remula | Reading

I meant to post yesterday but fell asleep on the couch after dinner, which has been happening with more and more frequency over the last few months - usually it's only for 30 - 45 minutes, because it's never intentional and I am not in a comfortable sleeping position, but oh boy the dreams I have when it happens are super vivid and weirdly almost always take place here in this apartment. Usually "home" in my dreams is the house I grew up in (or some dream facsimile) or my first apartment - my second apartment is never what it actually looked like but always some much larger Manhattan apartment with a view! But when I am falling asleep on the couch, I am frequently also asleep on the couch in my dreams, and trying to wake up and not managing, or waking up in the dream to answer the door or something. Weird how that works!

Anyway, I did read something so Wednesday reading on a Thursday:

What I just finished
The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri, book one of the Burning Kingdoms trilogy. I really liked Suri's Books of Ambha duology - the second one in particular I thought was AMAZING - but this one isn't really doing it for me. It's fine.

What I'm reading now
Allegedly, the second book in the trilogy, The Oleander Sword but I haven't really been picking it up when I have time to read.

What I'm reading next
Well if I finish The Oleander Sword I will probably move onto the third book, The Lotus Empire, but who knows?

I did find time to finally watch K-Pop Demon Hunters on Netflix and I enjoyed it very much. It's like Buffy except there are 3 girls and they're in a band. Very fun!

Work today has been bonkers - it was 1 pm before I even thought about having breakfast so I just held out until 2 (my regular lunch time) for lunch. Hopefully the afternoon is quieter!

*

Current Mood: busy
Current Music: The Ocean - Dar Williams

muccamukk

Watch on YouTube

It's only half an hour of a 75 minute set, but it has all of her new songs, and she's really getting down doing Genesis live (in this case only Part II), which has taken a lot of workshopping over the last year.

mific posting in

fancake

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis, SG1
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Vala Mal Doran, Cam Mitchell, Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan
Rating: Teen
Length: 6000
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: busaikko on AO3
Themes: Marriage of Convenience, Teams, Ambiguous relationship, Humor, Friendship

Summary: Rodney had extorted a promise from John to not get recruited into SG-1 while he was on temporary re-assignment to the SGC. As John finished reciting his marriage vows from the crib-sheet Mitchell had handed him, he suspected Rodney would never let him live this down.

Reccer's Notes: With Atlantis stuck in San Francisco, John goes out with SG1 on a mission that needs his gene, but the local Ori-worshipers require those entering the sanctum (where there may be ZPMs) to be married. So John and Vala get hitched, and are able to trade for not one but three ZPMs, which is just as well as later in the story John desperately needs both Vala and the ZPM-power. The story focuses on John and Vala's friendship which develops after their marriage and despite John returning to Pegasus, then later deepens into something more. Cam is initially a dick due to jealousy as he and John had a past fling, but he gets his head out of his ass. The John/Vala relationship is wonderfully written and we're left in the end with it still being an little ambiguous (this is Vala, after all), but definitely hopeful. A lovely read.

Fanwork Links: So Good to You

starwatcher posting in

fancake

Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairings: Hermione/Harry
Characters: Hermione, Harry, Hermione's father and mother, Harry's mother, other canon characters
Rating: Teen
Length: 31,500 words
Creator Links: CatsAreCool / Rachel500 / TrekCat
Theme: Marriage of convenience, AU: Fork in the road, Working together

Summary: Lady Hermione Granger needs to get married in order to secure her inheritance and everybody agrees that the best candidate to help her is the Earl of Gryffindor, Defeater of the Dark Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter.
There's just one problem: they're not friends and Hermione may have once told him, thanks to some meddling Weasleys, that she'd never get involved with him.

Reccer's Notes: Excellent story. AU - Hermione never cared much for Harry, but when she's required to marry, he's the logical choice. I love how they discuss it like adults, reach a mutual agreement, and then find themselves gradually falling for each other. And all of this adult attraction goodness is nicely interwoven with an intriguing mystery. It's a well-told story with a thoroughly satisfying ending.

Content Notes: Canon-typical violence including attempted murder via spells, mention of old-fashioned patriarchal approaches to women including conc.ept of ownership and arranged marriages, use of love potions. Mildly anti-Dumbledore, anti-Ron and Ginny Weasley

Fanwork Links: A Convenient Arrangement by TrekCat at AO3

runpunkrun posting in

fancake

musesfool

Just ordered some not really necessary stuff from Penzey's since they've got a 25% off everything (but gift cards) sale going until midnight. Also ordered some cute monstera-leaf-shaped earrings because sometimes I need cute new earrings. And a couple of new books and a dress with llamas on it for Baby Miss L.

I guess I needed a little retail therapy...

Here's a cool link: On Set for The Pitt Season Two: Noah Wyle and the Cast Finally Lift the Curtain (contains some spoilers for season 2).

And here is a cute video of a bunch of NY Mets being interviewed at the Little League classic. #LFGM

*

Current Music: Kind and Generous - Natalie Merchant

garryowen posting in

fancake

Fandom: Star Trek Reboot/AOS
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/Spock
Rating: Teen
Length: 10,103
Creator Links:

magneticwave
Theme: Marriage of convenience

Summary: What kind of an idiot would try to explain magic to a Vulcan.

Reccer's Notes: I wouldn't be a good Trek fan if I didn't rec a bonding story for this theme! (I'm going ahead and equating a Vulcan bond with marriage.) Punk actually recced this story six years ago for the magic theme, but it is FANTASTIC for this theme, as well.

As Punk wrote, this is not a Trek/Harry Potter crossover. Rather, facets of the HP universe (magic, legilimency, occlumency) are imported into Trekverse, where Jim comes from a wizarding family. The mental aspects of wizarding are a perfect fit with Vulcan telepathy and bonding. This fic makes excellent use of the commonality.

Much of Trek canon is exactly the same: Jim meets Old Spock in the way he does in canon, but, in this story, a spontaneous bond forms between them. When Old Spock dies (at what seems to be the same time he does in canon), Jim's mind is nearly destroyed by the loss of the bond. He uses his wizarding mind powers to heal the wound somewhat, but he's in danger of dying from the trauma. The logical action to save his life is to have Young Spock bond with him.

What makes this story shine is the writing and characterization. Jim is mouthy, emotionally stunted, in denial, afraid of intimacy, yadda yadda. Spock is repressed, has a huge chip on his shoulder, and is filled with rage and jealousy. It is delicious and vivid and charming. I'm making it sound like this story is all cheek and levity, but it's also emotionally resonant with glimpses of Jim's grief and the depth of his friendship with both Spocks. A+ on so many levels.

Fanwork Links: you will see what it is to be overcome

ranalore posting in

fancake

Fandom: The Untamed
Pairings/Characters: Lan Wangji/Nie Mingjue/Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng, Jiang Yanli, Wen Qing, Wen Ning, Wen Yuan, Lan Xichen, Nie Huaisang, Jin Zixuan
Rating: Explicit
Length: 205K words
Creator Links:

giraffeter
Theme: Marriage of Convenience, Everybody Lives/Nobody Dies, Fork in the Road AU, Fix-It

Summary: When Jiang Yanli joins Jiang Cheng in visiting Wei Wuxian at the Burial Grounds, the two brothers are on the verge of cutting ties forever — until Jiang Yanli has a better idea. Wei Wuxian doesn't need to leave the sect. He needs to get married, and she has the perfect Sect Leader in mind.

When Lan Wangji is invited to come along on Wei Wuxian's visit to the Unclean Realm to spend time with his new betrothed, Nie Mingjue, he agrees — even though his heart is breaking. How else is he ever going to see Wei Wuxian again?

When Nie Mingjue welcomes Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji into his home, he realizes two things very quickly: 1.) They clearly want each other so badly they can barely stand it, and 2.) Nie Mingjue is Into That.

(In which arranged marriage to Nie Mingjue solves just about everyone's problems)

Reccer's Notes: In the normal course of things, I'd say LWJ/WWX is my OTP. This story, however, has made me feral for LWJ/NMJ/WWX. More than that, though, this is a brilliant, carefully constructed fix-it. Giraffeter takes the time to set up every way this reality is changed from canon by the single decision to solve the friction between Wei Wuxian and the rest of the cultivation world by marrying him to a Sect Leader rather than cutting him off in the Burial Mounds. It's a long, immersive story that's well worth the time investment. The sex scenes are also some of the best I've read in my nearly thirty years in online fandom.

Fanwork Links: An Elegant Solution

garryowen posting in

fancake

Fandom: Star Trek Reboot/AOS
Pairings/Characters: Kirk/Spock
Rating: Teen
Length: 7,701
Creator Links:

tardigradeschool
Theme: Marriage of convenience

Summary: When getting legally married to Spock is the only way to keep him on the ship, Jim is more than willing to do so. (In fact, upon reflection, it turns out that there are very few things he wouldn't do for Spock.)

Reccer's Notes: Okay, normally, I would not rec a story with 9,000 kudos. First, because that story does not need any help. Second, I usually hate stories with 9,000 kudos. But guess what. I love this story THAT MUCH, and, as our mod, Punk, helpfully pointed out, MAYBE SOME OF YOU HAVE NOT READ THIS. It was posted in 2016, long after much of the Reboot fever had passed (at least for me); I feel glad to have discovered it. Therefore, let me tell you about it.

In this story, Spock is offered a captaincy, which he can't refuse without suffering career consequences. Jim is devastated by the thought of losing his first officer. Fortunately, Spock has a proposal involving a loophole: Starfleet won't separate married crew members.

The Jim in this story is wonderfully Jim, getting his mind stuck on the regulation about public nudity because the reg number is similar to the marriage reg number. He's also delightfully clueless. In fact, this story has all the good Reboot Trek tropes and appearances by the supporting cast. I don't want to give away all the hilarious details that come up, but, despite the hilarity, there are lovely moments of emotional truth that really make this story happen for me.

I like marriage of convenience stories where the characters are already very close friends at the time of the marriage. That is the case here, with the depth of the friendship revealed to the reader in small ways throughout. And, as you might guess, this story also fits the theme "everyone thinks we're dating."

Fanwork Links: the warp and weft of your being

muccamukk

After the 1030 panel on Thursday, all the streams worked fine! There was one room that was cursed, and the volume was often very low, but all of the others were great as long as the panellists used the mic, and some were on Zoom so people from other countries could attend. It looks like many of them will be re-playable, also, so I can check out panels I missed.

My sister-in-law came to stay with us so we could watch panels together. It's been really fun, and I'm glad we did it.

Some highlight panels were:
Worldbuilding Through Geography and Environments
with Martha Wells, Marshall Ryan Maresca, Nicola Griffith & Paolo Bacigalupi

Diasporic Caribbean Science Fiction
with E.G. Condé, Alex V Cruz, Fabrice Guerrier, Malka Older, Suzan Palumbo, Tonya Liburd, Tonya R. Moore & Premee Mohamed

Reading by Guest of Honor Martha Wells
with previews of both Queen Demon and the Murderbot coming out next year, plus a great Q&A.

Navigating AI as an Author or Editor
with Jason Sanford, Cassie Alexander, Dr. Corey Frazier, Emily M. Bender & Neil Clarke

Feminist Futurism Versus Project 2025: An Empowering Speculative Salon
with Isis Asare, Ada Palmer, Andrea Hairston, Annalee Newitz & Charlie Jane Anders

SFF's Role in Revolution on the African Continent
with Naomi Eselojor, Gabrielle Emem Harry, Khaya Maseko, Ngozi Anuoluwa, Nkereuwem Albert & Soila Kenya

Making It Gay… or Trans, Neurodivergent, BIPOC, and More
with Atlin Merrick, Clara Ward, Hana Lee, Maeve MacLysaght & Sarah Rees Brennan

Sifting Through History
with Remy Nakamura (M), Leigh Bardugo, Natania Barron, Nisi Shawl & Paul Weimer.

I didn't take notes on anything, but could relay any impressions I have, if people want?

I did at most 1/4 of the Hugo reading/watching, and then July was such a wash that I didn't even vote, but I was pretty happy with the results. The only category I was invested in was best series, and I was delighted that Rebecca Roanhorse won for Between Earth and Sky.

Otherwise: the novella I thought was the best of the bunch won, and the novel I hated lost. I'm still cross Blackheart man wasn't shortlisted, and the nomination stats aren't out yet, so I haven't seen how far down the list it was. I'm going to be even more cross if it was just one off, and Adrian Tchaikovsky getting two slots kept it out. (I always think it's nice when an established author who already has awards declines a spot if they have two titles in the same category, since that gives a new person a chance a lot of the time, but I'm less enamoured of the idea if it turns out that it's only women declining award nominations.)

I'm also very happy for Moniquill Blackgoose, who won the Astounding (not a Hugo), and Darcie Little Badger for her Lodestar (not a Hugo).

musesfool

I finally saw the new Superman this afternoon and I enjoyed it a lot! The casting was exceptionally good - Nicholas Hoult was the best Lex Luthor since Rosenbaum, and I thought Fillion was just the right amount of bumptious asshole as Guy Gardner. (Do I wish we could get John Stewart in a live action movie? Yes. But I'm still so glad they didn't go with boring Hal Jordan.)

The writing for Clark was great and he and Lois had fantastic chemistry. Mr. Terrific was indeed terrific! Plus KRYPTO!!! ( spoilers )

*

Current Mood: pleased
Current Music: 'cause I speak of the pompatus of love

runpunkrun posting in

fancake

Poll #33498 round 178 theme poll

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: Just the Poll Creator, participants: 101

Pick the next theme of fancake:

Food & Cooking
43 (42.6%)

Manners & Etiquette
26 (25.7%)

Whump
32 (31.7%)

garryowen posting in

fancake

Fandom: Sherlock (BBC)
Pairings/Characters: Sherlock/John
Rating: Teen
Length: 2007 words + companion stories
Creator Links:

waketosleep
Theme: Marriage of convenience

Summary:

"We should really get married."

John stared at the red mark on his wrist. "I'm sorry, what?"

Reccer's Notes: I almost never revisit this fandom, but when I recced waketosleep's Trek story for this theme, it came to my attention that w2s was a little obsessed with marriages of convenience and had a fantastic and charming gem of a fic where Sherlock co-opts John's life (again), and John (again) doesn't mind at all.

I don't know if I've ever seen hospital access as a reason for a marriage of convenience, but I am here for it! It's practical and a little grim, typical of Sherlock. The interactions between Sherlock and John are spot on and hilarious. In 2000 words, we also get Mrs Hudson, Lestrade, and Mycroft, all contributing to the comedy gold in their understated way.

This story belongs to two different series. The Intellectual Intercourse series is the easiest way to navigate everything if you want to read beyond this fic.

Fanwork Links: Declarations of Mutual Devotion

mific posting in

fancake

Fandom: Stargate Atlantis
Characters/Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, Patrick Sheppard, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emmagan
Rating: M
Length: 11,758
Content Notes: no AO3 warnings apply
Creator Links: WonkyElk on AO3, cookiemom6067 on AO3, cookiemom6067 on the Audiofic Archive
Themes: Marriage of Convenience, First time, Hurt/comfort, Complete AU

Summary: “Damn it, John, you’re thirty-six, and you’ve never had a stable relationship.”

Patrick Sheppard adjusted his tie and gave him that familiar look, that 'I’m trying to love you, son, but you just keep on disappointing me’ expression, which had started somewhere around John’s eleventh or twelfth birthday - just as soon as he got an ounce of healthy rebellion - and had rarely left his dad’s face since.

Reccer's Notes: Ronon plays matchmaker in this marriage of convenience, recommending Rodney to John, who's undertaking the marriage mostly to piss off his father, but also to strengthen his place in the company hierarchy. Rodney seems the perfect spouse to annoy Patrick Sheppard, being brash, and, most importantly, male. But then it turns out they get on remarkably well, and eventually Rodney encourages John to be himself, not continue to try to please his (impossible to please) father. There's angst, character development, romance, and some action/adventure, until they work it out. An excellent read!

Fanwork Links: Always Crashing in the Same Car and there's a podfic by cookiemom6067 here

garryowen posting in

fancake

Fandom: Smallville
Pairings/Characters: Clark/Lex
Rating: Explicit
Length: 16,262
Creator Links:

lenore
Theme: Marriage of convenience

Summary: Clark’s illegal, and Lex makes him a green card proposal.

Reccer's Notes: Here with another Smallville rec! This time, it's Clark who, ostensibly, needs to get married because he has no social security number, no legit adoption papers. Lex is the mayor of Metropolis in this story, and Clark is a reporter at the Daily Planet. Lex knows the secret of Clark's/Superman's identity, and he doesn't want to be the bad guy who has to deport a beloved superhero. Solution: marriage!

What I love about this story is how absolutely befuddled Clark is by Lex's proposal and the actuality of the marriage. It's SO CLARK. Lenore touches on another of my favorite Clark traits, which is his loneliness and his inability to sustain a relationship because of his secret. I don't recall the story explicitly stating Clark's age, but I think he's in his late twenties, maybe almost thirty. Those added years give more emotional weight to the (of course) eventual romance and falling in love.

Lois and the Kents feature in the narrative, and it never fails to delight me when Lois makes coffee or Mr. Kent talks farming with Lex.

Fanwork Links: Red Tape. This story was originally posted on LJ/Smallville Slash Archive and later moved to AO3, which resulted in a duplication. I was told by the author that this is the correct version.

muccamukk

They seem to have fixed the technical issues (*knocks on wood, scratches a stay, turns around three times*) and I have gone to several panels! Both a virtual one of Nigerian authors and a filmed one of an in-person panel.

ETA: Both 10:30 panels I want to see either not streaming or not with sound.

ETA2: Caught the back half of one 10:30 panel (idk if the other one ever worked), and the sound was back for most of the noon panel, though it dropped out completely ten minutes from the end. Folks attending have been amazing with posting running notes to the discord, linking to works mentioned by the panellists.

musesfool

I'm off work tomorrow and Friday - I have my annual eye exam tomorrow (they have sent me about 17 requests to confirm and I have each time but wtf) and I decided to just take Friday off for a long weekend - so I logged off work at 4:30 and ended up taking a long nap. I woke up to an intense thunderstorm with a truly shocking (pun intended) amount of lightning.

My brother had hip replacement surgery this morning and it went well - he is home already!

Baby Miss L loved the books - especially the Pete the Kitty goes to preschool one and I got adorable videos of her "reading" it.

Speaking of books, I did indeed finish the last 3 books of Dungeon Crawler Carl over the weekend and I was incensed that book 7 was not the end - there are supposedly 3 more books coming to wrap things up and ugh, I hate having to wait. This write-up on tumblr (vague spoilers for the whole series, as an enticement to read the books) is a great summary of why you should read it and then come talk to me about it. I am not even a cat person and I love Princess Donut! There is a wide array of female characters! There is a lot of gory violence and an unfortunate amount of fatphobia (i.e., any), but the anti-capitalist rage is real. I just hope Dinniman can stick the landing.

*

Current Mood: okay
Current Music: Mets vs Braves on tv

muccamukk

So technical issues have taken out the Seattle WorldCon streaming platform, all recorded panels didn't get recorded, and no streaming panels are currently being broadcast. (Apparently some of the earlier streams happened? I missed them.)

The first half a day just got wiped out.

So glad they committed to expanding the virtual experience due to people not being able to attend for Politics reasons. It's off to a flying start.

ETA: It did start working about half way through the fourth panel slot.

ETA2: Panel slot five has video but not sound.

ETA3: No audible sound on the Martha Wells q&a. Giving up for the day.

celli posting in

fancake

Fandom: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Pairings/Characters: Choi Soobin/Kang Taehyun, side Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, unrequited Soobin/Beomgyu
Rating: Teen and up
Length: 21K words
Creator Links:

ratherunnecessary
Theme: Marriage of Convenience, Alternative Professions

Summary:
Choi Soobin: Korea’s hottest leading man—who’s secretly nursing a broken heart.

Kang Taehyun: heir to the legendary Kang Entertainment—but only if he gets married first.

Reccer's Notes: I love Soobin in this - he goes from broken-hearted to agreeing to help an acquaintance (by marrying him, of course) to a devoted husband. He comes into his own as a partner over the course of this, and is more solid in himself at the end, too.

The other characters are also great. Yeonjun, in particular, just shines.

Fanwork Links: promise not to promise anymore on AO3

muccamukk

Not sure if anyone else here is into this movie. I'm picking away at the sex pollen fic, but I haven't written fic in long enough that it was slow going the first few days, and now I'm afk while visiting my parents (elder millennial has not warmed to writing fic on phone). Meanwhile, I'm trying to work out the latest backstory.

It's been long enough since I read any F4 comics that I read the wiki to remember the origin story (since the movie just summarises it). The following is a vague stab at a timeline?

( No real spoilers )

Thoughts? Corrections? Anyone just want to talk about the movie?

Profile

Remula Wazokana

January 2016

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Page Summary

musesfool - wade in our workboots, try to finish the job
muccamukk - I love RAYE so much!
mific in fancake - SGA/SG1: So Good to You by busaikko
starwatcher in fancake - Harry Potter: A Convenient Arrangement by CatsAreCool (Rachel500) (TrekCat)
runpunkrun in fancake - Theme Reminder: Marriage of Convenience
musesfool - i don't know how you keep on giving
garryowen in fancake - Star Trek AOS: you will see what it is to be overcome by magneticwave
ranalore in fancake - The Untamed: An Elegant Solution by Giraffeter
garryowen in fancake - Star Trek AOS: the warp and weft of your being by tardigradeschool
muccamukk - WorldCon/Hugo Awards wrap up
musesfool - some people call me maurice
runpunkrun in fancake - Round 178 Theme Poll
garryowen in fancake - Sherlock: Declarations of Mutual Devotion by waketosleep
mific in fancake - SGA: Always Crashing in the Same Car by WonkyElk
garryowen in fancake - Smallville: Red Tape by Lenore
muccamukk - WorldCon has Loaded (ISH)
musesfool - how that ball rushes up on you
muccamukk - WorldCon 404 Not Found
celli in fancake - TXT: promise not to promise anymore by ratherunnecessary
muccamukk - FF:FS timeline thoughts.

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Remula Wazokana's Dreamwidth

Reading

wade in our workboots, try to finish the job

I love RAYE so much!

SGA/SG1: So Good to You by busaikko

Harry Potter: A Convenient Arrangement by CatsAreCool (Rachel500) (TrekCat)

Theme Reminder: Marriage of Convenience

i don't know how you keep on giving

Star Trek AOS: you will see what it is to be overcome by magneticwave

The Untamed: An Elegant Solution by Giraffeter

Star Trek AOS: the warp and weft of your being by tardigradeschool

WorldCon/Hugo Awards wrap up

some people call me maurice

Round 178 Theme Poll

Sherlock: Declarations of Mutual Devotion by waketosleep

SGA: Always Crashing in the Same Car by WonkyElk

Smallville: Red Tape by Lenore

WorldCon has Loaded (ISH)

how that ball rushes up on you

WorldCon 404 Not Found

TXT: promise not to promise anymore by ratherunnecessary

FF:FS timeline thoughts.

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January 2016

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