#jonathan beagle

[painted-leap]

A BSD OC this time, Jonathan Beagle, aka Jon! He's Peter's younger brother, and based on the protagonist from A Fine and Private Place! Peak himbo, goes through a lot of shit but still a ray of sunshine!

[gollancz]

Guys. Christmas is coming. Consumerism is in the driver's seat and GAWD don't I know about the existential ennui of all these faceless corporations trying to schill you their wares. It's cold. Impersonal. Bleak.

So I, a fellow tumblr user, will instead try to schill you MY wares, so that when you purchase these items you can say "Hey, that person from tumblr worked on this", and feel the warmth of HUMAN CONNECTION in a way that is completely normal and not parasocial at all. We really are friends. I promise. Yes, you. Love you, bestie. Remember the boop war? Good times. Fond memories.

THIRTEEN STOREYS and FAMILY BUSINESS by Jonathan Sims

Tumblr's favourite Nightmare Factory @jonnywaistcoat has two novels out and they're phenomenal horror that also punch you in the throat with SOCIAL COMMENTARY and FEELINGS. He's so adept at tapping into the specific part of my brain that feels fear like a small child - not the adult creepy scared that I normally get around horror, but specifically the kind of fear that almost freezes your limbs and vocal chords with a terror you don't quite understand because there is so much in the world that you don't know, but you know that somehow this thing might be quick enough or smart enough or sneaky enough to get you before you can get to the safety of your parents sort of fear.

THIRTEEN STOREYS is a haunted house novel, but set in a refurbished block of flats. Each chapter follows a different resident being haunted in a different way, with a style to match the flavour of ghost. It's all tied together phenomenally and brutally.

FAMILY BUSINESS is a story about ghosts in a different way, following a woman who joins a post-mortem house cleaning service while grieving the death of her best friend. But as she removes the stains from the houses of the dead, she begins to suspect something else is removing even more.

Both of these titles are available from Gollancz worldwide!

THE LAST UNICORN, THE WAY HOME, THE INNKEEPER'S SONG and A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE by Peter S. Beagle

Obviously Peter's work needs no introduction, and our editions aren't available in the US and Canada, but I've had a wonderful time working with Peter and his team to bring these beautiful books back to the UK. Meeting him at Worldcon this year was such a magical moment, and he was jet-lagged and I had gone through sleep deprived into hyper and was bringing an Extremely Weird Energy to every interaction I had that day, resulting in this photo:

THE LAST UNICORN and THE WAY HOME are a matched pair of wonderful fairy stories. THE WAY HOME has two novellettes in it, and the first - 'Two Hearts' - won the Hugo award. It will also destroy you.

A FINE AND PRIVATE PLACE was Peter's first ever novel, and it's wistful and romantic and so beautiful.

THE INNKEEPER'S SONG is his epic fantasy quest, it's an adventure story that reads almost lyrically. Also there's an orgy in the middle which caught me by surprise when I was reading it for the first time on the train into work.

HIGH VAULTAGE by Chris and Jen Sugden

It's possible that someone on this website doesn't know I was involved with this book but don't worry, I will HUNT THEM DOWN AND TELL THEM. This is the first book I took all the way through the editorial process from end to end and I am SO PROUD of it and Chris and Jen and their wonderful world of @victoriocity. Officially one of the seven funniest books published in the UK this year, shortlisted for the Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction. It's a chaotic, bonkers murder mystery set in an alternate Victorian London which is the most gleeful dystopia I have ever encountered.

Featuring:

Grumpy Sunshine besties

The Victorian Equivalent of the Chuck Norris Meme

A robot who undertook a course in People Management

An indefatigable beagle

This is another book that you can get from Gollancz all over the world, and you SHOULD because it's amazing. Go into your local bookshop and ask them to order it into stock. It's a great Christmas present. It's my firstborn book baby (like that's a completely normal thing to say when I didn't even write it). Also if you're a fan of the podcast, why not tell the Guardian how great it is, and make a nuisance of yourself until they review. (I would, but the form asks for your name and then they'd know I didn't suddenly discover Victoriocity this year. Either that or think I was a very careless editor.) If you've not listened to the podcast yet, you absolutely should. It pings all my Douglas Adams receptors in the best way. If you like HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE, if you like CABIN PRESSURE, VICTORIOCITY is the perfect addition.

HAMMAJANG LUCK by Makana Yamamoto

SLIGHTLY cheating because HAMMAJANG LUCK isn't out in North America until January (pre-orders make great Christmas presents guys), but it IS out in the UK and the rest of the world next week! This is my second big editorial project and it's a Big Gay Space Heist ft. disaster lesbians, trans characters, and a tech billionaire getting put in his place. It's joyous and energetic and crammed full of Hawaiian pidgin as a love letter to the diaspora. @makana-yama is a phenomenal writer and this is their love letter to their communities, families both born and found, while also a statement on the victims of gentrification (and how those are disproportionally BIPOC communities). PLUS:

friends to enemies to cautious allies to lovers

trans cyborgs

Suck It Space Elon

You know that One Scene in Charlie's Angels where Cameron Diaz is in the white body suit and breaking into the safe and has to stretch out to hit two buttons at once? Yeah. That's the vibe.

Being able to work with Makana is a delight, and HAMMAJANG tapped into all the feelings I got watching LEVERAGE for the first time, so I went to watch it again while I was editing. Also OCEAN'S 8.

DEEP BLACK by Miles Cameron

So, barring Branderson, Miles Cameron may be one of our most prolific authors. He writes a minimum two books a year, one SFF and one historical fiction (as Christian Cameron) and he is... An absolute phenomenon. He IS the Chuck Norris meme. I'm obsessed with him. He's former US military intelligence turned naturalised Canadian Hippy, has written over fifty novels, can turn his hand to any genre and write it fantastically, is a practical archaeologist - running large scale re-enactments from a variety of periods ranging from Bronze Age right the way up to the Victorian era, using traditional techniques to allow academics to study how the practicalities of weapons, clothes, food etc. would have worked in practice. Two years ago he won a medieval combat tournament in Verona, a clear ten years older at least than the next oldest competitor, he teaches Historical European Martial Arts, but ties it into the history of martial arts globally. He can make his own clothes, ink, leatherwork. He's a ballet dancer. I once took him for a day out and he ended it in a different shirt and shoes from the ones he'd started in. I asked him for an author photo and he sent me this:

DEEP BLACK is the sequel to his critically acclaimed SF debut ARTIFACT SPACE, where he has taken his research and experience of global historical cultures and extrapolated to create an interplanetary future where the best of all are celebrated. And then Aliens Happen. And then, in reaction, Capitalism Happens (which is covered in the short story collection BEYOND THE FRINGE).

He's such a thoughtful and erudite speaker, if you're curious about his work, I'd recommend listening to his episodes on the Friends Talking Fantasy podcast, and also his appearance on The Publishing Rodeo.

If SF isn't your bag, he's also got:

Arthurian fantasy

Bronze Age fantasy

Medieval Mages fantasy

A CURSE OF CROWS - Lauren Dedroog

I actually inherited Lauren when a colleague of mine departed for fresh pastures, which gave me the great opportunity to work on this series which is so vastly different from my usual fare. It's epic, sweeping, romantic and lush, with such detailed description and complex political machinations, while also being brutal, dark and heavy (tw: for sexual assault, torture etc, etc.). If you like Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare, this should hit the sweet spot. Lauren is an ICU nurse when not writing, and this was somehow created when she was putting in a million hours in hospitals during COVID. The feat boggles my mind.

A CURSE OF CROWS is out now in the UK, Australia and Europe, and it won the People's Choice for Standaard Boek's Book of the Year award in 2023, in her home country of Belgium. It will be hitting shelves in North America next September! A DANCE OF SERPENTS is where I get to pick up the editorial mantle, and that has just landed in my inbox this week so I am excited to dig in.

Featuring:

Harold, they're lesbians

Murder baby is actually a cinnamon roll

Sensitive wings are sexy

For serious, though, I'm lucky enough to work with a lot of authors I'm genuinely obsessed and astounded by. And yes, I do get to work on Joe Abercrombie, Brandon Sanderson and Andrzej Sapkowski, but they're not MY authors - they're led by the incredible Gillian and Marcus who I'm not 100% certain sleep. There are so many people on the Gollancz list who I could recommend for DAYS (and will, if you so request), but this is my stable of superstars.

[nukuome]

[roseunspindle]

What I Read in Janauary 2025

(poor hinata...)

Really enjoyed this book. A few times I actually got a little freaked out reading it because I'd get so caught up in the spooky thing happening and then my fridge or something would make a noise.

keep laughing one moment and being very stressed for the characters the next.

Rachel gets her bear morph and the ellemist makes his first appearance.

Once I started reading this book it was so, so hard to put it down. I think I finished it in like 2 days.

my babies!!!

This book was interesting. Very fairytale like.

[heavencasteel420]

WIP Wednesday

From Tomorrow's a Long Way Off:

“Why would they give a hook hand to a mental patient, anyway?” she asked Jonathan and Steve. Steve scrunched up his eyebrows, but Jonathan didn’t miss a beat. “They wouldn’t,” he said, with an earnestness that would’ve made her laugh if her brain had been in one piece. Then he turned a bloody-toothed grin on Steve. “And I’d know, right?” “Oh, my God,” Steve said on a sigh. “You both have brain damage. Look.”  He held up his index finger. “One,” Jonathan said promptly. Steve groaned. “No, dumbass, follow my finger with your eyes,” he said, with no venom. “I’m trying to see if you have a concussion.” “Oh,” Jonathan said. He watched Steve’s finger move back and forth. Robin wasn’t sure what Steve was looking for, so she examined his face for signs of alarm or dismay. Instead, his face broke out into a smile. “You’re fine,” he said. “Good thing, too. When I tell people I was there the night Jonathan Byers went Rocky on a couple of seniors, I don’t wanna have to end the story with ‘and he died in his sleep that very night.’ Brings the whole thing down, you know?”

[chiosblog]

Happy birthday to him the best beagle man

[mylittleredgirl]

one of the rats i took in is named socks, same as the clintons’ white house cat, so i thought i could source names for the others that way

and now my favorite wikipedia article is the list of presidential pets

did you know:

andrew jackson had a parrot named Poll who attended jackson's funeral... but had to be removed for screaming profanity

"Fido" became the default dog name because of lincoln's dog fido, and i am definitely naming my next dog fido because we need to bring that back

andrew johnson had no pets of his own but fed the mice in the presidential bedroom

there were a few dogs named Hector and Caruso over the years, which is not notable except that i really like those names for rat purposes.

hands down the best name is a snake named Emily Spinach

many pets named for the political process, in escalating order of hilarity: Veto (good solid sounding dog name), President (definitely named for joke potential), possums named Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection (not qualities especially noted in possums; named for the republican party platform of the day) and a pair of lion cubs named Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau.

calvin coolidge was the one to name Tax Reduction and Budget Bureau. his presidential successor was Herbert Hoover who came to the white house with "Mr. Cat - a cat."

the only rat in the list is named jonathan (and he was a piebald/hooded rat like socks, so the rat who started this wikipedia dive may need to be renamed after all)

"Rebecca – raccoon. Rebecca was intended for a Thanksgiving feast; First Lady Grace had a tree-house built for her instead."

Fala, FDR's scottish terrier, seems to be the most famous presidential pet in history and has a longer wikipedia page than most people. he is credited with helping FDR win re-election, and is even immortalized in FDR's memorial statue. in fact, fala was so popular with american soldiers that they used "what's the name of the president's dog?" as a field test in WWII if they suspected a german soldier had snuck into their ranks.

lyndon johnson had two beagles named Him and Her

Pushinka, daughter of russian space dogs, instrument of world peace

amy carter named her cat Misty Malarky Ying Yang, and good for her for making newspapers print a made-up-song-about-your-cat kind of name.

ronald reagan had a fish named Ronald Reagan II

both FDR and joe biden had german shepherds named Major who had to be "removed from the premises for biting incidents."

the funniest name here isn't even a pet, it's "Zebulon Pike," the guy who gave thomas jefferson a pair of grizzly bear cubs. pike's peak is named for him. there aren't nearly enough babies named zebulon today.

FDR and Fala immortalized.

[roseareeh]

Stranger Things Boys + Robin and the dogs they'd adopt with you

Because I can write what I want and nobody can stop me

Steve Harrington - Beagle

♡ Since you two already had a child with another one on the way, Steve wanted a family dog.

♡ You two went to the shelter with your daughter to have a look around, and he stopped at a young beagle, wagging his tail.

♡ Even inside the kennel, that dog just looked so happy and loving.

♡ When he then saw the small description of Anne on the kennel door, he knew she'd be perfect.

♡ Over the next few days, one or both of you went on walks with him with your daughter.

♡ The adoption was finalised two weeks later, and Anne went home with the three of you.

Eddie Munson - Labrador

♡ After months, you finally convinced Eddie to go to the shelter with you

♡ The original plan was to adopt two cats, but after you took a stroll around the shelter he stopped at a dog kennel

♡ A black labrador retriever sat in the corner of his kennel and looked up at him with sad eyes

♡ "You like her?", you asked him with a smile. He did.

♡ "He looks like you.", you commented before looking at the name. "And his name is Ed."

♡ And shortly after, Ed was a part of your family

Billy Hargrove - Weimaraner

♡ Admittedly, Billy always wanted a dog. Kids weren't in the cards yet, but the house felt awfully empty. You agreed to have a look around at your local shelter for a dog

♡ Billy would prefer a dog he could go on a run with, and when he talked with the lady at the reception she was quick to suggest a dog

♡ Buster was a Weimaraner who was so full of energy that his previous owner couldn't keep up and surrendered him

♡ But to Billy, he was perfect

♡ After weeks of going on walks with him, and sometimes you as well, both of you decided to take him home.

♡ Turns out that not only did he love to go on runs with Billy. Buster also loved to cuddle on the couch with you.

♡ He was a perfect match for the both of you

Jonathan Byers - Golden Retriever

♡ I think we saw this coming

♡ He wanted a dog since he was a child, but another mouth to feed was out of the budged when he still lived with his mum

♡ So when you brought up that your grandma couldn't take care of her elderly dog anymore, he jumped at the opportunity

♡ He loved Rose, he knew her already and imagining her going to a shelter broke his heart

♡ Rose got used to living with you two quickly. She loved going on walks with Jonathan and immediately wanted to cuddle him when he got home

♡ She was a great addition to your home, and the child growing in you

Gareth Emerson - Stabyhoun

♡ Gareth would not shut up about wanting a dog.

♡ So for his birthday, you took him to a reputable breeder.

♡ He quickly fell in love with a Stabyhoun puppy

♡ So after you took him in a shopping spree at the pet store (your bank account was bleeding), you took him home

♡ Gareth named him Luther, and you never saw him so in-love with anyone (except you, maybe)

♡ While you helped with raising Luther, he did most by himself

♡ The puppy grew up to be an energetic dog who loves running around in your backyard

♡ When Luther was 5, he was able to run around the backyard with your son

♡ Turns out he loved your son more than anyone else

Robin Buckley - Disabled Chihuahua

♡ She was dead set on getting a hairless dog. Robin loved nothing more than those weird, little things

♡ You still persuaded her to go to the shelter at least. Just to have a look around.

♡ She fell in love twice in her life: Once with you, and then with the tiny chihuahuas who had wheels as front legs.

♡ "I want him. Can we have him?", she told you excitedly. How could you say no to her?

♡ Bark Twain went home with the two of you shortly after

♡ His shy personality shed rather quickly when he realized someone finally took him home

♡ While he was still not the most cuddly dog, he loved having the space to run around and play with you and your girlfriend

[deadheaddaisy]

Sweet, darling Porthos my little nunu

STAR TREK CREATOR CHALLENGE

Week 5 - Favorite pet

Porthos

[Image description: five gifs from Star Trek Enterprise focusing on Archer's beagle, Porthos

Gif 1: Porthos is sitting and wagging his tail, he barks one time. The background of the gif is purple, and Porthos is written with a green background. Underneath, Porthos is written in the phonetic alphabet.

Gif 2: Porthos is sitting on his bed, he looks at something before he puts his head down. The gif has a green backround. On the right, there is written "Species: canis familiaris (dog)", and below "Breed: English beagle"

Gif 3: Archer is holding Porthos who has a bandage on his forehead. Archer is talking to Phlox off-screen. On the top left corner is written "Rarely seen without his human: Jonathan Archer"

Gif 4: Gif comprised of three smaller gifs. The larger one shows Porthos laying in Archer's ready room, he hears something and looks up. On the top left corner, there is written "Strengths include". The first smaller gif shows Archer laying on the ground, unconscious, and Porthos licking his face. Below is written "Being an alarm clock" The second smaller gif shows Porthos standing up and barking. The text is "Detecting anomalies" The last smaller gif shows Archer and Porthos playing on Archer's bed. The text is "Good boy behavior"

Gif 5: Gif comprised of three smaller gifs. The larger one shows Porthos being pet by an off-screen person, he lays down on his side to offer his belly to scratches. Text on the top left corner reads "Weaknesses are few" The first smaller gif shows Archer giving Porthos some cheddar. The text below is "Cheese" The second smaller gif is of Porthos in isolation. Archer uses the glove to pet him, and Porthos puts his paw on Archer's hand. Below there is written, "Alien pathogens" The last smaller gif shows one of the Ferengi intruders holding Porthos and looking at him under different angles. The text below reads "No language skills."

/end image description]

[book--brackets]

Song of the Lioness by Tamora Pierce (1983-1988)

From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight.

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page. 

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch (2011-present)

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Probationary Constable Peter Grant dreams of being a detective in London’s Metropolitan Police. Too bad his superior plans to assign him to the Case Progression Unit, where the biggest threat he’ll face is a paper cut. But Peter’s prospects change in the aftermath of a puzzling murder, when he gains exclusive information from an eyewitness who happens to be a ghost. Peter’s ability to speak with the lingering dead brings him to the attention of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale, who investigates crimes involving magic and other manifestations of the uncanny. Now, as a wave of brutal and bizarre murders engulfs the city, Peter is plunged into a world where gods and goddesses mingle with mortals and a long-dead evil is making a comeback on a rising tide of magic.

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik (2018)

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father's inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold. When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk--grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh--Miryem's fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. She will face an impossible challenge and, along with two unlikely allies, uncover a secret that threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike.

Bartimaeus by Jonathan Stroud (2003-2005)

Nathaniel is a boy magician-in-training, sold to the government by his birth parents at the age of five and sent to live as an apprentice to a master. Powerful magicians rule Britain, and its empire, and Nathaniel is told his is the "ultimate sacrifice" for a "noble destiny."

If leaving his parents and erasing his past life isn't tough enough, Nathaniel's master, Arthur Underwood, is a cold, condescending, and cruel middle-ranking magician in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The boy's only saving grace is the master's wife, Martha Underwood, who shows him genuine affection that he rewards with fierce devotion. Nathaniel gets along tolerably well over the years in the Underwood household until the summer before his eleventh birthday. Everything changes when he is publicly humiliated by the ruthless magician Simon Lovelace and betrayed by his cowardly master who does not defend him.

Nathaniel vows revenge. In a Faustian fever, he devours magical texts and hones his magic skills, all the while trying to appear subservient to his master. When he musters the strength to summon the 5,000-year-old djinni Bartimaeus to avenge Lovelace by stealing the powerful Amulet of Samarkand, the boy magician plunges into a situation more dangerous and deadly than anything he could ever imagine.

The Hollows by Kim Harrison (2004-present)

All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party . . . and to feed.

Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining—and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.

A bounty hunter and a witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead . . . or undead.

Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor (2017-2018)

The dream chooses the dreamer, not the other way around--and Lazlo Strange, war orphan and junior librarian, has always feared that his dream chose poorly. Since he was just five years old, he's been obsessed with the mythic lost city of Weep, but it would take someone bolder than he to cross half the world in search of it. Then a stunning opportunity presents itself, in the form of a hero called the Godslayer and a band of legendary warriors, and he has to seize his chance or lose his dream forever. 

What happened in Weep two hundred years ago to cut it off from the rest of the world? And who is the blue-skinned goddess who appears in Lazlo's dreams?

Septimus Heap by Angie Sage (2005-2013)

Septimus Heap, the seventh son of the seventh son, disappears the night he is born, pronounced dead by the midwife. That same night, the baby's father, Silas Heap, comes across an abandoned child in the snow--a newborn girl with violet eyes. Who is this mysterious baby girl, and what really happened to the Heaps' beloved son Septimus?

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle (1968)

The unicorn lived in a lilac wood, and she lived all alone…

…so she ventured out from the safety of the enchanted forest on a quest for others of her kind. Joined along the way by the bumbling magician Schmendrick and the indomitable Molly Grue, the unicorn learns all about the joys and sorrows of life and love before meeting her destiny in the castle of a despondent monarch—and confronting the creature that would drive her kind to extinction….

Redwall by Brian Jacques (1986-2011)

Redwall Abbey, tranquil home to a community of peace-loving mice, is threatened by Cluny the Scourge savage bilge rat warlord and his battle-hardened horde. But the Redwall mice and their loyal woodland friends combine their courage and strength.

The School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani (2013-2020)

With her glass slippers and devotion to good deeds, Sophie knows she'll earn top marks at the School for Good and join the ranks of past students like Cinderella, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Meanwhile, Agatha, with her shapeless black frocks and wicked black cat, seems a natural fit for the villains in the School for Evil.

The two girls soon find their fortunes reversed--Sophie's dumped in the School for Evil to take Uglification, Death Curses, and Henchmen Training, while Agatha finds herself in the School for Good, thrust among handsome princes and fair maidens for classes in Princess Etiquette and Animal Communication.

But what if the mistake is actually the first clue to discovering who Sophie and Agatha really are?

[chthonic-cassandra]

For recs: could you list favourite fantasy novels published more than 15 years ago?

Was curious to see what happened if I limited this to stand-alone novels, so here's that list first:

Peter S. Beagle, The Last Unicorn

Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell

Pamela Dean, Tam Lin

Jane Candas Dorsey, Black Wine

Greer Gilman, Cloud & Ashes

Angélica Gorodischer, Kalpa Imperial

Ellen Kushner, Thomas the Rhymer

Tanith Lee, Vivia

Tanith Lee, Volkhavaar

Vonda McIntyre, Dreamsnake

Patricia A. McKillip, The Tower at Stony Wood (a different McKillip might actually better belong here, but give me some time to reread some more of them. Her quality is really quite consistent, though)

Michael Swanwick, Stations of the Tide

Then series with all existing volumes published more than 15 years ago:

Lloyd Alexander, The Chronicles of Prydain

Octavia Butler, Patternmaster

Samuel R. Delaney, Return to Nevérÿon

Rosemary Kirstein, The Steerswoman

Tanith Lee, Tales from the Flat Earth

Tamora Pierce, The Circle of Magic

J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

[asexualbookbird]

I didn't complete my 24 in 2024 list, but that's okay. I read a lot of short books and that's okay. I tried something new and wrote a small blurb in a draft after finishing it, instead of cobbling together feelings from what I remembered throughout the month, and I liked that a lot. I'll continue to do that, it made this a lot easier. Officially gave up on Ga'Hoole, and don't feel guilty about it. There are better books in the world and I will find them. That is a threat.

The Screaming Stair Case by Jonathan Stroud ⭐⭐½ - I want to watch the tv show, and I always feel weird doing that before reading the book. I'm not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't another Jackaby. I will not delete my blog over it, but it was. Not great. Fine. Fun at times. Would be more fun if the author didn't hate fat people so much. A pet peeve of mine is when the main character is a girl but the series is named after the main boy in her life. Icky. Not the worst, but I'm not sure I want to continue the series. The audio narrator was Delightful.

The Shattering by Kathryn Lasky ⭐⭐ - GaHoole book five. I know I said at the start of the year I'd read what I owned, but I'm no longer having fun so this will be the last for me. I'd rather be reading Animorphs. The owls can't save it for me, I'm sorry. Still counting it towards my yearly list though.

I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons ⭐- by Peter S Beagle This was trying to be a T Kingfisher novel but couldn't figure out the right balance between humor and devastation and how it fits into a small amount of words. It tried to be a Terry Pratchett novel but couldn't figure out what satire was. Disappointing considering I was hyped for it when it was announced. Dragons eventually showed up, but it was too late for them to save it.

A Psalm for the Wildbuilt by Becky Chambers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - reread for book club! Still adore it! This time around I was able to pinpoint WHY I adored it! It's because I too feel Aimless and Without A Purpose. So. Ouchie. It's also helping me figure out what I want out of a "cosy" novel (or novella). Internal personal conflict! I would still do anything for Mosscap.

A Prayer for the Crown Shy by Becky Chambers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - reread for book club! Once again, Becky Chambers has flayed me open and picked apart my soul! Reading Monk & Robot is like sitting down and being given a cup of tea while I cry my heart out.

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - "Is this what it means to lose someone? The pain never goes away, it just gets buried?" I think this ending hit me hard for different reasons than most people are going wild for. It was Fine. Not mad I read it, but don't see myself ever wanting to reread it. I like the idea of the library as a living thing and a character itself, but there were a few plot points that just seemed to be brushed aside.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I needed a safe tragedy I knew the end of and this did it. First time I actually shed tears over these words, but I needed it. It was fun to see and note the pieces that were laid out for later books, and I wonder, knowing some teasers we've gotten for Alecto, what TMuir means by Gideon wishing she could marry her sword.....

I don't have 2025 reading goals at this moment. Maybe that will change. It will probably change. I mean, there's the Usual, read the books I own, dangit, but that seems so. Boring. Typical. Everyone's doing that. Let me be ~Different~. I have a few fiber arts projects I'd like to do and finish, and I'd like to finish the sewing projects I started if only so I can pack all that up and put it away for a while. We're still hoping to move, so paring down my book collection is still an ongoing endeavor, and I do have a couple of art pieces I'd at the very least like to get sketched out. I want 2025 to be slow. I want 2025 to be quiet. I want 2025 to be kind. That's all I ask of it. Be kind.

[lau219]

playing off the dog watching headcanons, do you have any headcanons for the boys if they were to have pets?

Cillian: Dog, obvi. Pretends he doesn’t care about it that much, but the dog’s actually his best friend. Case in point: Scout 🥰

Emmett: Dog also. Golden retriever who adores him and follows him everywhere. Sleeps in a dog bed next to Emmett’s bed, brings him his slippers, etc. Man’s best friend. 🦮

Leonard: No pets; it doesn’t really fit his lifestyle. He does like dogs, though. 🐾

Neil: He has a dog and a cat. Dog is either a beagle, a bulldog, or a Bassett hound, which he intentionally got, and the cat was an old girlfriend’s cat which he became very attached to. When they broke up, she didn’t even care about the cat anymore so Neil happily kept it. He also has a rabbit. 🐶🐱🐰

Robert: No pets. Also doesn’t really fit his lifestyle. He wouldn’t even know what to do if a pet was suddenly forced on him. 🤷‍♂️

Tommy: Horses, of course. As far as an indoor pet, it’d be a dog. Likely a Great Dane or some other hunting/sport breed. 🐎🦴

Raymond: No pets. It’s not his thing. But if he was forced to have one, it’d be a situation where he starts out hating it and gradually begins to become fond of it. Would either be a dog or a cat. 🙄

Jonathan: Has a black cat. Prefers cats over dogs because the cat offers companionship without needing as much attention and care as a dog does. 🐈‍⬛

Jackson: No pets. He has no interest in taking care of anything other than himself. Had a snake when he was a kid. 🐍

@ennui-whimsy-and-me @breakthestereo @newbarrel

[wanderingmind867]

i probably haven't read enough Golden Age Comics to make this (I've barely read any, really), but I just spent the whole weekend making this list of birthdates for Earth-Two DC heroes and villians. I could've been working on my Christmas List! But no! My brain just had to get fixated on this. So here it is. This thing I didn't need to make, but my brain wouldn't let me stop working on. So here's a long list of names and birthdays. Nobody asked for this, and it was hellish to make. But my brain still expects me to make three more of these! sigh...

Superman (Clark Kent/Kal-L): 1916

Lois Lane: 1917

Power Girl (Kara Zor-L/Karen Starr): 1916 (Birth Certificate says 1956)

George Taylor: 1887 Died: 1955 (Age at Death: 68)

Jimmy Olson: 1928

Perry White: 1914

Lana Lang: 1920

Steve Bard: 1916

John Kent: 1875 Died: 1938 (Age at Death: 65)

Mary Kent: 1876 Died: 1932 (Age at Death: 60)

Samuel Lane: 1887 Died: 1973 (Age at Death: 86)

Ella Lane: 1889 Died: 1979 (Age at Death: 90)

Lucille Lane: 1920

Susie Tompkins: 1939

Batman (Bruce Wayne): 1915 Died: 1979 (Age at Death: 64)

Catwoman (Selina Kyle): 1920 Died: 1977 (Age at Death: 57)

Robin (Dick Grayson): 1933

Huntress (Helena Wayne): 1957

Batwoman (Kathy Kane): 1922

Alfred Beagle: 1900 Died: 1989 (Age at Death: 89)

Karl Kyle (Catwoman's Brother): 1924

Harvey Kent: 1912

Gilda Kent: 1915

Thomas Wayne: 1883 Died: 1924 (Age at Death: 41)

Martha Wayne: 1884 Died: 1924 (Age at Death: 40)

Phillip Wayne: 1885 Died: 1939 (Age at Death: 56)

Commissioner James Gordon: 1900 Died: 1976 (Age at Death: 76)

Julie Madison: 1915

Linda Page: 1919

Barbara Gordon (James Gordon's Wife): 1900 Died: 1981 (Age at Death: 81)

Anthony Gordon: 1931

The Flash (Jay Garrick): 1918

Joan Garrick: 1920

Winky Moylan: 1916

Blinky Boylan: 1915

Noddy Toylan: 1914

Green Lantern (Alan Scott): 1913

Doiby Dickles: 1896

Irene Miller: 1914

Harlequin (Molly Mayne): 1923

Wonder Woman (Diana Prince/Diana of Themyscira): 1920

Steve Trevor: 1918

Etta Candy: 1927

Paula von Gunther: 1907

Gerta Von Gunther: 1935

Phillip Darnell: 1903

Hawkman (Carter Hall): 1917

Hawkgirl (Shiera Sanders-Hall): 1917

The Atom (Al Pratt): 1921

Mary James Pratt: 1920

Joe Morgan: 1904

The Spectre (Jim Corrigan): 1900

Clarice Winston: 1908

Percival Popp: 1918

The Sandman (Wesley Dodds): 1913

Dian Belmont: 1916

Sandy the Golden Boy (Sanderson Hawkins): 1928

Lawrence Belmont: 1888 Died: 1974 (Age at Death: 86)

Hourman (Rex Tyler): 1913

Wendi Harris: 1936

Jimmy Martin: 1931

Thorndyke Thompkins: 1930

Doctor Fate (Kent Nelson): 1908

Inza Cramer: 1916

Johnny Thunder: 1917

Daisy Darling: 1918

Peachy Pet: 1935

Red Tornado (Ma Hunkel): 1901

Scribbly Jibbet: 1930

Mortimer "Dinky" Jibbet: 1933

Huey Hunkel: 1930

Amelia "Sisty" Hunkel: 1934

Starman (Ted Knight): 1915

Doris Lee: 1917

Woodley Allen: 1893

Doctor Mid-Nite (Charles Mcnider): 1915

Myra Mason: 1918

Wildcat (Ted Grant): 1919

Joan Fortune: 1913

Hiram Skinner: 1921

Mr. Terrific (Terry Sloane): 1920

Wanda Wilson: 1921

Black Canary (Dinah Drake): 1926

Larry Lance: 1925

Star Spangled Kid (Sylvester Pemberton): 1927

Merry, Girl of 1,000 Gimmicks (Merry Pemberton): 1934

Stripesy (Pat Dugan): 1914

Giovanni Zatara: 1918

Sargon the Sorcerer: 1919

Rose Canton: 1924 Died: 1985 (Age at Death: 61)

Alexei Luthor: 1906

Ultra-Humanite: 1844

J. Wilbur Wolfingham: 1910

Colonel Future (Edmond Future): 1918

The Puzzler: 1901

The Prankster (Oswald Loomis): 1908

The Toyman (Winslow Schott): 1910

Metalo (George Grant): 1909

The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot): 1907

Clayface (Basil Karlo): 1887

The Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane): 1904

Hugo Strange: 1889 Died: 1982 (Age at Death: 93)

The Cavalier (Mortimer Drake): 1915

The Wizard (William Zard): 1913

Brainwave (Henry King): 1910 Died: 1984 (Age at Death: 74)

The Gambler (Steven Sharpe III): 1910 Died: 1987 (Age at Death: 77)

The Thinker (Clifford DeVoe): 1905

Rag Doll (Peter Merkel): 1916 Died: 1986 (Age at Death: 70)

The Fiddler (Issac Bowin): 1915

Anaya Bowin: 1930

The Icicle (Joar Mahkent): 1913 Died: 1986 (Age at Death: 73)

Sportsmaster (Crusher Crock): 1921

Tigress (Paula Brooks): 1923

Silver Scarab (Hector Hall): 1958

Fury (Hippolyta "Lyta" Trevor): 1958

Nuklon (Albert Rothstein): 1960

Northwind (Norda Cantrell): 1958

The Lare (Olivia Corrigan): 1953

Brainwave Jr (Henry King, Jr): 1963

Harlequin II (Noel Loomis-Schott): 1965

Obsidian (Todd Rice): 1966

Jade (Jennifer Lynn-Haden): 1966

Wildcat II (Yolanda Montez): 1955

Hourman II (Rick Tyler): 1966

Starman II (Jack Knight): 1972

Doctor Mid-Nite II (Beth Chapel): 1959

Cyclone (Maxine Hunkel): 1964

The Warlock (Warren Zard): 1974

Hazard (Rebecca Sharpe): 1971

The Gambler II (Steven Sharpe V): 1975

The Fiddler II (Issac Bowin Jr): 1961

The Icicle II (Cameron Mahkent): 1959

Tigress II (Artemis Crock): 1958

Rag Doll II (Peter Merkel Jr): 1951

[kybercvnt]

Pet Empathy

Pairing – Jonathan Archer x GN!Reader

Summary – Based on S2E5 “A Night In Sickbay”, as a crew member of the Enterprise, Captain Archer calls you–another pet-lover to console him in his time of need.

Word Count – 806

Jonathan Archer was sleepless and starting to get agitated with all of Doctor Phlox’s late-night antics. He could barely get an hour's worth of sleep before he was up and ripping the curtain open in sickbay to Phlox feeding another one of his chirping creatures. Not only Phlox, but it was also Captain Archer’s anxiety and concern towards his beloved dog–Porthos–that was chewing into his subconscious. He wasn’t sure how much more he could handle.

As soon as he brought up his quarrel with T’pol, Phlox decided to point out sexual tension–a common phenomenon going on between all crew before then, which is when Archer’s mind raced to think of you.

For once, his mind wasn’t preoccupied with his beagle, but instead with you–his loyal and devoted crew member. He remembered you were one of the few exceptions, like himself, to bring on board an Earth pet to look after in your quarters.

You always showed responsibility with your care to your animal, and Archer made sure to be friendly with someone like-minded when it came to animals, so it was no doubt he was familiar with you.

When it came time to his frustration he commed you, in the early hours of the night. When you came running into the sickbay in your sleepwear, you first caught sight of the sickly dog laying in his box, then second to your captain.

“Captain Archer, I’m so terribly sorry to hear what happened to Porthos,” you said.

“It’s… Definitely a tragedy, L/N, but I want to apologise for any disturbance I’ve caused this late at night, I just… don’t know who else to contact,” he grovelled.

“It’s alright, Captain, I completely understand if he were mine.”

“I knew you would,” he chuckled.

“How’s she doing?” You asked, walking up to the box, stroking the corner of the glass as if he could feel it.

“We should know within a couple of hours,” Archer repeated, as he continued to say to everyone.

Silence filled the air. Phlox was busy doing his duties with other species and medicine, still eavesdropping on your conversation with the captain. There wasn’t much to say to your captain without it possibly being deemed inappropriate, although, being summoned in your sleepwear in front of your superior was already inappropriate, you didn’t want to extend it any further by saying something unprofessional.

“As someone who loves their animals just as much as I do, what should I do in this situation, crewman?” He asked, head low, ashamed that he felt he must ask for support.

“I find it endearing that you stick by your companion’s side while he is sick, Captain…” As you say that, your eyes catch Phlox’s gaze, while he gives you a fascinated ‘hm,’ “...But I think that it might cause you more harm than good, might disrupt your sleep and therefore your mental health, affecting the crew, Captain. Why don’t we return to your quarters for a short while, take your mind off things,” you suggested.

He looked over to Phlox, “Oh, it’s quite alright, Captain, he is in a stable condition. I’ll let you know if anything dire happens.”

The captain’s quarters were quiet without Porthos, he couldn’t take his eyes off of the empty dog bed.

“If the Kreetassan even tried to look over the data, Porthos wouldn’t be in this mess,” he complained, pacing the room. The hot tea you retrieved for him was sitting on the table alone, losing steam with every second that passed.

“I’m sure there is always someone to blame, but on this mission, there is always the risk that we might lose our loved ones, especially those in our crew, and the ship,” you tried to explain.

“You’re right,” Archer said after a moment of thought, “I should’ve never risked Porthos on an alien planet.”

“No, Captain.” He stopped to look at you, who asserted their position as they stood up. “Your decisions come with consequences, but now is the time to be optimistic.”

He looked puzzled, so you walked up to him. Really close. Close enough so he could watch your lips while you talked.

“You trust your doctor, yes?”

“Yes, but I can’t he–”

“Then trust he has it under control. There is still a chance to redeem this ship of embarrassment with the Kreetassan,” you tell him. But you’re so close to him, he heard every word you said, but also ignored it all. He couldn’t stop looking at you.

“You’re right… L/N.” Then, he leaned down and kissed you. Without any self-control or professionalism, in the privacy of his quarters, he kissed you.

When he pulled back, you straightened yourself out. “I’m… sorry L/N. That was–”

“It’s okay, Captain. It was your decision. I guess us pet owners are highly empathetic.”

“I guess so,” he laughed.

[glassheadcanon]

20 books challenge

If you could only keep 20 books (physical/ebook/audio), which would be the ones you would keep?

Rules are simple:

1 book per author. 1 book per series. Tag #twenty books challenge

Borrowing this from @e-b-reads

This is tough! In no particular order:

How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading by Mortimer J. Adler & Charles Van Doren

The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller by John Truby

The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (the whole so-called "trilogy" was always intended to be considered one book in its entirety - they only split it up due to the physical limitations of publishing at the time...)

Persuasion by Jane Austen

So Big by Edna Ferber

A Room with a View by E.M. Forster

The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

The King of Elfland's Daughter by Lord Dunsany

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

Animal Farm by George Orwell

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis

The Code of the Woosters by P.G. Wodehouse

The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde