#Heroic exploits

[blueheartbookclub]

"Unveiling the Mystique: Lewis Spence's 'Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt'—A Journey through the Enchanted Sands of Time"

Lewis Spence's "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" invites readers into the mesmerizing realm of one of the world's most captivating civilizations. Accompanied by the enchanting illustrations of Evelyn Paul, this exploration of ancient Egyptian mythology unfolds as a visual and literary feast. The title itself promises a journey into the timeless narratives that have echoed through the ages, shaping the collective imagination of humanity.

In this comprehensive volume, Spence delves into the rich tapestry of Egyptian mythology, unraveling tales of gods, goddesses, pharaohs, and mystical creatures. Published in [year], the book stands as a testament to Spence's scholarship and his ability to bring the distant past to life. The title serves as an open invitation to traverse the sands of time, guiding readers through the mythical landscape that has fascinated scholars and storytellers for centuries.

What sets "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" apart is the synergy between Spence's evocative storytelling and Evelyn Paul's enchanting illustrations. Paul's artistic renderings breathe life into the ancient deities and heroes, capturing the essence of the myths in a visual language that complements Spence's narrative. The title hints at the dual allure of myth and legend, promising readers an immersive experience that transcends the written word.

The narrative unfolds like an epic journey, with each chapter revealing a different facet of Egyptian mythology. Spence skillfully navigates through the creation myths, the pantheon of gods, and the heroic exploits of figures like Osiris, Isis, and Anubis. The title "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" acts as a guide through the labyrinth of stories, beckoning readers to uncover the secrets buried in the sands of time.

Spence's prose is both accessible and scholarly, making the complex narratives of ancient Egypt approachable for readers of all levels of familiarity with the subject. His passion for the material shines through, and the title serves as a thematic compass, steering readers through the mystical narratives with a sense of wonder and discovery.

The Departure of Isis from Byblos—Evelyn Paul (Illustration from the book - print book have black & white illustrations!)

The book not only explores the mythical tales but also delves into the cultural and religious significance of these stories in ancient Egyptian society. Spence contextualizes the myths within the broader historical and cultural landscape, offering readers a holistic understanding of the enduring impact of these narratives. The title hints at the layers of meaning waiting to be uncovered, as each myth and legend holds a key to unlocking the mysteries of a bygone era.

In conclusion, "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" by Lewis Spence, adorned with the enchanting illustrations of Evelyn Paul, is a captivating odyssey into the heart of one of the world's most enduring civilizations. The title encapsulates the essence of the book—a mesmerizing journey through the mythical landscapes of ancient Egypt. Spence's scholarly approach, coupled with Paul's artistic brilliance, creates a harmonious blend that caters to both the intellect and the imagination. As readers embark on this literary expedition, the title serves as a beacon, guiding them through the enchanting sands of time and unveiling the enduring mystique of ancient Egyptian myths and legends.

Lewis Spence's "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" is available in Amazon in paperback 13.99$ and hardcover 21.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 280

Language: English

Rating: 10/10                                           

Link of the book!

Illustrations are black & white in the print!

Review By: King's Cat

[blueheartbooks]

"Unveiling the Mystique: Lewis Spence's 'Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt'—A Journey through the Enchanted Sands of Time"

Lewis Spence's "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" invites readers into the mesmerizing realm of one of the world's most captivating civilizations. Accompanied by the enchanting illustrations of Evelyn Paul, this exploration of ancient Egyptian mythology unfolds as a visual and literary feast. The title itself promises a journey into the timeless narratives that have echoed through the ages, shaping the collective imagination of humanity.

In this comprehensive volume, Spence delves into the rich tapestry of Egyptian mythology, unraveling tales of gods, goddesses, pharaohs, and mystical creatures. Published in [year], the book stands as a testament to Spence's scholarship and his ability to bring the distant past to life. The title serves as an open invitation to traverse the sands of time, guiding readers through the mythical landscape that has fascinated scholars and storytellers for centuries.

What sets "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" apart is the synergy between Spence's evocative storytelling and Evelyn Paul's enchanting illustrations. Paul's artistic renderings breathe life into the ancient deities and heroes, capturing the essence of the myths in a visual language that complements Spence's narrative. The title hints at the dual allure of myth and legend, promising readers an immersive experience that transcends the written word.

The narrative unfolds like an epic journey, with each chapter revealing a different facet of Egyptian mythology. Spence skillfully navigates through the creation myths, the pantheon of gods, and the heroic exploits of figures like Osiris, Isis, and Anubis. The title "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" acts as a guide through the labyrinth of stories, beckoning readers to uncover the secrets buried in the sands of time.

Spence's prose is both accessible and scholarly, making the complex narratives of ancient Egypt approachable for readers of all levels of familiarity with the subject. His passion for the material shines through, and the title serves as a thematic compass, steering readers through the mystical narratives with a sense of wonder and discovery.

The Departure of Isis from Byblos—Evelyn Paul (Illustration from the book - print book have black & white illustrations!)

The book not only explores the mythical tales but also delves into the cultural and religious significance of these stories in ancient Egyptian society. Spence contextualizes the myths within the broader historical and cultural landscape, offering readers a holistic understanding of the enduring impact of these narratives. The title hints at the layers of meaning waiting to be uncovered, as each myth and legend holds a key to unlocking the mysteries of a bygone era.

In conclusion, "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" by Lewis Spence, adorned with the enchanting illustrations of Evelyn Paul, is a captivating odyssey into the heart of one of the world's most enduring civilizations. The title encapsulates the essence of the book—a mesmerizing journey through the mythical landscapes of ancient Egypt. Spence's scholarly approach, coupled with Paul's artistic brilliance, creates a harmonious blend that caters to both the intellect and the imagination. As readers embark on this literary expedition, the title serves as a beacon, guiding them through the enchanting sands of time and unveiling the enduring mystique of ancient Egyptian myths and legends.

Lewis Spence's "Myths and Legends Ancient Egypt" is available in Amazon in paperback 13.99$ and hardcover 21.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 280

Language: English

Rating: 10/10                                           

Link of the book!

Illustrations are black & white in the print!

Review By: King's Cat

[bonefall]

longtime dc fan and i think a lot of people are angry because alex is obviously one of the most culturally relevant instances of misogyny in media. that being said being more culturally relevant doesn’t mean it’s the worst instance of misogyny and i think bumble definitely experiences more profound misogyny in the way the actual content is presented, if that makes sense

I get you, and that's a charitable way of looking at it.

I think what's rustling my jimmies is that like, there was a couple of WC fans being mildly dismissive of Alex in that note minefield, after dozens of comments of "fuck you how could you let the fridge woman lose" and "Bumble didn't deserve to win ANY rounds" and "how could A CAT experience misogyny." But then WE get blamed for the toxicity because THEY were butthurt that the Funny Cat People have the 'audacity' to win something they feel entitled to.

Like, we've gotta be endlessly charitable as we get openly insulted because they're upset about Alex losing, a very well-known and culturally relevant character with a legacy so massive we have a whole term named after her. But condemnations of "She's just a cat, letting WC into this poll was a mistake, Bumble can't even be a victim of misogyny" only started coming around once I started talking about it.

as if it's OUR fault people got passive-aggressive or even OPENLY aggressive towards us, and that we're "just as bad" for retaliating

But like you said, it's not a "Most Culturally Relevant Misogyny" tournament, it's a "Canon Misogyny Victims" tournament. And you're not even supposed to give a shit that Bumble died. The fat, woman abuse victim is beaten to death by a dictator, and your takeaway is meant to be, "It's so sad that Clear Sky is being blamed for murdering her, now they're all preparing for self-defense against a homicidal maniac, oh nooo :("

And I think that DOES make her deserve the win here! Alex is a MARTYR. Everyone with a brain agrees what happens to her is bad. It happened in her canon because it was bad. We talk about her and keep her memory alive. Bumble gets dismissed entirely out of hand because she's "just a cat in a kid's book" as if that doesn't make it worse, and as if the kid's book didn't treat a domestic abuse survivor like a moron for even asking for help.

Anyway, just to reiterate, I love DC fans. It's not all of you guys. Alex was done dirty and deserves justice-- and it's even kind of a shame that all she became is "The Fridge Woman." I haven't even heard people talk about how she was a wary, responsible person who was still ready to rock with Kyle's new weird glowstick powers, or that she was a journalist, or that she just got brought back in another edition as a Green Lantern only to be revealed as an illusion and re-absorbed back into Kyle's mind. Nope. Even her fans just remember her as The Fridge Woman.

[voidedjuice]

Siege alter who, instead of going for the king of victoria stuff, is simply Vina, leader of the glasgow gang

The sighs of kings keeps just being a cold slab of metal with a long backstory. The Victorian state is corrupt and oppressive. Instead of becoming King, what matters to her are the perfectly ordinary people she cares for and wants to protect, so that's what she sets out to do

6* brawler guard who gives abyssal hunter style bonuses to the other glasgow members, that make them actually good and viable :)

personal copium time: she and reed meet up and decide that the whole system needs 2 go yesterday. glasgow and reeds dublinn join to lead a revolution ^v^ tarans are granted proper rights & their language and culture are protected :) everybody happy

[lostloveletters]

While I was traveling I did a lot of reading (I will not pay for in-flight wifi thank you), and I re-read The Godfather for the first time in a while. Honestly, it's not so bad when I just skip past the parts about Johnny and Lucy because I really don't give a fuck about them and their storylines make no sense in the overall plot of the novel🙄

One thing I will give the novel over the movie is how much more time is spent on building depth to Kay and Michael’s relationship. And oh my god I love Sonny Corleone so much, I always have but wow🖤 I'm so excited to get his fic finished and posted hopefully early next year!

The fun thing about Mario Puzo only including like three paragraphs’ worth of information about Michael’s service in the Pacific means I can make up a lot of it myself🤭 I did take notes of what little canon info there is.

Also in the scene where Michael and Kay have dinner and see a show the night of the attempt on Vito’s life, he tells her that he wants to be a math professor? He's a fucking nerd and was probably majoring in statistics or something like that, I don't know! Obviously now I'm thinking about a Michael and Gloria Professor/Student AU because holy shit, but that's gonna be on the backburner until I write a few more chapters of Bruised Fruit.

This is so stream of consciousness sorry🫠

[spidergvven]

WWII propaganda has become completely insufferable after watching 5 months of american bombs being dropped on palestinian children culminating in us "port" being built as an obvious prelude to us troops on the ground in gaza

[weaverlings]

i hate capitalism so much it's unreal

[innerchorus]

Day ??? of me involuntarily thinking about the Gieve vs Isfan fight and being mad about the aftermath

Somebody please hug my wolf son

Yeah. It's forever going to be a sore point for me, too! I think it's made even worse because you can tell that afterwards, Isfan feels so dismayed by Arslan's reaction and regrets his behaviour, and yet Gieve just...doesn't even give a shit about Isfan's grief (in character at this point, but I don't have to like it). The focus was on how Arslan felt about Gieve leaving, but I will always feel worse for Isfan.

[ceruleancattail]

Stupid things that the Basketball club members do to show affection to you

Ace x reader, Jamil x reader, Floyd x reader

Ace calls out your name, whenever he’s about to shoot. A horrible habit that immediately draws all the defenders towards him… but hey, the sense of satisfaction he gets from slip sliding away from them and scoring a goal anyways is always worth it.

The feeling of your gaze on him as he darts into scoring range does make his pulse race. To think out of all of the players on the court, you were only looking at him. In this one moment, it’s almost as if as you two were the only ones there.

He makes sure that he catches your gaze as the ball slowly sinks into the basket, with the swish of a clean shot into the net.

There’s that smug sort of pride Ace gets whenever he looks at the aghast faces of the opposite team. As well as that tiny little tinge in his heart when he looks up at you, a crooked, boyish smile dancing across his lips.

Ya saw that, right? Wasn’t he so cool?

You know he’s going to pester you about his shot non-stop when he gets off the court. Regaling you with tale after tale of his heroic exploits until you jab him with your elbow. Well, if he wins this match, you’ll consider buttering up his ego a bit.

Besides, it’s not as if he has to tell you everything. You were there, in the stands. Cheering for him… and the rest of the team, of course.

Mostly for him.

He also has another horrible habit. Ace kisses his knuckles before lightly punching in your direction. He does this before every match, from the moment he steps onto the court. Ace’s version of a flying kiss, his own personal lucky charm.

If he’s ever questioned about it, Ace laughs it off. Claiming that he’s passing on all his bad luck to you, so he can focus on the game. Truth to be told? He‘ll much rather give you an actual kiss.

Ace’s personal good luck charm, for every match.

Jamil lingers around you, when it’s time for a break. Plopping himself in the seat beside you, his shoulder bumping into yours. He likes to sit right by you, feeling his pulse race against yours. There’s something about having you next to him that just… sets him at ease.

Jamil times his heartbeat to yours, chest heaving up and down. Calming himself down for the next round, clearing his adrenaline pumped mind. You busy yourself with a towel as well, mopping off Jamil’s head. He’ll try to snatch the towel from you, muttering about how he can handle it himself, but you’re insistent about him taking a proper break.

Jamil can only give him to the fluff of the towel, and your gentle touch. Sometimes, your fingers just brush against his face, a sudden flush of warmth lingering on his skin. Almost like an intimate touch.

So he contents himself by watching you take care of the entire team. Sometimes, Jamil gets a little jealous, watching you flutter around, abuzz. He’ll ask for your help with braiding his hair, bundling it up into a tight bun of sorts. You gladly oblige, your fingers running through his hair.

Jamil appreciates this, honestly. Most of the time, he’s the one looking after Kalim. For once… it’s nice to feel fawned over, even if it’s only for a while. Well, since you’ve already put in so much effort for Jamil… guess it’s only right if he brought back a victory, hm?

Nothing less, for you.

Floyd likes to pick you up. Before and after, every match. Before the match begins, you’ll feel a pair of lanky arms snake around your torso, before you’re lifted up by Floyd. He gives you a quick affectionate squeeze, before setting you down again. His personal pre-match ritual, Floyd chirps as his chin nuzzles into your scalp.

He does this without warning every single time, sneaking up on you silently. Even if you’re wary, glancing around for any sign of that eel, Floyd still finds ways to surprise you. You’re not escaping his grip that easily, Shrimpy!

After every match, you’re immediately attacked by a very tall eel drenched in sweat. Floyd loses the slightly hint of subtlety after the entire basketball match, and just straight up grapples you into his arms.

If it’s a victory for Night Raven College’s team, Floyd’s swinging you around, his fingers wrapped tightly around your wrists. It’s a big win for him! Hey, did you see the way that guy’s face just fell when Floyd blocked his shot? Did you, did you?

On the days it ends in a loss, Floyd just grabs you and buries his face into your shoulder. You can feel his breaths on your skin, gentle puffs that make your shoulder tingle. He holds you there for a while, legs wrapping around his own. Silently reflecting on his loss, calibrating his emotions perhaps. You wouldn’t know.

Although in the silence of those days, you can’t help but worm an arm out of his hold, stroking his hair the best you can from that awkward angle. Rubbing his hair, tousling it up. Sometimes, Floyd lets you. Snuggling closer towards you, nuzzling into the crook of your neck.

Sometimes he traps your hand under his cheek, nudging you softly. He won’t stop until your palm is flat against the side of his face, cupping his cheek tenderly. Sometimes he just wants to be held himself, Y’know?

Stay with him for a while, okay?

[heritageposts]

how do i start to read marxist leninist/leftist stuff ? i searched on the internet but it’s super confusing lol

the most important value for me as an ML is anti-imperialism, so i guess i'll always recommend that people start with works centred on that

some suggestions below (all books should be available either on marxist.org or as pdf/epub files on libgen)

American Holocaust by David E. Stannard

about the colonization of america. not explicitly marxist, but it's probably done more to radicalize me than any other piece of writing. this is the pile of corpses capitalism is built on:

Within no more than a handful of generations following their first en counters with Europeans, the vast majority of the Western Hemisphere's native peoples had been exterminated. The pace and magnitude of their obliteration varied from place to place and from time to time, but for years now historical demographers have been uncovering, in region upon region, post-Columbian depopulation rates of between 90 and 98 percent with such regularity that an overall decline of 95 percent has become a working rule of thumb. What this means is that, on average, for every twenty natives alive at the moment of European contact-when the lands of the Americas teemed with numerous tens of millions of people-only one stood in their place when the bloodbath was over. To put this in a contemporary context, the ratio of native survivorship in the Americas following European contact was less than half of what the human survivorship ratio would be in the United States today if every single white person and every single black person died. The destruction of the Indians of the Americas was, far and away, the most massive act of genocide in the history of the world. That is why, as one historian aptly has said, far from the heroic and romantic heraldry that customarily is used to symbolize the European settlement of the Americas, the emblem most congruent with reality would be a pyramid of skulls. - David E. Stannard

2. Imperialism: The Highest Stage of Capitalism by Vladimir Lenin

Imperialism is capitalism at that stage of development at which the dominance of monopolies and finance capital is established; in which the export of capital has acquired pronounced importance; in which the division of the world among the international trusts has begun, in which the division of all territories of the globe among the biggest capitalist powers has been completed. - Vladimir Lenin

3. The Wretched of The Earth by Franz Fanon

Let us look at ourselves, if we can bear to, and see what is becoming of us. First, we must face that unexpected revelation, the strip-tease of our humanism. There you can see it, quite naked, and it’s not a pretty sight. It was nothing but an ideology of lies, a perfect justification for pillage; its honeyed words, its affectation of sensibility were only alibis for our aggressions. A fine sight they are too, the believers in non-violence, saying that they are neither executioners nor victims. Very well then; if you’re not victims when the government which you’ve voted for, when the army in which your younger brothers are serving without hesitation or remorse have undertaken race murder, you are, without a shadow of doubt, executioners. And if you chose to be victims and to risk being put in prison for a day or two, you are simply choosing to pull your irons out of the fire. But you will not be able to pull them out; they’ll have to stay there till the end. Try to understand this at any rate: if violence began this very evening and if exploitation and oppression had never existed on the earth, perhaps the slogans of non-violence might end the quarrel. But if the whole regime, even your non-violent ideas, are conditioned by a thousand-year-old oppression, your passivity serves only to place you in the ranks of the oppressors. - prefrace by Jean-Paul Sartre

4. Discourse on Colonialism by Aimé Césaire

Yes, it would be worthwhile to study clinically, in detail, the steps taken by Hitler and Hitlerism and to reveal to the very distinguished, very humanistic, very Christian bourgeois of the twentieth century that without his being aware of it, he has a Hitler inside him, that Hitler inhabits him, that Hitler is his demon, that if he rails against him, he is being inconsistent and that, at bottom, what he cannot forgive Hitler for is not crime in itself, the crime against man, it is not the humiliation of man as such, it is the crime against the white man, the humiliation of the white man, and the fact that he applied to Europe colonialist procedures which until then had been reserved exclusively for the Arabs of Algeria, the coolies of India, and the blacks of Africa I have talked a good deal about Hitler. Because he deserves it: he makes it possible to see things on a large scale and to grasp the fact that capitalist society, at its present stage, is incapable of establishing a concept of the rights of all men, just as it has proved incapable of establishing a system of individual ethics. Whether one likes it or not, at the end of the blind alley that is Europe, I mean the Europe of Adenauer, Schuman, Bidault, and a few others, there is Hitler. At the end of capitalism, which is eager to outlive its day, there is Hitler. At the end of formal humanism and philosophicrenunciation, there is Hitler - Aimé Césaire

5. Blackshirts and Reds: Rational Fascism and the Overthrow of Communism by Michael Parenti

probably the most accessible introduction to communism that doesn't demonize countries that have undergone—or attempted to undergo—a transitation into socalism (like the ussr, cuba, etc.)

The very concept of "revolutionary violence" is somewhat falsely cast, since most of the violence comes from those who attempt to prevent reform, not from those struggling for reform. By focusing on the violent rebellions of the downtrodden, we overlook the much greater repressive force and violence utilized by the ruling oligarchs to maintain the status quo, including armed attacks against peaceful demonstrations, mass arrests, torture, destruction of opposition organizations, suppression of dissident publications, death squad assassinations, the extermination of whole villages, and the like. - Michael Parenti

[sugar-grigri]

NEW FANTASTIC CHAPTER Sit back and let's talk about it together

This is a fantastic chapter for a number of reasons so I'll make several posts

1. Yoshida is the stupid one

Yoshida intended to manipulate Denji by putting him in a dilemma: either he stops being Chainsaw Man, or Nayuta will die.

When Denji says he wants both choices, he is scorned by Yoshida who, like their first meeting, thought he could easily manipulate him. So much so that he had planned his own response: Denji would resign himself and choose Nayuta for sure. But the one in the weakest position is Yoshida: he is the one who made the mistake and Denji did not give in.

What Fujimoto is indicating, in my opinion, is that not only will Yoshida never be Makima, but that he has no intention whatsoever of setting up a character who would be analogous to her

Makima's plans were meticulous, to the point where she anticipated the attacks that would target her

Yoshida isn't capable of this, but neither is public safety in Makima in general.

Denji is no longer the product of a system

I talked about this more broadly once before, but one of the themes of CSM is the system, and more broadly a critique of the world of work and capitalism. Fears are exploited, contracts are necessary and unbalanced, and only a sad and cold end awaits each of the public safety hunters.

The fact that Denji is calling for both choices is not a matter of stupidity, or of a capricious and childish reaction

This demand is a conscious choice not to belong to the system

More broadly, it is the conclusion of Denji's development as he reclaims his own identity: Chainsaw man

He can't be a mere human because he never was, having gone from a dehumanised child, a tool, to a heroic and demonic figure with no intermediary.

It was Makima who exploited Denji's dream of the bare minimum, of normality.

And it was the fact that he wanted something bigger that allowed him to fight her

Because he no longer respected the rules of the game that she herself had defined

"Obey or die", in other words, the paradigm that Denji had to fit into when he arrived is over

No one will give him this ultimatum

The two fingers have always been Denji's symbol

Firstly, the mistake of confusing peace with "don't worry, it'll be a piece of cake", a phrase he used when he was ready to face anything for Makima.

Then, Denji used it again when Power died a second time for him, showing that he'd be ready to keep on fighting.

"Don't worry it’ll be a piece of cake" now showed Denji's willingness to get out of Makima's system

It'll be as easy to fight for her as against her

From now on, this symbol would transcend everything and symbolize his identity, freed from any form of system or oppression: two choices, two identities, one human and the other demonic in the same package.

Chainsaw Man

If you're not tired and want to know why Chainsaw Man has to go…

The second part of this analysis is right here:

[aphroditelovesu]

Hey, i'm also from brazil and i love the way you write! Taking advantage of the fact that I saw you talking about yandere apollo pjo, could you do some headcanons about what he would be like due to the differences? like, in today's world. Would he look at your phone or something?

❝ ☀️ — lady l: it's a headcanon, in a way, but also an imagine, a combo of both! I ended up geting excited and focusing more on the platonic part and I hope everything it's! I hope you like it and forgive me for any mistakes!

❝tw: obsessive and overprotective behavior and fluffy.

❝☀️pairing: yandere pjo!apollo x gender neutral!reader.

❝word count: 742.

Apollo is the god of poetry and will always be writing the most beautiful poems for you. All of his hymns will be dedicated to you and any pop influence he will use as inspiration to worship you. Apollo dedicates each verse to you, each word carefully thought out in the overwhelming love that the god feels, transforming pop influences into hymns of worship.

In the intervals between his divine exploits, Apollo is captured by the passion of modern melodies. Transforming pop influences into passionate songs, his lyres resonate in heavenly places, echoing the immortal feelings he has for his earthly muse.

Apollo as a divine father is smothering and protective. He doesn't give a damn about the rules that govern the gods, not when it comes to his favorite child. He will distribute gifts, presents and will help and support them in everything he can. Apollo will always make it clear that they are his greatest pride.

As you face challenges and monsters, Apollo protects you, interfering in divine destinies when necessary. The sun god becomes a constant presence, guiding and encouraging his favorite child to embrace its heroic nature. Apollo, the divine father, defies heavenly rules in the name of love for his child, doling out divine gifts and guiding them along the path to greatness.

One day, while you were facing a particularly difficult challenge, Apollo decided to intervene in a more direct way. He descended from Olympus, enveloped in golden light, and appeared at your side. His presence was warm and comforting, like the rays of the sun emanating from his divine form.

"My dear child," Apollo said with a beaming smile. "The time has come for me to join you on this journey. Together, we will face the challenges that present themselves, and I will guide you with my divine light."

Apollo watched with beaming pride as his child flourished under divine tutelage. He guided the mortal steps with the light of knowledge, shaping the favorite's destiny as a sculptor carves a masterpiece. Each of his child's deeds was a glorious echo of the pride Apollo felt, reflected in the rays of sunlight that illuminated his celestial face.

Apolo is very connected to modern technology, oddly enough. He would have a cell phone, the best and most expensive, and it would be full of photos of you. His music playlist would have all genres, an eclectic god, after all, he is also the god of music and appreciates all types, honoring his essence as the god of music.

He wouldn't touch your cell phone unless you allowed it or if he had some kind of suspicion. In this case, you can be sure that the god will search your cell phone in search of something. And he will definitely take selfies of himself to leave for you.

During moments of rest, Apollo shared divine stories and ancestral teachings with you. His words were like ethereal songs, dancing in the air and penetrating your heart. Each narrative was filled with wisdom and profound lessons, like the notes of an eternal melody.

On a starry night, after an especially epic victory over a colossal beast, Apollo gathered the gods and goddesses for a divine celebration on Olympus. Heavenly music filled the halls as everyone rejoiced in their achievements and the union between the divine and the mortal.

At the height of the party, Apollo raised his golden lyre and began to sing a song that transcended the limits of Olympus. His melodious voice resonated, telling the saga of his favorite child, full of courage, triumph and divine love. The song inspired tears of joy in the eyes of the gods and goddesses, witnessing the success of his protégé.

At the end of the performance, Apollo looked at you with pride in his eyes. "My child, you are a masterpiece that surpasses any divine song. Your heart is a melody that enchants the gods and transforms Olympus into a more radiant place. May your journey continue to shine like the stars that adorn the night sky."

Since that day, the bond between you and Apollo has only grown stronger. The god's blessings continued to guide you, while the teachings shared under the stars became a beacon of wisdom on his journey. And so, under the protection and love of Apollo, the heroic epic unfolded, marking destiny with the eternal light of the god of music and poetry.

[lightbluetown]

i saw some people say ed and zheng are master strategists while stede is just some guy with ridiculous luck, but i think that's unfair. sure stede's ideas are insane, but they fit the looney tunes ass universe of ofmd perfectly. they're mostly well-thought-out, well-executed and they showcase stede's strengths and growth! so allow me to talk about them:

1- ghost of the forest - 1x02

a fuckery™ before stede even knows what a fuckery™ is! this is amateurish and stupid in every way. he's not even threatening izzy with a real dagger-- that's a letter opener. does izzy actually believe that stede has a huge crew hiding behind the bushes? doubt it! but this weird little act is enough to establish stede as a (ridiculous) pirate figure to the legendary izzy hands and to accomplish his goal of taking a hostage back

2- lighthouse - 1x04

imagine coming up with the exact same idea at the exact same time as the most brilliant tactician of the seven seas! we don't know who came up with which parts of the plan (honestly it was probably mostly ed) but this is still bloody impressive

3- stark revelations - 1x05

stede's first big success! he uses his knowledge of the aristocratic world to get a shipful of rich assholes to destroy each other, but he's also showcasing what sets him apart from them: this plan only comes to fruition because stede talks to frenchie, olu and abshir as equals. as people he can learn from, as sources of inspiration

4- duel with izzy - 1x06

this one was absolutely unhinged, but its success was far from dumb luck. only stede could think of using a brazillian cherry wood mast and ed's weird stabbing lesson to win a duel, and that's what makes this plan so undeniably stede and brilliant

5- faking his death - 1x10

i love that he just had to "die" in the most dramatic way possible. a heroic fight (tiger), a realistic accident (carriage) and the most cartoony death in the book (piano)... not only is his triple-death able to convince everyone in barbados that he's dead for good, it also allows him to have closure with his family. it's filled with stede's ridiculous unique flair, but it's designed to be a fuckery™ through and through. ed would be SO proud

6- stealing jackie's indigo dye - 2x01

quick little stealth mission. did ricky manipulate stede into trying this out? sure. did ricky also ruin it? absolutely. but it was working until then! the swede isn't part of stede's crew at this point, but his respect for stede is what gets him to cooperate and risk his relationship with his beautiful wife. also, it's thanks to his love for fine things that stede immediately recognizes the value of "blue dirt"

7- prison break - 2x03

in my eyes no scene depicts stede's growth better than this one. knocking zheng's entire crew out with tea is the most stede thing out there, and this plan uses the cherry wood mast as well! this plan relies on stede's (unrealistic) tea knowledge, overly-fancy ship and ability to coordinate his crew. what makes it breathtaking is that he secretly sets this plan into motion while actively mourning the "death" of the love of his life. he's putting his life on the line to rescue ed's "killers" because he's emotionally mature enough to look at things from their perspective and forgive them

8- inciting a mutiny - 2x06

yet another brilliant plan that could only be executed by stede. this entire episode revolves around his idea of "turning poison into positivity" and here he, well, fights poison with positivity. stede captains his pirates with respect and care (best he can) which just so happens to be the opposite of ned. he exploits this and gently gets ned's crew to turn on him. he singlehandedly saves himself and his entire crew from a notorious pirate! oh he also literally invents walking the plank right after this

9- "it's only suicide if we die" - 2x08

okay, yes, this one didn't go that well (sorry iz). but it's not like ed, zheng or anyone else had any other ideas! stede's weird suicide mission, for the most part, worked. they needed to get through british soldiers to reach their ship and they did exactly that. if only they'd remembered to check if ricky had his gun... oh well, you live and you learn

sure, ed and zheng are legends and stede is a silly newbie with wild luck. but he's also quick-witted, creative, confident and brave! he's a damn good captain and he deserves to be recognized as a good strategist!

[toastandjamie]

So like, Rand is the chosen one but Mat is a video game pc and it shows in the way that he is constantly receiving quest lines from mysterious individuals, coming into possession of random magic items, is cursed, half of his heroic exploits are him stumbling into situations and needing to fight his way out. And of course- him having romantic/sexual chemistry with every character he meets

[autolenaphilia]

Some thoughts on The Coffin of Andy and Leyley

I found out about The Coffin of Andy and Leyley from an ”antiship” blog that I was on solely to block, because these people are always violent callout culture transmisogynists. Them getting very upset about this game having incest in it piqued my interest. The art looked interesting, and if these people hate it, it can’t be all bad.

(Case in point about the transmisogyny, from my understanding some people tried to dox the pseudonymous and secretive developer of this game, Nemlei. And the motivation was to prove the doxxer’s suspicion that Nemlei is a trans woman, because “only a trans woman could create such degeneracy.”)

Sure enough, TCOAAL is actually a nuanced and well-written psychological dark comedy /horror game. This is going to be more of a preliminary analysis than a review so full spoilers beyond this point. It’s by necessity preliminary since the game isn’t finished yet. My review is: go buy it if you are a fellow sicko who enjoys interesting stories about cannibalism and incest and like visual novels.

TCOAAL uses a trick from more transgressive forms of horror fiction, where the protagonists are not the heroes, but the villains, and the story is from their perspective. Andrew and Ashley Graves are murderers who kill people, sacrifice their souls to demons and cannibalize their bodies. They would be the villains of a more conventional horror story, their crimes investigated and thwarted by some heroic detective perhaps. But in this type of story, you are denied the comfort of heroes, or even innocent victims as you watch the protagonists twisted psychology lead them to commit terrible deeds.

The tone of the story mostly isn’t really horror, but very dark comedy, kinda Jhonen Vasquez-ish. The horrors are portrayed with a gleeful flippant tone, and cute appealing art. The tone mirrors how especially Ashley feels about her crimes. The game’s tone gets serious sometimes, going for straight horror occasionally, acknowledging how heartbreaking yet insane the Graves situation is, but there is a deep vein of the blackest humor.

Andrew and Ashley

Andy and Leyley themselves have this co-dependent toxic abusive sibling dynamic. Ashley is emotionally abusive, extremely possessive and manipulative towards Andrew. But her beloved Andy is the only person she actually cares about, and the rest she is able to kill with gleeful abandon in her heart.

Yet Andrew is not purely a victim. I’m going to talk at length about him, because the gap between how he describes himself and what the game shows is fascinating. I’m not the first to point this out. And it even extends to the game’s promotional material, like this official art on the game’s steam page is actually subverted by the game itself.

His character is not "doormat extraordinaire" who just "exists", the words "very not good, in fact very bad" apply to him too.

He is a victim, and loves to point at times how exploited, manipulated and abused he is by Ashley and he’s of course right. But he also uses that as an excuse for the horrific violence he commits, that he is just a doormat has been manipulated and corrupted by Ashley. “I was just being manipulated by Ashley to do it” is his variation on the old Nuremberg defense for his crimes. He has no sense of personal responsibility, no understanding that even if someone else tells you to do it, you are still responsible for your actions.

And the game itself proves that “it’s all Ashley” is not really true. A lot of the violence and murder are definitely on Andrew’s own initiative. He is violent towards Ashley too, the abuse is reciprocal. And he like Ashley doesn’t care much about other people. He gets distraught about killing people, but if you follow his dialogue, he is mostly freaked out about the consequences for himself. He is dependent on Ashley as someone who he can lay all the responsibility and blame for his own actions for. And of course, there is genuine affection there, because things are complex. He was parentified to take care of Ashley as a child and still has the drive to be her caretaker and protector.

It’s a fascinating pair of characters, and an interesting dynamic to observe.

“Der Mensch lebt nur von Missetat allein”

And the game’s writing is smart enough to have them not be an individualized evil, that came out of nowhere. Andrew and Ashley are the products of a neglectful and cold parents. Their mother made Andrew the favorite, but basically in order to parentize him to take care of his younger sister. And their dad can’t even remember the names of his kids. Not that the cycle of abuse starts with the parents, the mother had Andrew and Ashley when she was 15 and 17 respectively. But that doesn’t excuse how they ultimately, sell their kids’s lives for money to an organ harvesting scheme. This scheme is strongly implied to be part of an hilariously over-the-top soda company, toxisoda (it’s implied their soda is literally made from humans, so the company is doing the same thing that Ashley and Andy does, but on an industrial scale).

This is the situation that pushes Andy and Ashley to become evil murder-cannibals horror movie villains they become. They are deliberately being starved to death, and decide human meat is preferable to that. And the point here is obvious. To quote Brecht, “Erst kommt das Fressen, dann kommt die Moral” or in english translation “Food is the first thing. Morals follow on.” Andy and Ashley are bad people who kill and eat other people, but they are the product of an evil society. A family system where children are property of their parents to be abused and sold. And ultimately a capitalist system which kills people to feed others, a societal and systematic version of what Andew’s and Ashley does. They literally become cannibals to escape becoming literally or essentially cannibalized themselves by the capitalist system. Capitalism is a system which works on prey and predator dynamics, and they just fought to became predator instead of prey. To further quote the same song by Brecht, in capitalism, “Der Mensch lebt nur von Missetat allein” or in english “mankind is kept alive by bestial acts.” And in that broader view, Andrew and Ashley’s small-scale evil is dwarfed by the system they are born into.

Incest

It’s with all this context the game’s treatment of incest must be understood. It’s a horror game, about two siblings with a fucked-up abusive relationship. Of course there is incest, it’s far from being the worst thing these two do. The game only gets more explicit about incest in one optional ending, but it’s there explicitly and subtextually from the very start. Ashley jokes about it repeatedly, it’s there in the possessive jealousy Ashley feels for any of Andrew’s girlfriends, it’s implied in the casual physical intimacy of the siblings. Like it’s very obvious that their fucked-up but close relationship can lead there right from the beginning of episode 1. It’s a very natural conclusion to their dynamic. And the characters know it, Ashley definitely knows it, and their own mother accuses them of it. Andrew denies his mother’s accusation of fucking Ashley, and he’s probably not lying at that moment, but his relationship with Ashley leading there make perfect sense and he is not just capable of admitting that. Anyone who claims to have played this game and then claims be shocked that there is an optional incestous ending can’t have been paying much attention. This is the incest cannibalism game.

The Graves siblings are heading towards committing more murder as long as they stay alive, and incest is a minor sin for them. And probably not even the unhealthiest way for their relationship to develop. It definitely won’t fix them, but I doubt it will make things much worse.

And condemning the game morally is just absurd. This is a horror game, and you are outraged about the incest and not the murder-cannibalism? The Graves siblings relationship is not portrayed as healthy and the incest is part of that.

In fact the game portrays this double-standard in the actual story. It’s the possibility of her kids committing incest that finally makes Mamma Graves admit she is “the worst mother ever”, and not the whole selling the lives of her kids for money thing.

Sure, there is a fair argument to make that the incest is romanticized and fetishized. Ashley and Andrew are certainly drawn as attractive, and even the abusive elements can be part of the fetish. But the thing is, Ashley and Andrew are not real people, it’s fiction, it’s not real incest, so if people get off to it, I have no reason to see it as a problem.

The antiship blogger was actually especially angery about this official art from a devlog and honestly after playing the game, it kinda sums up my feelings about the incest controversy:

[thefugitivesaint]

Wilhelm von Kaulbach (1805-1874), ''The Heroic Life and Exploits of Siegfried, the Dragon Slayer: An Old German Story'' by Guido Görres, 1848 Source