#dystopian fantasy

[jadejedi]

Sci-fi/Fantasy Book Review: The Locked Tomb (Books 1 and 2) by Tamsyn Muir

JJ’s rating 5/5

How feral did it make me 5/5

My book reviews

So, I initially picked up these books because I was looking for something similar to Ocean’s Echo by Everina Maxwell. I think I saw someone on reddit compare The Locked Tomb to Ocean’s Echo due to both of them having the sort of soul-merge-y stuff, and that is absolutely true. If you want books that are like “what if two fucked up people want to lose themselves in someone else, only to realize that they can’t actually do that and have a healthy, functioning relationship?”, then both Ocean’s Echo and The Locked Tomb definitely both do those things. Also, they are also both about gays in space. So, I went into TLT with very few expectations. BUT GUYS THE LOCKED TOMB BOOKS ARE SO GOOD HOLY SHIT. I truly could not have guessed how incredible these books are when I started them. 

It’s possible that if you spend a lot of time on tumblr dot com that you have heard of these books because they are, like, exactly tumblr’s jam lmao. If ACOTAR was written perfectly for the booktok/bookstagram crowd, then this series was written perfectly for tumblr. It’s gay, full of ridiculous meme references, and genuinely laugh-out-loud funny while still delivering gut wrenching emotions. I will say I’ve never had two such different reading experiences for books in the same series. Gideon the Ninth is absolutely one of the most fun reading experiences I’ve ever had. Harrow the Ninth, on the other hand, is one of the most confusing. But, it is important to note that it is absolutely confusing on purpose. I genuinely think Tamsyn Muir was like, “what can I do to push the limits of the reading experience in two completely opposite ways” for these books. I fear for my life going into the third book, tbh. 

I just finished my first read of HtN last week, and have since reread GtN and have started rereading HtN and I have never had a more rewarding reread experience in my LIFE. Unless you take extensive notes, there are so so many clues and instances of subtle foreshadowing that will only make sense on a reread. There have already been dozens of times in this reread where something that didn’t quite make sense the first time, or in some cases, didn’t even register as odd on a first read through, makes me go “oh SHIT” and it is so satisfying. 

Here’s the summary (jesus trying to summarize this series in a paragraph is HARD): 10,000 years ago humanity was wiped out on its nine planets. The emperor resurrected everyone, gave some of those people necromantic abilities and became God. Each of the nine planets has a ruling house that specializes in a form of necromancy. The Ninth House specializes in bone magic, and has the special task of guarding The Locked Tomb, which holds the one thing that could destroy the Emperor and therefore all human life. Our story centers on Gideon Nav, an orphan and indentured servant of the Ninth House who desperately wants to escape and become a soldier. Her nemesis is Harrowhark Nonagesimus, the heir to the Ninth House. They hate each other, but in a “I am completely and utterly obsessed with you” kind of way. Harrow is invited to go to the First House to try to become one of God’s immortal body guards (Lyctors), but needs a bodyguard (cavalier) of her own for this trial/competition thing, so she basically backs Gideon into a corner where her only way to leave the Ninth is to go with her to the First House, because Gideon is a hella good swordswoman. Once they get to the First House, they meet the heirs and cavaliers of Houses 2-8 and they all try to figure out how to become Lyctors. Book Two follows Harrow in the nine months following this competition and that’s all I can say about it without completely spoiling everything. 

If you want to read these books (which you absolutely should), I would recommend going in as blind as possible. However, especially as you are reading Harrow the Ninth, you feel a little confused. Or a lot confused. I recommend going to r/theNinthHouse on Reddit and searching for the “hot tomb summer” reread-along. It covers both of these two books and goes in about five chapter sections. All spoilers are hidden so it is safe to use on a first read.

These books are absolutely one of a kind, and they are PHENOMENAL. The dynamic between Harrow and Gideon is absolutely delicious. Do you like enemies to (hopefully) lovers? Do you like some good ole fashioned fealty? Do you like one character being like “please use me, consume me, eat me, please” and the other being like “I will show my love by not using, consuming, or eating my love interest”? Do you like devastating heart-to-hearts in a pool? Do you like references to the Bible and Shakespeare right next to semi-obscure meme references? Have you ever looked at a fictional couple and thought, “You know what would really put them over the top? SKULL FACEPAINT!”? Then these books are for you!!! I genuinely haven’t stopped thinking about these books since I finished Harrow. GtN was one of my best reads of 2023, and I already know that HtN is one of my best reads of 2024. I genuinely cannot recommend them enough.

[project-heartless-serial]

Author's Note

Hallo! Thank you for your interest in reading this. This story is finished and will update every Saturday starting May 4, 2024. If you are impatient and have some money to spare, or just would like to support me, early access of 5 advance chapters (plus patreon-exclusive post canon content, once we get there!) is available here!

Chapter Masterlist

Working Title: Project Heartless

Genre: Queer, Dystopian Fantasy, Dark Fantasy, Horror

Length: 118K

The Heartless are empty of morals– just as nonexistent as their heart. That was what Rainier Sandoval had been taught at an early age. As an Inner City dweller, the barbarism in the Outer District, where the Heartless thrived, was hard to imagine. But when his own heart was stolen and crushed on his twenty-fifth birthday, he was exiled to that very place, forced to see for himself. He had thought he was prepared, but the expectations were so horribly different from the reality. Conspiracies were afoot, and the more he stayed in Outer District, the more he realized he had been lied to his entire life.  The monsters he was taught to fear might be Angel City's only hope against threats lurking beyond its borders. In a twist of fate, they might also be Rainier's only hope against his own inner demons.

This story was written because there is a severe lack of aromantic characters and queerplatonic relationships in media. If you like: 

*A primarily aromantic cast being unapologetically aro (feat. other aspec identities)

*a generous sprinkle of body horror and action

*focus on a queerplatonic relationship between the MC and their partner

*focus on a nonbinary characters and identities

*found family

*fighting monsters

*fighting against an oppressive system

*a rainy atmospheric setting

Then this novel is for you!

I am very active on Tumblr and my handle is @rkmoon! If you wanna see what I'm working on, ask me questions or just talk to me, you can find me there.

That is all! I hope you like it! 

[rkmoon]

Obligatory reminder that Song of the Heartless is going to start serializing at @project-heartless-serial next week! Are you excited? I'm excited :D

You can ask me stuff about it if you want!

[heathercauthor]

"𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙖 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙇𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙊𝙛 𝙐𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙩!" review for the prequel, Earth Sucks.

Which brings me to revealing its sequel! Welcome to Rebels Suck! Didn't @ckid_art on instagram do an AMAZING job on the cover art?

𝑮𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆:

Upper YA, alien apocalypse, self-reliance and survival

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:

-badass tortured anti-hero -betrayal/revenge -soulmates -opposites attract -forced proximity -enemies to allies to friends -so much hurt/comfort

I got to delve into the rebellion and worldbuilding on both the human and alien side in this one, which was so much fun. The amount of times I made myself fangirl over the love triangle 😭(that doesn't make you want to tear your hair out)

𝑺𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘𝒔 "𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘭𝘴…" 𝘒𝘐𝘙𝘒𝘜𝘚 𝘙𝘌𝘝𝘐𝘌𝘞𝘚

"𝘈𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥, 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵-𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘧𝘪 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘱𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘱𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴…" 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘧𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦

[deardragonbook]

Free Stories to Read

The best way to learn to write is to read a lot! 

Personal experience tells me that writing with the intent of improving and receiving feedback is also extremely important! But I did read an inhuman amount during my teen years. 

Now I really just a human amount. 

And reading can be expensive! Especially if you’re set on a specific genre. 

So, I thought I’d throw together a post with the free stories that I have to offer and invite other authors to re-blog and add their stories! (Is this just me trying to add to my TBR while not having money for books? Maybe). 

Make sure you add a link and the genre! 

Out of Body Experience. Novella. Genre: Dystopian-Fantasy. Status: Complete.

Oppida Institute for Reformation. Prequel. Genre: Fantasy Adventure. Status: Ongoing (to be complete before next summer).

Love, Coffee and Dragons. Related short stories. Genre: Cozy Fantasy Romance between two women. Status: Ongoing 

Other fantasy short stories on my website. 

I left synopsis out because there is a synopsis after you click the link. I think the best way to make this list more accesible would be to be brief but obviously do as you see fit! 

Hope to have some new stories to read soon! 

[fazilareads]

MOON DEEDS (STAR CHILDREN SAGA #1) BY PALMER PICKERING | BOOK REVIEW

MOON DEEDS (STAR CHILDREN SAGA #1) BY PALMER PICKERING | BOOK REVIEW

TITLE : Moon Deeds ( Star Children Saga) AUTHOR : Palmer Pickering GENRE : Science Fantasy, Futuristic Sci-fi Fantasy, Dystopian Fantasy FR RATING : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(4 Stars) DATE OF PUBLISHING : 25 May 2019 PUBLISHER : Mythology Press NO OF PAGES : 598 I had the opportunity to interview Palmer Pickering for my Book Tour Stop with Escapist last year. Make sure to check it out – CLICK HERE FR…

[captscarletlog]

Canon artwork for Casteri Raza, the Iranian mechanic and best friend of Tyrinie Dukas. My man is looking ✨️pristine✨️. Casteri, oddly enough, was another character that had a huge shift. In the original manuscript, Casteri was supposed to be 14 years old and really shy. Look how much that changed!

[elliepassmore]

Cold the Night, Fast the Wolves review

4/5 stars Recommended for people who like: fantasy, sci-fi, high stakes, human-animal bonds, contests The premise of the book sounded interesting and exciting, but I kind of struggled to really connect with any of the characters. Sena has obvious reasons to dislike the race, and also to be passionate about the vonenwolves, but at the same time she can be difficult to get along with. The other characters, aka the "team of scientists," also tend to lack the kind of depth I would like to see, though perhaps that's due to the size of the cast. Sena, as mentioned, is very passionate about the vonenwolves and very passionate in the other direction about the sled race. She cares for the vonenwolves and wants to ensure they're being treated well and are in good condition, a passion and talent she inherited from one of her mothers. Unfortunately for her, this also puts her in direct opposition with one of the biggest gangsters in the town/city. Sena has a lot of perseverance and once she puts her mind to something, she's determined to see it through, no matter how unlikely she thinks success will be. Remy was the only other character I really feel like we got a good feel for. She has her own reasons for wanting to be on Tundar and plenty of secrets to boot. She and Sena get along fairly well, which is good since Sena doesn't really get along with most people. Remy also adds a bit of lightness to the story and is able to both scheme and joke. I look forward to seeing more of her story in the second book. There's little to no romance in this book, so that's refreshing for a fantasy book. That being said, there also isn't really a ton of character relationships going on either. Sena thinks a lot about her mothers, so their relationship and her love for them (and vice versa) comes through, but she keeps her distance from most of the other characters, including her aunt. The scientist team has some interesting dynamics that I think could be interesting to explore deeper, and perhaps they will come up in book 2. I get why the scientist team wanted to bring their scientific equipment along, but it was frustrating at times having to read how much they clung to their ideas while completely ignoring Sena's advice, despite the fact that they came to her for help. Sena's advice proves true, of course, since she does know what she's talking about. I know I've mentioned that Sena doesn't get along with a lot of people in the book, but a lot of that is due to stuff like this, where she gives asked-for advice and then is ignored by people who think they know better. That being said, I liked the environment and world Long set up in this story. It definitely felt like winter to me when I was reading it. The world Sena lives on is harsh, filled with a deadly tundra and even deadlier gangsters. I liked the feel of the town/city Sena lives in and it felt real and interesting (think Winter, White and Wicked mixed with The Raging Ones). The woods on the edge of town could've used a bit more of an explanation I think, but at the same time they don't play a huge role in things so I don't know if a more in-depth explanation really matters. Overall, I enjoyed this book. I think some additional time getting to know the characters or more on-page character interactions would've been nice, but I enjoyed the fast pace of the book and the world that Long created here.

[onthewingsforwriters]

[hellsgate-roadhouse]

📺 📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺📺

[project-heartless-serial]

Chapter One

Chapter Masterlist

Rainier squirmed as his older brother touched his beating heart. 

Vincent had just set aside the bone saw, the one that he used to saw off his ribs. While Rainier did not really feel it thanks to the painkillers he had been given before they started, the thought of someone touching such an intimate part of him made him feel exposed and vulnerable. It was all part of the procedure, he knew— the operation to prepare his heart for the upcoming party. Vincent was just helping him out, as was tradition, but Rainier wanted him to hurry up already, clip his blood vessels already, sew the ends nice and neatly, like he was supposed to.  

"Rainier," Vincent hissed. "Stay still."  

"Did you stay still while Dad was snipping off your heart?" Rainier asked. He ignored how his own name made him cringe, how it made his insides squirm, so much so that he almost asked his brother if his organs were doing a little dance. It had always been this way. It merely became easier to ignore it. It was old news.

"You know Dad," Vincent said, sounding wistful. "He was even stricter when I was younger. He would have never entertained your squirming. But I bet our parents would have been thrilled to see you now, mom especially. Her baby boy finally offering his heart, she would have been over the moon. It's such a shame they won't be here." 

Rainier pointedly did not think about being thirteen years old and told that his parents' soul cores had faded away in the middle of the night. That they were never going to open their eyes again. 

"I can't believe it myself," Vincent continued. "I remember when you were just a little kid hiding behind my legs. You grew up so fast." He reached a bloody hand to ruffle his hair. 

Rainier shrieked. "Gross! Eloise, control your husband!" 

Eloise, who was sitting on the bed, chuckled under her breath. "Oh, Rainier," she said with a sly look in her eyes. "Let your brother mess you up while he still can. You know he won’t have the chance anymore— after all, you’re all grown up now."

Rainier rolled his eyes. He was turning twenty-five, and his family still treated him like a kid. It was unbearable when he was a teenager, now it was just obnoxious. 

"Not yet you aren’t," Vincent grumbled. "You’ll always be my little monster, won’t you, Rainier?" And with that he attacked him with blood red hands and attempted to tickle him.  

"Stop! Heavens," Rainier said, genuinely irritated. "I don’t wanna be all bloodied up when I go out later." He grumbled when Eloise only continued giggling. The way they treat made him feel small. He tried to redirect the discomfort though, trying to turn it to humor. He glared at Eloise. "I knew I should have picked a better sister-in-law."

"As if you had any choice," Vincent said as he gave his wife a sappy smile.

"I was a charming little man. I bet if I cried and begged enough, you would not have chosen Eloise to give your heart to. My approval was too important to you," Rainier said. 

"All I had to do was bribe you with chocolate," Eloise reminisced. "You were a cute three-year old."

"Should have asked for something else. Something useful, like company shares," Rainier continued. "Build my empire while I’m still in diapers."

"Like you actually care about Sandoval Solutions," Vincent said with a roll of his eyes. 

"Isn't that why the Board is pushing me to do this dumb tradition anyway? So they can hurry up my love life, to promise me and my future kids to the city as back-up heirs?" Rainier said as he tried to fix his hair and clothes that Vincent had ruffled in his attempt at roughhousing. He noticed a very small bloodstain on his shirt and scowled.

Vincent looked apologetic. Not for his ruined shirt, but for everything else. "I'm sorry, Rainier. You know it's only a formality. Obviously, I'm still far away from seventy, my soul core isn't fading anytime soon. But until Eloise gets pregnant, the Board will keep hounding you." And then his expression turned a bit chiding. "Well, I don't think they're necessarily wrong for doing so…"

Rainier sighed. 

"The company is our family legacy," Vincent said. "You should take it more seriously." 

"I told you already, didn't I?" Rainier said pointedly. "I'm not interested in leadership like that. I just wanna live my own life. Maybe carve out my own path."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow. "And how's that working for you?" 

Better than you think, Rainier didn't say.

Vincent affectionately pinched his cheek.

Rainier tsked as he rubbed said cheek. It came out red. "Hello, bloody hand! Will you hurry up and snip my heart already?"

"So impatient," Vincent replied indulgently. He took the surgical scissors and did just that. Rainier waited as he felt the little tugs along with the snipping sound of the scissors, thinking about how each snip brought him closer to the moment he was going to take his heart out of his chest and present it to his one true love. 

It was all so cheesy and embarrassing. He would much rather do something like that in private. But alas, as a scion of the Sandoval family, the next in line to inherit the company that made up the city’s backbone, what was such a private moment was turned into a circus act. He knew it was inevitable that there was going to be a big party about it, with full media coverage. Gossip ran rampant for things like this; people love to hear a good love story. Rainier just hoped that he wasn’t going to make a fool of himself in front of the cameras.

It was all so stupid. His brother should just hurry up and have kids already, so the media would finally lose interest in him. But it was no secret that Eloise and Vincent had been trying for years with little success. Rainier felt bad enough for them that he didn't complain as often as he wanted to.

He just hoped this whole nonsense tradition was not going to blow up in his face.

Snip out your heart, they said. Present it to the apple of your eye on your twenty-fifth birthday, they said. Rainier wanted to strangle the people who came with this, centuries ago. Why did they decide being twenty-five without a serious relationship was too old? Rainier was not old. He still had his own life ahead of him to decide.

Even though regardless of how long it took, he suspected he was going to choose the same person every time. 

Simonne Whallers. The girl — now woman— who had captured his heart since he was barely a teenager. She was beautiful, she was graceful, she was intelligent, she was perfect.  And therein laid the problem. Simonne was so perfect that Rainier didn't know if he deserved her. She was so perfect that she intimidated him a little, sometimes. 

Why would she ever settle for someone like him? 

"There you go," Vincent said, as he sewed his blood vessels closed. Rainier could feel his body getting cold from the lack of circulation, but that was a discomfort that he was going to have to get used to, at least until he was offered Simonne's heart in exchange. If that would even happen. For the duration of the party, and the courtship afterwards, his heart would be rattling around his chest, completely free for the time being. Rainier figured getting a little bit cold was worth one day getting Simonne’s heart beating in his own chest. 

Vincent had a knowing smile on his lips. Rainier felt self-conscious. "What?" he asked. 

Vincent shook his head as he closed Rainier’s chest and sewed it with regular thread. Not bloodthread, which would heal the wound completely, but a different special kind of thread which could prevent it from healing, easily snipped during the party that was happening in two days. The thought of going on his knees and cutting through the stitches in his chest to present his heart was kinda gruesome now that Rainier thought about it, but that had always been how it was done.

"I’m looking forward to seeing you on the altar one day, honestly," Vincent replied.  

"You're looking way too far ahead," Rainier scolded. "Whoever it is I'm presenting my heart to— they could still reject me. So if it’s all the same to you," Rainier started before Vincent could go on again about him growing up so fast, pulling his button-up shirt over his chest and doing the buttons. "I have a meeting with a friend to get to." 

Vincent perked up. He always did whenever he became aware of Rainier's excursions outside. "A friend?" 

"Yeah," Rainier said self-consciously. "Just to a restaurant near the radio tower." 

"Take Trenton with you." 

Rainier sighed. "I don't need a babysitter." 

"Anything could happen," Vincent insisted. "It's better to be safe." 

"And who would dare attack me? Me, Rainier Sandoval?" Rainier asked as he walked to the door. "Anyone who attacks a Sandoval must be crazy. They won't be safe anywhere within the city anymore, and if they leave, they're dead." 

"Just do it," Vincent said in a forceful tone. Because I said so, he didn't add. 

Rainier was so tired of this. "Fine," he said, resigned. 

Trenton was originally meant to be Vincent’s bodyguard, but somehow, at some point, he had become Rainier's. Standing at an intimidating height, the man was all hard muscle, but his eyes were always soft whenever they looked at Rainier, as if he couldn’t help being fond. He was standing in attention by the door when Rainier exited the room, having already heard the conversation.

"Hey, Rainier," Trenton said with a smile. "Going to see Alec today?" 

"Yes," Rainier said. He had been anxious to get more books today. He started walking, and as expected the man was following him, heeding his words.

"I'm surprised you're letting me come with to your illicit meeting with your  friend again," Trenton teased.

Rainier felt self-conscious. "Just make sure to stay out the way when I get there."

"Just within shouting distance, but out of hearing range," Trenton said with a nod, parroting Rainier's earlier words. "You know, if I didn't know you're head over heels over a certain someone, I'd be worried."

That made Rainier nervous. "What's there to be worried about? Alec is a guy."

"The secrecy is just suspicious, is all."

"Don't get any weird ideas. I'm not doing anything wrong." Rainier said.

"Of course not."

The two of them walked in silence for a bit, before Trenton murmured a change in subject. "You know, I heard your brother invited the Heartless to the party." 

That halted Rainier in his step. He turned to Trenton, baffled. "What? Why?"

"You know I don't always know what your brother is thinking."

Rainier wished he understood too. It just felt like something out of left field, to try and invite those people. Since when did they get involved in Inner City affairs?

"When are they arriving?" he asked. 

Trenton shrugged. "Later tonight. Don't worry; I will make sure that they're under surveillance twenty-four seven. My team won't let them hurt a single hair on anyone's head. They're also going to be escorted on the way in and out of the Inner City. It's going to be fine; my team will take care of it." 

Rainier smiled, relieved. "Your team is the best." 

Trenton grinned. "That we are."

They arrived at the entrance hall of the mansion. They wore their usual rain jackets in silence, and then they left the warmth of the Sandoval residence, walking into the cold embrace of the rainy afternoon. Rainier walked forward with a skip in his step, uncaring about the mud he was getting all over his shoes. Trenton always complained about his knack of walking everywhere, insisting he should let him drive him to his destinations, but Rainier liked walking around like this, seeing the beauty of the place his family had led and molded through generations. 

He may not be interested in taking over the company, and thus isn’t interested in any sort of leading position in the city’s corporatocracy, but he still thought how their ancestors had risen from the ashes of an apocalypse and built this entire metropolis was pretty damn cool. He looked up at the drizzling sky and let the rain wet his face a little bit, before he continued walking on. 

In Angel City, it rained. It always rained, and it never stopped raining. On good days it drizzled like a cool sheet of blanket wrapping all around one’s limbs, and on bad days it was a storm that raged and rattled against the windows. When Rainier was younger, his tutor told him the rain were angel tears that fell on earth, weeping because of the barrenness of the world at present.

(When Rainier told his father this, his father's expression had soured. He fired the tutor the next day. Rainier never knew why.)  

Even from a distance, Rainier could see the Wall that divided the Inner City and the Outer District. The Outer District was... well, it was best not to dwell on what happened there, or so Vincent had always told him. It was a land with little progress nor law, the land of the barbarians they call the Heartless. The Heartless were the fighters of the city, the ones that made up the militia that guarded the city from potential harm. They were doing good work, Rainier supposed, but only because they were so well-suited for it.

The Heartless were fighters because they were good for nothing else. Born without a heart, they were found to be unable to love, and perhaps that was why they had resorted to violence and savagery. It was a sad existence, Rainier had always thought. These people would never understand the love that made people weep with joy and cry in anguish, would never understand the thing that made people human. Because they never had a heart to begin with, they would never understand what they were missing either.

More than once, Rainier wondered why people were ever born without a heart. It just seemed so cruel.

Because of their proclivities, The Heartless were held by the government on a tight leash. No Heartless was allowed to live in the Inner City. Unfortunately, a rabid dog, while still leashed, was still rabid— and that was why Rainier didn’t understand why his brother would even allow some of them to come in here. It just seemed so careless and nonsensical. But Vincent knew what he was doing. At least, Rainier hoped so.

They took the train to the radio tower. Trenton spent the whole way complaining but Rainier just enjoyed the ride. It was not rush hour, so there were not a lot of passengers, and they even got to have a seat. The train traveled on rails high above the city, showing off the cityscape: billboards lit up bright, cars running through the traffic on asphalt roads, skyscrapers rising high to the heavens. Among them was the main building of Sandoval Solutions, the entrance to the Sandoval Industrial Zone, where a lot of the things the city needed to survive were produced. Food and medicine were manufactured here, but Rainier knew electronics, building materials, weapons, cars and other essentials were produced in factories in the Outer District. 

When people say Sandoval Solutions had it all, it was not an exaggeration. The sole pioneer in production and research, the corporation ran the entirety of Angel City’s bustling economy. There was no one else who could.

Rainier arrived at Station Zero and exited the train, making sure to keep his head down as he walked around the city proper. Nobody paid any attention to him, and that was the beauty of not taking a ride. Sure, people glanced at the Sandoval Security badge emblazoned on Trenton’s raincoat, but since he was just walking, they all assumed he was not on duty. Sandoval Security offered services not only to the Sandoval family but also to the families affiliated with the company— the Whallers, the Daltons, the Reids, and many more. Nobody would think a high-profile person like Rainier would be walking around the city with only one bodyguard in tow.

Soon enough, he arrived at the restaurant. Words could not explain how grateful he was to find this place when he was lost, so long ago. Here he found people who were like him, here he found a little bit of peace. He glared at Trenton until he rolled his eyes and settled in one of the single-person tables at the corner near the entrance, and then proceeded to look around and find himself a table on the other end. He didn't like his affairs being snooped on. It was honestly insulting that Vincent wouldn't allow him to move on his own. And he was glad that Trenton understood that. That even though he had no choice but to follow his boss, he still made an effort to give Rainier as much of his privacy as possible. 

The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice. It was hidden away in a small alcove away from the main street, which meant that not a lot of people went here. It also meant the people who did were people who decided to visit this place specifically. People who were... well. 

The interior of the restaurant was rustic and cozy. The walls were adorned with local art and vintage photographs that tell the untold story of their community. Soft, ambient lighting created an intimate setting, with a mix of small tables and plush booths, each dressed in crisp, white tablecloths and adorned with fresh flowers. The air sang with the music interlude of Clary Starr's latest radio interview, and Rainier made a mental note to catch up on her show through the re-broadcast later tonight. He settled in, and immediately he was approached by a waiter: his friend, Alec, who had a huge grin on his face, holding a notepad in one hand and a pen in the other. 

"Rainier! It's been a while," he said. "You've been way too busy with that posh party of yours, haven't visited me in a while, hm?" 

Rainier smiled. "I just came here to get more books, Alec." 

Alec made an exaggerated wounded noise. "You only use me for my connections. For shame! But you know, these things come with a price sooo..." He rubbed his thumb and pointer finger together. 

Rainier rolled his eyes and grabbed his wallet, taking out more money than Alec probably needed and handing it over. As someone who had a privileged background, he had always felt as if it was his duty to support the authors he loved. "Here you go." 

"Pleasure doing business with you," Alec said with a grin. "How's your next manuscript going?" 

Rainier's cheeks flushed. "It isn't finished yet." 

"It's sodomy, Rainier. How hard could it be?"

"Keep it down," Rainier hissed, thankful that there wasn't a lot of customers around. He glanced behind him where Trenton was and hoped he didn't hear that. Trenton was there enjoying a cup of coffee. He wasn't paying him any attention. What a good man. Rainier turned back to Alec with a glare. "I need to do more research. There's some stuff... I wanna put in... that..." His face was on fire.

Alec laughed, because he was a bastard like that. He wiggled his eyebrows at him and said, "You know, you could just go to the meet-up tonight. Find yourself a... research partner."

Rainier glared at him. "You're gross."

"You're the one writing homosexual erotica!"

"I said: keep it down!" Rainier hissed again. "You know I can't go. My brother will notice I'm gone and... I don't wanna get caught. It'll be a scandal." Especially because he was a high-profile person. If someone went to the media about what the Sandoval heir was doing in his spare time... 

Alec's eyes softened. "You can trust us, Rainier. The community protects each other. Nobody will rat you out." 

Rainier fidgeted. 

"And," Alec added. "You need to do something about your brother. You're turning twenty-five. He needs to stop controlling your life. If you wanted to have a lay with a beautiful woman or a beautiful man, or both at the same time– that is none of his business. That shouldn't be his business. You're a grown man." 

"I..." Rainier licked his lips. "I just don't want there to be an argument." 

"You can move out and live with me and my boyfriend, you know. We'd be happy to have you. If you'd stop donating all of your earnings to the community, you'd even be able to support yourself. You have options. If you want to break away." 

Rainier was skeptical. "Are my books really selling that well?" 

"Borderline illegal, underground books are expensive, you know." 

Rainier let himself ponder it for a moment. A life of his own. A life where he wasn't looked after twenty-four seven, where he was able to live on his own terms. It was an attractive life, something he wanted, but all he had to do was imagine the hurt that would be in Vincent's face when he said he wanted to leave, and that shriveled up his resolve immediately. He knew he should do it. The overprotectiveness was only getting more and more suffocating as he grew up. But he needed time to gather his courage.

Besides, it may not be a viable option in the long term anyway. If he was to pursue Simonne... he would probably have to abandon his manuscripts completely. If he was to be with Simonne, he couldn't let her know of his deviance, of this part of him he had buried for so long.

Normal people didn't really respond well to freakishness like Rainier's own.

"I'll think about it," was all he could say. "Now, the books?"

***

After that, Rainier and Trenton took the train back to the mansion, a paper bag of new books in tow. Trenton once again looked curious about it, but he didn’t pry. He never did. Rainier couldn’t help but be excited to read his new books, eager to get back to his room.

Just as they arrived, he noticed a beat up red jeep in the driveway. He had never seen a jeep like that before, and it was not the kind of ride that Vincent’s stuck up business partners would be using. Rainier entered the mansion curiously, where he was greeted by a maid and helped out of his raincoat. This close to his party, the mansion was alive with activity. There were a lot of guards walking about, a lot of maids making preparations. But he did not see anyone who could possibly be the owner of the jeep, and that made him wonder.

"Where’s Vincent?" he asked the maid. 

"Upstairs, Master Rainier," the maid replied. "He’s a bit  busy. He will see you at dinner."

"Okay."

Rainier walked upstairs to his room, and what he saw on the way made him freeze. There were two people, a man and a teenage girl, leaning against the wall beside Vincent’s office. Their striking appearance caught Rainier’s eye. The teenage girl looked bored, playing with her brown hair as she waited. She would have looked normal, if not for her fingers, which were each a different skin color. The man beside her was staring up at the ceiling and clicking his tongue. His entire body was a patchwork of different body parts that didn’t look like they fit together. He’s got a dark-skinned face and curly dreadlocks, but his neck was olive-skinned, his arm tan, his hand pale and skinny. Just as Rainier spent a moment staring, he turned his eye to glance at him, a disgusted look appearing on his face before he looked away. 

They must be the Heartless. Rainier didn’t know what happened to their bodies, but there were rumors that the Heartless tear each other apart on the regular. Rainier was about to turn away and hurry to his room, but that was when the door opened. A man with a similar patchwork body emerged, though slightly taller and more muscular than the other one. When his eyes met with Rainier’s, he froze. The two of them stared at each other for a long moment, and then Rainier looked away and mumbled an excuse as he walked past them. They let him pass.

That night, Rainier’s thoughts kept coming back to that Heartless. He couldn’t help but think about how his eyes were the greenest eyes he had ever seen. 

He wondered if those eyes were the man’s own.

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[amanda-n-newman-author]

What books* and/or characters* of mine are you interested in learning behind the scenes info and facts about?

*This includes my upcoming Shrouded Curses series.

I’m considering doing a video series on YouTube and/or blog posts dedicated to behind the scenes lore, worldbuilding, behind the scenes character facts/info, and behind the scenes info/facts about my books in general.

That being said, is there anyone or anything you’d want to learn more about or are curious about?

Also, if you have any specific questions or specific characters you’d like me to cover, feel free to let me know either in the comments or in DMs. 

[alyxandraharveybooks]

Robin Hood meets The Hunger Games with a touch of Mandalorian smut? Is that even a thing?? Well, here it is.

[technicallyclassyperfection]

Annibale Siconolfi @annibale_sic Teleport Services _ Prototype Test

[the-art-of-dieselpunk-war]

Zdzisław Beksiński

[euphonious-night]

the evil Dark Valbort rules with his magical Iron Fist, which he uses to squish those that displease him until they are dead. only the chosen Dingus can resist Dark Valbort's Iron Fist - but there hasn't been a Dingus in centuries.

but Adele was born a Dingus and managed to escape the wrath of Dark Valbort and his Minions of Threek, whom are dedicated to the elimination of all Dinguses.

can Adele stay alive, find Bluthie the Avenging Sword of the Sun, and overthrow Dark Valbort before Valbort can activate the Kill Moon? and… can she find love, too?