#and I can file that into 'huh that's interesting. thankfully not canon.

[spockvarietyhour]

So I'm curious what are your thoughts on Star Trek Picard Season 3? Based on most of your tags, I get the impression that you did not enjoy it.

It is what it is. held together by duct tape and threadbare storytelling and one last hallway shootout.

Nostalgia is a hell of a drug and it couldn't really save this one.

As it stands, ignoring the novels retcon, does it outperform "These are the Voyages", which also used some Enterprise-D flashbacks in it?

Oh I thought my answer was gonna be yes but I'm just.....

maybe by a nose, its better than that. This season was a mess again that didn't really know what it wanted, invested heavily in tropes and wanted a shootout a minute from the looks of it. All those scenes on M'Talas Prime, wasted potential of the Changelings (oh we fixed that. we got the transporters fixed), the omission of Laris in the finale when they made sure to put her in the season premiere.

Not to mention the Borg, oh the Borg. one transwarp hub down out of six and one dead queen is all it takes apparently.

In a way the closing scene of this season's Mandalorian and Picard reflect a poor attempt to reach an endgoal by some of the worst possible means. Those closing scenes are good but unearned.

And, this goes back to TNG-era Trek, Star Trek can't envision civilian life in these models. Everyone has to join Starfleet, we cant have any main civilian characters.

After listening too to Matalas on Gates' pod I have a feeling that we're trapped in another cycle of trying to Star-Wars-ify Trek, and the Trench run sorta reinforced that.

I think that's all I got tonight.

[aseioh]

Of Stars and Moonlit walks pt.2/?

Notes: Some housekeeping first. Donna for the purpose of this story will be based partly on her unused content from the game as well as some canon info. This means that she has a darker background than the one that was used in the game proper as I would really like to incorporate those into this story.

Another thing is that as you’ve probably read from the previous chapter. The characters here are slightly out of character, I’m afraid this is entirely my problem as I’m not used to writing stories

----

Chapter 2: Dinner with a show

Dinner with the Dimitrescus’ was never a quiet affair, in fact it is the very definition of a happy family dinner. The three daughters vying for their Mother’s attention, retelling their afternoon adventures. Alcina sitting at the head of the table patiently listening to everything her daughters tell her, her smile so much different from the usual smirk or predatory grin she sports during the meetings with Mother Miranda and the other Lords.

It made her look softer; Motherhood seems to suite her like her gloves.

At the back of Donna mind, she remembers her childhood before things went bad. Sunday roast dinners made by Mother, Father sneaking from behind to leave a kiss on her Mother’s cheek. Yes, everything seems so simple back then.

The dining room itself is small and cozy, Donna guesses that this room is where the family usually dines compared to the cavernous dining hall that exits into their courtyard.

Across the table Bela has been silently studying their mysterious guest. Of course she has been joining her sisters retell their afternoon escapades in the garden and how they had manage to scare the new maids. But throughout dinner she has been subtly glancing at Donna.

The women certainly is interesting, so quiet compared to her doll that you would have imagined that the chatty doll is the Lord and the woman is the puppet. But she had listened to her Mother’s lesson unlike her two sisters. She knows who Donna Beneviento is, what the woman is capable of.

What an interesting study, I wonder what is behind that veil.

‘She must be pretty.’ She thought as she swirls the wine in her glass.

“So Angie, wanna play hide and seek? Bet you can’t find us! We’re very good at that game” Daniela challenges Angie. The moment that the youngest sister saw the moving doll she has become utterly fascinated by it.

It was obvious that Angie was the greatest doll Donna possesses, as she has mostly used the doll as an extension of her psyche. That said, the doll seems to be capable of autonomous actions based on the way she flitters around the room inspecting various stuff that catches her attention.

“Ha you’re talking to the greatest hide and seeker! Hehehe, alright. Let’s play” Angie exclaimed hopping up and down Donna’s side.

“she really is one of a kind huh?” Cassandra muses.

“Yes, my Father built and gifted her to me on my birthday, we’ve been inseparable since. When I’ve received my gift from Mother Miranda I’ve decide to share some of my psyche with her. In a way she is an extension of myself, albeit a rather excitable one at that.” Donna explains as she looks on fondly at Angie.

As Alcina stands up from her chair and offers her hand to Donna “Yes well enough of that melancholy dear, shall we retire or will you join me for a short night cap.”

“And girls if you are going to play with Angie make sure that you don’t cause too much noise. God knows we need some rest after today.”

“Yes Mother!” the three answers in unison

“You guys hide, and I’ll seek” Daniela announces as she grins predatorily. The ‘preys’ have already scattered before she even finished her sentence. After counting to ten she proudly bellows “READY or NOT, HERE I COMEEE!!” with that she disintegrates into hundreds of flies intent on ‘hunting’ her preys.

----

Adjourning to another room the two Lords sit in front of a roaring fire. Alcina casually cupping one of her finest vintages, while Donna content on sipping her tea.

“Donna when I asked you to join me for a night cap, I didn’t expect you to drink tea” Alcina chuckles at Donna’s preferred drink.

Donna having removed her veil as she was alone with Alcina responds by standing up and taking the crystal decanter by the table. She pours a fingers worth of aged whiskey into her cup. Smirking she raises her tea laced whiskey to Alcina and gulps down a mouthful.

Seeing this Alcina roars into laughter. “You really can surprise anyone” Wiping a stray tears from her eyes “and that is why anyone who underestimates you meets their end.”

“At that I can only blame them” Donna answers. The two fell into a companionable silence, the silence only broken by the occasional cracking of the fire.

“Tell me Donna, how is your project with Heisenberg. I do hope the man is not running you haggard. I know that it concerns Mother Miranda’s plan but you shouldn’t run yourself to hard. Let Heisenberg sweat a bit”

“Thank you for your concern Alcina, but you shouldn’t worry. Believe it or not Karl and I are very efficient with our work, and yes, I let him do all the heavy lifting. I’m just there when he needs a second opinion on the new ‘soldat’ hardware.” Donna levels Alcina with a grateful smile, who knew that the tallest and blood thirsty Lord of the village have a soft spot for her ‘siblings’.

“Yes, yes I’m just worried that Mother Miranda has been running you ragged. Lord knows she’s been going full tilt with her so called ‘plan’.

“Actually Alcina, may I ask you for a favor?”

“Depends, does it involve the depletion of our whiskey stores?” At that Alcina couldn’t help but give a short chuckle.

“Very funny. But no. I would never deprive Karl of his favorite drink.” Donna shakes her head, pin it to the back of her head ‘Alcina is a funny half-drunk.’

“No, I was wondering if you would allow me to tour your greenhouse. I would love to see your plants and roses.”

“Is that all? Of course, I’ll ask Bela to take you tomorrow. She’s usually the one to tend to my roses, she’s picked up the hobby after reading some books and my roses have never looked livelier.”

“Thank you.”

-----

A knock on the door alerts Donna that her companion for the day has arrived. From what Angie has relayed to her last night, the girls had fun with their game with Angie being declared the ultimate victor followed closely by Cassandra. Apparently being a small doll makes it near impossible to find her inside the huge castle.

“Good morning Donna, shall we go to the greenhouse?” Bela extends her arms towards the hallway as they make their way to the greenhouse.

“You look pretty today Bela! I love your dress, it suits you so much it brings out your eyes!” Angie says as she turns her head to face Bela. Donna who has been carrying Angie had to think hard on not dropping the doll or stop walking.

Bela for her part slightly blushes at the compliment. “You really think so Angie?” Angie enthusiastically nods her head, fearing that it might fall off Donna decides to intervene.

“Angie’s right Bela, you look really beautiful today.” At that Bela’s blush blossoms like one of her Mother’s roses. “Thank you, Angie, Donna”

“I must say though, your hands are beautiful Donna, they look so soft-“ Bela stops herself before she could say more and embarrass herself further. ‘Really Bela, her hands are pretty, Mother Miranda above what are you a child!?’ she chides herself.

Not knowing how to respond to such a compliment herself, Donna instead slows down her walk and whispers, “Thank you, Bela” Although Bela doesn’t seem to hear as she was busy chiding herself.

Thankfully the two arrive at the Castle’s greenhouse without any hitch.

Entering the great building Donna is surprised by the sheer number of plants that the building houses. Exotic plants that can only survive in tropical climates seem to thrive even in their Romanian climate. At the center of place is Alcina’s roses, the bushes so lush its as if each rose were painted there. Truly they were the main attraction of the greenhouse.

“They’re beautiful, and is it true that you yourself tended to these flowers?” Donna enquired as she caresses the petals of a rose amazed at the softness of it.

“Well, yes. I read in the library on the optimal way to care for the roses. I though that I could try my hands on caring for them. To ward off boredom of course, Mother said that we should look for hobbies and stop terrorizing the hired help” Bela explains as she tries not to blush on how Donna touches the plant.

“I don’t think it’s just that Bela. You have a big heart. You’ve managed to grow something from this barren and frozen place. You gave it your time and love and in return, they bloom for you.” Donna says quietly voice soft it’s as if the wind itself is talking.

Bela blushes furiously and is left speechless. ‘this is the third time she’s been made to blush! What the hell Bela get a hold of yourself’.

Donna sensing that she has said too much tries to back paddle. “I’m sorry it’s just how I see here. I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable.”

“No thank you Donna, really that’s the sweetest thing anyone has said to me.”

Thankfully the awkwardness of the place changes when Cassandra barrels through the greenhouse. “Lady Beneviento, may Angie play with us again? We want a rematch with her. This time we’ll definitely win” She says with fire in her voice.

And even though her sisters have said that she can sometimes gloss over and ‘cannot read the room’, Cassandra knew for certain that something has happened. It might be the blush her elder sister is sporting or the subtle twitch of Donna’s hands.

But there are more pressing matters at hand, a Champion needs to be dethroned. Therefore she filed the weird atmosphere around Donna and Bela for another time.

At the mention of the challenge Angie becomes animated and hops off to run into Cassandra. The three leaves Donna alone to ponder the situation inside the greenhouse.

Perhaps her stay at Castle Dimitrescu would be full of surprises after all.

----

Another note: I’ve also been made aware that Donna may suffer from Agoraphobia. I’m sorry that I haven’t taken that into consideration when writing this story, in this case Donna just suffers from a slight fear of unknown people and will not talk at all if she’s in front of new people (which won’t technically happen in this fic)

[haberdashing]

What A Tangled Web We Weave (10/?)

TMA AU diverging from canon at the end of episode 92. Jon is forced into an arranged marriage by Elias; Martin does what he can to help.

on AO3

Martin was pleasantly surprised to find that Tim was sitting back at his desk when he returned, but a few minutes after Martin took a seat at his own desk, Tim got up--he didn’t run from Martin this time, thankfully, but walked at a pace only slightly faster than normal--and headed into Jon’s office, barging in without so much as knocking on the door beforehand.

(Apparently Tim still hadn’t learned that normal people knock.)

Martin tried to focus on his work, but he kept glancing over at the door to Jon’s office instead, wondering exactly what was going on in there, what was being discussed, and he started jiggling his leg without even realizing it at first, and he couldn’t concentrate on the research he should be doing because his mind kept drifting elsewhere...

He didn’t have to wait long for answers, though. Only a few short minutes passed before Tim left Jon’s office as abruptly as he had entered it, practically slamming the door closed behind him.

Martin watched Tim head back to his desk, saw his hands tensed up into loose fists now, noticed that Tim resolutely refused to meet Martin’s gaze.

Something had happened, clearly, between Tim and Jon just now, but Martin didn’t have a clue what. Was it just one of their rows that were becoming all too common lately, or something bigger than that?

But here, too, Martin wasn’t left waiting for answers all too long, as Jon eased the door back open and stuck his head out, calling out sternly but not harshly, “Martin, come in here.”

Martin’s stomach twisted in knots as he did as he was told, closing the door quietly behind him as he entered the office.

Jon didn’t look angry, exactly, or horrified, the way he might have if Tim had... well. But Tim couldn’t tell Jon, could he? Unless he’d found a way around the command Martin hadn’t even meant to impose in the first place... in which case Jon would have even more reasons to be scared of Martin now than if things had come out another way...

“Please, take a seat.” Jon’s tone wasn’t unkind, but as Martin sat down in the chair in front of Jon’s desk, Martin still felt awfully like a schoolchild having to go to the principal’s office to confess his crimes and await a proper punishment.

“You wanted to see me?” It didn’t need to be a question, not really, but Martin wanted to be the one to start the conversation, and to do so in as innocuous a fashion as he could manage.

“Yes, Tim was just asking about you... well, he started by asking about Sasha, actually, wanted to know how I knew that she’d been replaced.”

Martin hadn’t thought about that much himself; he had assumed that whatever powers Jon had now had allowed him to see what the rest of them couldn’t, but now that Jon mentioned it, Martin was curious about the details. “...how did you figure that out?”

“There were a few ways--Melanie seemed to know the difference, tried to tell me there were two Sashas, though it took me a bit to actually listen...” Jon massaged his temple gently. “But more importantly, the tapes show the difference. She--it hid the tapes that Sasha had spoken on before, because they still had Sasha’s voice on them, Sasha’s real voice.”

“...huh.” That was interesting, perhaps fitting with how the tales of legitimate supernatural encounters never recorded digitally but could be saved just fine on their old tape recorders for whatever reason, but Martin couldn’t see how that’d connect back to him and Tim.

“And when I told Tim this, he wanted to hear your voice on tape, make sure it sounded the same as always. Evidently he thought you might have been replaced, too.”

The knots that were Martin’s stomach tightened. “But I wasn’t, you know. It’s still me. My voice hasn’t changed.”

Jon nodded solemnly. “Yes, I know. I pulled out the tape of your statement about Prentiss’ siege, and we listened to it together--well, some of it, anyway. We didn’t even get to the statement proper, only a couple minutes in and Tim had evidently decided that that was enough for him.”

There was a lot to process there, and Martin’s head was swimming. Had Tim really thought Martin was as false as Sasha’s replacement had been, or was this some sort of attempt to warn Jon about Martin’s transformation without bringing it up directly? Why was Martin’s statement already in Jon’s office at the time rather than filed away somewhere where he’d have had to retrieve it? What made Tim decide that he’d heard enough of Martin’s recorded voice even before he’d given his statement?

The noise in Martin’s head quieted, however, as Jon looked directly at him--there was a weight to that gaze, one he could feel down to his bones.

“Tim didn’t tell me why he wanted to check on this so suddenly, though, or why you specifically were a cause for concern... Martin, is there anything you’d like to tell me now?”

And Martin could hear the static building in the background, could feel the weight of the compulsion upon him, knew he had to answer no matter what...

...But Martin could also see the loophole in Jon’s wording, now, knew how he could follow the letter of the law without following its spirit.

There were, of course, a great deal of things that Martin probably should tell Jon now. Some of them were even things that he wanted to tell Jon, on some level. But things he’d like to tell Jon... well, none of the things that most weighed on Martin’s mind these days were things that he’d enjoy telling Jon about, even if deep down inside he knew he ought to do so.

The words still slipped out, of course, as they tended to do when Jon asked things these days, but they were indeed something Martin would like to tell Jon about, rather than information about what Jon really wanted to know.

“I really quite like that polo you’re wearing today. I don’t think I’ve seen it on you before, I think I’d remember a shirt that striking, but while the colors are awfully bright they go together really well, and it looks really good on you...”

Martin still ended up blushing by the end of his rambling, but while it wasn’t information he would normally volunteer, especially at length like that, he did like telling Jon about his good taste in clothing. Everybody liked to be complimented on their outfits, after all, didn’t they? And that polo shirt really did suit Jon well, even if the colors were brighter than his usual stock.

Jon actually laughed a little at that, and though that undoubtedly made Martin’s blush all the brighter it was nice to hear. When was the last time he’d heard Jon laugh? Back when he’d been accusing Martin of murder only to find that his big secret was a forged CV? No, it had to have been more recently than that... but he couldn’t think of a more recent instance.

“Thank you, Martin. You’re right, usually I don’t wear this to work, always thought the colors were a bit too gaudy, but now... well, now I figure I’ve got bigger problems than potentially looking unprofessional.”

“And it’s not like Elias is going to dresscode us.” Martin added.

“Right you are.” Jon shook his head, a soft shaking laughter sneaking out of him as he did so. “Well, if that’s all... you can go now, Martin. Just wanted to check in with you after all that.”

Martin nodded, standing up almost immediately and then vaguely wondering whether that made him seem too eager to leave. “Alright then. I appreciate it.”

“And I appreciate you coming in here and humoring me.”

Martin kept smiling until he’d closed the door, putting Jon’s laughter behind him and subjecting himself to Tim’s suspicious glare once more.

[nicolemagolan]

Books I Read In June 2019

This month was nearly entirely dominated by science-fiction, but Nicholas Eames’ high fantasy novel prevented that. I have no regrets! Not a wholly satisfactory reading month, as these books ranged from excellent to underwhelming. Read on to find out which was which!

Sand by Hugh Howey

3.5/5 stars

“And so it went, sand piling up to the heavens and homes sinking toward hell.”

Sand is a sci-fi story in the same vein as Howey's previous Wool series, set in a scary dystopian future. This one, however, despite being exceptionally well-written, falls short of greatness.

The plot doesn't ever seem to go anywhere -- nowhere interesting anyway. There is a lackluster feeling to the world-building, and a lack of threat because of this. In this world, the characters live in a desert, and make their living by diving through sand as if it's water to collect treasures buried under the dunes. An interesting concept, but the society around it was not explained much, and I am left unsure of how their society actually functions.

The characters were great though. The focus was on a family of 4 siblings, and I loved seeing their dynamics and how they played off each other. There was a lot a nuance to the characters and their relationships.

Hugh Howey is an excellent writer. There were so many beautifully crafted sentences and paragraphs, and riveting action scenes. The dive scenes were horrifying and enthralling. I was constantly in awe of how good Howey's writing style is. Despite the lack of world building, Sand developed a gritty atmosphere that I enjoyed. I'm looking forward to reading more of his work, but I hope they're more balanced.

I was under the impression that Sand tied into Wool in some way, but I couldn't find a connection. It's possible that the buried cities are the Silo's, but it wasn't used for any effect. Could have been any old city, and it wouldn't make a difference. I was disappointed at the false advertising.All in all, I would recommend the Wool trilogy over this. But, if you read and enjoyed that this might just fill the void.

The Walking Dead, Issue #192: Aftermath by Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard (Cover Art), Dave Stewart (Cover Art), Stefano Gaudiano (Artist), Cliff Rathburn (Artist)

5/5 stars

I can't believe they actually did the thing. This issue is brilliant. I don't have anything else I could possibly say.

Star Wars Battlefront II: Inferno Squad by Christie Golden

4/5 stars

“It’s all for the glory of the Empire, honey, and don’t you forget it.”

Another win for the new Star Wars canon! Inferno Squad is a gripping tale of undercover imperial agents going undercover in the Rebellion to find out where or who is leaking top secret information. It's somewhat lacking in true white-knuckle action, but it makes up for that with well-developed and distinct characters. Iden Versio, the lead character, at first seems like the typical Empire-loving, cold, and one-dimensional trooper that we're familiar with in Star Wars canon. But as the story unfolds, her character builds into a complex, intriguing, and empathetic -- and yet still rather cold -- lead. 

I was worried this would be a typical, cheesy story of an imperial agent suddenly realising the error of their ways and joining the rebels...but that wasn't the case. Nor was it completely a one-note "the Empire is always right" perspective; there was enough nuance to keep it compelling. 

As for the other characters, they were all fine, and developed individuality. But I didn't feel there were any other standouts. 

There were a few cringey moments within the writing style -- MULTIPLE instances of "they let out a breath they didn't know they were holding"...Can we let this overused line die, PLEASE. And descriptions were a bit lackluster. But for a Star Wars novel, I would say it was actually pretty decent.

I highly recommend this to Star Wars fans!

Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames 

4/5 stars

“As individuals they were each of them fallible, discordant as notes without harmony. But as a band they were something more, something perfect in its own intangible way.”

Kings of the Wyld is an epic romp through a world both colourful and gritty. It has incredibly balanced flavours of Rock & Roll and hard-hitting fantasy. Plus, it's hilarious. And heartfelt. And totally badass.

Okay, Kings of the Wyld is a little vulgar for my tastes. The language and gore doesn't pull punches, and the depiction of female characters is sometimes over-sexualised. Not always though, thankfully, and it's usually for some purpose. 

The world-building is wack. The fantasy setting feels like it's being pieced together with bright lego bricks as you read, but sometimes instead of sticking together lego, you're just getting pelted with mud. Information about the world is dropped in dialogue and metaphor as if you already have any clue what they're talking about. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's overwhelming. The informal and funny style of writing gives it a cartoony feel (and I don't mean that in a negative way), and it feels very original while still reshaping classic tropes and paying homage to the greats.

But the characters. The characters. The story follows this group of old warriors, getting their mercenary band back together long after their glory days are over. They've settled down and had families, become fat and drunk, gone a bit mad. And when one of their daughters is in mortal danger, they reunite to take on the impossible quest to save her. 

The lead character is Clay Cooper: the sweetest, most wholesome murderer you'll ever meet. Easy to root for, plenty of compelling back-story to dig into, and snarky comments galore.

My second favourite is the wizard Moog. He is a total weirdo and he knows it. I love how ridiculous and passionate he is.

There's Mattrick, who's become a sad, fat King with a terrible marriage and kids that aren't his. But he's still a menace with his knives.

Gabriel is the leader of the group, and the one who is trying to find his daughter. He was one of the less-developed characters, but it worked because he was wholly focused on his daughter. His love for her was nice.

Lastly there's Ganelon, the terrifying warrior with no emotions. Except there are emotions! The scenes showing his vulnerability are fantastic, but where he truly shines is the battlefield.

The comradeship of the band is so natural and entertaining. Their relationships felt fully developed and like they had real history. They are so easy to root for!

The plot does plod a bit, with a bunch of mini-quests along the way that begin to drag towards the end. I think one or two of the little adventures could have been cut-down for the sake of building towards the epic final battle and touching conclusion.

I'll definitely be looking out for more from this author. And if you want a fantasy novel that's a little something different, definitely give this a go!

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

2/5 stars

Brightly Burning is a retelling of the classic Jane Eyre, but set in space! Wooooo! I don't know why I thought I would like this. It does exactly what it says on the tin. It has the plot, characters, and atmosphere of Jane Eyre. But when a character looks out a window...it's space. Maybe if I was a huge fan of the original story, I would be able to appreciate this re-imagining of it. But I don't think Brightly Burning did anything exceptionally interesting with the premise. The language is full of modern colloquialisms that are weirdly balanced with the futuristic world building. It often feels cheesy or just plain silly to me, but this is much lighter sci-fi than I anticipated. I'm kinda dumb though, because of course it's a fluffy/angsty/tropey romance and not a compelling, twisty, or fresh sci-fi take on the classic story. It serves its purpose and it does so with moderate success. me @ me, closing this book:

Sleeping Giants by Sylvain Neuvel

3/5 stars

Sleeping Giants is..........good? I guess? It's a kinda entertaining sci-fi tale told through interviews, self-recorded journals and other audio files. It follows a cast of mostly-military characters as they discover and search for the scattered remains of some strange and potentially alien technology. This premise could really be taken in any direction...unfortunately the compelling concept is bogged down by a dumb LOVE TRIANGLE. Whyyyyy. Minor spoiler territory here, but it becomes clear early on that the alien tech is essentially a mech-style robot thingy. I am wondering how anime it's gonna get, when one of the characters is like 'gee, this sure is something out of Star Wars huh.' GIRL WHAT. No. It really isn't. Anywayyy I love the title, and the cover, and the characters are well-developed. Nothing of real interest happens within the story to be honest, and the ending is kinda lame. I'm not interested in the sequels but I appreciated my time with the audiobook -- it has a full and talented cast.

My reading hopes for next month are high as Semester 1 is over and my holiday has begun! I have big reading plans, folks. Big plans. Like, 5,000 page plans. :) 

Have you read any of these books? Let me know what you thought of them!