Fan fiction. Or, the crap of the literary world.

Attention grabbed? Good!

Now, let's get something straight, here. I don't -hate- fan fiction. I think it's a great way to practice writing as most of the work is already done for you, and when it's done well, it's fascinating to see established characters you love through someone else's eyes. What Ifs are great when something didn't end the way you wanted to. Not like the original writers owe people anything... That's a whole other blog post. Just because you are a fan of something, it does not entitle you to direct how the original artist progresses and ends something THEY created.

But apparently, if people complain enough, they cave and placate the entitled idiot masses. 

Artists do not owe anyone shit. Write your fan fics and convince yourself it's real.

But with fan fiction, you've got established characters with traits, mannerisms, and goals, you've already got the details and mechanics of their world, and you've got reference material that is fairly recognizable.That doesn't mean your badly written slash porn is any good, however. My problem with fan fics being regarded as the next great source of literature is simple. None of it is original thought, and your OC's getting injected into established story lines and copyrighted intellectual property isn't original, and most of it is horribly written Mary Sue/homoerotic fantasy smut. So no, Tumblr is not a source for your next great read or worthy of being published if the author changes some names around.

Not kidding. This bitch has made billions and set feminism back thirty years with this garbage. 

I'm not entirely without sin. I have a subfolder where I have all of my fan fiction. Because, as I said, it's good practice, and all writing, however bad, or unoriginal, or ridiculous, helps the crafting of your individual voice and skill. I take lots of inspiration from video games, books, film, for traits or characteristics I want to mold into my own imaginary friends. For example, I've been a fan of the Thief video game series since I painstakingly helped my older cousins play through the first game on his (circa 1995) amazing PC. I have a little fan fic with Garret and a few OC's in a kind of competitive protege type of thing with another thief who took over ransacking The City after Deadly Shadows when Garrett relives his recruitment into the Keepers when another young kid tries to pick him. It helps me write from the view of a person with traits I can't really relate to on my own, since I'm not a selfish, materialistic, self serving antagonistic creep. One of my main projects right now started as Sandman Slim fan fics set between Kill the Dead and Aloha From Hell. He started as a "Hey, I'm the only thing you've met that is close to your level, and if you're not gonna bang Candy, I will" type of character. He was someone who Stark could relate to, but also be kind of at odds with  simultaneously. He was meant as the equal but opposite of Slim, and the only one who even stood a chance at beating him. He completely evolved past that, and he has his own three book story arc with a few nods to the original inspiration peppered in.

I guess my main point here, is that I've spent literally three years now trying to build a world, mythos, and everything else for another project that had sparked in high school, got it's first couple of pages my senior year of college, and has been outlined and researched on and off ever since. Being literally god to a whole new world is exhausting. I'm afraid of contradictions, little things that don't make sense or fit in, minute details, anything of even the most insignificant trifle I could miss that That Guy will bring up at my Q&A to make me feel like an asshole.

"Um, Ms. Woods, *snort, wipe nose* on page 147 of book one your main character, who I love and cosplay as and masturbate to says, and I quote, *holds up beaten, stained, signed first edition hard cover copy* 'I wouldn't patron his establishment if he had the last jar of peanut butter in the galaxy,' but in book 3 on page 381 her traveling partner, while allergic to peanuts, as previously established, convinces the stubborn stalwart heroine into going INTO said establishment for peanut butter?"

And probably make me want to beat the shit out of him in the parking lot afterward.

So props to the magic man in the sky who created existence as we know it in seven days, and piss off to the lazy unoriginal fanboys and girls that work solely off of other people's creations.

I wish.

TL;DR

It's not easy to literally play god to an entire imaginary universe. And I quietly resent people who take the easy way out.

- RaRa out.

Daylight War (Kinda) But mostly: Books -> Movies; yay or nay?

I finished Daylight War. And let's just say. CLIFF HANGER MUCH?! If you read it, you'll get it.

I'm not super duper into this series post first book, as I really, really hate the pseudo Middle Eastern Krasians and the rampant rape culture throughout the last half of Painted/Warded Man, Desert Spear, and Daylight War. It feels as though Brett went for budding feminism, but missed the mark. Maybe I'm just jaded, or an ignorant American, but I've never been and never will be pro-polygamy or accepting of rape, in any circumstance, or subjugation/objectification of women, whether or not it makes/breaks characters. I think it's a crutch for authors to use to give characters reasons to be strong, or to fall into their weaknesses, even excuse or define cultures too plainly. I'm not a fan of rape and pseudo-feminism being used as a story arc or plot device, in any event, and I personally try avoid both reading and writing it. THE SERIES IS NOT ALL ABOUT RAPE, it just... feels like an erotic/romance novel jammed into an hopefully unintentionally misogynist fantasy, and that's not what I signed up for. There's too much of it for me not to mention it as a major flaw, in my opinion. Don't get me started on the bullshit the Republicans are pulling, lately...BUT. Before this becomes an off topic rant ...

I'm also not happy about how Brett's making me split my allegiance between the two protagonists, as I'd prefer Arlen to be the 100% good and Jardir the 100% bad, but that's probably why he wrote them as he did. No spoilers, just a basic premise; both Arlen and Jardir have ended up being the respective spiritual leaders of their cultures, on the same side of a war but not fighting unified; Arlen, begrudgingly, Jardir with bells on and waving sparklers. Jardir got his power the "normal," legitimate way (arguable, but that's a spoiler,) while Arlen fell into his out of necessity, lack of option, and needing a way to survive.

Inevera; wife of Ahmanarama lama ding dong flibbty floo Jardir, named for the first wife of Everam.
Krasian; The Will of Everam (god.)
Steph-anese: Terrible figure of pseudo-feminism; total backfire.

Know what, no. Screw the rules. I'm Team Arlen all the way. I hope it doesn't end like I think it does. Because I will be so mad. Be warned, Brett. I will be so SO MAD if you go where I think you're planning to. SO. MAD.

And I'm very not happy about the turn the whole series took about two thirds through the first book. But that's probably me being hypersensitive and too lazy to fully explore and explain my problem with subjugation of women as a plot device. So, deal with it.

But with that out of the way, as I promised I'd do a mini review for that, I'm thinking I need to read Divergent before the movie comes out. Because I'm That Guy.

Except for Twilight. Because fuck that shit.
And City of Bones. I read that, (why, I don't know,) because that movie bombed. As it should have.

I'm stone cold one of those book is better than the movie types; mostly because I believe that most people are lazy, and use the excuse of a movie to not read the book. Also applies to those that won't see foreign films because "I don't go to movies to read." I won't bother to list how many recent movies alone were adaptations that changed things completely from the source material, left out vital parts, or didn't really do the book any justice whatsoever. Even the great film adaptations, like Harry Potter, and to a lesser extent, Battle Roya- The Hunger Games, left much to be desired for fans of the books. Mostly minor details, or things not necessary to carry the story, but reading the book, you'll watch it and be like: Where's this character? She didn't say that, or he didn't do that, this character did, and etc.

Which is why I'm praying to Cthulu that the movie adaption of Sandman Slim isn't as bad as I'm expecting it to be. You can't manage to take so much material, such an amazing world, and confine it to one movie. A: they won't have the budget they need, B: there's soooo much material, and C: Kadrey's had bad luck with his work becoming film. Here's to hoping. (And hoping that they cast me as Candy. Not that they will, but god dammit, I can fit the part to a T; just gotta get my hair did.)

I know nothing about Divergent except for the basic premise, which I said "Oh, you mean Hunger Games all over again?" while reading. Yes, Hunger Games did well. Collins claims it wasn't based off of Battle Royale. OK, fine. I'll take that. But Divergent sounds like it's trying to capitalize on the success of Hunger Games. I'll give it a shot, though. Hunger Games wasn't a total disappointment, despite me thinking BattleRoyaleBattleRoyale the entire time. I read YA books so quickly it's laughable, mostly because many examples of that genre are vapid and shallow and don't need me to pay too much attention.

Except for one series. Which will get its own entry. Because I was amazed that it was YA and I LOVED it.

Soon. <3

I've got until March 21st to read Divergent, and potentially the other two books as well. If I don't put a bullet in my head after trying to get through the first. Then I'll probably start on my Harper Voyaging.

Movie date anyone? Don't mind me making comments under my breath and scribbling in my notebook the entire time.

It begins.

                I got my package from Harper Voyager publishing last night. And I waited until this morning to open it. 

                Now, as the people reading this should know, as they’re more than likely my friends, I have a cat. And he likes to get into trouble and chew and do other cat like things. So when I woke up out of my Sirlesque, karaoke, and League of Legends 'til 3:30 AM stupor to the sound of ripping and cat chirruping, I found this:

Photographic evidence of possible theft attempt.

                           

                

   Mugshot of perpetrator after apprehension.

Despite my delinquent feline contaminating my loot, I was still hyped about the box and laid out my haul.

Sort of pictured, a black tote bag with assorted book titles screened on it. To carry my books around. Because I’m twelve and like people to know that I’m so cool I need a bag specifically to carry books.

I’m going to power through the rest of Peter V. Brett’s The Daylight War, because I can’t read two books at once. My brain can barely take writing four of my own plus reading another.

Onto my plan of attack!

DISCLAIMER: I was given promotional copies of these books by Harper Voyager US, for the purpose of review. This disclaimer will be on every post that relates to these books or anything else from the publishing company. We both have to cover our asses from the prying eyes of The Law.

1) DEAD SET; Richard Kadrey

             They sent me a signed(!) copy, which I’ll keep, and I’ll probably give away/loan out the print edition I bought on release day. Because sorry, (not sorry,) I’ll read anything that man releases until forever. Despite some of his earlier work being less than fantastic, Sandman Slim has me so hooked I can’t even words. (Told you you’d figure out my favorite author if you stuck around.  He’ll get his own blog entry of epic and borderline embarrassing fangirl proportions later on.)

I guess I can review Dead Set, though I’m three months removed from reading it. I can re-read it in four hours, though. See if I can beat my time from the first go ‘round.

2) DREAMS AND SHADOWS; C. Robert Cargill

This one was pretty high up on my million book To Read list. I was meaning to pick it up, so yay, definite score getting a free copy. I’m a huge fan of twists on classic fairy tales ever since I picked up The Child Thief by Brom, and went from thinking Peter Pan was lame to being a super creepy older woman in love with him. I’ve got a thing for arrogant little goth boys that bite off more than they can chew with authority figures. I can’t want to crack into this and see what Cargill came up with.

3) THE WASTELAND SAGA; Nick Cole
                Since all three books are conveniently packaged together, I have no excuse to not read the whole series. I’ll probably do a post for each part, to keep things easy. Also to not kill my brain trying to remember everything for a full three book review.

4) THE TAKEN; Vicki Patterson

                The Taken, by Vicki Patterson. Which, let’s be honest, I’m the least excited about. Obvious “LOOK, I’M A STRONG BUT STILL SEXY/VULNERABLE WOMAN BEING STALKED BY A MYSTERIOUS DOUCHEY STRANGER-TOOL” vibe, and therefore, zero fcks are given. I’ll try a couple chapters to see how I feel, but I doubt I’ll be super into it. Doesn’t look like it’d be my kind of book. But, it was sent, and I will read it. Or try. I’m going in fairly neutral, taking it as I used to take required reading for school; doesn't mean I refuse to enjoy it, but we shall see.

5) RIDES A DEAD LEGION; Raymond E. Feist

               Usually this one would be much higher on the list, but being part of a saga, I’m putting it at the end in hopes that I can get my hands on the rest of it because I’m slightly OCD about starting a series. I prefer to read them in succession; it helps to keep me in the world. And everyone’s hating on the demons, lately! It’s not their fault people are tasty…

So that’s it! And I’ll finish off The Daylight War, maybe write a blog for that, and Dead Set, then get started on Dreams and Shadows.

This is real. It’s official. Let's Voyage! :D

                                                                                                                                                                             
- RaRa out.