#Sky Without Stars

[fides-spes-et-amor]

My book club is reading Sky Without Stars by J. Brody and J. Rendell, which is a retelling of Les Mis but in space.

So now I'm rewatching it (specifically the 25th anniversary concert preformance) to refresh before I start the book

[books-to-add-to-your-tbr]

Title: System Divine

Author: Jessica Brody, Joanne Rendell

Series or standalone: series

Publication year: 2019

Genres: fiction, science fiction, fantasy, retelling, dystopia, romance

Blurb: When the Last Days came, the planet of Laterre promised hope...but five hundred years later, it's now a place where an extravagant elite class reigns supreme, where the clouds hide the stars and the poor starve in the streets, where a rebel group long thought dead is resurfacing. Whispers of a revolution have begun...a revolution that hinges on three unlikely heroes. Chatine is a street-savvy thief who will do anything to escape the brutal Regime, including spying on Marcellus, the grandson of the most powerful man on the planet. Marcellus is an officer, and the son of a traitor. Groomed to command by his legendary grandfather, Marcellus begins to doubt the government he's vowed to serve when he discovers a cryptic message that only one person can read. Alouette is living in an underground refuge, where she guards and protects the last surviving library on the planet...but a shocking murder will bring her to the surface for the first time in twelve years and plunge Laterre into chaos. All three have roles to play in a dangerous game of revolution...and together, they will shape the future of a planet.

[basketballsizedbumblebee]

just finished all the system divine books and

Etienne 🤝 Eddie Munson

[monstermonger]

A Night Sky in the Woods

[possum-creacher]

My brain is going wild rn because of the book series I'm reading

I'm on the second book but Christ I cannot believe everything that has happened so far has taken place in under a month

I'm probably going to compile my thoughts into one massive post that will have a bunch of spoilers

[syzygy-sonder]

It was as if the stars have fallen down to earth. The sky was black. Only the moon shining in the sky. And beneath it was the city. Shining as though the stars have found themselves a new home.

[kadextra]

CRIES at richas’ letter to q!bad

and his to pomme!

[fallingsunbindery]

to the sky without wings by leupagus 81,567 words | 232 pages Completed September 16, 2023

I wouldn't even call myself a Star Wars fan, but the premise of this fic intrigued me so much that I read the whole thing and became so so attached. And then I found the perfect blue-green paper for the cover and knew what I had to do. If you zoom in on the headband picture you will see that it's also tricolor (blue, green, and gold).

I was absolutely devastated while making the case, because the cover paper seemed to be wrinkling horribly, but once it dried it had no problems! I also struggled with the HTV on the spine because I use a household iron, and the spine is longer than the heating element. So making sure everything adhered evenly without melting or warping took a lot of concentration and patience :)

Go read the trash fire jesus series and weep <3 This one is really a gem.

[bonefall]

So, your Clear Sky post is absolutely horrifying, but it was very needed, so thank you. What are your general thoughts on tackling his abuse for the AU? Like you've said, pretending he's a good guy is not the way to go, but are you planning on toning down *some* of the situations, just to give some of the cats a break? Clear Sky is a very realistic depiction of abusers, but that seems to come across even without victim number 25, yknow? I'm very curious about how you'd like to go about this.

My most recent big change was bringing Slash back into the fold, because I realized that it was actually a disservice to not address where DOTC's themes dip into Colonialism. It's a hard topic, and I'm still trying to work out the details, but I realized it was important.

With how BB!DOTC is such a MASSIVE overhaul, to properly address abuse and the ways it impacts you, ableism and its violence, and xenophobia broadly, a huge reworking of Slash belonged here too. He's one of the greatest examples of how badly WC demonizes non-Clanborn cats. I shouldn't dance around it.

That's what I need to do with Skystar.

MANY of his victims have happier endings than canon, though. Bumble is one of the most famous, bumped up into a major character and directly responsible for the formation of ThunderClan. Bright Storm is taking most of Gray Wing's roles. Birch and Alder are getting examined, with either a father who wants his kids back or Milkweed as the mate of Misty.

A lot of people will die because of him, even more will be hurt, but I see BB!DOTC as a story about victims and survivors.

Others might grab POVs here and there, but as a response to canon which I feel is Clear Sky's story told in many parts, I center this rewrite around Thunder Storm. The path of kindness he marches down, with love and with anger, and the people he helps.

So BB!Star Flower...

Previously I was playing her as ENTIRELY just manipulating Clear Sky. She was loyal to One Eye and trying to get at Skystar to bleed him dry for 8 lives to sacrifice; but connected to Thunderstar over recognizing him as a victim who deserves her idea of justice. So, she offers Thunderstar the final kill, so her father will be grateful to him and he'll get power AND the death of his abuser.

(When Thunderstar looks upon Skystar, pathetic and neutralized down to one life, he thinks about the collateral damage that will descend upon the forest if he accepts the deal. He decides that he has found the line between Justice and Justification. Of course he wants the power to make his enemies cower, protect his people, and eliminate Clear Sky so he never threatens them again; that's not the problem.

He can still do these things. He wouldn't NEED the power of a war god to do so.

But if One Eye returns, he will be endlessly hungry, ruthlessly dedicated to revenge, and set out to devour the whole forest. Everything would get worse, and even more people he loves would die. It's where his desire to destroy a monster would lead to him BECOMING one.)

Even on its face, it was previously missing an element. There's a step between "Starf decides to bring One Eye back" and "Starf offers Thunderstar the final kill" that was bare. This is the piece that was missing-- That she, herself, is trying to reach out to the only person who's ever really understood her.

But more importantly... I do feel this topic belongs here, in BB!DOTC. Abuse is a MAJOR theme. SKYSTAR is a monster already. He's harmed two wives in BB (Bright Storm and Falling Cry) and played toxic games with all three kits (Thunder Storm, Pale Sky, Tiger Sky).

And I'd avoid Star Flower being abused... why? Because it's uncomfortable to confront the pattern that Clear Sky displays? That in-canon, he tries to cut all his victims into the same ideal shape, from Storm to Thunder to Star Flower? ...it should be uncomfortable. Everything that I described in Clear Sky Is A Monster is rooted in the same desire for control, power, and punishment most abusive people share, he just happens to be a severe example.

Yes. That includes how he treats his child and romantic partners. The parallels that are drawn between Starf and Thunder are there because he wants power in the form of obedience. Starf replaces the son as a narrative award for his "growth" of not killing random people anymore for a while.

A cookie cutter is an effective tool because IT ONLY MAKES ONE SHAPE.

You know what's more uncomfortable? Reading canon!DOTC and seeing someone who hurt you reflected almost perfectly in the character the writers think did nothing wrong. Because of "good intentions" that were not there.

I will say though, just to be clear; I don't see a purpose in being more than PG-13 about serious topics for this project. I promise none of my intentions have changed. Nothing will be more graphic or gorey than canon WC-- just more intentional.

I'm keeping the sacrifice because it's dope. No one is taking this from me. Girl Moment: Killed her awful husband 8 times to count as 8 sacrifices and offered the last life to her buddy as a show of good will. How else do you make friends outside of high school

But I know now that Star Flower NEEDS to keep the canon fact she has very little agency, UNTIL that moment she snaps.

She's sacrificing one abuser to try and bring back a bigger, badder one, because in spite of everything, her father One Eye always made her feel safe. Even though he promised her off to Skystar, and expected her to be willing to die for him. She's followed every command, every order, past the death of his mortal vessel.

The first, and only, selfish choice she's ever made was in reaching out to Thunderstar to offer him the power of her father.

Thunderstar's Justice is a story about a Thunder Storm at the pinnacle of his arc, how the survivors of his Clan are settling into the new normal after the carnage of The First Battle, how Skystar's arrogance brings a violent god to the Forest... and the connection Thunderstar makes with the daughter of a monster.

[teathattast]

You mean so much

And I'm so thankful that you're in my life

And I appreciate your love and all your sacrifice

Without you by my side, I never could survive

I wouldn't be the woman standin' here before your eyes

[cowboy-kidd]

Regressor!Bruce Wayne

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(headcannons in tags 🦇💕)

// pt - dni: nsfw accounts //

[nevermeanttoknow]

hes a vast avatar to me for reasons

[hollywocd]

sky katz like or reblog if you use them

[hoshidensha]

After Reimi's gone, who will you see in the Ghost Boy's Alley...?

Now I can share the piece I did for the JJBA Chronology Zine!! Of course I had to do something with my three favourite boys and a whole lotta angst~ Thank you for letting me join this project, it's been an absolute honour ♥

[prismagirlart]

They're like Malfina and Conneticut Clark. To me.

[env0]

Quads and stars.

My legs aching after this week