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I've been reading THE BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER by Stephen Graham Jones (an author who is relatively new to me and who I love!) (thank you Work Friend Rachel for turning me onto THE ONLY GOOD INDIANS and MY HEART IS A CHAINSAW) and I want to write something coherent and smart about how much I am loving this book!

I started a rambling list and, part way through, a thought occurred -

One of my favorite books, let alone horror books, is THE TERROR by Dan Simmons. It's perfect, beautiful, haunting, and, I think, does service to the actual real horror (freezing and starving to death in the Arctic) while adding a supernatural element (there is an Inuit demon).

THE BUFFALO HUNTER HUNTER hits the same marks. There's an actual, horrific, historical event at the heart of the story - the Marias Massacre - that is treated with respect and gravitas - that is then amplified by a supernatural aspect (there is a vampire).

I also appreciate that Stephen Graham Jones doesn't handhold the reader. Good Stab speaks in a way that is natural for him; it's on the reader to work on understanding what he's saying. There's no footnotes or glossary to explain that sticky mouth is a black bear. You have to put in the work.

I also like that the Pastor who is recording Good Stab's confession isn't a two-dimensional mustache-twirling villain. He's definitely not a good person! But he's not flat. He also has depth and complexity and his own motivations and secrets.

It's such a good book! I will agree with what I've seen others say and boldly claim that it is the best book I have read this year and that it's not even close.

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I finished reading FOUNDATION today and I loved it! It's nice to have a nice story about a sweet boy and his sweet friends and the stakes are kind of low but there's also a little bit of a mystery (I will always love Lackey's weird plotting lol like, where nothing really happens until the very end and then there's a Big Bad but he's easily beaten)

It's nice to read a sweet fantasy book where the good guys win, there's warm bread and hearty stew, and everyone looks out for each other!!

Also, love to see my boy Vanyel mentioned! And Stefan!

I have a feeling this little trilogy might become a fave :>

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So the other '90s-born fantasy series I'm reading is Mercedes Lackey's Valdemar books. I am reading them in chronological order and I am now on FOUNDATION, book #1 of the Collegium Chronicles.

Lackey's books have been hit and miss for me - I hated the Gryphon books, loved the Last Herald-Mage, was lukewarm on the Founding trilogy - but so far I'm really enjoying FOUNDATION!

I've seen criticism that this is her Harry Potter rip-off and like ... yeah, ok. It's better lol Mercedes Lackey is a better person and also who cares? The idea of magic school does not belong to one person. Lackey has been writing about Heralds and Bards and Healers since 1989 - I think she's within her rights to have a trilogy that's primarily focused on those schools and their growth and change.

But yeah! Mags is sweet! I like his sweet friends! I would also - at my big age - like a magic horse to come and tell me I'm special and take me on adventures!!

Lackey's books - for me - are a comfort read. I don't think I read her as a kid, but she very much invokes that feeling. So even her books I didn't much care for, it's not enough to turn me off. (And I did find some things I enjoyed in the Gryphon books, especially the last in the series)

I like reading about Heralds and their magic horses! I will read every single book she puts out, I don't care!

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Not Mat crossing his arms, shaking his head, and saying “I’m going and that’s FINAL!” only to sitcom smash cut to the middle of battle where he’s yelling commands in the old tongue , leading Rand’s army, and beheading Couladin.

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Welp, I saw the news yesterday. Man, I really miss the days when series could just ... run. They could air and find their audience and have that audience build up and they could tell their stories and you could spend time with the characters and their stories and their world.

I’m giving the Wheel of Time show another try and it’s growing on me! I really like the cast and the costuming - which is beautiful! - and I’m beginning to see the reason behind the changes that were made from page to screen. (Tho I do maintain that translating 1000 page books into 8 hours of TV is inevitably going to leave alot left out) (like what do you mean everyone is in Tar Valon and it’s episode 5 lol) (what happened to the rest of everyone’s adventures lol)

I do really like the Whitecloaks! And I also really like that the show isn’t handholding the audience through all the factions and big ideas - like all the exposition feels natural and I do like that facts are being slowly revealed and built on.

Still really don’t like the choice to give Perrin a wife only to fridge her! Even if I recognize that she’s an externalization of his inner turmoil of hammer vs axe. It sticks in my craw!

(My nitpick is that Rand isn’t tall enough and is he even Rand if he isn’t angsting about Tam being his father???) (Loial isn’t tall enough either lol) (Ahhh but he’s great!)

My goal is to watch it all over the holiday weekend 💪

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I’m giving the Wheel of Time show another try and it’s growing on me! I really like the cast and the costuming - which is beautiful! - and I’m beginning to see the reason behind the changes that were made from page to screen. (Tho I do maintain that translating 1000 page books into 8 hours of TV is inevitably going to leave alot left out) (like what do you mean everyone is in Tar Valon and it’s episode 5 lol) (what happened to the rest of everyone’s adventures lol)

I do really like the Whitecloaks! And I also really like that the show isn’t handholding the audience through all the factions and big ideas - like all the exposition feels natural and I do like that facts are being slowly revealed and built on.

Still really don’t like the choice to give Perrin a wife only to fridge her! Even if I recognize that she’s an externalization of his inner turmoil of hammer vs axe. It sticks in my craw!

(My nitpick is that Rand isn’t tall enough and is he even Rand if he isn’t angsting about Tam being his father???) (Loial isn’t tall enough either lol) (Ahhh but he’s great!)

My goal is to watch it all over the holiday weekend 💪

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I love that halfway through FIRES OF HEAVEN Elayne just ... stops flirting with Thom and everyone breathes this huge sigh of relief and she's just "idk what you're talking about"

GIRL. He's your mom's ex and he knew you when you were little what were you DOING???

It was gross and I hated it! I am much more in favor of this new dynamic she has with Birgitte?? (to be fair I *just* got to the part where she's bonded Birgitte as her Warder) (but I'm intrigued by this!)

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A Wheel of Time fan music video set to History Maker from Yuri!!! On Ice.

Is this anything??? Can anyone else see the vision??? This has been in my head for DAYS and I had to write it down to get it out.

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How successful would Nynaeve al'Meara (TV version)…

Would you like to submit a character? Click this link if you do!

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I am SO CLOSE to being done with The Shadow Rising SO CLOSE

I am LOVING the chapters with Perrin in The Two Rivers - they really might be some of my favorites out of what I've read so far in the series!

Perrin and Faile are my FAVES now that they're being written as, like, actual people who are madly in love and not weird toxic cartoon characters??? I loved their sweet shotgun wedding and Perrin's perpetual heart eyes when he's looking at her lol

Anyway, I'm currently at this part with Rand and the Aielmen and this BUSTER Couladin trying to act like he's Car'a'carn with his Shein knockoff dragon tattoos :T I have a feeling this dude is about to get his shit absolutely ROCKED lol

(and Bella is still alive! hooray!)

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I might sneak in one or two extra titles before the end of the year, but this is pretty much it! It feels good to be reading so much again. I read a lot of genre fiction (as is my general wont) and I'm still mad that I was bamboozled into reading a Kristin Hannah book lol I will never fall for the hype ever again! :D

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Ok Perrin and Faile’s relationship has been fixed and I’m enjoying it again! It’s cute and sweet and flirty and she’s stern and stubborn but it’s not over the top and mean! They’re communicating openly!! She knows about the wolves and he knows she’s a fancy ✨ lady ✨

She’s supporting him as he fumbles through his new role of general and Perrin Goldeneyes (and he seems to have calmed down and accepted that he loves her)

So yes! More of this! This is good!!

Oh I am NOT liking how Faile and Perrin’s relationship is being written :( I really hope it gets better but this whole “she abuses him and he seethes” thing is not cute. (And neither is Jordan’s weird thing with spanking???)

There’s a cute dynamic hidden in there somewhere - she is bold and strong headed and quick to act while he likes to take his time and think things through before acting. And I feel that some of how their dynamic is being written could be cute but it’s just MEAN. Why are they in a bad, toxic relationship? And why isn’t anyone telling them that it’s bad and toxic??

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Robert Jordan how DARE you wait FOUR BOOKS to tell me about Perrin’s baby brother and sisters and cousins and the farm they all live on only to then turn around and tell me that they’re all dead ;;

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Oh I am NOT liking how Faile and Perrin’s relationship is being written :( I really hope it gets better but this whole “she abuses him and he seethes” thing is not cute. (And neither is Jordan’s weird thing with spanking???)

There’s a cute dynamic hidden in there somewhere - she is bold and strong headed and quick to act while he likes to take his time and think things through before acting. And I feel that some of how their dynamic is being written could be cute but it’s just MEAN. Why are they in a bad, toxic relationship? And why isn’t anyone telling them that it’s bad and toxic??

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I can’t with Mat doing a Looney Tunes bit before heading into Rhuidean, pulling weapons out of his pockets for, like, five solid minutes while the Maidens and Wise Ones and his friends just stand there and watch the pile get comically bigger and bigger.

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As much as it delights me when The Boys are big dumb dumbs when it comes to girls and not knowing what to do about girls and not knowing when girls are very obviously attracted to them, I do heave a bit of a sigh any time the girlies are fighting over/about boys.

I can already tell I'm probably not going to like it when Elayne and Min figure out they both love Rand (and, like, do you love him?? or is he just tall???) I really didn't like the whole Berelain thing with Rand and Perrin. I mean, who cares that she tried to seduce Rand - that makes sense - and I'm not mad at that character type (the beautiful woman who uses her body as currency/leverage for political/personal gain/protection) but MAN. I could definitely do without Elayne calling her a slut! And being mad at Rand that she was in his room!!

Girliepop - you have no say over what this grown man does or who he hangs out with. You're definitely allowed to be jealous but that's it. And Faile!!! GIRL. Do you not know 1. Berelain's reputation? and 2. PERRIN???? What would make you think that Perrin would be stepping out on you???? Why not just ASK what's going on or using your brains???

It's just all very dated and does such a disservice to what are - broadly speaking! - really well-written and developed female characters. But man. The '90s were a long time ago.

(at least Egwene and Rand split maturely! and I really liked that - them both realizing that their feelings had changed and that both of their lives had taken drastically different paths and it didn't include a romantic relationship anymore. more of that please!)

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I think Aviendha might be one of my favorites <3 Her friendship with Egwene is really cute and sweet and I love how just out of sorts she is with everything lol

Like, when she accidentally walks in on Egwene taking a bath her reaction isn't "Oh! She's embarrassed because she's naked" it was "Oh! she's embarrassed because I'm NOT naked!" and then she took off her clothes and sat down to hang out. How can you not be endeared by that??

Again, here's a relationship with so much potential and depth and I have a sneaking suspicion that I'll be providing alot of that, in my head, as I think too much about girls being friends and supporting each other.

(sorry not sorry I'm a relationship girlie, I don't really care about the action - like, it's cool and well-written, but I am here for interpersonal relationships and kissing lol) (which is unfortunate since I'm reading Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan lol)