#aka var

[briefcasejuice]

daredevil #8 variant by aka var

she keeps mints, hair ties and pain killers (for matt) in there

[child-ofdust]

kicks feet commissioning someone to draw my persona/self-insert bcuz im soooo9 normal

[konjaku]

白花河原撫子[Shirobanakawaranadeshiko] Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus f. albiflorus

白[Shiro] : White

花[-bana|Hana] : Flower

河原[Kawara] : Dry riverbed

撫子[Nadeshiko] Lovable, caressable child or girl

赤い花は河原撫子です。白い花が白花河原撫子です。 赤[Aka] means red, often also written as 紅. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z95IN80EZYA

[the-antiapocalyptic-man]

a couple Multiverse characters: Valor and Matrix of Earth-15, the Son of Zod and the Angel of Kandor

Valor is Calvin Chen, the son of Angela Chen and her husband Andrew aka Dru-Zod (Earth-15's Superman). He's...basically just Invincible, but in line with the other off-brand Image characters like Spore and the Nimrod Squad, he's combined with Nightwing!Christopher Kent on a conceptual level, though he's got pieces of Val-Zod, Calvin Ellis, Mon-El, and Eradicator in just sort of a general remix of Kryptonian character tropes and design quirks. The costume is based on Dick's Nightwing suit, also playing on the name originally being Kryptonian.

Matrix is Matrix, or Trixie. She fills the role of Atom Eve, but I kinda struggled with what character to use in Eve's place. My thought process was OC with a similar name (Molly Molecule, Susie Quark, etc.), a Green Lantern, a version of Firestorm, or just the Thara Ak-Var version of Flamebird with some extra steps, but Matrix struck me as the most interesting option. She's a protoplasmic shapeshifter, with the additional firepower of Flamebird's cosmic energies, manipulating both herself and the world around her. The final (ish) design was meant to evoke Silver Age Krypton, but some classic LoSH and Jean Grey influence slipped in while I was adjusting the colors.

[saspitite]

PART 1 | POLL 7

SHRIMP TOURNAMENT!!!

(make sure to read info on both contenders before voting! some information may be hidden under "read more"!!)

GHOST SHRIMP (Palaemon paludosus)

AKA: glass shrimp, eastern grass shrimp

these spooky, ethereal little guys are known for their almost completely translucent bodies and ghostly appearances, thus the name! they're fittingly nocturnal, being experts at remaining hidden during the daytime and emerging like spectres when night falls. as there are generally more females than males out in the wild, male ghost shrimp have adapted to mating with several females at a time during mating season.

-

PEARL SHRIMP (Neocaridina zhangjiajiensis)

AKA: blue pearl shrimp (blue var.), white pearl shrimp/snowball shrimp (white var.)

these beauties boast vibrant hues of blue, white, and even some dark hints of crimson, too! first brought into the world in 2006 Germany, the scientific name was apparently unofficially changed to Neocaridina palmata in 2013 by a team of German researchers, but it seems like that name never stuck, so my dyslexia gets to suffer. anyways, these hardy little guys aren't picky in the slightest, will eat basically anything decaying, and adapt well to changing water conditions, making them a greatly appreciated species in the community!

-

reblog for more shrimp frying rice! this is part of an ongoing bracket tournament known as the Sas Shrimp Tournament, which will finally decide which shrimp is the absolute coolest of them all!

MORE BRACKET INFORMATION FOUND HERE

[banefolk]

Mab’s Drawlloween Day 10: Pumpkin

Meet the Ozark wild gourd (curcurbita pepo var. ozarkana) aka “johnny gourd”. It’s vines, leaves, and orange flowers look like most squash plants, but its bitter poisonous squash look like white chicken eggs and are around the same size. I call them ghost eggs, but your state may have its own folk names for it as well as yellow or green varieties of it. The squash may be inedible, but the seeds are edible, plentiful, and high in protein. Before the 1980s it was thought to be a garden escapee, but then researchers noticed it happily growing wild along many rivers in the eastern US states and decided to study it. When they did, they realized it wasn’t like any other squash and was in fact the wild ancestor of potentially all edible and ornamental squash in North America.

This was a big deal because it changed agricultural history. All squash and pumpkins were previously thought to originate in Mexico 8,000 years ago and agriculture and plant cultivation by indigenous peoples wasn’t thought to have happened in the US at all. Seeds of the wild Ozark squash have since been found at multiple excavations sites in the US dating back to 7,000 years and more seeds showing signs of cultivation and early agriculture date back to 3,000 to 4,000 years —predating the Mississippian culture. Archaeologists have provided ample irrefutable evidence against the longstanding racist views of the Native peoples of the United States thanks to this unassuming wild squash.

“The fourth-known prehistoric plant to have been domesticated in North America and is important new evidence that eastern North America was one of the world’s independent centers of plant domestication and agricultural development.”

Source: Barrat, John. “United States Finally May Have a Vegetable It Can Call Its Own : Food: Archeologists have discovered a small, wild gourd that they believe is the ancestor of today’s summer squashes.” Los Angeles Times, November, 1992.

[whitewaterpaper]

Denna månad läste jag ut en klassiker av böcker: Hajen, och detta firades med att sedan se om Steven Spielbergs klassiska adaption av romanen. När jag såg att det var PÅ MÅNADEN 10 år sedan jag såg den sist, då i samband med Hajfesten 🦈 på SFN, visste vore det kul att se om filmerna vi såg då?

100 Million BC (2008) [👍🔁]

Astérix & Obélix: I drakens rike / Astérix & Obélix: L'Empire du Milieu (2023) [👍]

Cape Town Affair, the (1967) [👎] En spionfilm där man får för sig att en film inte behöver något mer än en banal spionintrig för att bära sig och vara spännande.

Cruel Jaws (1995) [👎🔁🦈]

Hajen 2 / Jaws 2 (1978) [🔁🦈]

Hajen 3 / Jaws 3-D (1983) [👍🔁🦈] Antagligen den av uppföljarna jag tycker mest om.

Hajen 4 / Jaws: The Revenge (1987) [👎🔁🦈] En dikeskörning av episka mått...

Hajen / Jaws (1975) [👍🔁🦈]

Jack och Bönstjälken / Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) [👍] Tror det här var min första konakt med Abbot & Costello, över förväntan bra med en intressant take på den klassiska sagan.

Jättehajen: Vindsurfarnas Skräck / L'ultimo Squalo (1981) [🔁🦈]

Mortal Engines (2018) [👍🔁]

Ännu en omtitt för att jag läst boken. En del ändringar från boken, men ändå en rakt igenom bra film.

Once Upon a Crime / Akazukin, tabi no tochu de shitai to deau (2023) [👍] Japanskt sagoäventyr där Rödluvan träffar Askungen och dras in i ett mordmysterium. Kul koncept, har sina hål i storyn men bröderna Grimm filtrerat genom ett japanskt öga är sannerligen en intressant upplevelse.

Pirates of Capri, the / I Pirati di Capri (1949) [__]

Rid i natt! (1942) [__] Stolpig svensk film, lite småtrist berättad och en intrig vi känner igen från många andra filmer.

Träskmannen / Swamp Thing (1982) [__]

Up from the Depths (1979) [🔁🦈] aka "Jättegäddan Anfaller".

Herrej-vlar vad jag sett om filmer denna månad. Kul.

Den japanska "Once Upon A Crime" kanske kan vara lite extra sevärd denna månad, trots att den kanske inte är perfekt.

[eddsworld-the-masquerade]

New music themes for our main characters, starting with Tord. Hoping all subsequent pieces will be easier to make XP This one features a genre I never wrote in before, and a language I do not speak in and neither does Teto. Jazz said it is legible at the very least so, hooray. It's far from perfect and I hope Norwegian people can forgive me for that hahaha.

I'll be posting this, as well as "No Rest For The Wicked" (aka main theme) on my YT channel in July. Since I need some cover art for the music videos. Same will be true for the rest of the songs I'll write. Edd is next btw.

Like last time, lyrics and some ramblings under the cut

There was actually a different version of this song that I ended up completely scrapping as I couldn't come up with a chorus

My biggest sources of inspiration were early Korn, Slipknot and, surprisingly, "Ima's Tower", from The Void OST. The chromatic downstepping mostly. It really does create some angsty atmosphere. When I think about it, the characters themselves do have certain things in common, hm...

LYRICS

Dypt nede helt nederst Av en endeløs grop, Glemt og råtten, Legger min ødelagte kropp. (Deep down at the very bottom Of an endless pit, Forgotten and rotten, Lays my broken body.) En pendel uten snor. Et verktøy, en gang så nøyaktig Kan ikke gjøre en eneste sving Med all makt stjålet. (A pendulum without a string. A tool, once so precise Can't do a single swing With all its drive stolen.) I'm nothing but a shell. (Trapped in a prison cell) A ghost in the machine. (Living off adrenaline) Hope springs eternal, But not for my chest. Burning inferno Is all I have left. 'Cuz I am no longer human. Jeg er ikke lenger menneske. I am no longer human. Jeg er ikke lenger menneske. Sigaretten min sin glør Lyser i mørket, Som jeg prøver å huske Hvordan å puste inn. (My cigarette's ember Glows in the dark, As I try to remember How to breathe in.) Lukter nitrat og svovel Fyller luften. Røyk og krutt Legg igjen et hull i hodet mitt. (Smells of nitrate and sulfur Filling the air. Smoke and gunpowder Leave a hole in my head.) I'm nothing but steel. (It's all so unreal) A cog in the wheel. (YOUR PERFECT IDEAL) Hope springs eternal, But not for my heart. Learn to comply, And play your part. Go metal! THIS IS MY RIFFLE, THIS RIFFLE IS MINE! THIS IS MY BURDEN, THIS BURDEN IS MINE! Hope springs eternal, And mercy divine. Burning inferno, And poison for mind. I am no longer human. Jeg er ikke lenger menneske. I am no longer human. Jeg er ikke lenger menneske. Got nowhere to run, Ingen steder å løpe 'Cus I was never human. Jeg var aldri menneske

For the Norwegian parts, I've put italicized english translation in the brackets underneath. Except choruses cuz those just repeat the english lyrics.

Featured references and idioms:

First spoken verse is a reference to Edgar Alan Poe's "Pit and the Pendulum".

Ghost in the machine: Human consciousness and thought as an entity distinct and separate from the body.

Hope springs eternal in the human breast: People can always find a reason to hope, even in the bleakest situations. The phrase comes from Alexander Pope's poem Essay on Man.

Second spoken verse has words breath in and sulfur. This is in reference to Slipknot's song "Sulfur".

A cog in the wheel: Someone or something that is functionally necessary but of small significance or importance within a larger operation or organization.

This is my riffle, this riffle is mine: in reference to "Full Metal Jacket".

Mercy divine: not a direct idiom, but inspired by to err is human (to forgive is divine) Being fallible and making mistakes is inherent to being a human, and forgiving such mistakes is a transcendent act.

So it's mostly your typical nu metal angst XD Lots of parallels between being human and being a machine. Lots of self-imposed lies and false beliefs. Don't worry, we'll get 'em

[erporo]

OH yk what'd be cool to do someday

doing just about the same thing i do with pf stuff sometimes, but with rocks- aka a few? <- irdk about that hours of me gushing over var rocks/gems/minerals in the tagsss

[syngoniums]

An unfamiliar grape I found at a cemetery. Mustang grapes (Vitis mustangensis) dominate this region, but they are very obviously different; larger in every way, with bigger clusters of fruit, and the backs of the leaves are white. The black grapes are also very tart and sting your mouth thanks to high quantities of oxalates. In contrast, the few edible-looking grapes on this vine were red and glaucous and quite mild and sweet, even though I don't think they were fully ripe. This offers us some constraints: extremely heat- and drought resistant, back of leaf not tomentose and same color as the front, smaller, palatable fruit, one large seed per fruit (collected three, 5-6mm long), grows on alkaline soil. There were other things I should have paid attention to, like the color of the bark and exact dimensions, and I should have collected a leaf for closer inspection of any small hairs, but I didn't.

I am very much not a Vitis expert, and admittedly haven't been paying much attention to them in general. There are a number of species in the area, including some Edwards Plateau endemics. The interesting thing about grapes, in contrast to the vast majority of plants, is that viticulture has neurotically picked over and assessed every North American species and natural hybrid for agricultural potential, no matter how obscure. You can find incredibly detailed charts for distinguishing one named cultivar from another. Theoretically this should make identification rather easy, but I'm still not certain. The five-lobed leaves suggest aestivalis, but the soil does not. Rotundifolia also excluded by alkalinity as well as the large size of its fruit. Berlandieri aka cinerea var. helleri seems like the most likely option, though I cannot find any indication it assumes a 5 lobed form. I suppose I can't eliminate Vitis monticola, but the same issue applies. It could be a hybrid with mustangensis, which does have an elaborately lobed form. It could be some manmade escapee. I'll go back at some point and take a better look.

[drhoz]

#2099 - Xerochrysum viscosum - Sticky Everlasting

AKA Bracteantha viscosa, Helichrysum viscosum, and Helichrysum bracteatum var. viscosum. Commonly called Everlastings, or Paper Daisies, in Australia

Actually a native, which makes a nice change from the last few. Usually an annual, with papery bracts, and found in open woodlands in much of the eastern states.

The related popular garden plant Xerochrysum bracteatum, commonly known as the golden everlasting or strawflower, is also Australian but was first described from Napoleon's first wife Josephine's garden of rare flowers. At the time it was known as Xeranthemum bracteatum. For quite a long time it was known as Helichrysum bracteatum, then in 1991 got promoted to the type species of a new genus, Bracteantha. But the botantists in question were unaware that a Russian botantist had already done that the year before, and his name had precedent. So for the time being bracteatum and viscosum are in Xerochrysum - although genetic evidence suggests that Xerochrysum should itself be split into new genera.

Mt Ainsley, ACT

[opuestocomplementario]

Love in The Air: the end of an era

Quick commentary of the special episode

So, why does the intro of the special episode slaps harder than the actual intro??? 

Okay but I love how touchy Sky got with Pai; like when Pai takes him out of his brother's hands and Sky is trying to ease Pai I find it so endearing how he is also hugging Pai back and playing with Pai jacket. 

Pai angry>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sky teasing Pai >>>>>>>>>

Literally any scene with Rain on it (he looks so cute and beautiful with the hanbok)

Phayu in any time of clothes hits so hard honestly. He is fulling every one of the fantasies ever made (mechanic, architect, doctor, pilot, korean prince)

Likes and the defending of my favorite boy

There’s a lot of things I liked about this episode: Pai switching his tone of voice between angry with his brother and soft and lovely with Sky, Phayu talking with his friend (which, yes, I do love their chemistry, how tf Boss gets to do that?), Rain and Sky jealous and possessive over their boyfriends and also being horny and giving up to them. 

What I liked about it too, something we also see in the series in general, is both part of the relationship focus on pleasure the other: Sky knows how to play physical with Pai and Pai loves to worship the fuck out of Sky when they fucked. Phayu and Rain deal with a lot more of D/s tones, focusing on Phayu giving Rain pleasure and therefore Phayu enjoying the reactions of Rain, I feel like their relationship in this episode got more room to develop and make the watchers understand their relationship more. 

I love how this series emphasizes the importance of giving pleasure to both parts and is not just the “top” giving and doing all the stuff. 

I will stand on this hill and defend the shit out of Rain no matter how much the show tries to make him look like a comedic relief, mainly because I love those types of characters. I will like to briefly talk about the structure of the episode being built on jealousy and insecurity. Things we had seen more in the Pai and Sky relationship. Here’s the thing, Rain is insecure dating someone as cool as Phayu as everyone else might be, like, Phayu is literally a god to everyone's eyes, Rain included. So it makes sense that for once Rain wants to keep him to himself. 

What I find interesting is the reason why Rain got “really” mad with Phayu; one might think it would make more sense for him to get angry at Phayu cosplaying for everyone (because as they said, cosplaying is something Phayu does for Rain, and only him). But, nop, our boy got mad because Phayu was talking with our beautiful girl Natsu. And is more weird when you focus on what Phayu said to Rain when he was confronted: Rain said Phayu was kissing that woman, and Phayu said that’s something he only does with him (aka he only kisses Rain). 

Look, we have the var way to high for dealing with Phayu mocking Rain most of the time so I maybe my biases toward Pai and Rain makes me wanna grab Phayu and making him understand that Rain needs verbal validation AND backup when they are with people and not only when they are by themselves. Like, the boy is crying because he always gets made fun of and Phayu goes and does that. 

But overall, Phayu does know how to approach Rain and make him feel good not only physically but mentally too. He knows how to get on Rain's good side because he understands the reason why he got mad is important to him. Also, I am going to fully believe (I will in fact pretend the scene where Rain confronted Sky and saying stuff along the lines of “you knew they were coming all along?” is not a scene perse and just a fever dream BECAUSE I WANT TO) Rain did all of that - ignoring Phayu and going on a trip with Sky-  because he wanted to have something more spicy in their lives and what more can he give to his boyfriend than a perfect honeymoon and unlimited sex in the beach? Exactly, nothing can beat that. 

I don’t have to brag and talk about how beautiful it is to see our Sky have confidence in himself and brag about his boyfriend but also see him struggle too with his known insecurities. I am obsessed with it. I don’t know if I say it but this show actually goes in depth with how the parts of the relationship worked in individuality and then they go about their relationship in pairs. Love is not about finding a boy who will fix all our problems (we wish) but to give us encouragement and support to actually get to that place where we can be fully ourselves. I like that Sky wasn’t automatically “fixed” after him and Pai became official; the nightmares are still there, the insecurities too, are not all gone just because Pai is there. They got better, yes, but not faded. That’s a work in progress and the part in the beach where Pai says he will wait until Sky is ready and even if he is not, he will still be there OH MY GOD, PEAK CINEMATOGRAPHY AND SCREENWRITING. Nothing, and I say, nothing in the BL universe will ever top that scene, sorry for all the BLs to come but my heart has already sealed that place with that scene. 

Masterminds

Also, I think the idea of Rain and Sky planning the trip beforehand and doing it for their boyfriends makes more sense than thinking they were just living in the moment. Like, for real, we are talking about architecture students. I don’t really think they have a bone of spontaneity in their body when it comes to things like their boyfriends. Why else will we have not only Rain BUT Sky too give his boyfriend the time of their lives? Like, they had some planning to do in their free time away, don't get me wrong; they do enjoy it for a while but they do get really into giving their boyfriends a surprise because they both knew they were coming to get them. 

Last thoughts

Anyway, I will say I love this episode more than the entire series all together because of how much I love already established relationships and their dynamics. However, I also think it is a good way to end both couples' stories and show how they work after all the drama they have been through. I love PaiSky more for the emotional support, the slow-burn and the reverse meeting (fucking then feelings) but I like PhayuRain for comfort and cuteness; more from Rain tho. Overall, the story and the elements work really well most of the time and the weather is such a great element present all over the series and gives it a more strong feeling and is a hint on how much the story took effort to build.

Now, let’s go find another show to hyperfixate and write shit about.  

Ratings: 

Plot: 8.5/10 

Directing: 9 (first half) - 7 (last half) /10 

Acting: 8/10 

Satisfaction: 9/10

Overall: 8.5.

[acesplayingatattraction]

Ace Week 2023

Hold on, Ace Week begins in less than 24 hours? When the fuck did that happen?!

WELL. Okay. This is okay. Did we...plan?! Oh phew, we did! We do have plans! We have a whole list of fun plans, with fun people! What a relief. (By fun people, we mean our guests. Not us, of course. We're no fun, not at all.)

Our channel is here; details about each day below the cut!

On Sunday, 10/22, we are starting the week off with the return of Norn9: Var Commons! It's been over a month since we last played, but we are finally getting back to Heishi's route. And he's all happy-go-lucky and cheerful, so nothing bad will possibly happen in his route, right? It'll probably be fine!!

Then, on Tuesday, 10/24, Sharky will be streaming Live-A-Live on his personal channel, where he's getting close to the end of the game! Will he finish it?! Well, not if Satan shows up in chat to bug him to try 15 different crafting combinations in Prehistory for no reason.

After that, on Wednesday, 10/25, it's Disabled Ace Day!! To celebrate the occasion, we are so, so, so lucky to have @theacecouple joining us for One Night Stand, a game made by Lucy Blundell, aka Games By Kinmoku, a disabled ace dev. (And hey, just in case you hadn't heard, Courtney of the Ace Couple, founder of Disabled Ace Day, is also going to be part of a fantastic Disabled BIPOC Aces panel earlier that same day, so check it out if you have time!)

From there, on Thursday, 10/26, Satan will be playing Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade from the beginning. Also known as just Fire Emblem, because y'know, they had to make it confusing when they first brought it over. It will almost definitely be tutorial for the entire length of the stream, whoo!

Finally, on Friday, 10/27, we are closing out the week with the amazing @baronvonmilk, aka Miktastic, with some Mario Party chaos! Satan will demand to collude against the CPU, Sharky is going to refuse, and Mik is going to kick both our asses at the minigames.

[banefolk]

The oldest direct evidence of water lilies being used as a psychoactive drug dates to 6,000 BCE in ancient Egypt. The specific species was Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea which has been found to contain nuciferine, an alkaloid normally found in lotuses (Nelumbonaceae), as well as other aporphine alkaloids that may covert to apomorphine in the body. Water lilies are soporific aka hypnotic. Hypnotic herbs are anti anxiety and help people fall asleep and stay asleep.

Source: “The oldest archeological data evidencing the relationship of Homo sapiens with psychoactive plants,” Journal of Psychedelic Studies, 2019.

Photo: Egyptian blue water lily (Nymphaea nouchali var. caerulea) from Wikimedia Commons.

[whitewaterpaper]

ME01: “De Vandrande Städerna”.

Originaltitel: Mortal Engines. Serie: Mortal Engines #01 (Mortal Engines Quartet #01). Författare: Philip Reeve. Översättare: Lena Karlin. Publicerad: 2001 (på svenska 2018). Medium: eBok/B. Wahlströms.

Lästes ihop med @kulturdasset i vår läsecirkel.

¡Oi! Spoilers, stavfel och alternativa fakta kan förekomma rakt föröver!

Delmål 1 (Kapitel 01–05).

En av de frågor som ploppar upp under första delmålet är frågan: ”varför designade Nicholas Quirke den första rörliga staden?”; jag minns inte om vi får något svar på den frågan längre fram. Faktum är att jag slås av hur lite jag minns av den här filmen – kanske är det ett tecken på att det är dags att se om den?

Vi kastas hur som haver in i den actionfyllda hetluften direkt, genom att Natsworthy smiter i väg för att se infångandet/slukandet av den lilla gruvstaden Salthook. Hur fungerar en rörlig gruvstad? Och snabbt får vi möta de figurer som kommer att bli centrala: Valentine, Katherine och Hester. Och vi får genom de två sistnämnda reda på att det är något skumt i görningen både med Medusa och vad det är (minns inte alls faktiskt utöver fragmentariska detaljer) men också varför Valentine behöver hålla Hester Shaw och hennes bakgrund hemlig. Jag vill också minna satt det är något med Kathrines bakgrund som är viktig … men minns inte vad.

En bra start, och jag flög igenom de 5 kapitlen (jag hann givetvis glömma det under veckan och planerade för 2x2-kapitels sittning). Vilken bonus och få läsa ett extra kapitel.

Delmål 2 (Kapitel 06–09).

Hester ger en första inblick i vad de rörliga städerna föddes ur, jordbävningar och vulkaner låter som något som en mer flyttbar bosättning skulle ha lättare att överleva. Intressant att Crome och Valentine (utgår från att de jobbar ihop) arbetar så hårt med att motbevisa att de rörliga städerna spelat ut sin roll. Och föga förvånande så hänger Hesters föräldrar (iaf hennes Mamma) ihop med det mystiska vapnet Medusa och Valentine.

Det här med Jägarna (aka Återupplivade människor, som pyser ånga. Någon form av robotar/cyborgs?)

Givetvis måste den kvinnliga piloten som Valentine pratat om för Kate varit Hesters mamma?

Och resan till Handelspunkten var lite som ”dit och hem igen” efter att Speedwells borgmästare tagit Tom och Hester till fånga för att sälja dem som slavar när de kommer fram. Att Tom och Hester nu lär sig samarbeta och att den senare alltmer öppnar ögonen på Tom är viktigt. Någonstans har jag en misstanke (eller ett minnesfragment) att Toms föräldrar hänger ihop med Medusa de också på något sätt, och att de avpolletterades liksom Hesters mamma.

Inser igen: åh vad lite jag minns av filmen, men jag såg den 31 maj 2020 så det är kanske inte så konstigt. Bra nu när jag läser boken, men det blir till att se om filmen sedan, helt klart.

Delmål 3 (Kapitel 10–13).

Det är givetvis något som är fel med London, hemlighetsmakeriet Borgmästaren och Valentine pysslar med men också den personkult som verkar finnas runt den sistnämnda. Det blir nästan lite obehagligt när Valentine beger sig åstad och det är rena folkfesten kring det. Tom och Hesters räddare i nöden har dock koll på vem Valentine egentligen är, och även om det ser tufft ut nu hoppas jag att hon inte avpolletterats redan.

Intressant sidospår med Hester och jägaren ”Törnskatan”. Av någon anledning ”hörde” jag honom i en kallt skrapande röst som om den kom från en gammal sliten, billig vinylskiva som sett ett och annat.

Delmål 4 (Kapitel 14–17).

Katherine börjar på egen hand gräva i attentatet mot sin far, framför allt vill hon veta vad som verkligen hände och vem Hester är. Undrar om hon är redo för den eventuella sanningen hon kommer finna? Få lär vara beredda på att öppet säga sanningen. Ingenjörslärlingen Pod gör det sannerligen inte. Situationen nere vid latrintankarna lär dock vara en ögonöppnare i sig. Klart är att Katherine om inte annat har höga ideal.

Hester och Tom lär ha hamnat på en Piratstad efter att slutligen undkommit törnskatan (undrar om det verkligen slutar här – jägarna är ju som sagt svåra att ta kål på) men det är en piratstad med ambitioner. Undrar om Tom kommer uträtta några större under på Turnbridge Wheels?

En sak är säker – det kommer verkligen fram i boken hur bisarr den här världen är. Till och med om man jämför med andra post-apokalyptiska världar jag stött på.

Delmål 5 (Kapitel 18–21).

Katherine får sig ett uppvaknande och får sig en släng av ”växa upp fort”-syndromet. Det där med ”utlänning till dotter” stärker vad jag minns från filmen att Katherine inte är Valentines biologiska dotter. Jag har för mig att hennes härstamning är rätt viktig… När hon smyger sig in på ingenjörsmötet får hon sig ytterligare ett par sanningar till livs. Hon är fortfarande övertygad om att Valentine är en god person och att han blir lurad av Crome.

”Äsch, Valentine är borgmästarens handgångne man”, sade någon annan. ”Låt er inte luras av historikermärket. Han är lojal som en hund, så länge vi ger honom ordentligt med pengar och han kan låtsas att hans utlänning till dotter är en fin dam från High London.” (Kapitel 21)

Jag är inte så säker. Jag är heller inte övertygad om att idén att återuppliva gamla massförstörelsevapen är en fantastisk idé. Var inte det en av anledningarna att man hamnade där man är ”idag”?

Ohh. Vi korsar vägarna med Airhaven igen, och får höra mer om rebellerna som tycker att de rullande städerna spelat ut sin roll (de har nog inte fel) och vår gamla bekanta Fang skall vara en spion för dem. Spännande. Jag ser det inte som lika konstigt som Tom gör att Hester både anade att Fang var en spion eller är positiv till rörelsen. Hon växte ju trots allt upp som ”mossing”.

Spännande med en amfibiestad som klarar sig både på land och till vatten, även om det blir ett snabbt abrupt slut för Turnbridge Wheels. Peavey gråter över opportunisterna som slaktar den sjunkande staden som om han själv inte är en pirat som lämnade sina barn att dö i staden. Han gör sorti ur historien som piratkaptener som fått besättningen emot sig brukar göra, och det är bara Törnskatans uppdykande som hindrar Tom och Hester att gå samma väg. Spännande.

Delmål 6 (Kapitel 22–25).

Så Törnskatan vill göra Hester till en jägare – och hon tycker det är en bra idé? Tom verkar få henne på bättre tankar iaf, gott så då han också var den som ändade Törnskatan. Törnskatan som f.ö. fick ett väldigt fint slut med att återfå sin gamla identitet innan denne dog. Tom blir mer och mer fäst vid Hester vilket kanske är bra…

…då Katherine verkar falla pladask för ingenjörslärlingen Bevis som gömmer sig på museet. Det är intressant att Londonborna är så segerrusiga att de inte ser det horribla i vapnet de hurrar över. Undrar om hon börjar få grepp om vem hennes pappa är ännu?

Delmål 7 (Kapitel 26–29).

Undrar om MEDUSA är en förkortning för något… Med tanke på att det stavas ut med versaler?

Det sjunde delmålet blir en bergochdalbana för stackars Tom, han ryker ihop med Fang när hon vill sabotera London. Men kommer på bättre tankar och vill inte att han heller inte vill att Batmunkh Gompa skall förstöras. Och knappt hinner han sluta fred med dessa stridande känslor att skydda båda städerna innan Valentine dyker upp. Och nu verkar han helt och hållet vara motståndsman, och insett att London måste skyddas från Crome och Valentine.

Katherine lägger pusslet och inser att Hester kanske inte var utan legitima själ att vilja döda Valentine.

Trist att mista Anna Fang redan här. Skall bli spännande att se hur det går för Tom och Hester nu – och om Katherine kommer hjälpa dem för att rädda London undan sig själv.

Delmål 8 (Kapitel 30–33).

Kate går mycket riktigt igenom en liten kris när Valentine kommer hem, hon väljer iaf att konfrontera honom. Han tar till skuldkortet och skyller givetvis på henne – eller snarare att han ville ge henne en bättre framtid. (Vilket hon i realiteten haft). Här ser vi att det finns de som ser en stor skillnad på att äta en stad (dvs att delvis inkorporera den i sin egen) och utplåna en annan stad totalt. Men merparten av Londonborna verkar för segerrusiga för att inse skillnaden kanske.

Det mesta av det intressanta sker kanske inne på museet, Melliphant har som en lydig hund skvallrat för Crome och nu står ingenjörerna tillsammans med de nya jägarna för dörren. Lite småkul scen där historikerna (de flesta av dem) står upp för vad som är rätt.

På något sätt är det en fin scen när Tom får återse sitt London igen, och inse att det är (precis som alla andra städer) en rätt fel tingest. Och han har kanske sett lite för mycket, upplevt alternativ, för att riktigt se det som hemma.

Och nu är Hester Shaw åter på däck med siktet inställt mot Valentine. Samtidigt som Kate och Bevis rör sig uppåt längs kattgången för att förstöra Medusa. Upplösningen nalkar sig.

Delmål 9 (Kapitel 34–37).

En fartfylld upplösning utan att action-delen har för mycket utrymme. London brinner bokstavligen när Tom’s ”Jenny Hanniver” möter Valentines ”13th Floor Elevator” där Tom mot alla odds segrar. Valentine är dock inte ombord utan släpas med Crome till Medusa för att aptera den till att spränga försvarsmuren. Och det är här vi för första gången kanske inser exakt hur knäpp mannen är och vilken hybris han utvecklat:

”När vi har slukat den sista kringströvande staden och raserat det sista bofasta samhället ska vi börja gräva. Vi ska bygga enorma motorer som drivs av hettan i jordens innanmäte och styra vår planet ur sin bana. Vi ska sluka Mars, Venus och asteroiderna. Vi ska sluka själva solen och färdas vidare genom universum. (Kapitel 34).

Det är ju så dags för Valentine att ”inse sanningen nu”. En ödets ironi att Katherine förlorar sin Bevis Pod när hennes fars skepp kraschar över London. Det är lite väntat att det inte stoppar Katherine däremot, som sätter kosan mot Medusa och alla intentioner att stoppa den.

Katherine ställer sig mellan Valentine och Hester och tar sålunda ett dödande svärdshugg ämnat för den senare. Hon tar Medusa med sig i fallet – det här är ju nackdelen med att pyssla med saker man egentligen inte begriper sig på: det kan leda till en oåterkallelig katastrof.

Boken slutar med Crome som går under när Medusa förgör sig själv, och Valentine blir kvar på taket när Katherine dött. Hester och Tom lämnar ensamma staden i luftskeppet Jenny Hanniver. Och mycket tyder på att de kommer leva längs fågelvägarna nu.

Sammanfattning.

En riktigt bra bok som blandar steampunk och dystopi på ett föredömligt sätt. Här och där ser man tecken på att boken är ämnad för en yngre målgrupp men annars är den genomgående en bra läsning även om man passerat övre gränsen för denna grupp. Jag tycker fortfarande att världen som målas upp med städer som rullande monster är en bisarr sådan, och det kommer verkligen fram i boken just hur absurd och snedvriden den är. Och jag hade gärna sett boken fördjupa sig lite i vad Crome egentligen har emot bofasta (mer än en obestämbar avundsjuka). Jag mindes väldigt begränsat av filmen, och släppte det mesta under läsningens gång – jag ser nu fram emot att se om filmen. Och kanske framöver läsa de resterande tre delarna i serien.

Länkar.

Boken @ Goodreads.

Boken @ Libris.

[eryanlainfa]

I can't sleep cuz of pain, so here's the long awaited explanation post about the Youngjustice!Au for Vat7k (and tts/rta)

Donella is Batwoman and Ulla was Superwoman before she disappeared. Years passed and a new Super is in town : Superboy, aka Varian. So Donella sends her current Robin, aka Hugo, to keep an eye on the boy because she knows how dangerous kryptonians can be.

Hugo is transferred to Var's highschool. And they do not get along. At first. They Also meet as Robin and Superboy and despite not really liking each others they end up being friends.

Quirin catch up on it and confront Donella who doesn't deny anything. He is not a fan of her way of doing but approves the idea of his son not doing patrol alone. So he explains what is going on to Varian.

Robin and Superboy are forever stuck together at this point.

In the middle they encounter Impulse (kid flash if you prefer) and immediately learns his civil identity because the boy isn't veryyy subtle. It's Yong. And a bit after that Wondergirl finds them and introduces herself : Nuru. She's the one who wants to form a team of young heroes with them (to follow in her big sister' steps, who's Wonderwoman) and so the four of them become the Young Justice League.

And yes they're all in the same school. And their parents know (they mentor the team more or less)

Also the TTS characters are there. Rapunzel and co are known as the Titans. Raps is Starfire, Eugene is Nightwing (previously known as Robin), Cassandra is Raven, Lance is Cyborg and Pascal is Beast Boy (I guess). So far they're not very important story wise but they kind of babysit the Young Justice League whenever they're nearby.

The Brotherhood would be like the Shazam family because I still wanted them to be a group. Tho Quirin 'retired' from hero stuff after Ulla's death.

Storywise it roughly follows the original Vat7k, with the kids trying to find their place as supers, Hugo not taking Varian seriously because with his powers he obviously has it easy (it's false) and he's obviously too gullible (also false), and Varian discovering more about his mom and being a kryptonian etc.. There's even the 'Ulla trying to possess Varian' with Ulla's memories being saved within this one kryptonian ship hidden in the arctic (like her consciousness has been transferred to the ship or something). And obviously Hugo and Varian ends up together.

So yeah those are the basics ! So far. Changes might happen someday, I'm still debating on some stuff. I do have more details here and there I'm planning to doodle but nothing too crazy

Sooo yep, here you go