the Cosmere.

And while the genres may not always be the ones that I enjoy the most, I do like discussing the book of the month with those in the office. There’s something special about going into deep dives about the book we’ve all just read as we go on about themes or elements that particularly stood out. 

Even if I secretly hope to steer them towards the more magical side of fantasy given enough time. 

But that’s a thought! We have book clubs. Why not game clubs? I know that video games are social mediums by their very nature, but I’d like a proper sit-down and in-depth chat about a game’s story with my fellow gamers as we talk about things that we liked or didn’t like, the mechanics that worked and didn’t work and how the ambiance fed into the game world to make it the unique experience it was for each person.

I don’t want someone to talk at me about a game. I get enough of that on the internet as people try to extol the virtues of whichever game has become their whole personality, nor do I want to have to sit through a one-sided discussion during a date. Given that games are a valid medium of art, we can start treating them as such.

But maybe instead of viewing games and books and whatever else that’s inbetween, I should simply just enjoy what I have for the time being and worry less about trying to keep up with whatever is popular. I’m not, after all, a gaming journalist. There’s no money to be made in my blogs. I write about what I like, I read what I like, and I play whatever takes my fancy. Games come and go. And since I’ve purchased them and they’re sitting pretty on my shelf, it’s all just now a simple matter of picking them up, dusting them off and slipping the disc into the console. 

Speaking of which, I need to ALSO finish of Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky SC and the third title before tackling the Crossbell arc of games. Eugh! 

So much to do, so little time!

Let’s Talk About Books, Baby!

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

From the ashes of obscurity, books have seen a resurgence. My mother always wondered why I would ever want to be employed at a bookstore when the printed word seemed to be going the way of the dodo. But what was once considered a dying medium has seen new life bestowed upon it through the valiant efforts of BookTubers and even Booktok. 

Yes, you read that right. Booktok! Forget about all the dancing teenagers trying to create the next new floss dance move. There are people on TikTok that actually provide book recommendations. Or riff on certain tropes. Heck, there’s even relatable WriterToks!

Yet, this all comes with a caveat. Most of the books that are seeing a huge boost from influencers are Young Adult fiction. There’s also some very questionable romance stories that are also seeing an endless amount of attention being showered on them. Not once, in all the time that I’ve watched compilations of BookTok videos, have there been any videos on series that are lesser-known. 

Instead, Sarah J Maas dominates with her wing kink Fae universe. Leigh Bardugo has also reached peak prominence with many on the site, but some of that may be due to the Shadow and Bone adaption on Netflix (and after reading the books, I definitely prefer the Six of Crows duology). Then, of course, there are a litany of romance stories with half-naked men on the covers. 

Unfortunately, Fifty Shades of Grey was not an anomaly.

Rather, smut is in. Scratch that. Smut has never left. Whether that be fanfiction on Wattpad (apparently people just love Mafia alternate universes or being kidnapped by boybands. Where have I seen this trope before? Ah yes, the manga Haou Airen by Mayu Shinjo. Actually, just any work from Mayu Shinjo in general. It’s as if the collective gutter mind has picked up on her works and started to remodel it somehow into what now populates sites such as Archive of Our Own and other places where fanfiction exists.

And when it comes to Sarah J Maas and the disaster that was A Court of Silver Flames (I really agree with many BookTubers that have negatively reviewed this work such as withcindy), it seems authors can also get away with having about nearly three fourths of an 800-page book just be about having angry sex in every corner of a fantasy realm.

But that is NOT why I decided to write this post.

While I believe I could pump out decent videos and become a regular of the Booktok community, I just want to shine some light on a burgeoning series in the fantasy section that deserves more love than it’s been getting. And that is the Rook and the Rose trilogy. From its gorgeous cover to the excellent world-building to the lovable characters! 

Somehow, it’s still so niche that my local Dymocks didn’t even stock it! I had to go online just to get it in hand. Honestly, that’s on me and I probably should have just gone to Kinokuniya or Abbey’s with its hefty science fiction and fantasy section.

Written by Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms under the name M.A. Carrick, the Rook and the Rose series tells the story of Ren, a con artist, who has come to the city of Nadezra to trick her way into a noble house and secure a fortune for both herself and her fellow ex-street urchin: Tess. The way the authors craft the world and the lore behind it is immaculate, the focus on the characters and the slow plotting also make it a delicious read that had me become incredibly invested into its world.

Nadezra, though the setting for the story that is being meticulously plotted out, feels like a character in its own right. The history of the city is rich with promise and the Venetian-esque vibe that emanates from it (along with the masquerade masks that adorn the covers) makes the place feel alive even though it’s only something crafted from words and I’ve merely just pictured the actual buildings in my mind. 

But although Ren is front and centre, there’s also Vargo, everyone’s favourite criminal mastermind with a heart of gold, and Grey Serrado, a stiff Captain of the Guard that has a huge chip on his shoulder. While there are plenty of other characters to wrap one’s head around, these three are the heart, soul and mind of the series as it currently is and I cannot wait to see what happens in the third and final book of the series that should be releasing sometime in early 2023.

Honestly, it’s a shame that this series hasn’t received the attention it deserves. For anyone that has fallen in love with the Locke Lamora series or who likes tropes of found family and dashing rogues trying to fight against a corrupt aristocracy, the Rook and the Rose series has it all.

Heck, even if you want to have a creature mascot, there is one in Alsius! Someone, draw a spider with socks on each of its legs! Please! If Doomslug from the Cytonic series can have merch, then so can an aristocrat trapped in the body of a spider! 

And the way he bemoaned his lack of gloves had to be one of the funniest sentences I’d read in a long time.

Then of course there’s the things that BookTok could be capitalising on. Like the tarot card readings and the drawing of numinatria (which is basically geometric shapes)!

Oh, can’t forget the FASHION!

Alyc Helms might not be Tess in real life but she’s definitely an eye for describing clothing and I wish I had that talent when it comes to describing what my characters are wearing. Given my current ineptitude (I can’t even tell the difference between a cross stitch and other forms of embroidery), it’s a wonder how I manage to clothe my various fictional characters at all. One of these days I ought to sit down and just research the different types of doublets, jerkins, cuirass and other such attire. 

The world is also ripe for an adaption, as was requested in an interview with the authors with Kia Carrington-Russel, an Australian author.

It is a shame that many influencers have yet to read or signal boost this criminally underrated series. How is it that books such as House of Sky and Breath have become so popular that they now feature in the local Big W and not a fantastic fantasy series that tells such a bewitching tale in a fully realised world?

I can’t say for sure if I have any reach when it comes to my blog posts, but I hope that someone out there will draw a spider with gloves/ socks and it suddenly becomes viral. Because that is what the Rook and the Rose deserves! 

That or a streaming deal. Just think of how beautiful the world would look with just the right vision behind it? Certainly, we’ve seen Bridgerton bring back Regency and Shadow and Bone dabble with an actually intriguing young adult fantasy series. Now let’s see that Netflix budget (or Amazon/ Binge/ Stan/ whatever other big streaming services there are) try to put it on a burgeoning IP that has so much promise! And don’t cancel it until the second season! 

To All the Books: Always and Forever

On By kyndarisLeave a comment

For those that know me, there are two things in the world that I love more than anything else: video games and…books. All throughout high school, I was known as the one who always had a book in her bag, ready to whip out when I no longer had to socialise with my fellow mouth-breathers. To be honest, it was a source of shame as I’d be disparaged for reading when I could have been talking. Worse, even back then, people hardly read things beyond the prescribed texts set by the school’s English Department. To many, I was an anomaly. And it was difficult to discuss anything beyond those that had young adults enthralled such as Harry Potter, Twilight and Eragon with any of my friends. Due to my  niche repertoire, it was a little harder to find anyone with the same interests. Who’s Trudi Canavan? What’s the Silmarillion? 

Note to self: Do not read Chapter 13 of Gene of Isis, which is titled Seduction, when friends can very easily look over your shoulder and wonder why a thirteen year-old might be interested in hands sliding down knees. 

In my defence, I skimmed over most of the risque scenes as I was more interested in the actual world-building.

Recently though, I’ve stumbled upon a YouTube channel that features one of the major things I cherish: the written word and the characters lurking within. In fact, it’s been a great joy to delve into a few of the book reviews and to learn about the strange quirks that come from being a reader. It’s also great to hear what they might have liked or disliked about some of my favourite books. And, hopefully when the COVID-19 pandemic finally blows over, I too, hope to stop someone in the produce section of a grocery store to chat about Brandon Sanderson (who, by the way, signed my Mistborn books when he was in Australia for Supanova and I asked him a terribly stupid question because I hadn’t sat in on his panel).

It has also made me wonder that perhaps people might be more interested in hearing my thoughts on books. After all, if the internet has taught me anything, there’s still a sizeable audience for any type of content. Books and Fanfiction included.

The only problem, is that I read for leisure. I’ve always hated how, during English class, we’d try to break down each and every sentence an author inserted into their story. Did it matter that the dress was red? I would say ‘no’ but English Literature professors would say ‘yes.’ Why? Because it represents passion and sexiness and every in between. Clearly, the author is trying to state from the very first chapter that what proceeds next is going to be hot and steamy.

As someone that has dabbled with a bit of writing, I know for a fact that I’ve never put in that much thought about my random background descriptions. Most of the time, it’s been: how does that look good? And if I choose to use ‘pivot’ instead of ‘dodged’ in a combat scene, it’s only because I’m trying to change it up a little. And not because I wanted to allude to my failed career as a ballet dancer (which, by the way, would never have happened because I am a terrible dancer).

I suppose I could always break down the things I liked about narrative or the characters. That’s something I’ve always done with video games. The problem with books, however, is that a lot of the characters also stem from the reader’s imagination. While some authors like to paint an explicit picture of what their protagonists might look like, others just give them broad descriptions and let their readers fill in the rest. It’s why I couldn’t get over the fact that Remus Lupin had a moustache in the Harry Potter films. And probably why I fell in love with book Faramir, but couldn’t seem to love his film portrayal in the Lord of the Rings films (which do make the franchise more palatable. Though, they did do Tom Bombadil a great disservice by not including him).

Still, it’s food for thought.

After all, in this day and age, it’s so hard to find someone that has similar interests as me. Honestly, I’d gladly go on a rant about some of the authors that I’ve been introduced to, and others that I’ve discovered. Better yet, I’ve been also trying to expand what types of books that I read. Though, of course, I’m a little leery about reading romance in public – what with their covers and all.

In any case, 2021 is the year that I hope to continue to indulge in my hobby. Hopefully, I’ll continue to read widely even though I’d much prefer to focus on my core genre that I take the most joy out of exploring. Because, even among readers, there’s judgement. Though this isn’t much explored, I still feel a little out of place to reveal how much I love epic fantasy. This might have been due to my mother hoping I’d read Jane Austen back when I was twelve, but honestly, at that time in my life, magic wands and dragons seemed much cooler than Regency England. Since then, however, I’ve read Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. 

Maybe I’ll read more of Jane Austen’s works in the future and develop a deeper appreciation for her writing. For now, my favourite is still Jane Eyre. Even if Rochester is a problematic love interest.

As for my other books, well…all I can say is that I appreciate how fast Mr Brandon Sanderson writes and I look forward to the next story in the Stormlight Archives. Scott Lynch, I need more from Locke and his merry gang of thieves. And you…Patrick Rothfuss…will you ever be able to finish what you’ve started?

But, just like my games, it might be best to go through the huge pile that I’ve yet to finish. Why is it every time that I enter a bookstore I seem to know no restraint and buy, buy, buy? There have been many books that have sat on my shelves, just waiting to be devoured, but have been eclipsed by the latest and shiny titles of a few of my favourite authors.